Unpopular opinion, The Walking Dead spinoffs shouldn’t merge

The Walking Dead fans were sorely disappointed when AMC announced the eleventh season would be the last. This news was softened by the promised trilogy of movies that would see the return of our hero Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). Several Walking Dead spinoffs were also announced, again helping the heartbreak of losing a favorite series. Now that the spinoffs have begun to air, people continue to speculate how they can all merge. Why would viewers want the spinoffs to merge when it will never be what they hope?

Fear the Walking Dead was the first spinoff in The Walking Dead universe. This series had a strong start by highlighting the onset of the outbreak, a topic always popular with fans of apocalyptic series. The first three seasons were outstanding, and then things changed. The series is now in its final season, which is good. From this series, people hope to see Morgan (Lennie James) reunite with Rick, but it is doubtful this will happen as James has said it is the end for Morgan. 

The Walking Dead: World Beyond was a limited series that featured a lot of information regarding the mysterious CRM (Civic Republic Military) and gave fans the famous coda seen featuring variant walkers in France. There are elements of this series that could bleed into storylines of the spinoffs, and Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) will become the first TWD actress to star in three TWD series. Other than that, there isn’t much else to warrant a merger.

The Walking Dead spinoffs shouldn’t merge

Fans who have speculated how to merge the spinoffs have high expectations which can never be met. They long for the early days of The Walking Dead when the series was new and fresh with a smaller cast allowing for storylines to be focused. As the series advanced, new characters were added, and it was difficult to flesh out the stories because it could be several episodes before a character was seen again.

One of the big complaints about the later seasons of TWD is the lack of centered storylines. Now the spinoffs are giving exactly that, and fans want everything to merge back. The problem, it will never be the same.

The Walking Dead: Dead City is set in Manhattan and is a fantastic expansion of TWDU. It opened up a new world in post-apocalyptic NYC, introducing new villains and new communities. This series has set things up nicely for the second season, and while it would be exciting to see some familiar faces, there is no need to merge this series with another.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is another fascinating addition to TWDU as it is set in France. Many viewers have often remarked they would like to see how people in other countries have endured the apocalypse, and this series will show how France and its residents have faired. Including Melissa McBride in season 2 will be an outstanding addition to the series.  And a series that focuses on two major characters is a way to appease those who want more focused stories.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will focus on Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira). Another story fans have wanted for quite some time. While this one will likely feature some familiar faces, there is no reason to combine this story with another. And from reports, this could be a limited series with only one season.

Fans are very nostalgic for the series’ beginnings when the small cast was easier to follow, and the spinoffs provide those character-centered stories. There are many characters fans would love to see reunited, but the expectations they have for these reunions can never be met.

Merging any of the spinoffs will never bring back the feeling of seeing Rick Grimes for the first time as he walks down the road, gas can in hand, right before he meets the Teddy Bear walker.

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