The Walking Dead Finale Ends The Current Iteration Of The Long-Running Zombie Series
The Walking Dead, a show that was once the most-watched program on cable TV, has finally ended. The series finale aired on AMC on September 20, 2022 after 11 seasons. Despite years of rumors predicting that few, if any, characters would survive the finale, the majority of characters did make it to the end and were given as close to a happy ending as they could get while living in a zombie apocalypse.
One highlight of the episode included Maggie finally getting to confront Negan over the murder of Glenn 5 seasons earlier. It was a long-overdue moment for the two characters that was delayed after Lauren Cohan left the show for several seasons and the writers attempted to redeem Negan while she was gone.
Although most characters made it out of the finale alive, it wouldn’t be The Walking Dead without people dying. But, unlike previous seasons, where many main characters seemed to be thrown away in shocking “deaths of the week” while other characters were running for their lives, two of the characters who died in the finale got to have poignant moments that allowed the other characters to feel for their loss.
The series finale also featured a number of flashbacks to characters who came and went throughout the show’s 11 seasons. It also wrapped up the story arc with season 11’s main villain, Pamela, and then jumped a year ahead to show what happened to the survivors after the events at the Commonwealth. Some fans may have expected a tragic ending to the consistently dark and depressing series, but the writers opted to go with smiles, hugs, and sad farewells.
But the ending wasn’t quite the end for several characters who will be spinning off into their own shows in 2023. Three new shows will be joining Fear The Walking Dead to create an expanded Walking Dead universe.
As for the question of whether or not Rick and Michonne return to save the day at the last minute and reunite with Judith, the answer would be no. That was one plot thread that was left dangling. Although, fans do get a definitive update on their statuses.
Some of the previous seasons of The Walking Dead didn’t offer viewers much more than shocking deaths that eliminated characters before the audience really got to know them. The final 2 seasons, however, provided more character development and storytelling, which gave the actors something to do other than scream and run. While the show’s ratings toward the end fell significantly lower than at the height of its popularity, the final two seasons were arguably better in many ways and seemed to provide the actors with broader material to work with. That paid off in the end, making the final deaths resonate more and letting the audience breathe a sigh of relief at the unexpected happy ending for the survivors.
The series finale is available to stream on AMC.com.
No responses yet