The Walking Dead season 9, review: Whispering walkers – and four other talking points as the series jumps forward six years in episode 6, 'Who Are You Now?'

Rick Grimes is a thing of the past as The Walking Dead continues in its new form – with time thrown forward a whole six years.

The climax to last week’s episode saw the show’s biggest time jump yet as viewers saw a new group of survivors happen upon a ten-year-old Judith Grimes (played by Cailey Fleming), and if anybody thought the moment was merely a flashforward to a future fans will one day glimpse, this outing – titled “Who Are You Now?” - immediately proved otherwise.

In many ways, this episode – the show’s 121st – serves as a new starting point for the series. With Rick gone, it feels as if the clock has been reset: new relationships have formed and, this being The Walking Dead, new enemies are waiting in the wings to threaten the status quo.

If season nine’s sixth instalment is anything to go by, fans are up for an entertaining, nostalgic and terrifying trio of episodes before the mid-season break arrives at the end of November.

Here are the five biggest talking points.

A lot has changed in six years

There’s been a lot of developments since Rick "sacrificed" himself in front of his friends and family – most notably is that everyone’s doing pretty well and Alexandria finally looks exactly like Carl dreamed it one day might. Michonne’s head of security, Father Gabriel is chairman of the community committee and a well-preened Negan’s still imprisoned in his cell – only instead of begging for death, he's now helping Judith with her Maths homework. If this isn’t enough, we‘re also introduced to a brand new arrival – the offspring of Michonne and Rick who, it's revealed, made good on their decision to bring a new baby into the world. Here’s hoping he’s called Rick Jr.

Queen Carol is as fiery as ever

The Kingdom’s doing just as well under the leadership of Ezekiel and Carol, the latter of whom is sporting a new hairdo. Locks aside, Carol’s no different than before. She’s playing house like she was when we first met her in season one, albeit now with a husband who treats her well. Filling Sophia’s void is child-no-more Henry who, to be honest, is just as annoying in teenage form. It’s a hostile encounter with a missing faction of Saviours, who have been living in the wilderness for the past six years, that brings Queen Peletier’s murderous side to the fore. They steal all the items she's transporting to Hilltop prompting Carol to find them in the night, douse them in petrol and strike a match. “I swear you’ll never see us again,” their leader says, pleadin​g for his life. “I know,” Carol responds, before setting them alight.

New additions are accepted

The new characters met in last week’s episode arrive in Alexandria, much to the chagrin of Michonne. Their fate is put before the council for a vote, chaired by Gabriel, where – after a round of introductions – it’s decided they’ll be sent on their way. That is until Michonne acquiesces. Acknowledging that Judith’s decision to bring them home is an act her father would have been proud of, she says they can stay, but only at Hilltop. ”The leader might take you in – I’ll talk to her personally,” she tells them, leading to the question of who’s running things there now Maggie actor Lauren Cohan’s left the series? Our money’s on Enid or Tara.

The Rosita love triangle

It’s revealed that, having both lost respective love interests in recent seasons, Rosita and Gabriel have fallen for one another at some stage over the past six years. Not that Eugene’s happy about it. As the pair venture outside the walls of Alexandria in the hope of finding new survivors, the scientist puts his case forward, deeming himself “a viable selection” for her love over the man of faith. Later, even when they find themselves in mortal danger, he attempts to work up the “testicular gravitas” to profess his love for her. Rosita’s response? “Shut up – don’t make this weird. We are making it out alive!"

Whispering zombies

The aforementioned danger arrives during their expedition, where they come across a herd of walkers – only something’s strangely amiss about this particular group of the undead. Eugene notes they’ve changed their direction in a manner unlike any horde we’ve seen in the series before. The real clincher occurs at the end of the episode when the duo – unable to get away due to Eugene’s leg injury – hides in a ditch and rapidly camouflage themselves in mud. As the walkers pass, we hear what seems to be actual words coming from their mouths. “Where are they? Don’t let them get away,” they whisper, the pair listening on in confusion. Step forward the show’s new villains.

The Walking Dead continues in the US on AMC every Sunday with the simulcast airing in the UK at 2am. The episode is also available to watch on NOW TV ahead of its repeat on FOX at 9pm the following evening.