Rick and Michonne are finally back in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, picking up the pieces to the franchise’s biggest mystery and putting their relationship through its toughest test yet. It’s been six years since Rick was whisked away in a CRM helicopter, and four since Michonne discovered evidence he might still be alive and went searching for him. As one of the original show’s biggest lingering (and arguably most compelling) plot points, to say it’s good to finally get some answers is an understatement.

However, with these answers come more questions – not just about the CRM’s intentions, but also whether Rick and Michonne remain the same people they lost all those years ago. The Ones Who Live is AMC’s third spinoff show since the flagship series ended in 2021 and its sixth overall. It reunites The Walking Dead’s two biggest stars, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, and was created by longtime writer and producer Scott Gimple alongside Gurira.

As the architect of both the mysterious Civic Republic Military and the “Richonne” love story, it makes sense Gimple would explore both more deeply in a new series. Beginning in the interim years since their disappearances, Rick is a prisoner of the CRM, desperate to escape and return home. Michonne, meanwhile, is on a journey to bring him home, facing her own obstacles as she struggles to reunite her family.

The Return Of Rick & Michonne Is Easily The Highlight Of The Show

The real draw of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is, of course, catching up with Rick and Michonne. Both Lincoln and Gurira easily slide back into their roles, and it’s a genuine joy to see them back as these iconic characters. They’re surrounded by a strong ensemble, with Lesley-Ann Brandt’s Thorne and Matthew August Jeffers’ Nat being particular standouts. Still, the show rightly centers Rick and Michonne, putting even more focus on their romance than we’ve seen previously, and Lincoln and Gurira are more than up to the task of reminding us why they’ve been so missed.

For Rick, he’s been thrust into a brand-new situation that’s forced him to adapt, and Lincoln brings an edge to his performance that feels overdue. As Michonne, Gurira feels reenergized, as if the years away from the role have reignited her passion. She steals the show more than once and it’s an absolute treat to watch. Nothing ever comes easy, though, and while Rick and Michonne feel familiar, it’s evident that the years spent apart have changed them. These differences create an unexpected tension, but they also allow the relationship at the heart of the show to really shine through.

The CRM Remains An Intriguing Enemy

But a frustrating mystery dragged out too long

Along with revealing what has transpired for both Rick and Michonne, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live digs deeper into the CRM, finally providing answers to questions we’ve had about the military organization for years. But as satisfying as most of those answers are, the overall intentions of the CRM remain frustratingly hidden (at least in the episodes we previewed). And while some mystery is to be expected, given just how long the CRM has been teased as the big bad of the whole franchise, it’s a letdown that the truth behind their intentions is being dragged out.

That being said, what is revealed about the CRM and their relationship with the Civic Republic and the Alliance of Three is intriguing, and does paint them as villains unlike anything Rick and Michonne have dealt with before. Such a heavy focus on the CRM also gives The One Who Lives a far more conspiratorial, thriller-like feel that’s markedly different from the typical survival elements of other Walking Dead shows.

Sadly, this does also mean minimized screen time for the franchise’s excellent zombies, but a few choice walkers remain. Overall, though, placing familiar characters like Rick and Michonne into this new situation works in the show’s favor, creating a somewhat fresh take while still providing the tense and harrowing moments we’ve come to expect.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has been one of the most-anticipated of AMC’s The Walking Dead spinoffs, and for those who’ve been anxious to see what happened to their favorite characters, the show delivers. It’s by no means a jumping on point for new viewers, though, and it may even prove difficult for anyone who tapped out of the original show years ago. Still, this latest spinoff is off to a strong start that will hopefully tie up its lingering loose ends in a satisfying manner before all is said and done.