According to a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Robert’s biggest regret about The Walking Dead isn’t what you might expect.
“If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t have done the CDC episode [at the end of season one],” Kirkman told THR of the episode in which CDC doc Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) reveals to Rick that everyone is already infected. In the comics, the group pieces it together themselves.
“I feel like there might have been a better way to wrap up the first season,” Kirkman added. “It ended up being a fun episode. I love the character of Dr. Jenner and thought Noah did an amazing job. But there were things in that episode that I think seem very much not of The Walking Dead world.”
His other complaint? That the episode reveals that the French may be on to something as their scientists were the only ones who remained in their labs during the outbreak.
“I probably would have changed that stuff,” he says. “I’ve been careful in the comic series to not say what’s happening in other parts of the world. It’s something that’s going to be fun to explore in the spinoff series. But the fact that France is mentioned in that episode and other things like that, I probably would have steered away from that stuff if I had to do it all over again.”
Hmmm, what say you? Did you like the inclusion of the CDC, and getting to see the rest of the world? Or would you prefer that the survivors had no idea what was happening, like in the comics?
I love every episode. I have every comic and ubber merch. Huge Fan!
I have to say Kirkman #theboss has a great point. Im excited for spin off and hope it airs while original is on breaks. #TWDforever
I do see his point and it makes sense… But going to the CDC was the logical thing to do or at least its what I would have done. I enjoyed them going there and seeing that the world really ended even the goverment and that kind of stuff. I would have liked it better if there would have been more scientist with Jenner and they would go nuts and kill themselfs en try to kill everybody with all the ‘nasty stuff’ they had in there. The explosion at the end was Pretty stupid.
It would be pretty awesome if they would find some sort of small goverment related group still functioning and trying to solve it all… But thats just my weird imagination running wild…
The reveal of “We’re all infected” could’ve been discovered instead of told by Jenner…but I liked Jenner & the whole CDC bit. That info also could’ve been stretched out a bit but I sure don’t think it would’ve taken long at all for them to discover it for themselves! I don’t think Kirkman should have any regrets about it, tho… it was still awesome! As for happenings elsewhere, I know I’m in the minority with this but I pretty much already assume that the apocalypse is not much different elsewhere. I’m not following the apocalypse, I’m following Rick & crew. That’s where the love is! If this Companion spinoff is to appeal to me, it should be like my friend GovernorPhillip mentioned—like the webisodes, not spending so much time on another group of people.
As an Artist I have to say, Kirkman, it is easy to look back and say, “If I had/hadn’t…”
I think the CDC thing was great. I liked the total confusion of scientists, and the knowledge that the government itself was pretty well gone both gave a darker despair to the world. Ok, maybe the French could have been left out. but at the same time, a small glimmer of hope is enough sometimes.
Even though you will never show, in this incarnation at least, how it all started it was good to have a time frame reference and all that.
Beyond that there were some great moments and great lines. “Well your head ain’t!” Fans remember that stuff. Hind sight isn’t always 20/20 despite what you might think. Look at what Lucas did to the original Star Wars… nothing that really improved it, and much that damaged it.
You are an Artist Kirkman, and so no work will ever be perfect for you, but art is also a two-way thing and the “viewer” completes the cycle and makes art whole and alive. And I don’t think that the viewer regrets any of season 1.
Keep up the awesome art, and much success!
Well said 🙂
Personally I would of preferred it to be revealed like the comics. The reveal that everyone was infected was sudden and didn’t have any gravitas to it. It just felt like “Oh, we are all infected. Make sure to stab someone in the head when they die.” It had no emotional pull to it. But like *SunHammer* said, learn from your mistakes and carry on. Do not do a George Lucas!!!
Obviously he is the boss and whatever he says kinda goes. But I liked the episode and what it did do was close that door in TWD world. It helped the story progress past looking for the CDC for the next two seasons. After that episode the group had to figure out how to live in a world with no real cure, which makes for a damn good story and damn good tv. I wonder how many people who just watch the show made the connection between that episode and Eugene’s claim to have the cure. Rick, Glen, Carol, and Darrel should have picked up on that. All that being said whatever spin off they decide on will be great.
The only part of the show that I didn’t like was in season 1 “Guts” when the Walker used a rock to break the window in the department store. EVERYONE knows that zombies can’t use simple tools! 😉
or can they???? maybe the lesser effects of decay hadn’t fully set in, and a more human side existed (to some small degree). Remember the woman trying to open the door (ep 3 I think?). Doesn’t it make it a little scarier thinking that there could be a smaller, slightly human side to them?
It would actually not have been possible for a small, unconnected group to determine that they were all infected. They may have ‘assumed’ they were, if one or two died and turned without zombie contact. Finding out the way they did was much more realistic then some personal revelation without any basis in science.
Of course, we’re talking about zombies, so realism is in the eye of the beholder.
I view the CDC episode as a classic and a standout. Very underrated. Great acting and emotions.
Could the outbreak be limited to North America?