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Has 'The Walking Dead: World Beyond' offered anything new? There's promise but it's yet to live up to the hype

Unlike its predecessors where a show spawned over half-a-dozen seasons, this one has just two seasons and that implies a definitive conclusion
PUBLISHED NOV 15, 2020
(IMDb)
(IMDb)

Not many would have expected 'The Walking Dead: World Beyond' to see a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes or a Metascore of 48 in Metacritic. AMC's second spin-off series was touted to be the next big thing for the franchise and it was promising. The cast is young, the storyline is coming-of-age and the timing of its release was just about perfect. Premiering on October 4, where the world was not in dire straits as it was a few months before after the coronavirus pandemic ensured a complete shutdown.

What's new in 'The Walking Dead: World Beyond'?

Much like the way humanity is dealing with the pandemic, 'World Beyond' has a storyline with the zombie apocalypse being the new normal. Four high-school teens leave the relative safety of their community with missions and choices of their own and encounter death at every turn. This serves as a compelling storyline and adds a breath of fresh air to the franchise where its major shows— 'The Walking Dead' and 'Fear the Walking Dead' have seen enough mileage with 10 and six seasons respectively with mundane storylines.

It's clear the series is targeted for a new audience — a lot younger than the ones who tune in to watch 'The Walking Dead' and 'Fear the Walking Dead'. The cast, all in their teens live in a world that's changed massively from the zombie-filled world we're accustomed to seeing. There's Aliyah Royale's Iris, the quintessential good girl, a natural leader, president of her high-school class. There's a sense of calm around her that's reassuring and respect-gaining at the same time.

Then there's her sister, Hope (Alexa Mansour). Naturally, she's a stark contrast to Iris and spends her time violating the community laws by making huge quantities of alcohol. She's the exact opposite of just about everything Iris believes in. Joining them in their mission are Nicolas Cantu's Elton, a wise (read nerdy) teen, and Silas (Hal Gumpton). And in Annet Mahendru's Huck and Felix (Nico Tortorella), who serves as the sisters' guardian in their father's absence, there are two warriors keeping a constant eye on Hope and Iris.

Has 'The Walking Dead: World Beyond' lived up to its hype?

It's a tad too early to jump to this conclusion, however, from what we have seen so far, the answer leans towards a 'no'. Of course, we could be wrong, and with four episodes to go before the pilot season ends, a lot of things could change. The opening episode was received warmly. It had the perfect backdrop, the ideal start to the story, and has a fair share of horror and drama. As the episodes progressed, the series decides to cruise in third gear with a decent-paced storyline, some specks of humor, and very subtle romance.

There's a lot of emphasis placed on character development. This could be a conscious call considering these teens will make their own choices by the end of the second season and that determines their future. For the TWD and FWD ardents, the lack of horror comes in as a disappointment.

Nicolas Cantu as Elton in 'The Walking Dead: World Beyond' (Photo Credit: Jojo Whilden/AMC)

Over the last couple of seasons of 'The Walking Dead' and 'Fear', the bigger issue fans had was the multiple, unwanted storylines that led nowhere and the focus shifting from horror to human enemies over time. While this may have been instrumental in adding depth to character development, what it did was just make the zombies an addition when in fact the whole series was about trying to survive in a virus-filled world. 'World Beyond' was the perfect chance to learn from the mistakes and go back to basics. 

Does it have the potential to be the best series after the early success of 'TWD'?

A lot depends on how they go from episode 6.  Sometimes change is good. This series is set in a generation where these kids don't really remember a lot. Their memory of the pre-apocalypse world is a blur and that just adds to the beauty of the series. Unlike the old and sometimes frustratingly repeated pattern of survivors meeting other survivors, the joining of hands to form a formidable force of defense, with romance and some bloody violence, 'World Beyond' explores the emotions of these teens in detail.

That's progress and a sign of promise. With the franchise now focusing on anthology episodes and a bunch of movies, 'World Beyond' will determine the future of a series that has continuity in each episode.  And unlike its predecessors where a show spawned over half-a-dozen seasons, this one has just two seasons and that implies a definitive conclusion. Cliffhangers aside, it will probably tell the story just the way it wants to.

Is the series worth tuning into?

For now, yes. The series isn't so woeful to be written off just yet despite blowing hot and cold. Some series over the years have become better by the season and it shouldn't be a surprise if 'World Beyond' follows a similar route. And some slack should be cut to AMC for trying out something new. Whether the teen-zombie drama will remain the same after Season 1 is a question most of the franchise's fans will have. And should the series end on a thrilling note, there will be expectations for a better Season 2.

Right now, 'World Beyond' is worth it. 

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