"Walking Dead" fans are anxiously awaiting the Season 7B return, but things are going to have a different look and feel according to the show's producers. Some "Walking Dead" fans have spoken out against the strong and brutal violence of last October's premiere and the higher ups have listened, and will be toning down future episodes starting with the second half of season 7.
AMC caves to fan complaints over too much violence
Fans looking forward to the Sunday, February 12th return are in for some big changes. While Rick and the gang are preparing for all-out war against Negan and the Saviors, viewers need to prepare themselves for a milder, less violent continuation of their favorite zombie apocalypse series.
It is no secret that the October 2016 start of the "Walking Dead" left millions of fans both heartbroken and shocked after witnessing the cruel and gruesome beatings that both Abraham and Glenn endured during their final moments. Fast forward to the Season 7B episodes, producers have reigned in some of the graphic violence viewers have grown accustomed to due to the major backlash from the season 7 opener.
Were Abe and Glenn's deaths too gory for TV?
Gale Anne Hurd, the executive producer of "The Walking Dead" revealed that the negative feedback that the series received following Glenn and Abe's deaths prompted producers to make some major adjustments in the upcoming episodes that were, at the time, still being filmed for season 7.
"We were able to look at the feedback on the level of violence," Hurd said during a panel session at the NATPE conference. "We did tone it down for episodes we were filming for later on in the season." Hurd also made it clear that viewer responses were heard loud and clear and that it made an impact on the production team. "This is not a show that is torture porn," she said.
After the response to the finale, she said they gave strong consideration to making sure "we don't cross that line."
Now, the big question remains: will "Walking Dead" fans continue viewing the series with the same dedicated passion that they have had over the past seven seasons, or will the "toned down" changes cause an even bigger downfall in views?
Following the season seven October premier there was plenty of controversial backlash across the social media platforms over the gruesomeness of Glenn and Abe's deaths.
Fans who did not mind the "extreme violence" revealed that they understood that the show was being portrayed in what they agreed was an accurate account of what life could be like in an actual apocalyptic world. Others who disagreed with the amount of gore and violence claimed that they would not be watching the series any longer, and that AMC, writers, and producers, went way too far.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe that the "Walking Dead" was too gruesome and violent in the first half of season seven, and do you agree with the show's producers "toning down" the violence? Will this new move leave you feeling differenty? "The Walking Dead" returns Sunday, February 12th at 9 p.m. on AMC.
