Spoilers for future episodes of Walking Dead follow
I watched the entire Walking Dead Comic-Con panel and if that makes me a geek then I’m prepared to own that. The presentation and the questions were so interesting that I want to go to Comic-Con badly. The one thing that really surprised me is how spoilery some of it was, particularly if you’ve read the comics (and I have, up until last year or so). So this post will have some minor spoilers if you’d like to avoid them.

At first we got to see the show runners discuss the direction that WD will take this next season. Comic creator Robert Kirkman said that the show will soon become more like the comics, meaning that the Terminus plotline is going to get resolved pretty soon. I also know from the comics that the group is going to find a place that’s somewhat safe, where they’ll settle for a while. I’m so excited to see how the show interprets that plot. (It should be more interesting than Hershel’s farm, but that bar is set low.)

After that nine of the actors came on, including Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Danai Gurira and Norman Reedus. They spoke about how their characters have evolved and changed over the years, and some of their answers were particularly thoughtful and insightful. I especially liked what Danai Gurira (Michonne) and Andrew Lincoln (Rick) had to say. At around 30 minutes in, Chandler Riggs (Carl) came out from backstage eating a huge tub of chocolate pudding and it was awesome. Here are some of my favorite quotes, and check out the full video if you’re a big fan and want to learn more about the show. I’ll include the season 5 trailer below after we talk a little bit about the panel.

Comic creator Robert Kirkman on how this season will be like the comics
Very quickly, early on in the season we’re going to get back on track, dealing with some more comic book events. While there… are things that we use and things that we don’t use, this is probably a season that is going to be pretty close to the comics.

Lauren Cohen on how Maggie goes from fight mode to being in love
It’s funny because the physicality of the show exhausts us so much…. I think we all know how much easier it is to cry when you feel tired… It’s so normal for us to be so weird now. We’re really performing the craziest tasks on the show, so you have to be a little bit crazy.

Danai Guirra on whether the physical or emotional aspects of Michonne are more challenging
I really love both sides of her… I’ve got to go there for her in whichever direction she needs me to… she keeps me on my toes which is great. There were times where, when I was prepping for trying to kill the Governor in his… man cage of heads, I had to go into very dark places to do that.

Chad Coleman on how Tyreese forgave Carol
It was a horrific experience and a shared [decision] to take out Lizzie… I saw someone who was incredibly brave in an incredibly harsh world. So that’s why I was able to forgive her. If we’re going to have hope then we’ve got to be able to have community… It’s a twisted world, but that’s what hope looks like now, it doesn’t look warm and fuzzy like in the real world.

Melissa McBride was asked if Carol told Tyreese that she killed Karen because she was hoping Tyreese would kill her
I think she was ready to accept the fate that he chose for her and the important thing in that scene for her was to allow him… the choice… She never expected that he would forgive her.

What Norman Reedus sees in himself that’s like Daryl
There’s a whole bunch of me in Daryl and a bunch of Daryl in me… it takes a long time for me to trust someone… I’m a lot like him, we’re both cut from the same cloth, just from different parts of the world.

Andrew Lincoln on how his on-screen son, Carl, has changed
When I first met him he was barely the size of his action figure. He looked like just a cuddly little Ewok. In season two I was able to carry him (I nearly put my back out) and in season five I’m hoping that he will carry me. (Overhead shows a picture of Carl) Look at him, look at my boy!

Andrew Lincoln on which character’s death affected him the most
I was midway through shooting, I was on episode three or four when I called up Scott and said “I miss Hershel so much” and he said “that’s the rub.”

15 year-old Chandler Riggs on playing Carl
Growing up on this show has been so much fun. I’ve had the most amazing actors and mentors to work with… It’s been 1/3 of my life… it’s been awesome.

[Transcribed from video of Comic-Con]

Overall I came away with the sense that these are highly professional actors who are doing sick, crazy stunts that leave them exhausted and yet they still really like each other and have a strong sense of camaraderie. I can’t wait for the new season, it premieres on October 12! Oh and there’s casting news, during the showrunners panel they made a joke that they’re hiring all the actors from The Wire. Carver from The Wire, Seth Gilliam, will be playing Father Gabriel Stokes. (He’s in the comics.)

Here’s the trailer for Season 5. It’s highly entertaining and this next season looks incredible but spoilers spoilers spoilers! They get out of Terminus, Rick gets reunited with baby Judith, Beth is in some institutional setting, and they all kick ass as usual.

If you want to watch the full Comic-Con panel highlights include Melissa McBride getting flowers and giving them to Norman Reedus at 22 in, Chandler Riggs coming in at 30, a disabled lady asking about disabled walkers at 37, and a guy at 39 dressed as a walker who deadpan asks about raising awareness of Walkers. It was hysterical.