A decade in the past, The Strolling Lifeless wasn’t a mere TV present, it was an impossible-to-escape cultural phenomenon. Crafted with precision, highly effective performances, and prosthetics, early TWD rose above common zombie fare upon its 2010 premiere—that pilot stays flawless even immediately. In its first few seasons, the AMC collection transcended its style, presenting a gripping post-apocalyptic survival story by diving into terrifyingly actual human feelings. It additionally efficiently introduced the comedian e-book storylines and character dynamics to life with distinct twists. Regretfully, the present overpassed these issues because it dragged on.
Akin to the “walkers” at its core, TWD ultimately turned an unrecognizable, messy, empty husk. It lingered mercilessly till 2022 when it wrapped up after 11 seasons. That wasn’t practically the tip. The franchise continued with spin-offs starting from comprehensible (Worry The Strolling Lifeless) to eyebrow-raising (World’s Past) to drastic (Tales Of The Strolling Lifeless). And it acquired worse. There have been the egregious blunders of further spin-offs for Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohan), and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). A so-called collection finale is purposeless if audiences don’t get time away from beloved unique characters. (Give us an opportunity to overlook you, TWD!)
The clear, pointless gimmick expands additional with the franchise’s newest six-parter, The Ones Who Stay (TOWL), premiering on February 25. The present is a flailing last-ditch effort to breathe new life right into a universe surviving on a ventilator. It’s excessive nostalgia bait as a result of it focuses on Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), a.okay.a. the person who began all of it. TOWL catches as much as Rick after he disappeared on a helicopter in early TWD season 9 (again in 2018, for these retaining observe). His spouse, Michonne (a sensational Danai Gurira), break up from the group in season 10 to hunt him down after discovering he was alive.
The Strolling Lifeless: The Ones Who Stay
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The Strolling Lifeless: The Ones Who Stay
An electrical Rick and Michonne, or “Richonne,” as dubbed by stans, reunion is a lofty purpose. However it’s not practically sufficient to avoid wasting regardless of the hell TWD needs to be in immediately’s panorama. The identical storyline might’ve—and would’ve—had a weighty impression years in the past, again when TOWL was envisioned as three motion pictures to wrap up Rick’s arc (Facet word: Asserting this plan after Lincoln’s exit reneged on the emotional worth of him leaving). Manufacturing delays attributable to the pandemic led to a restricted collection as an alternative. However in any case this time, the brand new collection (4 of six episodes had been watched for this evaluate) is a cry for assist to remain related.
Don’t get us fallacious, it’s nonetheless surprisingly heartrending to observe Lincoln and Gurira. They’re excellent actors with an simple grasp of their characters, and collectively they’re intoxicating to observe. However is that sufficient? No. It’s additionally irritating that Rick and Michonne’s no-holds-barred reconciliation doesn’t occur till late into the present’s run. TOWL considerably essentially devotes itself to fleshing out the previous few years of Rick’s life with the Civic Republic Navy. The group sporadically appeared in TWD’s numerous choices, however now there’s a boring perception into its evil machinations.
Right here, Rick is anguished and resigned to his destiny after a number of failed makes an attempt to return to his household. His tether is a dreamy imaginative and prescient of his spouse in a non-apocalyptic world. In the meantime, Michonne goes by an arduous journey of her personal to achieve her husband, shedding buddies alongside the way in which, solely to ultimately be met with a Rick she doesn’t totally acknowledge. He’s rising the CRM ranks; she desperately needs to take him again to their children. Will they conflict or crew up? Beneath layers of exposition and compelled plot twists lies a kernel of potential for the “epic love story” Lincoln and Gurira teased at a current TCA panel.
An all-encompassing fourth episode digs into the nitty-gritty of Rick and Michonne’s relationship. Filmed like an indie, it has hints of the film that might’ve been. (Props to Gurira for writing the installment). It’s the collection’ singular energy, however the build-up to it’s drawn out and nothing TWD hasn’t executed earlier than. If the identical tips are used for spin-off quantity six (!), why trouble? The Ones Who Stay carelessly speeds by deaths, months, and occasions, making it arduous to care. The present options supporting characters performed by the likes of Misplaced’s Terry O’Quinn and Lucifer’s Lesley-Ann Brandt. Don’t trouble investing of their end result as a result of the present doesn’t care about them both. O’Quinn particularly is wasted in a meandering, broadly villainous function.
TOWL doesn’t add something creative to the TWD lineup and it’s weak at reinventing the wheel. The one lesson to be realized is that, as worthwhile arduous as it could be, generally letting go is the precise reply. Not all the things good lasts perpetually. Look, this author shamelessly binged The Strolling Lifeless for a very long time as a result of it was freaking compelling. It’s arduous to pinpoint when the downfall started—Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) skull-bashing, Negan’s arrival, or Rick’s departure? Maybe it was when zombies turned an afterthought, not to mention a reputable risk. In TOWL, too, walkers don’t add to the joys. So TWD may’ve earned its huge viewership numbers and fanbase within the early 2010s, however it has lengthy overstayed its welcome.
This neverending abyss is value questioning in gentle of AMC’s different refreshing however neglected originals (The Terror, Halt And Catch Fireplace, Darkish Winds, Kevin Can F**Ok Himself, This Is Going To Harm, and Interview With The Vampire come to thoughts). How has the cable community—and we, as an viewers—conspired to maintain The Strolling Lifeless alive within the 12 months 2024? Each ounce of creativity has been squeezed from it by now. Regardless of Lincoln and Gurira’s real efforts and sultry chemistry, The Ones Who Stay must be the ultimate straw. Please, let’s put The Strolling Lifeless out of its distress now.
The Strolling Lifeless: The Ones Who Stay premieres on AMC on February 25
This story initially appeared on The A.V. Membership.
