The Walking Dead has existed for over 20 years, but 2024 marks the beginning of the biggest story the franchise has ever attempted to tell. First published in comic book form in 2003, Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead now exists as an AMC TV universe stretching across seven separate shows. Despite making constant additions and changes to its source material, AMC’s flagship show covered the entirety of Kirkman’s original story, with both the comic books and The Walking Dead season 11 ending after the main protagonists overthrow the Commonwealth.
As The Walking Dead continues through spinoffs and continuations, the narrative moves beyond Kirkman’s printed world and tells a wholly original story. That remains the case heading into AMC’s latest offering, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which stars the returning duo of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes and Danai Gurira as Michonne. The Ones Who Live may not be the first project to push The Walking Dead‘s timeline further than the comics, but it does tell the biggest story in the franchise’s entire 20-year existence.
Every Zombie Type In The Walking Dead Explained
The Walking Dead’s zombies are so often lumped into one category, but there are a few distinctions between the undead. Here’s every type.
The Ones Who Live Is Easily The Walking Dead’s Biggest Story Yet
By any measure, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is the biggest story Robert Kirkman’s franchise has told in either comic or live-action form. This is largely due to the Civic Republic Military – the main antagonist force Rick and Michonne face in their spinoff. Over the past 20 years of post-apocalyptic zombie action, the Commonwealth has represented the pinnacle of rebuilt civilization, but the Civic Republic makes Pamela Milton look like a veritable amateur in comparison.
Whereas the Commonwealth was morally gray, the CRM pushes The Walking Dead into semi-futuristic dystopian territory, with ominous black helicopters, lethal gases, and flashy gadgets designed to manipulate the undead. Not only is the CRM a massive step-up in terms of the scale and capability for a Walking Dead villain group, its very existence forces the franchise to venture beyond the confines of North America’s eastern states.
The nature of The Walking Dead‘s zombie outbreak means the franchise has always been geographically restricted. Even when Fear The Walking Dead headed west and Daryl Dixon sailed to France, the lack of travel and communication options created a natural isolation. The Ones Who Live changes that. Civic Republic-allied settlements in Portland and Omaha inextricably tie Rick Grimes’ arc to the entire United States. His responsibility as a hero and leader is no longer about protecting 50 people and a dog, but the entire country.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live‘s production matches its epic storytelling. Originally intended as a Rick Grimes movie, The Ones Who Live is visually impressive, with a blockbuster sheen that other projects, Dead City aside, have lacked. Rick and Michonne’s spinoff certainly looks more polished than the average R-rated cable TV show, and is reportedly the most expensive Walking Dead project yet. That extra-large budget only enhances the scale of AMC’s latest entry in the franchise.
Rick’s Story Is What The Walking Dead Was Always Building Toward
Rick Grimes saving the world is fundamentally what The Walking Dead has always been preparing for – both in the comic version and the TV adaptation. Robert Kirkman’s original story barely ventured beyond a select few US states, but the ending confirmed that, thanks to the lasting influence of the great Rick Grimes, the Commonwealth’s territory gradually spread across the entire country. Even if the end result was never shown, the overriding implication suggested that Rick ultimately saved the world.
The concept of Rick Grimes saving the world has resonated throughout the past 14 years of TV content too. “The new world’s gonna need Rick Grimes” is a line that various characters have repeated throughout The Walking Dead, setting Andrew Lincoln’s character up as a founding father of the next civilization post-apocalypse. The Ones Who Live‘s CRM storyline begins to pay off that tease. Assuming Rick reverts to type and overthrows Major General Beale to become the CRM’s leader, he will sit at the vanguard of humanity’s restoration, spreading his influence over the entire US and, potentially, even further.
Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Rediscover The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead‘s ratings dropped off in its later seasons. According to Nielsen viewership statistics, The Walking Dead peaked around seasons 5 and 6 and then steadily declined until ending with season 11. While Andrew Lincoln leaving The Walking Dead in season 9 was not responsible for the downward trend, therefore, the lead actor’s exit certainly didn’t help. Lincoln’s return, alongside Danai Gurira who departed in season 10, makes The Ones Who Live a perfect opportunity for lapsed fans to return.
10 Important Walking Dead: World Beyond Details To Know Before Rick & Michonne’s Spinoff
With Rick and Michonne’s spinoff just around the corner, there are some key details revealed in The Walking Dead: World Beyond that may be crucial.
Furthermore, The Ones Who Live viewers do not need to have kept up with the entire franchise in order to enjoy Rick and Michonne’s story. Watching up until Michonne’s exit in The Walking Dead season 10 is a requirement, and The Walking Dead: World Beyond season 2 would certainly provide some useful context. Fear The Walking Dead, Dead City, Daryl Dixon, and even The Walking Dead season 11, however, can be skipped, making The Ones Who Live an ideal reentry point for The Walking Dead.
Sources: Nielsen
The Walking Dead
- Cast
- Steven Yeun , Andrew Lincoln , Chandler Riggs , Laurie Holden , Jeffrey DeMunn , Sarah Wayne Callies , Melissa McBride , Norman Reedus , Jon Bernthal , Iron E. Singleton
- Release Date
- October 31, 2010
- Seasons
- 11
- Network
- AMC
