‘This Is Going To Be Hard for Us To Adapt on the Show’: The Walking Dead Creator Almost Didn’t Include One Character Because It Was ‘Too Weird'

The Walking Dead Creator Almost Didn't Include One Character Because It Was 'Too Weird'

One of the most cherished aspects for fans of The Walking Dead across its 11 seasons on AMC was the array of brilliantly fleshed-out characters who not only fused its post-apocalyptic story together with incredible emotion and despair but also became a part of viewers' Sunday night routine. Millions of people tuned in to find out which character was next on the chopping block or who would survive the show's many cliffhanger endings.

As the popular series galloped through its many seasons, spanning from 2010 to 2022, fans were introduced to new and, at times, even more complex characters than they had ever seen before. While many of The Walking Dead's cast were faithful adaptations of Robert Kirkman's original comic book, some were unfortunately given such huge departures from the source material, leaving some fans highly disappointed that some characters weren't given the storyline they deserved. Even though most of the characters seen on the show adapted fairly well from Kirkman's comics onto the small screen, one specific character was almost left out because they proved tricky to adapt and a bit "too weird", but thankfully, Kirkman was up to the challenge.

Robert Kirkman Made Shiva Almost Impossible to Adapt for Television

ezekiel and shiva the walking dead

As highlighted by ScreenRant, The Walking Dead's co-creator, Robert Kirkman, revealed in The Walking Dead Deluxe #108's Q&A section that while the series was being made and while also writing the comic book's story, he purposely made Ezekiel's pet tiger, Shiva, harder to adapt for the TV show. While including the loyal feline in the comics, Kirkman realized that Shiva might not come across too well on the small screen and even be perceived as being "too weird", but regardless, he marched on, wanting to implement her anyway as he wanted to stay true to his original idea and not become swayed by the show. "There were a few times I'd think, "Well, this is going to be hard for us to adapt on the show. That would lead to me thinking, "Too bad! Gotta do it! Can't let the show change this book." I had a concern. I'd never considered if anything was adaptable or could work in a TV show before The Walking Dead had been adapted, so why worry about that now? I had to keep the process pure at all costs."

"So, at times, there's a chance that before I had kids, there are elements of this comic I would have held back on, lines I wouldn't have crossed. BUT because I was worried that I was second-guessing myself only because of my kids, I pushed myself into doing this ... and, well, the book got darker because of it."

Kirkman also states that becoming a father changed his creative process on The Walking Dead, where he was doubting whether to include some darker themes, but thankfully, or maybe not for some of the show's characters, Kirkman was able to get past this mental blockage to create some of The Walking Dead's most iconic moments, as well as being able to introduce a unique character such as Shiva. " If the show had never happened there's a chance I'd have thought, "Hmm... maybe a tiger is too weird ..." and not done it."

Ezekiel Sutton The Walking Dead

All in all, Shiva being a part of The Walking Dead's cast was certainly a welcome one, although surprising for those who hadn't read the comics. The fierce yet devoted "pet" was a great comfort to Ezekiel, who initially rescued her from a zoo when the show's world first started to fall apart. The sheer cost of bringing a giant CGI tiger to screens is no small feat, but in The Walking Dead's case, her presence and actions can be seen as a symbol of the Kingdom's vigor in the face of its struggles. Sadly, Shiva met a grisly end in both the comics and the show, leaving many fans with yet another trauma to carry around with them, all thanks to Kirkman.