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

Ups...

6. Honouring The Past, Setting Up The Future

As mentioned, Mercy sees the show bring up its landmark 100th episode, and with it comes a celebration of the past.

There are references to previous instalments strewn throughout the episode, including the early scene with Carl being a direct mirror of a scene with Rick from the pilot. The show makes sure to give us moments between key character pairings, such as Carol and Daryl, and includes some more Easter eggs as well, like a drawing of a Cherokee Rose on the wall next to Carol. It's a fitting way of calling back to the 99 instalments that came before it, but importantly does so without leaving the current story behind in favour of a self-congratulatory jamboree.

While there are lots of references to the past, which longtime fans will no doubt have great fun spotting, the focus in terms of the plot and its characters remains firmly placed on the present and the future. Indeed sometimes it goes a little too far in that regard, but for the most part here the show is pushing things forward and carrying a momentum that was lacking for so much of last season. The war really begins, and it's genuinely exciting to think about where it's going to go next, while dropping other hints too (such as the mysterious character Carl meets, who seems to be the show's version of Siddiq from the comics).