The Walking Dead - Season 9
After watching the previous season of The Walking Dead, it was crystal clear to me. After eight seasons I had seen enough of Rick, Daryl, Michonne and the rest. Or I should actually say that I've mainly had enough of the ridiculously slow storylines that started in season seven. The unexpected deaths of various characters didn't help either. These were only intended to shock the viewer. Rick's (Andrew Lincoln, Strike Back) decision regarding Negan's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Magic City) fate sealed the deal, it felt like an absolute anticlimax. After eight seasons it was finally done between me and the once very popular zombie show. Unfortunate, but this is how it sometimes goes with shows. And then....
Not long after my decision it was revealed that showrunner Scott M. Gimple would be replaced. The new showrunner, Angela Kang, notified the fans that she wanted to ensure that the show would return to its heyday. This managed to pique my interest. A breath of fresh air is something that a long-running show sometimes needs. I had become cautiously optimistic when Andrew Lincoln revealed that this would be his final season. What now? Without Andrew Lincoln aka Rick Grimes there is no Walking Dead, according to my confident opinion. Considering that Lincoln would only be in five episodes of the new season, I decided to start watching again, if only to see how Rick would exit the show.
From the beginning of the season, the breath of fresh air, which I mentioned above, can be easily noticed. New opening title, a time jump, but most importantly a more comfortable pace than the previous two seasons and some cool scenes where we finally see some dangerous zombies. The way Rick left the show was, in my opinion, done properly. The way Maggie left wasn't that great, but I'm willing to forgive showrunner Kang. Next to that there is another time jump after Rick leaves, but this works rather well.
After Rick has left, we suddenly find ourselves a couple of years into the future. It soon becomes clear that something has happened between the leaders of The Hilltop, The Kingdom and Alexandria, as relations between the three leaders (Maggie, Ezekiel & Michonne) are no longer as good as they were before. That's why Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and Carol (Melissa McBride, The Mist), king and queen of The Kingdom, decide to organise a fair where the various groups can trade so that all of them will have enough food, medicine, weapons and such.
The preparations for this gathering are, however, overshadowed by the death of one person and the threat of a new hostile group, The Whisperers. This group has the habit of skinning zombies and wearing that skin to move around amongst the zombie hordes. In the meanwhile it also appears that Rick's daughter, Judith (Cailey Fleming), and the big bad of the previous season, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Supernatural), are developing a bond.
Unfortunately for The Walking Dead, its ratings remain in the decline. Something that is, in my opinion, unjust. The show has improved a lot, especially in comparison to the last few seasons. The departures of Andrew Lincoln and Lauren Cohan have been dealt with appropriately and the Whisperers, led by the gruesome Alpha (Samantha Morton), provide us with a new and interesting enemy. Next to that there are several good episodes that leave you on the edge of your seat. Especially the second to last episode will come as a shock, especially to the more experienced viewers. And in the fifth episode, where we witness the departure of Rick, we see three familiar faces, which has been neatly integrated into the story.
On the other hand, it may have been enough after the upcoming tenth season and maybe, just maybe the show should end. Maybe people are just becoming tired of zombies. If Kang and her team manage to keep the show in an upward spiral, I, however, wouldn't mind if the show kept going. And I say that as a person who had actually already said goodbye to this series...
Not long after my decision it was revealed that showrunner Scott M. Gimple would be replaced. The new showrunner, Angela Kang, notified the fans that she wanted to ensure that the show would return to its heyday. This managed to pique my interest. A breath of fresh air is something that a long-running show sometimes needs. I had become cautiously optimistic when Andrew Lincoln revealed that this would be his final season. What now? Without Andrew Lincoln aka Rick Grimes there is no Walking Dead, according to my confident opinion. Considering that Lincoln would only be in five episodes of the new season, I decided to start watching again, if only to see how Rick would exit the show.
A more comfortable pace than the previous two seasons.
From the beginning of the season, the breath of fresh air, which I mentioned above, can be easily noticed. New opening title, a time jump, but most importantly a more comfortable pace than the previous two seasons and some cool scenes where we finally see some dangerous zombies. The way Rick left the show was, in my opinion, done properly. The way Maggie left wasn't that great, but I'm willing to forgive showrunner Kang. Next to that there is another time jump after Rick leaves, but this works rather well.
© AMC
After Rick has left, we suddenly find ourselves a couple of years into the future. It soon becomes clear that something has happened between the leaders of The Hilltop, The Kingdom and Alexandria, as relations between the three leaders (Maggie, Ezekiel & Michonne) are no longer as good as they were before. That's why Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and Carol (Melissa McBride, The Mist), king and queen of The Kingdom, decide to organise a fair where the various groups can trade so that all of them will have enough food, medicine, weapons and such.
The preparations for this gathering are, however, overshadowed by the death of one person and the threat of a new hostile group, The Whisperers. This group has the habit of skinning zombies and wearing that skin to move around amongst the zombie hordes. In the meanwhile it also appears that Rick's daughter, Judith (Cailey Fleming), and the big bad of the previous season, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Supernatural), are developing a bond.
The Whisperers, led by the gruesome Alpha, is an interesting new enemy.
Unfortunately for The Walking Dead, its ratings remain in the decline. Something that is, in my opinion, unjust. The show has improved a lot, especially in comparison to the last few seasons. The departures of Andrew Lincoln and Lauren Cohan have been dealt with appropriately and the Whisperers, led by the gruesome Alpha (Samantha Morton), provide us with a new and interesting enemy. Next to that there are several good episodes that leave you on the edge of your seat. Especially the second to last episode will come as a shock, especially to the more experienced viewers. And in the fifth episode, where we witness the departure of Rick, we see three familiar faces, which has been neatly integrated into the story.
On the other hand, it may have been enough after the upcoming tenth season and maybe, just maybe the show should end. Maybe people are just becoming tired of zombies. If Kang and her team manage to keep the show in an upward spiral, I, however, wouldn't mind if the show kept going. And I say that as a person who had actually already said goodbye to this series...
