Is it fair to conclude you are ready for the show's cancellation?
Rick Grimes is the central character. No Andrew Lincoln equals no series.
Kevin Spacey's personal life antics removed him from
House of Cards. Immediate result? This is the series' final season.
Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie were
Sleepy Hollow's core characters. Beharie got tired of her role and quit. FOX ordered a new season anyway and pulled the plug half way.
Training Day revolved around Bill Paxton. Paxton died unexpectedly during the series' first season. CBS axed the show days before its final episode aired.
There are exceptions where the removal of a primary character.did not result in a television show's quick or lingering death. Shelley Long left
Cheers and the series kept on kicking longer with Kirstie Alley than Long's tenure. Same with Shannon Dourty (sp?) leaving
Charmed, a show completely about three sisters who were witches. Rose McGowan was eased into the role of an unknown long lost fourth sister and the show actually improved for a longer time after Dourty's departure than before she left. These are atypical examples though.
Lincoln is here to stay. I wonder how much AMC is paying the guy? He must be making bank in my opinion.