Walker Wednesday: Why are YOU fans of The Walking Dead
“Listen, damn it. You step outside, you risk your life. You take a drink of water, you risk your life. Nowadays you breathe and you risk your life. Every moment now, you don’t have a choice. The only thing you can choose is what you’re risking it for.”
For the cast, crew, and fans of The Walking Dead – the word ‘fanbase’ just doesn’t do the connection that exists between them all justice. It’s not a television series that lasts for an hour every night and then slips out of our minds. It’s not a show we forget to tune in to watch because we’re busy or distracted. It’s a series that pulled you in with one single moment and formed a bond that can’t be easily broken.
Our favorite characters have been through incredible highs and indescribable lows, there have been deaths that pulled on our hearts, situations that made us cry, but there’s also been a sense of compassion, of humanism, and of togetherness. The Walking Dead has become a family, and that means something special to all of us.
We watch because the characters have grown to mean something to us, we watch because the actors and actresses who play them are just as affected by them as we are. We watch because the series doesn’t worry about sparing our feelings, it’s real and it’s raw but so is life. We watch because we want to see them succeed, even if succeeding means something different in the post-apocalyptic world.
We watch because Sundays without The Walking Dead just aren’t as sweet and without it, we wouldn’t have all met one another. We aren’t just watching a series on our sofas, we’re watching a series with people all across the world, it’s an experience that you can’t quite put into words.
We wanted to hear why YOU are fans of TWD, what drew you in and what keeps you here as part of this big, and crazy (in the best way) family. Here’s what some of you had to say.
Maegan Kulich : I started watching TWD cause my hubby loved the show and forced me to watch it with him! I fell in love! I stay because this show makes my whole week. I look forward to watching the new episode every Sunday. I’ve made countless friends through this show that I will have forever, and these actors truly care for their fans and make it all worth while!
Gabbi Madden : I think what got me to watching the show was my curiosity. I wanted to know what was the big deal about a “zombie” apocalypse show & now I can’t even say zombie now! The story & the characters caught my attention. What keeps me watching? The character development of each character (especially the Atlanta Four-Rick, Daryl, Carl, & Carol plus Michonne & Maggie). Each character deals with the challenges of the apocalypse/life events differently & I enjoy watching how everything plays out. The actors/actresses are all superb performers! To feel the emotions that these characters feel, that is awe-inspiring acting! The storyline keeps me because I’m always on the edge of my seat waiting for what will happen next. I love how the CGI/Make-Up Effects are; it’s all so realistic, the crew members create each walker/set with so much detail! I love the subtle Easter Eggs they throw in there too!!
I love how the creators/producers/writers don’t back away from the brutality of the story.
I’ve met a few of the actors/actresses and all of them are SO humble & kind! They love the fans as much as we love them!! 😎👊👣💀🔫❤❤❤
Krista Schrader : Human error. It’s not a fairytale, it’s relatable. In a real apocalypse you’re going to have people make crazy decisions you would never make in a normal situation. Every character has a flaw in the show, that we can all fall victim to in a stressful lifestyle like theirs. In a show about “Zombies” it makes the characters very “human” and likable in most cases!
People get so upset because they think the writers “shouldn’t have” killed a character in a certain way, or they didn’t give someone a crazy enough death. In life, you don’t pick your death; and some of the best people die in the most mediocre ways, or from the easiest little mistake. You can be mad about it but that’s how it is! The writers do not sacrifice reality for your feelings, and it’s what keeps you on your toes.
Raven Gillians: What brought me into The Walking Dead was the zombies and my love of all things horror. What keeps me is the characters and their storylines. Each one is different, but they all fit together. I love how all of the characters have been brought together by the end of the world, but have bonded and created a family. Each character is different in their own way and the cast is great with bringing the characters to life.
When our favorite series comes back on this Sunday, we’ll tune in for the reasons mentioned above, and then some. At the end of the day, it’s their stories and the sense of family that keeps us here now, regardless of what brought us here to begin with.
‘…but I knew him’
