The Walking Dead universe has been in decline for several years, as viewing figures suggest. The main series peaked in season five when it had a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 90 percent, and then took a downward turn in seasons seven and eight when it picked up scores of 66 and 65 percent, respectively.
Despite The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead gradually shedding viewers over the years, AMC has decided to double down on its zombie franchise with three brand-new spinoffs. The first of these will be The Walking Dead: Dead City, which certainly has the potential to pull people back and help them fall in love with this post-apocalyptic world again.
When Did The Walking Dead Start to Decline?
The turning point for the flagship series was when Steven Yeun’s Glenn Rhee was killed off brutally at the beginning of season seven. The horrifically graphic nature of that event was too much for many people to stomach, and the writing quality noticeably dipped during that period as well.
At its peak in season five, The Walking Dead was pulling in more than 14 million viewers on average per episode. This fell off a cliff in the last four seasons, with season 11 only bringing in an average of 1.69 million viewers per episode. This stunning decline should have been enough to put AMC off continuing the franchise, but instead, the studio decided to freshen it up by creating three new shows.
Despite its myriad weaknesses, The Walking Dead had several characters that were well-loved by viewers and helped to keep the series afloat. Norman Reedus’s Daryl Dixon was the fan favorite, and he has been rewarded with his own spinoff series that will be set in France. Rick and Michonne Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, respectively, will also be explored further in a spinoff.
Dead City will focus on Lauren Cohan’s Maggie Rhee and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan, two characters who were at odds with each other in The Walking Dead but had great on-screen chemistry. There’s no doubt that this will give the writers an opportunity for a fresh start, and the series has potential.
The Wider Franchise is Healthy
Perhaps the reason why AMC decided it would be a good idea to release more series is that the overall Walking Dead franchise is healthy. The original series itself may have dipped in form, but the various merchandise and games available still attract a vast number of people. With more spinoffs coming out, this will bring about the potential to expand this franchise even more with future games and products.
One of the most successful games related to the AMC show was The Walking Dead from Telltale Games. The role-playing offering was released alongside season three of the main series and helped to draw more attention to the show. The great thing about it was that it used different characters and an original story that existed in tandem with the events of the AMC offering.
Another popular game that’s still big today is The Walking Dead online slot at Party Casino. The site is one of the best places for UK online slots, with players attracted initially by the 100 percent welcome bonus. Online casino games like The Walking Dead are also a major draw for players because they are instantly recognizable. All of these related offerings could be used to promote Dead City as well.
Dead City Can Learn From Mistakes of the Past
Dead City has the chance to take The Walking Dead universe in a new direction and throw in a few surprises for viewers. The good news is that there’s a completely different showrunner in Eli Jorné, who will bring many of his own ideas to the table. From the trailer, it’s clear that there will be some new zombies for the protagonists to contend with, along with original villains and a fresh setting.
Dead City can learn from The Walking Dead’s mistakes by improving its focus. One of the weaknesses of the parent show was that it tended to drag plotlines out for way too long. This was highlighted by the main characters’ war with the Saviors, which lasted for two seasons. It coincided with the dramatic fall in ratings, showing how viewers grew tired of the same repeated themes.
The Walking Dead: Dead City has the chance to usher in a new era for the AMC franchise and attract viewers who may have given up on the original show. There are already signs that the show will go in a completely new direction and give viewers action they’ve never seen before.
