THE ONES WHO LIVE EPISODE YEARS IS TWD’S BEST SPINOFF, WHICH BODES WELL FOR THE FRANCHISE
BY RAQCHELWHERE IN THE WORLD IS RICK GRIMES
IMAGES VIA AMC
SPOILERS BELOWTHE WALKING DEAD franchise, over its long span on the silver screen, has produced the flagship show, as well as numerous spinoffs, such as FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, WORLD BEYOND, TALES OF THE WALKING DEAD, DEAD CITY, and DARYL DIXON the bloated zombie lineup, added a new limited series to the franchise. THE ONES WHO LIVE episode one, "Years," reintroduces the show's main protagonist, RICK GRIMES, played by (Andrew Lincoln). Grimes was last seen on the flagship show THE WALKING DEAD, season nine, episode four, "What Comes After," in a very precarious state due to a horse, well-placed rebar, a swell of walkers, a well-stacked case of explosives on a bridge, a famous colt python, a colossal boom, a bowl cut villain named JADIS played by (Pollyanna Mcintosh), and one out of place helicopter. Needless to say, RICK GRIMES is yeeted off a bridge and assumed for dead by his loved ones until MICHONNE, played by (Danai Gurira) stumbles upon Rick's belongings and heads out on a quest to bring her beloved home.
The new series begins with a desolate RICK in an unfamiliar city. Through his narration, he begins unraveling the mystery of his absence and escape plan. He is revealed to be a captive of a militarized group known as the Civic Republic Military (CRM), adding intrigue to his predicament. Along with a group of fellow prisoners, he is tasked with clearing flaming walkers for a chance at citizenship. However, unlike the others, RICK is tethered back, unable to work freely. In a shocking turn of events, RICK chops off his hand in a plan to escape the (CRM.) Until now, this iconic chop has been hinted at in the franchise. Yet, in this new spinoff, THE ONES WHO LIVE, the stakes and the urgency of what RICK is willing to do to get back home are at an all-time high, and losing a hand for a chance to be reunited with his family is what he's willing to do.
Showrunner Scott Gimple has billed THE ONES WHO LIVE as a love story, and the new series pilot episode has once again finally tapped into what made the original first few seasons of THE WALKING DEAD so great. RICK GRIMES' character arc is about what one man will do to be reunited with his loved ones. It is a story beat that anchored a show about zombies into a beautiful character story, and THE ONES WHO LIVE, in less than ten minutes, somehow has found its beating heart once again.
THE ONES WHO LIVE INTRODUCES THE ROMANCE
Andrew Lincoln, and Danai Gurira
From the beginning moments of the series, the situational stakes are at an all-time high, and the rules of the pilot episode are formed. RICK dreams of MICHONNE in an idyllic place where they are zombie-free and have a chance to fall in love with each other. During the first episode, RICK is constantly jolted from that peaceful reality into the present three times in the episode. He's still held captive by the CRM, and now, to up the ante, he only has one hand. This subtle "Groundhog Day"(93 Billy Murry Classic) reference of constantly returning to imagery with the chance of the character finally making the right choice is a nice touch to the episode. The two leads, Lincoln and Gurira dynamic chemistry, continues to jump off the screen; with such limited screen time in the opening episode, a secluded park bench and just these two actors anchoring their characters is an additional reminder of what was missing from the later seasons of the flagship show.
RICKS PATH IN THE CRM
With RICK now deeply entrenched in the CRM with the help of his fellow consignee PEARL THORNE, played by (Lesley Ann Brandt), and Lieutenant Colonel DONALD OKAFOR, played by (Craig Tate), RICK is pushed further away from his goal of reuniting with his family and closer to his new reality of committing to the CRM. This organization has held him captive for years, yet during the start of the episode, he was once willing to cut his hand off to leave the CRM, but he has now committed his life to the service of the CRM. Every new character in the pilot episode fights with the internal choices that they have to make. OKAFOR shockingly reveals he killed his wife to save thousands; PEARL, with the selection of living or searching for her love, made the choice to live. Each character is revealed to be a broken shell in an internal battle for redemption to make a horrible circumstance worthwhile.
THE ONES WHO LIVE PILOT EPISODE YEARS STICK THE LANDING
The story's resolution commences with RICK finally giving in to the pressure of his comrades and committing to the CRM, throwing away his link to the past and his chance to see his children and the love of his life ever again. The internal struggle is grippingly shown through a series of montages and a final dream sequence of RICK AND MICHONNE that ends with MICHONNE going up in flames, signifying utterly destroying all memory of his past. Just as RICK has let go of his old life, the helicopter that he is flying, including OKAFOR and a set of soldiers all on a mission, is suddenly shot down; OKAFOR takes a startling shot to the chest, and the helicopter crashes and lands. RICK and his fellow soldiers are shot at and stabilized on the ground; a sword-yielding character comes into the frame, killing each soldier one by one before yanking RICK's helmet off and freezing the heart-pumping final moments, revile the character to be MICHONNE, the love of his life who for years RICK is yearning for is now with him.
Where THE ONES WHO LIVE will go next after this fantastic, well-directed, written, and acted freshman episode is yet to be seen. However, after just one episode, THE ONES WHO LIVE has now stamped itself as the top dog of the franchise and the new beating heart of the series that surrounds itself with previous spinoffs that continue to walk with the dead.
