The Walking Dead: A Shane-Style Traitor Next Season

In an interview held this weekend on the red carpet at PaleyFest, The Walking Dead executive producer Gale Anne Hurd told CBR that Rick Grimes could very well face a challenge to his leadership in the near future. "You never know who is going to, you know, who is going to be the one who's had enough," said Hurd of season four. "Like, Shane saw Rick as a threat to their survival. He's not the only one who's going to have those feelings." Of course, in the comics, Rick's leadership was eventually challenged by Dale, but it never got physical and the challenge was short-lived as Dale's character was written out of the series. Assuming he survives the finale, this might set up Hershel (who has taken on a number of Dale-like characteristics) as the most likely candidate. On the other hand, Tyrese has already left the prison and sided with the Governor  this season. While it's unlikely he'll stay in Woodbury, it's distinctly possible that he could join the prison survivors but still remember that Rick was unhinged and potentially violent, so doubt his leadership. In any event, it seems pointless to speculate ahead of a season finale this year that star Andrew Lincoln joked had dozens of deaths in it--until we know which characters make it through to season four, making predictions about next year seems likely to result in being wrong and/or disappointed.