The fans of The Walking Dead are very active on social media. As several of the cast members have learned first-hand, some fans can be a bit overzealous in their reactions at times. Showrunner Scott Gimple is seeing for himself that fans have some strong opinions after seeing the mid-season finale.
Sunday night belongs to the dead for The Walking Dead fans. Last night, everyone tuned in to see what would happen as the show takes its winter break. There had been hints and spoilers that a major character would die, keeping the internet buzzing all last week. Most fans believed it would be Carl, but seeing it actually happen just before the credits rolled still caused a lot of emotion.
There are many fan groups on Facebook for The Walking Dead . Each has been slammed with posts and comments regarding Carl being bitten and what this means for the show. The group The Walking Dead Underground has a discussion going regarding Scott Gimple and the direction he has taken the show. Fans are voicing concern over the death of Carl, who was once seen as the future of the post-apocalyptic world. As the comic book fans know, Carl is still very much alive and a major character. He was expected to one day take the reigns from his father and become the next leader. With the death of Carl, fans feel that Scott Gimple has marked the ending of the show.
The Walking Dead fans have shown a lot of emotion over the years. When Glen was killed, many blamed Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon) for his death. He received death threats from distraught fans. Then when Eugene switched sides and started saying he was Negan, fans again reacted. Josh McDermitt and his family were targeted so badly, Josh closed his social media accounts. Fans are now reacting similarly towards Scott Gimple.
The Walking Dead is in Season 8, and until last night had no real foreseeable end in sight. Fans on social media are likening the script to digging a grave for the show and kicking some of the dirt out of the hole. Scott Gimple, being the showrunner, is seen by many as being directly responsible for potentially ending the hit series.