The Walking Dead Season 9 Premiere: 6 Ups & 3 Downs From 'A New Beginning'

1. The Walking Dead Is Back (In More Ways Than One)

It's been a long summer without AMC's flagship show, so it's pretty great to have The Walking Dead back on our screens and, with Rick's exit approaching, as well as The Whisperers not far behind, the ninth season promises to be explosive. However, this entry is a double entendre of sorts, because it's worth mentioning just how much A New Beginning is reminiscent of the post-apocalyptic series' glory days.

Whether it be the fact that every central character is substantially featured, or the nail-biting action seen throughout, A New Beginning feels as if it belongs somewhere in among the first three seasons of The Walking Dead. What's more, the walkers are being used as a primary threat again. Our heroes used to be scared stiff of encountering the decomposing foes, but, if you think about it, when was the last time The Walking Dead was actually about the walking dead? In A New Beginning, our heroes come up against the decaying enemies on multiple occasions, and newbie Ken dies as a result.

Furthermore, in setting up the future, the series by no means shies away from its past. There are several conversions throughout that make reference to the way things way were, and (although this was taken directly from the comics) Maggie's decision to name her child Hershel is a great way of honouring her heroic father.