Summary

Viewers don’t need to have seen
The Walking Dead
to enjoy the new series.

The Ones Who Live
is arguably the most highly anticipated of all
TWD
spin-offs.
A
Walking Dead
crossover event may be in the cards, bringing together stories and characters from multiple series.

Rick and Michonne’s torrid love story continues amid the post-apocalyptic world. However, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’s Showrunner, Scott M. Gimple, assures those interested in seeing Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his wife, Michonne (Danai Gurira) reunite, that they don’t even need to have watched the motherships series, aka The Walking Dead, to enjoy the new series. Gimple revealed in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly:

You don’t even have to watch The Walking Dead for this show.

Gimple also told EW:

With all of The Walking Dead universe shows, we try not to make them absolutely necessary viewing to understand what is going on. You don’t have to watch any of them to know what’s going on with the other one.

Lincoln and Gurira’s on-screen reunion has been a long time coming, and The Ones Who Live is arguably the most highly aniticipaed of all TWD spin-off series. After all, it’s been nearly four years since Gurira left the show, as Michonne set off to find her husband following the events of Season 10, Episode 13’s What We Become. And it’s been even longer since fans have caught a glimpse of Rick Grimes.

Plenty of Connections for TWD Diehards
AMC | Gene Page

Originally, Andrew Lincoln was supposed to reprise the role of Rick Grimes on the big screen after making his final appearance during The Walking Dead’s ninth season. However, those plans never came to fruition, and it’s been over five years since fans have seen the mothership series’ protagonist in action. And while there are undoubtedly ties and Easter Eggs, particularly where The Walking Dead: World Beyond is concerned, eveyone can enjoy The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Showrunner Scott M. Gimple said in the same interview:

“World Beyond was supposed to come out after the Rick story started. And it was like a cool little peek into a corner of it […] I think it’s absolutely a fun bit of context, but there’s no necessity to it. It’s a very different story. It’s a younger story. I think that’s probably the expected thing [crossover characters]. And I think it’s more unexpected than that, who we may or may not see.”

Related Here’s What Happened to Rick at the End of The Walking Dead Rick Grimes is returning to television with the series The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, and here is what happened to him in the original series.

Gimple added:

There are absolutely references to the other shows and things going on in the universe, well beyond World Beyond. They all live under the same sky.

Now, be sure that Gimple has considered a Walking Dead crossover event, not unlike what the Marvel Cinematic Universe accomplished, which would bring together stories and characters from TWD mothership series and its plethora of spin-offs. Gimple also told Entertainment Weekly:

“It is my fervent hope to do that […] We don’t have the imminent plan right now. That foundation has been laid and I really would like to, but it depends on so many factors coming together. So, I really hope to, and in my mind I’m planning for it, but along the way you can’t count on anything.”

Gimple adds:

You have the best laid plans, and either God laughs or he high-fives you. And so the answer is, I really hope to, and stuff I’ve hoped for has happened before.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live premieres Sunday, February 25 at 9 p.m. EST on AMC. For those who miss it, AMC will repeat the first episode again at 10:21 p.m. and 11:42 p.m. Plus, the debut episode will air again during the overnight hours on Monday, February 26 at 2:24 a.m. and 3:45 a.m.

AMC+ subscribers can begin streaming
The Ones Who Live
at 3 a.m. EST. on Monday morning.