Yes that's right, it's gone. TWD has been gone for a while after S08 and the release of Dead City. But this is a review for The Ones who Live so I will state why it wasn't good and there was no TWD vibe in it.
First, massive background sounds, which was so different from what they did in the main show. The showrunner, Scott M Gimple, in an episode commentary in the main show, saying that they only added the soundtracks when necessary. They wanted the viewers to feel the show, the background stories, to make the viewers feel that they were part of the show, like they were in the pandemic like the characters did, like they were fighting the walkers/villains with the characters. I didn't feel like I was watching a show, I was like, in their world, which was why I loved it so much. But in this spinoff, why there was a soundtrack for each scene, and it was so annoying. It was no different than those tenuous and cheap budgeted movies and tv series i watched before. I recently watched the show "The Wire" by David Simon, man there was no music at all (except some from the car audios in some episodes), I was so into it.
Secondly, the villains. In TWD and Fear the Walking Dead, each villain had their own stories. The shows focused on both the good people and the bad ones. But in this spinoff, no, just Rick and Michonne. The only one big villain, major general Beale, didn't have much about him and the show made him like a total idiot, easily to be defeated by two people. No no, the villains in TWD should be very strong and formidable that wouldn't be easily defeated. So the story was dull and plain.
Thirdly, too many kissing scenes, like really? I knew they loved each other very much but it didn't mean they had to kiss in every one hour or whatever. Did they want to make a sexually explicit spinoff?
Next, the show didn't have a lot of scenes about how hard it was for Michonne to find Rick. I felt like it didn't cost her so much to find Rick except that she was trapped with Nat in a building for almost a year after being attacked by a CRM chopper. The scene where Michonne and Rick reunited was a bit pushed-feeling. They used some touching lines and music to make people cry.
The only thing that made me feel so good about this show was the presence of Nat and Pearl Thorne. I believe most of you would agree with me on this. Nat was a chatty, friendly, smart and helpful survivor who was eager to learn sth new and wanted to be brave and strong just like Michonne was. Pearl was like a tough, smart, combat ready, and strong willed survivor. Unlike Rick, she gave up very early and she believed that CRM's way was the only way. From being on the same page to pointing gun to each other, it was a good script. There should have been more stories about those new characters.
I saw someone's post on a social media, that major general Beale was dumb and weak. It was wrong. He was the smartest one, he used people's desire: living behind the walls and being protected, to find out their strengths and weaknesses. To do so, he made them consignees. People who were strong would be selected to become his soldiers, making them believe that "his way was the only way", obeying his orders and following his lead. He wasn't dumb. He took the opportunity to recruit his pawns and build an army just because people really wanted to stay and would do whatever it took to earn their keep.
When you watch this show, the first three episodes should be watched one after another. Years Gone By: showing Michonne's journey and Rick's journey to find each other, and they found each other. The next two: what we Become: how stubborn Rick was to stay with the CRM and how strong minded Michonne was to convince him to go home (the show spent too much time on their argument, which was a bit boring to be honest). Then they became who they used to be: going home and bringing down Beale and Jadis. Then it is the season finale. I don't think there will be a season 2 because the season finale has a perfect fit happy ending and Scott M Gimple didnt really have a plan for the renewal.
First, massive background sounds, which was so different from what they did in the main show. The showrunner, Scott M Gimple, in an episode commentary in the main show, saying that they only added the soundtracks when necessary. They wanted the viewers to feel the show, the background stories, to make the viewers feel that they were part of the show, like they were in the pandemic like the characters did, like they were fighting the walkers/villains with the characters. I didn't feel like I was watching a show, I was like, in their world, which was why I loved it so much. But in this spinoff, why there was a soundtrack for each scene, and it was so annoying. It was no different than those tenuous and cheap budgeted movies and tv series i watched before. I recently watched the show "The Wire" by David Simon, man there was no music at all (except some from the car audios in some episodes), I was so into it.
Secondly, the villains. In TWD and Fear the Walking Dead, each villain had their own stories. The shows focused on both the good people and the bad ones. But in this spinoff, no, just Rick and Michonne. The only one big villain, major general Beale, didn't have much about him and the show made him like a total idiot, easily to be defeated by two people. No no, the villains in TWD should be very strong and formidable that wouldn't be easily defeated. So the story was dull and plain.
Thirdly, too many kissing scenes, like really? I knew they loved each other very much but it didn't mean they had to kiss in every one hour or whatever. Did they want to make a sexually explicit spinoff?
Next, the show didn't have a lot of scenes about how hard it was for Michonne to find Rick. I felt like it didn't cost her so much to find Rick except that she was trapped with Nat in a building for almost a year after being attacked by a CRM chopper. The scene where Michonne and Rick reunited was a bit pushed-feeling. They used some touching lines and music to make people cry.
The only thing that made me feel so good about this show was the presence of Nat and Pearl Thorne. I believe most of you would agree with me on this. Nat was a chatty, friendly, smart and helpful survivor who was eager to learn sth new and wanted to be brave and strong just like Michonne was. Pearl was like a tough, smart, combat ready, and strong willed survivor. Unlike Rick, she gave up very early and she believed that CRM's way was the only way. From being on the same page to pointing gun to each other, it was a good script. There should have been more stories about those new characters.
I saw someone's post on a social media, that major general Beale was dumb and weak. It was wrong. He was the smartest one, he used people's desire: living behind the walls and being protected, to find out their strengths and weaknesses. To do so, he made them consignees. People who were strong would be selected to become his soldiers, making them believe that "his way was the only way", obeying his orders and following his lead. He wasn't dumb. He took the opportunity to recruit his pawns and build an army just because people really wanted to stay and would do whatever it took to earn their keep.
When you watch this show, the first three episodes should be watched one after another. Years Gone By: showing Michonne's journey and Rick's journey to find each other, and they found each other. The next two: what we Become: how stubborn Rick was to stay with the CRM and how strong minded Michonne was to convince him to go home (the show spent too much time on their argument, which was a bit boring to be honest). Then they became who they used to be: going home and bringing down Beale and Jadis. Then it is the season finale. I don't think there will be a season 2 because the season finale has a perfect fit happy ending and Scott M Gimple didnt really have a plan for the renewal.