It’s been years since the end of the last episode. And when Judith Grimes brings a group of survivors to Alexandria we discover just how hard things have been…

The second, hard reboot for the show this season gives us a lot to think about and a lot to work with. While initial rumours were that Daryl would be front and centre, this episode at least it’s Michonne. Danai Gurira does excellent work as the new head of Alexandrian Security and a woman hardened by something terrible that happened between then and now. The X scar over her back speaks to a possible organ loss, the fact she’s still talking to Rick suggests they never met again in the intervening time. Gurira’s every movement, every line, speaks of anger, fatigue and sadness. When Judith says ‘I’m starting to forget what they sounded like’, it punches through her heart as much as yours. Time has passed but time hasn’t healed. Not yet at any rate.

But time has given us a lot to think about. Daryl living out in the woods, and silent, is an intriguing twist, as is Ezekiel and Carol’s marriage. There’s peace, even prosperity in some places although survival does bring a new threat: entropy. Kingdom’s infrastructure collapsing is surely going to be a major part of this season, as is the implication that the colonies never recovered from the loss of the bridge. Most intriguing of all though is the sense of the world being balanced. The opening montage sees Daryl watch, intrigued, as a moss-covered Walker is used as parts for a bird’s nest. The world is rebuilding. Whether it’s enough is unclear but the effort is there.

Most intriguing of all are the new group., Magna is a driven, violent woman who is acutely aware of the sins of her past. Yumiko, her girlfriend, spends most of the episode unconscious, Connie is a former journalist and Kelly is her sign language interpreter and sister. Nadia Hilker as Magna is a strong presence straight away and the bond between Lauren Ridloff’s Connie and Angel Theory’s Kelly also impresses. Likewise Dan Fogler, fresh off running around with Newt Scamander, is excellent as the sweet natured Luke, who may be the first person to bring halfway decent food to the post-apocalypse.

Verdict: Learning to trust again, honouring the past without being chained to it. These are some of the show’s go-tos and they’re explored well here. However, what will stay with you is the final scene. Rosita and Eugene witness something impossible that has terrifying implications. If you’re a fan of the comics, you’ll know what’s coming. If not, you’ll be even more intrigued, Either way, this new Rick-less The Walking Dead is off to a very good start. 8/10

Alasdair Stuart