AMC Network has capitalized on the success of The Walking Dead series, which aired for eleven seasons. A slew of spinoffs have been released with more in the works. The Walking Dead: Dead City is the fourth spinoff of the franchise, but it is the first direct spinoff that features continued stories of characters introduced in the flagship.
Dead City is a series that forced long-time enemies Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohan) and Negan Smith (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to team up. When the series' concept was first revealed, fans couldn't see how this would work, as Maggie's animosity towards Negan for the brutal killing of her husband Glenn (Steve Yeun) was well known. Were the creators able to make this work?
The first season of Dead City did a fantastic job of melding the new with the nostalgic. The series opened a whole new world within The Walking Dead universe, greatly expanding the scope by setting the story in post-apocalyptic Manhattan. Creators also included elements that felt very Walking Dead, giving fans of the main series a treat.
The way this series concept worked was that Maggie needed Negan's assistance in rescuing her son Hershel (Logan Kim). Why Negan? The kidnapper was a former member of Negan's Saviors, The Croat (Zeljko Ivanek), and he demanded Negan in exchange for her son's release.
The first season focused on Hershel's rescue and the many colorful characters Maggie and Negan meet along the way. The series ended with The Dama (Lisa Emery), the leader of a powerful gang of unsavory characters, demanding that Negan join her efforts to take over the entire island of Manhattan. She emphasizes her demand by threatening harm to Hershel if he doesn't comply.
Dead City currently has an 80% critical ranking on Rotten Tomatoes and 75% on the Popcornmeter (audience). Overall, it was a well-done season that expertly set up what's to come. The fact that it was centered on Maggie and Negan took care of one issue many viewers had with the main series, which was too many characters to really focus on individual stories. Dead City also gave backstory on what happened since the main series's final episode. So, yes, if you are looking for more Walking Dead stories, Dead City is a good watch.
The series has been renewed for a second season that will premiere on AMC and AMC+ in Spring 2025. The teaser (below) reveals that Negan is back in his element, with the story picking up six months after the conclusion of season 1.
Returning cast includes Cohan, Morgan, Ivanek, Emery, Kim, Gaius Charles, and more. Newly added cast for season 2 includes Kim Coates, Dascha Polanco, Jake Weary, Keir Gilchrist, and Pooya Mohseni.
