Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory spinoff about family, politics, and zombies.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
What's the Story?
THE WALKING DEAD: THE ONES WHO LIVE, a series set in the The Walking Dead universe, follows the relationship between one of the franchise's most popular couples. Roughly five years earlier Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) was thought to have sacrificed himself by blowing up a bridge to keep walkers from reaching his family. Instead, he survived and was conscripted into the CRM, the secret military branch of the Civic Republic. Suspecting that he was alive, his wife Michonne Hawthorne (Danai Gurira) set out to find him. Now, after years of trying to escape the CRM to reach his family, Grimes and fellow conscript Pearl Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt) decide to formally join the military under the leadership of Major General Beale (Terry O'Quinn) in hopes of helping create a better world. But their mentor, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor (Craig Tate), wants them to secretly work at changing the inner workings of the CRM. What follows will ultimately help him reconnect with his wife, albeit in unexpected ways.
Is It Any Good?
This spinoff tells how a pre-apocalyptic romance evolved as the world fell apart while uncovering the truth behind many of the questions the original series raises throughout its 11-year run. It uses flashbacks to reveal who Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) were before the war against the dead, and then follows their relationship through present-day events. The series also reveals some previously unknown, but important, players who had a role in the rise of the CRM, the bombings of key cities, and other significant events. Not surprisingly, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live features all the gruesome violence that the franchise is known for. However, its presence often takes a back seat as the narratives circle back to where the overall Walking Dead story originates. Granted, it's a little hard to follow if you haven't kept up with what's been going on in the universe, but loyal fans will enjoy it. Chances are that it will inspire a new generation of viewers, too.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about post-apocalyptic horror. Is it necessary to show blood and gore to highlight how horrible it is? Is there a danger of becoming desensitized to it over time if these scenes become commonplace?
What does The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live reveal about the politics associated with what eventually happened to the world? If you watched episodes of the original series, can you find evidence of what really transpired?
TV Details
- Premiere date : February 26, 2024
- Cast : Andrew Lincoln , Danai Gurira , Lesley-Ann Brandt
- Network : AMC
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Fantasy
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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