Why Negan is the worst villain in TWD (TV)
Since there isn't really much recent to discuss about the game series other then it's confirmed sequel which we have little info on I thought I'd bring up something that's been troubling me for a while. Ever since Season 7 The Walking Dead has had a Negan problem. Let's discuss what makes him fall short of his predecessors:
Shane:
The first main antagonist we meet during the TV series is Shane and he's a giant improvement over his comic counterpart for the amount of depth the writers put in. Shane himself represents a lot of major themes I imagine would exist during a zombie outbreak the first being his envy and desire to want to be a father. The second would be his character change and how drastically his personality changed in a rather short period of time. Even after his death his impact on Rick as he grows into a more ruthless survivor is like a callback to what he feared in Shane and for all intensive purposes Season 2 was Shames season.
The Governor:
The Governor is also an improvement over his comic counterpart as the cold but capable psychopath who competently runs his community is interesting to watch. He as a character also experiences change on a great scale, from losing his daughter and being made into a more villainous character in part by the survivors is different. The face offs he has between Rick emphasize the struggle and indifference of people as they try to survive.
Negan: Negan in the comic was never going to be an easy character to adapt onto screen. He's cartoony and very comic edged but he does have a distinct purpose that is evident in his interactions with Rick. As societies and civilization attempt to rebuild itself people are divided on how the society they rebuild should be. The TV series sort of scratches the surface on what the Saviors are trying to do but doesn't get the full point across. One of the most aggregating things about Negan in the TV series is that he always comes across as smiling and happy as the show writers have cut out his rage and anything that makes him intimidating. While I think JDM could be a phenomenal Negan, the scripts he's given and the directing don't do him justice as seen with the attempted rape scene comics vs show.
Your thoughts?
Comments
I never thought Jeffery Dean Morgan was a great fit for Negan. He doesn't look like him much from the comic as his body frame is scrawny and he had a big grey beard when introduced. TV Governor was way off as well but David Morrissey has superior acting skills I think. Governor gives off more fearful vibes than Negan in both the comic and show since his mind is more psychotic and wicked. Negan is wicked as well but more reasonable in very few occasions. Comic Negan has an intimidating stature and size also is clever sometimes. TV Negan most times just looks like he wants to tell you a bad joke or like he hid your car keys from you on purpose.
Wait for it.
I don't follow the comics at all but yeah, Negan is garbage. He is way too cartoonish for me, as are all the people that support him and claim they are him. Did they ever even bother to establish how this weirdo managed to gain so much power and have people from multiple bases so loyal to him?
Both Shane and the Governor were way better characters, especially the Governor. I reckon that the Governor and his people would have killed Negan the very first day they met him if they were in Rick's position. Daryl by himself managed to get a punch in... Governor would have instructed his people to charge at him at the same time and take him out before he could do his eenie meenie bullshit.
Well after just reading the comics.and watching Negan on the show...I will say this. Even though they have glossed over what the Survivors are about(though to be fair if you paid attention it is addressed in an offhanded way) Negan is a character that was always going to be a bad fit for TV. JDM is an amazing character actor and I cannot fault him for anything really. No the problem with Negan is the fact that every fan was awaiting his appearance without considering if he actually works outside of the Comic Book's version of the apocalypse. I after reading the comics came away with...sure he is cool....BUT...no one would follow him irl. And I think that is what hurts Negan...we got a closer to the comic's version of a character that should have gotten a bit of a make over like the Governor did.
In the show we understood why The Governor did what he did...things he did made sense and he came off as a very compelling enemy....in the comics he is laughable...he does horrible things but has no really redeeming value as a character.
With Negan...we got what we thought we wanted...without considering if he actually works in the show.
Comic Negan is 10x better than TV Negan. I love Jeffery Dean Morgan’s portrayal of him, but I feel like there’s so much they could’ve done to his character. For instance, Negan is known to swear A LOT in the comics and make dirty jokes, but he’s not allowed to on TV because AMC won’t allow swearing. His character is also more sadistic in the comics but AMC can’t reenact most of his beloved moments because it’s too graphic for the network.
Overall, I enjoy TV Negan a little bit. I just prefer his comic version rather than his TV version.
I agree. Negan makes a good comic villain but not a good TV one. his dialogue just doesn't translate well into the show. he's genuinely annoying and (dare i say) unrealistic for a real villain. he should act like a psychopath instead of a drunk uncle.
Negan is unrealistic and a completely unentertaining character in both mediums. The whole conflict surrounding him was a disgrace, completely black and white and predictable. To make it all worse and to further show the huge boner the creators have over his character, and I can't stand creator favoritism especially with such a bad character, they don't even have the decency to kill him once it all ends and instead go on and on milking him all due to a completely retarded morality plot - something which was insufferable enough in the comics, but boy is the show taking it to a whole new level.
"Realistically", as if this franchise had any realism left to it, people like Negan and the Gorvernor get would shot in the face as soon as a person with half a brain got near them. No father, mother, brother, sister, son or daughter would let a person like this around their loved ones, let alone let them lead.
I never found his childish attitude and jokes funny in the slightest (or his "charisma" as his fans call it... give me a break), I spent half the time scratching my head at how no one had assassinated the guy yet, at how is regime was even standing considering 90% of his people hated his guts and wanted him dead... I seriously see nothing else but an extremely easy to write, one dimensional character. I really don't get the appeal, yet he seems to work so well on most of the fanbase.
Granted, "The Walking Dead" was the first comic I've ever bothered to read, and perhaps that's my problem. Maybe it's the norm for comics to feature these types of antagonists? If so, it really is not my medium.
To be honest i think they are building up to it. I hope so anyway. He showed his aggression during the meeting in this weeks episode. It’s there. I just think it’s a matter of when. We did see him seemingly get emotional when talking about his first real wife Lucille so that was nice to see a different side to him.