Comic-Con 2017: ‘The Walking Dead’ Live Blog

Lori Acken July 21, 2017, 2:33 pm

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The Walking Dead - Danai Gurira as Michonne, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes — Gene Page/AMC

Danai Gurira as Michonne, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes

Didn’t make it to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con — or brave the line for The Walking Dead‘s Friday afternoon Hall H panel? Let TV Insider be your front-row seat as the AMC hit zombie drama’s panelists and moderator Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead) take the stage.

Cast members Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan), Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon), Lauren Cohan (Maggie Ree), Danai Gurira (Michonne), Melissa McBride (Carol), Lennie James (Morgan), Seth Gilliam (Father Gabriel), Alanna Masterson (Tara), Khary Payton (King Ezekial) and Chandler Riggs (Carl Grimes) are expected to take the stage along with executive producer/showrunner Scott M. Gimple; executive producer, director and special effects make-up supervisor Greg Nicotero; and executive producers Robert Kirkman (who had some fun at a fan Q&A on Wednesday), Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert.

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The Walking Dead @ San Diego Comic-Con Live Blog

10:09: The Walking Dead panel kicks off at 12:15PM from Hall H.

11:30: Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick starts the Fear the Walking Dead panel with a moment of silence for fallen TWD stuntman John Bernecker.

Chris Hardwick opens the #FearTWD #SDCC2017 panel with a sweet moment of silence for John Bernecker pic.twitter.com/ch0k0LCTUM

— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) July 21, 2017

12:26: The panelist take their seats. Scott Gimple honors Benecker, followed by the Season 8 trailer, which shows Negan doing what Negan does best, Michonne riding shotgun with Rosita, Daryl facing down a herd and pep talks from Maggie and Rick, who optimistically declares, “No matter what comes next, we’ve won. We’ve already won!” Everyone appears to have gotten much better at battle. The clip ends with an intriguing shot of an uber-bearded Rick lying in … a coffin? Dream sequence? Foreshadowing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l82kiUvnKM

12:35: A montage of the first seven seasons reminds fans of how far we’ve come — and how much we’ve lost. Also, how much hairdos have changed.

12:40: Melissa McBride says the cast craves lighter moments and spoof themselves when the cameras aren’t rolling. “They gave me Jerry so I get plenty of comedy,” jokes Payton of his comedic, food-loving sidekick played by Cooper Andrews (who calls him “dad” in the trailer?!). Asked if there could be a “karaoke night”/no scaries episode, Morgan cracks, “Every night is karaoke night for Negan.”

12:43: Riggs says he’s excited to see the relationship develop between Carl and Negan. Morgan is, too. Oh oh, Rick. Oh oh.

12:47: Asked what Maggie will tell her baby about the Negan-murdered Glenn, Cohan (who, more than any one else on the panel, appears to be in a serious, reflective mood) says she would tell the kid how jubilant, heroic and brave Glenn was. She hopes everyone will tell the baby about his or her father, grandfather Hershel, aunt Beth.

12:52: A pair of entertaining question askers — a guy dressed as Ezekiel complete with stuffed tiger on his shoulder and a faux Jerry beside him. And a grade-schooler clearly gobsmacked to be asking Morgan a question. Morgan tells the kid that he likes Negan’s humor best. What he likes least? “That he wears a leather jacket in 120 degrees.” “Is it cooler than Atlanta?” comments abound from the cast when fans ask if they’d come to their town/country.

12:58: Lincoln takes ribbing about the way he pronounces “Carl.” The crowd mimics him en masse — Coooooooorrrrlllll. Morgan asks if we’ve played the Rick-says-Carl drinking game. “Did you make it through to the end?” he quips. Lincoln asks if we have drinks — “Carl, Carl, Carl, Carl!”

1:02: Gimple and Kirkman don’t rule out the dead going international. “Look for The Walking Dead Sweden coming in 2019,” Kirkman cracks.

1:04: Asked about getting Negan’s colorful vernacular past the censors, Morgan deadpans, “We are allowed 7 s**ts, one goddamn … and zero f**ks”

1:06: Kirkman says yes to new and interesting characters. “But we shan’t tell you about them now.” Followed by a resounding no to talking Trump.

1:08: Reedus deflects on whether or not Daryl has started working on a nickname for Maggie’s baby “because Judith’s ‘Little Asskicker’ is a touch act to follow.” Instead he says the retrospective chokes him up because of everything the cast and characters have gone through. No one gets a crowd to scream like Norman Reedus.

“This has been such a good experience for all of us. We all have each other’s back and it’s fantastic” – @wwwbigbaldhead #TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/p7AzlNQSIW

— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) July 21, 2017

1:10: Gimple and Kirkman aren’t bothering with what caused the apocalypse, or whether anyone has immunity or a cure. “I’ve always thought one of the best things about this show is that it is not about scientists,” Kirkman says. “I think it keeps it relatable. The show is about people and their struggles to survive.”

1:12: How are Riggs and Carl different? “Well for one thing, I’m not a murderer,” Riggs says. “That we know of,” Kirkman cracks. “Your hair is different,” Morgan adds.

1:15: Payton takes the final question and echoes Reedus in how much he admires how resilient the characters are, given what they’ve gone through. “I love you, Jeffrey,” he simpers. “Such bulls–t,” Morgan replies.

1:18: The panel concludes with another look at the pulse-pounder trailer.

Still looking for TV panels to attend? Check out TV Insider’s Comic-Con schedule.