SNAPSHOT
The third series in a franchise that includes global hit series The Walking Dead and original spinoff series Fear the Walking Dead will feature two young female protagonists and focus on the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse as we know it. Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, both good and bad. (synopsis via Bleeding Cool)
Leaving aside the fact that each and every time I read the title to AMC’s new limited-series addition to the burgeoning The Walking Dead universe, World Beyond, I am immediately hurtled into an undead realm where zombied Aladdin-eseque figures are warbling a delightful song of hope …
… and quite ignoring the fact that my favourite member of the world’s most popular zombieverse, Fear the Walking Dead isn’t due back until 11 August this year for reasons unknown …
… the latest show full of people undead and those quite alive and cosmetically appealing, actually looks kind of cool.
Labelling zombies as “empties”, which actually fits them quite nicely, World Beyond offers a unique perspective on the end of the world, one that’s not tainted by memories of what came before but which is seen through the eyes of kids who, vague, muddy recollections aside, have never really known anything else.
All of which how they see things and how they react them will be wholly different to the more adult members of The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead who are bound by their pasts as they walk into the future.
Thing is, not being burdened by what’s been lost is both a good and a bad thing since while you can’t mourn what you never knew, you also can’t be ready for the kinds of things those with more life experience would no doubt anticipate without blinking.
In other words, much drama is in the offing thanks to an intriguing, richly-nuanced and promising premise.
World Beyond premieres on 12 April on AMC.