Adaptation Craze: The Walking Dead

'The Walking Dead' Might Be To Blame For TV's Adaptation Craze

1. "Everyone wants to be number one, and by striving for that goal rather than trying to make the best product possible, all audiences are left with is a pile of unwanted series based on things they’ve already seen, and worse, possibly forgotten..." 

2. "However, perhaps now more than ever, we’re living in the most adaptation heavy development season of recent memory."

Merrill Barr talks about how people are making their own T.V. shows based on the show that is currently making the most money. He explains the cycle that occurs and how a fantastic show results in many shows that are below average. Barr also voices his opinion about previous adaptations that have aired on broadcast television.

According to Forbes, the season five premiere of The Walking Dead broke record highs as the most watched cable show of all time, with 17.3 million viewers. The success of The Walking Dead, as an adaptation from a comic book, has led competitors into the dark hole of creating their own adaptations. When brainstorming ideas for new television shows, the people in charge of these TV shows want something that will attract viewers in order to make money. They think that since The Walking Dead is a successful adaptation, all adaptations will do well. This is mostly not true.

Forgetting to look back at the number of views The Walking Dead received in its first and second seasons, the creators of new adaptations are usually unhappy with the initial results of their show. Since, they do not receive the number of views they expected, the directors usually abandon the show in order to create something else (usually another adaptation). They forget about long term effects and want instant satisfaction. The cycle continues until a competitor comes along, with something other than an adaptation.