‘The Walking Dead’ begins ambling towards its finish. But it surely’s not dying anytime quickly
USA Prime Time
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After 11 years and numerous splattered heads, “The Walking Dead” begins its last run of eight episodes on Sunday, greater than two years after that plan was introduced. Yet anybody below the impression that zombies will probably be shuffling off AMC – to Buffalo or wherever else – are in for a impolite awakening.
Indeed, “The finish,” on this case, will probably be considerably deceptive, with a number of key characters already dedicated to spinoff sequence destined to launch after the present concludes. And that’s not counting “Fear the Walking Dead,” which is heading into its eighth season, one in every of three associated titles (together with “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” and “Tales of the Walking Dead”) beforehand launched.
The coming exhibits have undergone some modifications, with maybe the most important wrinkle being {that a} mission combining authentic star Andrew Lincoln (a.ok.a. Rick) and Danai Gurira (Michonne) is going the series route in any respect. The two had been alleged to be featured in a trio of theatrical motion pictures – revealed when Lincoln left the present in 2018 – earlier than the announcement at Comic-Con in July that their return could be in episodic kind through the community’s streaming service, AMC+.
Another high-profile pairing, involving Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride), has additionally undergone a significant change, with McBride withdrawing from the mission for logistical causes. Plus, there’s the unlikely mixture of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) in a 3rd present – unlikely as a result of she has harbored an comprehensible grudge over, spoiler alert, him beating her husband to dying with a baseball bat within the seventh season.
The forged has undergone appreciable modifications, and suffered loads of casualties, for the reason that sequence premiered on Halloween night time in 2010, and one suspects there will probably be extra sacrifices earlier than it’s over.
That stated, the assorted spinoffs would appear to blunt a number of the suspense relating to what is going to occur – and who will survive – as this last run of episodes rolls out, discovering the core group embroiled with the risk often known as the Commonwealth, an unusually superior neighborhood for these post-apocalyptic instances however nonetheless run by horrible, terrible folks.
Frankly, the franchise born from author Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore’s comedian books would virtually certainly profit from pursuing a considerably decrease profile, however AMC has responded to the present’s success by exploiting it in each possible method, together with different media. Dazzled by desires of its personal “Star Wars,” the community launched right into a “Walking Dead” “universe,” maybe probably the most overused time period within the present leisure panorama.
Although the flagship sequence has cooled significantly since its heyday – when it ranked because the most-watched present on TV, virtually extraordinary for a primary cable community, averaging greater than 14 million viewers at its peak – it stays a formidable attraction and a social-media heavyweight.
The promise of an “ending,” even when it actually isn’t, of a season that – diced into three sections – really began over a yr in the past, will virtually certainly create an inflection level and gas curiosity during the last episodes.
Still, if the title all the time referred as a lot to the ragtag people because the monsters that might flip them into prey, “The Walking Dead” may additionally discuss with the present indestructible nature of the franchise. And regardless of no matter hoopla surrounds its march towards this arbitrary end line, relaxation assured, AMC’s dedication to zombie-fied TV isn’t going wherever.
“The Walking Dead” begins its last eight episodes October 2 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.