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The Walking Dead: Norman Reedus weighs in on losing original characters

By Sarabeth Pollock

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 10: Norman Reedus, of 'The Walking Dead' attends 'The Walking Dead' event at Smithsonian National Museum of American History on October 10, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for AMC)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 10: Norman Reedus, of 'The Walking Dead' attends 'The Walking Dead' event at Smithsonian National Museum of American History on October 10, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for AMC) /
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As fans prepare to lose another member of the original cast of The Walking Dead, Norman Reedus offers his thoughts about killing off main characters.

It’s never easy to lose cast members on The Walking Dead, but the actor who brings Daryl Dixon to life says that the show might lose its essence if all of the original characters are killed off. Norman Reedus offered his thoughts in the January 19, 2018 issue of Entertainment Weekly and he doesn’t pull any punches about what losing core cast members would do to the heart of the show.

Norman Reedus loves playing Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead and has already said that he would keep playing this character indefinitely if given the chance. With that in mind, news of Chandler Riggs’ impending departure from The Walking Dead is something that Reedus fears could change the fabric of the show forever.

Here’s what Reedus had to say:

"“The people that started this show, to me, are the heart of the show. When you lose those key members, it’s such a big blow to the show, and to the fans, and to us that are there. Who’s left? There’s only a few of us left out of all those people. If you wanted to turn it into a totally different show, you get rid of those people. But if you want to hold on to what made the show special, you’ve got to be very careful what you do with those people.”"

As you can see, Reedus fears that the show could take on a whole new life if the remaining original cast members – Reedus, Andrew Lincoln and Melissa McBride – were to leave the show, either by death or by “walking away” the way Heath did, never to return. 

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Reedus also seems to be issuing a warning in his statement that killing off beloved characters could cause a rift with the fandom. We’re seeing that now with Chandler Riggs’ surprise departure. With Glenn, we knew it would happen eventually because it was canon. But Carl’s death is a complete shock, and it’s one that has fans wondering how the show moves forward.

It’s worth noting that Reedus portrays a character known for inspiring the rallying cry “If Daryl dies, we riot” among his fans. Conversely, there are just as many fans of the show (and comics) who would rather see Daryl go far, far away. This is yet another example of the polarizing nature of The Walking Dead, where a particular character can simultaneously be embraced and loathed by legions of passionate fans who have strong opinions one way or the other. Regardless of how you might feel about his character, Reedus is considered to be the safest member of the cast given how many people threaten to stop watching if he isn’t around.

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At the end of the day, though, it’s interesting to note that Reedus is voicing a concern shared by so many members of the TWD Family, namely that killing so many core characters is damaging the show in the long run.

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