After the carnage that was Season 8 of THE WALKING DEAD, and its protracted All Out War story line, the show is back in Season 9 with a extra long premiere that time jumps a year and a half in the aftermath of the defeat of Negan and the Saviors, and at least I can say that they gave most of us fans what we like best: nasty looking Walkers dying nasty deaths, but not before they haven't taking out a supporting character or two, and come close to chowing down on a series regular. I knew poor Ken (we hardly knew ye) was done for when he went back for the horse, just as I was sure Ezekiel was going to be fine when he went through the glass floor at the museum.
As Season 9 opens, all the different communities are living in an uneasy peace, as some are doing better than others, which makes it look like it will be the main plot tension in this first half of the season. Everyone seems to have settled into their roles, again, some better than others: Maggie is ruling the Hilltop with a firm hand, while the Sanctuary is struggling, and its neediness is resented. All is clearly not well, and resentments soon bubble to the top with resulting violence. Carol and Ezekiel are a thing, while Rick Grimes and Michonne have settled in like an old married couple at Alexandria, raising a now growing Judith. Darryl is not happy with his new job in management, and Gregory is scheming a return to power - that does not work out well. Resources are starting to run low, namely gasoline and bullets, and the un-maintained roads and bridges are starting to seriously decay. Over it all looms the long shadow of the unseen Negan, presumably locked away in that cell back in Alexandria.
All in all, this episode, directed by Greg Nicotero, was a good one, even if felt slow at times, and as though nothing too consequential was happening. After the very uneven pacing of Season's 7 & 8, it felt as if things were getting back on an even keel. And if anyone was wondering whatever happened to 90's comedian Brett Butler, well, now you know. But even bigger than the shadow of the unseen Negan, is the shadow of the impending departure from the series of Andrew Lincoln, the how and why of which remains to be seen, but as all of us fans know this will be another body blow to THE WALKING DEAD, a show that has more than a few of them, narrative wise, in the past two seasons, starting with the horrific Season 7 opener that saw the gruesome deaths of Glenn and Abraham. For most of us fans who had invested so much in these characters, nothing has been the same since. And let's not talk about what happened to Carl last season.
The coming departure of Rick, and Maggie too, is going to open a massive hole in the center of THE WALKING DEAD universe, and ultimately this Season 9 opener gave no clues how it will be filled, much less how this franchise will continue for another ten years as AMC has promised. As far as I'm concerned, The Whisperers can't show up soon enough.
And what about Dwight...and Heath...and Georgie Girl? At least the mystery of Morales has been solved.
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