AMC’s The Walking Dead: The road to the series finale

The Walking Dead fans got a treat on Sunday when AMC Plus shared a special of The Making Of The Final Season. Fans got an insight on what it has been like for the cast and all of the crew to make this last final season for them. All the work that has gone in to create art for the people who have spent over a decade embracing the show.

Going into the very first season of The Walking Dead nobody knew how big this show was going to get. Nobody could predict the reaction of the audience and the amount of success the series would have. Nobody.

Even Jeffrey Dean Morgan who plays the role of Negan thought he would be prepared and admits he was not. The fans are intense, passionate, and love the world of The Walking Dead so much.

"”It was like jumping on a moving train.”- Seth Gilliam (Gabriel)"

With over 21 million viewers at the height of it all it seems almost unreal to look back and see how far it’s come.

"“I love that I get to be a part of something that meant so much to people.”- Christian Serratos (Rosita)"

Filmmaker Gene Nicotero wasn’t sure how the general public would take the show. It was messy, it was horrific, it was gory and gut-wrenching.

It could hit or it could miss. But it did hit and it hit hard.

"“It was just us in the woods as a family just kicking butt.” – Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon)"

Norman Reedus says it about as simply as you can. Just a small family kicking butt.

You found a group of people who may never have cross paths before the apocalypse. People who really didn’t have much in common who bonded and became each other’s family by circumstance.

"“It’s just a really special bond that we have.” -Melissa McBride (Carol Peletier)"

We had the pleasure of seeing something very rare in television. There was always drama unfolding all around them, but the audience got to see these deep bonds forming.

It was the reason why none of them could leave each other after all they’ve been through. Some came from broken families, good families that had passed, and some no families at all.

Their lives before the fall didn’t matter, no matter how good or bad they may have been. Some of them actually became better and stronger people in an apocalyptic world, in a way they would have never been without it.

Daryl and Carol are a prime example of that. And without the two of them, the world would be lesser for it.

What is The Walking Dead going to give the fans as an ending to one of the greatest shows of all time?

For such an amazing group of passionate fans, how is AMC going to give a satisfying conclusion to The Walking Dead? Jeffrey Dean Morgan said it best when talking about how they wanted to end the over decade long show.

”How do you bring a story like this to a conclusion that is worth the legacy of what this show is?” Executive producer Denise Huth says the goal from the start was to make it as big and as impressive as they possibly could.

"“The Walking Dead has always been the greatest summer camp on Earth. That aspect of it, of us being in Senoia, this lovely little town. Just doing our thing, away from the world. There was a purity to that.” -Scott Gimple"

There was so much care and thought that went into the original casting accord to Denise Huth. She recollected back when Andrew Lincoln came to his first screen test along with the others.

Even then, it felt like something was brewing in the water. He comes in on his days off to greet new castmates and he had always gone out of his way to make everyone feel at home and comfortable.

"“I came to be a part of this show having done a film called The Mist. I think it was three years later and totally unexpected. I got a phone call they had a role for me in The Walking Dead. I had no idea what The Walking Dead was. And I remember going to the comic store to find out and I opened the book to some random page. And I was oh dear well I don’t know, what am I getting myself into?” – Melissa McBride on how she got to become one of series best survivors."

Melissa called it the perfect work atmosphere. Everyone was excited and going into the unknown.

There wasn’t a show like The Walking Dead at the time. Everyone was aware it was a 6-episode pilot.

There were no expectations, so nobody knew if they would be coming back for a second. McBride also says that whole ensemble feel was really laid down nicely by Andrew Lincoln.

He was their leader and always there to give it his all. In the first few seasons of the show, it was unlike any other set and what you see of the show now. Nobody hung out in trailers.

Everyone stayed on set from start to finish. They were a group unmatched by television today.

It was quite amazing to see the show at season one with little resources and budget and what they were able to accomplish. Flashing forward to season 11, we see how set design changed through building whole big communities like The Commonwealth.

Every crew member involved in every aspect of the show deserves a big round of applause. From hair and makeup, to set design, to special effects, to craft services.

The writers, directors, producers, actors and stunt doubles. Everyone down the line has brought this show to what it became.

Years from now when we see more zombie shows, everyone will give a nod to The Walking Dead for being the trailblazer that made it possible.

"“I went to the IMDB and just scrolled on and on and on and there is almost 100 pages here of cast and crew over these seasons that have come through these doors to help make this show come to life. It’s amazing to me to think that this is what I’m a part of. And we’re part of something pretty darn incredible. And I’m grateful.” – Melissa McBride emotionally speaks about everyone involved."

It became what it is because it’s not just a zombie show. It’s a show about love, and family, bonds, and redemption. It’s a show that has saved many lives. From abuse survivors like Daryl and Carol. It has made people want to dig down deep and find the inner hero in themselves. Ways that they can become better people just as we’ve seen within the show. It’s about losing yourself and finding yourself in a way that we’ve all experienced at one time or another.

"“I know the product that we put on screen is one thing and that’s what connects so much of the world to The Walking Dead. But for us, it’s these relationships that we share. It’s been a huge massive part of our every day life. And that will never happen again, ever. And that’s what I’ll miss.” – Jeffrey Dean Morgan speaks emotionally about having to end his time with TWD."

For most of the cast this isn’t a goodbye. It can’t be.

You don’t say goodbye to family. The Walking Dead will air its final episode of all-time this Sunday, November 20 on AMC and AMC plus at 9 PM ET.

Prior to the finale, there will be a live red carpet event that will be aired a half hour before the finale time airing on both networks. After the finale, there will be one final episode of The Talking Dead at 10:30 ET.

Chris Hardwick and the gang will discuss the events and ending of one of the greatest running dramas in television history.

How do you feel about the show ending? Let us know!