Per Matt
Back in the day, way back when Andrew Lincoln first publicly revealed he was leaving The Walking Dead, a void formed immediately within the show’s storyline. As the actor’s remaining episodes counted down, Rick Grimes’ screentime was gradually reduced. Eventually, the lead character went out with a bang and TWD story continued without him… somehow. Fast forward to 2024 and Rick’s exit from the mothership after Season 9 feels so very long ago. But Fear not, fans, two of Robert Kirkman’s most iconic characters finally reunite in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
The series premiere, “Years,” picks up five years after last seeing Ranger Rick. Following his capture by the CRM (Civic Republic Military), he awakens to a familiar place (a hospital, much like in the TWD pilot). Given the opportunity to fight someone else’s war as a consignee, six years of work equals citizenship within a secret-but-very-secure city. Despite four failed attempts, he just can’t escape — Rick even slices off his left hand during one try.
“No one’s free. Not in this world.”
By the time he decides to work with his captors, he discovers his true mission: Attempting to change the system from the inside. It seems there’s both monsters within this government and without; however, both are cold-blooded killers.
There’s secrets on secrets involving the military unit’s activities, as well as the hidden city’s actions toward the outside world. Rick’s ongoing misery propels this episode, which serves as the overarching mythology for each subsequent spinoff series.
“It may look like the end of the world, but it’s only just the beginning…”
Episode 2, “Gone,” features the return of Michonne. A shaky alliance with a traveling ragtag crew introduces the migration of “the wailing,” screamsticks and black helicopters dropping chlorine gas on survivors, creating mega herds from all directions. I was less interested in the summary of Michonne’s last six years, but the series quickly cuts to the chase. By its conclusion, the love-torn couple works as undercover spies… until a familiar face threatens their safety — it’s Jadis!
First thoughts about the latest spinoff within The Walking Dead Universe: Is every original character from the mothership getting their own series? As a long-time fan who tuned into AMC for the first episode back in 2010, I can safely say my total interest in the franchise has waned throughout the years. Too many supporting characters, not enough charismatic Big Bads and too many of the best characters written off, it’s obvious The Ones Who Live was stretched out in order to maximize network profits, er, fan expectations.
The super-dramatic intro theme feels ominous (and unnecessary), but I suppose it serves a purpose. With each new sister series, we get new descriptor terms for the undead (so far, we get “delts” and “the wailing”). I like Rick’s new wardrobe, as he is dressed in an all-black battle armor (with a weaponized prosthetic). Terry O’Quinn as Major Gen. Beale looks great with a beard, as the actor is known for portraying complicated characters who sometimes swerve from good to bad and back (on Lost and even better in the short-lived X-Files sister series, Millennium).
I guess I’m most interested in the stories behind the stories so far.
By the time Episode 3 airs, there’s only two surviving cities, Portland and Philadelphia, after Omaha falls from the inside. How did these random locations make it work while so many others could not? At least in Philly, where the CRM is located, a civilian government has taken over, but what’s with all this conspiracy talk? A little goes a long way, but so many random bits have already been introduced, it’s clear they won’t all get tied up neatly in a bow by the time the sixth episode wraps.
And how dramatically different can a world-building, authoritarian sect be from a love story? Very. I suppose patience should be required for this new series to gain its footing, but that shouldn’t be necessary, as the ongoing story has developed for more than a decade, already. While not a shipper, I’m definitely not a fan of main characters becoming an item, and I will tolerate the romantic elements for a tight storyline… but something tells me this one-time feature-film-idea-extended-into-a-limited series will be pretty open ended, and not brief, at all. While IMDb currently lists six episodes, officially, time will only tell if that remains this series’ complete catalogue.
I really enjoyed watching The Last Drive In with Joe Bob Briggs, as the show’s hosts discussed the latest TWD entry in a manner of cross-promotion synergy (and hope there’s more to come). I just don’t know how long the showrunner can extend my interest in this show’s global coverup…
“Being the monster to fight the monsters… that can’t last.”