10 Years Ago, TV’s Seminal Post-Apocalyptic Series Botched Its Legacy By Manipulating Viewers – comicbook.com

By Ana Dumaraog
A whole decade ago today, the quintessential post-apocalyptic series failed to deliver an episode, resulting in tainting its legacy. So much has happened in terms of how people consume media in the last 10 years. While network and cable TV shows were once the kings of the format, the growing popularity of streaming changed what kind of stories are told on the small screen, as well as how and when they are told.
Before the domination of Netflix and the eventual arrival of other services such as Paramount+, Hulu, Peacock, and Prime Video, prestige TV was often on cable channels, spearheaded by HBO’s The Sopranos and Game of Thrones, and Showtime’s Homeland, Dexter, and Shameless. AMC was also part of the list with series such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Mad Men, but in terms of sheer fanfare at its peak, the roster was topped by The Walking Dead.
10 years ago, the much-anticipated introduction of the infamous villain from Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard’s comics, Negan, in The Walking Dead season 6 finale, “The Last Day On Earth.” Known for his suave demeanor but ruthless leadership, the bat-wielding character’s arrival was expected to change the course of the story, considering how he was introduced in print.
AMC actually did a great job with Negan’s arrival, with his debut surrounded by so much fanfare thanks to Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s portrayal. Unfortunately, while the introduction of the villain was pitch-perfect, it was hampered by The Walking Dead‘s poor execution of the events leading up to it. Aside from being so drawn out, “Last Day on Earth” also ended on a cliffhanger that was more frustrating than exciting, considering that after so much build-up to the major deaths that accompanied Negan’s introduction, the show opted to leave the identity of his victim as a cliffhanger.
For context, Negan’s debut in The Walking Dead comics came with the brutal death of fan-favorite Glenn. Because the show had deviated from the print source, not to mention the popularity of Steven Yeun’s character, there were doubts that the series would kill him. After several storytelling gimmicks to delay the inevitable, fans didn’t appreciate that they had to wait until The Walking Dead returned for season 7 to know who Negan killed.
Aside from getting mixed reviews from critics, with some of them even calling it emotionally manipulative, it also turned off people from the show. It’s worth noting that The Walking Dead season 7 premiere, which revealed the identity of Negan’s victim, drew a whopping 17.03 million total viewers, making it the most-watched series of the night. Overall, however, The Walking Dead season 6 started the steady decline in ratings for the series, going down from its highest in season 5 with 15.78 million viewers, down to 14.19 million the next year.
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