Let’s face it, fans of The Walking Dead are mostly sad that the mothership series is set to end with Season 11. However, for those cast members who have been with the series pretty much since the start, it must be worst still.
Admittedly, there isn’t a lot of those characters left, with most having met a grisly fate already. However, Carol Peletier is one of those who have endured.
Melissa McBride has portrayed this character since she first appeared in Episode 3 of Season 1 of The Walking Dead. Since her early days as a meek housewife who was abused by her husband, Ed (Adam Minarovich), she has grown into a fan favorite.
Now, as filming is underway for Season 11, McBride has opened up about how she feels knowing the series is winding down.
Melissa McBride is finding it ‘difficult’ to think of The Walking Dead ending
Speaking to Digital Spy, McBride revealed not only how proud she was of the “whole ocean of work” that has been achieved after all this time, but of how “difficult” it will be to see it come to an end.
“The shared creative experience of being a part of this Robert Kirkman world that overtook so much – it just became such a big thing,” McBride said. “To think of that coming to any sort of end is very difficult.”
“It’s heavy to think about how long we’ve been doing this – the relationships that we’ve formed; the shared experience of being a part of something so phenomenological.”
While it may be with a sense of great sadness that the cast and crew look at the end of an era, there is some good news as well. AMC already has two spinoff series airing as well as several other creations set within The Walking Dead universe.
Carol and Daryl will get their own spinoff series after The Walking Dead ends
One of those upcoming projects is a spinoff series involving McBride’s character, Carol, and her long-time friend, Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus).
It is expected that the pair will branch off on their own, leaving the communities behind after the events that will unfold in Season 11 of The Walking Dead. However, that in itself opens up the possibilities of cameos from other characters should they ever visit.
This means that although it may be sad to see the demise of the original series, at least fans will still get to see Carol and Daryl live on after The Walking Dead — which is a massive spoiler for fans of these characters who are already wondering about their fate.
This new series is expected to premiere some time in 2023.
The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights at 9/8c on AMC.