Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan is a force to be reckoned with.
He’s a sadist, an unhinged psychopath, and a calculating leader; but he’s also one of the more compelling villains that The Walking Dead has seen in years. First introduced at the tail-end of season 6, Negan arguably hit his stride during the somewhat contentious “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be,” when he lined up Rick and his ragtag crew before brutally executing Glenn and Abraham.
It was a heartbreaking moment for TWD fans around the world, and one that received a lot of backlash, but if you assume that the show might go a bit easier on us when it returns, you’ve got another thing coming. That’s because there won’t be any letting up at all once season 8 kicks off, as we’ve now learned that The Walking Dead will “thin the herd” this year. That’s according to Steven Ogg, who plays Simon on the hit series. Of course, he wouldn’t say who will be getting the axe, but don’t be surprised if a few of your favorites don’t make it to the end of the season.
Now on the brink of its 100th episode, The Walking Dead remains a cornerstone of mainstream television, and its episodes – particularly those nail-biting premieres/finales – tend to attract upwards of 17 million viewers. The numbers have admittedly been on the decline of late, with season 7’s swan song, “The First Day Of The Rest of Your Life,” dipping to around 11 million, but it’s still one of the top shows currently on the air.
Whether those ratings bounce back or not will be revealed in October, when the eighth season of The Walking Dead debuts on AMC. As expected, Glenn’s legacy will continue to burn bright despite the death of Steven Yeun’s fan-favorite, and those seeking answers for that Old Man Rick scene should pay close attention to the premiere, as it’s said to provide some.
