On Sunday, Oct. 22, season eight of the hit TV series “The Walking Dead” premiered on AMC. “The Walking Dead” is a post-apocalyptic horror series based on a comic book series by Robert Kirkman. The show first premiered on Oct. 31, 2010. Since then, it has gained a mass of loyal fans.
The show continues to follow the storyline of Rick, the leader, and his group as they navigate through the post-apocalyptic world. The group loses many of their own members, but they also meet others along the way and add them into the mix. They also meet some not-so-savory characters and must fight for their lives, learning that the true monsters in the world are not just the walkers, but the other living humans.
Sunday’s episode was the 100th episode of the series. Season eight is set to be based on the “All Out War” portion of the comic series in which Rick and his group fight an opposing group. The action-packed episode was entitled “Mercy” which featured violence, war and even some flash forwards to “Old Man Rick.”
Fans are already celebrating season eight after being disappointed with the seventh season. Season seven featured leader of the Saviors and Rick’s arch nemesis Negan demolishing his group and leaving little hope for the future. Even from the first episode, several fan-favorite characters were killed. Many lives were lost, as was any hope for the future. According to an article published by The Huffington Post, “Season seven was about humiliation and subjugation brought on by the Saviors, pure and simple. For despite criticism by some fans, and from those who may have left the series, the pace and tone of season seven was entirely justified.”
Will Rick’s group ever claim victory over the Saviors? What do the flashforwards of “Old Man Rick” mean? Will we see the return of past characters as walkers? Watch season eight of “The Walking Dead” on Sundays at 9 p.m. to find out the answers to these questions and more.
Abby Goss is a fourth-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at AG826189@wcupa and on Twitter @AbbyGoss.