2 new 'Walking Dead' shows...

Don't forget about the other spin-off series, Tales of the Walking Dead. Which is basically another show in itself, that I don't have the minute to get into. It was also the least favorite 'Dead' series of them all, but I understood what it was going for.

For me, I love zombies. I've watched as many movies as I've could from all decades, dating back to the horror movies of the 1920's.
I began watching The Walking Dead the night the pilot aired on Halloween night. The one thing about this show that I think fueled its success is that 'zombies' have been a huge market in horror since the 2000's began. It began with video games like Resident Evil. That one game helped introduce horror into the video game world, I remember, I bought it the day it came out. Which carried into the movie world with films like 28 Days Later... and the Dawn of the Dead remake. Zombies in movies and video games have came out every year since the early 2000's and have probably been the leading 'movie monster' of all of the movie monsters of old.
I read all of The Walking Dead comic books while getting into the TV series simultaneously. So when the show aired, it was a blast for me to make all of those connections and differences with the show as it aired week-to-week. The comic book is the superior story of the two, but the show did carry-on some very original ideas (that one has to read for themselves to know). 
What really helped make the show better at the height of it's popularity was almost everyone was watching it; everyone I knew at least. I even introduced people to the show who still talk about it till this day. I don't think any one of them continued to watch the show and its spin-offs as much as me, but we all have lives. Movies and horror is just something I've always had the time for.
Like any franchise of a series, there were plenty of downfalls to where the show lost its shock value and keeping fans glued to the TV. I can name where it went worse, to worse, but another time. It's how the business goes. However, a show like this can create spin-offs and in ways can continue to be engaging to any one individual person.

Fear the Walking Dead is such an interesting spin-off as it's not based on any single thing. While The Walking Dead consistently built its characters and plots up season-to-season without any real change (until a giant time jump in season 9). Where as, Fear the Walking Dead also with its random jumps and leaps, it really goes all over the place in its storyline. Season 1 is almost unrecognizable in Season 6. However, in Season 7, the show is more recognizable than that of The Walking Dead series from its first episode aired to its soon-to-be final episode. Fear the Walking Dead to me is a surprising success. It does carry a lot of the same meaningless decisions that the first show suffered, but it's also not that bad to watch as it introduces a lot of what was missing in the first series. A nuclear blast for one example. I recently re-watched the first season after not seeing it for like five years, it felt so nostalgic to; which I thought only the first series could do.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond was a cute little series. For me, it was aimed more at a younger generation than the fans of the original comic books of the first series. I think this, because I met someone young who told me they haven't watched any other Dead series and they completely love this show. I felt I was going to hate it at times, I'm not always open to young actors on TV but that's just me. The show grew on me, and I was jacked up to watch the finale of the first season. Season 2 let me down in more ways than one, but I finished it and was satisfied with its simple closure. The show did what it did in a short period of time, maybe if COVID hadn't hit when it did, the show would have been shown to us completely different.

The Walking Dead: Dead City I binged through and well, this was the kind of spin-off I was wanting for a while. Still, not this particular one, but the characters of Maggie & Negan have a connection almost unlike any other two characters in both the original show and comics. I remember someone telling me that they now have to binge watch the first series over, just to wonder how on Earth these two characters would come together for their own show. I enjoyed it, have hope for it. It wasn't the best spin-off I wanted, but I actually see a lot of potential for a season 2, one that should be as strong as the other two shows that have yet to be released. That's one thing about all of those fan favorite characters, they really haven't lost their horror appeal and that's why all of these shows were given the green light.

I don't know if fans are as thirsty for anything The Walking Dead, as they were when the first series was at the height of its success. Though, if there was a time to get back that following of fans, all of these running series combined will have the chance to do it. I'm thirsty for everything zombies, I can't think I'm the only person out there that is. I only wish I had the time and day to play all of the zombie video games released in the last decade-plus. The Dead Rising franchise, the Dead Space franchise, The Last of Us franchise, the Red Dead Redemption franchise, the Dying Light franchise and the Resident Evil franchise.
These zombie shows above might be scattered over a decade in story-telling and having a cohesive connection, which they do. But in the gaming world, people are killing for more and more zombies. 

Hope & Huck were for sure the stand out characters of The Walking Dead: World Beyond series. It's very similar to what has made Fear The Walking Dead work, the mother & daughter dual of Madison & Alicia. A strong female lead paired with a strong future lead. I actually think Hope & Huck could've been developed so much further. One reminded of the innocent Maggie (Lauren Cohan) from season 2, to her fully developed character now on the latest series Dead City.
Hope was by far my favorite female character of any Walking Dead series, Maggie closely behind. And Hope I saw having so much potential. I guess we got to appreciate what we got for a short time.




Off-set...

Thank you for the reply.

I actually always enjoyed the short opening seasons of each Walking Dead show. I still remember when that first season aired each week, over just a small six week period in November (no break). By the time season 2 aired basically an entire year later, many had no idea the impact of what that would turn into for the series and for horror fans. I remember writing on Facebook for some lovers of the first season, that this new second season would be exactly 13 episodes long! As much as the show felt like it dragged each of those 13 episodes. Now, looking back, it's complete nostalgic to re-watch. Nothing boring about watching some psycho Shane introductions to the characters Maggie, Beth, and Hershel.
One thing about all of the series in the Walking Dead universe (as they call it now), they all opened with 6 episodes their first season, and had a second season of 13 episodes that followed. Then endings with 16 episode seasons. The only times this has changed over all shows were when the COVID episodes (Season 10: Episodes 17-22) for The Walking Dead flagship series; and the limited-series, The Walking Dead: World Beyond (which had 20 episodes spread over 2 seasons).
We'll see what these three new, highly anticipated series do.

Although, I agree with you about the stupid things quickly becoming cliché for most of the rest of the seasons that followed; being 'dumb' at time becomes all more common for the show. The taking of the Well Walker out of the well water to regain the supply of drinking water back comes to mind. I remember Conan O'Brien said it best when interesting the cast on his show at the time. "I would not take a sip of that well water, even if the zombie had only put his toe into it!" Or Conan commenting on, "Some of the plots do come off as dumb, such as, 'Hey, guys! I lost a shoe out in this large field, let's split into four different groups to go find it, and it's dark out! Lol!"

Again, I did appreciate The Walking Dead: Dead City. It did feel short, and like the episodes had a rather odd pace to them. The Croat character was a neat little weirdo, I found it more intriguing that they time him into being one of Negan's former Saviors from before. I also don't know the actor's name offhand, he is good. I liked him in the series True Blood, which I find a strong resemblance between the two roles he portrays.
The thing that does stand out most in the series is Maggie & Negan. The show will live or die with them. I don't even think the show can properly hold up for multiple seasons if you lose one of two characters. And so far with what we've got, there's a lot of hope between the duo. What the writer's surround them with will tell it all.

And I still miss Hope & Huck. It's still nice to see both actresses enjoying their characters off and onscreen in social media.

Alexa Mansour (Hope) offscreen

Annet Mahendru (Huck) onscreen

I have a feeling that because this is a Walking Dead spin-off series, these three new series are likely bound to have full 16 or so episodes per season. I would be shocked if they weren't given that as I'm sure the ratings will be high for new and returning fans who want to catch lead characters like Rick, Michonne, Daryl, Maggie & Negan. The only other character I can think of to hold that much weight of the fanbase on their shoulders is Carol (Melissa McBride). I don't know what fans won't tune in to one, if not all series simultaneously. I'll for sure be one. I can be tired from working all week, and I'll still make time to watch each episode; even if not on their exact airdate.
I think this present Walking Dead universe is going to bring back the show closest to it's initial impact/release of the original series when it was at its prime.

After looking up the actor Željko Ivanek, now I remember him much more clearer. The mostly television actor who had small roles in films like Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, and Unfaithful all within a year. Pretty cool. I hear the series Let The Right One In has been a fun watch, I haven't caught any of it. Apparently he co-stars in that series as well.

I almost see no possible way for Huck to be included in any of the upcoming new shows. Completely sad, but true, as we witnessed her fate in The Walking Dead: World Beyond finale. Now, this would be an excellent time to include Hope (Alexa Mansour) and the CRM in the Rick & Michonne series. It almost seems like too good of an opportunity from actually happening. Me personally, I think the character Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) will be the biggest and only character that ties these two specific series together. Which isn't a bad thing, as I'm a huge fan of the actress McIntosh. Her roles in films like Exam, The Woman, and Tales of Halloween are all excellent little indie contributions to the horror genre. It wouldn't surprise me that we see her character enter early on in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

It'll all make for a fun new ride of zombie stories one way or another.

It feels like we've been waiting forever for this missing chapter with Rick and Michonne, and it's finally here. When they left TWD, it created a void that the show never fully recovered from. Suddenly, Daryl was made the star, but he worked so much better as a supporting character. I say this having still not yet seen his spinoff. Having TWD end with no resolution for these characters felt wrong so I'm glad we're finally getting some.