The Walking Dead had a decline in viewer ratings when Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) joined the zombie drama, according to data collected from IMDb. The viewer data, collected and analyzed by Broadband Choices, shows audience review ratings began to drop after Negans first appearance in the Season 6 finale, Last Day on Earth, which also ended with a cliffhanger when it left Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), Daryl (Norman Reedus), Michonne (Danai Gurira) and other fan-favorites at the mercy of the baseball bat-wielding bad guy. TWD dips when that cliffhanger is resolved in the Season 7 opener, which inspired viewer outrage when it depicted the gory executions of Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Glenn (Steven Yeun).
Broadband Choices notes TWDs season average dropped ever so slightly over its first six seasons, but upon reaching Season 7 where Rick and Team Family spend most of the season subjected by Negan and the Saviors the quality of the show falls off a cliff. A graphic showing episode ratings and season averages then determines Negan was the worst thing to happen to The Walking Dead.
The data also shows the Season 6 finale has the lowest rating for a season finale: Last Day on Earth is currently rated at a 6.5 out of 10 with 26,108 votes counted.
Broadband Choices adds the shows average rating on IMDb dropped again in Season 8, which depicted All Out War against the Saviors, before an uptick with Season 9, the first season under current showrunner Angela Kang. The site notes episode ratings noticeably increased in Season 9, particularly after a six-year time jump that immediately followed the disappearance of Rick Grimes in 9x05. (Season 10, to resume airing on AMC in February, recently celebrated becoming TWD's highest-rated season on Rotten Tomatoes.)
The Season 7 opener, The Day Will Come When You Wont Be, sparked backlash among viewers over its unrestrained violence and the episode was at the center of numerous complaints filed with the FCC. Despite some calling the episode sadistic, emotional torture the Parents Television Council reported the brutally explicit episode was one of the most graphically violent shows weve ever seen on television 7x01 does have a 9.1 rating on IMDb after 34,653 votes.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Season 7 is the second-lowest rated season among critics (66%), coming in just ahead of Season 8 (64%).
In October, Morgan admitted Negan was very one-dimensional during the Saviors reign in Seasons 7 and 8.
I thought the first couple of years that we knew Negan was very one-dimensional. To me, when Negan came out of the RV for the first time, we didnt learn anything about him for two years, three years. And that was hard, Morgan said at Walker Stalker Con Atlanta. I felt like everything that I said coming out of that RV is sort of what I said for the next two years, and never shifted. I think with the introduction of Judith (Cailey Fleming), and that relationship, we got to see a little different side of him.
He later said Season 10 is the best stuff [hes] gotten to do on the show, including joining up with the Whisperers.
Seasons 9 and 10 also helped rehabilitate Negan into even more of a fan-favorite: a poll conducted by The Walking Dead Twitter in October showed a majority of fans are now rooting for Negan despite past deeds.
The Walking Dead Season 10 returns with new episodes Feb. 23, 2020 on AMC. For more TWD intel, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.
See original here:
Data Shows The Walking Dead Declined When Negan Arrived - Comicbook.com
- The Walking Dead: Season 11 | Rotten Tomatoes - April 22nd, 2024
- About The Walking Dead | News, Bios and Photos | AMC - April 22nd, 2024
- How to Recreate the Most Iconic Location From The Walking Dead in 3D - 80.lv - April 22nd, 2024
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol Sets Tribeca Debut - Bleeding Cool News - April 22nd, 2024
- The Walking Dead star joins Superman movie in major role - Digital Spy - April 22nd, 2024
- Rick Grimes' Ending Finally Honored The Big Promise Walking Dead Made In Season 5 - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- When Will 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Season 2 Premiere? - UPROXX - April 21st, 2024
- The Surprising Reason HBO Turned Down 'The Walking Dead' - Collider - April 21st, 2024
- "You Really Have to Consider What He's Been Through": Walking Dead Creator Admits It's Hard to Root for Rick, But ... - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- Robert Kirkman: The Walking Dead Animated Series Can't Happen "Until I Get the Rights Back From AMC" - ComicBook.com - April 21st, 2024
- Morgan Jones' Got The Sendoff He Deserved On Fear The Walking Dead - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead Animated Series Happening Depends On One Important Thing - GameRant - April 21st, 2024
- Robert Kirkman Says The Walking Dead Animated Series Can Only Happen Under One Condition - MovieWeb - April 21st, 2024
- Daryl Dixon season 2 could make the Walking Dead universe even better here's why - Tom's Guide - April 21st, 2024
- 7 New Walking Dead Villains That Could Replace The CRM - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Fails Rick Grimes and Here Are All the Reasons Why He Deserves A Better Fate - Hollywood.com - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Is a Reckoning of Hope - Reactor - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead's Robert Kirkman Shares What's Holding Back the Planned Animated Series - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead Crossover Plans Now Face A Huge Obstacle Thanks To Rick Grimes - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- Behind the scenes as 'Dead City' films in Taunton We talked to zombie, caterer and more - Taunton Daily Gazette - April 21st, 2024
- Die creators Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans' new original graphic novel is a cross between The Walking Dead and ... - Gamesradar - April 21st, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Season 2 and 'Presumed Innocent' Headline the 2024 Tribeca Festival TV Lineup - Collider - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman wants an animated show, but there's one issue - Winter is Coming - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead Crossover Plans Now Face A Huge Obstacle Thanks To Rick Grimes - imdb - April 21st, 2024
- Tom Payne and Wife Jennifer kerman Welcome Twins (Exclusive) - PEOPLE - April 21st, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 5 Trailer - ComicBook.com - March 24th, 2024
- What The Song Means In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 4 (Does It Reveal The Ending?) - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible Season 2 Is Avoiding A Problem That Nearly Killed The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible Season 2 Has A Walking Dead Easter Egg You Might Have Missed - Looper - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 4 Review What We - Den of Geek - March 24th, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Episode 4 Recap: It's Rick, Michonne, and Carl? - Collider - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead Includes a Rare Sex Scene on The Ones Who Live: 'It Is About Pain,' Says Andrew Lincoln - PEOPLE - March 24th, 2024
- Daryl Dixon Season 2 Release, Cast & Everything We Know - The Direct - March 24th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Episodes 5 & 6 Get Ominous Tease From Walking Dead EP - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- TWD The Ones Who Live Episode 5 Trailer: Rick & Michonne Find Trouble Escaping - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Does Rick Leave the CRM on The Ones Who Live? - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 24th, 2024
- Into The Kirkmanverse? Invincible Teases A Major Connection To The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Pulled a Bait-and-Switch on Walking Dead Fans, But It Works - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 24th, 2024
- Well, That Was The Walking Dead's Raunchiest Episode Since The Show Began In 2010 - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible x The Walking Dead Crossover is Now Likelier Than Ever Due to This Season 2 Character - imdb - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 5 - Release date & time, where to watch, and more - Sportskeeda - March 24th, 2024
- Rick Grimes Just Massively Insulted Lori, 12 Years After Her Walking Dead Exit - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ep. 4 Review: "What We" Needed - Bleeding Cool News - March 24th, 2024
- I Asked AI What TV Characters Who Died Too Soon Would Look Like If They Still Alive Today - BuzzFeed - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Rick has a tough decision to make in "What We" - Winter is Coming - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live - A Testament to Survival and Humanity - Age Of The Nerd - March 16th, 2024
- Which Side Thorne Is On In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live? Why She Tries To Shoot Michonne Explained - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Where The CRM's New US Mountain Base Is Located In The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Season 2 Gets Cryptic Tease From Walking Dead Showrunner - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Theory: The CRM's Echelon Briefing May Have Sinister Plans - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 16th, 2024
- What Would Happen To The Walking Dead's Main Group If The CRM Found Alexandria - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Predicting The CRM's 500-Year Plan In The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead's Creator Admits 1 Criticism of the Franchise Is 100% True - IMDb - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 3 Clip Shows Rick Trying To Make A Deal With Jadis - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live leaves us on the edge of our seats in Episode 3 - Winter is Coming - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live's Villain Just Nailed Rick Grimes' Entire Walking Dead Story With One Line - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Best Horror Games Where Your Choices Matter - TheGamer - March 16th, 2024
- 'The Ones Who Live' Showrunner Wants to Keep Future Plans Open - Collider - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Star Addresses Shocking Return (Exclusive) - ComicBook.com - March 16th, 2024
- Five Thoughts On The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live's Bye - Multiversity Comics - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead: Ones Who Live Star Explains Why Jadis Is Loyal To The CRM - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Pollyanna McIntosh Breaks Down Jadis' Return In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead's Danai Gurira on the "big question mark" in The Ones Who Live - Digital Spy - March 16th, 2024
- A Major General Beale Clue Supports 1 Exciting Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ending Theory - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Tests A Time-Honored Relationship - SlashFilm - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead Makes 1 Important Change To Rick Losing His Hand In The Ones Who Live - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- 'A's and 'B's: How 'The Ones Who Live' Solves A 'Walking Dead' Mystery - TV Insider - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead Explains A Mystery From Season 10 (Then Immediately Ruins It) - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- 'The Ones Who Live' Pulls Off a Feat 'The Walking Dead' Failed For Years to Accomplish - Pajiba Entertainment News - March 8th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Just Introduced The Walking Dead's Most Impressive Zombie Weapons Yet - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 2 Review Gone - Den of Geek - March 8th, 2024
- What keeps "The Walking Dead" moving forward? Showrunner Scott Gimple insists "love is the fuel" - Salon - March 8th, 2024
- Rick and Michonne's 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Reunion Isn't What We Expected - Collider - March 8th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Is Subtly Teasing A Major Walking Dead Character Cameo - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 1 Twist Explained - TheWrap - March 8th, 2024
- How Well Do You Know the Cast of 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live'? - Collider - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Stakes Out AMCs Best Premiere Viewership In 6 Years - Deadline - March 8th, 2024
- Andrew Lincoln On Scaring Jon Bernthal And Makeup On The Walking Dead' - UPROXX - March 8th, 2024
- Will There Be 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Season 2? The Stars Weigh In. - The Mary Sue - March 8th, 2024
- INTERVIEW: TWD: The Ones Who Live's Matthew August Jeffers on "Terrifying" Plot Twist - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 8th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero