Summary
Spoilers for season 5 of The Walking Dead and character deaths.
It goes without saying that AMC’sThe Walking Deadis one of the most recognizable and influential zombie TV series of all time, and firmly kept its loyal fanbase eating out of the palm of its hand for eleven seasons. It’s no surprise that so many flocked to its post-apocalyptic world. Not only did it offer unique and interesting concepts and narratives, but its stellar cast honed in on each character with incredible precision, truly showcasing what it was like to survive in a world that was literally on fire.
However, like any long-running series likeThe Walking Dead, not every episode or plot will hit home. It would be a rare occurrence for fans to enjoy every single 177 episodes where dozens of cast members come and go, couples break up, and then makeup or character arcs can feel extremely rushed. There’s also the big one regarding acertain main character’s death that almost lost the entirety of its viewership, but thankfully,The Walking Dead’s mostly strong storytelling skills were able to keep fans hooked until the end. However, one particular plotline has fans calling it a complete “waste of time” and that it was executed very poorly.
Over on Reddit, aWalking Deadfan has expressed how one of season 5’s plots was a “waste of time” due tothe way it killed off Beth Greeneand could have done better regarding her character arc. ‘Slabtown’ is the fourth episode of the fifth season ofThe Walking Deadwhere Beth ends up in a hospital in Atlanta after being abducted in season 4. While there, Beth soon discovers that the hospital is ruled by a brutally enforced system and slowly makes plans to escape with Noah, a hospital worker who hasn’t been allowed to leave. One of the reasons why fans of the show seem to dislike this particular subplot is because Beth finally receives a worthy character arc during this period for her to then only die before she can leave the hospital.
One fan said, “I think it could’ve been a very interesting subplot. Learning the dynamics of a police squad that took over a hospital is really intriguing, but ending it with Beth’s death left a really sour taste about it all in most people’s mouths.”, while another viewer said that they thought Beth’s death “was so moronic” and that she deserved better. Many of the comments in the thread revealed how angry fans were about Beth’s demise and how Noah dying anyway made her death “worthless.”
“Killing Beth at the end was very unnecessary. I loved the plot solely because it brought her from being a “weak” background character to someone who could stand on her own despite how others viewed her. I thought it was leading up to her having a more central role, but I was wrong. Her death hurt.”
The Walking Deadalso had quite a lot of glaring plotholesthat, at times, challenged the show’s internal logic. However, in a series that dealt with so many threats, learning how to cope with survival techniques, while also trying to remain consistent, some things were sure to slip between the cracks. Trying to achieve realism while also endeavoring to make the series exciting for viewers is no easy feat and, for the most part,The Walking Deadcreators crafted a fantastically compelling show that made its landmark in television history.
