‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ Recap – ‘Old Acquaintances’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Maggie Rhee and Negan in Episode 101 of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ - ‘Old Acquaintances’. (Photo Courtesy of Peter Kramer/AMC).

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Premiere of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’.
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When we last settled in to discuss The Walking Dead, we outright said farewell. For after eleven seasons and hours upon hours of incredible and moving, and sometimes terrifying stories… this saga came to a close… in a shockingly uplifting manner. Shocking simply because zombie themed stories rarely end with any sense of happiness or hope since all of mankind and society is devastated by living death, but ‘Rest in Peace’ truly did offer something uplifting and worthwhile, all by informing us that mankind was a species worth saving and by showing us a world where people could come together. In fact, there was even some semblance of peace and resolution between two arch enemies whose dark path was forged by a moment of cruelty, since Maggie Rhee took the time to finally confront Negan about the dark day they met.
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All of which brought forth a real sense of joy and hope for tomorrow for this grand universe, and that feeling remained when it was announced that three incredible spin-offs were heading our way, for they simply had to offer something joyous and worthwhile in this dark world. But as it turns out, the new chapters in this universe are going to offer lessons as realistic as what we found in the final season of TWD, as evidenced by the new chapter in this universe that made its debut on AMC last night. For The Walking Dead: Dead City, is a story that propels us a few years past the finale to inform us… that beautiful times and perfect days forever… just aren’t possible, even after we’ve had an uplifting awakening or found peace. For ‘Old Acquaintances’ reintroduced us to Maggie Rhee during a supremely dark time in her life. 

For when we caught up with her, here, she was… broken really. For a man named the Croat invaded Hilltop and raided its supplies and he also felt the need to take Hershel with him, all in the name of leverage and well… that put Maggie on the road, with newfound determination to bring her son home. Unfortunately, however, she quickly came to discover that the Croat’s main base of operations just so happened to be the Island of Manhattan. A place that was cut off from the world when the dead began to walk since it was quickly overrun and well… in order to rescue her son and ensure their chances of survival and a quick entry and exit from a city of the dead… she knew she needed help, and that meant… contacting an old acquaintance. One that had the ruthless know how and mindset to pull off this kind of dangerous rescue mission and of course… could help her navigate dealing with this man. Simply because, the Croat was once a Savior and well… a reluctant agreement from Negan, brought this duo to the Big (and very dead) Apple. 

But while that plot is indeed a perfect setup for the adventure ahead, and provides us with some stunning visuals, it is the journey that Negan and Maggie go on emotionally that matters most here. For it really does take the time to explore how the world is indeed an up and down place, where we don’t always have control … courtesy of fate and people. And how we respond to that is key, since it will determine if we keep fighting and keep trying to hold onto the good, we have found in this world, or if we let the darkness win and, in many ways, Maggie and Negan exhibit both sides of that equation in this tale. With Negan handling the darker stuff, since well… he has obviously fallen on tough times post-finale and still finds himself fighting his past and his own demons and is bouncing about the world trying to find some semblance of peace. 

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Gaius Charles and Trey Santiago-Hudson as Armstrong and Jano in Episode 101 of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ - ‘Old Acquaintances’. (Photo Courtesy of Peter Kramer/AMC).

Whereas Maggie… really does seem to be trying to fight the good fight and do what’s right in this world and teach evil a lesson in the process. So that the world can be filled with good, and so people can find a better way and that makes for a fascinating series premiere. One that is genuinely intimate and powerful and holds a wondrous flame to the franchise in all the right ways. But what matters more, is that it sets the stage for an equally as incredible exploration regarding whether or not redemption is in the cards for Negan and whether Maggie can hang onto her ideals. Which is a question, if you will, that also speaks to the nature of life and the ebbs and flows and different chapters we go through. Making this a highly intelligent series that should deeply explore such matters in an equally as intimate matter, which is quite incredible… as is the setting and structure of the story.

Because we would be foolish to not talk about the amazing world-building present in this story. After all, zombie themed storytelling rarely explores what the collapse of everything looks like in the big cities, or it glosses over it and/or ignores the aftermath altogether. Even though fans have always wanted to see that and well… this is the story that finally grants that wish and plunges us into the heart of a real city of dead. To the point where New York City gives off some wondrous Land of the Dead vibes while also giving us horrors untold. Such as a sea of walkers moving about the city, alongside ones that fall from the sky in a desperate attempt to satiate their unending hunger. Which leads to some horrifying moments for certain, the kind where a real sense of danger permeates the story since we don’t know what to expect in Manhattan, just that its full of death and clearly a handful of survivors and that too… adds to the wonder of this new chapter in the saga.

For now… we get to see what survival in a city filled with walking death looks like, and how the enduring human spirit adapted to such difficult conditions. Plus, we are obviously going to get to know the Croat and his men, and we are also going to learn a lot it seems about the newly formed New Babylon. A city that prides itself on its moral center and we will receive that education courtesy of Armstrong, a lawman from this new nation that is so determined to bring Negan to justice that he followed the duo onto the island at great cost. Since the threat of the dead cost him deputies, and well… all of those elements manage to add a touch of hope to this story in some form or fashion. Since it reminds us that humanity is still there out and still finding a way forward. Granted it may not be perfect, but it is a sign of our worthiness and who knows… perhaps this story, and having Maggie and Negan overcome and endure, will offer up a hopeful road map on how we move forward from those surprise dark times.

If anything, this is just… an incredible series premiere. One that not only does an incredible job of reintroducing us to the world of The Walking Dead, but it perfectly opens up this world like never before. But above all, we were reunited with two characters that we do indeed love. For Maggie Rhee has always been a fan favorite because of her good heart and no-nonsense attitude, and her quest here has us rooting for her every step of the way, and of course… we get more Negan. The man we love to hate and hate to love because there is a good heart behind that broken exterior, and we are of course, hoping for his true redemption at last and well, the fine acting of Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, combined with the amazing setup of this story, definitely leaves us as hungry as a walker for more. So, we can see how this incredible journey to Manhattan plays out in the weeks to come. Until next time.

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