Airing from 9-11 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 16, on AMC, the special, titled The Walking Dead: Journey So Far, will look at the key events that have led up to this pivotal seventh season. In addition to remembering some of the main characters we lost thus far, including Shane (Jon Bernthal), Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), and Merle (Michael Rooker), and recapping the series, the special will also include interviews with cast members, showrunners, and more to add perspective to the series.
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It appears AMC hopes the special will also draw in non-fans, who have had to endure months of chatter about “who did Negan kill?” at the end of season 6, which is reminiscent of the “who shot J.R.?” cliffhanger that had everyone talking about the series Dallas in the early 1980s — whether they watched the show or not.
“The Walking Dead: Journey So Far gives viewers who have never seen an episode of The Walking Dead a chance to get all caught up on the plot, characters, locations, and unique terminology of the series,” confirms AMC in a press release, “as well as providing fans who’ve never missed a moment with fresh interviews with the series’ producers and their favorite actors as part of an exciting refresher course that will further whet their appetites for the new season.”
Chances are, loyal viewers will be looking for hints within the special that suggest a sort of farewell to whomever gets the ax — er, bat — on the season premiere at the hands of Negan and Lucille. But teary-eyed fans will get the chance to officially say goodbye to the departed cast member(s) during a 90-minute edition of Talking Dead that will air immediately following the episode. It will feature all 12 cast members involved in the critical scene, including Andrew Lincoln (Rick), Norman Reedus (Daryl), Steven Yeun (Glenn), Lauren Cohan (Maggie), Danai Gurira (Michonne), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham), Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha), Chandler Riggs (Carl), Josh McDermitt (Eugene), Christian Serratos (Rosita), Ross Marquand (Aaron), and Negan himself, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Also present to presumably take the heat for whoever gets killed will be executive producers Scott M. Gimple and Robert Kirkman, as well as host Chris Hardwick. An online sweepstakes allows fans to enter to win tickets to the episode, which will welcome 2,000 people at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. Someone — or someones? — will be getting eulogized.
The season 7 premiere of The Walking Dead airs on AMC at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 23.
