# The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television miniseries created by Scott M. Gimple, Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln for AMC. It is set after the conclusion of the original The Walking Dead series, with Lincoln, Gurira and Pollyanna McIntosh reprising their roles, and is the overall seventh television series in The Walking Dead franchise.
The Ones Who Live premiered on February 25, 2024, on AMC and AMC+, and concluded on March 31, consisting of six episodes. It received generally positive reviews.

## Premise

A love story of two people kept apart by an unstoppable power, trying to find each other.

## Cast and characters
### Main

* Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes: A former sheriff's deputy from King County, Georgia, the former leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, and Michonne's husband who was presumed to be dead. He later becomes a sergeant major in the Civic Republic Military (CRM).
* Danai Gurira as Michonne: A katana-wielding warrior, former leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, and Rick's wife who left her group to search for him.
* Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis Stokes / Anne: A warrant officer in the CRM who disappeared along with Rick Grimes on a CRM helicopter. McIntosh also appeared in the spin-off series The Walking Dead: World Beyond's second season in a main role.

### Recurring

* Terry O'Quinn as Major General Johnathan Beale: The commander of the Civic Republic Military. Before the apocalypse, he was the Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
* Lesley-Ann Brandt as Pearl Thorne: Rick's friend and a command sergeant major in the CRM. Before the apocalypse, she was a sailor in the South African Navy, serving on submarines.

### Guest

* Craig Tate as Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor: A senior officer in the Civic Republic Military and former major in the United States Marine Corps who trains Rick and Thorne.
* Frankie Quiñones as Esteban Garcia: Rick's humorous friend from the Civic Republic.
* Matthew August Jeffers as Nat: An engineer from a caravan of survivors who befriends Michonne.
* Breeda Wool as Aiden: A pregnant survivor and Bailey's girlfriend. Wool reprises her role from The Walking Dead.
* Andrew Bachelor as Bailey: Aiden's boyfriend who Michonne previously saved from walkers. Bachelor reprises his role from The Walking Dead.
* Erin Anderson as Elle: Aiden's sister and the leader of a large caravan of nomadic survivors.
* Julian Cihi as Benjiro: An artist from the Civic Republic who etches portraits of people onto old TVs and phones, including Michonne and Judith for Rick.
* Tessa Slovis as Cleo Clifton: A new Civic Republic consignee who works with Michonne.
* Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes: The respected priest of the Alexandria Safe-Zone and Jadis' former lover. Gilliam reprises his role from The Walking Dead.
* Ben Dickey as Red: The leader of a trio of desperate survivors whom Rick and Michonne encounter in Yellowstone.
* Will Brill as Dalton: Red's younger brother.
* Han Van Sciver as Tina: Red's younger sister.
* Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes: The adopted daughter of Rick and Michonne. Fleming reprises her role from The Walking Dead.
* Antony Azor as Rick "R.J." Grimes Jr: The son of Rick and Michonne. Azor reprises his role from The Walking Dead.

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Years" | Bert & Bertie | Story by : Scott M. Gimple & Danai Gurira & Andrew Lincoln Teleplay by : Scott M. Gimple | February 25, 2024 (2024-02-25) | 0.896 |
| Five years after being taken by the CRM, Rick Grimes has tried unsuccessfully four times to escape, including sending a message in a bottle to Michonne along with his belongings on one occasion and chopping his own left hand off on another. Rick is assigned as a consignee, someone who spends six years doing work on the outskirts of Philadelphia – now the Civic Republic – before being allowed into the city. Rick dreams of a regular life with Michonne and eventually accepts an offer from Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor to join the CRM. Okafor reveals that he had helped the CRM, then the Pennsylvania National Guard, save the city from being napalmed at the cost of his own wife and he attempts to recruit Rick and Pearl Thorne into his plan to change the CRM from the inside. After another failed escape attempt and the destruction of Omaha, Rick finally accepts his new life and a position building a CRM forward operating base in the Cascade Mountains. Recalling a story from his childhood, Rick agrees to join Okafor's plan, just before their helicopter is shot down and Okafor is killed by an explosive projectile. The attacker then kills the other soldiers one by one after they exit the helicopter until she gets to Rick. She takes his helmet off and recognizes him, then takes her own mask off, revealing herself to be Michonne, who is reunited with Rick for the first time in years. ||||||
| 2 | "Gone" | Bert & Bertie | Nana Nkweti & Channing Powell | March 3, 2024 (2024-03-03) | 0.880 |
| Six years after Rick's supposed death, Michonne helps Aiden and Bailey reunite with their massive caravan, but refuses to join it out of disgust over the caravan's rules and her determination to find Rick and go back to their children. Aiden, Bailey, and their friend Nat outfit Michonne for her journey and later come to her aid against a massive horde, having been inspired by Michonne to break away along with dozens of others. The group agrees to help Michonne in her search, but the CRM attacks with chlorine gas, killing everyone except for Michonne and Nat who are forced to spend a year recovering from the damage done to their lungs and throats. Pressing on to the location mentioned in the boat's log book, Michonne and Nat find an abandoned and destroyed safe zone and dozens of burned bodies. Nat convinces Michonne to return to Alexandria, but to keep faith that Rick is still alive. On the way back, the two spot a CRM helicopter and attack it using Nat's explosives in retaliation for the death of their friends, only for Michonne to be reunited with Rick. Nat is killed by a surviving CRM soldier, who Rick then kills. As soldiers close in, Rick helps Michonne create a successful cover story for the CRM, promising that they will escape together. However, Rick is confronted by Jadis who had recognized Michonne and threatens him if they try to escape while Michonne desires to take down the CRM despite Rick's warnings that they will never get home if they try to. ||||||
| 3 | "Bye" | Michael Slovis | Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete | March 10, 2024 (2024-03-10) | 0.905 |
| In a flashback, Jadis approaches Rick in Millennium Park, and explains her people's deal with the CRM and her intention to sign up. However, Rick is only interested in escaping. After returning to base, Rick enlists Thorne's help in successfully getting Michonne into the consignment program, but Jadis warns that if Rick and Michonne escape, she will have to kill everyone that he loves for security. Rick attempts to help Michonne escape on her own, but she refuses to go without him. While touring Millennium Park, Michonne meets the artist who created Rick's engraved iPhones and finds new hope. After receiving the Echelon Briefing - the revelation of all of the CRM's secrets - and a promotion, Thorne becomes unsure of whether to follow in Okafor's footsteps, reluctantly enlisting Michonne's help for the mission. When Michonne goes rogue during a walker fight, Thorne nearly kills her, and Rick ends their relationship in an attempt to protect her. Having earned Major General Beale's trust, Rick is slated to receive a promotion in advance of a summit of the CRM's entire leadership. However, Michonne throws herself and Rick out of a helicopter in a daring mid-air escape on the return trip in the middle of a severe thunderstorm. ||||||
| 4 | "What We" | Michael Slovis | Danai Gurira | March 17, 2024 (2024-03-17) | 0.876 |
| After jumping from the helicopter, Rick and Michonne fall into a river outside of Greenwood, a community of innovators formed after the apocalypse began and which still has power and modern amenities. However, Greenwood fell at some point, likely to starvation, leaving it overrun with walkers. Michonne then proceeds to try and convince Rick to go back home with her, revealing they have a son together named Rick Jr. Rick still refuses to go back, telling her Jadis will kill everyone they know if they escape. They find out the helicopter they were in crashed in the storm, giving them the perfect opportunity to escape since the CRM will believe Rick and Michonne to be dead but Rick still says he won't go home with her intending to complete Okafor's mission to reform the CRM into something better. Michonne then decides to leave Rick behind, with Rick going after her shortly after. A CRM helicopter bombs the wreckage to destroy any evidence of the CRM's existence, trapping Rick and Michonne in a collapsing building full of walkers. Rick and Michonne slowly reconnect and have sex with each other. After this, Michonne gets through to Rick resulting in him admitting that he can't see Carl's face anymore due to his traumas and that he's terrified to be with Michonne again as Rick wouldn't survive losing her again. After Michonne gives Rick an iPhone engraved with Carl's portrait, she convinces Rick to go home with her. Rick and Michonne escape as Greenwood collapses and take one of the community's hybrid vehicles which has enough ethanol to get them home to Alexandria. ||||||
| 5 | "Become" | Michael E. Satrazemis | Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete | March 24, 2024 (2024-03-24) | 0.815 |
| In flashbacks, Jadis – going by her real name of Anne – visits Gabriel once a year, privately admitting that while she's dedicated to the CRM's mission, she is conflicted about the lengths that the CRM goes to. Gabriel insists that Anne is still a good person, proven by her inability to kill Gabriel. In the present, making a stop to rest on their way to Alexandria, Rick and Michonne encounter and fight off a family of bandits and spend the night in Yellowstone National Park where Jadis, having deduced their survival, finds them. Jadis unsuccessfully tries to kill them and is badly wounded. She runs away and the couple goes after her in a car chase. Jadis then pulls the bandits into it, with Rick and Michonne being unable to kill Jadis due to her dossier that threatens Alexandria's safety. Jadis reveals that Rick was slated to receive the Echelon Briefing and move up in the CRM, and she reaches a deal where Rick will return to the CRM while Michonne can go home, but they double-cross each other and Jadis is fatally bitten by a walker in the melee. Jadis explains that after losing her people, she dedicated herself to a cause that seemed like it would last. Deciding to die as Anne rather than as Jadis, she tells them where to find the dossier at Cascadia Base and gives Rick a wedding ring that Gabriel had found for him. At her request, Rick shoots Anne. Rick gives Michonne the wedding ring and they formally exchange vows. He and Michonne then decide to take Jadis' helicopter and returns to the CRM in order to find the dossier and stop them once and for all. Realizing that Anne is dead after she fails to show up for their yearly meeting, a heartbroken Gabriel crafts a makeshift grave marker for her. ||||||
| 6 | "The Last Time" | Michael E. Satrazemis | Scott M. Gimple & Channing Powell | March 31, 2024 (2024-03-31) | 0.852 |
| Rick and Michonne return to Cascadia Base where Michonne sneaks in and finds and destroys Jadis' dossier before attending a briefing for the Frontliners where Michonne learns that the CRM intends to abduct select children from Portland before destroying the city with chlorine gas. Rick is given the Echelon Briefing in which Beale informs him of the truth about the destruction of Omaha and the Campus Colony and the upcoming attack on Portland. Beale reveals that, believing that humanity only has around fourteen years left, the CRM is going to declare martial law on the Civic Republic and destroy survivor communities all across the world, scavenging their resources to ensure their own survival. Rick kills Beale with his own sword, and Rick and Michonne rig up a makeshift bomb on the chlorine gas arsenal before being confronted by Thorne who had deduced the truth about Michonne's identity. Michonne is forced to kill Thorne, and the bomb and the gas kills the CRM Force Command and all of the Frontliners. With the CRM's atrocities exposed and its command structure decimated, the civilian government takes over and reforms the CRM to aid other survivors while enabling free travel to and from the city. Rick and Michonne return home and are finally reunited with their children, Judith and R.J. ||||||
* ↑ As depicted in "What Comes After"
* 1 2 As depicted in "Rest in Peace"
* 1 2 3 As depicted in "What We Become"
* 1 2 3 As depicted in The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
* ↑ As depicted in "The Lost and the Plunderers".

## Production
### Development

In 2018, following his departure from the main Walking Dead series, it was announced that Andrew Lincoln would star in a trilogy of films focusing on Rick Grimes for AMC. Scott M. Gimple was set to write the screenplays, with production expected to begin in 2019. In 2019, a teaser trailer was unveiled, confirming the trilogy would be theatrical releases distributed by Universal Pictures. The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman was said to be "heavily" involved with the trilogy.
In July 2022, it was announced by Scott M. Gimple, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira at San Diego Comic-Con that the trilogy would be repurposed into a mini-series for television, with Lincoln and Gurira reprising their roles from the original television series. The limited series consisted of six episodes. It was initially titled The Walking Dead: Rick & Michonne, then retitled to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live in July 2023.

### Writing

The series was created by Gimple, Gurira and Lincoln, with an episode written by Gurira and Gimple serving as showrunner. The series was set up by The Walking Dead's series finale "Rest in Peace", which featured the return of Rick and Michonne.

### Filming

Principal photography began on February 15, 2023, and wrapped on May 29, 2023, in New Jersey under the working title Summit. Additional filming and ADR would resume during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike due to an agreement between AMC and SAG-AFTRA.

## Release

The series premiered on February 25, 2024, on AMC and AMC+. The series was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 10, 2024.

## Reception
### Critical response

The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 88% of 54 critics gave The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live a positive review with an average rating of 8.15/10. The website's critics consensus is, "A Walking Dead spinoff that balances past and present without skimping on blockbuster scope, The Ones Who Live is a consistent treat for longtime fans." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 61 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live was included in lists of the best TV shows of 2024; it was listed #2 by MovieWeb in their list of the best TV shows as of April, and included in TheWrap's end of the year list as of December. In year-end lists, it was ranked #23 by Screen Rant, #22 by Hello! magazine, and included in Nerdist's list of the best 13 TV shows of 2024. The series was also included in Comic Book Resources's list of the 55 best drama TV shows of all time at #48 and on Collider's list of 60 best Netflix shows.

### Awards and nominations

| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 24th Annual Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Writing, Drama Series | Danai Gurira for "What We" | Nominated |
| 4th Astra TV Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series | Lesley-Ann Brandt | Nominated |
| 52nd Saturn Awards | Best Television Presentation | The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | Won |
| 52nd Saturn Awards | Best Actor on Television | Andrew Lincoln | Nominated |
| 52nd Saturn Awards | Best Actress on Television | Danai Gurira | Nominated |
| 52nd Saturn Awards | Best Guest Starring Role on Television | Matthew Jeffers | Nominated |
| 52nd Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Pollyanna McIntosh | Nominated |

### Viewership

The premiere episode received 3 million viewers after three days of viewing, making it the biggest premiere for a new AMC series since 2018. The episode was also the most-watched episode of any show ever on AMC+ and that Sunday was the biggest day for direct-to-consumer sign-ups in the history of AMC+. The series became available on Netflix on January 13, 2025, and became the #2 most-watched TV show in the U.S. on the service, as of January 16. The series is also ranked at #8 on the list of global top 10 shows for the week of January 13 to January 19, receiving 2.3 million views, and a total of 11.7 million viewing hours. The show also ranked at #5 on the list of top 10 shows in the U.S. in its first week on the charts.