The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Review - 4 Ups & 6 Downs From "The Last Time"

It's been an interesting few weeks for The Walking Dead franchise. Not only has it brought fans some long-awaited insight into the fates of Rick Grimes and Michonne, it's also been greenlighting a host of new seasons for previous spin-offs, too, meaning this is one series that, ironically, may never die. 

That doesn't seem to be the case for Rick and Michonne, though, who after many gruelling years together, apart and finally back together again have had their stories wrapped up in The Ones Who Live, a dark, moving but very messy miniseries that has concluded with numerous highs and plenty of lows. 

After last week's debacle found the pair back to their old tricks - working together as if sharing one body, facing off with desperate survivors and traversing endless woodland on a journey back home - Rick and Michonne have one last task to attend to before happily ever after. 

Gearing up to infiltrate the ominous Civil Republic Military (CRM) and wipe their identities from the late Jadis's secret database, the intrepid couple face a mountain of obstacles, but as Rick himself once famously said: "Confrontation's never been something we've had trouble with." 

With that in mind - and a final warning about spoilers - here are 4 Ups & 6 Downs from "The Last Time."

The Walking Dead has been here before, right to the very end: Hours of intense build-up, complete with compelling character work and plenty of filler that still strikes a chord, only to end with a finale of rushed happenings. 

The Ones Who Live continues this trend impeccably, despite a well-balanced start that hints at a slow-burn approach that never materialises. Rick and Michonne spend the opening together, in love, content, plotting; then it kicks off without pause, with frustrating results. 

What's most disappointing about "The Last Time" is that, for all its pacing flaws, there are great moments scattered around, from Rick and Michonne's relationship to its wonderful final scene, but these highs are merely shoehorned in, awkwardly inserted to a narrative that refuses to let them breathe. 

Taking more interest in generic action beats and an obvious desire to Wrap Everything Up, the finale jolts through its twists, victories and underwhelming revelations too quickly for many of its more affecting beats (bar one, which we'll get to shortly) to pack the necessary punch.