That finale ends with the death of Jesus, which also comes across as nothing more than an arbitrary tick on the checklist of a Walking Dead season criteria. Newly introduced characters Luke, Yumiko, Connie, and Kelly donвЂ™t make a great first introduction, initially characterised as a homogenous group rather than individuals able to interact outside of their clique, while AMCвЂ™s decision to save The WhisperersвЂ™ big debut for a mid-season cliffhanger leaves the precursive episodes struggling to generate momentum. The change-up isnвЂ™t a total success, though, as the following episodes are where The Walking Dead season 9 begins to sag in terms of both quality and pace. ItвЂ™s a smart surprise that acts as a statement of refreshing ambition from the showrunners, while allowing the audience to skip several potentially mundane episodes of our characters moping around grieving for their fallen friend (a Walking Dead trope that has long overstayed its welcome). True to name, What Comes After isnвЂ™t content to ride off the coattails of RickвЂ™s goodbye, but ends on a time-travelling twist, flashing our story forward several years into the future. Some may have felt shortchanged by the cop out (pun very much intended) of Rick escaping death, but itвЂ™s all handled so well that youвЂ™d be silly to argue the character hadnвЂ™t earned his non-fatal exit. Littered with memorable cameos, smart allusions to the showвЂ™s past, and fine performances from Lincoln, Norman Reedus, and the rest of the main cast, itвЂ™s here where The Walking Dead season 9 re-earns our respect and trust as longtime viewers, confidently proving that the show has a future beyond the story of its iconic lead star. In the lead up to RickвЂ™s last appearance at the time, AMC had yet to announce its plans to make a straight-to-movie trilogy starring LincolnвЂ™s noble sheriff but, even knowing that now with the benefit of hindsight, the emotional impact of this panegyric sendoff is no less debilitating. End of an eraД«ut itвЂ™s episode 4, What Comes After, where The Walking Dead season 9 turns its zombie apocalypse up to DEFCON 5. More importantly, however, these initial chapters mark the final episodes for Rick Grimes, in which the writers do a fantastic job of showcasing the characterвЂ™s best qualities before the inevitable tragedy strikes. turns out to be a complete non-sequitur), but the seeds of promise are firmly planted from the premiere onwards. Not everything lands during this early stage, of course (the much publicised trip to Washington D.C. Even during these early episodes, where the plot is deliberately measured in pace, you can tell that something is different with The Walking Dead, where laying eyes on the showвЂ™s richer tone and assured direction are like catching up with a friend whoвЂ™s finally had that much needed haircut. Season 9 begins modestly enough, set 18 months after the events of the aforementioned war.В Rick is trying to rally together the communities, including the reluctant Saviours, around the construction of a bridge that represents the first stepping stone to CarlвЂ™s posthumous vision of a harmonious future.

The walking dead season 9 review