Robert Kirkman started writing The Walking Dead back in 2003. The comic book series is still ongoing, and the aforementioned writer has stated several times that the story is not even close to coming to an end. Why would it? TWD is one of Image Comics’ best-selling titles, and it could go on for decades without getting old. Can the same be said about the AMC’s The Walking Dead though? Thus far, the show has shown high, strong numbers in ratings and DVD sales — its third season has proven to be its most successful one.
AMC Networks CEO Josh Kaplan is quite optimistic about the future of the show. At the Barclays Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference, he hinted at his desire for the series to last a generation. The TV executive said:
…we’ll be sitting here at the Barclays conference in 2022 discussing the fact that Walking Dead is not over …
Wait, what? Is he being ironic? In 2022 The Walking Dead would be heading into its 13th season. Those of you who read Kirkman’s comic book series know Rick’s adventures could easily span twenty or thirty seasons, but it’s highly unrealistic. Not all comic books are properly adapted into TV series, and when they are, it’s only for a limited amount of time — audiences are not patient enough to remain loyal to a show when it begins to meander or recycle old plots.
That being said, I personally wouldn’t take it beyond ten or eleven seasons. Even though I have no idea what The Walking Dead writers have in store for the fourth season (the show’s plot differs greatly from its source material), I can assure you as a die-hard fan of the comic book that it’s best to wrap it up sooner rather than later. I mean, who could possibly replace Daryl, or Rick?