What If The Walking Dead Was Made By HBO?

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Over the course of the last few months, I’ve been seeing a number of comments asking me to talk about some of the big What If’s in The Walking Dead History. What if Shane had lived, what if Carl had lived, what if they could’ve stayed at the prison, and all these seem like popular questions considering there’s basically a Walking Dead What If game coming soon.
0:00 - 1:49 - Intro
1:50 - 9:40 - AMC vs. HBO
9:41 - 13:27 - Comic-Accurate Adaptation
13:28 - 18:00 - What AMC Got Right
18:01 - 21:29 - All The What If's
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Outro:
Late Night Driving - Broke In Summer

[@TimSedai]

I feel like it would've been edgier (Oz/Sopranos/6 feet under) with higher production and bigger set pieces but ultimately would've followed the comic closer and ended sooner after season 6 or so

[@gfilmer7150]

That’s if the show became a hit and wasn’t canceled early like The Wire, Deadwood, ROME, and Boardwalk Empire.

[@moisesjimenez4391]

So you’re saying it would’ve actually been worth watching lol

[@TimSedai]

@moisesjimenez4391 yes AND no. I don't think some of the weirder comic shot would've translated as well, but I'm afraid (see 6 feet under lol) they'd try anyway

[@iamcasihart]

Absolutely. I also suspect Frank D. might have been more appreciated by the network. HBO likely wouldn’t have let the show goes as shitty and long as it did. Maybe a solid 5-6 seasons of the quality many of us so adore about the first season.

[@gfilmer7150]

@@iamcasihart Yay, prequel Episodes about things we never cared about and focusing on the smart zombies!

[@Father_Daniel]

It's tough because HBO would have went even harder with the violence and language and most definitely would have gave us an awesome show. However I did like that AMC took a lot of liberties with the story. Hitting most major plot points but putting their own spin on it. Great video!

[@DukeJimbob]

The Michonne and Governor fight from the comics would’ve been awesome to see on HBO

[@damonlongstreet8630]

But keep in mind Alot of changes (Dale, Andrea, Lori, T-dog, Carl, Rick and even Maggie) only happened due to bts drama because amc pulling greedy to stright up eleigal actions, cutting s2 budget the firing Daramont for calling them out for example, kill Carl to avoid paying Chandler royalties

[@gfilmer7150]

And there’s stuff from the comics I didn’t want to see adapted 1 for 1 (namely The Prison and The Governor) but there’s also stuff like All Out War and The Whisperer War I wish was more accurate but with different characters.

[@Father_Daniel]

@@DukeJimbob definitely! That could have been one of the darkest moments we would have seen up to that point!

[@kdizzle901]

HBO has made one bad show Game of Thrones and it started out amazing

[@Oslith]

I think it would be cool to see a Walking Dead animated show like Invincible. Comics were made by the same guy too. I bet that would be all up to AMC though.

[@sq33p87]

i was thinking the same comic accurate twd animated show would be the best thing ever

[@ThePrince1835]

Maybe a 'what if Amazon' made the walking dead

[@damonlongstreet8630]

Amc is way too cheap, we're gonna what to wait till they lose the rights.

[@Oslith]

@@damonlongstreet8630 Yeeeeeeeah, honestly. Who know's when that would be too.

[@Oslith]

@@ThePrince1835 oooooooooh this this

[@omaridaniels8427]

The biggest What If for HBO having The Walking Dead is we probably would have gotten Andrea's arc from start to finish as the badass sniper, capped off with her emotional death, not to mention Rick having a relationship with her instead of Michonne. To this day, it's unfortunate how Laurie Holden really never got her moment to shine as Andrea.

[@mosthated.e.2422]

S2 was kinda setting that sniper arc up a little bit

[@-Ricecooker-]

Don't you mean MAX ☝️🤓

[@Ada-fz9ug]

Yeah, I haven’t read the comics, so I’m not sure exactly how her governor arc goes in them, but Laurie‘s character in the show was so unbearable the way that she was switching up and betraying her found family for some dick was insane. I really like the actress though and it would’ve been cool to see her fulfill the role of a bad ass however, I really like Michonne and rick‘s relationship and I feel like she is a much more likable character so I am ultimately glad with the decision they made.

[@user-xt4ks1nu6h]

yeah but if we had andrea we would never have had sasha...and sasha is amazing

[@evingalarza8412]

@@-Ricecooker-, HBO or MAX are the same.

[@drezbrown1382]

I genuinely feel like Frank Darabont would’ve been the show runner longer had it been on HBO.

[@Shockkings0714]

He would've never been the showrunner in the first place as HBO adapts source material pretty damn accurately and he diverges so many comic plot points. He would've only been showrunner if he adapted it more accurately

[@KaptifLaDistillerie]

All the great TWD characters we got starting in season 1 were picked by Darabont, mostly from people he worked with on The Mist. The show would have been way better had he stayed...

[@Gamfluent]

This would’ve been so awesome, his idea was truly amazing

[@Gamfluent]

@@Shockkings0714is it stated anywhere they adapt source material to the tea?

[@Shockkings0714]

@@Gamfluent GOT S1-4, House of tbe Dragon S1, and TLOU S1?

[@yaboisunny]

Actually I think even on HBO, Rick wouldn’t have lost his hand. Kirkman said he regretted cutting ricks hand and since this is a HBO show, Kirkman would have a large say in the way it plays out

[@Shockkings0714]

I don't know why he regrets it. Him losing his hand is one of the best moments in the series to me. Also reminds me of Jaime Lannister

[@yaboisunny]

@@Shockkings0714 Kirkman regretted it because it made it harder for Rick to do certain things in the story. It made Kirkman struggle to write the story

[@Shockkings0714]

Fair I guess, but I liked it@@yaboisunny

[@yaboisunny]

@@Shockkings0714 oh Yeah it was quite the shock and honestly cool

[@badger_shorts7708]

@@Shockkings0714as far as I understand, he did it for shock value without thinking about it in the long run, causing Rick to be restricted in what he couldn’t do which made it hard to write the story and, there are a few moments I believe where Rick has accidentally been drawn with both hands after it was removed.

[@seananigans3741]

I’ve always loved this show, I acknowledge it’s far from perfect. But I really appreciate you covering the more positive aspects of the show. I’m so sick of seeing the 100th video of “how the walking dead died”

[@ilayohana3150]

It died in episode one with Morgan's wife fr

[@Whatacomedian_]

Agree. I can agree with certain talking points but overall? I love these characters. Maybe because I decided to finish twd YEARS later and I do ff through establishing shots and some action scenes. Anything that repeats itself really and certain character interactions. But its whatever what I enjoy matters more than the negatives. Which most film criticism focus on.

[@Zenohh]

The show did do some smart choices like keeping Shane alive longer to me the comic is just better written and they really make you care for the characters the show has always had a problem with killing people to fast I also like how the protagonist is missing a hand and still fighting

[@rafaelalodio5116]

It’s kinda weird HBO refusing The Walking Dead because it was too violent, The Walking Dead was indeed extremely violent, but so was Game of Thrones.

[@sillythygoose]

Maybe they just thought It was a dumb zombie show and wouldn’t last?

[@raidenvaneck1842]

They turned it down because "zombies don't sell". It's the same thing Image Comics told the creator and both the comic and show did outstanding compared to other zombie shows or films. That's pretty much why HBO backtracked and did The Last Of Us.

[@gudhaxer41343]

They just didn't know it would turn out popular so they "kindly" refused it plus zombie shows wasn't exactly HBO's forte during the time. HBO was more known for gangster drama, historical Drama and WW2 miniseries.

[@yeahboy7465]

- each season would have 10 episodes - each episode would be at least 55 minutes long - faster pacing - bigger budget and better production - f bombs in every episode - there wouldn't be episodes that focus only on one group of characters or one storyline, every episode would include at least a bit of each ongoing storyline, like Game of Thrones for example - they would probably make like 8 seasons tops, I don't see HBO milking shows with 10+ seasons like CW likes to do

[@redcr33perproductions]

It would be written just as good as GOT

[@thundergod2645]

Am I the only one who loved the thrilling suspense in the episode where Connie is in the house with dehumanized freaky people, the fact that they showed it from a deaf perspective was wild.

[@aliengranpa]

One of my favorite episodes. I hope we get a backstory for the feral people in a future tales of the walking dead episode.

[@damoenjohnson8701]

That episode scared the shit out of me

[@kylee2458]

That’s crazy bc me and my bf js watched that ep, I’m rewatching it but it was his first time

[@Yungpablo5512]

Fkk yess! I thought it was finally some scary sht going on! Had me on the edge of my seat!

[@theflash9735]

That episode was genius, came outta nowhere!

[@GabrielTorres-fl2xo]

Your channel was the reason i decided to rewatch TWD after dropping it a few years ago man. There is just so much hate surrounding this series and when you look on KZbin there are so much videos dedicated to talk about why it didn't work, why it got bad etc but yours was a truly positive and refreshing one I ended up rewatching all of it and now i've become a fan of it again, tbh i don't even remember what made me drop it in the first place but i'm glad your channel convinced me to give another try to the show

[@ApocalypticRetrospective]

One of the reasons I left the fandom years ago was the hate/immaturity.

[@DukeJimbob]

But it’s not WD fans hating it’s people who are obsessed with game of thrones and Last Of Us

[@dimitrescu182]

​@@DukeJimbobironically Game of Thrones had a nosedive in quality as well. House of the Dragon is fortunately a return to form.

[@Hardrive2677]

@@ApocalypticRetrospectivecringe take who tf cares about the fandom you either enjoy the show or you don’t you can’t be upset about other peoples opinions lmfao

[@Hardrive2677]

I loved this show so much before season 7. That’s where the writing quality dropped off a cliff. I remember having hopes that season 8 would bring it back to glory with some resolution to the Negan arc and the writing was somehow worse than 7. I still was holding out with hope that it would have a satisfying conclusion. Then the mid season finale happened and Carl dying killed my love for the franchise as a whole. That was the worst mistake they ever could have made. Losing Carl essentially kills the purpose of Ricks character. After Rick left the heart and soul of the show was gone. Even though season 9 was a slight return to form it was too little too late. The Walking Dead was always supposed to end with Rick passing the torch to his son. That was the point of the story. And they wasted it. Judith doesn’t fill that role she doesn’t remember the whole journey. That’s why Carl was so important. He would be the one to tell their story to future generations.

[@karenmann298]

One thing I’ve ever understood was why Rick was so sirprized to find the prison. He was a cop. Even if he hadn’t personally been to every city, regional or federal prison in Georgia, he should have been aware of their existence and approximately where they were located

[@brunoactis1104]

Muooo9 mnnno.li9 Lk8o9❤ 9

[@jurassicsmackdown6359]

I bet it's because in the comics, he's from Kentucky but travelled to Georgia to find Lori and Carl, expecting Lori to take Carl to her parents who live in Atlanta, which was supposed to be a haven from the dead In the show, they decided to cut out the middle man and just have the Grimes family already be in Georgia from the start

[@BKAngmar]

SIRPRIZED 💀

[@gobah]

No way you spelled surprised like that 😂

[@terpybrew6935]

I’ve watched the walking dead with me daughter. Who is my whole world. It will always be in my fondest memories of time spent with her. We used to talk about it in between seasons and it led to us watching a lot of other dystopian style shows which seem to be both our favorites. Love your channel man. Great work ❤

[@p1tz0n16]

so sweet

[@Bobber2222]

You exacty described the relationship i have with my dad and television. We got early on the walking Dead und have always loved watching these kind of shows thogether, really sweet

[@taylorunderwood8611]

I kinda liked how AMC took liberties with the storylines because imagine being a big fan of the comics and when watching it for the first time without spoilers and thinking it’ll be faithful to the comics, only to see major differences like Sophia being a walker or Andrea dying. The shock of that, for better or worse, makes Walking Dead unpredictable and has the feeling that anyone could literally die at any moment

[@rred8674]

Watching The Walking Dead, especially seasons 3 and 4, was such a significant point in my life. I live in appalachia and the show would premiere around the same time that the first fire was made in our wood heater. We (mom and I) would bake sweet potatoes in anticipation and watch the show together. Do you guys remember the episode where Rick throws Carol out? And at the end of the episode he's driving away and Serpents is playing? I've rewatched that episode dozens of times just to retrieve that feeling. I can't explain it. "Everything changes". That deep gut feeling, even when I first watched it. Season 4 is my favorite although a lot of people say they don't like it. But there was emotion in that season. Realness, palpability. The characters had grain, they rubbed against something so succinct that they lost after Alexandria. It never came back. Mom and I, for years, have made plans to bake sweet potatoes and sit down and watch some Walking Dead together. We never have, not since then. There's no real way to get 2013 back. There's no way to experience The Walking Dead again, no matter what the spin offs do. They can't reach those heights.

[@Shockkings0714]

Season 4 is one of the most liked seasons lol

[@TheGrimHHH]

2:38 - Quick observation: Breaking Bad Season 1 actually had less episodes due to the 2007 Writer's Strike. The Season was supposed to have 10 or 13 episodes, but they were forced to cut it short, which actually ended up being a good thing considering Season 1 was supposed to have ended with Jesse dying.

[@bathtubbarracuda6275]

HBO would have stuck with creator Frank Darabont and definitely had a better production value. However I don’t think Darabont and HBO would have turned it into as much of a successful franchise as it was for almost a decade. The show was AMC’s bread and butter and on HBO it would have been overshadowed by Thrones and their other hits. Also Darabont had some controversial story decisions with the walkers acting more like humans and even at one point was going to suggest that walkers eat each other as a last resort to solve the walker starvation plot hole. In hindsight this would have ruined future storylines like the whisperers. A fun what if to ponder and I’m sure would have lead to some better quality seasons but I’m happy with what we got.

[@norbertbluhm6999]

Look at my Coomment about how I think it would have played out with HBO and Darabont

[@baggybones]

Ya,with all of the faults that TWD had on AMC, I'm still happy with a lot of the things that we did get,things that we probably wouldn't have gotten if it were on HBO, mainly Shane becoming a great character (in comparison to his comic counterpart that is just terribly written in my opinion) or having Daryl and Merle. As they say,you don't know what you have until you lose it.

[@norbertbluhm6999]

@@baggybones I agree with you when it comes to Shane, he was better written on the show, but Daryl???? That Arc robbing, plot Armored piece of junk??? The story and many characters (especially Tyrese) would have been better off without this useless "Redneck turned Pretty Boy"

[@gabedoeslife471]

People always talk about Darabont like he was some sort of hero, when in actuality he most certainly was not. If I'm not mistaken he was fired due to "Creative Differences" AKA he wanted to make the show his own as opposed to doing the adaptation he was paid to do. Granted, the show didn't stay faithful to the source material later on, but what Darabont would've delivered would've been some George Romero's Land of the Dead type shit which would've been absolutely horrendous. His name at this point is just a buzz word for haters of the show to use as an excuse to do just that.

[@TheRealRickGrimes]

​@@gabedoeslife471 Darabont is really overrated. He wasn't going to follow the comics accurately since he was making walkers run and climb and even open doors. That doesn't happen at all in the comics. AMC kept how walkers were supposed to be.

[@brynnjacoby9029]

So happy you made this video! It makes me sad to see so much hate the show gets, especially in its later seasons. I stopped watching after Glenn, but this was and always will be my comfort show. I grew up with the first 3 seasons on DVD (I first heard of the show before the 4th season aired when I was 13) and I’ve watched S1-3 over 50 times each. The character of Rick Grimes gave me a safe person in my life (even though he wasn’t real lol) to look up to and learn from. So excited to see him again the Rick and Michonne series.

[@ScofieldStudios]

If you're going to do these What If type of videos, I would recommend doing a video on what TWD would be like if Frank Darabont kept working on it.

[@kaylemjoseph8727]

Would have been better

[@Michael_Le_Devin_MLD]

maybe that's what this video will be about

[@lloydlejack-official]

This, please

[@BoogSReviews]

I think the show would’ve been worse if he would’ve stayed.

[@chriswilliams4700]

@@BoogSReviewsNah, Frank was an excellent director and season 1 still holds up so well from his directing. He was by and away the best show runner they had, as he wanted to adapt the show in a way that could’ve been even more special. Sadly, AMC were cheap assholes and doubled the episode count while shrinking the budget, leaving Frank to put a whole season stuck on the farm. His idea for a stand alone soldier from the tank episode would’ve been insane

[@ashlynmullins7572]

I will always be a walking dead fan even if the story isn’t good or fans stopped watching it. My grandpa loved the series and was the one who got me into the show we watched every episode together from season 4 to 6 when he passed. I will always be a Walking Dead fan because of the memories with my grandpa. I stopped after season 8 and took a long break from new episodes but I’d watch the other shows Fear and World Beyond but I caught up eventually.

[@deckzone3000]

Real fans never stopped watching. The people that stopped were the bandwagon jumpers. They got on board because it was the popular thing and then got off when the hype wore off.

[@ashlynmullins7572]

@@deckzone3000 I stopped, because I lost my father figure in my life the only man who ever raised me and his death was not easy and quick. Watching a show about death was not some thing I wanted at that time. I stopped because I became severely depressed and lost interest in everything. I stopped watching because I mentally did not have the capability to watch the show or anything at that time in my life. I stopped for two years, and then continued caught up on all of that but you’re the insensitive one to call me a bandwagon jumper because I physically didn’t want to live anymore. Maybe next time you accuse someone of something maybe realize that there’s probably a story behind that. I tried to point out that because of this man that’s the reason I am a walking dead fan, but you completely missed the point of that

[@RicoSoprano_]

@@ashlynmullins7572I don’t think he missed your point at all. I kinda think you misinterpreted his statement which didn’t seem to be aimed at you. You already explained that you was a real walking dead fan because even though you stopped you came back eventually. He literally said THEY got on board because it was popular. You already stated your grandfather was the reason you started watching. So that already separates you from a bandwagon. You already made great points in your original post so it don’t make sense that he would be including you in that statement.

[@RicoSoprano_]

@@deckzone3000just curious we’re you talking about her not being a real fan?

[@gloomy.y]

wow, your experience is just the same as mine. i was raised by my grandparents and my grandpa and i watched every episode together, we fortunately were able to get further than season 6, but he passed away in 2019. i stopped watching for awhile afterwards because it wasn't the same, JUST rewatched and finished the series 3 days ago with my boyfriend. but i feel the exact same as you do. i'll always love and cherish the show and the memories i have because of it. i am so fucking sorry for your loss girl. grandpa's are awesome

[@Johndoriescolt]

Here for the positivity surrounding the twd universe on your channel. Keep it up.😊

[@thomasoconnor8279]

I think if Frank Darabont was still behind the HBO version of the walking dead a lot of the cast would still be very much the same.

[@Shockkings0714]

He would've never been the showrunner in the first place as HBO adapts source material pretty damn accurately and he diverges so many comic plot points. He would've only been showrunner if he adapted it more accurately. Also he had a major miscast imo (Andrea; Laurie Holden)

[@lemon8890]

@@Shockkings0714 GOT change a lot of story in the books tho, hell even some characters get kill when in the book they live so I don't think HBO mind that much if Frank Darabont change anything tbh.

[@rclemons95]

My fondest memory of TWD was tuning into the pilot episode on Halloween evening. My brother and I heard of the graphic novel but never read them. But that first episode had us hooked and interested in the source material.

[@Wheresthehorseandtherider]

Another great video! I completely agree with you, Carol is definitely a great character. She is one of my all time favorites. Love your videos. Thanks for making them.

[@Anotherroom]

Carol's character progression was so fantastic to watch. One of the best characters in the entire Walking Dead universe.

[@mcgaming609]

As someone who only saw the show but knows a little about the comics. I could see the show appearing to them as a what if this happened instead type of way so they couldn’t exactly know what to expect. I like it because you get the comic version and the show so it’s mostly the same people with a different story or altered. The last of us show was mostly the same as the game despite somethings being changed or left out but the plot and results of stuff were essentially the same allowing for you to play the game and then watch the show after or vise versa and understand what pretty much will happen before major events. Now that’s not to say I don’t like the game or show I love both but that game in particular was something I believe needed to be adapted well. TWD show and comic are pretty different so you get that different experience in a from what I’ve seen waaaayy darker version of that world. While in the show you can see versions of characters you may have hated or loved in the comics that you now hate or love more in the show.

[@epicgamer-xh8eq]

As someone who was introduced to the show during season 8 and has recently read all the comics I'd highly recommend them. They just make you love this universe even more

[@StatiCRjm]

Games that are cinematic don't need film/tv adaptations. TLoU never needed one.

[@mcgaming609]

@@StatiCRjm I could agree with that but at the same time nobody else in my family would have known anything about the last of us because they don’t play video games. They only watch TV/streaming services or read so the show was that gateway for them. Otherwise they wouldn’t have ever seen it and I wouldn’t have been able to have conversations with them about the ending. So in a way I agree because the games themselves feel like a show/movie with the graphics and cinematics but those who don’t play or care to play video games would never have the opportunity to love it like us.

[@death2fuffy263]

Ricks Python is so iconic to me. Any game I play that has a python, I’ll use it and yell, “I’m Rick Grimes!”

[@TheOldCSK]

Daryl has said “fuck” more times in his own show in 6 episodes than anyone ever has in over 12 years worth of seasons.

[@TheCrabThatGotSuckedIntoADelta]

Although the quality perhaps could've been better, I'm thankful for how it was and what we got; a lot of things were done well(Shane, Daryl, Glenn, Rick's Colt Python, etc.). Maybe it's because I just have attachments to what we have vs what we could've had, but, mistakes and all, i wouldn't change a thing about it. Great video, TTW

[@maihosalat]

Eh, all the filler episodes and lower budget really showed the quality issues amc provided.

[@thehoboshow]

There were a lot of issues as well though. The show definitely improved characters like Maggie, Hershel, Rick, Governor, Shane, Glenn especially over the comic counterpart. However, there are many characters who are a straight up downgrade in the show. Lori, Andrea, Carl (though he's still a good character), Sophia (should've never died), Lydia etc are extremely shitty in the show.

[@wgnd1614]

@@thehoboshow maggie improved? i don't whant to see how she is in the comics then... maggie in the tv show is one of the worst characters i have ever seen, almost as bad as lorie... and is like one of the worst leaders in the history of leaders

[@thehoboshow]

​@@wgnd1614 I personally feel like Maggie in the show was a really good character up until like season 11 when they started to really drag her story arc with Negan. Maggie in the comics is sexualised, and that is pretty much all there is to her, up until Glenn's death, most of her story was only about hooking up with Glenn, not to mention she looked awful in the comics with the short hair. Then Glenn died, she was mad at rick for like 5 pages and then she forgave him, she didn't want to kill Negan like she did in the show. She could have killed Negan but she let him live, and said that he deserves to live knowing the people he has hurt, while that does sound good on paper that change came out of nowhere. She also moved on from Glenn and formed a new relationship, which I am not saying is a bad thing but it would have been nice to keep at least one character in the comics who didn't move on, every character who loses their significant other ends up with someone else, it became predictable. At the end of the comics, Maggie is the president of the new world and she lets her son Hershal who has now grown up and is in his 20s do whatever he wants, she let him grow up to be a spoiled brat. She was also unnecessarily mean to Carl at the end of the story.

[@wgnd1614]

@@thehoboshow i see what you saying and there are some good points but to me maggie was trash ever since they joined alexandria and started to act like a leader, when she became leader of the hilltop i started hating her even more tbh

[@funkyreapercat5280]

I love this video! I watched The Walking Dead in his entirety and read the whole comic book series, i LOVE both universes. I think the show is enough faithful to the comics while also having it's own identity. Some arcs are better in the show, some in the comics, some are good in boths. That's why i enjoyed consuming both versions, they complement well each other, for example, Carol and Hershel are better characters in the show, while Andrea and Dale are better characters on the comics; The prison, Saviors and Whisperers arc is better written on the comics, while the Atlanta, Farm, Terminus/Hunters and Commonwealth arc is better written on TV, etc. Some things work best on TV, others in literature. AMC did a fantastic job! Sorry for my english.

[@rickflag1424]

Terminus written better than the comics? bro no

[@funkyreapercat5280]

@@rickflag1424 It's a more expanded story in the show, i also prefer Gareth over Chris, he's more intimidating. Although i agree that the story about the baby that Chris tells is shocking.

[@liltwistedgamer]

It would be awesome if they made the comics into an animated series.

[@Drewkam1995]

I be okay with that, the actors/actress should do the voices

[@mosthated.e.2422]

@@Drewkam1995 I dont know about that.Because their comic counterparts are kinda different I can’t imagine certain voices on the comic characters

[@salvadorlucero1034]

As someone that has actually seen the whole comic book series and played the Telltale Games this honestly puts me at an upset knowing that the show could've been WAY better than what it was 😔. Just imagine how much gory and darker the show would've been, just imagine seeing Negan drop an F bomb throughout every sentence he said 🤣

[@RedAnimal100]

Really enjoyed the video. Made me appreciate AMC more for what they have done for the show.

[@frosst1025]

If HBO would have done what AMC did (Same cast and story) but with more money and better production I truly believe this show would have been as big as GoT if not even bigger.

[@iamcasihart]

When all the fans were thinking of who the show would cast as Negan, I recall thinking that Christopher Meloni would be a great fit. Of course, JDM has made this character his, and I love him in the role, but I still think Meloni would’ve been such a good Negan. It’s cool to picture. He’s one of my favorite TV actors with so much charisma and range (much like JDM).

[@gfilmer7150]

This the same guy who played Chris Keller on OZ?

[@neen2660]

That’d be pretty fucking cool. JDM IS negan but this could work

[@iamcasihart]

@@gfilmer7150 Yes! He was on Oz and most know him from Law & Order: SVU. He has a few episodes as a rapist villain on The Handmaid’s Tale, and he does bad with charisma so damn well!

[@gfilmer7150]

@@iamcasihart If you were to lead with SVU people would think you’re crazy but if you led with OZ then you can get people thinking.

[@thesadprepper3722]

Ray Stevenson wouldve made an excellent Negan but JDM is Negan

[@BrazenEdits]

Watching your videos always makes my day - thanks for uploading so much!

[@hunterg1036]

TWD is a really hard show to rewatch for me. I can glide through season one and I even have an appreciation for season 2 but after that it’s hard to deal with the filler

[@Shockkings0714]

Just skip the filler and binge

[@rhettgedies7467]

Nah man. Season 3 and 4 is the golden age. It really starts to slog once they reach Alexandria (Season 6 is still the worst for me).

[@Shockkings0714]

6 is the worst? Huh?@@rhettgedies7467

[@VazmanianDeviI]

@@rhettgedies7467Season 2 wasn’t that good. 3 was ok. 4 was good. I think the best seasons hands down is 1 and 4. 5 was ok. every other season beyond that is not even worth watching.

[@rhettgedies7467]

@@VazmanianDeviI Season 2 had the budget issue that they managed as well as they possibly could all things considered. Season 2 is a lot of talking on the farm and working out how to handle this new era of the world. It's great if you like dialogue, debate, and character growth that typically isn't based in action. The Prison arc is the best era of the show (3-4.5) in terms of action and growth that springs out of what was started in Season 2. Rewatching Season 2 after finishing multiple seasons after also gives you entire perspective flip on Shane's beliefs and actions. Which is fascinating.

[@madelinedanielle2818]

I would LOVE to see a well made, big budget, loyal to the comics, animated adaptation! Make it in the signature style of the comics! It would be nostalgic and you wouldn’t have to recast Rick!!

[@noirnoir4276]

HOT TAKE. I never really cared for Daryl. I was fine with him in the beginning. But then it felt like he took a lot of story away from other character. Then It got to the point where his plot armor was so thick. I knew he wasn't in any danger. Kinda gets boring when you know "he isn't going to die".

[@bippityboppity6969]

dude great stuff. insightful and detailed job as per usual. and great image that you choose with "budget" at 3:41 hahaha. great research and presentation- keep making stuff like this, stuff about behind the scenes, not in front of the tv.

[@j7sportvideo24]

So happy I came across your channel. You’re right the internet is filled with “what went wrong” videos. Meanwhile I get so much enjoyment out of your walking dead content❤️

[@jacobwetta2401]

It’s interesting because if HBO had done this show they would’ve probably made a much better story and wrapped it up a lot sooner which would’ve been great. But at the same time I don’t regret watching the show despite the missteps the show has had. Even in the later seasons I found there were some really good parts that I enjoyed that wouldn’t have been present in HBO

[@usenamer3635]

they fucked up tlou so idk if i'd trust them

[@tahmidislam7652]

Why? The Last Of Us was good@@usenamer3635

[@sillythygoose]

Idk man. They screwed up Game of Thrones really bad.

[@jacobwetta2401]

@@sillythygoose ya but that was only the last season so…. I’d have hope for it

[@sillythygoose]

@@jacobwetta2401 the show was on a steady decline from the moment they ran out of book material. Season 6 was alright, season 7 was pretty bad, but season 8 was an abomination.

[@CassidyDylyn]

Glenn did not have a reduced role in the comic. Unless you're talking specifically about the seven issues where he remained on the Greene family farm as the rest of the group found the prison, which hardly qualifies, I have no earthly idea from where you've gotten the idea that Glenn was a less important/prevalent character in the source material.

[@Shockkings0714]

He's clearly a less important character in the comics than in the show...

[@CassidyDylyn]

@@Shockkings0714 No, he wasn't.

[@Shockkings0714]

He has a reduced role dude. Have you even read the comics?@@CassidyDylyn

[@Telos1807]

He's an important character but compared to the show he is more in the background. Once he gets back from Woodbury he doesn't have that much to do until Alexandria, stealing the guns and the Nicholas thing. Comparatively the show has him get sick in 4A, have him and Tara's subplot in 4B and expands his feud with Nicholas. Also just people really like Steven Yeun - don't discount that.

[@CassidyDylyn]

@@Telos1807 Bad faith comparison; between Woodbury and Alexandria is two seasons in the show and six issues in the comic (two of which solely focus on Rick and Carl, with no other major characters appearing at all). And how much people like or dislike the actor has zero relevance to the importance of the character. Glenn's role was in no way lesser in the source material.

[@thebitcoinknicksreport5673]

AMC Networks treated us extras like gold. Zombies practically got paid in gold. As a non-union player, they did things for us they were under no obligation to. "Dead City" was an amazing production to be a small part of, so fuck HBO!

[@hamzahfrs6548]

Thats surprising considering how they did try to cut a lot of corners in the early seasons of the main show despite its popularity back then

[@nickfitchner3218]

This was a very well done video! Upon reading the title my first instinct was to say yes it would have been better on HBO. However you bring up a lot of interesting points that I hadn’t considered. In the end all we can really say is it would have been different. Better in some ways for sure, but also arguably worse in others. Well done sir!

[@carlosstjohn116]

I still watch the show! As soon as season 11 ended, I literally rewatched the whole show all over again. I’ve also rewatched all of FTWD up to the final season. Dead City was great. But world beyond left much to be desired. Very excited for Daryl and Rick and michonne spin-offs!

[@ichigoblackTWD]

Wouldn't Frank Darabont be the showrunner? I think he was in the proyect from the beginning. With Darabont we have the entire cast of S1 because they worked in The Mist. Yes Rick Grimes would probably have been played by other actor but most of S1 would have been the same as with AMC. After that, Darabont wouldn't have been fired because the budget would not decrease. That means Dale, Andrea and Lori would follow theirs comic counterpart. The series would have 10-12 seasons. People would have still complained about "being too long". And eventually the TV Show would have run out of comic book material, generating a situation similar as the one in Game Of Thrones. But in this case we have Robert Kirkman who is far more active in writing the story than George RR Martin. This premise comes down to "What if Darabont wasn't fired".

[@Charming_Celestial]

I genuinely feel that Andrew Lincoln as Rick made the show as successful as it is. I cannot imagine ANYONE replacing Andrew, and I don’t even watch to try. He’s such a talented actor and portrayed Rick’s emotions and internal struggles perfectly without having to say a single word.

[@moviemonsterlab]

I remember watching the episode where Glenn died with my sister and she got upset but I was laughing at all the jokes Negan made

[@DittzyDJ]

I watched the show all the way through it’s conclusion. The show actually was the reason my son and I started podcasting and created a KZbin channel(s). There were seasons that I loved more than others but I still loved the ride! BTW, the Daryl spinoff is promising. It is really interesting to get a different take on TWD apocalypse. Plus, we got him out of his same over-worn vest AND he finally took a bath, so, so far, so good!

[@magaz]

I’ve talked about this same thing so many times. I’d love if AMC would let HBO have a crack at their take on the story now the main arc is complete. I’d also love to see a spin off from season 2 where Shane’s about to leave and Andrea offers to go with him. Those two on the road getting up to new adventures. And maybe meeting some familiar faces along the way and down the road.

[@omebu]

This is the most honest and accurate review I have ever seen. Thanks so much. Someone finally speaking truth.

[@illoquese2377]

Im 18 years old, I start watching TWD in 2014, when the first three seasons were on Netflix, and I found season 4 on Internet. From season 5 I started watching it weekly and waiting for a new season every year. That wait for each season, watching the series over the years, is what builds fanaticism.That's why I love TWD, even though I'm aware of the show's flaws, in my eyes it's the best there is, just as Rick is the best protagonist there is.

[@baylee702]

Idc what anyone says, I love this show more than any other show

[@Unti1tmrw]

The thing that I believe would’ve put the HBO adaptation on top is that Frank Darabont would’ve probably stayed on as showrunner for a while as HBO has the funds to pay him.

[@jordanvance1657]

I mean yeahh but that still wouldn't mean the show would be as big as it became

[@Shockkings0714]

He would've never been the showrunner in the first place as HBO adapts source material pretty damn accurately and he diverges so many comic plot points. He would've only been showrunner if he adapted it more accurately

[@BenjaminGroff-qi6lc]

GOT wasn’t very accurate.

[@DiddyKongVsLuigi]

If HBO made Walking Dead and still used the same cast, that one scene with Maggie and the Governor would have 1 billion views on certain Hub and Hamster sites. 👀

[@SlimyFrog123]

I would also be all for a comic-accurate adaptation. I am watching the show and reading the comics at the same time, and so many differences (both little and bit) are just driving me crazy.

[@thetick3694]

NBC was originally going to air walking dead, but it would have been Rick and Shane investigating zombie related crimes.

[@thethriftytypewriter]

Now THAT is something I’d wanna see 😂

[@thedeafeningdunce]

Honestly, I have zero clue. It really all depends on who would run the show. If it was still Darabont, I could absolutely see him sticking around and I think the show would've at least been better overall, though with some changes I don't see being that good. His plan for Andrea was a mixed bag. Past that, it really depends. Considering this is 13 years down the line, there's so much that would've been different, for better or for worse.

[@kellydavid8169]

Thank you for making my weekend!

[@Rev_Goose]

I blame the 1, 8, 9, 16 episodes on Scott Gimple. Seasons 4-8 were all under him and feel very formulaic. If you pay attention to the first halves of those seasons they usually have about 3 normal episodes and then get sidetracked into bottle episodes before tying it back up for the Mid-Season Finale. For example, Season 4 starts normal, then we get episodes about Hershel, Rick and Carol, Governor, then the finale. Season 5 we get 3 normal then one about Beth, Daryl and Carol, Glenn and Abe, then finale. Season 6 normal starts, Glenn bottle episode, Morgan, Daryl and Dwight, finale. Season 7 is an exception to this because nearly evert episode was a bottle episode, but Season 8 does the same thing, normal start, Ezekiel episode, Sanctuary episode, Mid-Season Finale. Usually why Gimple's second halves of the season are better than the his first halves. Kinda why I'm a bit skeptical on him returning as Showrunner for The Ones Who Live

[@TreVonsView]

I feel like we need a comic animated series for TWD. If Watchmen did it so can we😂

[@StormX6]

I don’t recall Watchmen ever getting a comic animated series? The movie was a relatively faithful but flawed adaptation and the HBO show is entirely original with it being a modern day sequel to the comic. There’s a motion comic, but that’s the closest we have to an animated show to Watchmen

[@Shockkings0714]

I think he is talking about the motion comic@@StormX6

[@nykur5201]

The HBO one would've been a quality series , but the AMC one is just something else that i would never change it with others, it's not perfect it's not even that great that it could've been but the universe that it has now its just what I wanted from the world 😂 and hey the spin offs looks like having more budget sooo yea thats another point

[@orlypro]

That Smirk at the end is so goated

[@mrkevinhaughey]

Great video, as usual. Looking forward to your episode reviews of Daryl Dixon. Keep up the good work!

[@ginapavlikovsky988]

I'm really excited for TWD future! I'm one of the fans who stayed to the end and also watch spin offs, and I can't help, but I feel like they plan something big. Bigger than everything before. And that is making movies with Rick's and Madison's groups. And seeing Rick, Negan, Maggie, Michonne, Daryl or Carol cooperate with Madison, Alicia, Stand and Troy (hopefully if they won't kill him at the and of season 8) could be so f*cking amazing!!

[@deckzone3000]

Not 1 character you listed is currently with any other character you listed. Half aren't even on the same timeline.

[@ginapavlikovsky988]

@@deckzone3000 but it doesn't mean they can't. I said "future" not right now. So after many spin offs, it could happened. Actually there's so many possible plots which are pretty predictable, like for example there's speculation that Rick and his group will fight against CRM, but he doesn't have enough people so Morgan could go to talk with Madison and her people to fight with them and as the last one, Rick could go talk with Negan and his future comunity to fight with him, he would decline but in the last moment he change his mind and save them in the last battle. And it's kind of strange that they don't kill many main characters in these last years, specially you can see it in FTWD, where even Troy come back even though the show runners said that he died 100%

[@kremesauce]

I don’t know if the last of us adaptation is that faithful, especially with Joel and his backstory of having to survive with Tommy in the early years

[@MistahJay7]

The GOAT Walking Dead channel. I know you're channel isn't a Walking dead channel lol but I mean your videos covering the show are the best. Always the most fair and in depth compared to other people that regurgitate the same hot takes all the time

[@adipoke2112]

Thank you for bringing a positive spin to the discussion around the less than stellar parts of this show. I've gotten SO many of those "What Went Wrong?" videos in my recommended, and I refuse to watch them, because that's not the right question to ask. The series itself never "went wrong" - yeah, some episodes or story arcs or character arcs did, but the show as a whole is fantastic. Sure, I had my moments where the show pissed me right off, and sadly my enthusiasm waned over the later seasons, but the main show never lost me. Some other parts of the universe, yes (*cough* FTWD *cough*), but never the original show, and I cried like a baby when the series ended. I miss my zombie show (and my Officer Friendly) so much, and that absolutely includes both the good and the bad. Only focusing on the bad seems pointless to me. Also, the idea of a comic-accurate HBO show terrifies me because of all of the [redacted] [redacted] [redacted], so... 😳😂

[@Hardrive2677]

The thing is TWD didn’t need HBO. The show was awesome until they got past No Way Out. The writing just took a bad turn and once Carl died that was the end of any chance for the show to end on a high note.

[@ragnakak]

They would have respected Frank and it would have maintained the quality of the first two seasons

[@FlynnArcos]

Frank only worked on season 1. Season 2 was the most boring season along with 7 & 8

[@darylsdog9521]

@@FlynnArcoss2 is sooo good

[@jerrystakes]

Might just have to make a vid about this too… this is a great video, definitely thought provoking!

[@kaiymariewalker8823]

I love this balanced expert perspective 👏🏾 great takes

[@kalijahhi3163]

Was it just me that enjoyed negan from the starting

[@nukiesduke6868]

I really wish Shane had survived longer. Every single new villain that popped up my first thought was "man I wonder how shane would have dealt with this." They got rid of him too soon. Woulda loved him vs the saviors.

[@gudhaxer41343]

He wasn't meant to survive. His character arc was that he was adapting too little too fast hence he became a liability so they had to kill him off only for Rick to turn out like Shane later on.

[@Unclejack328]

The raid on the saviors was my favorite moments. It was intense, Heat level gunplay during that raid.

[@pyroAdapt]

Lol korotos mystery shack and you are like my top 2 walking dead content channels so it was amusing to hear his name mentioned here.

[@user-ku9bm1yt3b]

Aw man thrifty boy saves my weekend with a post

[@nicolausteslaus]

If The Walking Dead Was on Netflix, Carl and Rick would be black and homosexual transgender muslims.

[@earlbluetea]

One thing AMC did beautifully that I am not sure HBO could do as well (especially if it directly adapted the comics) was Season 1. Season 1 was a beautiful season. Even after no longer watching the whole show, I occasionally go back and watch only season 1 just because of how great it is. Also one issue with the adaption is that TWD comics went on for years and only ended in 2019. HBO would risk catching up to the material (of course, AMC had that issue anyway)

[@HellAintHalfFull]

Nice of you to give Koroto a shoutout. Love that guy.

[@TheAwesomeAlan]

What if The Walking Dead was on HBO... ...And was treated with respect like The Last of Us instead of Game of Thrones. I hope that's the direction this video goes.

[@thethriftytypewriter]

👀👀

[@kaylemjoseph8727]

Wait until season 2 comes will see about that lol

[@kieriencrabtree]

Well to be fair GOT wasn't HBO's fault. They did nothing but give production what they needed. Even offered at least 10 seasons. It was D and D that fucked it over.

[@TheRubberMatch]

The last of us was butchered, as was game of thrones in the final 2 seasons

[@FilmGuy5881]

The last of us? Respect? Please don’t make me laugh.

[@TheRealBlackarrot]

Michone vs The Governor on HBO would've been insane to see!

[@OldLadyintheShoe]

20:48 I still enjoy the show. It’s my comfort show. ❤ Great video! Thank you!

[@jacobdv91]

I liked it when you mentioned their budget and then referenced the infamous CGI deer scene 😂

[@hisalloy87]

AMC has a ton of Breaking bad spin offs, better call Saul, el chamino, slippin jimmy

[@JamesIsR34L]

As someone who only watched TWD for the first time a few years ago after seeing John Bernthal in The Punisher, I fell in love with it from the start, I’ve rewatched the entire series 3 times now have watch most of FTWD and World Beyond as well as the Maggie & Negan spin off (Dead City) and Daryl’s spin off

[@pamysue]

Great job! If the show had been on HBO, the seasons would have been less episodes, but each episode would have been an hour long. Most of AMC of TWD are 38-45 minutes. And watching without commercials, as Netflix views know, keep you glued longer. Commercials tend to find me wandering off. 😀😎

[@SurajYadav-bn9ho]

i am rewatching this series!!

[@TheScarecrow98]

this has always been my "What if" for TWD

[@ReysonFox]

HBO would have made TWD lit AF. HBO gave us such well written shows such as The Soprano's, True Detective, The Wire and Barry just name a few. I feel if it was HBO the characters would have been more fleshed out and would not shy away from the violence, the gruesome scenes that zombie films in the passed used to get away with. Also profanity, sexuality and real human conflicts would have shown in it. I will say if any writer, producer or director wants to make a more gritty story without restrictions than HBO style stuff be the way to go. Also have to point out - they should have kept Frank Darabont from the beginning.

[@anti-cheatgamer4815]

Man I love this guy it's the best

[@andrewdenicola5043]

I would never wonder about HBO doing it. For me the way some of how the tv show is shot draws me in. I have noticed this with breaking bad and the picture quality. Also, I never read the comics, and really enjoyed streaming the entire series these last few months. Great video, and necessary to address what the show would have been like under different circumstances.

[@TheAsuraeva]

17:33 i actually gasped 😮 so, to sum up, AMC's WD was not faithful to the oiginal and the characters and portrayals it's most loved/known for are actually (mostly) original. Like a multiverse (how very 2023) diverging from one concept

[@novelkars844]

a cool thing that hbo could've done is, they could've made the entire show canon to the comics, and made a spinoff show with some of the tell tale characters meeting main story characters.

[@gargond8157]

I truly believe that HBO would've done the Walking Dead show better in almost every aspect.

[@8johh]

easily the best walking dead you’ve done so far imo btw

[@thethriftytypewriter]

Thank you! I’m very proud of this one so I agree

[@antoinewest6534]

For years, I have pondered this question and I must say, it is an excellent one. The Walking Dead comics delve into much darker realms compared to their televised counterpart. AMC had to omit specific sections and make alterations to cater to the show's audience. Moreover, there are certain aspects of the comics that, in my opinion, would certainly be deemed unsuitable for television. I assure you, reading The Walking Dead comics is an incredible and mildly frightening experience that I strongly endorse.

[@jakedefusco8373]

Ive argued for years that the walking deads best quality is its hit-or-miss nature on the grounds that what is a "hit" and what is a "miss" varies from person to person. This lends to more discussion and debate amongst fans, which contributes tremendously to hype. HBO series are consistently good, which is why so many of its best series are sleepers: there isnt much to discuss when we all agree on everything about it

[@henchman75_]

Great video!

[@prOGamer-ul5zc]

I wish someone would re-edit all the seasons with Boomerang story-telling. I would watch that.

[@arkadiakane]

For the spinoff bit, HBO’s Titans has a spin-off called Doom Patrol