A Preview of the Final Season of ‘The Walking Dead’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

October 31, 2010 was a red letter day for horror fans everywhere. Simply because on that particular day, the horror genre was catapulted to new heights in popular culture, all thanks to the premiere of a brand-new television series on AMC. One that managed to captivate audiences like never before, courtesy of its unfettered gore and bone chilling moments and dynamic characters that everyone latched on to and truly, no one knew what was in store for our emotions shortly after The Walking Dead premiered. We only knew we wanted more, and we’d make time to get our fix and for the past eleven years, we have stood by this series and all the heartbreaking and wonderful moments it’s had to offer, and we relished in the fact that it put horror in the spotlight at last and made it one of the most popular genres around.

But alas, all good things must come to an end and even the dead must eventually have their rest, and in a couple of short weeks we will all settle in to watch this grand and sweeping saga about a rag-tag group of zombie apocalypse survivors… begin to come to a close. For the 11th season of the The Walking Dead will in fact, be its final one and well it is definitely safe to say that there is some nervousness surrounding this particular premiere. Simply because we don’t know what to expect, and we haven’t a clue who will live or who will die as the end draws near and worst of all, we don’t know if the series will maintain or exceed its quality, or rush to the finish line in a hurried and unfortunate fashion as some shows do in their final year. However, we here at Nerds That Geek have had the opportunity to see some of season eleven’s episode in advance and without spoiling any plot points… we can give you all a taste of what to expect.

In that, there is no need to be concerned or worried about the quality of the series dipping off in the slightest after season ten’s incredible run. Because season eleven hits the ground running in an engrossing and intense manner, one that feels oddly familiar. Because what’s amazing about the opening chapters in this final leg of the journey, is that they manage to recapture the majesty of the first season of this show. For the grand sense of danger that surrounded Rick Grimes as he worked to find his family is back once again, as is that powerful sense of the unknown. Because we really haven’t a clue what this final season has in store for us, regardless of any comic book ties that the writing staff has undoubtedly and carefully woven into the fabric of these final twenty-four episodes, and that really does manage to suck a viewer in. Because you’re simply dying to know what comes next and what’s equally as amazing, is that the wonder of this new season doesn’t end there.

Because what’s truly incredible, is that Angela and her writing staff, have managed to take what is already a gruesome universe, and amplify its terror. For the start to this new season is completely and utterly chilling and genuinely unnerving and that’s quite the unexpected surprise for certain, since one would think that the story would ease us back into this universe and build to the terror. But instead, this just speaks to the facts that this season is going to go hard from the get-go and offer up a visceral experience for certain and to compound the terror further, the bleakness doesn’t end with the scares. For there are also some genuinely sobering philosophical moments to be found in these opening chapters, the kind that go full George Romero and question humanity’s worth as a species and that definitely leads to some stunning moments, the kind that stay with you for quite some time after the story has come to its incredible close. 

If anything, this really just goes to show that all the stops are being pulled out for this final season and that Angela and her writing staff are going to challenge the audience and the characters like never before and that’s a wonderful thing. Because it means that The Walking Dead is going to end with a bang instead of a whimper and that the audience needs to brace themselves whenever they tune in. For this season will undoubtedly break our hearts and take our breath away as it pushes toward what will undoubtedly be a powerful conclusion. But before we reach that point, we will be able to relish in some powerful storytelling, the kind that is brilliant and brisk and utterly compelling and truly, we here at NTG cannot wait to see what other wonders the final season of TWD is going to send our way, when it returns to the airwaves for its grand farewell.

‘The Walking Dead’ returns to AMC on August 22nd, 2021, at 9pm EST/8pm CST or you can see new episodes a week early, starting on August 15, 2021, on AMC+.

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