1) Be Completely Original
While many character arcs and storylines have played out very differently on the TV show, for the most part, The Walking Dead draws from its comic book counterpart pretty frequently. While many fans like this about the show, which is completely understandable, it might be to its benefit if it really changed things up.
This might seen like sacrilege for aficionados of the Robert Kirkman comics, but hear us out. Arguably the show’s biggest breakout character is Daryl, despite – or perhaps because – he was an original creation for TV. Obviously, Norman Reedus’ performance is a big part of his appeal, but partly we’re invested in Daryl because we have no idea what will happen to him.
On the other hand, the decision to faithfully adapt Negan’s storyline from the comics has led to less than great results. For those wishing to see the comics leap off the page, it’s a real treat. However, it also robs the show of a lot of its oomph if we already know where things are headed – even if a few of the accessory details are altered, the end point is usually the same. For instance, the circumstances of Negan’s murder of Glenn changed, but the poor guy was ultimately still on the receiving end of Lucille – something many fans wish had been changed.
This diligence to the source material could be a reason why the series feels so lacking in creativity at the moment. If the show took a page out of Game of Thrones’ book and carved out its own path, The Walking Dead could well get its mojo back. It would be a controversial move, but it would definitely make the series feel unpredictable and fresh again.
