I must admit, I’m uncertain about my feelings toward “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” after just one episode. It’s too early to form a definitive opinion, particularly considering that the season premiere primarily served to catch us up on Rick’s whereabouts rather than drive the narrative forward.
However, amidst the exposition-heavy content, there were some standout moments, which we’ll delve into shortly. Warning: spoilers ahead.
While I can’t yet determine my overall impression of the show, I must express disappointment with the abundance of voice-over narration and exposition. After years of anticipation, the storyline we’ve been presented with feels underwhelming.
To summarize the bulk of the episode, we follow Rick’s experiences within the CRM (Civic Republic Military), where he repeatedly attempts to escape. One notable instance involves him rashly severing his hand, a decision that backfires when he’s swiftly apprehended. Additionally, we learn of the CRM’s strategy to eliminate independent thinkers (“A’s”) and recruit obedient followers (“B’s”), a concept that raises questions about long-term survival tactics.
Despite being labeled as an “A,” Rick is recruited by Okafor, alongside South African submariner Thorne, to assume leadership positions within the CRM military. However, Okafor’s fate is short-lived, a disappointing recurrence in the series’ treatment of black characters.
Okafor’s demise is regrettable, as his character was compellingly portrayed by Craig Tate, despite the challenges posed by his accent. His conflicted moral choices, including sparing Philadelphia from destruction, added depth to the narrative.
Other standout moments include the tense confrontation between Rick and Major General Beale, brilliantly portrayed by Terry O’Quinn, and the climactic scene where Rick’s chopper is shot down, revealing Michonne’s unexpected involvement.
While these scenes injected much-needed excitement into the episode, they were overshadowed by the pervasive narration, which detracted from the overall viewing experience. The incessant exposition and “Gimple-speak” dialogue further hindered engagement, deviating from the show’s potential for immersive storytelling.
In hindsight, a more action-packed approach, centered around Rick’s escape from the CRM and Michonne’s dramatic intervention, would have elevated the episode’s intensity. Flashbacks could have supplemented subsequent episodes, offering insight into Rick’s journey over the years.
In conclusion, while “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” holds promise, its premiere fell short of expectations due to excessive narration and lackluster pacing. Despite its flaws, standout moments and the promise of future developments leave room for cautious optimism among fans.
I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description [“hard-core pornography”], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that.
Well, that’s essentially what Gimple-speak entails. I won’t delve into further definition, but its distinctive quality is unmistakable to me. Approximately 75% of Rick’s dialogue embodies Gimple-speak, while other characters, like Thorne, come across as more natural, such as when he suggests, “Let’s go have a drink before we shoot one another.” However, many other characters still exhibit Gimple-speak tendencies.
It appears that the CRM has no shortage of alcohol, at least.
Overall, the premiere of “The Ones Who Live,” despite its unfortunate title (a prime example of Gimple-speak as a TV show title), offers a decent opening but fails to elicit much excitement beyond its gripping conclusion. While fans eagerly anticipate the long-awaited reunion, I can’t help but feel that we deserved more after such a prolonged wait. I remain open-minded but cautious, neither overly optimistic nor thoroughly disillusioned. Time will tell.
Now, on to a broader observation. I must acknowledge that I may be difficult to please at this juncture because I’ve never been particularly fond of the sprawling civilization aspect of the series. Frankly, the most captivating moments of “The Walking Dead” occur when the focus is on a smaller group of survivors navigating smaller-scale threats, contending with walkers, and seeking basic necessities like food and shelter.
Whenever the show expands to encompass larger communities, it tends to lose its footing. While Woodbury succeeded early on, subsequent communities have often crumbled, largely due to the arrival of our protagonists. Furthermore, the narrative loses its appeal once the show settles into a more stable setting. “The Walking Dead” thrives when it’s dynamic, akin to a shark in constant motion. Unfortunately, it inevitably reaches a point where it “jumps the shark.”
Nevertheless, I’m not dismissing the series outright just yet. The production values are undoubtedly high, even if Gimple-speak persists and the storyline feels belated. While many fans appear thrilled by the episode, I’m cautiously optimistic, recognizing that while it may not be the best episode ever, it also could have been much worse.
As for the Carl spinoff, I find myself eagerly anticipating it. After all, he was only mostly dead, and his journey to find the Three-Eyed Raven beyond the Wall promises an epic and potentially impactful narrative, although I doubt Rick will be the one to defeat the Night King. In any case, I digress, and I apologize for any nonsensical rambling.
