Season 1 of AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead just aired its final episode on Sunday, followed by the very first edition of Talking Dead based solely on the show. During the broadcast of Talking Dead , Fear’s showrunner, Dave Erickson noted that he was very surprised viewers didn’t make a connection between one of the characters from Fear The Walking Dead and the show it is based on, The Walking Dead .
While many fans have been hoping for a crossover to occur between the two shows based in the same universe, they are also resigned to the fact that the two shows are just too far apart — geographically — for this to occur. That and the fact that the show’s creators have repeatedly said to outlets such as Variety that a crossover will not be happening. However, a conversation had on Talking Dead following the season 1 finale of Fear The Walking Dead has got fans wondering.
In the Fear The Walking Dead episode of Talking Dead , when host Chris Hardwick asked the poll question of “Who is the new ‘Rick’?” showrunner Dave Erickson gave an interesting reply. After Cliff Curtis (who plays Travis Manawa) mentioned that Madison would make the perfect Rick because she has a southern accent, the subject of Madison Clark’s (played by Kim Dickens) background was brought up.
“It’s an interesting element of her character… we haven’t said where Madison’s from yet… I’m surprised no one has commented on that yet, and that’s the shocking thing to me.”
Erickson was very surprised that fans had not said anything about the fact she has a “southern lilt” that slips occasionally. And it is surprising no one has picked this up yet. Normally Fear The Walking Dead and its flagship show, The Walking Dead , come under a large amount of scrutiny after each episode airs. Perhaps the fact that Fear The Walking Dead is set in L.A. has thrown fans who are not as savvy with the different accents associated with the American version of English. Certainly, if Madison’s accent has been overtaken by the local dialect, then only people who know the southern accent well might even pick it up.
If this is the case, could this be how AMC manages to work out a crossover when it is, more or less, impossible for two groups of people so far apart in a climate where gas may be free but finding a vehicle that has it is the first issue. Driving on roads that are free from roadblocks is another big problem. Not knowing the territory you are driving through and running into threats only known because of the locale is another issue on a list that could go on and on. It would also make it a satisfying crossover, a sort of Easter egg if you like. After all, not a lot is known about Rick Grimes’ family beyond his wife, Lori, and children, Carl and Judith.
And it was a crossover that appealed to Talking Dead host, Chris Hardwick as well. “We should go to Atlanta, see my brother, Rick Grimes,” he teases Madison could say before moving on to the results of the poll (for the record, Travis won the poll, but only by a margin of 2% above Madison’s 39%).
However, Dave Erickson could be just as much a tease as the Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman when it comes to upcoming information about the shows. While the prospect is certainly enticing and something that could be played out easily without compromising the believably of Fear The Walking Dead , only time will tell if Madison’s southern accent has any significance or not.
Fear The Walking Dead returns to AMC with season 2 in 2016
What do you think, could Madison Clark and Rick Grimes be related? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!
[Image credits: AMC / screen capture]