I am absolutely thrilled to have author, Pixie Britton on Reads & Reels today! Not only has she become a favourite of mine, she’s also as obsessed with zombies as I am. Naturally, we’ve become the greatest of friends lol!

I’m sad to say, I gave up on TWD two seasons ago. It broke my heart but the show just isn’t the same. Pixie has stuck with it and has a few things to say about this coming season.

Can Angela Kang pull it out the bag in season 10 of The Walking Dead?

So here’s the thing about The Walking Dead; I have a love/hate relationship with the show. In a single episode, I can find myself squealing in delight at the zombie-goodness and seconds later, I’ll be rolling my eyes, complaining out loud at how terrible the writing is, and making idle threats never to watch the show ever again.

And yet, here we are again. One month until season 10 and I find myself to be naïvely excited. Maybe it’s because the latest trailer actually looked pretty darn good, or maybe it’s the optimistic zombie-fan girl in me, hoping that the writers will bin the predictable, washed-up tropes that have been bled to death in the previous seasons, and actually write something consistent for a change.

But before we discuss that trailer, let’s take a step back and review the highs and lows of the previous seasons.

For me, getting rid of Rick Grimes has been one of the best decisions of the show for a long time. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Andrew Lincoln. He’s a great actor who was the cornerstone of the show for a long time. The opening scene when he woke up in the abandoned hospital, is firmly cemented as one of the most memorable moments of the show.

Fast forward to season 8, which in my mind, will forever be known as, the ‘all-out war that never quite happened,’ not forgetting the montage of Rick’s sweaty death stare and repetitive call to action by King Ezekiel. And of course, the cartoonish depiction of Negan that was at times borderline pantomime. It feels like the show has come a long way from the bleak, isolation of that opening scene in season 1.

So when I heard they were getting rid of Rick, my initial reaction was outrage. How could they get rid of Rick when he’s so integral to the show? And then, in the episodes that followed, there was a new lease of life. We were suddenly reminded of the other amazing characters that had been relegated to the side lines. Remember when Daryl actually had dialogue longer than the odd grunt coupled with a slightly sweaty stare? Without Rick, the show could finally move on and give airtime to other more compelling storylines.

Of course, we know in truth it wasn’t the show’s decision to get rid of Rick, it was Andrew Lincoln’s decision to move on and try new things. Although technically speaking, this isn’t completely the end of Rick Grimes in the world of The Walking Dead. Rick will return in the movies scheduled for the next year or so.

At least we can be thankful that Rick’s departure was heartfelt. Unlike Maggie’s that was bizarrely brushed under the rug. It’s times like this when you realize how the writers and creators of the show perpetually sacrifice quality over quantity. Instead of taking their time and releasing the next series when it’s good and ready, they’ve agreed to a ridiculous deadline set by AMC. It’s not surprising that the writing suffers as a result. For such an important character in the show, Maggie’s departure was just plain weird.

Obviously we know outside in the ‘real world’ that Lauren Cohen left the show to pursue other interests, but due to the tight filming schedule her departure was never shown or even explained. She was simply cut out. We the viewers were told about it retrospectively, in a vague conversation that didn’t really explain anything. And that was the end of Maggie.

So you have to wonder, is it really acceptable to forgive the poor writing because one of the lead actors decided to take another job? Not really. If the creators of the show took more time to produce a quality series, they could have taken the time to explain it in a satisfying and convincing way that was fitting for the character arc. And this is just another example of my love/hate relationship with The Walking Dead.

Let’s move on to one of the best additions to the show in recent years, and that’s the legendary Sam Morton and her depiction of the deadly Alpha. In years gone by, we’ve seen several villains come and go in The Walking Dead universe, but none quite as terrifying as Alpha and the whisperers.

In the previous season, some of the most compelling moments, if not all of, included Alpha. Remember that scene with baby and the approaching walkers? Yep, that one stayed with me too. It could have been purely coincidental, but I found that the episodes that didn’t include Alpha, were distinctly lacking for one reason or another. Maybe it’s her soft, yet terrifying southern accent or the just the right amount of psycho in her calculating eyes. Whatever it is, she brings it and the show is better as a result.

So naturally, following my new found appreciation of Sam Morton in all her glory, you could imagine my excitement over the new trailer for season 10. With the log line ‘Silence the whisperers’ this captivating trailer sees the power couple Daryl and Carol reunited in their badassery, Michonne gets on a boat and sets sail on the open sea AND kisses Ezekiel, mixed in with a whole bunch of zombie bashing, light banter and all overlaid with Sam Morton’s terrifying southern accent. The trailer finishes with Daryl casually strolling over the boundary into the whisperers land and Alpha warning “Now you have to be punished–––”

From the trailer alone, the next season seems promising. But I still have that niggling feeling that the writers could fall back into the typical Walking Dead formula; the one where at the end of each season, they kill off a bunch of characters for the sake of it. Come to think of it, I can’t even remember a season where they didn’t do that? The most notable death that fell into this formula was Jesus. And damn it I really liked him, so his death was disappointing for all the wrong reasons. I’m not opposed to killing off characters, but it has to have reason…Otherwise, what’s the point? The supposed shock value, isn’t reason enough.

On reflection, the majority of my gripes are rooted in the rushed writing and not the acting itself. I have a huge amount of respect for the actors, and over the years I’ve grown to love these characters. I guess in some ways, I feel as though we’ve all been living The Walking Dead for so long, we have to see it through until the end. Just please, oh please, make season 10 a good one.

About Our Guest

Pixie Britton is a full time indie author, occasional podcaster and public speaker. When she’s not writing her debut YA series, she’s working with local schools running creative writing workshops and taking pictures of her cat. You can download a free copy of her prequel The Last Sacrifice here.

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Pixie’s Books

In a dystopian world ravaged by infection, society as we know it has fallen to the mouths of the dead.

The remaining fragments of civilisation survive in walled compounds, scattered in the depths of the countryside. When her little brother becomes sick with a suspected flu virus, Alyx Silverthorne will do anything to keep Tommy alive.

With limited medical supplies and only herbal alternatives, his prospects of surviving this mystery illness are bleak. But saving Tommy is just the beginning. The infected are not the only monsters that exist in this new world, and human nature can be more destructive than the dead.

In a race against time, Alyx and her best friend Will stop at nothing to protect him, even from the same people the swore to protect them all.

You can read my reviews below!

Kill or Cure

Bloodlust (Kill or Cure #2)