Their Story May Not Be Over Just Yet
Summary
– The Ones Who Live was planned as a limited series, but a return for Rick and Michonne isn’t ruled out
– The show’s strong reception and high AMC+ viewership suggest continued audience interest
– Other Walking Dead spinoffs could provide a way for the characters to return
The Ones Who Live may have been conceived as a limited series, but there’s still a chance Rick and Michonne could reappear in the future. Scott Gimple, who served as showrunner, hinted in an interview with The Direct that nothing is off the table while there are no immediate plans for season 2.
The plan was to keep it limited. It is not necessarily to never see those characters again, but to keep it limited. But I always say, you never know, Gimple said. He added that there are possibilities for different iterations featuring Rick, Michonne, or other characters.
The Ones Who Live performed well for AMC, drawing 3 million viewers for its premiere and earning an 88 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. It marked the biggest debut for an AMC show since 2018 and became the most-watched episode ever on AMC Plus. With that level of success, it’s easy to see why AMC might explore future opportunities for Rick and Michonne.
If they return, their landing spot would be a spinoff series. Daryl Dixon has been well-received, but its European setting makes an immediate crossover difficult. Dead City is also expanding its reach with an eight-episode second season. Another possibility is More Tales From The Walking Dead Universe, an upcoming anthology series that could feature Rick and Michonne in standalone stories.
While the demand for more Rick and Michonne is apparent, some fans feel The Ones Who Live gave the characters a satisfying conclusion. Their journey through years of separation finally led to a well-earned reunion, and a future return would risk undoing that emotional payoff. Whether AMC decides to bring them back or leave their story as it is remains to be seen.
