After (almost) 10 seasons, The Walking Dead has undeniably earned its place in television history. Yet, the show has been uneven for years, and while it had a bit of a creative resurgence towards the end of Season 9 into Season 10, the Whisperer War concluded with more of whimper than a bang. Now we have the curious case of the six bonus episodes that have inexplicably been tacked onto Season 10. These episodes seem to be a concession to long-time fans who have gotten used to the series' newest season debuting in October, something that couldn't happen in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet while fans will appreciate how this new batch of episodes fill in some interesting backstory, Season 10C still doesn't feel especially necessary given these plotlines could have easily -- and perhaps more effectively -- been incorporated into the show's upcoming 24-episode eleventh and final season.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the two episodes made available for review, "Home Sweet Home" and "Find Me," is that unlike most Walking Dead episodes, and episodes of TV in general, they each focus on a single storyline, never weaving in B or C plots to keep multiple narrative threads going. And it seems this will be the approach taken for the remaining four episodes as well, based on their synopses. This focus makes the stories feel especially immersive, but even from the first two episodes it's clear it has varying degrees of success.
"Home Sweet Home" tells a story centered on Maggie (Lauren Cohan) that touches on her ongoing issues with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and reveals some tidbits about her time away as she and a group that includes Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Kelly (Angel Theory) make their way to Alexandria. It also introduces a possible new threat that could play a larger role in the future. This episode is compelling, with enough action to keep it propulsive and enough nods to several possible upcoming storylines to make you want to see what happens next.
On the other hand, "Find Me" tells a Daryl and Carol (Melissa McBride) story that's far less interesting. While both of these characters are fan favorites for good reasons, this episode has them wallow in the same old arguments and issues. While it includes a series of flashbacks to what happened during Daryl's time away from Alexandria after Rick (Andrew Lincoln) disappeared, the slow, deliberate pacing doesn't serve the story particularly well and it half-heartedly introduces a mystery even Daryl doesn't appear to care much about.
This bodes poorly for the Carol and Daryl spinoff that's supposed to launch after The Walking Dead comes to an end. In the past, the pair's had a warm camaraderie, but there's been tension between them since Carol's single-minded pursuit of Alpha (Samantha Morton) led to the disappearance of Connie (Lauren Ridloff), and they hash out their differences once again in this episode. At one point Daryl expresses frustration because they keep having the same fraught conversation, and it's a sentiment that's easy to share. As a result, the biggest takeaway from this episode seems to be that unless Daryl and Carol can get back on the same page, their spinoff might not work so well.
It seems likely the other four Season 10C episodes will be a similar grab bag of good, bad and indifferent. Yet the issue I keep coming back to is whether there was a good reason for these episodes to be made in the first place. For 10 seasons, The Walking Dead has told a heavily serialized story that relies on season-long arcs and themes. The episodes of Season 10C break that tradition. And while they inch the story forward ever so slightly, it doesn't seem like they stick with any single one long enough to really drive new plots going into Season 11. Instead, these stories seem to leave the upcoming season to pick up the show's various plotlines in earnest, making these six episodes feel supplemental instead of essential.
So while some of the revelations from the various characters' backstories are interesting -- something that may be especially true for the highly anticipated Negan-centric sixth episode -- so far, nothing that's been introduced feels like it couldn't have made an even greater impact in Season 11. Of course, the end of The Walking Dead is in sight, and long-time fans aren't going to stop watching now, so these episodes are a good opportunity for the creative team to experiment a little and delve into stories they'd previously glossed over before getting back to building towards what will hopefully be an epic climax. Still, it’s a bit hard to shake the feeling that these episodes are simply treading water waiting for the final season to begin.
The Walking Dead stars Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Josh McDermitt, Christian Serratos, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton and Cooper Andrews. Season 10 returns Sunday, Feb. 28 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on AMC. AMC+ subscribers can watch the premiere early, starting on Feb. 21.