With the Fall approaching, it can only mean one thing. Walking Dead Season 4 is rapidly getting closer everyday. Which means questions that need answering will finally be revealed. Until then though, we have the full cast and crew discussion of Season 4 big thanks to the wonderful folks at Comic-Con 2013.
Here is the breakdown of this year’s Walking Dead panel!
When discussing Rick, Andrew Lincoln explains:
- Rick is switching his priorities t his family instead of trying to be group leader.
“I think that the relationship with Carl is integral in this season, certainly for Rick. Him turning into a sociopath at the end of the season definitely woke him up to his parenting duties. You find Rick in a completely new place at the beginning of the season. He’s trying to repress his brutality and he’s renounced quite a lot of his responsibilities and leadership for the sake of his children.”
- Lincoln also explains that was the motivation behind merging the groups with the Woodsbury people and that this Season will have a stronger theme on community.
“I think what happened to Andrea combined with what happened to my son, Carl, was the catalyst to bring Rick to that point. He realized that the brutality of pushing people away really wasn’t working for him. It’s been sort of cataclysmic for his family. When we meet them all in Season Four, there is a whole new community in the prison and an incredible friendship and tension between certain characters. And it’s made for some incredible character-driven scenes.”
When discussing Michonne, actress Danai Gurira suggest:
- Her role of Michonne will settle in a great deal within the group this season.
“I think the great thing is that she actually started to become part of the community. The thing that Andrea leaves with her as she’s dying is that, ‘It’s great that you found them. You found a group of people, the people that I spoke to you about, that I trusted myself with.’ I think that was point between them that affirmed that Michonne is in the right place.”
- Gurira also explains that even though she is changing some of her ways that she will remain the ass kicker slayer she was in Season 3.
Norman Reedus opens up about Daryl:
- Saying if there is anyone who now values his community it is Daryl, especially after the death of Merle.
“When I went over the script with Merle dying, I thought, ‘Man, this day’s going to suck.’ But the thing is, he was sort of doomed to become mini-Merle. I wanted to play him embarrassed that he grew up that he’s racist, that he takes drugs. Without Merle around, he can find this sense of self-worth that he wouldn’t have found if this violence didn’t happen. So the relationships he has with these people is the glue that keeps him there. He doesn’t need to be there. He can hunt. He can find his own food. He can protect himself. He has these people, this family that he never had before. He’s grown up.”
Chad L. Coleman sheds light on the character Tyrese:
- Conveying that Tyrese is struggling to find his place in the community still.
“Tyreese is still trying to find out how he fits in, and what are the rules of engagement in this dilapidated world we’re living in. And how to negotiate his place and his family and how to negotiate the outside world that’s crashing in. So I think he’s still trying to find out.”
- He further explains the nature of his aggression within the group.
“I don’t get the sense that he’s gratuitous violence. I sense that he really needs a strong reasoning behind why he does what he does, but this world won’t let him operate that way. No one escapes unscathed and eventually a can of whoop-ass might get popped on him.”
When discussing Maggie and Glenn’s relationship, Lauren Cohan adds:
- That the focus will be on strengthening their own bond and not their roles in the groups. Also, an emphasis on moving on from the Governor’s torture on both of them.
“I think that Maggie wanted to move on a little faster than you [gesturing to Steven Yeun], the way that women do. And it’s been kind of living in the moment and to not spoil what they have by the vengeance or the regret. And interestingly, all that from the Governor and all the torture and challenges that they went through last year have propelled a whole new journey for her this year. It was a very good springboard for a stronger cat.”
- She also answers whether their relationship is essential to their survival.
“I think it’s a definite choice and I think Maggie and Glenn have let it test their relationship. And I think when we see them again this season, we’ll see that it’s something that strengthens them.”
Then the panel discussion dived into the infamous character of The Governor.
According to the show creator Robert Kirkman:
- The Governor will be lurking for sure but what he is up to will be a great mystery.
“He is still out there, and how he returns, when he returns, and what he’s doing when he returns is going to be a pretty big mystery this season.”
Actor David Morissey also discusses the nature of his character this season saying:
- He doesn’t recognize The Governor as a villain, and explains why.
“I think at the end of last season, he was in a very dark place and he did some bad things, turned on his own people. But he feels like they betrayed him and that’s just not going to go down well with the Governor. So he just has to take it in hand. But he went off with two of them; he didn’t kill them all. You have to give him credit for that.”
- Morissey also hints at an internal struggle for the character in Season 4.
“I think even in [episode] 316, we saw the immediate aftermath of what he did. It was a very spontaneous action. It was like he was into trauma.” He gestures at his head. “Something switched. It’s not like he was a rational man before that. He’s thwarted in his desires, desires to take the prison, and he sees his soldiers running away and turning their back on him, and a switch goes off in his head. And I think we see him dealing with what the switch is, what is it in him that makes that switch go down and deal with that.”
Then Scott Wilson touched on his character Hershel:
- Wilson jokingly says that the character has very little needs or wants as of right now.
“I think at this point, he just wants to hold on to his other leg.”
- However, he briefly says that he thinks Hershel is a good connecting force for everyone.
“I think the whole group is so interconnected, so dependent on each other. It’s really wonderful to see what everyone does with that. So he has a part in that, and I’m happy to continue to do that until whatever happens.”
One of the best aspects about hearing the cast and crew talk about this, is they all sound very connected and passionate about their roles in the show. If this is a reflection of things to come for Season 4, then we have a solid year of The Walking Dead to look forward to.
Go here to see the trailer for Season 4 of The Walking Dead!
Source: io9
