Mini-series - 6 episodes
Rent The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Scott M. Gimple, Danai Gurira, Andrew Lincoln
Based on: The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Pollyanna McIntosh
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
The love story between Rick and Michonne continues, challenged by a constantly changing world.
Verdict
It's a nice coda to a franchise that seems to be ever-expanding. Knowing this is only a season long provides hope for a satisfying conclusion, and it does that. The length prevents this from dragging, except for one episode. This distills the franchise down to two core characters and their fight to survive and find each other. This franchise always manages to stretch disbelief, but the focus helps. I enjoyed it more than I expected. If you've seen the original series, you'll want to watch this. If you haven't, this won't mean as much.
Watch It.
Review
Set after the conclusion of the original The Walking Dead, in that series Rick (Andrew Lincoln) apparently died in season nine. In season ten Michonne (Danai Gurira) finds Rick's belongings and searches for him. In season eleven Rick is captured by the CRM (Civic Republic Military), but not before he sends his belongings off in a boat, the same belongings Michonne found in season nine.
This series fills in some gaps and expands on Rick and Michonne's story. Rick is imprisoned by the CRM and desperate to escape but every attempt is foiled. The first episode is Rick focused and covers years. Rick spends all this time becoming a soldier for the CRM, waiting for his chance to escape. The first episode ends with quite the coincidence. It just seems too easy.
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| Andrew Lincoln plays Rick |
Where episode one focused on Rick, episode two lets us know what happened to Michonne. Just like Rick wanted to get back to her, she wants to find Rick. I do wonder how there are still so many zombies after all these years. That population should be decreasing. Just the characters we've seen had to have put a dent in the world population. I'm doubtful we'd see a gargantuan roaming group.
Despite the odds, of course Michonne and Rick end up at the same spot. Rick has to pretend not to know Michonne to protect her. The CRM only accept subservient people. He tells her not to reveal who she is. Of course Michonne distinguishes herself.
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| Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira play Rick, Michonne |
Episode four is the best episode, despite being a lot of dialog. Michonne wants to escape, but Rick knows the lengths the CRM will go to track them. Michonne and Rick try to reconcile, but Rick is set on staying and trying to reform the CRM. Michonne wants to get back to the children. Michonne can't understand why Rick would stay. He may never get the chance to change the organization. He can go back to his kids.
Episode five feels like filler, introducing a character from the original series to add another episode. This could have been a tight four episodes. The final episode has Rick doing the right thing, as he always does. Rick has to risk everything for the greater good, every time.
This is a nice coda to The Walking Dead. It's a love story amid a zombie apocalypse. While this season embraces extreme coincidence and stretches credibility of belief, that's always been a hallmark of the series. This at least doesn't have characters making stupid decisions just to serve the plot. It's fun to revisit these characters since the end of the original series.
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