The 'Walking Dead' Shows Just Posted Much-Needed Victories

Both of AMC's Walking Dead shows, The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, chalked up scores in [...]

By Brandon Davis

Both of AMC's Walking Dead shows, The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, chalked up scores in the win column this week.

It couldn't come at a better time, either. The Dead universe is at a pivotal time for the franchise's future. Heading into its ninth season, The Walking Dead is bringing in a new showunner and a slew of new cast members are series-driver stars Andrew Lincoln and Lauren Cohan are preparing to make their exits.

Meanwhile, Fear the Walking Dead is in the midst of a pivotal season, as well. A pair of headlining cast members made their exits in the first half of the show's first season. It unexpectedly prompted a "Bring Back Madison" movement as the show moves forward without its former lead of Kim Dickens.

Still, this week has been a good one for the Dead universe, as some major victories were chalked up.

Ryan Hurst

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With the Whisperers set to arrive in Season Nine of The Walking Dead, a bit of new casting is upon the series. After Samantha Morten was revealed to be Alpha around the time of the Season Nine trailer's release, little buzz began to brew from the fandom.

That changed this week when it was revealed Sons of Anarchy and Remember the Titans alum Ryan Hurst would portray Whisperer second-in-command Beta beginning in Season Nine. Much of The Walking Dead fanbase is already familiar with the popular actor as the overlap between Sons of Anarchy's audience of The Walking Dead's makes up a heavy chunk of the shows' venn diagram.

Furthermore, many of the cast members and fans have had great interactions with the actor in person, as he often has a booth beside Walking Dead stars at events like Walker Stalker Con around the country.

The reaction to Hurst's casting was exhilarating for fans. It was a tremendous outpouring of support. It's a rare moment from the past two years where fans and press alike have come

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Fear 4x11

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(Photo: Ryan Green/AMC)

On the other side of the Dead universe, Fear the Walking Dead posted a fantastic episode just one week after posting a fantastic episode.

As fans cry out for their original leader to return (hoping that Madison's going-down-with-the-stadium off screen allowed her to survive), they were treated to some new faces in Episode 4x11. Morgan Jones, a character some of the original Fear fans worried would take over the show with the crossover, was introduced to Wendell, Sarah, and Jim. The episode was funny, heartfelt, and purposeful.

While not a single one of the original Fear the Walking Dead characters was featured in the episode, it was an expensive, intriguing, and exciting hour of the AMC show. It proves the series is capable of creating character-driven stories two weeks in a row.

Episode 4x10 focused solely on Alicia and Charlie, just one week prior. The fan reaction was tremendous, with many calling for Alycia Debnam-Carey to earn some Emmy recognition for her efforts.

With five episodes left in Fear the Walking Dead's fourth season, the show is rolling in a brand new direction at full speed. Some Fear the Walking Dead fans might never come around to the idea of a show with such a different cast and characters, especially with The Walking Dead's Morgan Jones taking up entire blocks of their Sunday nights, but Episode 4x11 is proof that it deserves the chance.

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