While many fans will disagree with me, I have to declare The Governor on The Walking Dead as my favorite character during Season 3. Daryl, Rick, Merle, Michonne, and Andrea were all strong in some way, but The Governor stole the show. There is one episode left in the season, as of this writing, and chances are good he is going to die. Let’s take a look at why David Morrissey’s portrayal of the character was so damn awesome.
The Governor on The Walking Dead
Before it Began
I have to admit, I was on the bandwagon of people who were turned off by the decision of Morrissey as The Governor on The Walking Dead. As the season progressed, though, I realized he not only was the right man of the job, he put his own spin on the character and became the character he recreated.
The Quirks of The Governor on The Walking Dead
I took acting and film classes when I was in college to gain a better understanding of movies and characterization. My professors instilled the idea of creating quirks to set a character aside from others in definition. From Columbo’s head touching when he was formulating a question to Kolchak’s stutter when he raised his voice, quirks help to define a character.
So too with The Governor on The Walking Dead. Think about how Morrisey would give a sharp toothy smile when someone stated something he felt uncomfortable with. Notice how his walking stride always changes by his mood. Note how his eye twitches when he is staring at someone with anger or distrust. These quirks help to make the character more believable. Anyone can recite lines but it takes a masterful actor to create and keep believable quirks.
The Darkness
When comparing both versions of The Governor the fans know, we are comparing a sociopath to a psychopath. The comic book version of character is someone who feeds off of the society around himself. While the same can be said about The Governor on The Walking Dead, Morrissey’s version is more of a psychopath who gains some type of dark pleasure from inflicting pain. The Governor in The Walking Dead would kill to prove a point where as The Governor on The Walking Dead appears to enjoy killing as signified by (another quirk) his whistling while he “works.” The Governor on The Walking Dead is much darker and much more inherently evil than his comic book counterpart.
Character Focus Shift
Did you happen to notice that Rick is not the main character of the show anymore? While I would love to see a minute by minute comparison, I would venture to say that The Governor was on screen more often than Rick. Of course, Daryl and Michonne stepped up as Rick’s sanity fell. The main spot this season was given to The Governor. How many other characters could have robbed Rick of his top spot?
The Governor on The Walking Dead made the season for me. I fully expect him to die in the season finale, which will be a loss. That loss is needed, but it will be a loss nonetheless.
