The Walking Dead Season 8 Premiere: 6 Ups And 2 Downs From 'Mercy'

By James Hunt / October 24, 2017

With Mercy, the premiere of The Walking Dead's eighth season, the show hits another major landmark: 100 episodes.

It's been a long, brutal, and often very rocky road to get there, but it's an impressive achievement for a zombie show on cable to come this far. The show has had struggles both in front of and behind the camera, from Frank Darabont's controversial departure to the poor reception to Season 2, and most recently the big ratings drop after the sluggish, sadistic seventh season.

This year, though, is promising something different. Season 7 ended on the precipice of war, with the bubbling conflict between Rick's militia and Negan's Saviours finally spilling over, and a suggestion of less talk, more action. The cast and crew have been making all the right noises, talking about it kicking off from the get-go, while the bulk of the season is shaping up as an adaptation of the huge All Out War storyline from the comics.

So, 100 episodes in, can the show turn things around? Let's take a look at how Mercy does (and doesn't) get The Walking Dead back on track.

Caution: contains spoilers for the Season 8 premiere.