Fear the Walking Dead treads where The Walking Dead won’t
By Renee Hansen
Fans of The Walking Dead universe will always compare the different series. Each viewer will have their own opinions of why they like their favorite series the best and most likely have unwavering reasons why they dislike another. But, no matter your opinion, it has to be admitted that Fear the Walking Dead has been much bolder on one front than The Walking Dead has, surprising notable deaths.
The Walking Dead series has eight episodes remaining in the final season. There has been a long list of deaths during the first two parts of this season, but the most prominent one has been Alden (Callan McAuliffe). (a character whose death wasn’t played out on screen with an amazing story that would have been fantastic to have been included.) What happened to the ballsy Walking Dead of earlier seasons that would knock off anyone no matter their status?
Enter in Fear the Walking Dead. The most recent episode of Fear TWD, “Sonny Boy,” saw two of its season 7 significant characters die. Howard (Omid Abtahi) and John Dorie Sr. (Keith Carradine), who have served significant roles in the current season, were surprisingly killed in this episode. Add to that Charlie (Alexa Nisenson) is on death’s door, Daniel may not survive another reminder that his daughter is dead, and if Strand’s Tower is taken, he may not survive it.
The Walking Dead – major deaths
When The Walking Dead began 12 years ago, this series shocked viewers with deaths like Sophia; a child turned undead gunned down in front of her mother. This unexpected death drew people to this series and made them continue to watch.
This type of unexpected death would carry on for many seasons. No one was safe, and it wasn’t announced months ahead of time that an actor was leaving. When Beth (Emily Kinney) was killed, no matter what you thought of the character, it was a death that left viewers in complete shock. Think back to Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino) in “The Grove” and Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) lineup, viewers knew someone was going to die; they just didn’t know who. This was why fans watched the series; you never knew what would happen next.
As the series is in its final season, major deaths are expected, and we all hate to lose our favorites, but it is part of what happens during a series based in an apocalypse. The shock factor and surprises make the stories worth watching.
So, kudos to Fear the Walking Dead for being bold and still shocking its viewers.
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