I need to start by saying I'm a big fan of The Walking Dead, the entire universe for that matter but especially the original. Having said that I still had my concerns for The Walking Dead: Dead City considering the last few seasons of the original were not as good. Well, I couldn't be more excited to be wrong because this was excellent. It reminded me of why I fell in love well this franchise to begin with. Jeffery Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan were as terrific as always as Negan and Maggie. I wasn't worried about that because they're both great actors, it's the writing that I was worried about and it's the writing that surprised me by how good it was. I'm glad the it was renewed for a second season and I'll be looking forward to it.
149 Reviews
Better Than Expected
Rob133111 November 2023
The Walking Dead: Dead City was so much better than I expected. I've watched everything from the Walking Dead Universe, the good like The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead (some seasons at least), to the mediocre like Tales of the Walking Dead, to the downright awful like The Walking Dead: World Beyond. I've seen them all and this is right up there with the best. It's not quite as good as the early seasons of The Walking Dead or Fear the Walking Dead but it's right below that. Everyone loves both of these lead characters in Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and they are as good as ever here. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is especially great as Negan. He's perfect for this role and the arc that Negan has gone through has been as good as any character on tv in a while. He went from one of the worst bad guys on a show to a guy you root for. Can't wait for next season!
Lacks old Charisma & Horror
aaravsengar7 August 2023
So, I finally binged through TWD - Dead City, and I have to admit, I'm somewhat conflicted about it. As a fan of the original series, I was eagerly looking forward to this new installment, but I can't help feeling a bit let down. I'd rate it around 6 stars out of 10, and here's why.
The series seems to be lacking that old charisma and depth that drew me into The Walking Dead universe in the first place. The character development, which used to be a hallmark of the show, feels a bit rushed and shallow this time around. I didn't find myself connecting with the new characters as strongly as I did with the original group, and that was a bit disappointing. Also the zombies are not even the main aspect of the show now, its more like a drama rather than horror!
Moreover, the storyline left me wanting more. It seemed to tread familiar ground, and even though I get that the zombie apocalypse isn't exactly a realm of endless possibilities, it still felt repetitive. I was hoping for a more unique spin on the narrative that would reignite my excitement for the series, but that didn't quite happen.
Honestly, I hate to say it, but parts of Dead City felt a bit dull and boring. There were moments when I found my attention wandering, which is a shame because I used to be fully engrossed in the world of The Walking Dead. I even found it disheartening that they introduced a couple of new characters only to kill them off without giving them much time to develop. It felt like a missed opportunity.
That said, if you're a die-hard fan of The Walking Dead series, I can see how you might find redeeming qualities in Dead City. The nostalgia factor alone might keep you engaged, and if you're heavily invested in the overall universe, you could potentially overlook some of the shortcomings.
The series seems to be lacking that old charisma and depth that drew me into The Walking Dead universe in the first place. The character development, which used to be a hallmark of the show, feels a bit rushed and shallow this time around. I didn't find myself connecting with the new characters as strongly as I did with the original group, and that was a bit disappointing. Also the zombies are not even the main aspect of the show now, its more like a drama rather than horror!
Moreover, the storyline left me wanting more. It seemed to tread familiar ground, and even though I get that the zombie apocalypse isn't exactly a realm of endless possibilities, it still felt repetitive. I was hoping for a more unique spin on the narrative that would reignite my excitement for the series, but that didn't quite happen.
Honestly, I hate to say it, but parts of Dead City felt a bit dull and boring. There were moments when I found my attention wandering, which is a shame because I used to be fully engrossed in the world of The Walking Dead. I even found it disheartening that they introduced a couple of new characters only to kill them off without giving them much time to develop. It felt like a missed opportunity.
That said, if you're a die-hard fan of The Walking Dead series, I can see how you might find redeeming qualities in Dead City. The nostalgia factor alone might keep you engaged, and if you're heavily invested in the overall universe, you could potentially overlook some of the shortcomings.
They still act stupid sometimes
margaridaoliv13 July 2023
You'd expect New York to be really really dangerous. Well, it is, but maybe because the characters are stupid and not because of the zombies. It's been over 15 years since the outbreak and a character just stands in front of a glass door that's clearly giving in and simply dies when the walkers come in? Come on... even on the first TWD season people wouldn't die in such ridiculous ways. Couldn't they figure out a better way to kill characters off? The writing feels somewhat poor in that matter and also on some dialogs. I noticed mostly on the first episode, where there wasn't that much action, the conversations between Maggie and Negan felt very off.
Not all is bad, until now, every episode was better then the one before. The action scenes are cool, there's enough suspense, the cinematography is really good and the characters are interesting, I don't even notice the 40 minutes passing by. If you ignore the annoying stupid writing decisions I mentioned before, it's a really fun show to watch, i'd give it an 8 or 9 out of 10 if it wasn't for them.
If you're a TWD universe fan, you should definitely watch it. Even if you didn't finish The Walking Dead, if you know Negan that's enough.
Not all is bad, until now, every episode was better then the one before. The action scenes are cool, there's enough suspense, the cinematography is really good and the characters are interesting, I don't even notice the 40 minutes passing by. If you ignore the annoying stupid writing decisions I mentioned before, it's a really fun show to watch, i'd give it an 8 or 9 out of 10 if it wasn't for them.
If you're a TWD universe fan, you should definitely watch it. Even if you didn't finish The Walking Dead, if you know Negan that's enough.
It's complete only if the add one more thing.
ardithoti912 July 2023
The show's visuals are stunning, showcasing the gritty world and its struggles. From the hauntingly beautiful shots of decaying cities to the heart-pounding action sequences, the show's direction adds depth and intensity to every moment. The cinematography is top-notch.
However, to make the story feel truly complete, it would be beneficial to see the old Negan brought back more frequently. While the focus on Negan and Maggie is captivating, the presence of the old Negan, with his enigmatic charm and conflicted nature, adds an extra layer of intrigue and complexity. Utilizing him more regularly would not only provide deeper insight into his character but also create more opportunities for powerful storytelling moments.
Dead City is a worthy addition to the franchise, providing a fresh perspective and leaving viewers wanting more.
However, to make the story feel truly complete, it would be beneficial to see the old Negan brought back more frequently. While the focus on Negan and Maggie is captivating, the presence of the old Negan, with his enigmatic charm and conflicted nature, adds an extra layer of intrigue and complexity. Utilizing him more regularly would not only provide deeper insight into his character but also create more opportunities for powerful storytelling moments.
Dead City is a worthy addition to the franchise, providing a fresh perspective and leaving viewers wanting more.
6.7/10. They tried but..
athanasiosze28 November 2023
I have watched both THE WALKING DEAD and FEAR THE WALKING DEAD. Back then, i was a big fan of tv shows with zombies. FEAR became a joke after the ending of third season. TWD was great most of the time, it regressed a lot during the last seasons though. DEAD CITY is not bad, they really tried to create something different, less cringey, more intense and "natural". Less awkward moments, a bit more action. To be honest, maybe i got tired with this genre, maybe my rating is kinda unfair and it deserved more. In any case, i didn't find it that interesting. Pace was good in each episode, still i couldn't binge-watch it or watch it in a short period of time. Just for curiosity i watched recently the last episode, i didn't care much about the fate of the characters. Dean Morgan is still charismatic though, Ivanek is always good in tv shows and Cohan gave a good performance. Not many things i count as flaws here, i said that they really tried. It just was not exciting enough to make me invest. They should take more risks i think.
I am gonna watch both the second season and DARYL DIXON. Of course, my expectations are low. I don't even know if there is a way to make it more interesting. A world with zombies has its limitations after so many years.
I am gonna watch both the second season and DARYL DIXON. Of course, my expectations are low. I don't even know if there is a way to make it more interesting. A world with zombies has its limitations after so many years.
Very good series
awsxo18 September 2023
The series is awesome. I liked the photography and the filming locations. I liked the collaboration. The zombies in particular were awesome It is nice to see that the events took place in an abandoned city, and there were also a lot of zombies in it, which made the city more terrifying and more mysterious. I hope in the second season that this mystery and horror will remain like this and that we will see the city more Horror from this season. At the end of this review, I advise anyone who has not watched this series to watch it because it is good, but not perfect. My rating for it is 8/10. Thank you.
It was fairly good...
paul_haakonsen19 September 2023
Of course I sat down to watch the episodes one by one, as they were released, of the 2023 series "The Walking Dead: Dead City", as I am a fan of all things zombie. And I have thoroughly enjoyed the many "The Walking Dead" series and its spin-offs. So of course I had to watch this one too, especially since it had Negan as one of the main characters.
Now, the storyline in "The Walking Dead: Dead City" is fairly straightforward, though I have to admit it felt a bit rushed, and also as if the writers were playing it safe and using tropes and formulas already seen and used in other of the series. Sure, the setting was new, but the storyline and the offshoots subplots were a bit too generic. A shame really, because I had genuinely been looking forward to "The Walking Dead: Dead City", more so than "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon", as his character has grown rather stale in the original series.
"The Walking Dead: Dead City" has some good acting performances and some nicely cast actors and actresses. Of course it is nice to have Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan and Lauren Cohan as Maggie in the series. However, I have to admit that Maggie's animosity towards Negan is starting to wear thin and I have come to foster a growing dislike towards the Maggie character. So for me, "The Walking Dead: Dead City" was all about Negan.
And season one definitely added some new layers to the Negan character, which I most certainly welcomed with open arms, as he is one of my favorites in the series.
The special effects, make-up and zombie effects in "The Walking Dead: Dead City" are good. Just as they are in the original series and the spin-offs. And that is definitely something that helps to make the franchise interesting and watchable.
Six episodes felt rather short and rushed, and definitely left the audience wanting more. And the way that the cliffhanger leaves us with Negan, well that certainly does set up something great for the Negan character, and it would be nice to see him return to his more ruffian ways.
"The Walking Dead: Dead City" is a show that caters to fans of the franchise, of course it is. Does it serve as a good introduction to the franchise for anyone unfamiliar with the original series? Not so much, as there is a lot of underlaying conflict between Negan and Maggie, which you get an understanding of through the original series.
Sure, I hope they will make more seasons for "The Walking Dead: Dead City", because it felt incomplete as season one came to a close. "The Walking Dead: Dead City" is watchable and entertaining, for sure, but there definitely is room for improvement, and for the writers to take the series into new and uncharted territory.
My rating of "The Walking Dead: Dead City" lands on a seven out of ten stars.
Now, the storyline in "The Walking Dead: Dead City" is fairly straightforward, though I have to admit it felt a bit rushed, and also as if the writers were playing it safe and using tropes and formulas already seen and used in other of the series. Sure, the setting was new, but the storyline and the offshoots subplots were a bit too generic. A shame really, because I had genuinely been looking forward to "The Walking Dead: Dead City", more so than "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon", as his character has grown rather stale in the original series.
"The Walking Dead: Dead City" has some good acting performances and some nicely cast actors and actresses. Of course it is nice to have Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan and Lauren Cohan as Maggie in the series. However, I have to admit that Maggie's animosity towards Negan is starting to wear thin and I have come to foster a growing dislike towards the Maggie character. So for me, "The Walking Dead: Dead City" was all about Negan.
And season one definitely added some new layers to the Negan character, which I most certainly welcomed with open arms, as he is one of my favorites in the series.
The special effects, make-up and zombie effects in "The Walking Dead: Dead City" are good. Just as they are in the original series and the spin-offs. And that is definitely something that helps to make the franchise interesting and watchable.
Six episodes felt rather short and rushed, and definitely left the audience wanting more. And the way that the cliffhanger leaves us with Negan, well that certainly does set up something great for the Negan character, and it would be nice to see him return to his more ruffian ways.
"The Walking Dead: Dead City" is a show that caters to fans of the franchise, of course it is. Does it serve as a good introduction to the franchise for anyone unfamiliar with the original series? Not so much, as there is a lot of underlaying conflict between Negan and Maggie, which you get an understanding of through the original series.
Sure, I hope they will make more seasons for "The Walking Dead: Dead City", because it felt incomplete as season one came to a close. "The Walking Dead: Dead City" is watchable and entertaining, for sure, but there definitely is room for improvement, and for the writers to take the series into new and uncharted territory.
My rating of "The Walking Dead: Dead City" lands on a seven out of ten stars.
Ten? What did you give the Sopranos and Breaking Bad
bc_global1825 June 2023
Just watched episode 1. The show and pairing makes little sense but ANC does a solid job with casting and getting talented actors, possibly second only to HBO. That stated, there are a lot of holes in the story so far when paired with the end of TWD, but that show was hard to get through (at least the last 3 seasons). I thought after a break from that show it might be a decent time to start up a spin off. Hopefully this picks up a little. The scenery and sets are solid, so it feels like they did put some decent money behind the show. People giving this at 10? Come on. How do you compare it to the greatest shows ever and believe this series is on the same level? If that's you think before you start handing out more 10/10's in the future - please.
They Finally went back to the City for a Great Start!
saadurrehman7016 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The Walking Dead is back with a very thrilling change of scenery!!!
Episode 1 It has been 7 years since April 2016 and Glenn's gruesome, horrifying, soul-crushing death by Negan's bat is still sending ripples in the The Walking Dead story!! It is soo understandable why Negan is hated! If only he hadn't killed the poor boy, he would have been a very likable character but the way he did that utterly deplorable, sadistic, callous act makes liking him soo conflicting despite seeing how much he has done to repent for it!!!😭😓 And of course, the best episodes of The Walking Dead were in Atlanta city and sooo glad they went to a city again!! It has already gotten soo thrilling and exciting! There's something about towering buildings and narrow roads with refuge or danger around every corner that makes it sooo thrilling!!!😍 When Maggie did the Savior whistle it got soo exciting and interesting!
The marshal guy looks like Jamie Foxx but his knowledge of key The Walking Dead moments especially about Negan how he killed Glenn in front of maggie and his focus on duty, stopping Maggie's cool boot blade, already made him an impressive character!! The cockroaches crawling on them was creepy too! Thought they might be some new zombie eating species! The way Negan said 37:26 "Nope!" was funny! His dialogue is too good!!!
The crazy old Croat guy associate of Negan also seems funny and amusing but the chubby hershal kid of Maggie looks like that bratty little brother from Beef! The Walking Dead: Dead City has certainly started out very good! 16.6.2023.
Episode 1 It has been 7 years since April 2016 and Glenn's gruesome, horrifying, soul-crushing death by Negan's bat is still sending ripples in the The Walking Dead story!! It is soo understandable why Negan is hated! If only he hadn't killed the poor boy, he would have been a very likable character but the way he did that utterly deplorable, sadistic, callous act makes liking him soo conflicting despite seeing how much he has done to repent for it!!!😭😓 And of course, the best episodes of The Walking Dead were in Atlanta city and sooo glad they went to a city again!! It has already gotten soo thrilling and exciting! There's something about towering buildings and narrow roads with refuge or danger around every corner that makes it sooo thrilling!!!😍 When Maggie did the Savior whistle it got soo exciting and interesting!
The marshal guy looks like Jamie Foxx but his knowledge of key The Walking Dead moments especially about Negan how he killed Glenn in front of maggie and his focus on duty, stopping Maggie's cool boot blade, already made him an impressive character!! The cockroaches crawling on them was creepy too! Thought they might be some new zombie eating species! The way Negan said 37:26 "Nope!" was funny! His dialogue is too good!!!
The crazy old Croat guy associate of Negan also seems funny and amusing but the chubby hershal kid of Maggie looks like that bratty little brother from Beef! The Walking Dead: Dead City has certainly started out very good! 16.6.2023.
So far so good
AfricanBro13 July 2023
Firstly I think the cgi and production is better than the original walking dead or fear of the walking dead. The colors pop more and it ain't as shadowy, while still being bleak and dystopian. Vfx is better and colors are more vibrant.
We get to see that the old Negan is still there, after seeing his character arc in twd into becoming the antihero. Jeffrey Dean Morgan definitely perfected Negan. There's still pretty good and gory zombie skull bashing, still has rival survival groups at war reminiscent of the parent show. It honestly feels like an extended filler episode of Maggie and Negan, the way twd used to, except this time it's a whole season. Those were used for character development and that's what it feels like now, character study into Maggie and Negan's relationship as they're somewhat forced to work together but for longer this time around.
I think, almost obviously, they're what carries the show since they are fan favorites, I haven't had my mind blown away but so far so good, only six episodes in so it doesn't have much time to get you invested. I don't think being a new fan or someone whose already watched the original makes that much of a difference, I'd still recommend doing that first, just that that's 11 seasons to go through. It'll definitely help understand Maggie and Negan's history.
I wouldn't say it's super promising but it's capable of becoming something good. I'm always looking forward to the next episode and hoping it only gets better while learning from the mistakes of twd.
My only concern would be having a burnout, as I said there's an 11 season original, 8 season sequel, another 2 season sequel, another one season sequel, and more sequels in the works other than Dead city.
So this has to be really good and avoid repetitiveness to captivate audiences again for something they've already watched for 22 seasons and counting.
We get to see that the old Negan is still there, after seeing his character arc in twd into becoming the antihero. Jeffrey Dean Morgan definitely perfected Negan. There's still pretty good and gory zombie skull bashing, still has rival survival groups at war reminiscent of the parent show. It honestly feels like an extended filler episode of Maggie and Negan, the way twd used to, except this time it's a whole season. Those were used for character development and that's what it feels like now, character study into Maggie and Negan's relationship as they're somewhat forced to work together but for longer this time around.
I think, almost obviously, they're what carries the show since they are fan favorites, I haven't had my mind blown away but so far so good, only six episodes in so it doesn't have much time to get you invested. I don't think being a new fan or someone whose already watched the original makes that much of a difference, I'd still recommend doing that first, just that that's 11 seasons to go through. It'll definitely help understand Maggie and Negan's history.
I wouldn't say it's super promising but it's capable of becoming something good. I'm always looking forward to the next episode and hoping it only gets better while learning from the mistakes of twd.
My only concern would be having a burnout, as I said there's an 11 season original, 8 season sequel, another 2 season sequel, another one season sequel, and more sequels in the works other than Dead city.
So this has to be really good and avoid repetitiveness to captivate audiences again for something they've already watched for 22 seasons and counting.
Where all the brains went to die...
sudarshs27 July 2023
As a TWD fan, I am really bummed with this one.
They focused way too much on Negan and Maggie, with monologues and stuff, and basically ignoring everyone else.
No one else got any character development - why should we even care about them, right?
No one seemed to remember how to deal with the walkers! After 11 Seasons and 177 episodes! Like, you know, cover themselves in zombie gunk or wear walker faces to get past hordes? Nope.
Honestly, it's like the writers only watched bits and pieces of the old seasons and then tried to cobble together a spin-off. Disappointing, really.
I don't understand all these good ratings but hey, YMMV.
They focused way too much on Negan and Maggie, with monologues and stuff, and basically ignoring everyone else.
No one else got any character development - why should we even care about them, right?
No one seemed to remember how to deal with the walkers! After 11 Seasons and 177 episodes! Like, you know, cover themselves in zombie gunk or wear walker faces to get past hordes? Nope.
Honestly, it's like the writers only watched bits and pieces of the old seasons and then tried to cobble together a spin-off. Disappointing, really.
I don't understand all these good ratings but hey, YMMV.
Started great, got better then tanked at the end for me.
garyvines-0129020 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
What I originally wrote after the first 2 episodes:
I hope that this spin off pans out better the some of the others. I loved these two characters (Maggie and Negan) as they were 2 of the power houses from the original series. I also like that there is a tension between them (not sexual). If you didn't watch the parent series you may not know whey there is tension, but it's there and it should be.
Here is what I hope doesn't happen.
1. That the series doesn't develop a character for most of a season only to kill them off, especially either of the leads.
2. That the bad guy doesn't send out people to hold the good guys at gunpoint while they deliver a monolog in a slightly over dramatic way.
3. That this series doesn't devolve like TWD or FTWD did.
Looking forward to this being entertaining.
So, there was monologuing and yes almost all new characters outside the main characters met a demise, so I'll change my review to "contains spoilers."
So, the reason why people liked Maggie and Negan was because of their personalities and how they were both written as very strong characters but something is missing in this series. It's like they're trying too hard to be Maggie and Negan if that makes sense.
The bad guys are too irritating for me to care anything about. The guy without the ear is annoying and the female who listens to Opera is about as bad. I'm not liking this first season as much as I wanted to.
Really I'm waiting on the Michonne/Rick serial and just marking time until that happens.
I hope that this spin off pans out better the some of the others. I loved these two characters (Maggie and Negan) as they were 2 of the power houses from the original series. I also like that there is a tension between them (not sexual). If you didn't watch the parent series you may not know whey there is tension, but it's there and it should be.
Here is what I hope doesn't happen.
1. That the series doesn't develop a character for most of a season only to kill them off, especially either of the leads.
2. That the bad guy doesn't send out people to hold the good guys at gunpoint while they deliver a monolog in a slightly over dramatic way.
3. That this series doesn't devolve like TWD or FTWD did.
Looking forward to this being entertaining.
So, there was monologuing and yes almost all new characters outside the main characters met a demise, so I'll change my review to "contains spoilers."
So, the reason why people liked Maggie and Negan was because of their personalities and how they were both written as very strong characters but something is missing in this series. It's like they're trying too hard to be Maggie and Negan if that makes sense.
The bad guys are too irritating for me to care anything about. The guy without the ear is annoying and the female who listens to Opera is about as bad. I'm not liking this first season as much as I wanted to.
Really I'm waiting on the Michonne/Rick serial and just marking time until that happens.
Back To Basics
antsmiff26 June 2023
A return to form for the series. In my opinion, the Walking Dead ended up having too many characters. The split to doing the best characters in their own spin offs is much better.
Negan and Maggie have great on screen chemistry and having a goal to follow doesn't make it feel like it is drifting like the end of TWD.
I like the way the script writers have remembered to put the undead back in and put a horror feel to it. The settings are dark and foreboding and there is a constant feeling that something bad can happen at any minute.
I am really looking forward to seeing how the series plays out but so far so good.
Negan and Maggie have great on screen chemistry and having a goal to follow doesn't make it feel like it is drifting like the end of TWD.
I like the way the script writers have remembered to put the undead back in and put a horror feel to it. The settings are dark and foreboding and there is a constant feeling that something bad can happen at any minute.
I am really looking forward to seeing how the series plays out but so far so good.
Good. Really good.
RSO_Media15 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
'Dead City' is looking pretty awesome so far. I loved the opening with Maggie on her own scouting a new landscape (a ruinous Manhattan) with no background or exposition. It's an interesting way of throwing the audience into this new story without a lot of information, inviting curiosity, and it also cleanly distances this show from any lingering plot threads that might be unnecessary baggage from the main show, apart from those that are significant specifically to Maggie and Negan.
Some years have passed since 'The Walking Dead' finale (I'm guessing about seven or eight), and a former Savior has kidnapped Maggie's son and is holding him for ransom in Manhattan. Maggie tracks down Negan, who has been on the run and now has a bounty on his head from an incident in another settlement, to help her.
I like the feel of the show. It's very gritty and still has a post-apocalyptic/neo-western feel. The remaining humans seem to have more or less adapted to their situation, but everything is kind of broken and falling apart, unlike the settlement we saw in 'World Beyond' that looked meticulous and pristine (before it was razed, anyway). That's definitely something this show gets right.
The same applies to the scenery once they actually reach Manhattan, whose skyline is now crumbling and spotted with scorches and overgrown vines. It has a very 'Escape From New York' feel (As does that great promotional image with the protagonists stand in front of the head of the Statue of Liberty), so I'm guessing they just shot at locations and then in certain shots added in very simple, but effective static visual effects. There's a great sequence showcasing the destroyed Brooklyn Bridge when Maggie and Negan arrive, and a little bit of expository background about what happened to Manhattan after the outbreak began.
Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan step back in to their roles seamlessly (Negan is still one of televisions' most charming villains). The new characters, The Croat, and a group of ill-fated Marshalls spearheaded by Armstrong, also seem intriguing and I'm looking forward to see where they go. Maggie and Negan capture one of Armstrong's Marshalls, a young trainee, who is accidentally killed towards the latter half of the episode. They made him kind of relateable and naive/inexperienced, revealing information about his family and background, and then they shock you by killing him off. It's great character development, making you sympathize for a character who doesn't live past the first episode, something 'The Walking Dead' in its' earlier years used to have a real knack for. Little details like that really give me confidence that this show may surpass my expectations.
The first episode really set up this one-off series in a great way, and there's a lot of potential here. I don't wanna jinx it by being too negative, but I've been watching the final season of the 'Fear...' spin-off, and, well... Let's just hope 'Dead City' doesn't waste the good will that this first episode has imbued it with. I watched the "Inside Look" with the show's main writer after it ended, and it genuinely seemed like he had an actual vision for what he wanted in the show, and that's really apparent in the first episode, so I've got kind of a good feeling about it.
Edit 1: The people who don't like it because it has "zombie cliches" (No s@$#, it's a post-apocalypse zombie show), "there's nothing new" (again, it's a post-apocalypse zombie show, you're either into that or you're not), and suggesting we should "watch 'The Last of Us' instead" are just trendys. They'll watch something as long as it's popular. When 'Last of Us' just keeps going even after its' shiny newness has worn off, they'll bail on that too. 'Walking Dead' has had its' ups and downs. The main show was consistently GREAT up until Season 9, and even after was still pretty good for the most part. The 'Fear...' spin-off had two really good seasons (1 & 6) but it struggled for most of its' run, and 'World Beyond' was awful. But I *LOVE* this horror/post-apocalypse/zombie/survival subgenre. I've probably seen Romero's original three 'Living Dead' movies ten or more times EACH, and I was a fan of those a full twenty years before AMC started producing 'Walking Dead", and over a decade before Kirkman's first 'Walking Dead' comic book. 'Walking Dead' could do infinite spin-offs until the day I die, and as long as they're good (Which the first episode of 'Dead City' was), I'd still be watching whether it was popular to do so or not. Trendys are not genre fans. That doesn't mean their opinions are irrelevant, just mercurial, but if you're a fan of the zombie/post-apcalypse subgenre, their vague critiques of the genre (not the actual contents of the show) can be safely ignored.
Edit 2: Four episodes in and I'm still mostly enjoying the show. Episode 2 was excellent, with an incredible ending. Episode 3 was underwhelming, and mainly functions as an exposition dump. Perlie Armstrong gets some good action scenes, but the Croat is fairly unimpressive so far. He gives a big speech, but we never really see him actually *leading*. This is something that the main show did a SUPERB job with on a consistent basis; The Governor, Negan, Alpha... all had a 'command presence', and a fair amount of time is spent exploring both the motivations of these characters, as well as their individual leadership styles, and even their followers and how they interact with each other. The Croat doesn't seem to have a second in command, nor have we seen anything that might provide insight into the structure of his organization, or more importantly, WHY people follow him. He's pretty generic in that regard. Zeljko Ivanek does imbue the character with a distinct personality, but everyone following him are just generic goons. I mean, I still freakin' remember characters who barely had any dialogue from Negans' crew, like Regina, Arat, Laura, etc. The Croat has a bunch of nameless extras. It's not good for his character.
Episode 4 picks up a bit, but the the action sequence where Maggie and the others are fighting off zombies in the arena doesn't have a lot of tension. The camera is mostly wide shots... few close-ups on their actions, the protagonists' expressions, or the zombies, no gore/effects shots... Other than that, it was a good episode. I loved seeing Steven Ogg return briefly as Simon. I lowered my overall score from 10 stars to 8. They really need to give The Croat more development, not just in his past with the Saviors (which they've done a good job of establishing), but in the present with his own organization.
Episode 1: 10/10.
Episode 2: 10/10.
Episode 3: 6/10
Episode 4: 8/10.
Some years have passed since 'The Walking Dead' finale (I'm guessing about seven or eight), and a former Savior has kidnapped Maggie's son and is holding him for ransom in Manhattan. Maggie tracks down Negan, who has been on the run and now has a bounty on his head from an incident in another settlement, to help her.
I like the feel of the show. It's very gritty and still has a post-apocalyptic/neo-western feel. The remaining humans seem to have more or less adapted to their situation, but everything is kind of broken and falling apart, unlike the settlement we saw in 'World Beyond' that looked meticulous and pristine (before it was razed, anyway). That's definitely something this show gets right.
The same applies to the scenery once they actually reach Manhattan, whose skyline is now crumbling and spotted with scorches and overgrown vines. It has a very 'Escape From New York' feel (As does that great promotional image with the protagonists stand in front of the head of the Statue of Liberty), so I'm guessing they just shot at locations and then in certain shots added in very simple, but effective static visual effects. There's a great sequence showcasing the destroyed Brooklyn Bridge when Maggie and Negan arrive, and a little bit of expository background about what happened to Manhattan after the outbreak began.
Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan step back in to their roles seamlessly (Negan is still one of televisions' most charming villains). The new characters, The Croat, and a group of ill-fated Marshalls spearheaded by Armstrong, also seem intriguing and I'm looking forward to see where they go. Maggie and Negan capture one of Armstrong's Marshalls, a young trainee, who is accidentally killed towards the latter half of the episode. They made him kind of relateable and naive/inexperienced, revealing information about his family and background, and then they shock you by killing him off. It's great character development, making you sympathize for a character who doesn't live past the first episode, something 'The Walking Dead' in its' earlier years used to have a real knack for. Little details like that really give me confidence that this show may surpass my expectations.
The first episode really set up this one-off series in a great way, and there's a lot of potential here. I don't wanna jinx it by being too negative, but I've been watching the final season of the 'Fear...' spin-off, and, well... Let's just hope 'Dead City' doesn't waste the good will that this first episode has imbued it with. I watched the "Inside Look" with the show's main writer after it ended, and it genuinely seemed like he had an actual vision for what he wanted in the show, and that's really apparent in the first episode, so I've got kind of a good feeling about it.
Edit 1: The people who don't like it because it has "zombie cliches" (No s@$#, it's a post-apocalypse zombie show), "there's nothing new" (again, it's a post-apocalypse zombie show, you're either into that or you're not), and suggesting we should "watch 'The Last of Us' instead" are just trendys. They'll watch something as long as it's popular. When 'Last of Us' just keeps going even after its' shiny newness has worn off, they'll bail on that too. 'Walking Dead' has had its' ups and downs. The main show was consistently GREAT up until Season 9, and even after was still pretty good for the most part. The 'Fear...' spin-off had two really good seasons (1 & 6) but it struggled for most of its' run, and 'World Beyond' was awful. But I *LOVE* this horror/post-apocalypse/zombie/survival subgenre. I've probably seen Romero's original three 'Living Dead' movies ten or more times EACH, and I was a fan of those a full twenty years before AMC started producing 'Walking Dead", and over a decade before Kirkman's first 'Walking Dead' comic book. 'Walking Dead' could do infinite spin-offs until the day I die, and as long as they're good (Which the first episode of 'Dead City' was), I'd still be watching whether it was popular to do so or not. Trendys are not genre fans. That doesn't mean their opinions are irrelevant, just mercurial, but if you're a fan of the zombie/post-apcalypse subgenre, their vague critiques of the genre (not the actual contents of the show) can be safely ignored.
Edit 2: Four episodes in and I'm still mostly enjoying the show. Episode 2 was excellent, with an incredible ending. Episode 3 was underwhelming, and mainly functions as an exposition dump. Perlie Armstrong gets some good action scenes, but the Croat is fairly unimpressive so far. He gives a big speech, but we never really see him actually *leading*. This is something that the main show did a SUPERB job with on a consistent basis; The Governor, Negan, Alpha... all had a 'command presence', and a fair amount of time is spent exploring both the motivations of these characters, as well as their individual leadership styles, and even their followers and how they interact with each other. The Croat doesn't seem to have a second in command, nor have we seen anything that might provide insight into the structure of his organization, or more importantly, WHY people follow him. He's pretty generic in that regard. Zeljko Ivanek does imbue the character with a distinct personality, but everyone following him are just generic goons. I mean, I still freakin' remember characters who barely had any dialogue from Negans' crew, like Regina, Arat, Laura, etc. The Croat has a bunch of nameless extras. It's not good for his character.
Episode 4 picks up a bit, but the the action sequence where Maggie and the others are fighting off zombies in the arena doesn't have a lot of tension. The camera is mostly wide shots... few close-ups on their actions, the protagonists' expressions, or the zombies, no gore/effects shots... Other than that, it was a good episode. I loved seeing Steven Ogg return briefly as Simon. I lowered my overall score from 10 stars to 8. They really need to give The Croat more development, not just in his past with the Saviors (which they've done a good job of establishing), but in the present with his own organization.
Episode 1: 10/10.
Episode 2: 10/10.
Episode 3: 6/10
Episode 4: 8/10.
Zombies!!
destiny_west28 June 2023
When The Walking Dead first came out I was absolutely addicted to the show and loved everything about it, however once we got around the 5th season my love really started to vanish and eventually I could not watch anymore. I then started to watch Fear The Walking Dead and was getting on okay with it, but again my interest was lost. When I heard about The Walking Dead: Dead City - my interest peaked again. I saw the trailer and thought okay New York there are going to be lots of zombies again. I wanted zombies!
So far I have not been disappointed. And my not finishing The Walking Dead really held no opposition for me with this new series. I knew Negan and I knew Maggie. There was nothing more left to say.
I am excited to see how this series continues.
So far I have not been disappointed. And my not finishing The Walking Dead really held no opposition for me with this new series. I knew Negan and I knew Maggie. There was nothing more left to say.
I am excited to see how this series continues.
Not a perfect but pretty amazing start for the show
mianedits15 June 2023
The Walking Dead: Dead City Episode 1 is a killer start to the series. It's got everything we love - drama, suspense, and enough gore to make a zombie blush. I won't say it's a perfect start, but it's worth giving a shot. Negan and Maggie are amazing as they were in The Walking Dead, bringing their A-game to captivate viewers once again. The background music (BGM) is just lit, intensifying the atmosphere and giving you the chills at the perfect moments. With each passing minute, the story grips you tighter, leaving you hungry for more undead action.so overall Episode 1 is a strong start to the series. It's exciting, suspenseful, and it sets the stage for what is sure to be a great season.
Re stirring old wounds for more story
awesomenessawakening26 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
In Last season, Maggie and Negan seemed to have understood each other, and partway with peace.
Yet the first time they met each other they put knives to each others throat. Why? Why would go to that extent if you are not willing to kill someone.
There are some nice plot twists and some bad writing. So it's a mix.
Ginny is a nice character. Kind of a replacement for Lydia.
It's still not clear what happened to Annie after they beat her.
When they raided The Croat's base.. its just bad writing. Just for action and aesthetic sake.
Then when Negan & Croat was holding weapons against each other.
Again. They just do it for suspense. No one had any intentions to shoot another. (Repetitive cliche - same with Negan & Maggie). These scenes started to get boring.
Then Croat literally let Negan walk away.
Most stupid scene... Who thought it would be a good idea to sit on pile on supposedly dead zombies???????
Amaia & Tomasso was 2D characters judt destined to die. They really lack depth.
And the King walker fight scene...??!?!?!! What is this? Dark Souls?
Just one zombie that's alive and that happened to be the king zombie?
The writing just does so much thing for show. Doesnt make much sense. Especially the unecessary tension between Negan & Maggie.
Last time Hershel wanted to take revenge against Negan, now he doesnt anymore... Idek..
Idk.. where's Ezekiel? Where's old people. It just Maggie & Negan. It's like a whole new story with them in it. It doesnt really feel like walking dead.
6/10 and im being generous.
Yet the first time they met each other they put knives to each others throat. Why? Why would go to that extent if you are not willing to kill someone.
There are some nice plot twists and some bad writing. So it's a mix.
Ginny is a nice character. Kind of a replacement for Lydia.
It's still not clear what happened to Annie after they beat her.
When they raided The Croat's base.. its just bad writing. Just for action and aesthetic sake.
Then when Negan & Croat was holding weapons against each other.
Again. They just do it for suspense. No one had any intentions to shoot another. (Repetitive cliche - same with Negan & Maggie). These scenes started to get boring.
Then Croat literally let Negan walk away.
Most stupid scene... Who thought it would be a good idea to sit on pile on supposedly dead zombies???????
Amaia & Tomasso was 2D characters judt destined to die. They really lack depth.
And the King walker fight scene...??!?!?!! What is this? Dark Souls?
Just one zombie that's alive and that happened to be the king zombie?
The writing just does so much thing for show. Doesnt make much sense. Especially the unecessary tension between Negan & Maggie.
Last time Hershel wanted to take revenge against Negan, now he doesnt anymore... Idek..
Idk.. where's Ezekiel? Where's old people. It just Maggie & Negan. It's like a whole new story with them in it. It doesnt really feel like walking dead.
6/10 and im being generous.
TWD is back!
JasonR884429 June 2023
Absolutely brilliant so far.
Let's go to a place totally overrun with Zombies... Great, just what you need from a worthy spin off to TWD.
The dynamic between the two main characters with Maggie showing contempt and yet reliance on Negan is fun to watch. The chemistry between these characters is so brilliantly done by both actors. So great to now see Negan return to the character that carried the previous show so many times. One of the best scenes so far in episode 2.
The writers have finally returned us to what most loved best about TWD. Many fans of the original show agree that it lost its way in later seasons. It seems that this show will bring us back to what made early TWD so brilliant.
The set design is superb with great direction, lighting and cinematography. The script is nicely layered with no wasted dialog so far.
If you are a fan of the original early TWD you should love this show well worth your time.
Let's go to a place totally overrun with Zombies... Great, just what you need from a worthy spin off to TWD.
The dynamic between the two main characters with Maggie showing contempt and yet reliance on Negan is fun to watch. The chemistry between these characters is so brilliantly done by both actors. So great to now see Negan return to the character that carried the previous show so many times. One of the best scenes so far in episode 2.
The writers have finally returned us to what most loved best about TWD. Many fans of the original show agree that it lost its way in later seasons. It seems that this show will bring us back to what made early TWD so brilliant.
The set design is superb with great direction, lighting and cinematography. The script is nicely layered with no wasted dialog so far.
If you are a fan of the original early TWD you should love this show well worth your time.
Man where to begin....
MikeyPass24 July 2023
As a day one fan - everything after the "jumping the shark" moment of s7.... of TWD and it's spin offs have been sub-par or just awful. I was hoping this show would try something different and go back to the basics. Nope. More groups. Groups on top of groups. Remember s1-2 when the focus was on the walkers? And surviving? Those days are long gone and it's tiresome. The show runners lost their way, but people will still watch and be
brainwashed. I love JDM and Lauren Greene, but you can tell they're just doing this for the paycheck.
Dead city is just as boring as the last seasons of WD. It's a shame.
Dead city is just as boring as the last seasons of WD. It's a shame.
The same mistakes of main series
wrka-195-29992815 June 2023
Season 1
Dead City makes some of the main show committed too often: the fact that the season meanders between its first and last episodes a TWD staple spending too much time on characters we only just met and who feel inauthentic and unnteresting or the other fact, after 5 seasons (main series) there are still unfinished business between Maggie and Negan over Glenn's death, does this ever end?, because it is precisely the biggest problem of this series, bringing up an old topic when in the main series it was perfectly closed,this feels exhausted and boring,even the dialogues between Maggie (more annoying than before) and Negan feel anticlimactic, as if they were out of place or out of time, producing that the characters don't have any development in their relationship during the 6 episodes,with the sole intention of extending the plot for one more season, this is a fairly cheap strategy.
Fans of both Maggie and Negan will be happy to get one or more seasons, some people prefer quantity over quality and thus ruining the characters. In fact Negan's redemption arc is slightly screwed up in Dead City, I suppose that some of the most die-hard fans of the series will not care as long as they see their favorite actor.
Dead City is a show with potencial, beautiful apocalyptic landscapes, it's close to The Last of Us but it doesn't surpass it, quite an action pack, I can't deny it, but as long as it's the same puppet masters from the main series who direct this show, Dead City is doomed to make the same mistakes, unfortunately.
Dead City makes some of the main show committed too often: the fact that the season meanders between its first and last episodes a TWD staple spending too much time on characters we only just met and who feel inauthentic and unnteresting or the other fact, after 5 seasons (main series) there are still unfinished business between Maggie and Negan over Glenn's death, does this ever end?, because it is precisely the biggest problem of this series, bringing up an old topic when in the main series it was perfectly closed,this feels exhausted and boring,even the dialogues between Maggie (more annoying than before) and Negan feel anticlimactic, as if they were out of place or out of time, producing that the characters don't have any development in their relationship during the 6 episodes,with the sole intention of extending the plot for one more season, this is a fairly cheap strategy.
Fans of both Maggie and Negan will be happy to get one or more seasons, some people prefer quantity over quality and thus ruining the characters. In fact Negan's redemption arc is slightly screwed up in Dead City, I suppose that some of the most die-hard fans of the series will not care as long as they see their favorite actor.
Dead City is a show with potencial, beautiful apocalyptic landscapes, it's close to The Last of Us but it doesn't surpass it, quite an action pack, I can't deny it, but as long as it's the same puppet masters from the main series who direct this show, Dead City is doomed to make the same mistakes, unfortunately.
Too soon to tell
yvolpe-9755919 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It's quite a task to film walkers in NYC. Cheers to that. Maggie is still Maggie a hardened survival seeking to join with her son. Pearly Armstrong a new marshal from Babylon. Nothing has changed Maggie's resentment of Negan and he tells her so. He has grown and evolved. Lots of action from the get go. Maggie unrelentlessly pursues the trail to get her son Hershall. By chasing after a guy Negan knows from the good old days Crowet. Some interesting remembrances he has about NYC. Negan confesses to Maggie about this character from his past before the days of Alexandria.. The city looks torn down by th walkers; a dire backdrop. How Maggie gets to NYC we don't know Negan happens to be on the run from marshals of a new state Babylon not a very creative name.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
armandogpa20 November 2023
I love the walking dead comics.
I love the walking dead tv show.
I love fear the walking dead tv show And I was afraid of not loving as much the 2 spin offs, dead city and daryl dixon because they wouldn't reach the same quality level as their main source.
My fears were not right.
I love the 2 spin offs.
They don't only keep the same quality level but they dear to expand the views of how the zombie apocalypse affected to two capital cities, New York and Paris.
These 12 episodes are a real gift to all the fans of the walking dead who were really sad because they ended the show after 11 wonderful seasons.
Specially beacuse we had to say goodbye to our favourites characters after more than a decade sharing their adventures.
Daryl, Negan, Maggie and Carol were the best of all of them, and now they are back with their own storylines, marvelous written, exceptionally performed and beautifully shot. Not small budgets, they have spent and incredible amount of money, time, energy and illusions and we can see the wonderful and delicious outcome. Totally masterpieces of the show.
Specially thankful to the main stars, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, you are wonderful people full of generousity for these gifts to all of us.
I love the walking dead tv show.
I love fear the walking dead tv show And I was afraid of not loving as much the 2 spin offs, dead city and daryl dixon because they wouldn't reach the same quality level as their main source.
My fears were not right.
I love the 2 spin offs.
They don't only keep the same quality level but they dear to expand the views of how the zombie apocalypse affected to two capital cities, New York and Paris.
These 12 episodes are a real gift to all the fans of the walking dead who were really sad because they ended the show after 11 wonderful seasons.
Specially beacuse we had to say goodbye to our favourites characters after more than a decade sharing their adventures.
Daryl, Negan, Maggie and Carol were the best of all of them, and now they are back with their own storylines, marvelous written, exceptionally performed and beautifully shot. Not small budgets, they have spent and incredible amount of money, time, energy and illusions and we can see the wonderful and delicious outcome. Totally masterpieces of the show.
Specially thankful to the main stars, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, you are wonderful people full of generousity for these gifts to all of us.
Too early to say for sure but it's not looking promising
ksgillihan16 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I like The Walking Dead. I watched every episode of the original series and loved a lot of it. It was not without major flaws though. It got so meandering in the last few seasons that I started liking Fear the Walking Dead more than the original. The main reason why TWD was great in the beginning was because of the well-established and well-written characters. That's one of the reasons why I loved when Morgan went over to FTWD. He is a great character. Not saying that Maggie and Negan are not great characters but they feel off in this first episode for some reason. I know Maggie is supposed to be emotionally strained but she doesn't seem like the same badass take no prisoners Maggie that we loved from TWD. Negan seems to still be at odds with Maggie even though they seemed to come to terms with things in TWDs' ending season. That felt weird as well.
It's not easy starting a brand new iteration and I'm not saying I could have written a better pilot but I do know quite a bit about the original source material and this just feels odd. Is there a bunch of things that happened in between that effected Maggie and Negan that we don't know about? There must be because neither of them feel like the same characters exactly. I also do not get the "bad guy" in this the "Croat." He does not feel like someone who would be basically ruling over all of New York. He is not intimidating at all and looks like he's about ready to die. Negan was a strong leader because he was mentally and physically strong. He ruled with his mind and his muscles. This new guy looks like he should be making wooden boys with strings on them in some old workshop. His accent is also damaging to his character. I get that he is supposed to be Croatian but it's too heavy and that makes it hard to understand him. Who knows if this series will get better but I sincerely hope it does. I'm still a fan.
It's not easy starting a brand new iteration and I'm not saying I could have written a better pilot but I do know quite a bit about the original source material and this just feels odd. Is there a bunch of things that happened in between that effected Maggie and Negan that we don't know about? There must be because neither of them feel like the same characters exactly. I also do not get the "bad guy" in this the "Croat." He does not feel like someone who would be basically ruling over all of New York. He is not intimidating at all and looks like he's about ready to die. Negan was a strong leader because he was mentally and physically strong. He ruled with his mind and his muscles. This new guy looks like he should be making wooden boys with strings on them in some old workshop. His accent is also damaging to his character. I get that he is supposed to be Croatian but it's too heavy and that makes it hard to understand him. Who knows if this series will get better but I sincerely hope it does. I'm still a fan.
Exceeded expectation
fumimlambya30 December 2023
This is great continuation to the sequel, I personally would recommend the watch to all Walking Dead fans.
The show opens up with a setting where you are taken back in time to understand the characters, location and the plot of the series.
Dead City shows a development in the civilization, whereby we are able to see that a world is being created. This brings about more of a I want to see what will happen in the next episodes.
The writer has done a great job, it is a well narrated story line and the cinematography is on point. The first two episodes have me glued and waiting in anticipation for the next episodes.
The show opens up with a setting where you are taken back in time to understand the characters, location and the plot of the series.
Dead City shows a development in the civilization, whereby we are able to see that a world is being created. This brings about more of a I want to see what will happen in the next episodes.
The writer has done a great job, it is a well narrated story line and the cinematography is on point. The first two episodes have me glued and waiting in anticipation for the next episodes.
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