It has been a long wait for fans of The Walking Dead franchise to find out what has been going on with the original protagonist Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). The story was promised first with a planned movie then that shifted to a limited series run that would centre around his character as well as that of Michonne (Danai Gurira). That show is called The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, and it will officially premiere on AMC on February 25, 2024. We were given an advance look at the first four of the six-episode season. Let’s just say it was worth the wait.
The Backstory
First, for fans who need a recap, what’s the backstory that leads up to the events in this series? Rick departs in the ninth season of The Walking Dead, presumed dead after a fiery explosion on a bridge. But fans know that he survived: a post-credits scene reveals that Jadis (Pollyana McIntosh) scoops him up into a helicopter. She has friends in high places, quite literally. She tells them when they ask if he’s an “A” or a “B” that he’s a “B.” (The reason for this is important, you’ll later find out.) Rick is severely injured, but it’s confirmed that he survives. No one else back home, however, knows this.
It isn’t until the final 11th season that Rick’s loved ones, including best friend Daryl (Norman Reedus) and wife Michonne, find evidence to suggest that he might have been alive all this time. Remember, there’s a massive time jump of six years between the time Rick presumably died and the timeline in season 11. Now Michonne is desperate to find her husband and bring him home to his kids, including a son he doesn’t even know he has.
Rick’s whereabouts are seen in the final moments of The Walking Dead as he stands by the water with a backpack wearing a Civic Republic Military (CRM) jacket. Details about the CRM were provided in the short-lived spin-off series The Walking Dead: World Beyond, so fans that skipped that show might find it valuable to go back and watch. Nonetheless, the organization has been teased throughout the franchise, including in another spin-off, Fear the Walking Dead.
Now the question is: what has Rick been doing there and why hasn’t he ever contacted anyone or tried to come back home? With Michonne on the hunt for Rick, fans expect that their worlds will collide at some point.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Review
Immediately in the first five minutes of the first episode, it’s clear the creators mean business. They’re going to pull out all the stops with this show and leave nothing on the table. You get the sense that this will be a one-season project, not an ongoing story. There’s little time to waste and a lot of story to tell. It’s intense and gripping, exactly what fans will remember from the first season of the AMC series that made it such a massive hit in the first place.
The main question on everyone’s minds – why didn’t Rick fight harder to get back to his family? – is answered loud and clear. The CRM is not a democracy like Alexandria nor a quaint little nation like Hilltop. It’s a military-like run organization with a specific goal. They run scientific experiments and make tough, not always admirable nor morally sound, decisions. Once again, fans who watched Walking Dead: World Beyond will understand this more than anyone.
You’ll get plenty of both Rick and Michonne time, and fabulous new characters as well, including Pearl Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt, Lucifer), a proverbial thorn in Rick’s side, and Major General Beale (LOST’s Terry O’Quinn), bringing his incredible energy to every scene he’s in. In some cases, you’ll find yourself invested in new characters, even after seeing them for a single episode or two. Casting accomplished its job in spades when it comes to the people who orbit around the “Richonne” machine.
But make no mistake: despite the strong supporting cast, this is all about Rick and Michonne. Circumstances might have changed, but they have not. In one scene, Michonne even goes back to her roots and cuts off the arms and jaw of a walker then literally hitches her wagon to the undead so he can carry her wares. Rick, meanwhile, goes through his usual emotional rollercoasters, shifting from outbursts of anger and extreme violence and moments of quiet, contemplative calm. Sometimes, this gets really, really dark, back to the level of when he initially lost his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) in season 3 of the original series.
It’s not the same group to which fans have become accustomed on the show, so there’s no ensemble dynamic. Everyone has gone their own way. Daryl is in Paris, as chronicled in the already renewed spin-off Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon while Maggie and Negan are in New York in Walking Dead: Dead City, which will also be returning for a second season.
All three shows are great, but there’s something particularly electric about The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. It’s two people fighting like hell for what they believe in, for their children, and for one another. It’s not just about survival anymore, it’s about making the right decisions for the greater good. This was precisely what was central to The Walking Dead when it began: how do you make choices when you are given seemingly impossible ones?
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is like a return to the beginning in terms of pacing, storyline, and general feel. It was always about Rick and now it is once again. And we’re all for it.
Should You Watch The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live?
If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead universe and watched at least the main show, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is the closure you need. (Though it should be noted there’s no official confirmation that this will be a one-season run.) I’d recommend watching the two seasons of Walking Dead: World Beyond ahead of time. While it wasn’t the best of the spin-offs, it’s the one that provides a deep look inside the inner workings of the CRM, which will come in handy for understanding what’s truly going on, even before the show reveals it. It’s not essential but worthwhile.
In fact, there are several callbacks to events that happen in that series. A television news report in the background of one scene, for example, talks about Omaha, Nebraska being bombed. This is precisely what happens to kick off the events in Walking Dead: World Beyond.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is gripping, raw, emotional, and faithful to the franchise. There are new friendships and enemies, heartache and touching moments, lots of violence and gruesome kill scenes, and finally, Rick can swear! Who knew a potty-mouthed Rick Grimes is exactly what we needed?
You’ll see moments that remind you of old ones and shocking new events worth talking about. A two-hour movie wouldn’t have been enough to do the character justice, and six episodes might not be enough either. A determined Rick and a vengeful Michonne make for television gold, one of the most dynamic duos with incredible chemistry on TV.
In the final episode of the original series The Walking Dead, Judith says to Daryl “we’re the ones who live.” When Michonne finds the phone etched with a likeness of her and Carl along with Japanese writing, the text translates to “Believe a little longer.” Put these two phrases together and it beautifully describes The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
If you’re a fan who has stuck with the show through to the bitter end and continues with it on this journey of seemingly endless spin-offs, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is one worth adding to your list. You won’t be disappointed.
Stream The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live on AMC+ starting February 25.