The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live continues the best years of The Walking Dead by captivating viewers with its gripping storyline and compelling characters.
There are spoilers for The Walking Dead in this review.
The limited series blends intense action, emotional depth and thought-provoking themes, alongside the romantic tensions of a couple previously torn from one another.
In the first episode, we join the familiar character Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) making his grand escape from captivity. Immediately, it becomes clear that The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has an increased budget when compared to its origin series—the visual effects on the walkers are even of a higher quality. From the moment that Rick hacks at his own arm to escape, it’s clear this show is not messing around in racking up the tension. Stakes were naturally a huge part of The Walking Dead due to its post-apocalyptic focus, so this intro continues Rick’s consistently unsafe environment within the confines of The Walking Dead universe.
Unlike the original series, new characters are welcomed this time around. It doesn’t feel laborious to be meeting new people in a completely different environment as these characters are also well fleshed out over the six episodes. Donald Okafor (Craig Tate) is looking to stray from the Civic Republic Military’s central mission (the base Rick was taken to following his supposed death in the original show), the true nature of which isn’t revealed until the final episode, and build up Rick to a higher profile within the organisation. Rick works alongside Pearl Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt), who has different beliefs to him and proves a challenge to cooperate with. Both of these characters establish their thoughts and motivations early on, making it easier for viewers to understand their choices. Meanwhile, in episode two, we find out where Michonne has been, keeping the plot fresh and engaging.
Terry O’Quinn portrays Major General Beale, the head of the CRM and the commander of the Frontliners, a man taking on the responsibility of thousands of lives. He becomes rather pigeonholed as a character due to his limited screen time and therefore is completely under-utilised. This was by far the most glaringly disappointing element of the show. The finale sees Rick receive the Echelon Briefing, an orientation that only high-ranking members of the CRM receive. O’Quinn briefs him, dissecting the real reasons the CRM does what it does. Beale delivers the blow in a gentle tone but his fierce aggression lies just below the surface. O’Quinn holds strong, captivating viewers in a very special and rare way. He almost steals the episode for himself with his performance, prompting viewers to wonder why he didn’t have more screen time in the first place. Such a brilliant actor, who established himself so well in Lost, is more than deserving of a real villain’s arc. To see his character wasted feels like a serious oversight.
In the place of Beale’s screen time, we won more precious moments with Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira). Their chemistry is off the charts, just as it was in The Walking Dead. But something is different this time—perhaps the amount of time that has passed for the two actors. Lincoln and Gurira move beautifully through the quiet moments, but their fiery chemistry roars through during the explosions of emotion. Episode four ‘What We’ turns the series into a character drama, and this is where its real strengths are shown. The episode was written by Gurira, which doesn’t come as a surprise when taking it in. It’s clear how well she understands not just her character but Lincoln’s wants and needs. Gurira doesn’t miss a beat in her acting or writing here, unafraid to rock the boat with some well-earned conflict. Viewers are also reminded of Michonne’s enduring complexity and depth.
The series is a worthy follow-up to the original show; The Ones Who Live ties up several loose ends and answer many questions, one even posed in the pilot of The Walking Dead. However, as a standalone television series, it doesn’t work, as too many plotlines require the understanding of a long-time viewer of The Walking Dead. It is unlikely this is what the showrunners were aiming for in the first place, given the pre-production hell the show went through. The project transitioned from a film to a trilogy and then, following the pandemic, a limited series, which was the best outcome for the story. Chopping it up into a series is what this was made for, and it’s hard to see how films would have worked in a way that satisfied audiences.
Its finale leaves something to be desired. Though touching, the story feels rushed compared to the five other episodes of build-up. Events are tied up so neatly that it feels rather forced, especially given that the CRM is set up to be such an unbeatable force in the beginning. This can only be put down to the writing. Six episodes were not enough to pull down this organisation with such questionable morals, especially one that was set up all the way back in the first episode of The Walking Dead.
“Love never dies”, which essentially becomes a tagline for this series, is the best way to sum up this story. After years of searching for each other, Rick and Michonne must fight for a future they believe in—and this is where the real poignancy can be found. The Ones Who Live establishes a continued evolution for the story but manages to conclude Rick and Michonne’s journeys in a satisfying way.
Words by Gemma Nettle
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