If all the people who threatened to stop watching "The Walking Dead" over the years really did quit, the Season 7 premiere would not have had such knockout ratings. But after that deadly gut-punch of a premiere, several traumatized fans said they were done with the AMC show. The premiere was too graphic. Their favorite(s) died in a horrible way. That thing with Carl was too much. They don't want to see Rick like that. It wasn't entertaining, etc.

The Verge posted a story called "The Walking Dead Quitter's Club: goodbye for real," and Twitter was filled with fans vowing that this was it:


Did they really mean it? Greg Nicotero directed the Season 7 premiere, and he's also a series executive producer and the special effects guru. So he had a huge hand in what we saw on October 23. He thinks a lot of those fans just had emotional knee-jerk reactions, but they'll still be back for more, since they've come so far with these characters after seven seasons of apocalypse heartbreak.

Nicotero talked to reporters on a conference call, and here are two version of his response to the traumatized fans who say they're now done with TWD.

From TVLine:

"I would say that [their threat] means we have done something to affect these people in a way that they don't necessarily know how to process. Listen... I've been shocked at the turns of events on ['Game of Thrones']. But you know what? I still love it. And I'm still committed to seeing where that story goes. So I think it's a knee-jerk reaction that people have, because they care about these characters. That's a tribute to every single actor on our show that has perished. It's unfortunate that people want to take a negative spin on it... [and especially] if that's really what's going to happen [and they'll stop watching], because the show still has a lot to offer!"

From Entertainment Weekly:

"It's really unfortunate that people want to take a negative spin on it because, as far as I'm concerned, I'm dedicated to watching a show because I want to see where the story's going to go next. Glenn's not dead, Abraham is not dead. Their spirits live on, and the fact that Maggie is pregnant with his baby and Sasha and Rosita are carrying the memory of Abraham — there's more story to tell with the result of what happened with those people. I guarantee you that there are people who are done with the show. It's unfortunate if that's really what's going to happen because the show still has a tremendous amount to offer."

Episode 2 is called "The Well," with this synopsis from AMC: "For a number of familiar faces, a new, well-established community seems too good to be true."

We appear to be heading to The Kingdom, a new survivor community, with Carol and Morgan. Will you be there to see what happens, or are you really "done" with TWD? Next week's ratings should reveal who is really here for the long haul.

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