Walking Dead Franchise Fatigue Addressed By Showrunner Amid Spinoffs

The Walking Dead‘s chief content officer Scott M. Gimple addresses possible franchise fatigue amid the multiple spinoffs. Though the original Walking Dead series ended in 2022, the franchise is continuing with multiple spinoffs, including the currently airing Ones Who Live, which reunites Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira). Two spinoffs have also been renewed for second seasons – Daryl Dixon, which follows Norman Reedus’ titular crossbowman in France, and Dead City, which follows Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) on a dangerous rescue mission in Manhattan.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Gimple addressed the possibility of The Walking Dead franchise facing fatigue amid the multiple spinoffs. The franchise’s chief content officer doesn’t see fatigue as a serious concern, since each spinoff is different and is “about taking these classic characters and putting them in new contexts.” Read his full response below:

With these latest shows, it’s about taking these classic characters and putting them in new contexts. We’re being more experimental. We’re putting forward the basic story values that Robert established in the comic — larger-than-life characters next to everyday folks — in really big situations that have real emotion. It’s not simply zombies or having shows with a bunch of walkers. It’s a brand of zombie storytelling. It gives us a way to keep going.

How The Walking Dead Is Combating Franchise Fatigue

As Gimple mentions, The Walking Dead is combating franchise fatigue by bringing back classic characters and putting them in new and interesting contexts. For instance, The Ones Who Live features the return of Rick and Michonne, with a focus on their intimate romance. In fact, it was the departure of Lincoln, who left the series early in season 9, followed by Gurira, who departed in the middle of season 10, that caused The Walking Dead‘s viewership to dip. The Ones Who Live remedies this by bringing back the beloved characters, and has been rewarded with strong viewership.

Daryl Dixon and Dead City, which have been renewed for second seasons, also bring back classic characters from the original series. Another major way The Walking Dead is combating franchise fatigue is by creating less content overall, and focusing more on quality. At its height, AMC was airing the original series, Fear the Walking Dead, and The Walking Dead: World Beyond all at once, the last of which was poorly received. Now, AMC is airing no more than two Walking Dead spinoffs per year, and not exceeding more than 12 episodes annually.