Andrew Lincoln Stole the Show in Strike Back

by

Throughout nine seasons of The Walking Dead and its popular spinoff, Rick Grimes evolved into a strong, determined, and experienced leader, guiding his community through a world overrun by zombies. Andrew Lincoln earned significant recognition for playing Grimes over fourteen years, concluding with The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live in March 2024, but he’s also showcased his acting skills in various other projects.

Before becoming famous for The Walking Dead, Andrew Lincoln starred in the first season of the British action series Strike Back, which first aired in the UK in May 2010. It later came to the US as Strike Back: Origins in October 2013. Although he only appeared in six episodes, his performance in the show remains memorable.

One of Andrew Lincoln’s Stand-Out Roles Is in Strike Back

I’m a big fan of Strike Back, and it’s amazing to know it’s based on a novel by Chris Ryan, who actually served in the Special Air Service! The show follows Section 20, a top-secret unit of British Intelligence that handles incredibly dangerous missions all over the globe. The first season, which aired as Strike Back: Origins in the US, was a really intense six-part story. It starred Richard Armitage, Orla Brady, and Shelley Conn, but I especially loved Andrew Lincoln as Hugh Collinson, the leader of Section 20.

Lincoln brilliantly played Hugh Collinson, a former army colleague of the main character, John Porter. He perfectly portrayed a character with questionable morals, and his performance became even more compelling as the show revealed Collinson to be the true villain.

He played Collinson as a complicated villain, motivated by both guilt and a strong desire to protect himself. This created a compelling internal conflict and brought a lot of emotional weight to a show that was mostly focused on action.

Throughout the first season of Strike Back, Hugh Collinson primarily directed missions for Section 20 from headquarters, while Porter took the lead in the field and Lincoln excelled at building suspense. Despite this behind-the-scenes role, Collinson still had plenty of intense, action-packed moments, letting him become more involved in the plot and ultimately begin a journey toward making amends.

The series ended with a deeply moving and impactful climax, setting the stage for what comes next in Strike Back.

Strike Back Prepared Andrew Lincoln to Play Rick Grimes

Even though Strike Back: Origins came out in the US three years after The Walking Dead, Andrew Lincoln actually played Hugh Collinson just a few months before taking on the role of Rick Grimes. This early role was valuable preparation for Lincoln, helping him develop the physical strength, weapon skills, and ability to portray complex, tough, and protective leaders – all qualities essential for his The Walking Dead character.

To prepare for his role in Strike Back, Lincoln received intense training in military tactics and weapons handling. His weapons instructor noted that Andrew Lincoln picked things up more naturally than any other actor he’d worked with, demonstrating a natural talent with firearms. This skill made it easy for him to move from playing a soldier in Strike Back to the gun-savvy Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead. Rick Grimes is famous for his Colt Python, and Lincoln’s comfort with the weapon made it feel like a natural part of the character – a result of his confidence and skill.

The show Strike Back demanded that Lincoln perform challenging stunts, fight in intense scenes, and demonstrate survival skills. This preparation served him well in his new role, as his character, like Rick Grimes, wasn’t simply good or evil. Both characters operate in morally complex situations – Collinson even covered up the deaths of his own men – and are forced to make incredibly difficult choices that take a psychological toll.

I was so thrilled to discover Strike Back, and even though Andrew Lincoln was only in the first six episodes, the show really took off! It ran for an amazing eight seasons, adding up to 76 episodes before finishing in April 2020. I loved following Section 20 each season, and it was fantastic seeing so many great actors like Philip Winchester, Charles Dance, Dougray Scott, Michelle Yeoh, and others join the team over the years.

Andrew Lincoln still has , however, rivaling even that of his .

Read More

2026-05-25 20:37