AMC's The Walking Dead is still going strong after way over a decade on our screens. The franchise is currently airing Dead City season 2, continuing the story of unlikely duo Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who are in conflict in zombie-ridden Manhattan. To date, the entire Walking Dead Universe has aired over 300 episodes in total, putting it among the longest-running television franchises in the world today.
Before the adaptation of Robert Kirkman's comic was adapted by AMC, the series was originally shopped around a number of networks. This includes both NBC and HBO, the home of Game of Thrones. In a 2012 interview with The Huffington Post, The Walking Dead producer Greg Nicotero explained that HBO passed on the adaptation because it was too violent for their audiences, and they requested the violence to be turned down. At that time, the comic was ongoing and full of incredibly brutal and shocking moments.
AMC, however, not only accepted the raw and bloody violence of the original comics, but vehemently embraced it. "Thank goodness we wound up at AMC," Nicotero said. "They totally get this show. Right from the beginning, they've been completely trusting and supportive of what we've been trying to do with this series." The Walking Dead was one of several shows that helped AMC become a powerhouse network, along with Mad Men and Breaking Bad.
The idea of HBO passing on a show because of excessive violence is hilarious in hindsight. I mean, look no further than Game of Thrones, one of the most gruesome and hyper-violent shows in television history. While they may have missed the boat with The Walking Dead, HBO now has a post-apocalyptic zombie gem of its own with The Last of Us, an adaptation of the classic Naughty Dog video games, which is now airing its second season.
The Walking Dead continues with Dead City season 2, with new episodes airing Sundays on AMC. Later this year, the series continues with Daryl Dixon season 3, taking place in both England and Spain.
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