The Walking Dead Broke a 14-Year Trend With This 88% Fresh Spinoff (& Then Made 1 of the Franchise's Most Frustrating Decisions)

The Ones Who Live Was a Major Success

The Walking Dead centered on Rick Grimes and his group for many years, and it was for that reason that the audience was so distraught when Andrew Lincoln left the show in Season 9, being written off as a captive of the CRM with no foreseeable return. However, the franchise teased a return when Michonne also left the show in Season 10, going on a journey to find Rick, suggesting they had a storyline in mind for these two separated lovers. When The Ones Who Live was announced, dedicated fans of TWD were excited to learn what happened to Rick Grimes and Michonne during the several years they were away from their family.

The Ones Who Live did not disappoint, entertaining viewers with Michonne's harrowing journey to find Rick and his tragic fight to escape the CRM before giving up and joining the ranks of the militarized community. The creators delivered on their promise of an epic love story, reminding viewers why Michonne and Rick worked so well as a couple by expressing how determined they became to reunite despite the odds against them. Though the spin-off was only six episodes long, it successfully convinced fans that these two skilled survivors were able to combat the CRM and come out victorious.

Considering the controversial response to The Walking Dead spin-offs following the conclusion of the original series, it was pleasantly surprising that The Ones Who Live managed a cohesive plot, genuine character growth, and a respectable finale. While many viewers were hesitant about other spin-offs that would continue long-running characters' storylines, Rick and Michonne's return was the most demanded continuation in the franchise. Unfortunately, despite this being the most successful spin-off, The Ones Who Live has no foreseeable future, living up to the promise that it is a one-season installment.

This Truly Was a Limited Series

Though The Ones Who Live was advertised as a limited series, viewers were still skeptical about this spin-off only receiving a single season, especially considering all the other continuation shows following the original series were planned as lengthy narratives. This fact gave fans hope that if this first season was successful and got enough attention, Rick and Michonne would come back for another adventure. Unfortunately, after watching the entirety of The Ones Who Live, it was clear that the creators didn't have any intentions of continuing this storyline.

The Ones Who Live had a very well-rounded narrative, beginning with the conflict of Rick and Michonne not being able to get to each other, finally reuniting the two lovers for an epic fight for freedom, and concluding the story with the two parents returning home to their children. The two long-running survivors were also able to take down a major TWD villain, exposing the corruption in the CRM's ranks and allowing the community to rebuild without its harmful military policies, concluding the conflict within this organization that has been subtly addressed throughout the franchise. This clean conclusion to the short series offered viewers a satisfying ending to two beloved Walking Dead characters, making it seem as though they will now be able to live happily ever after.

However, though Rick reuniting with Judith and RJ was the best Walking Dead moment in the recent history of the universe, fans were not ready to see this hero get a send-off. Rick has been the face of TWD since the pilot episode, and it's hard to imagine the future of the franchise without him, especially since he has yet to reunite with many of his dearest friends and allies. These viewers also aren't satisfied with writing off Michonne, Judith, and RJ, recognizing that this family is a prime example of the evolution of the post-apocalyptic world.

A Continuation Could Solve The Walking Dead's Rick Problem

The Walking Dead viewers love the Grimes family, but fans have been exceptionally vocal about wanting Rick to return to the franchise, suggesting his character is not only popular but an important missing piece in many other storylines, such as Daryl's in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. Rick Grimes has a more substantial timeline than most other active characters in the universe, but even his well-rounded conclusion in The Ones Who Live has not dissuaded fans from demanding his return. This may have to do with his popularity as the "main character" of TWD, but viewers have some valid reasons why Rick Grimes needs to return to the franchise.

Aside from him needing to reunite with long-time friends such as Daryl Dixon, Morgan Jones, and Carol Peletier, there are some issues with Rick and Michonne returning to Alexandria that the finale of The Ones Who Live did not address. After their departure in the flagship series, the political and social landscapes changed, forming ties with powerful neighboring communities like the Commonwealth. Though we could assume that there is still a council maintaining Alexandria, these two dominant leaders returning to their community could be a challenge, especially since they both played a major role in the development of the community's leadership and policies.

It's unlikely that The Walking Dead will ever answer all the questions fans have regarding Rick's future, which could go on for a long time if the series maintains its popularity, but another installment of The Ones Who Live would satisfy two of the major mysteries regarding his storyline. It would be able to outline how Rick and Michonne adapted to being back home, clarifying what their new roles are in their community. More importantly, it will offer an opportunity for some much-needed reunions or, at the least, hint at some future reunions for characters that are currently starring in other spin-offs.

The Walking Dead Franchise Needs a Change

The two most recent The Walking Dead spin-offs, Daryl Dixon and Dead City, initially excited viewers, promising them a couple of fresh storylines but following characters that the audience has grown to love, support, and understand. Unfortunately, the critical and audience ratings for the second seasons of these two series have dropped compared to the first installments, and there is a significant difference between the mostly positive critical reviews and the controversial reviews from fans. This highlights the tensions in the fandom, suggesting that the franchise is going in the wrong direction and the creators need to evaluate and remedy the issues to hold onto their audience.

Some suggest that the main issue with these new spin-offs is a focus on overused characters with plot armor, while others believe the major issue with these new projects is that they often reuse familiar plot ideas and repeat tropes that have proven to be unpopular among fans. In reality, why The Walking Dead is failing to impress viewers seems to be because these popular characters are facing very similar conflicts to the ones they previously overcame, halting their growth and denying the audience any shock factor or valuable storyline continuation. Therefore, the issues don't necessarily relate to long-running characters holding the spotlight, but the stagnant development of the narrative and world-building.

There are many different directions the creators could take The Walking Dead spin-offs that would rejuvenate the franchise, and one of the most obvious ways is by addressing the widespread desire of fans to see Rick Grimes return. The Ones Who Live offered a positive conclusion for his character, but there's no denying that the continuation of the series (and other long-running characters' storylines) only increases viewers' desire to see him back in action. Out of the three Walking Dead spin-offs started after the conclusion of the original series, this one limited series is the one that has the most potential to increase the franchise's ratings.