Overview
- Glenn’s passing in The Walking Dead marked a significant moment for dedicated fans due to its shocking nature.
- Ross Marquand asserts that Glenn’s death contributed to a decrease in the series’ audience.
- The graphic depiction of Glenn’s demise likely pushed numerous viewers to abandon the series.
The Walking Dead has captivated audiences with its intense and emotional moments over its 12-year run on AMC. While the show maintained substantial popularity, particularly in its early days, the death of Glenn Rhee emerged as a critical juncture for long-time viewers. His character, introduced in the first season, had garnered a dedicated following, making the brutal nature of his death at the hands of Negan particularly controversial among fans who felt he deserved a better farewell.
Glenn’s shocking death, although not solely responsible for the subsequent decline in viewership, symbolized a notable dip in the show’s former storytelling quality for many. It marked a turning point in the series that sparked widespread discussion among the audience. Recent comments by actor Ross Marquand shed light on the impact of this pivotal event, suggesting that it may have played a significant role in viewers disengaging from the program.
Ross Marquand’s Insights on Glenn’s Death and Viewer Engagement
During his participation in the Ross Marquand Spotlight Panel at AwesomeCon, where ScreenRant‘s Joe Deckelmeier moderated, Marquand was questioned about his thoughts on Glenn’s horrific demise in the show’s seventh season. After portraying Aaron from seasons 4 to 10, Marquand emphasized that he believes this pivotal scene contributed significantly to the show’s dwindling fan base. “I would say that was the episode that caused us to lose a lot of fans, just because of the sheer gore,”he remarked.
Marquand acknowledged the skill behind the scene’s portrayal, stating it was compelling but overwhelming for many viewers. “It wasn’t really until we saw it on screen that we all realized the extent of its emotional weight,”he noted, revealing how both the cast and audience were stunned by the heartbreaking visuals.
Expanding upon the viewer reactions, Marquand expressed his sadness at the loss of both Steven Yeun, who portrayed Glenn, and Michael Cudlitz, who played Abraham Ford. He noted that the scene’s stark brutality led many viewers to disengage from the narrative: “It was so visceral and intense that I think a lot of people were like, ‘I’m out. I can’t do it anymore.’ I was very sad because I loved working with Steve Yeun and Michael [Cudlitz].”
Reflecting on the filming of Glenn’s death, Marquand recounted the distressing moment when he witnessed Yeun’s performance firsthand. “His eyeball was bouncing around as he was talking. It was like, ‘What are you going to do after this?’ ‘I’ve got a role on Voltron; I think I’m gonna do some voiceover work…’ And I was like, ‘Oh cool. Can you just stop moving your head for a second? I’m going to throw up.’ It looked so disgusting, which speaks volumes about the special effects team’s efforts.”
The season 7 premiere of The Walking Dead attracted an impressive 17 million viewers; however, subsequent seasons saw a marked decline in audience numbers. While some fans cite deteriorating narrative quality as their reason for discontinuing viewership, many assert that Glenn’s tragic death was a tipping point that propelled the series toward its decline. This is reflected in the dwindling numbers, with season 11 attracting only 2 million viewers, thereby contributing to the decision not to pursue a twelfth season.
Source: ScreenRant