Greetings!
For someone who's often overwhelmed and finds it hard to settle for an endless series—yes, a series with an unlimited number of episodes—it's honestly surprising how I came to accept The Walking Dead as one of my all-time favorite TV series. It's unbelievable because this is exactly what makes most of my friends turn it down whenever I recommend it to them.
But come to think of it, the length of the series actually gave it the space it needed to explore everything in depth. I’m not mincing words here, but I came to love this show because of the little details and basics that were never ignored. Although this isn’t the only reason some people—especially my younger brother and friends like Princessbusayo—have rejected it, it is definitely the major one.
The Walking Dead premiered in 2010, and its main storyline concluded in 2022. It ran for 11 seasons! Yes, that’s a very long one, with each season packed full—some seasons having up to 20 episodes, and certain episodes running as long as 60 minutes. And it doesn’t stop there! After the main show wrapped up, it extended into several spin-offs, such as:
The Walking Dead: The One Who Lives, featuring Michonne and Rick Grime
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, centered on Daryl and Carol
The Walking Dead: Dead City, which focuses on Negan and Maggi
These spin-offs are still ongoing, and as of 2025, we are expecting season 2 of Dead City and season 3 of Daryl Dixon. Can you believe it? A TV show that began in 2010 is still producing new content today.
But wait—there’s more! There are other extensions of the story, such as:
Fear the Walking Dead, a prequel
The Walking Dead: World Beyond, a limited series
Tales of the Walking Dead.
No doubt, I understand why many people frown at the show. However, I’m fully invested and will continue enjoying every bit of it—even into my old age, if they keep producing it.
What’s the show all about?
It’s essentially about survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Even though the living are fighting the dead, the series brilliantly shows that the greatest obstacle is often the living themselves—fighting for food, resources, and power. You can't talk about battling for supremacy without mentioning Negan and his crew, The Saviours in season 5,6,7.
Another common complaint is the continuous death of key characters. Many viewers dropped the show after Glenn was killed, and some gave up entirely when Carl died. I get the frustration because these were beloved characters, and people wanted to see them survive. For me, I nearly lost it when Rosita died, but thankfully that was right at the end of the finale.
But here’s my take: don’t you think those heartbreaking decisions are what make the show so interesting? Oh, yes! If it frustrates you, it means the story has touched your heart.
I know many people will come here to vent their dislike for the show, but I’m ready to convince you to give it a shot—or to keep watching if you’ve paused. Let’s talk in the comments!
Thanks for reading.
Thumbnail image and others are screenshots from my movie player.
This is my entry to CINETV contest. Click to find the contest announcement