Spoiler warning for anyone who hasn't yet watched The Walking Dead episode "Time for After."
Few Walking Dead characters have made the kind of noteworthy allegiance switch that Eugene went through last season in becoming one of Negan's Saviors. Things are heating up within that group, particularly between Eugene and Dwight, whose double-crossing has been figured out. That situation could very well lead to the death of either Eugene or Dwight in the midseason finale (or both), but actor Josh McDermitt is interested in a very different way for Eugene to meet his fate.
I don't know that there is anyone more fun to watch do a physically intense fight scene than Andrew Lincoln. I told him and Greg Nicotero (resident badass) that IF Eugene were to die, I want to be choked out by Rick. Most actors have a 'thing' --- a look they can shoot to the camera, and that's how they make their money throughout their career. For instance, Jack Nicholson flashes his smile and they hand him a giant bag of money. I think Andrew Lincoln's 'thing' is choking people in a scene. It's so intense you think he's really trying to choke the guy. And maybe that's the secret? I don't know.
Admittedly, I'd love to go into some deep speculation over Josh McDermitt's use of "IF Eugene were to die," since that's just the kind of thing that would be said by someone who WILL die soon. But I don't need to get bogged down with that right now.
We can get bogged down with the actor's preferred method of putting Eugene out of his misery, as told to EW. It definitely seems like a weird choice, since it's based less on show events than on an actor's talents during a scene, but we're not arguing the validity of his reasoning, since Andrew Lincoln does go into beast mode anytime Rick is made to choke someone out. Compare Rick's vein-bursting chokeouts with the meh way that Norman Reedus did it when he was choking Rick out a few episodes ago. Child's play.
Of course, viewers likely won't get to see anything like that, since Eugene hasn't been in the same vicinity as Rick for quite a while (at least in terms of the show's airing schedule). But if Eugene is indeed responsible for getting all of the Saviors out of the Sanctuary (after Daryl's plan botched Rick's), then the latter leader might very well want to bring the pain to Eugene's throat with a good chokeout.
Still, it's far more likely that Dwight would be responsible for murdering Eugene if it should come to that. In the last episode, Eugene was secretly recording his incriminating conversation with Dwight, which means that someone dangerous will likely end up hearing that recording soon. If it's Negan, that'll bring a world of problems to the scar-faced Savior. But if Dwight himself discovers the tape before Eugene uses it, that would give him ample motive to take the mullet-headed brainiac out for good. And probably in a way that goes quicker than choking someone.
The Walking Dead airs its Season 8 midseason finale on Sunday, December 10, at 9:00 p.m. ET. To see everything coming to the small screen soon, head to our fall TV premiere schedule and our 2018 midseason premiere schedule.
