The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Explained

Showrunner:	Scott M. Gimple
Composer:	Sam Ewing
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Num Episodes:	6
Location:	New Jersey
Cinematography:	Adrian Peng Correia
Camera:	Single-camera
Runtime:	52–60 minutes
Budget:	82.75 million^[1] (13.7 million per episode)
Network:	AMC
Related:	The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television miniseries created by Scott M. Gimple, Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln for AMC. It is set after the conclusion of the original The Walking Dead series, with Lincoln, Gurira and Pollyanna McIntosh reprising their roles, and is the sixth spin-off and overall seventh television series in The Walking Dead franchise.

The Ones Who Live premiered on February 25, 2024, on AMC and AMC+, and concluded on March 31, consisting of six episodes. It received generally positive reviews.

Premise

A love story of two people kept apart by an unstoppable power, trying to find each other.

Cast and characters

Main

• Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes: A former sheriff's deputy from King County, Georgia, the former leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, and Michonne's husband who was presumed to be dead. He later becomes a sergeant major in the Civic Republic Military (CRM).
• Danai Gurira as Michonne: A katana-wielding warrior, former leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, and Rick's wife who left her group to search for him.
• Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis Stokes / Anne: A warrant officer in the CRM who disappeared along with Rick Grimes on a CRM helicopter. McIntosh also appeared in the spin-off series s second season in a main role.

Recurring

• Terry O'Quinn as Major General Johnathan Beale: The commander of the Civic Republic Military. Before the apocalypse, he was the Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National Guard.^[2]
• Lesley-Ann Brandt as Pearl Thorne: Rick's friend and a command sergeant major in the CRM. Before the apocalypse, she was a sailor in the South African Navy, serving on submarines.^[3]

Guest

• Craig Tate as Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor: A senior officer in the Civic Republic Military and former major in the United States Marine Corps who trains Rick and Thorne.
• Frankie Quiñones as Esteban Garcia: Rick's humorous friend from the Civic Republic.
• Matthew August Jeffers as Nat: An engineer from a caravan of survivors who befriends Michonne.^[2]
• Breeda Wool as Aiden: A pregnant survivor and Bailey's girlfriend. Wool reprises her role from The Walking Dead.
• Andrew Bachelor as Bailey: Aiden's boyfriend who Michonne previously saved from walkers. Bachelor reprises his role from The Walking Dead.
• Erin Anderson as Elle: Aiden's sister and the leader of a large caravan of nomadic survivors.
• Julian Cihi as Benjiro: An artist from the Civic Republic who etches portraits of people onto old TVs and phones, including Michonne and Judith for Rick.
• Tessa Slovis as Cleo Clifton: A new Civic Republic consignee who works with Michonne.
• Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes: The respected priest of the Alexandria Safe-Zone and Jadis' former lover. Gilliam reprises his role from The Walking Dead.
• Ben Dickey as Red: The leader of a trio of desperate survivors whom Rick and Michonne encounter in Yellowstone.
• Will Brill as Dalton: Red's younger brother.
• Han Van Sciver as Tina: Red's younger sister.
• Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes: The adopted daughter of Rick and Michonne. Fleming reprises her role from The Walking Dead.
• Antony Azor as Rick "R.J." Grimes Jr: The son of Rick and Michonne. Azor reprises his role from The Walking Dead.

Production

Development

In 2018, following his departure from the main Walking Dead series, it was announced that Andrew Lincoln would star in a trilogy of films focusing on Rick Grimes for AMC. Scott M. Gimple was set to write the screenplays, with production expected to begin in 2019.^[4]

In 2019, a teaser trailer was unveiled, confirming the trilogy would be theatrical releases distributed by Universal Pictures. The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman was said to be "heavily" involved with the trilogy.^[5]

In July 2022, it was announced by Scott M. Gimple, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira at San Diego Comic-Con that the trilogy would be repurposed into a mini-series for television, with Lincoln and Gurira reprising their roles from the original television series.^[6] The limited series consisted of six episodes.^[7] It was initially titled The Walking Dead: Rick & Michonne,^[8] then retitled to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live in July 2023.^[9]

Writing

The series was created by Gimple, Gurira and Lincoln, with an episode written by Gurira and Gimple serving as showrunner.^[10] The series was set up by The Walking Deads series finale "Rest in Peace", which featured the return of Rick and Michonne.^[11]

Filming

Principal photography began on February 15, 2023,^[12] and wrapped on May 29, 2023,^[13] in New Jersey^[14] under the working title Summit.^[15] Additional filming and ADR would resume during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike due to an agreement between AMC and SAG-AFTRA.^[16]

Release

The series premiered on February 25, 2024, on AMC and AMC+.^[17] The series was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 10, 2024.^[18]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 88% of 54 critics gave The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live a positive review with an average rating of 8.15/10. The website's critics consensus is, "A Walking Dead spinoff that balances past and present without skimping on blockbuster scope, The Ones Who Live is a consistent treat for longtime fans."^[19] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 61 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[20]

Accolades

Danai Gurira received a nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for the episode "What We" at the 24th Black Reel Awards.^[21] Lesley-Ann Brandt received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series for the 4th Astra TV Awards.^[22]

Notes and References

1. Web site: December 14, 2023 EDA Board Meeting . New Jersey Economic Development Authority . December 14, 2023 . January 4, 2024.
2. Web site: Rice . Lynette . October 12, 2023 . 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live': AMC Drops New Trailer For Spinoff Premiering In February . October 12, 2023 . Deadline . en-US.
3. Web site: 'The Walking Dead': Lesley-Ann Brandt Joins Andrew Lincoln & Danai Gurira Spinoff . Deadline . Denise . Petski . March 6, 2023 . July 22, 2023.
4. Web site: Otterson . Joe . November 4, 2018 . Andrew Lincoln to Star in Multiple 'Walking Dead' Movies for AMC . March 4, 2024 . Variety.
5. Web site: Otterson . Joe . July 19, 2019 . Andrew Lincoln's 'Walking Dead' Movies to Be Released Only in Theaters . March 4, 2024 . Variety.
6. Web site: Bankhurst . Adam . July 22, 2022 . The Walking Dead Spin-Off Starring Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes and Danai Gurira's Michonne Announced for 2023 . July 22, 2022 . IGN . en.
7. Ross . Dalton . July 22, 2022 . Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira crash The Walking Dead Comic-Con panel with Rick and Michonne news . February 28, 2023 . Entertainment Weekly.
8. Web site: New Walking Dead Universe Short Form Series Ordered at AMC . Comicbook.com . Cameron . Bonomolo . April 17, 2023 . April 18, 2023.
9. Web site: Goldberg . Lesley . July 21, 2023 . 'Walking Dead' Spinoffs 'Dead City,' 'Daryl Dixon' Renewed at AMC . July 21, 2023 . The Hollywood Reporter.
10. Web site: Jones . Tamara . October 28, 2022 . 'The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira Writing Rick/Michonne Spin-Off, Credited as Co-Creator . November 21, 2022 . Collider . en.
11. Ross . Dalton . November 20, 2022 . The Walking Dead finale ending with Rick and Michonne explained . February 28, 2023 . Entertainment Weekly.
12. Web site: West . Amy . February 15, 2023 . 'The Walking Dead shares first look at Andrew Lincoln in Rick and Michonne spin-off' . February 19, 2023 . GamesRadar . en-US.
13. Web site: The Walking Dead's Rick and Michonne Spin-Off Wraps Filming . Collider . O'Rourke . Ryan . May 29, 2023 . May 30, 2023.
14. Web site: The Walking Dead: Rick and Michonne Set Photos Show Off Andrew Lincoln's New Look . Den of Geek . Alec . Bojalad . March 23, 2023 . March 26, 2023.
15. Web site: Production Weekly – Issue 1327 – Thursday, December 8, 2022 / 94 Listings – 20 Pages – Production Weekly . December 11, 2022 . Production Weekly . December 8, 2022 . en.
16. Web site: 'The Walking Dead' Spinoffs & 'Interview With A Vampire' To Resume Production As AMC Networks Strikes Significant Agreements With SAG-AFTRA . . White . Peter . Rice . Lynette . August 31, 2023 . August 31, 2023.
17. Web site: Wu. Valerie. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Sets Premiere Date at AMC, Drops Teaser. Variety. November 19, 2023. November 20, 2023.
18. Web site: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Season One SteelBook Blu-ray . Blu-ray.com . July 1, 2024 . July 6, 2024.
19. the_walking_dead_the_ones_who_live. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. tv. 1. February 26, 2024. y.
20. the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. tv. 1. February 26, 2024. y.
21. Web site: Black Reel TV Awards Unveils 2024 Nominees: Nat Geo’s ‘Genius: MLK/X’ Tops The Crop With 14 . Deadline . Valerie . Complex . June 13, 2024 . July 3, 2024.
22. Web site: The 2024 Astra TV Awards Nominations Have Arrived . The Astra Awards . July 9, 2024 . July 17, 2024.