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An error has ocurred. Please try again* Some women are not really natural redheads, but they're notable and known because of their red hair, like Rachel Hurd-Wood, Christina Hendricks and Amy Adams.
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The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Bye (2024)
A longer, but never boring, thanks to Michael Slovis's competent direction, which leverages the tense and stressful atmosphere of the CRM setting, as the central couple
In a flashback, Jadis approaches Rick in Millenium Park, and explains her people's deal with the CRM and her intention to sign up. However, Rick is only interested in escaping. After returning to base, Rick enlists Thorne's help in successfully getting Michonne into the consignment program, but Jadis warns that if Rick and Michonne escape, she will have to kill everyone that he loves for security. Rick attempts to help Michonne escape on her own, but she refuses to go without him. While touring Millenium Park, Michonne meets the artist who created Rick's engraved iPhones and finds new hope.
After receiving the Echelon Briefing - the revelation of all of the CRM's secrets - and a promotion, Thorne becomes unsure of whether to follow in Okafor's footsteps, reluctantly enlisting Michonne's help for the mission. When Michonne goes rogue during a walker fight, Thorne nearly kills her, and Rick ends their relationship in an attempt to protect her. Having earned Major General Beale's trust, Rick is slated to receive a promotion in advance of a summit of the CRM's entire leadership. However, Michonne throws herself and Rick out of a helicopter in a daring mid-air escape on the return trip in the middle of a severe thunderstorm.
After being admitted by the CRM auditors, Michonne becomes a consigner, highlighting the complexity of maintaining such a position. What happened to her is exactly what happened to Rick; both try to hide their true identities but fail. Rick's advantage was having Okafor (Craig Tate) to cover for and protect him, slightly reducing the risks. Michonne doesn't have that support. The episode's tension revolves around Thorne's (Lesley Ann-Brandt) growing distrust of her. Both she and Jadis have similar trajectories within the CRM - the higher they are promoted, the more they know about the community's secrets, and consequently, they protect and increasingly believe in Beale's ideals.
From my perspective, the highlight is entirely on Lesley Ann-Brandt. Thorne has risen in the CRM military hierarchy, replacing Okafor, but she emphasizes that she is not him. Although she doesn't explicitly say it, Thorne sees Michonne as a potential threat to her position, as Michonne is her responsibility. This becomes even more evident when she considers killing Michonne for disobeying orders on the walker-clearing mission. In these first three episodes, it is constantly emphasized that secrecy, security, and order are the CRM's pillars and must be placed above everything and everyone. It seems that after her promotion in this episode, Thorne has been brainwashed, now acting more for the CRM than for herself. She appears to want to rise to gain more power within the established system rather than change it, as Okafor wanted.
Another aspect that we got a taste of in the previous episode but is explored much more deeply here is the new dynamic between Rick and Michonne pretending to be strangers to protect themselves. This is certainly beneficial for them in the short term, but with Jadis in their way, everything becomes even more complicated. Initially, we believe the plan is for them to go together until we discover that Rick arranged everything for Michonne to escape, arguing that someone needs to stay inside to cover for her (Okafor left disciples). It's a brilliant move by the script to put both Rick and Michonne on the same level. While Rick sacrifices his safety and well-being to protect those he loves, Michonne does the same. When she learns that Rick won't be going with her, she sacrifices returning home to save him. She is clearly very angry about this, having gone through everything only to return home empty-handed. Despite her short time inside, she has already realized how ruthless the CRM is and makes it clear to Rick that they won't get out of there alone. As Jadis herself says, Rick alone is not a threat, but Rick and Michonne together can accomplish anything.
In a highly political episode with power plays, the moment that breaks all the tension is the scene with Michonne and the vendor. Here, the episode finally reveals who drew Michonne and Judith on the phone. Rick had repeatedly asked the man to draw the two and Carl (Chandler Riggs), but he never got it right. Seeing Michonne talk about Carl after so long without any mention of him is certainly heartwarming for every fan. The episode ends with Rick "breaking up" with Michonne, hoping it would motivate her to leave without him. She realizes that Rick has been completely changed and broken by his time with the CRM, bringing a sense of urgency for her to act on Rick's behalf, which she does. Despite the drastic move of jumping from the helicopter, we finally see the first joint escape attempt by the two, and from now on, we will see what the CRM is like compared to Rick and Michonne.
In terms of pacing, this episode is slower than the first two, focusing on establishing the plot's main obstacle: escaping the CRM. In Gone, the audience questioned the story's direction - whether we would have a plot about the characters' escape or their fight from within against the CRM, something made clear when the characters "fall" from the helicopter. Nevertheless, Bye takes advantage of the CRM's setting, with secrets, lies, conspiracies, and the main characters' tension about being caught, providing great scenes of stress and anxiety, especially when Pearl is suspicious of Michonne or Beale's distrust, who deserves more screen time. Even Jadis, not a standout character, fulfills her basic role of driving the plot by complicating Rick's life.
In a way, I am slightly disappointed with the narrative direction, as I truly believe there is much potential in exploring a story about Rick and Michonne rising through the ranks of this new society, altering the system from within, always in a state of alert and apprehension - something that would be innovative within a franchise that has already exhausted plots about conflicts between survivor groups. However, I understand the production's choice. This episode made it clear that this is a story about a resilient and surviving romance, focusing on the characters' determination to fight or sacrifice for this love, all within a story that progressively expands the franchise's universe with high doses of curiosity. This is the first chapter of the series that is not limited to contextualizations, allowing the story to finally flow and establish itself for the rest of the year. In this sense, it ends up being a more prolonged episode, but never boring, thanks to Michael Slovis's competent direction, which leverages the tense and stressful atmosphere of the CRM setting, as well as the central couple's drama. Additionally, we get some pleasant set-pieces, though I still believe we are facing another production that denies the franchise's horror characteristics. The cliffhanger is an excellent conclusion to the central plot conflict: Michonne forcefully bringing Rick back into the fight. It will be difficult, but can they escape?
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Gone (2024)
A good second episode. Here, the conflict's scale, the potential for a suspenseful narrative with characters inside the enemy's stronghold
Six years after Rick's supposed death, Michonne helps Aiden and Bailey reunite with their massive caravan, but refuses to join it out of disgust over the caravan's rules and her determination to find Rick and go back to their children. Aiden, Bailey, and their friend Nat outfit Michonne for her journey and later come to her aid against a massive horde, having been inspired by Michonne to break away along with dozens of others. The group agrees to help Michonne in her search, but the CRM attacks with chlorine gas, killing everyone except for Michonne and Nat who are forced to spend a year recovering from the damage done to their lungs and throats. Pressing on to the location mentioned in the boat's log book, Michonne and Nat find an abandoned and destroyed safe zone and dozens of burned bodies.
Nat convinces Michonne to return to Alexandria, but to keep faith that Rick is still alive. On the way back, the two spot a CRM helicopter and attack it using Nat's explosives in retaliation for the death of their friends, only for Michonne to be reunited with Rick. Nat is killed by a surviving CRM soldier, who Rick then kills. As soldiers close in, Rick helps Michonne create a successful cover story for the CRM, promising that they will escape together. However, Rick is confronted by Jadis who had recognized Michonne and threatens him if they try to escape while Michonne desires to take down the CRM despite Rick's warnings that they will never get home if they try to.
Unlike the previous episode, what is presented here is a more linear narrative, not relying heavily on time jumps as a script device. This approach makes sense for telling Michonne's story, as not much time has passed since her departure from The Walking Dead (unlike Rick, whose absence spanned six years). The episode begins with Michonne introducing herself to the leader of the couple she saved in the tenth season of the main series. They are willing to help her in any way they can as a gesture of gratitude. Michonne joins their caravan to continue her search for Rick, creating an interesting dynamic with the new characters, especially with Nat.
The dramatic weight of this episode is commendable from the start. While the previous episode showed a broken Rick resigned to never finding his family again, Michonne's journey is marked by resilience and courage. Danai Gurira returns with a magnificent performance, conveying her character's uncertainty, fear, and hope with incredible realism. Her portrayal is further enhanced by the supporting cast, which is both the episode's greatest strength and a slight flaw. One of the most compelling aspects of Michonne's journey is the imminent danger posed by the largest horde ever seen in The Walking Dead universe. The group warns Michonne that the walkers are migrating north (exactly where she needs to go), making the trip a suicidal mission. Walkers have been sidelined for a while as the writers have focused more on political and social plots, often neglecting the primary threat of this universe. While balancing this is interesting to avoid genre saturation, The Ones Who Live seems to strike a good balance, featuring epic walker scenes like the flaming walkers in the first episode and the massive horde in this one, all while deepening the characters' development.
As the journey continues, we witness the CRM's (Civic Republic Military) cruelty and capabilities. World Beyond had already shown the ruthless massacre of Omaha and Campus Colony, and here we see another chemical attack on a smaller scale. This is perhaps the closest Michonne has come to death since The Walking Dead, with only her and Nat surviving while the entire caravan group is exterminated. The episode also mirrors the first one's time jump, placing Rick and Michonne at the same point in the story, showing the helicopter crash from Michonne and Nat's perspective. This alternate viewpoint significantly enhances the episode's montage, especially since it's done without cuts (unlike the previous episode). The long-awaited reunion between Rick and Michonne is finally realized, executed with natural performances by Andrew and Danai, complemented by a spectacular soundtrack -everything fans have hoped for, leaving no room for complaints about their reunion.
However, not everything is perfect for The Walking Dead fans. Despite the focus on Rick and Michonne, Nat's death feels like a hasty decision. The last time fans grew attached to new characters was during Rick's farewell episode with Magna's group. Nat's clever, peculiar, and sarcastic character is crucial for the story, making his dramatic and comedic interactions throughout the plot impactful, and his unfortunate loss in the episode's final act felt significant. Even the actors playing Aiden and Bailey do a good job, creating a bond with Michonne that resonates with viewers. Keeping Nat alive might have been more interesting, especially since he would have a strong motivation to help bring down the CRM after witnessing his group's massacre. Unfortunately, that won't happen. The final sequence's editing deserves applause, with Michonne observing the CRM's vast military power, symbolized by Nat's lighter - a possible foreshadowing of future events (especially with all the promotional material centered around fire). The episode's final scene marks Jadis's (Pollyanna McIntosh) return, warning Rick that any further escape attempts will endanger his family, establishing her as the first obstacle Rick and Michonne must overcome to return home. Strong emotions await in the upcoming episodes.
Like the premiere, the second episode of The Ones Who Live maintains an excellent pace, keeping the momentum throughout. The technical aspects (both cinematography and soundtrack) elevate the episode, giving it a more cinematic feel. The idea of Rick and Michonne transforming the CRM from within appears more attractive, complex, and political, although it deviates from the franchise's survival and horror roots. However, the final tone suggests the duo will confront everyone, especially with Jadis Stokes's return as a classic antagonist in this type of familiar TWD narrative. Nonetheless, the conflict's scale, the potential for a suspenseful narrative with characters inside the enemy's stronghold, and the couple's strong relationship as the dramatic front all provide a solid foundation for a great post-apocalyptic romance.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Years (2024)
The episode deviates from a linear narrative structure, instead playing with time to elaborate on the events during Rick's years at the CRM and Michonne's journey
Five years after being taken by the CRM, Rick Grimes has tried unsuccessfully four times to escape, including sending a message in a bottle to Michonne along with his belongings on one occasion and chopping his own hand off on another. Rick is assigned as a consignee, someone who spends six years doing work on the outskirts of Philadelphia - now the Civic Republic - before being allowed into the city. Rick dreams of a regular life with Michonne and eventually accepts an offer from Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor to join the CRM. Okafor reveals that he had helped the CRM, then the Pennsylvania National Guard, save the city from being napalmed at the cost of his own wife and he attempts to recruit Rick and Pearl Thorne into his plan to change the CRM from the inside.
After another failed escape attempt and the destruction of Omaha, Rick finally accepts his new life and a position building a CRM forward operating base in the Cascade Mountains. Recalling a story from his childhood, Rick agrees to join Okafor's plan, just before their helicopter is shot down with Okafor being hit with an explosive projectile and blown up. The attacker then kills the other soldiers one by one after they exit the helicopter until she gets to Rick. She takes his helmet off and realizes that it's Rick, then takes her own mask off revealing herself to be Michonne who is reunited with Rick for the first time in years.
Andrew Lincoln returns to play the relentless Rick Grimes alongside Danai Gurira (Michonne) in the highly anticipated spin-off "The Ones Who Live." This new six-episode project not only features the two as actors but also as creators, which is a significant advantage for the series given their intimate knowledge of their characters. The quality of having Andrew and Danai in these roles is evident from the outset. After Rick blew up the bridge in the ninth season of The Walking Dead, he was rescued by Jadis and taken to one of the bases of the planet's most powerful military organization, the CRM (Civic Republic Military). During the years following his disappearance, his family believed he was alive and continued searching for him despite the uncertainty. This narrative takes a turn in the tenth season, specifically in Danai Gurira's final episode, when Michonne discovers that her husband is alive and embarks on a personal quest to find him. Thus begins the journey of The Ones Who Live.
The pilot episode impressively deviates from a linear narrative structure, instead playing with time to elaborate on the events during Rick's years at the CRM and Michonne's journey since she left. The episode focuses heavily on Rick, who is determined to return to his family, going to extreme lengths, including severing his own hand to escape the CRM's clutches. The script effectively portrays Rick's desperation and repeated escape attempts, showing a broken and defeated Rick in a way never seen before, even with all the losses he endured in The Walking Dead.
Andrew Lincoln excels in this role, conveying the character's complex emotions with such intensity that it often leaves viewers uneasy, especially during Rick's radical and desperate actions. With the high expectations and attention this series is likely to garner in the United States, there's hope that Andrew will receive well-deserved recognition in the upcoming awards season, despite being overlooked during the main series run. While Rick Grimes undoubtedly takes center stage, the supporting characters introduced to provide context about the CRM are also noteworthy. Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer) delivers an outstanding performance as agent Pearl Thorne. Her character is Rick's foil, committed to the CRM's mission and dismissing the past, thus deepening Rick's sense of hopelessness. The chemistry between the actors is excellent.
Craig Tate (Okafor) also makes a significant impact, even though his character's arc begins and ends within the episode. He is well-developed and intriguing, particularly because he knows about Rick's family through the letters Rick tried to send to Michonne, which could pose a significant threat in the future. In a brief but chilling scene, Rick interacts with Major General Beale (Terry O'Quinn), whose cold demeanor and cunning promise to be a major obstacle as the series progresses.
Overall, the first episode sets the stage for the series, explaining Rick's survival post-bridge explosion (albeit without much detail) and his subsequent capture by the CRM. The narrative introduces the CRM's secretive society and the vast scope it adds to the franchise's mythology. The dramatic weight of the episode is commendable, reintroducing viewers to a broken Rick Grimes who will go to any lengths, including self-mutilation, to escape his captors. This intense portrayal by Lincoln is among the most emotionally authentic moments in the franchise's recent history.
The episode's dramatic and visual storytelling is strong, despite occasional lapses in dialogue that can feel unnecessarily expository. The atmospheric editing of Rick's relentless escape attempts adds a layer of visceral engagement, enhanced by Lincoln's expressive performance. The introduction of the CRM and its secrets adds a significant and intriguing new dimension to the series, potentially exploring political and social themes within the militarized hierarchy. While it remains to be seen if the writers can fully capitalize on this potential, the episode provides a promising foundation.
In conclusion, "The Ones Who Live" delivers a cinematic quality that stands out within the franchise. The costumes for the CRM soldiers are sophisticated, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the scenes, particularly the opening and closing themes that resonate deeply with fans. The episode's final sequence is especially noteworthy, as Rick recounts more of his past, adding layers to his character before the dramatic helicopter crash. This spectacularly tense scene, coupled with the audience's emotional response, underscores the series' ability to balance high stakes with character-driven drama. After six long years, "The Ones Who Live" brings back Rick Grimes in all his layered complexity, paving the way for an epic love story between Rick and Michonne. With the substantial investment from AMC, this series promises to be a significant addition to The Walking Dead universe.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023)
The series offers fans a deeper look into the life of one of its most intriguing characters, but struggles with pacing and a lack of narrative innovation
"The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" offers fans of the series a deeper dive into the life of one of its most beloved characters. The first season focuses on Daryl Dixon's journey as he navigates the post-apocalyptic world, grappling with his past and forging new relationships. The season opener sets the tone, showing Daryl's resourcefulness and survival instincts as he navigates a dangerous landscape filled with walkers and rival factions.
One of the season's strengths is its character development, particularly in its portrayal of Daryl. Viewers get to see a more vulnerable side of the character as he confronts his past traumas and struggles with his sense of identity in this new world. Norman Reedus delivers a compelling performance, capturing the complexity of Daryl's emotions with subtlety and depth.
The season also does a commendable job of expanding the world of "The Walking Dead," introducing new characters and locations that add richness to the narrative. The inclusion of flashback sequences helps to flesh out Daryl's backstory, providing context for his actions and motivations.
However, the season is not without its flaws. Some episodes feel repetitive, with Daryl facing similar challenges and obstacles in each installment. The pacing can also be uneven at times, with certain episodes dragging while others feel rushed. Additionally, the season's conclusion leaves some questions unanswered, which may frustrate viewers looking for closure.
In terms of direction and cinematography, the season is solid but unremarkable. The show effectively captures the bleakness of the post-apocalyptic world, but there are few standout visual moments that truly elevate the material.
Overall, "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" is a solid addition to the "Walking Dead" universe, offering fans a deeper look into the life of one of its most intriguing characters. While it struggles with pacing and a lack of narrative innovation, it succeeds in delivering a compelling character study that will satisfy fans of the series.
The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023)
"The Walking Dead: Dead City" shows promise but falls short of its full potential, struggling with pacing issues and a lackluster finale
"The Walking Dead: Dead City" presents a promising premise but struggles to deliver a cohesive narrative in its first season. The season follows Maggie and Negan as they navigate the post-apocalyptic ruins of Manhattan, facing challenges from both the undead and human survivors. The season opener sets the stage, introducing the fractured society of survivors and hinting at deeper conflicts to come. As the season progresses, tensions between Maggie and Negan escalate, culminating in a dramatic showdown that tests their moral compasses and loyalty.
One of the season's strengths lies in its exploration of complex themes such as redemption, forgiveness, and the nature of humanity in extreme circumstances. The dynamic between Maggie and Negan is particularly compelling, as both characters grapple with their past actions and strive to find their place in this new world. The performances of Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan elevate the material, bringing depth and nuance to their characters' emotional journeys.
However, the season is not without its flaws. Pacing issues plague several episodes, with some moments feeling dragged out while others feel rushed. The introduction of new characters and subplots can be overwhelming at times, diluting the impact of the main storyline. Additionally, the season finale's resolution of the conflict between Maggie and Negan feels somewhat contrived, lacking the emotional weight and payoff that was built up throughout the season.
In terms of direction and cinematography, the season is a mixed bag. Some episodes feature stunning visuals and inventive camerawork, effectively capturing the desolate beauty of a post-apocalyptic Manhattan. However, there are also instances where the direction feels uninspired, failing to capitalize on the show's unique setting and premise.
Overall, "The Walking Dead: Dead City" shows promise but falls short of its full potential in its first season. While it excels in exploring complex themes and character dynamics, it struggles with pacing issues and a lackluster finale. With some refinements to its storytelling and direction, the series could evolve into a compelling addition to "The Walking Dead" universe.
The Walking Dead: Dead City: Doma Smo (2023)
This season finale ends with a Hershel's rescue with a completely anticlimactic and lazy plot that only wants to sell the next season instead of telling a good story
The Walking Dead finale delivered a worthy and well-crafted "solution" to the Negan and Maggie conflict, which had been building since Rick spared Negan at the end of the eighth season. Because of this, many fans were skeptical about the resources that would be used to bring these two together again. Six episodes put the two on a new mission, but was this enough to innovate the dynamic between them? Fortunately, yes. The last episode of the first season of The Walking Dead: Dead City resolved issues that had been raised in previous episodes and opened up new paths for a possible second season.
Right at the beginning of the episode, we have Ginny and Negan's encounter, where he questions her about what she was doing there, since she had already been left at New Hilltop. At the same time, he questions Maggie if she knew the girl was in Manhattan, and she lies, saying she didn't. It's interesting how the series tries to constantly switch the characters' positions, putting Maggie to do some things that the old Negan did, being hypocritical to a certain extent.
Speaking of Negan, he immediately shows his outrage when Ginny tries to retort, and he takes the opportunity to tell the truth that he was responsible for her father's death. All the protective feeling the girl had for Negan seems to have ended, and she agrees to return to New Hilltop under Armstrong's protection. This scene was certainly a big surprise; I don't think anyone was expecting that. Continuing with the mission, Negan and Maggie confront The Croat to try to rescue Hershel. Along the way, the two dialogue until the truth comes to light. The way Negan discovers Maggie's lie through her glances, silence, and movements is brilliant, and since The Walking Dead, it has been established how well these characters know each other. From this, the perfect scenario is created for the great conflict between them.
The fight between the two is very well choreographed and visceral. The direction used the camera angles very well to show Negan trying to escape and Maggie going after him, while also having to deal with the walkers. The way the setting was used here as an important element in the fight is very creative, with both of them cornered while a small horde is right below them. The only flaw here is that when Maggie stabs Negan in the shoulder, he easily removes it and there's not even any blood, it continues as if nothing happened. I don't know if it was an editing mistake, but I felt uncomfortable watching it. However, this small caveat doesn't spoil the grandeur of the scene, which represents not only a physical fight but also a psychological one.
After the fight ends, Maggie finally fulfills her agreement by handing Negan over to The Croat while he returns Hershel. The reunion scene between the two is somewhat lukewarm not because of the performances, but because of the way their relationship was before Hershel was kidnapped. The boy still seems unmotivated and tired, treating his own mother as disposable even after everything she went through to get there. The approach to motherhood and the responsibility of having a child is more deeply explored in this episode than in previous ones. We also discover here that New Babylon is interested in New York because of the number of walkers present, which are essential for producing energy through methane, as shown in the fourth episode of the series. If there is a renewal of the series, I don't see how this nucleus will fit back into the story of the second season, as the approach seems to be different.
Just when everything seemed to be over, the series surprises us again. Now in the hands of The Lady, Negan discovers that The Croat was just a means used for her to get what she wanted. The character wants a leader to unify the communities in Manhattan and from what she heard about the Sanctuary, it made her want to put Negan in this position. She gives him the "keys to the Kingdom" along with a box with Hershel's finger. The Lady implies that if Negan doesn't do what she wants, she can always come back for more, showing how cruel she can be. When you remove all the preparations, The Lady Smo is shown to be a collection of nothing under many conveniences. We start with the lack of zombies throughout the season conclusion, with no use of terror throughout the story, to the absurd ease with which Armstrong and Maggie return to their respective cities in a cut. The much-promised exchange between Hershel and Negan as bait has no suspense whatsoever; the fun Croat is subjugated to a lackey; New York becomes just another setting.
Dead City started with a promise of something with personality and identity in a worn-out franchise, but since then, we've only seen more of the same. Between zombies being discarded, underused scenarios, and a lack of creativity with suspense and horror, The Lady Smo tries to sell that Negan and Maggie fight as the culmination of something, but, in fact, the season's conclusion, which actually concludes nothing, ends Hershel's rescue with a completely anticlimactic and lazy plot that only wants to sell the next season instead of telling a good story.
The Walking Dead: Dead City: Stories We Tell Ourselves (2023)
The plot twist with Maggie is interesting, shaking up the already tumultuous relationship between the co-leads and giving purpose to Ginny in the series
Since Maggie (Lauren Cohan) rescued Ginny (Mahina Napoleon) from the arena in the previous episode, the script has been working with Ginny's distrust of Maggie, both because of what Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) must have told her and the way they were approached by Maggie back in the first episode. It's interesting how this unfolds throughout this episode and how it culminates in the revelation of the plot twist at the end.
With the help Negan gave Armstrong (Gaius Charles) in the previous episode, the relationship between the two characters has been developing in a friendly way, as one needs the other to get out of there. It is revealed here that Armstrong has knowledge about the dock and the boats, which must be used in the next episode. All this development leads us to believe that the Marshall will correspond to Negan, as the character has become increasingly less resistant.
Returning to the group in the sewer, there is the discovery that Tommaso (Jonathan Higginbotham) is a traitor and was informing The Croat (Zeljko Ivanek) that the group was coming to rescue Hershel (Logan Kim). This didn't make much sense since there was no previous construction about his true motivation for acting this way. It seemed like all this justification served only to lead to his and Amaia's (Karina Ortiz) death. The death scene of the two was a bit strange, with walkers waking up in a coordinated manner, which seemed forced so that they would die quickly. Although they were two completely wasted characters, I see this from the perspective that focusing on Negan and Maggie in the final episode will be more interesting.
As for The Croat's presence in this episode, we see that he doesn't have total control. Upon arriving at that theater, we see that he is not very respected there and seems to answer to a woman (who also seems to be already familiar with Negan). We don't know if she already knew him before or if she only knows him from what The Croat said. Either way, with only one episode left in the season, we don't know if his presence will be irrelevant or if it will have a greater weight in a possible second season. Another very well-addressed point in the episode is The Croat's frustration seeing that Negan is not the same as during the Savior's time, and his "idol" seemed to really be focused on the mission and ignored everything the character built within that arena. Seeing The Croat hopeless, who had placed a lot of expectation on Negan after suffering the loss of his family, puts him disillusioned. Finally, in this episode, the moment that all fans were waiting for arrives, the fight with the fused walker. Obviously, the characterization was perfect (as always in The Walking Dead Universe), but the fight was too fast. The concept of the walker being trapped in the sewers for a long time and ending up joining with others due to the action of nature is phenomenal and could have been better exploited here. It's epic to see Maggie fighting and trying to hit each head to knock down the "King Walker."
The series' plot twist is revealed in this episode. The whole story told by Maggie is a lie. From the first episode, the series implied that Negan's wanted poster was given by the Marshalls, when in fact The Croat himself gave it to Maggie. The story of Hershel being a guarantee for New Hilltop to deliver their grains is a lie, as we are reminded of flashbacks of when Ginny was escaping from there and observed the silo full of grains. With Ginny firing the flare to get Negan's attention, Maggie is no longer just worried about saving Hershel, but also about not letting Ginny get to Negan. Inevitably, this must happen and put the two in antagonistic positions again.
The strongest point of the episode was definitely the excellent direction in the sewer scenes. The scenes convey discomfort, which shows that the direction was very effective in what it set out to do. Very immersive with the cameras shaking, focusing on the characters' breathing along with the sounds of the environment. "Stories We Tell Ourselves," despite making some questionable decisions regarding the script, is an episode that maintains the constructive line established by its predecessors. The story progresses by revealing Maggie's true intention, and this builds a climate of great curiosity to know how the season will end. Despite overdoing it with the plot twists (Tommaso's betrayal; The Croat's boss; and Maggie's lie), the plot has welcome surprises for a story that had been sounding boring in the last few episodes. We end up having a new antagonist at the 45th minute of the second half, also because I don't see the need for a second year, but the twist with Maggie is interesting, shaking up the already tumultuous relationship between the co-leads and giving purpose to Ginny in the series, now that Maggie has to save Hershel while hiding her lie. Even so, we could have seen less talk and more horror.
The Walking Dead: Dead City: Everybody Wins a Prize (2023)
The way the mission is developed ends up lowering the quality of the episode. The production wastes the subway block, and the back and forth of the characters is kind of empty
The episode begins with flashbacks of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Simon (Steven Ogg) at the Sanctuary during the events of the eighth season of The Walking Dead. This ends up confirming the rumors that had been circulating for some time that Steven Ogg had returned to film and that Jeffrey Dean Morgan would be rejuvenated for the scene. Seeing the two actors acting together is quite nostalgic, and the addition of The Croat (Zeljko Ivanek) as a counterpoint to the two is very welcome. We finally see what the character is capable of doing to get what he wants, and it is explained why we saw a hesitant Negan up until now. That said, the script works cohesively and elucidates the dynamics between the Saviors, serving as a way to fill in gaps.
Continuing the plan that was being devised in the previous episode, Maggie and her group use the subway lines to enter the arena and complete the mission of rescuing Hershel. The way the direction uses low lights, claustrophobic rooms, and bloodied locations is enough to create an atmosphere of tension and fear of what may come. The dead teenager in the chair shows Maggie's fragility and her extreme fear of losing her son, while also making Negan try to reassure her, which adds a new element to the dynamic between the two that has been presented since the beginning of the series.
"Listening to a song I don't want to hear again." Yes, this Negan's phrase demonstrates that he does not want to relive memories that remind him of his time with the Saviors, and all of this adds to the ideological confrontation between Negan and The Croat, making it much richer and more interesting. Seeing a changed Negan since the last time he saw The Croat, while he remained the same sadist, creates dialogues and moral conflicts that The Walking Dead has always known how to work very well. The negative point of the episode is Armstrong (Gaius Charles), who was used as a resource to test Negan, but seems forced, since a predator-prey relationship has been built between these two characters so far, and changing that now doesn't seem very coherent. The Croat takes advantage of this situation to see how Negan is acting, as it has been a long time since they last met. When they manage to escape from the arena, again in an unnecessary scene, it makes no sense for Armstrong to point the gun at Negan and want to kill him after being saved, besides needing Negan to get out of Manhattan alive. Ginny here doesn't serve as many purposes as she did in the previous episode, but having her with Maggie should be relevant to the plot of the two final episodes.
Maggie's core here was the highlight of the episode. Knowing of Negan's presence there, The Croat makes a plan to ambush Maggie's group. This shows how savvy The Croat is and really prepared for the apocalypse. It was very well planned, and the fight between the zombies with the background soundtrack is spectacular. Another highlight of the scene is that the script brings back Maggie's leadership aspect, which she uses her creativity to help her group get out of the dangerous situation (and it works!). With no way out, the only solution found by the group is to escape through the sewers. The sewer sequence has everything to be one of the climaxes of The Walking Dead universe so far, as it has been a very used element in the series marketing and has been mentioned since the first episodes. The ending with Maggie disappearing into the darkness as she goes down the stairs sets the tension for the next episode. With two very well-divided cores, the fourth episode further explores the theme of how our past can haunt us. Both protagonists are having to face their past in Dead City, which creates a new dynamic between them. With the dangers shown so far, I wonder if the mission will be completed or if the ending will be open for a second season.
The way the mission is developed ends up lowering the quality of the episode. The production wastes the subway block (was hoping we'd have something cool in this scenario) and the back and forth of the characters is kind of empty, without much suspense or tension, except perhaps for the well-directed sequence of Negan in the parking lot. But from the moment the undead come into play, the episode becomes fun, with the old antagonists of this universe gaining strength in numbers in a block with good camera work. Some choreography choices are strange, like the fact that the characters didn't enter the ring before they died like mosquitoes (oh, how good it is to kill people who don't matter!) or Tommaso's senseless survival, but my namesake Kevin Dowling doesn't do too bad in the director's chair with the big battle of the episode. There is a slight claustrophobic quality in the direction that is also interesting, along with dark lighting that creates a good atmosphere - the soundtrack, however, remains indifferent in the work.
The fact that we don't have any monologues is a bonus, with good dramatic developments for the protagonists without people spilling six pages of script. With Negan, the insertion of the flashback at the beginning of the episode works both to establish the antagonist and to put a "front" to what has haunted the character, with the reunion between him and The Croat being a highlight with the villain acting as a showman and being disappointed with his former mentor's new personality. With Maggie, her sequence of investigating the desperate rooms to find Hershel, the rescue of Ginny, and the return of her leadership during the episode's climax are good moments to work on the character's anguish and strength.
Make no mistake, "Everybody Wins a Prize" is nothing special and does not demonstrate the potential that Dead City promised at the beginning, as the underground and neo-western tone of the series has practically disappeared, and we have seen little of the destroyed New York in the last three episodes, but it is an honest and enjoyable episode in its obviousness, with good developments for the main duo. In fact, the division of the plot between Negan and Maggie is welcome to shake up the narrative. The fact that the ending with the characters entering the sewer is the best scene can be seen as both a merit and a demerit to the quality of Everybody Wins a Prize, but it definitely left me curious for next week.
The Walking Dead: Dead City: People Are a Resource (2023)
In this episode, the relationship between Negan and Maggie gains new elements in each episode, which are softening the conflicting situation between them
In flashbacks, Negan bonds with Ginny as they search for her missing toy. In the present, Ginny makes her way to Manhattan. The Croat holds Perlie prisoner in the revamped Madison Square Garden where he tests the marshal's abilities in a ring fight against walkers and questions his motives. Perlie eventually reveals that he's in Manhattan hunting for Negan, much to the Croat's shock who in turn reveals that he had lost his family to cannibals near the start of the apocalypse. The tribespeople tell Maggie and Negan about the Burazi's operation which they recognize as a twisted version of the Saviors and, using the story of Negan's defeat by the Militia, inspire the tribespeople to help them. Tommaso reveals that he had been captured and tortured, but he had managed to escape using the old framework of Penn Station and the subway system which they can use to get in. Maggie opens up to Negan about the loss of Hershel and her family and Negan in turn reveals that he had sent Annie and his son Joshua to safety in Missouri after killing five men who had robbed, beaten and raped Annie in revenge, which is why he's a wanted man. Luther discovers Negan's wanted poster, leading to a fight in which Negan gives in to his darker instincts and kills Luther. After finding Ginny's toy, Maggie contemplates burning it, secretly observed by Ginny.
The episode begins with flashbacks of Negan and Ginny that extend throughout the chapter, being of great value for the development of their relationship and giving Negan a reason to fight. The series uses an interesting resource to strengthen their relationship, the stuffed dinosaur, a very symbolic element for the character. The way they communicate through whistling is also a creative shortcut of the script, since Ginny does not speak due to the trauma she suffered when she lost her father. It is almost certain that this resource introduced here must be used again, since Ginny will probably face some dangerous situation in Manhattan and will need Negan's help.
The episode's script, written by Keith Staskiewicz, gives greater importance and development time to Tomasso and Amaia's group, showing and explaining some of their moments on the island, especially Tomasso's traumas fleeing from the Croata through the sewers. Even though they don't have much screen time, it's noticeable that the group is creating bonds with the protagonists and, from what we were used to with the main series, some of the group members may die in the upcoming episodes. This becomes more likely when the characters put the plan to attack the stadium into action. Speaking of the stadium, another highlight is the Croata, the series' antagonist. His insanity and sadism are high points here, and it is clear how Negan's worldview has influenced the character, who is trying to build a kind of Sanctuary where any survivor can join. This embeds the issue of protecting people and lives up to the episode's title "people are a resource." After a long time trapped in Alexandria, Negan's perception of the world and people has changed, and an ideological conflict between the two characters will be sensational when this encounter occurs.
The test the Croata performs on Armstrong is very reminiscent of the sick spectacle that was done in Woodbury, which was the group's entertainment. Here, the series clearly references the sadistic spectacles that the Governor promoted in the third season of the main series. Despite introducing new elements, in each episode the writers bet on references to remind us that The Walking Dead will always be alive. After winning the confrontation against the walker, Armstrong finally reveals that the reason he is there is to kill Negan. Thus, the Croata now discovers that he is in Manhattan and will do everything to have his revenge.
Fortunately, Kevin Dowling's direction is very efficient and different from anything shown in the franchise so far, with less expository dialogue and more focus on the characters' drama to move the story forward. The way the two co-protagonists are written in the episode is interesting, especially in the dialogue where they share their latest traumatic experiences. The fact that Maggie argued with Hershel moments before he was kidnapped makes the character feel a guilt that we didn't know about until then and adds an extra element for her to save her son. On the other hand, Negan finally reveals that he taught a lesson to those responsible for attacking his wife, and this is why he is being sought by the Marshals - for committing this crime.
The highlight of the episode is the confrontation between Negan and Luther, which has been built since the beginning of the episode and ends here. Luther discovers that Negan is being sought and prefers to expel him to defend his group. In contrast, Negan seems to want to resolve the situation peacefully, but shows that when necessary, he unleashes his inner monster mercilessly to get rid of the situation. The old Negan needs to return in risky situations, but it is clear that the character is progressing and his development built before Dead City was not thrown away. It is clear that the story could increase the volume of madness a la Mad Max and Carpenter, but I doubt that will happen, as it is a shame how the plot has been moving at a glacial pace in the last two episodes, with more dragging than necessary with Ginny's flashback insertions, still disconnected in the story and without much purpose beyond humanizing Negan, and also the core of the group found by Maggie and Negan that is doing overtime. It will be interesting, however, how the survivors' relationship with Negan will be after Luther's death at the end of the episode.
This third episode of Dead City creates new elements for the plot and sets up the board for the final three episodes that promise to be explosive. The relationship between Negan and Maggie gains new elements in each episode, which are softening the conflicting situation between them. Many resources presented so far are increasing the scale of The Walking Dead Universe, both in settings and in deep dialogues, which have not been explored much in the last seasons of the main series. I feel that many innovations will still be introduced in this spin-off and I can hardly wait for the next episodes.
The Walking Dead: Dead City: Who's There? (2023)
In narrative terms, "Who's There?" is full of intercalations between action and moments of exposition, but we have great moments with Negan especially. Knock Knock!
Starting immediately after the events of "Old Acquaintances," we see that the woman from the last episode stole their supply bag, and Negan and Maggie see no option but to go after her, as they were also surrounded by walkers. On top of a building, they both cross to another building using a zip line to retrieve their supplies. Here, the series introduces a new feature that could be very valuable for future episodes, which is Maggie's fear of heights. Since zip lines are the most effective method of transportation in post-apocalyptic New York, this new element introduced adds a new layer to the character, who must now constantly face dangers involving height. Even with the zip line jamming at the end of the crossing, Maggie refuses Negan's help, showing that she is willing to do anything contrary to not owing him future favors. A curiosity that may have gone unnoticed in the episode is the opening scene. The walkers pushing the door and the hands passing through the gap is a clear reference to the main series pilot "Days Gone Bye" with Rick's scene in the hospital and the "Don't Open - Dead Inside" door. This episode was marked by some references to the great moments of the series.
Later, we are introduced to the new Hilltop from Ginny's point of view. What stands out in the scene is the more "urbanized" aspect of the community, which seems to be larger than the one shown in the main series. An interesting point in the sequence is Ginny being introduced as a resident of Oceanside, which doesn't make much sense since Negan told her story in the previous episode. Even with the information not matching, it is likely that the series will explain the discrepancy in information shown here. Immediately, we have a beautiful and poetic transition from a lonely Ginny in the room to a deep dialogue between Maggie and Hershel. Here, a more apathetic and melancholic Hershel is presented due to all the events involving his mother, and he carries part of her pain with him. This flashback scene showing the dialogue between the two characters is important because it fills in some gaps in the time that has passed, and we are gradually introduced to the information. This brings a lot of cohesion to Maggie, resulting in a deeper relationship with her son. It is interesting to note that the direction is trying to bring references to the main series to stir the most avid fans of the universe, and in this flashback scene, Maggie's visual aspect is identical to that of the farm era. Another important point of the episode was the fact that Armstrong revisited his past, returning to an old family apartment. From what is shown, it seems that the person who committed suicide is his brother. The point here is that this could become an additional factor to fuel the character's intentions.
The New York group presented here captures the two, which leads to a dialogue scene where Negan tells the truth about The Croat. He recounts that during the Savior's time, the villain was able to torture a child to obtain information he wanted - which clearly makes Maggie tense since he is in possession of her son. When Negan found out what had happened, he tried to kill him but the shot grazed him, and that's how The Croat lost his ear. This would be one of the plausible reasons for Negan to be in the sights of the new antagonist. After being attacked by armed people, Negan and Maggie are released to help in the fight, and when one of the enemies kills an important member of the group they are integrated with, Negan finds himself in a position to teach the enemies a big lesson.
In the sequence, we have what may be one of Negan's best scenes in his entire journey so far. The direction does a great job by starting the scene showing the character emerging from a shadow, which becomes even poetic, making him have to resort to old habits to take control of the situation. What he does to a member of the enemy group is similar to what he did to Spencer in Alexandria, aiming to send a message to the group. Only Jeffrey Dean Morgan is able to deliver a scene that is both funny and brutal at the same time, and that is certainly among the character's best scenes so far and it speaks to the genre of the series, bringing back the origins of The Walking Dead, since in the end of the series we didn't have much of that gore that was rescued in this sequence.
In the first episode, there was not so much evidence that the old Negan would return, he was behaving as at the end of the series. The awakening of his psychopathic side becomes very valuable and will be excellent for the development of the plot, because it shows that the character can solve complicated situations in a cold and brutal way. At this point, Maggie realized that this Negan she hates so much is necessary if she wants to rescue her son. It is important to note that the script makes it clear that Negan has something kept in his journey, his redemption, everything that happened to him during the main series, especially regarding his relationship with Maggie, and at the same time, when he is in extreme situations, he brings back his old psychopathic traits. In fact, we can see the maintenance of the character's development when he says that it is necessary to make exchanges with people and release information gradually, otherwise it is giving too much power to the enemy (this was clearly seen in the Commonwealth arc). A criticism of the episode is the underutilization of The Croat, who has the potential to be a great villain. In the two episodes shown so far, he appears only in the final scene of the episode to impose fear, which is enough to increase the viewers' expectations. However, if this formula is repeated for the rest of the episodes, it could become clichéd, and the series may be wasting time developing the character.
In narrative terms, "Who's There?" is full of intercalations between action and moments of exposition. The episode demands patience beyond what is necessary, but there is something to be appreciated in the conversation scenes. We can see the dialogue at a better level than what we had in the original series, with more mature approaches to drama and few moments of silence, an art that this franchise seemed to have forgotten. The bathroom scene is particularly interesting, with the script knowing how to bring The Croat's past context in a natural way, with a great speech by Negan. Him saying he is "a monster only absolutely when necessary" is the biggest lie of all, since he raped and tortured his own people, but showrunner Eli Jorné has done a good job of putting the sadistic character back on track. His cynicism mixed with sarcasm has returned, along with his survival techniques as a bloody showman. Although the construction of the scene where he beheads his enemy is not so well directed, the "show" created by Negan is a highlight in itself, with an interaction of just looks between the anti-hero and Maggie that speaks volumes. Jorné's text does not paint the character as a diabolical being, but it also does not force that redemption arc of the family man that the original series tried to shove down our throats, which is good. However, I would like to see more development for Maggie. Despite the occasional praise, Loren Yaconelli has proven to be an extremely limited director, despite the clear efforts of the production with setting and visual identity, and her poor work results in an episode with a terrible pace. The blame is also partially on Eli Jorné, who has been moving the story forward by dragging it more than he should, especially when we remember that we are watching a miniseries.
The Walking Dead: Dead City: Old Acquaintances (2023)
A good surprise, the fans of TWD hope the miniseries continues in this neo-western vibe and knows how to take full advantage of New York's metropolitan setting for horror
Following an attack on the new Hilltop, now called the Bricks, Maggie's son Hershel is kidnapped by the Croat, a former Savior who is living in Manhattan. Desperate to save him, Maggie reluctantly tracks down Negan for help who is on the run from New Babylon marshals led by Perlie Armstrong after supposedly murdering five people. In exchange for Maggie giving his young companion Ginny a home at the Bricks, Negan agrees to help her with the two taking young marshal Jano hostage and Maggie having to deal with hatred of Negan for Glenn's murder. In Manhattan, the trio encounter walkers falling from the buildings and a cat-and-mouse game with Perlie in a dry cleaners who accidentally kills Jano while chasing after them. Elsewhere, the Croat questions Hershel for information on Negan and sends an escaped prisoner to his death after the man refuses to answer questions about his group.
In the opening of the episode, we are introduced through Maggie's eyes to one of the world's largest cities destroyed and overrun by the dead. Weakened by the kidnapping of her son, the character is around the city to gather possible evidence of Hershel's whereabouts. It is worth noting here that the CGI of the scene is perfect, and it is evident that AMC really invested in this spin-off.
Maggie's moment of concentration is interrupted when a walker attacks her, and here we have one of Lauren Cohan's best scenes as Maggie, where the actress manages to realistically convey the disturbing feelings of her character. She hits the walker with her binoculars until his skull explodes, referencing the brutal death of her husband (what a clever move by the writers). Next comes the series' opening, which is incredibly well done and detailed. In it, we can see some of New York's most emblematic landmarks, such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, and the iconic Statue of Liberty. The tense music and vibrant animation perfectly match the series' theme.
With a new camp not too far from The Walking Dead communities, Maggie goes to a hotel and discovers that Negan is sheltering with his new adopted daughter, Ginny. Upon reaching him, Maggie questions him about Annie and her son, but he avoids the subject, a factor that bothered in the episode since everyone wanted to know what happened for him to be alone.
Maggie tells him about Hershel's kidnapping and that he was taken by a former Savior member, The Croat. When Maggie does the iconic whistle to reference the Saviors, it was spine-chilling. In exchange for Negan's help in going to Manhattan and saving the child, Maggie would keep Ginny safe in her camp.
Meanwhile, we are introduced to a new group of antagonists, The Marshals. This group is formed by patrolmen from New Babylon who seek out people who have committed atrocities, serving as vigilantes. Outside the hotel where Negan was staying, the group's leader finds a book on the ground with the region's mapping, and only the Manhattan page is missing, leading them to think that Negan may have gone there.
Waiting for someone to pick up Ginny and take her to the camp safely, Maggie decides to rest in the car, and here we have a strong scene. Memories of Glenn being brutally killed along with flashes of Hershel being kidnapped come to her mind, and the character is increasingly developed and complex, especially regarding her post-traumatic stress disorder, which had not been maturely addressed before as it was in this episode.
When Maggie and Negan are about to board the boat and go to Manhattan, the group appears. Strategically, they both kidnap the young man from the group to use him cleverly. At this point, an intense conflict between the protagonists begins. When the young man starts talking about his family to persuade Maggie, Negan decides he will throw him off the boat, but Maggie intervenes, saying he can be used strategically against the Marshals and that it doesn't matter what Negan thinks. He retorts, saying that since Hershel was kidnapped, old memories have come back along with the desire for revenge. In this sense, he pushes Maggie against the wall by asking how many parents she has killed, a moral debate they had never had before, as in the main series he was always in a position of not questioning.
When they finally arrive in Manhattan, we get a beautiful glimpse of the destroyed Brooklyn Bridge. It is revealed that the government bombed all the bridges leading to the island to isolate it and try to contain the infection. Walking through the city, walkers start being thrown from the tops of buildings, and a huge horde is attracted by a sound truck. Maggie, Negan, and the kidnapped young man hide behind a pile of garbage, and here we have a disgusting scene of a cockroach infestation that forces them to leave. Luckily, the Marshals arrive and eliminate the walkers, giving them time to escape. The slightly greenish lighting and the dark filter create a tense and unsettling atmosphere.
They enter a building to hide, but the group's leader arrives. Finally, Pearlie Armstrong introduces himself to Maggie as a New Babylon vigilante and says that what he does is to protect his wife and daughter. Walkers manage to enter the building, and again, the writers show a lot of creativity in their approach to New York, with a zombie that has a live rat in its mouth attacking the young Marshal, who is soon killed by his own group member. Maggie engages in a physical fight with Armstrong and exposes his motives, which are not enough to make him give up. So, she knocks him out, and Negan and Maggie flee.
In the final scene of the episode, the main antagonist of the series is finally introduced. The Croat is in front of Hershel, who is tied to a chair about to be tortured (hardcore fans will remember that this is similar to the scene from the third season of The Walking Dead when the Governor does the same to Glenn). The moment is cut short when a group member arrives and says that a prisoner has escaped. He tries to escape through the zip lines connecting the buildings of New York, but The Croat cuts the cable and the prisoner falls. The former Savior member, even with little screen time in the episode, has already proven to be interesting and very brutal, as mentioned by Negan at the beginning of the episode.
Obviously, not everything is effectively new, with a narrative quite similar to TWD's cycle of finding a sadistic antagonist who controls a certain region and clashes with our protagonists, this time involving a classic kidnapping and revenge plot, which also resembles Old West stories. I don't have many issues with the basic premise, mainly because showrunner Eli Jorné's script is insightful in avoiding too many connections with the past series other than Negan and Maggie's feud, being able to focus on the unfolding of the mission without too much didacticism and explanations. The time jump also helps in this "disentanglement" of the miniseries.
However, some TWD quirks are embodied here in the form of monologues and cheesy dialogues. We already know that everyone suffers in this universe and that Maggie and Negan love their little fights. But one or two interactions between the two are promising, especially the boat scene, when Negan confronts Maggie for having killed several parents and children. It's so much more three-dimensional to bring Negan back to his roots: the disturbed embodiment of what this new post-apocalyptic society is. We can still see that annoying Negan with sad looks and remorseful faces, but we can also see that malevolent Negan, which is when Morgan excels, as in the great scene with the vehicle where the character makes his sarcastic jokes. Let's see where the script takes this relationship.
Another positive point of coming to a metropolitan area is the return of zombie herds, one of the few resources of the series that still brings some level of danger to the undead, who have become a joke over the years. I also hope they take advantage of urban settings like buildings, malls, and subways. The zombies are still not a major threat, but it's good to see the production trying to incorporate them into the story in new ways, like the "suicidal zombies" scene. At the moment, however, the horror remains superficial in Dead City, with some sequences being quite silly. The scenes of the characters fleeing through the streets of New York are weak, as well as the whole block against the marshal - the sequence of the guy being killed after waiting for the zombies to break down the door is unbelievably stupid.
But what is truly unbelievable is the surprisingly cool start of "The Walking Dead: Dead City." The lack of expectation may have contributed, but one can feel Eli Jorné's genuine direction in creating quality content, which brings out the best in TWD while trying to bring new concepts to a worn-out franchise. "Old Acquaintances" suffers from the problems and also from the common flaws of pilots, which are usually slower to establish the plot, but there is a lot of quality here. I hope the miniseries continues in this neo-western vibe and knows how to take full advantage of New York's metropolitan setting for horror.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Coming Home (2023)
This episode approaches the relationship between characters, while concludes the mission of taking Laurent to the Nest and getting Daryl back home
After Daryl kills the walker, Daryl and Quinn, chained together, kill several enhanced walkers in the arena before Fallou kills the guerrier Genet ordered to shoot them. In the chaos that follows, the group escapes, with a bitten Quinn sacrificing himself to buy Daryl time, but he reanimates, forcing Laurent to put his biological father down with Daryl's encouragement. After going their separate ways from Fallou and Emile, Daryl's group resumes journeying towards Mont-Saint-Michel, but are attacked by Genet's men. Unable to kill a child, Codron shoots the other guerriers instead, promising to get revenge on Daryl later. Upon his return, Genet deduces Codron's betrayal and has him tortured for information. Daryl's group finally reaches the Nest where they settle in.
Daryl becomes conflicted between staying in France and returning to America. Union of Hope leader Losang arranges passage to Newfoundland for Daryl, who chooses to leave despite Isabelle's comparing his abandoning Laurent to Daryl's abandonment by his own father. At the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Daryl visits the grave of his grandfather, William T. Dixon, who died on D-Day. On Omaha Beach, Daryl prepares to board a boat, but hesitates when he sees Laurent secretly followed him and has a herd of walkers closing in on him. Near Freeport, Maine, Carol searches for Daryl, finding his motorcycle. After Carol captures its hostile rider, he directs Carol to where he found it.
The episode begins with a mysterious scene, showing bodies of American soldiers killed during World War II. Initially, this scene seems to be disconnected from the rest of the episode, but when the end comes, everything makes sense and exposes the bond that Daryl already had with France, and with the mission we have been following during this season, this bond becomes even more intense.
The arena sequence with the protagonist's fight and the variants is definitely one of the best moments of this season, with exceptional direction. The moment when Daryl finishes off the variant using the French flag is visually beautiful, besides the soundtrack and slow motion that make the scene even better. The idea of bringing Quinn and tying the two characters to fight together against 4 variants shows that the series creator did not skimp on creativity. The whole sequence needs no comments because it is so well executed and choreographed.
Perhaps one of the few flaws I have to point out in this episode is the antagonists, who are practically sidelined. Genet, who had been a rising antagonist, here you simply forget that she is in the plot. The ease with which Daryl, Laurent, and Isabelle escape only exposes the weakness of the script in approaching the character, since she has a well-armed army that would never let them escape. Although this point is poorly executed, the episode manages to maintain its quality since its focus was on concluding the mission of taking Laurent to the Nest and getting Daryl back home.
This episode is perhaps the strongest in terms of approaching the relationship between the three main characters, portraying them as a family all the time. Firstly, the evolution of the boy as a character is clear, being willing to kill his father (even though he is a walker) to save his "mother." For someone who had never killed a walker, this scene is emotionally strong. Another scene that serves development is at the Nest, where Daryl is helping to bandage Isabelle, which visually rhymes with the first episode of the series when the protagonist arrives at the Convent. The approach of this entire episode is about bonds and family, and these small scenes further enhance what this journey was for Daryl.
The main focus of this episode is on family. The scene where Codron finally reaches Daryl to get his revenge and gives up when he sees the way the characters protect each other is quite symbolic. When Laurent points at him and says that God loves him, the character undergoes a key turning point and gives up on revenge, as it would lead nowhere. Again, the episode brings a narrative rhyme with what was set in the first episode about Laurent possessing something supernatural. Finally, we arrive at the long-awaited Nest, and what a perfect photograph in addition to satisfying moments. The place is visually beautiful and only highlights how impressively this series has been working on the technical aspects. Initially, I thought it would be just another generic community, but within the subsequent 5 minutes, I quickly changed my mind. The residents of the place are charismatic and give off a vibe of family and concern for each other.
Daryl's transformation and how he became attached to Laurent and Isabelle, which puts him in doubt about returning home, are clear. The final sequence ties in with the opening scene, showing that one of the dead soldiers was Daryl's grandfather. It was certainly one of the most emotional moments of The Walking Dead, Daryl visiting his grandfather's grave and getting emotional breaks the stereotype that the character is tough. This moment also serves to highlight the connections that the character has with France and to put him in conflict about returning to the United States. This sequence made Norman Reedus deliver a very strong performance that deeply moved me. To top it off, Laurent appears just as Daryl is leaving, which leads me to question whether that is real or just a hallucination. It would make a lot of sense for the character to be delirious, as if his conscience is telling him that he needs to stay to protect the family he has made. This does not mean abandoning his family in the United States, as Carol had said on the radio that everyone was okay, leading us to think that Daryl does not need to return urgently. As shown in the previous episode, Daryl had told Carol that he would return in a week, and this clearly did not happen, causing her to go after her friend alone. When Carol sees Daryl's bike being used, she realizes that something is wrong and finally gets clues about his whereabouts, putting her on a collision course with the same group that took Daryl to France.
It is possible to notice this presumption of the show's developers, going through the thematic mixture and the various historical representations they try to compress into the episodes, whether religious, medieval, or revolutionary. It's as if they were trying to do something different, but just throwing everything on the screen without a well-defined direction. After all, we end the debut year without understanding the motivations of the groups, what Laurent's relevance is in this war, and what debates are proposed by the subtext of the production. Carol's cliffhanger is a resource to make us curious about the duo's reunion, but many are totally uninterested in this arc in France, which, in addition to all these problems, maintains the franchise's trend in recent years of offering a product that underutilizes zombies and does not work suspense and horror with due respect. But the final balance of "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" from AMC is reasonably positive, bringing a refreshment to the franchise. Daryl leaves this series in a completely different way than he entered, presenting more layers and confirming the reasons why he is the most popular of The Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Deux Amours (2023)
Tying up the loose ends left in the last four episodes, the series brings a conclusion to the mystery and leaves a huge cliffhanger for the final episode
In Maine, Daryl helps to capture walkers in exchange for fuel he needs to get home. He briefly makes contact with Carol, who tells him someone has come back. After Juno murders a young man whom Daryl was mentoring, an altercation between the two causes them to be put on the Pouvoir ship; the two work together to escape, but Juno is torn apart by one of Pouvoir's test subjects who displays enhanced abilities similar to multiple variants. In the present, Isabelle struggles to adjust to being with Quinn again, even considering killing him with a knife, and receives a hidden message from Sylvie, Fallou, and Emile.
Isabelle agrees to join a Pouvoir celebration with Quinn, only to have a jealous Anna betray them. Daryl, Laurent and Azlan continue their journey to the Nest, but Azlan is killed during a fight with several walkers. Before dying, he reveals that the Nest is at Mont-Saint-Michel, but Laurent cuts a rope and lets their boat float off, wishing to go to America with Daryl instead. The two and Quinn are captured by guerriers and Genet coerces Laurent into making a show of support at an event she holds, where Genet pits Daryl in a gladiator fight against one of her enhanced walkers, unaware that Sylvie, Fallou and Emile have infiltrated the event.
Finally, with the answer of how Daryl ended up in France and everything he faced until crossing paths with the boat group, we have revelations and twists that change the series' landscape. This is why the specialized critics are right about the quality of this episode. The episode begins exactly where the last one left off, showing Daryl taking the boy to the "Nest." All the protagonist's concern for Laurent about the place he is going, questioning his safety, shows that the character already has bonds with the boy and possibly, at some point in the last episode, he must have hesitated to return home. The fatherhood relationship that was developed during these five episodes was very well built.
The highlight of the episode is definitely the editing, which kept alternating between present and past all the time without losing its pace. The color saturation chosen to portray the United States was spot-on, and these technical aspects remain at the highest level throughout. During these flashbacks, answers are finally given on how Daryl crossed the ocean. Shortly after leaving Commonwealth, the character finds himself in need of fuel to continue his mission, which leads him to accept a job in exchange for gasoline.
Faced with this need for supplies, the script manages to further enhance Daryl's survival skills. The easy way he captures walkers to take the group's attention and shows why he has survived all these years of the apocalypse. Even after 11 seasons, it is impressive how the character still presents room for growth and should continue to be so from now on as it is one of the characteristics that David Zabel has shown, the constant desire to evolve his characters. In the present scenes, Daryl's relationship with Laurent and his conversation about important people he mentions, like Judith, RJ, Carol, Connie, Ezekiel, shows that the boy managed to break the shell that Daryl has. When talking about the children, the episode is touching because it brings a direct dialogue from the series narrative to reality. We see Daryl talk about the importance of returning home, focusing on the children, which is very common in the real world in times of war. This verisimilitude makes the character's desire to reunite with his family even greater.
The episode also works with Isabelle's plot, which yes, is more constrained, but still serves to unravel some points of the story, which should be relevant to the conclusion of the season. After it became a little hazy at the end of the last episode what the character would do from then on, here things become clearer. Since Quinn has some relation to Genet's group, Isabelle tried to persuade him in a way so that he could help in Laurent's crossing. Again, it is important to emphasize how this series works with characteristic and very individual traits of each character.
Before going to France, Daryl, in the middle of his mission still in the United States, gets a radio to communicate with Carol, which already gives a preview of the possible appearance of the character in the final episode. Dialogue goes back and forth, and Carol says that someone has returned, but the call fails, and Daryl cannot hear who. Certainly, the writers want to sharpen and lead the audience to think that it is Rick and Michonne, but it is very unlikely to be that due to the lack of excitement in which it was spoken. With the end of Fear the Walking Dead approaching, I believe it is more possible to be Morgan. Due to the confusion caused by the death of the young man who wanted to help in the mission, Daryl is taken on the boat to serve as food for the walkers. With a brilliant escape plan, we see the much-talked-about confusion on the ship caused by the American, which had been mentioned since the first episode. With a set of tense scenes and the most anticipated moment of this series, the protagonist finds himself facing the most dangerous variant we have seen so far in the entire universe, forcing the character to flee and leave the fight aside. At this moment, the camera work is very well directed to expose the dangers of the variant, making an allusion past and present of two exactly identical situations for the protagonist: having to face a dangerous walker to survive.
What holds the episode (and justifies my score not being a gigantic zero) is the concept of the variant zombie, which brings some kind of impulse to the story and because I always support ideas to elevate the undead that have gradually been discarded. I also like the relatively macabre atmosphere of Genet's lair (and the ship as well), with captured zombies, ideologically blind soldiers, and horror experiments. But it's little, very little for a penultimate episode of the season. Tying up the loose ends left in the last four episodes, the series brings a conclusion to the mystery and leaves a huge cliffhanger for the final episode, which promises to set the course that will likely be followed in the second season.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: La Dame de Fer (2023)
It's unbelievable that at this point, the writers have created such an unnecessary subplot that leads nowhere
Genet begins a search for Laurent, seeking to eliminate him as he is a symbol of hope to people. As part of this, Genet makes a deal with Quinn who seeks Laurent in order to get Isabelle back. After escaping from a flooded building, and having a dream that a praying Laurent is ignored by a mob of walkers, Daryl encounters Antoine who is killed by guerriers, but he helps the dying man to free his pigeons. Reuniting with Isabelle, Daryl tracks Laurent to the ruins of the Eiffel Tower where the boy nearly falls victim to a herd. During the rescue, Laurent is kidnapped by Quinn's men and taken to Demimonde. With the help of a captive, whom he tortures and later abandons to walkers, Daryl sneaks into the nightclub and rescues Laurent while Fallou and his people create a distraction. Daryl overpowers Quinn while Anna, disgruntled by Quinn's obsession with Isabelle, lets them go. Having fallen in love with Emile, Sylvie decides to stay in Paris with him while Isabelle decides to stay in order to get Quinn to help secure Daryl and Laurent passage out as Genet locks the city down. Daryl and Laurent leave Paris on a boat heading to the Nest, the Union's main base.
The first three episodes presented us with a France devastated by the apocalypse, and the hope that everything can change. The next three episodes (including this one) are moving towards concluding the plot and leaving doors open for the next season. Here, the series' narrative has completely stagnated, and nothing relevant is presented to us, except for a few uninteresting action sequences. The script's standstill is evident, as at the end of the previous episode Daryl falls, giving the idea that we would have a minimally interesting episode start, which in fact does not happen. This shows that the episode moves in a lost and anticlimactic way throughout, with completely disposable scenes without any dramatic effect.
The initial sequence of the episode was somewhat intriguing because, even though it was a hallucination, seeing the boy in a risky situation may have made Daryl more protective of the child. In addition, all this belief around Laurent about him being the hope is being very well developed in various aspects, both in dialogues, actions, flashbacks, and now hallucinations. Here we also have the focus of Genet's group discovering that there really is a boy that people believe is the hope of everything, and she seems to mock because with the existence of this boy, the people of the Union of Hope would be blinded and would not follow what she wants to preach. As shown in one of the previous trailers, it seems that the series will still show this authoritarian and ultranationalist side of the character, drawing parallels with other real figures who are seen as villains of humanity.
Finally, Laurent manages to reach the Eiffel Tower, a symbolic place for him, as it is where his mother's photo is located. The scene suggests that those walkers have been trapped there for a long time, and when Laurent arrives and they manage to break down the barrier, it seemed a bit too forced. But anyway, Daryl and Isabelle arrive to save the boy, until he is kidnapped, and the series creates a new subplot. The protagonists manage to capture a member of the group that took Laurent and try to extract some information. Daryl's coldness in stabbing the enemy's abdomen with a sharp object is agonizing to watch, but it is satisfying from the perspective of the character's evolution in this spin-off, which in this particular scene reminded me of Negan, being sarcastic in a brutal moment.
It's unbelievable that at this point, the writers have created such an unnecessary subplot that leads nowhere. The boy is taken to Quinn's nightclub, and everything indicates that he only kidnaps the boy to get to Isabelle. Daryl manages to invade the nightclub, and the two characters fight, with the protagonist winning and Quinn being knocked unconscious. It seems that there is no more room for the character in the plot, so I believe that in the final two episodes, the series will not focus on him again. The characters meet near a river, and Isabelle decides to stay and send Daryl and Laurent by boat. This point was a bit confusing for many people, but since Genet has surrounded the entire city, Isabelle believes that if the group separates, it becomes more difficult to be caught, and Daryl to protect Laurent seems like the best option. However, with only the two of them alone, they become more vulnerable to Genet and Codron's attacks.
Speaking of the boy, it is still difficult to delineate what exactly the series wants to represent with his character. Obviously, the messianic traits exist, but it is noticeable that both the direction and the script cannot bring a necessarily believable or curious approach to the theme. There is nothing truly symbolic, except perhaps for that scene where Daryl dreams of the boy praying and warding off zombies (which leads nowhere, by the way), nor is there anything critical or minimally provocative/reflective about the insinuations of religion and faith in most of the dialogues. Is this boy supposed to be a symbol of hope? Why exactly? And where is the dramatic substance or any kind of thematic, narrative, or symbolic representation around it? It seems that the story wants us to buy into this idea with a few lines of dialogue about innocence and childlike purity as justification.
Even worse than that is the absolute laziness in several scenes of the episode. Apparently, Daryl was bitten in the water and even appears limping afterward, but this is left hanging... in a mix of careless mystery with random insinuation. We also have the terribly directed sequence of Laurent being kidnapped - what was that shot of Daryl letting go of the boy's car? Or the completely emotionless farewell of Isabelle and that other former nun who is overflowing with libido. The season has gradually become a collage of arbitrary moments, something that makes me look less favorably at the concepts I praised in the pilot, like the medieval side or the religious aspects that haven't amounted to anything so far. Notice, for example, the torture scene and the almost trial-like indication of Isabelle, opening up space for a discussion of morality and violence that the franchise has already addressed, but that simply dissipates...
"La Dame de Fer" is a slow and weak episode that leads nowhere. The series, which came from an excellent sequence in the last three episodes, completely loses its way here. With the resumption of the main mission at the end of this episode and two episodes remaining, the series has everything to deliver great moments and make us forget about this fourth episode. The series started with some minimally curious and unusual ideas for the franchise, but as the episodes have progressed, it is noticeable that there is no cohesion or deepening in the concepts and themes presented or insinuated by the narrative. It's all up in the air, maintaining the same dramatic problems of the franchise (bad dialogues, melodrama) and also those of direction (lack of tension, zero visual creativity for staging or setting, no scope), in addition to this growing sense of randomness that I have felt in the last episodes.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Paris Sera Toujours Paris (2023)
If in the first episodes we had those medieval inspirations, now everything here has a foot in the contemporary, especially in the nightclub block
After a brief stop in Angers, including a bizarre zombie orchestra performing Boléro, Daryl's group finally reaches Paris. There, after a poignant encounter with a little girl - now a zombie - who used to be Isabelle's neighbor, they meet a community led by a man named Fallou. With their help, Daryl seeks out information on a ship that can return him to America, which leads the group to the Demimonde nightclub and a reunion with Isabelle's ex-boyfriend Quinn. Quinn reveals that he is Laurent's father and demands that Isabelle and Laurent stay with him in exchange for his help. Daryl rejects the deal and prepares to set out on his own after an argument with Isabelle, leading to Laurent running away after overhearing them. Codron meets with Genet, who agrees to let him lead the search for Daryl while her people continue experimenting with walkers. Pouvoir attacks Fallou's community and Isabelle searches for Laurent, while Daryl falls through a roof following a brutal fight with Codron.
Continuing Daryl's mission to return home, he and his companions need to cross Paris. As soon as they arrive, we meet a group that has developed in the outskirts of the city of light. I'm really enjoying the way the series is portraying Paris, which since the last episode has been approached as a character apart from the series, showing that the city functions - obviously differently - even after the end of the world. The scale and proportion that the technical aspects are taking in this spin-off are exceptional. Simply cinematic. As for the new group shown here, it's what I say every episode: another generic community that doesn't add to the story, except for making Laurent help a grieving woman, which further enhances the belief that the boy is the new Messiah. The leader of the community even shows to be an interesting character, leading the group to a place where Daryl can get the boat to return to the United States. This character was a great addition to the series' cast, and I genuinely hope he returns in future episodes.
Upon arriving at this new location, we discover that Isabelle's ex-husband, Quinn, is Laurent's father, which means he had a relationship with both sisters. I didn't expect anything from this character to reappear (since he was shown as a supporting character in the previous episode) and even less that he would be the boy's father. On the other hand, it seems that this hook left will play a relevant role in the development of the relationship between Isabelle and Laurent, as she now has one more thing to hide from the boy. Hopefully, this will have an impact on the plot and not just be an irrelevant revelation that leads nowhere.
Another scene that caught my attention here in this episode was the moment Isabelle returns to her old home with Daryl. The dialogue and similarities between the two characters create a chemistry between them in a surprisingly quick way, but enough to make us attach to them. With this character's growth and The Walking Dead's history of killing off characters just as they're growing, unfortunately, it is possible that her death will occur at the end of the season.
The scene of the walkers falling from the building and resisting shows the danger of the variants, which have been the great attraction of this series. However, what stands out most in this sequence is the walker child Aimeé, who was Isabelle's neighbor. Before the world fell - as shown in the previous episode - Isabelle didn't want to talk about what was happening to not scare the girl. When we see Isabelle leaving the building to leave Paris, she is looking at the little girl, and her concern about what could happen to the girl is clear - and it happens. This even shows a different approach since we rarely see walker children in all the productions of the universe. Here we see again the issue of experiments with the variants, now with an agile and strong walker, who can easily break free from chains. It is still uncertain whether these variants will actually become troublesome at some point or if they will remain only in these isolated samples, but it is really exciting to see these new walkers, and this ends up giving a breath to the franchise.
But overall, the feeling is of an arbitrary story. If in the first episodes we had those medieval inspirations, now everything here has a foot in the contemporary, especially in the nightclub block. The series' language is random, even in the way the characters' journey is not well delineated, because at one moment they are going somewhere, at another they change their minds, one moment Daryl wants a radio, the next he wants to help Isabelle get a photo of her sister... I understand the appreciation for a more intimate chapter, but better dialogues and a dramaturgy with weight are lacking for the conversations between Daryl and Isabelle to gain emotion.
Furthermore, I am having difficulty understanding the characters' arcs. Daryl seems like a visitor on the adventure, doing what they ask of him and serving as a leader whenever danger comes, but we haven't had any development that advances or makes us reflect on the character's traumas and past events, or any element that shows any kind of evolution. It's the same old Daryl. As for Isabelle, she is a compilation of generic elements from the franchise, and Laurent, well, so far this chosen prophet metaphor doesn't make much sense, and these suggestions that he is special are insufficient to create any dramatic interest in the story.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Alouette (2023)
With this episode sidelining Daryl for a large part of the time and putting the spotlight on Isabelle, "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" proves that it has much more to surprise
During the initial outbreak, Isabelle, a drug addict and thief, escapes from Paris with her boyfriend Quinn and her pregnant sister Lily; she ultimately abandons Quinn. Lily dies and gives birth as a walker to Laurent via emergency C-section. In the present, the group loses their mule and are captured by a group of children living in their old preschool with their dying teacher, Madame Dubois. Laurent makes friends with the children, who tell him the nuns are lying to him. Needing a horse, Daryl offers to get medicine for Dubois if one of the children, Lou, helps him raid a nearby castle owned by a man dubbed La Tarasque. Inside, Daryl confronts the man, revealed as an American from Texas named R. J. Gaines, and rescues a boy he has captured. Gaines falls into his own walker moat and is devoured, while the kids rescue Daryl. Meanwhile, Dubois has died, and Daryl encourages Lou to step up as their leader. Daryl's party leaves, but Laurent expresses frustration over secrets kept from him. Codron returns to the abbey where he finds Daryl's recorded message, a picture of Laurent and a map of the group's route to Paris.
Seeing the beginning of everything from Isabelle's (Clémence Poésy) perspective was overwhelming, mainly because of the suspenseful elements inserted here. The screams at the party she was attending, the fight when she is on the bridge, and the chaos in the subway create a terror atmosphere reminiscent of the early seasons of The Walking Dead, mainly because of not knowing what was happening and how to deal with the problem.
A cleverness of the script that was really noticeable here is the approach of how Isabelle gradually realizes what is happening. She first sees walkers in the subway, then witnesses a person being attacked in a restaurant, and finally the dead driver who reanimates. In other words, the episode works with this scale of the character's discovery, until she understands the magnitude of the problem and decides to go to her home and leave Paris with her sister. During their escape, Isabelle's sister reveals she is seven months pregnant and begins to show signs that the baby is about to be born. The predictability that this child would be Laurent was obvious all along, but the episode still manages to surprise us. The fact that they tied Isabelle's story, Laurent, and the nuns during these flashbacks only shows the quality of the script that I mentioned earlier. We are once again surprised when she reveals she has been bitten, with the baby still unborn. I expected the birth to be before the transformation, but no, the boy is born moments after his mother reanimates. This explains all the symbolism placed on this child and, consequently, being named after a saint represents this.
We continue to follow the journey of Daryl, Isabelle, and Sylvie to take Laurent from point A to point B. Along the way, we meet a new community (as usual). Watching this whole part of the episode, I thought it would be another superficial community like all the others shown in the other productions. I wouldn't say this is a point out of the curve, but yes, it has a purpose in the plot. There, Laurent meets children who have things in common with him, having lived their entire lives in the apocalypse, without knowing the world before, which ends up making the boy want to stay. The most interesting thing of all is that this is the theme of the episode, the different worldviews that each character presents.
We see this worldview from the boy's point of view, Isabelle's flashbacks (which permeate the entire episode), and the moment when Daryl says a prayer at the table, showing those children what the world was like before. By the way, the text of this series seems to be incorporating a religious aspect that seems to be important for the protagonist's decisions going forward. Themes like faith and iconoclasm are being lightly added to the plot, which seems to be making this spin-off the most different in its approaches from everything we've seen in the entire The Walking Dead universe. We have a practically episodic story, almost filler I would say, in which Daryl's group meets some young survivors. The characterization and narrative style allude to tales of young revolutionaries and a beautiful fraternity, even in the adventure that takes the forefront of the episode: invading a castle where the villain is a typical stereotyped American redneck. I confess that seeing Daryl fighting with a flail in a zombie castle siege is not the worst thing in the world, in the form of superficial entertainment that this series delivers, but it lacks better direction and scene construction to aim for the medieval and swashbuckling side that the production is inspired by - the scene of Daryl jumping the bridge is one of the worst sequences the franchise has ever seen.
One thing is certain, those who value verisimilitude, logic, and a grounded story will not find interest in the spin-off. The concepts don't make sense, the allusions are arbitrary, the drama is shallow, the suspense is almost nonexistent, and the establishment of the story starts from a premise that seems to have been shouted by an intern along the lines of "what if we mix TWD with something medieval in France." The madness here has its moments, though, both for the action (in small doses) and for the scenarios, weapon choices, and even "medieval" costumes. Metaphors of religion and a narrative of odyssey will not be found here. But despite these narrative missteps, both falling into the pit full of walkers made for a good action scene, with all the elements of a good sequence: hand-to-hand combat, gory death, and explosion. With this episode sidelining Daryl for a large part of the time and putting the spotlight on Isabelle, "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" proves that it has much more to show and surprise. Although it is a slow episode compared to the previous one, it advances the plot a lot and leaves us even more intrigued for what comes next.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: L'âme Perdue (2023)
It seems that the series starring Norman Reedus proposes something new, interesting, and with the possibility of opening new paths for the zombie genre
Daryl Dixon washes ashore in France and sets out to return to America. He suffers an arm wound upon encountering a new walker variant called "burners". Near Marseille, Daryl encounters Maribelle and her grandfather Guillaume. Henri and Michel, soldiers from a paramilitary group called Pouvoir des Vivants (Power of the Living), attack them and are killed before Maribelle and Guillaume rob Daryl and flee. The pair are caught by Michel's brother Codron, who kills Guillaume and seeks revenge on Daryl on the assumption he killed Michel. Isabelle, a nun for the Union de L'Espoir (Union of Hope), finds Daryl and takes him to her abbey for treatment.
She introduces Daryl to Laurent, a young boy the Union believes is the Messiah destined to revive humanity; she believes Daryl is the messenger who must deliver Laurent to the Union contingent in Paris. He rejects the idea and leaves. Codron's men attack the abbey, killing most of the nuns, but Daryl returns and helps to fend off the assailants. Daryl agrees to help in exchange for Isabelle leading him to Le Havre. It's revealed that a Pouvoir ship transporting walker test subjects took Daryl from America, but he instigated a mutiny, destroyed their research and escaped. Genet, the leader of Pouvoir, orders that Daryl be found.
After discovering that Rick is alive at the end of 'The Walking Dead,' Daryl sets out on new paths across the United States until his path crosses with a group that transports him by ship to France. Despite being very popular, the character didn't sustain protagonism after Andrew Lincoln's exit from the main series, which was the main concern surrounding this new spin-off. The solution the script brings to grow Daryl's protagonism is to portray him as a messenger of God to transport the boy Laurent, which generates conflicting and interesting dialogues. All the new characters are very well introduced and positioned in the story as important elements. That said, with only six episodes, there would be the possibility of the plot feeling rushed, but if all the upcoming episodes are at least an hour long like this one, the chance of that happening would be minimal. When it was announced that this spin-off would take place in Europe, curiosity to know how Daryl crossed the ocean was immense, and the biggest question was whether this would have to do with the CRM (Civic Republic Military), the group that took Rick Grimes. Obviously, not everything was explained in this first episode about what led Daryl to end up in France, but many clues were provided here about what really happened.
The big surprise of this premiere episode is Isabelle, a character played by Clémence Poésy from Harry Potter. She helps Daryl after he is attacked by two survivors who take his supplies, leading him to the abbey. The dialogue between the two characters and their different worldviews already proves to be important for the development of their relationship. The connection they created with just an hour of screen time is interesting, so much so that at the end of the episode, Daryl opens up to her about how he ended up in France.
Another highlight here is the boy Laurent. He is unaware of his importance, and his way of relating to people shows that he is sensitive, explaining why the nuns find him important. In his first interaction with Daryl, Laurent reminds him of Judith, even saying the same phrase that young Grimes said at the end of The Walking Dead. The boy is presented as an important piece of the plot, being an object of delivery to a community in northern France, and Daryl, the envoy of God, must deliver him. It is not yet clear for what purpose the child is so important, it is only said that he is important for the "rebirth of humanity." This sounds very familiar, as we had "The Last of Us" this year, a series that has a very similar plot.
The series also introduces the antagonist in the first episode. Although he seems caricatured and has the look of a "bad guy," Codron presents a strong personality and a plausible motivation, revenge for Daryl killing his brother. This aspect proves to be refreshing for The Walking Dead universe, since in the last few seasons, few villains had something to fight for, most were evil just for being evil. The last scene of the episode presents us more objectively with what happened on the ship that was transporting Daryl. Apparently, he caused a mutiny on the ship that ended up getting out of control, allowing him to escape. Since the ship is transporting several walkers for experiments, the character got himself into a big mess with a group that apparently proved to be large. With Daryl's mission to reach the port, it is very likely that his paths will cross again with the paths of this group.
As for the variants, the writers are still timid. Here, they even present some acid walkers, but it's a very quick scene. One of the audience's great expectations for this series was precisely to see a little more of the variants that were practically useless in The Walking Dead. With the post-credits scene of World Beyond taking place in France and showing a very agile variant, we hope to see more of this here. In an episode with a good pace, which uses the information to play with the audience's imagination and with a beautiful and detailed setting, Daryl Dixon starts off very well. Currently, the expansion of the 'The Walking Dead' universe has been heavily criticized, but it seems that the series starring Norman Reedus proposes something new, interesting, and with the possibility of opening new paths for the zombie genre.
Of course, everything seems like a blatant copy of 'The Last of Us' when we notice the narrative approach of the debut episode: joining a zombie killer full of wrinkles and scars with a destined child. But make no mistake, before Joel and Wolverine, we had other stories with this type of classic premise or at least something similar. Everything will depend on the execution, on how they can explore the clichés and conventions of a plot that offers few dramatic novelties, especially after the very cool HBO production. Surprisingly, the first chapter brings religious touches, playing with our perception of the mythology of this universe that has always cherished human stories without exaggeration. I highly doubt we will see themes like faith, doctrine, fanaticism, or iconoclasm articulated by the type of superficial text that has been accompanying the franchise's productions, but at least there is the opportunity to explore something different. I am relatively curious about which path they will follow, whether they will kick the bucket and propose a fantastic-fanciful story (unlikely) or if they will use the religious setting to develop some kind of spiritual journey for Daryl, which seems likely. I don't know if we will have a messianic plot, but we will certainly see the trajectory of the silent and wounded man finding empathy.
"The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" has everything we imagine in a solo story of the eponymous character, from his characteristic of a solitary wanderer with kind tendencies leading him to star in an adventure, to his stoicism that masks much pain. I don't know if the writers will be good enough to create something dramatically deep around the character, but they take advantage of a beaten premise that has been successful to create a curious scenario with layers of religion in France.
Tales of the Walking Dead (2022)
"TTWD" fails to bring a new freshness to the franchise, but still manages to bring characters whose journeys are worth following, and missing the chance to develop concepts
Tales of The Walking Dead is an anthology series set in the famous post-apocalyptic universe of AMC, featuring 6 episodes in its first season. It makes it clear to the viewer that the show takes advantage of the creative freedom that the story allows, as being an anthology, the producers can introduce new ideas here to be used (or not) in future productions of this universe. Of the 6 stories presented to us, only one is connected to the main TWD universe: episode 3, which tells the beginning of Alpha's (Samantha Morton) and Lydia's (Scarlett Blum) journey. As one of the main villains in this universe, we now see her still as Lee, and her struggle to take care of her daughter and survive, before she even meets the Whisperers. Perhaps this is the best story of all in this first season, which features not only a good episode but also two characters already established within this world, which makes it much easier for us to connect with them.
At the end of each episode, it's undeniable that this series serves as something more experimental for AMC. In the second episode, we have perhaps the craziest and most confusing thing ever shown in all the series of The Walking Dead universe. By addressing time travel, the show takes the risk of being either loved or hated by fans. Yes, we either love or hate this episode. In the last episode, we are taken for the first time into a proper horror story, with supernatural elements being shown, even though the script plays with our perception of what happens there, something that had never been done in the franchise before.
One of the points that caught my attention to follow the series was the cast. Important actors like Terry Crews (Deadpool 2), Olivia Munn (The Predator), Jessie T. Usher (The Boys), Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), among others, star in different stories and have the space for their stories to be told in a free way, since the script has no obligation to connect these characters to elements shown previously, except for episode 3.
However, this is exactly where Tales of The Walking Dead falls short: the series has no purpose. Perhaps Terry Crews may appear in future productions, as the actor's image was widely used in the show's promotions, and he himself has made some statements hinting at this. But the feeling that remains is that its release is due to only two reasons: to cover the time until the final episodes of the main series are released, and as mentioned at the beginning of this review, to test new elements in the franchise, to see how the audience will react.
This universe shows no signs of following the same path as its main series anytime soon. A miniseries focused on Maggie and Negan, another on Rick and Michonne, as well as the program starring Daryl, have been announced and will arrive soon. But possibly all these experiments made here by the production must not have caused the best reactions in the audience that has been consuming this universe since 2010.
The 1st season of Tales of The Walking Dead fails to bring a new freshness to the future of these productions, but still manages to bring cool characters whose journeys are worth following, even knowing all their simplicity and missing the chance to delve into super interesting concepts that were left aside.
Tales of the Walking Dead: La Doña (2022)
The direction chooses a serious tone that doesn't bring much novelty, offering the audience a ghost and cursed house story that we've seen a million times
Eric and Idalia decide to try to take refuge at the house of an elderly woman, Doña Alma. She agrees to give them food and let them stay the night but insists they must leave the next day. Over dinner, Eric pushes the issue and asks to be allowed to stay for good, but Alma orders them to leave on the spot. She suddenly falls and hits her head, dying instantly. Though Eric is satisfied now having the well-protected house to themselves, Idalia is uncomfortable taking over the deceased woman's house. Idalia experiences various hallucinations and visions as she hears the voice of Alma insisting the house belongs to her. Eric is dismissive until he too begins seeing things, including believing the walker of their friend Maria is actually her back from the dead. The two become hostile with each other as the hauntings persist, but when they try to leave, they are chased into the basement by Alma's ghost. The pair are driven to stab each other and find themselves pulled into branches and walkers of people they met.
La Doña follows the same logic as Blair-Gina: bringing a concept that doesn't fit in The Walking Dead's mythology. If there we had a time loop, here we have a more mystical story about a cursed house and a ghost, also containing light elements of religion typical in Latin horror narratives. I understand that the writers want to have a differentiated and surprising approach, and I even applaud the creative courage, but there must be some cohesion with the principles of this universe, otherwise, it ceases to be a TWD tale.
This automatically makes the episode bad for me. But La Doña's execution, within its precepts, is not so dreadful, although it contains nothing special or memorable. The story follows two apocalypse survivors who find refuge in the house of a mysterious old woman, probably a kind of witch. She prepares a dinner for the couple but doesn't want them to stay in the house, making one of them nervous. In a strange accident scene, the homeowner ends up dying, and the two survivors decide to stay on the premises.
The rest of the episode shows the characters being haunted by the house and La Doña, suffering a series of hallucinations. Deborah Kampmeier's direction has some scenic ideas, with some camera movements that seemed inspired by Sam Raimi (some zooms; many spins; and even a scene of a hand coming out of the ground that reminded me of a classic Raimi moment), but the filmmaker is extremely limited, not taking advantage of spaces or the threats of the house.
There's a lack of composition in the hallucination scenes, happening randomly and very quickly, always with an abundance of clichés. Some jump scares here and there, some objects coming to life, blood dripping down the walls, and figures from the past appearing to haunt them, in a succession of tired horror elements. The way they repeat themselves without any escalation of tension or a sense of danger makes the narrative become boring, culminating in a very anticlimactic ending.
I confess that a more over-the-top approach with humor had more potential, exploring elements like the parrot, the figures coming to life, and the witch herself in a more comedic way. But, well, the direction chose a serious tone that doesn't bring much novelty, offering the audience a ghost and cursed house story that we've seen a million times.
Furthermore, as is common in the series' scripts, there are many dramas and clashes between the protagonists. I even like some dramatic elements, like the survival issue versus the guilt of taking the old lady's house, but all the trust-distrust game between the couple sounded tiresome to me, considering that both were having hallucinations. It would have been much more interesting to see the two simply terrified together than having discussions about lack of trust. A disappointing ending for another mediocre TWD spin-off.
Tales of the Walking Dead: Davon (2022)
The audience have a hard time believing that anyone who paid even a little attention to the events of the episode needed its message spelled out so plainly
In a small town in Maine, Davon awakens with a head wound and temporary amnesia and shackled to the corpse of a woman named Amanda. After putting Amanda down, Davon hallucinates Amanda talking to him, accusing Davon of murder. In flashbacks, a wounded Davon arrives in town seven weeks earlier and he is taken in by Amanda and her sister Nora with whom he develops a romantic relationship. In the present, Davon finds a zombified boy in Amanda's basement and puts him down before being captured by the townspeople who accuse Davon of murdering their missing children and attempt to execute him. His memories slowly returning, Davon remembers finding Nora's son Garen who escaped while Davon fought off, shackled himself to and accidentally killed Amanda in self-defense when she tried to kill him. Escaping his execution, Davon finds Garen with Amanda's son Arnaud who has been kidnapping and murdering the town's children, convinced that he is sparing them from the horrors of the world while Amanda had been protecting her son. Finding the reanimated bodies of two of Arnaud's victims, Davon summons the townspeople and exposes Arnaud while Garen exonerates Davon. The enraged parents feed Arnaud to his own victims in revenge and the disgusted Davon leaves town.
The episode does its best to immerse us in Davon's jumbled point of view by careening constantly between flashbacks and the present day, but in the interest of clarity, let's lay all this out in chronological order: Seven weeks before the episode begins, an injured Davon is rescued and healed by the small, apparently peaceful community still residing in Madawaska. The group's leader, Amanda, is obviously bad news; this is the kind of person who says stuff like "Sometimes murder is mercy" while grimacing and staring directly into his eyes without blinking.
Davon is either too dumb to recognize the obvious danger here or too distracted by Nora, a Madawaska resident with whom he enjoys an instant and mutual attraction. The budding lovebirds have an adorable postapocalyptic courtship - flirting over strawberry picking and piano lessons - that sadly unravels when Nora becomes convinced Davon has murdered her preadolescent son, Garen.
Yes: As Agatha Christie might have titled one of her lesser novels, there's a murderer in Madawaska. But the episode doesn't have a lot of time to introduce and resolve this whole mystery, so you don't need to be a Poirot to figure out the likeliest suspects. Amanda is creepy but so obvious she's clearly a red herring. But she does have a weird teenage son, Arnaud, who keeps talking about how his mother is the only person who loved and understood him.
We hear about all this in the past tense because - in the episode's cleverest bit - it turns out Amanda is the zombie handcuffed to Davon all along. When Davon stumbled into the murder basement where Arnaud had been bringing his young victims, Amanda tried to stop him and died for her trouble, leaving Davon on the hook for the kidnappings and killings. And with no one left to vouch for his innocence, the entire town is ready for his execution.
That includes Nora, whose distrust of Davon belies the fragility of her own mantra: "We decide who we are." The town has decided Davon is a child murderer - and by deciding (inaccurately) who Davon is, they have decided they're the kind of community that will murder an innocent person based on flimsy and circumstantial evidence.
Madawaska's baroque method of execution involves putting Davon in an old car, crushing it with a bulldozer, then letting zombies feast on him. Like the board game Mouse Trap, it is a bizarrely elaborate way to do a relatively simple thing, and it gives Davon plenty of time to escape without too much hassle.
With his memories restored, Davon confronts Arnaud, who mounts his defense for why killing kids is actually a moral good. Growing up in the zombie apocalypse makes you twisted, he warns. By killing the kids, he says, he's saving them from a lifetime of awful things they'll need to do to survive. He finishes this weird little speech with a familiar line - say it with me: "Sometimes murder is mercy."
Davon is not convinced. Neither is the rest of the town, who finally figure out the truth. And in a stab at a poetic execution that is at least more practical than crushing by bulldozer in a car, Arnaud is tossed into a nearby pit where the children he killed have come back as zombies.
This is Davon's chance for a big speech, and he doesn't waste it. "We don't have to live like this! We don't have to be like this! We decide who we are" he shouts. It was probably fun for Usher to cap off his performance with this big, melodramatic monologue, but the audience have a hard time believing that anyone who paid even a little attention to the events of the episode needed its message spelled out so plainly.
Tales of the Walking Dead: Amy/Dr. Everett (2022)
The episode gives a false philosophical and humanistic interpretation in these superficial conversations, but it's hard to hide the thematic and reflective poverty in clichés
A reclusive scientist and nature documentarian, Dr. Chauncey Everett, accompanies a stranger, Amy, as she tries to find the group of survivors she was separated from in an area of the Wiregrass region now called the Dead Sector. Amy's attempts to connect with Everett are largely unsuccessful as he sees the undead, which he has dubbed homo mortus, are the next stage of nature's evolution while humanity is the danger. Everett is focused on saving one of his missing research specimens, dubbed Specimen 21, who is later revealed to be one of his former colleagues, but Specimen 21 is eaten by an alligator. Amy and Everett have a falling out after he stops her from saving two of her friends before Everett reveals that her camp is in the path of a massive herd and is doomed. Amy rushes off to warn her friends, but Everett later discovers that they have fallen to the herd and turned themselves. Everett begins tagging his new specimens for study, including a now undead Amy, although Everett displays some hesitation when faced with his former friend.
Here, we basically have a more "scientific" look, somewhat naturalistic and curious in terms of mythology for the series' universe. I like how the direction and editing try to incorporate this visually. The editing consists of images of the environment, animals, and large landscapes in the style of Animal Planet or National Geographic documentaries, including narration by the scientist. And filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour has a good composition of scenes in the forests and in situations that depict the ruthless cruelty of the ecosystem. By the way, it is worth noting how the episode explores the threat of zombies, something that has been forgotten within the TWD universe.
However, the stylistic choices end up being somewhat gratuitous considering that the script is extremely limited in terms of discourse and drama to be able to dialogue with the direction and editing. It's like watching an interesting idea like "let's use science and nature" in TWD, without a good progression of the premise, considering that we basically have hypocritical lectures from Everett and little exploration of his research and zombie behaviors. Honestly, if this entire episode were the scientist wandering around and analyzing zombie behaviors, we would have a very cool chapter considering the filmmaker's work.
But no, we needed to have a million expository dialogues about "human connection." All of the doctor's interactions with Amy are boring, whether the female character is giving long speeches about her love for humanity or Everett himself is declaring his hatred for Homo sapiens a million times. The text tries to give a false philosophical and humanistic interpretation in these superficial conversations, but it's hard to hide the thematic and reflective poverty in cliché phrases like "humanity doesn't learn." Would it be so difficult to give us a nature documentary as the premise suggests and the direction tries to execute? Complicated. Beyond the terrible interaction and dialogue between the main duo, it's also a bit hard to buy into the "trust-don't trust" adventure between Amy and Dr. Everett. Fortunately, Haifaa Al-Mansour's direction manages to make the episode more dynamic and visually interesting, while the premise holds the story within a minimally curious idea.
Tales of the Walking Dead: Dee (2022)
The best episode of the series so far. It earns high marks for its focus on Dee's ever-fragile psychology but presents some gaps in Alpha's storyline told in TWD previously
Alpha, known then as "Dee", tries to protect her daughter Lydia on the community steamboat they live in post-apocalypse, but grows jealous of another resident, Brooke, who Lydia appears to like and trust more. Dee is alarmed by Brooke's naive view of the current world and attempt to maintain normality despite the dangers. Dee's suspicions of a resident named Billy prove to be true as Billy and his gang attempt to seize the boat for themselves; Dee and Lydia narrowly escape as the residents and the gang wipe each other out, leaving Brooke as the only other survivor. Dee scars Brooke's face for failing to protect her daughter after Lydia stops her mother from killing Brooke. At the end of their rope, Dee and Lydia are found by the Whisperers who are led at this time by a woman named Hera. Dee later kills Hera and turns Hera's face into her walker mask, becoming Alpha of the Whisperers.
The episode seemed to be the origin story not just of Alpha and Beta, but of the Whisperers as a group. While they didn't show that faction, the face-mask Beta carves certainly seemed like a hint at things to come. And, well, Alpha and Beta signify the first and second of something and we can safely presume that something to be the Whisperers. Without explicitly stating it, the episode appeared to give us a pretty clear picture of how the Whisperers began. But the Tales episode this week not only contradicts that origin story, it breaks all continuity in the process.
Alpha - known at this point as Dee (Samantha Morton) and Lydia (played here by Scarlett Blum) are living on an old steamboat on a river in the south. The steamboat community is led by a woman named Brooke (Lauren Glazier) whose leadership style is basically the bread & circuses approach. She throws fancy parties where everyone is expected to dress up nice. She seems more concerned with appearances than with common sense, and leaves the boat's outside lights on despite the unnecessary attention it might draw at night. All of this rubs Dee the wrong way. Worse, Lydia is infatuated with Brooke, who dotes on her and constantly chides Dee for her appearance or lack of motherly skills. Lydia would gladly trade her mother in for this newer, prettier, sweeter model. But things go bad, as they always do. Dee is suspicious about one of the newcomers to the boat, Billy (Nick Basta). When he serves her drinks at the bar, he's rude and dismissive, telling her that if she's not going to dress nice and make Brooke happy, she should just stay in her room. It's almost as if he doesn't want her around for some reason.
Whatever the case, her heckles are up. Billy's giving her bad vibes and she isn't shy about telling the others when they learn that an older gentleman has gone missing. She presses the point and when she confronts Billy, who she sees signaling the shore with a mirror the next day, he screams that she's trying to stab him and dives into the water, swimming away. Brooke, who is apparently an idi*t through and through, chastises Dee again, despite Billy's obvious BS (Brooke was standing right there, so she knew Dee wasn't trying to stab him). When Billy returns later with five other goons, all carrying loaded weapons, Dee is vindicated. Other passengers aren't so lucky, as Billy goes around shooting them to make room for his crew. Alpha shows up and takes action, slitting one of Billy's men's throat and grabbing his gun. She fires a few shots and then dives over the side, escaping with Lydia to the shore. Here she has to fight off some zombies and she and Lydia, covered in blood, conceal themselves under a dead walker. Stragglers from the boat are picked off by the zombies - except Brooke, who manages to survive.
When Alpha finds her, Brooke bizarrely claims that the whole thing is her fault, even though she was the one who warned them about Billy and was trying to be cautious. Alpha is about to kill Brooke when Lydia shows up and intervenes. Instead, she cuts a long gouge into Brooke's pretty face. They leave Brooke and head their own way, eventually stopping to rest. Lydia has been going on about fairies talking to her in the woods. Alpha decides that this is no place for a child, no world for Lydia to grow up in, but just as she's about to kill her own daughter she hears the voices, too. It's the Whisperers! They show up in the nick of time and welcome the pair into their fun costume club. Throughout, Alpha has been narrating all of this and in the end we learn she's been talking to the leader of the Whisperers, the blond woman who just invited her in, who she's now about to kill.
But wait a minute. Where is Beta? What happened to that entire origin story? Alpha and Beta didn't start the Whisperers, so how are they called that? And isn't it odd that they would call themselves "A" and "B" just as a coincidence? And why is Alpha's head shaved when she meets Beta (before she's a Whisperer) but not shaved when she meets the Whisperers? The timeline has been retconned or ignored or the show's writers and producers simply forgot about the first origin story episode when they put this one together. Whatever the case, it's still a pretty good episode as far as The Walking Dead goes lately, though oddly timed given how long ago the Whisperer war ended. As tedious as the Whisperers became, Samantha Morton is always terrific and menacing, and she's that here but with a touch more humanity. I might even go so far as to say I prefer this complicated Dee to the cartoon villain, Alpha. But I prefer complex characters to psychotic monsters. Maybe I'm just not thinking about the timeline right or missing something, I'm not sure, but it feels to me like the writers either forgot about the original flashback episode or just tossed the baby out with the bathwater. Or this is the start of The Walking Dead multiverse, with alternative timelines.
This installment brought back award-winning actress Samantha Morton who, rather famously, introduced 'Alpha' and 'The Whisperers' to the TV franchise back in its ninth season. Though she eventually met her maker at the hands of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), show creator and Tales Of The Walking Dead screenwriter Channing Powell resurrected the lady with a look into her earlier days as Dee, a survivor whose most definitely looked down upon by the well-to-do clan who befriend the woman and her daughter Lydia whom they welcome onto their riverboat sanctuary. What we learn - to a degree - viewers already knew: Dee definitely doesn't play well with others, especially when they might have eyes set on adopting Lydia into the elite of what remains of society while relegating the 'mother hen' to the outskirts, where she's treated just a step-up from the dearly (and hungry) departed.
Still, the episode earns high marks for its focus on Dee's ever-fragile psychology. With her time spent on The Walking Dead, Alpha-Dee was established as a master manipulator, one whose ruthlessness truly knew no bounds in achieving what she demanded of those she commanded as well as others she came into conflict with. Speaking in a Southern drawl barely above a whisper (what foreshadowing and characterization the writers employed there), she'd layer on a 'bag of sugar' before pulling off the figurative band-aid and unleashing just the right measure of pain to maintain control of those within her grasp. But the Dee we're treated to in her signature hour is only just discovering her true persona: it's a fascinating look at an individual in transition - one longtime viewers know is destined to become as treacherous and reviled as a herd of zombies by lacks the mastery we've seen before. Because she's emotionally and psychologically in transition - because we don't quite know how she's going to react to these current circumstances - this spin-off finally delivered an hour that demonstrates the potential of revisiting old haunts with a new freshness. Well, Dee finds herself in a predicament that, alas, we've kind of seen all too often in the wider Walking Dead universe. While we haven't seen one situated on a riverboat, we've have seen these circumstances, and I think that reality might continue to plague writers of this incarnation as they continue trying to find 'that new car smell' in the ever-expanding used car lot. Kudos to all involved with sticking with it; I just hope that - as this version develops - they keep striving for something audiences legitimately haven't seen before.
Tales of the Walking Dead: Blair/Gina (2022)
The unfolding of the story is as generic as possible in stories of this caliber. It's very difficult to find the balance between comedy, drama, and repetition that isn't bland
Two feuding office employees at an insurance company, receptionist Gina and her boss Blair, caught in a time loop at the beginning of the apocalypse, must work together to save their loved ones and escape the city of Atlanta. After working together to save a large group of fleeing civilians from a herd and faces their respective fears, the time loop is finally broken, although Gina suggests that, alternatively, they may be experiencing a shared delusion.
Blair-Gina is another generic episode if you disregard the fantastical subterfuge. The developments until the conclusion that they need each other become tedious due to repetition, despite Kari Drake's script handling everything with doses of humor - kudos for that - and a banal drama, in which Michael Satrazemis seems uninspired, rushing through as per the text. This doesn't take away all the merit because the duo entertains, with Parker Posey playing an unbearable secretary full of antics and Jillian Bell being the embodiment of hatred. A perfect dish for this kind of story. Blair-Gina is one of the boldest episodes of the TWDU, which should evoke many contradictory feelings about it. Something I hope Tales continues with strength, unafraid to throw us into new horizons.
Conceptually, if the road trip from the series' first episode plays it safe, the second tale of the anthology goes to the other extreme, bringing elements of time loop stories a la "Groundhog Day," with the narrative of a boring boss (Parker Posey) and her receptionist (Jillian Bell) reliving a day at the beginning of the apocalypse. Who would have imagined this being told in The Walking Dead, huh? Of all that was imagined for this series, this didn't even come close to many fans' minds. It's so strange, surprising, and in a way brave, but it's still hard to swallow this kind of sci-fi-fantasy concept in the TWD universe. It doesn't make sense within the principles of this reality, and ends up being a bit disrespectful to the interesting mythology that Kirkman created in the comics and that was well adapted in the beginning of the original series.
But worst of all: it's not a TWD tale. It's off-topic, an approach error, a deviation from the essence of the work, or whatever you want to characterize it, but, in short, it shouldn't be here. This can be many things, but not TWD, which for many makes the episode automatically bad. It simply doesn't make sense considering what has already been established, and, no matter what your opinion of the experience is, it's impossible to call something displaced a good subterfuge. Setting that aside, however, it's still possible to have fun with the episode. Posey brings the same comedic character that made me love her: an unbearable and funny character for that, with a bit of arrogance mixed with strange body language and lots of antics. Jillian Bell also holds her own as a passive-aggressive and somewhat cynical receptionist. The two are not spectacular, but, like Crews and Munn, they have good chemistry and charm to keep everything watchable.
It's not possible to praise the execution of the relived day very much, as it's a script and direction that also play it safe. The unfolding of the story is as generic as possible in stories of this caliber. It's very difficult to find the balance between comedy, drama, and repetition that isn't bland, as seen in "Groundhog Day," "Palm Springs," and even "Russian Doll." Especially because this kind of narrative is better with truly interesting characters, and not just two minimally amusing actresses. And, well, belonging to a universe where this makes sense doesn't hurt either.
Tales of the Walking Dead: Evie/Joe (2022)
Joe and Evie's dynamics have their charm, though. If it were something even more comedic and more creative during the journey
Joe, a lonely man who has been living in a bunker since before the beginning of the apocalypse, leaves the safety of his home to embark on a 700 mile road trip to meet with a former online friend. On the road, he encounters Evie, who joins him on a similar mission. After Evie initially kidnaps him, the two bond before being broken apart by the theft of Joe's motorcycle. Evie is unable to find her ex-husband Steven, but she finds proof that he really did love her in the end instead of hating her. Joe locates his friend Sandra's bunker, but Sandra has been driven insane and become a serial killer targeting men. Evie rescues Joe who is forced to kill Sandra in self-defense. After locking her reanimated corpse in the bunker, Evie convinces Joe that there is more to life and they resume their journey.
Considering that the Walking Dead franchise has been profitable for a long time, it took a while for an anthology spin-off to come, even considering the endless possibilities that a zombie universe has to offer. But better late than never, there is also no better way to extract more water from this source than stories that open up room for future spin-offs - besides the ones already confirmed - in this strategy that is very smart from the channel to keep its dead universe alive.
Evie-Joe opens the series with a simple narrative, practically a side quest whose life gains momentum after Joe's dog (played by Terry Crews), Gilligan, loses his, throwing us into a road trip in search of the internet anonymous passion. It doesn't take long for Evie, a capoeira practitioner and vegetarian, to join the adventure also driven by love.
It is, as mentioned, the basic that could easily fit as a mid-season episode in one of the several seasons of TWD or FTWD, which thanks to Crews and Munn makes everything lighter and masks a bit of that connection that is too quick, summed up in stops and more stops to delve into the past and duet during the journey. With a revisit to settings from the parent series - TERMINUS, most likely after Rick Grimes - a pet goat, pot brownie, pictures of an angry man, and a crazy web girlfriend, we have a debut that is even fun, worthy of the seal of approval from the afternoon session.
We have a typical road trip story, with two slightly different characters meeting and embarking on a journey together, where they will learn good and sad things about each other until they become great friends. There is even a light and sometimes comedic tone in the episode, drawing even more from the dynamics of works of this kind.
Therefore, we have a script full of clichés, with moments of mistrust and trust here and there, other situations where characters surprise each other (usually with a traumatic past and/or full of regrets), friction during the journey, reconciliation, and, of course, learning. It's all very clichéd and ordinary, with a script full of rushed and expository dialogues in conversations by the campfire, as there is less than an hour to develop the characters and their relationship, but the actors still have chemistry and charisma.
It also ends up being a typical TWD story from another angle: extremely mundane and human dramas in the apocalyptic context. As many know, this universe has always been about characters before anything else, although the first seasons of the original series blend this with great world-building, horror exercise, and an epic tone. Here, the approach is more personal, bringing a dramaturgy focused on loneliness and friendship, although with many emotional limitations and lack of depth.
Joe and Evie's dynamics still have their charm, though. If it were something even more comedic and more creative during the journey (we have unfunny sequences in forests and abandoned houses; motorcycles being predictably stolen; and convenient encounters), we could have had a generic "Zombieland" experience. It is also questionable Ron Underwood's direction, failing to bring any tension or humor to the episode (the scene of the dog's death is very poorly directed, for example), although the ending with drugged cakes and a caricature psychopath is even funny. Evie-Joe is a generic start with nothing special, but it's not necessarily bad.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020)
"The Walking Dead: World Beyond" is an ambitious but flawed addition to the zombie apocalypse genre
"The Walking Dead: World Beyond" serves as an intriguing expansion of the renowned "The Walking Dead" universe, designed to explore new narratives and characters in a post-apocalyptic world. Over its two-season run, the series attempts to veer into uncharted territories of youth and discovery, focusing on a younger generation coming of age amidst the chaos of a zombie apocalypse. This review encapsulates the overall narrative arcs, key events, thematic elements, and provides a critical overview of the series.
Season 1 sets the stage by introducing us to a group of young survivors from the Campus Colony, led by sisters Iris and Hope Bennett. The series starts with a relatively slow pace, focusing on character development rather than action, which is a stark contrast to its parent show. As the group ventures out into the world, seeking a rumored haven in New York where their father might be held by the Civic Republic Military (CRM), the plot gradually thickens. This journey introduces them to various challenges that test their innocence and idealism. Key moments like their encounters with other survivors and confrontations with the CRM highlight the central themes of trust, betrayal, and survival ethics.
Season 2 escalates dramatically with the stakes raised higher as the group's understanding of the CRM's nefarious activities deepens. The CRM, intended to be a force of stabilization, reveals its darker, more oppressive side, particularly through the development of characters such as Elizabeth Kublek and the mysterious workings of the facility. The narrative becomes denser, exploring the corruption of power and the brutal necessity of difficult decisions in a decaying world. The second season is punctuated by intense action sequences and emotional confrontations, particularly involving the Bennett sisters and their shifting relationship with each other and their allies.
Critically, "World Beyond" garners mixed reviews. On the positive side, its fresh focus on younger characters introduces a new perspective to the "Walking Dead" franchise, enriching the universe with its exploration of growing up in an apocalyptic scenario. The cinematography and visual storytelling are commendable, with several beautifully shot sequences that capture the bleak, haunting environment of the series. However, the show struggles with pacing and sometimes erratic narrative focus, which can detract from its more engaging plot lines. Critics often point out that while the show aims to address profound themes of loss, identity, and leadership, it occasionally falls short in execution, leaving some character arcs feeling underdeveloped or inconsistent.
In conclusion, "The Walking Dead: World Beyond" is an ambitious but flawed addition to the zombie apocalypse genre. It successfully broadens the scope of the narrative world it inhabits, introducing compelling themes related to youth, governance, and morality. However, it struggles with maintaining a consistent narrative drive and fully realizing its thematic aspirations. Despite its shortcomings, it offers valuable insights into the human condition when faced with extreme circumstances, and its visual and emotional moments do leave an impact. For fans of the franchise, it provides a necessary divergence, focusing on what the future holds for humanity when seen through the eyes of its youth, making it a noteworthy, if not essential, watch.