History Trivia / TheWalkingDead

** Wasn't [[TheMist Amanda Dunfey]] also [[Film/SilentHill Cybil Bennett]], and [[TheXFiles Marita Covarrubius]]?

* AdoredByTheNetwork / ScrewedByTheNetwork: A very odd case, given how much ''The Walking Dead'' flip flops between the two. On the one hand, AMC runs marathons of the show much more frequently than [[Series/MadMen their other]] [[Series/TheKilling hit]] [[Series/BreakingBad shows]], has a discussion panel after new episodes air with ''The Talking Dead'', and even aired an altered black and white version of the pilot episode to reflect the comic's visual style, due to popular demand from the fanbase. Given the show's very high ratings for a cable network, none of this is a surprise. On the other hand, as of 2012, [[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/12/21/walking-dead-showrunner-renewed/ two showrunners have been released from The Walking Dead over behind-the-scenes issues]]. The exit of [Season 3 showrunner] Glen Mazzarra was a head scratcher for fans, given that the show [[GrowingTheBeard drastically improved between Seasons 2 and 3]]. While it is clear that this series is AMC's ratings making baby, the executive decisions look series destroying, which has fans worried. Still, the ratings keep growing, as do the marathons.

* PropRecycling: Kenny and the Stranger's cars can be seen driving by in the first scene in episode 1.

* ActorAllusion: Kenny has a strained relationship with Larry. Much like how both actors' characters (Giles and Franklin) had a strained relationship in Law & Order Legacies.
* ActorAllusion: [[spoiler: Michael Madsen has a problem with [[Film/ReservoirDogs executing hostages.]]]]

** Many guessed [[spoiler: Carlos was going to die]] after they saw [[spoiler: Sarah screaming]] in the trailer.

** Hershel's God shotgun from "Beside The Dying Fire" -- Hershel fired many more shots from his shotgun than is possible without reloading.
** The walker bomb from "Home" -- [[spoiler: the Governor sent a truck full of walkers crashing through the prison's front gate]].

** Had Frank Darabont not been fired, the second-season premiere (as indicated in preview trailers, leaked information from various sources and deleted scenes in the Season 2 boxset) would have resolved the "Vatos" plotline introduced in the first season episode of the same name. After leaving the CDC, Shane almost gets overtaken by a horde of walkers when his car breaks down, and is saved by Dale and Rick in the RV. With limited options, the group goes to the Vatos camp to warn them that things are much worse than they expected. [[spoiler:They find the retirement home overrun (with Guillermo and the rest of the Vatos recently killed), and proceed to take down every walker in the vicinity before having to hide until the morning]]. The encounter with the horde of walkers on the highway is the only major remnant of the original premiere (as most of the footage was, according to AMC, "unusable") -- in total, just 1/3 of the filmed material remained. The Vatos resolution also counts as an AbortedArc.

** According to [[http://comicbook.com/blog/2013/04/02/the-walking-dead-finale-deleted-scene-show-alternate-death-ending/ various]] [[http://screencrush.com/the-walking-dead-season-3-finale-andrea-alternate-ending/ accounts]], the [[spoiler:deaths of Andrea/Milton]] in "Welcome to the Tombs" were intended to be completely different. The episode would have begun with [[spoiler:Milton being unexpectedly shot in the stomach in the torture room by The Governor, and left to bleed out while Andrea is still tied up]]. There would have been more scenes of [[spoiler:Milton]] trying to open the door, along with trying to choke [[spoiler:Andrea]] with a chain in order to spare her from being eaten alive. The subplot was supposed to end with [[spoiler:Milton turning, being shown taking a bite out of Andrea's chest, and Tyreese discovering her and shooting Milton]]. The subplot was eventually reshot for the broadcast version, and the only remnant left of the original plan is Tyreese saying to Sasha that he's going to look around in Woodbury.

** In season 3, Lori adjusted [[Series/PrisonBreak to the prison]] just fine.

* AdoredByTheNetwork / ScrewedByTheNetwork: A very odd case, given how much ''The Walking Dead'' flip flops between the two. On the one hand, AMC runs marathons of the show much more frequently than [[Series/MadMen their other]] [[Series/TheKilling hit]] [[Series/BreakingBad shows]], has a discussion panel after new episodes air with ''The Talking Dead'', and even aired an altered black and white version of the pilot episode to reflect the comic's visual style, due to popular demand from the fanbase. Given the show's very high ratings for a cable network, none of this is a surprise. On the other hand, as of 2012, [[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/12/21/walking-dead-showrunner-renewed/ two showrunners have been released from The Walking Dead over behind-the-scenes issues]]. The exit of [season three showrunner] Glen Mazzarra was a head scratcher for fans, given that the show [[GrowingTheBeard drastically improved between seasons two and three]]. While it is clear that this series is AMC's ratings making baby, the executive decisions look series destroying, which has fans worried. Still, the ratings keep growing, as do the marathons.

* DyeingForYourArt: Michael Rooker has been a pretty big guy for years, and was perfect for Merle in season one. He then lost twenty pounds to play Merle post-amputation in season three.

* FakeAmerican: English actors Andrew Lincoln, Lennie James, David Morrissey and Lauren Cohan play, respectively, Rick Grimes, Morgan, The Governor, and Maggie Greene.

* FanNickname: Several so far, either from the internet or from tie-in show Talking Dead:

** [[Series/TrueBlood Malcolm]] chose to turn into a zombie rather than have a MercyKill. Also from ''TrueBlood'', Rick shot Renee in the bar at the end of "Nebraska"

** [[LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit Elliot Stabler's former partner]] shot his wife - Test Subject 19.

** Rick meets and helps [[Series/{{Rome}} Octavia]] in the season 4 premiere.
** The Governor recruits [[Series/{{Fringe}} Charlie Francis]] as his tank operator in season 4.

* {{Spoiler}}: The details of the Blu-Ray release of the second season were released before season two was over. The blurb said that the release included [[spoiler: Shane's last episode]]. [[http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/03/01/amc-website-runs-walking-dead-spoiler-by-mistake/?hpt=hp_t3 Non spoiler news story here.]]

** In "After", Michonne slaughters an entire herd of over a dozen walkers on her own. Originally, she was scripted to kill only eight walkers onscreen, but director Greg Nicotero was so impressed by her performance he kept letting the scene run. Since she never heard the word "Cut!", Danai Gurira just rolled with it and kept attacking the walkers.

** Had Frank Darabont not been fired, the second-season premiere (as indicated in preview trailers, leaked information from various sources and deleted scenes in the Season 2 boxset) would have resolved the "Vatos" plotline introduced in the first-season episode of the same name. After leaving the CDC, Shane almost gets overtaken by a horde of walkers when his car breaks down, and is saved by Dale and Rick in the RV. With limited options, the group goes to the Vatos camp to warn them that things are much worse than they expected. [[spoiler:They find the retirement home overrun (with Guillermo and the rest of the Vatos recently killed), and proceed to take down every walker in the vicinity before having to hide until the morning]]. The encounter with the horde of walkers on the highway is the only major remnant of the original premiere (as most of the footage was, according to AMC, "unusable") - in total, just 1/3 of the filmed material remained. The Vatos resolution also counts as an AbortedArc.

** [[Franchise/{{Scream}} Ghostface]] is the [[DrJerk Crawford doctor]] in episode 4.

** In season 2, Andrew Chaikin/Kid Beyond ([[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice The Narrator, Anton Papierwaite,]] [[VideoGame/BackToTheFuture Biff Tannen]]) is Carlos.

** Episode 2 includes conversations between Danny & Lee, which state that Danny used to be an insurance salesman and once practiced taxidermy on his Mother's Cat (for a "Mother's Day Gift"). There's also a nightmare sequence where [[spoiler: Doug/Carley (or rather, Lee's Conscience) berates Lee for not saving him/her in the previous episode]].

** Tim, the [[TokenMinority Asian]] Woodbury {{Mooks}}, is called as "Evil Glenn" or "Anti-Glenn".

* GodCreatedCanonForeigner: Daryl and his brother are original characters created for the show by the creative staff. However, [[WordOfGod Robert Kirkman]] says he may try to find a way to make him into a CanonImmigrant to the comic at some point.

* [[http://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/tv/tvguide/article/The-Walking-Dead-Bosses-on-Two-Big-Deaths-It-4007897.php Glen Mazzara has stated that T-Dog is a former football player]], and that a line in which it was mentioned got cut during the first season.

** Merle is called as [PeterPan Captain Hook]].

* ActorAllusion: Norman Reedus's brothers have [[Film/TheBoondockSaints a propensity for being handcuffed]].