Details concerning go to show that one of the least popular shows in the franchise was arguably its most important spinoff. The seventh series inuniverse, is on track to explain after their respective exits in the main show's ninth and tenth seasons. Not only that, but it'll also build on key developments from other spinoffs.
Long before the series itself was officially announced, the project that would bring back Rick Grimes was most hotly-anticipated new installment. That hasn't changed, even as new shows have been added to the lineup. It's not surprising, though, considering that features the original protagonist of the main show, someone who's long been missing from the small screen.
Given the excitement around the series, it has a chance to bring in viewers who fell off at some point in the franchise's history. Unfortunately, it's become apparent that one of the shows that ultimately flew under the radar is instrumental to Rick's spinoff.
underscores the true importance of the second spinoff in the franchise, Running for two seasons between 2020 and 2021, the show shifted the spotlight to the younger generation, allowing the series to showcase kids who grew up in the zombie apocalypse.
While the protagonists were all original characters with no links to the main show, the same can't be said of its villains. Defining the narrative of each main character was the CRM, the same organization that took Rick Grimes, and also the group that will clearly serve as the driving force of .
The trailer proves that in addition to featuring the CRM as the main antagonists, will lean heavily on contributions to the lore. For instance, the yellow gas Michonne is seen running from at the end of the trailer can be identified as the chemical weapon the CRM used as part of their Project V operation in
. is also using Jadis, who featured in . acted as a crucial chapter in Jadis' story.
What's more, is bringing in , presumably as the main villain. Beale's existence in world and status as the leader of the CRM were established inThe show notably included a plotline where the characters tried to use Beale's son as leverage. Clearly, the references to Beale were meant to lay the groundwork for Rick's fight with the CRM.
With the CRM as its villains, never hid its role as a bridge between and Rick's return. However, any impact that had on its popularity was limited.
views dropped below 1 million after the fourth episode, and never shot back up. These numbers were considerably lower than , even in its later seasons. Whether it's because the underlying concept of the zombie apocalypse had lost its zeal with part of its audience or its core cast of characters lacked the same level of appeal as the main show's, didn't emerge as a hit.
Popular or not, left a massive mark on the
universe. After all, was the show that revealed the true origin of the zombie virus that started the apocalypse in the first place. Its final scene confirmed that it originated in France. This amounted to one of the franchise's biggest reveals, given that after season 1, the main show largely skirted the subject of the outbreak. It also set up zombie variants to become canon ahead of season 11.
Furthermore, went into great detail in explaining , what they want, and just how ruthless they can be. The CRM had made appearances in the main show and by this point, but the inner-workings of the organization hadn't been fleshed out yet.
It was that laid out these concepts, quietly paving the way for biggest hero to fight them in .
premieres on February 25 on AMC.
