While most people would think that the zombie TV franchise is doing great, because having to run for seven seasons count as a lot. However, with season seven, the show's ratings dropped.
Despite the low ratings, "The Walking Dead" continues with season 8. Season 8's premiere is also the show's 100th episode. Series producer Greg Nicotero will be directing the first episode to which actor Tom Payne (Jesus) described as beyond being out-of-this-world-amazing. The new season will run for eight weeks. A three-month mid-season pause follows and then the entire season will end by February 2018.
Back in July at San Diego Comic Con 2017, fans were treated to a teaser trailer of the upcoming season with an old-looking Rick Grimes ending the video clip. Fan theories quickly surfaced saying that Rick was waking up from a coma which means that a time jump will occur.
Showrunner Scott M. Gimple clarified to Entertainment Weekly that Rick was not waking up from a hospital.
"We won't quite know what it's about, and then we'll get an answer to that about halfway through. It's something that's going to play out," Gimple further added in the interview.
Episode titles and plots for the first three episodes of season 8 have been revealed. Episode 1 is titled "Mercy." The premiere episode will find Rick, the survivors of Alexandria, The Kingdom and Hilltop forming an alliance to bring down Negan and the Saviors. It seems that the odds are in favor of Rick and his allies. Yet, if there is one thing season 7 has taught TWD loyalists, is that Negan should never be written off that easily.
Rick and his allies continue to plan their revolt in episode 2 with the title "Damned." Rick will encounter a familiar face in this episode. Hilltop, The Kingdom, and Alexandria will get a morality check after their conflict with the Saviors in episode 3 with the title "Monsters."
Gimple described the upcoming season as intense and breakneck since Rick will bring the all-out war to a group that has more manpower, more firepower, and more ruthless individuals.
"The Walking Dead" will return to AMC for its eighth season on Sunday, Oct. 22.
