How The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Stands Alone Explained By Michonne Star

Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne, explains why the upcoming Walking Dead spinoff The Ones Who Live can be enjoyed as a standalone series.

Danai Gurira as Michonne in The Walking Dead The Ones Who Live reaching behind her back for her sword

Summary

Danai Gurira explains how The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is a standalone epic love story focusing on Rick and Michonne’s journey.
However, the spinoff may not be an effective entry point for new viewers since reviews suggest it’s geared towards hardcore fans of The Walking Dead .
The Ones Who Live connects to other spinoffs like World Beyond , which provide important context regarding the CRM.

Michonne star Danai Gurira explains why The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live can stand on its own. Joining the original series in season 3 and leaving after season 10, Michonne returns in the upcoming spinoff series set after The Walking Dead ending as she searches for Rick Grimes after he was whisked away in a CRM helicopter. Other than Gurira, the spinoff’s cast also includes the return of Andrew Lincoln as Rick and Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis, while Terry O’Quinn debuts as Beale, the Major General of the CRM.

During a recent appearance on The Daily Show ahead of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live release date, Gurira explained why the upcoming spinoff series can stand on its own.

After guest host Desi Lydic suggested that the spinoff “stands on its own” and is “its own beast,” the Michonne actress elaborated on why it can be enjoyed as a standalone series. Read her full comments below:

I think that’s true. Because it really is the epic love story of the series. And if you haven’t watched it, you can really just latch in because you can see what’s happened to Rick and what’s happening with Michonne and how they come together and what happens there. So it really kind of stands on its own. It was an interesting journey to actually get the opportunity because Walking Dead was such a juggernaut of various narratives, big villains, and lots of things going on. So to actually step into just these two and their journey and a love story in the apocalypse was, it was really, really fun and intense.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes and Danai Gurira as Michonne in Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

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Can The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Actually Stand On Its Own?

Michonne looking serious in The Walking Dead and Rick Grimes looking tired covered in blood in The Ones Who Live.

While Gurira understandably wants everyone to enjoy the upcoming spinoff, including those who haven’t watched the original series, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live reviews suggest it might not function well as a standalone series. The reviews emphasize that the spinoff is not a great entry point for new viewers, and may even be a difficult watch for anyone who hasn’t finished the original series. For instance, Sarabeth Pollock of What To Watch, says the spinoff was “created by TWD fans for TWD fans.”

The Ones Who Live does not only act as a continuation of Rick and Michonne’s story from The Walking Dead, but subsequent spinoffs like World Beyond, which introduced the CRM in earnest. Though it’s one of the franchise’s lesser-known spinoffs, World Beyond reveals details about the CRM that provide important context for Rick and Michonne’s return. Overall, the reviews do suggest that The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is the best spinoff yet, but only for fans who are caught up with the franchise.