The following contains spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 11, Episode 23, "Family," which debuted Sunday, Nov. 13 on AMC.
Off-screen development is hit or miss for television shows. It works for supporting characters who don't hold the weight of the entire series on their shoulders, but not for main characters whom the story relies on. The Walking Dead tries its hand at moving the story along behind the scenes in Season 11, Episode 23, "Family," and it makes for a very confusing distraction.
The final episodes of The Walking Dead have struggled to keep the momentum going, which makes sense since 24 episodes are a lot to fill. But there was much excitement generated when the kids of The Walking Dead went missing thanks to Commonwealth troopers. Their disappearances set up a final showdown and possible Rick Grimes return that would bring the series to a close. It all sounded promising, until Judith and RJ were miraculously found between Season 11, Episode 22, "Faith" and "Family" -- and viewers were left scratching their heads on how it happened.
Wait, When Were Judith and RJ Rescued?
Presumably, Judith and RJ were rescued the same time that Hershel was in "Faith." When Maggie and Carol snuck into Alexandria to find the kids, they only found Hershel being interrogated by a guard. Rosita then asked where her infant daughter Coco was and he said he didn't know. The episode ended with only Hershel safe and sound, and the audience was led to believe that the next two episodes would be a rescue mission for the rest of the kids.
But that's only partially the case. Coco is the only kid who's missing, although seeing how wishy-washy The Walking Dead is with its storyline, there might still be more kids out there. Lo and behold, "Family" opens on Judith and RJ grinning ear-to-ear with Carol and Daryl. Even little Gracie is safe and sound in the comfort of her found family. With that storyline finished and out of the way, the series can move on to the next step in defeating Pamela Milton and the Commonwealth. But The Walking Dead never takes the time for Judith or RJ to address when they were found by Daryl's group or has them reflect on being kidnapped in the first place.
The Walking Dead Isn't New to Off-Screen Storytelling
The sudden jump from A to Z makes it feel like The Walking Dead viewers accidentally skipped an entire episode. "Family" has plenty of outstanding moments that arguably make it one of Season 11's best episodes, but the question of the kids' rescue is a distraction that even eclipses Judith's near-death experience. To an extent, the missing kids storyline questions whether too much is being told off-screen for the sake of moving the story forward. And there's plenty of reason to believe that, considering a major moment for two other characters was confirmed to have happened off-screen.
The romantic relationship between Rosita and Gabriel hilariously ended as it began: off-screen. The very unlikely couple revealed they had been a couple for some time in Season 9, Episode 6, "Who Are You Now?" There was little to no development that justified their odd pairing, but it was a storyline that showrunner Angela Kang ran with until she realized that their romance wasn't cutting it. On AMC+'s The Walking Dead: Episode Insider for "Outpost 22," Kang casually mentions that Rosita and Gabriel broke up. But there was no indication that they've split in any episode preceding that. Honestly, if Kang had never said they'd split, it would've made no difference to their characters or story.
Season 11 of The Walking Dead was never intended to be the last season, so it's understandable that some storylines are being sacrificed for the sake of time. There are just too many characters and not enough time to get to know all their quirks and deepest desires. It's a price worth paying for minor character moments like Connie's escape from Commonwealth troopers -- but not for life-altering, pivotal moments such as Oceanside's fate that are key to driving the story in the right direction. To that end, what will The Walking Dead be known for when it concludes? Most likely that much of its story was told off-screen and viewers were forced to put the pieces together themselves -- just as they did with Game of Thrones' disastrous finale.
To see how Judith and RJ's stories end, watch the series finale of The Walking Dead next Sunday at 9:00 p.m. on AMC.