The Walking Dead gets another spin-off… but do we really need it?

AMC has given the green light to another Walking Dead spin-off next year, but do they really need another Walking Dead series?

The Walking Dead universe has been rapidly expanding past the original show that featured Rick Grimes leading a group through the perils of a newly walker-infested world. A few years back, we were given a second series that detailed the walker invasion on the West coast with Fear the Walking Dead.

And just last year Andrew Lincoln left the mainstream series to star in AMC’s Walking Dead films. As of right now, it seems that AMC plans on releasing yet another spin-off which begs the question, do we need it?

Why have a third Walking Dead series?

Before we can address whether a new Walking Dead addition is the greatest idea, we should evaluate why this third show would even be a thing. Apparently, the creators of The Walking Dead want to further explore the stories that could happen in TWD universe.

“Showing audiences an unseen pocket of The Walking Dead Universe steeped in a new mythology is a very cool way to celebrate a ‘Decade of the Dead’ on TV and over 15 years of Robert Kirkman’s brilliant comic,” says Scott Gimple, who is currently the chief content officer of AMC’s The Walking Dead television universe.

What we see though is that AMc wants to have Walking Dead shows airing back to back so that the coverage ranges from February to November. Especially since the TWD ads are incredibly lucrative for the channel.

What will happen during this series?

Since this new Walking Dead show is in its early stages, there are limited details on what to expect. What we know is that it will start filming this summer in Virginia and will have 10 episodes.

The series will be led by two female protagonists who will be part of the first generation to come-of-age in the walker apocalypse — a generation that will have to decide whether they will become villains or heroes to survive. It is not unlike any story we’ve heard before within Walking Dead lore except for the fact that the leads are female and this may be a series with a younger generation at the helm.

Will the new series struggle?

However, AMC spitting out another series when the other two are gasping for air may not be the smartest decision.

The Walking Dead‘s original series has struggled to maintain consistent success. Despite a few good episodes in Season 9, it received the most disappointing finale in its history, and much of that may be due to the lead and central character having left the show.

The spin-off Fear the Walking Dead struggled to gain its footing for a long time too and still doesn’t compare in ratings to the original. With this information in hand, another series doesn’t sound promising and yet here we are, expecting a release date next year.

What good will come of this third series?

The good news is that the creators have finally taken notice that the women of The Walking Dead universe are a driving force in the fandom. The attention characters like Michonne, Maggie, Carol, Judith, and Alicia (FTWD) have gained has inspired AMC creators to create a series where the leads are two women. Hopefully, this will motivate other networks to do the same and continue involving women in roles that move past being supporting in nature. Women can kick butt in the apocalypse and lead too, you know.

If this new series hopes to make it past its first season, strong content is essential. The show would benefit from another female showrunner like Angela Kang, all to help the narratives of these women maintain authenticity. Unfortunately, AMC has not thought that far ahead and Walking Dead‘s writer Matt Negrete will serve as showrunner.

While the initiative to bring about a broader Walking Dead universe is understandable, AMC should take greater pains in developing its content and considering the people they put in place to write it. When in doubt, listen to the fans.