How 'The Walking Dead' Continues Without Rick Grimes

The Walking Dead's executive producer isn't worried about the show losing any bit quality in the wake of Andrew Lincoln's exit.

Greg Nicotero, who also directed Lincoln's final episode which airs on Sunday night (and will appear on ComicBook.com's After the Dead episode live), knows a thing or two about the show losing core cast members. He has been with the series since its start, directing his first episode in Season Two, and is enthusiastically looking forward to what's coming after Lincoln's Rick Grimes departs the show in Episode 9x05.

"People have a gut reaction," Nicotero told EW. "And their gut reaction is, 'I don't know how I feel about that. I don't know if I want to watch the show if Rick Grimes isn't on it anymore.'"

While the ratings are unpredictable, Nicotero is focusing on the aspects of The Walking Dead which he can control. "The thing I can really, honestly say with 100 percent confidence is the show will not suffer because of the loss of Rick Grimes," he said. "He's a great character, he's an amazing actor, but I just I feel that as this show evolves, I just really don't want people to feel that this departure signals the end of the show, because we have a tremendous amount of story to tell."

Rick has been the show's protagonist from its earliest moments, showing the apocalypse from his perspective after emerging from a coma, abandoned in a hospital. Without him, though, other characters have told compelling stories and they will continue to do so. "Rick has been instrumental in telling a good portion of that story," Nicotero said. "But let's be honest: We've had a lot of story that was told by Carol, we had a lot of story that was told by Glenn and Maggie, we had a lot of story that was told by Daryl, and Shane, and Lori. I feel very strongly that we still have a tremendous amount of story to tell with the great characters that we still have."

The Walking Dead family might miss Lincoln's presence but has not missed a beat through Season Nine's production. "Listen, we've had a f—ing blast this year," Nicotero said. "And it's probably the most fun I've had on the show in the last couple years because I feel that collaborative nature of us really buckling in and fighting to make sure that we're doing tribute to Andy's time here and everybody's commitment. Norman and I talk on the phone twice a f—ing day about how we can preserve the show, and how we can maintain the quality that both he and I want, because we've been doing this so long. We've been here nine f—ing years, man. Nobody's phoning it in, you know?"

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET. Fear the Walking Dead will return for its fifth season in 2019. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter and watch ComicBook.com's After The Dead each Sunday night following new episodes.