The Walking Dead, season 6 episode 1, First Time Again, review: Chaos unfolds in bold series opener

Robert Kirkman’s zombie epic opens its sixth season with a bang, a 90-minute thrill ride of tension and carnage that throws its fans back into the troubled lives of the residents of Alexandria.

Picking up not long after the climactic events of last season, the rift between Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) group and the original Alexandria residents shows no signs of healing. The episode unravels through a series of present day and flashback sequences as Rick and his companions battle perhaps the biggest zombie horde to date. It isn’t long before their personal differences threaten to derail Rick’s plan.

There’s a sense that even six seasons in, The Walking Dead is still capable of being playful and daring with its format, hurling viewers straight into an intense battle against the undead and forcing them to assemble all the pieces. The pre-credits sequence in particular is an excellent showcase of CG and effects work, held together by Rick’s impressive, military-style leadership.

In a series that has seemingly shown us every possible variation of the undead, they remain a gory delight throughout, with the writers and effects team continuing to find new and distinctive ways to mark out individual walkers in the action. As the story unfolds and starts to delve back into the troubles of its central characters the zombies fade nicely into the backdrop, until it all starts to resemble a quaint, post-apocalyptic version of sheepherding.

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Where the flashbacks could have been annoying, they offer a nice break from the action while easing viewers back into the conflicts that remain largely unsolved from last season. The use of black and white for the flashbacks, whilst being a nod to the art of the original graphic novels, also adds to the moodiness of the characters’ stories as they struggle to set aside their differences and put past tensions behind them.

The unfolding drama offers ample opportunities for viewers to get to grips with the changes in the dynamics of the central characters. The decision to reintroduce Morgan (Lennie James) is a brilliant one, finally offering Rick a companion on equal footing to question him and his authority (something he’s not had since Shane’s exit at the end of the second season). Rick’s moments with Morgan and Michonne (Danai Gurira) are one of the highlights of the week. From their protein bar quipping in the face of danger to the more painful soul-searching towards the close of the episode their scenes are some of the most surprising and engaging on offer.

In a series with so many regulars it’s to be expected that not all of the central characters would play a prominent role, but many of those who do feature are given a chance to shine. In an episode tinged with so much despair the ever reliable Eugene (Josh McDermitt) offers some much-needed comic relief. By this point McDermitt has honed Eugene’s nerdy awkwardness down to a fine art, but there’s also a sense that after his errors last season he has earned his place among the survivors. Similarly, Tara’s (Alanna Masterson) blossoming friendship with Maggie (Lauren Cohan) is both a touching development for the characters and a potential obstacle to Maggie’s relationship with Glen (Steven Yeun).

Overall, the result is an inventive episode that makes good use of its accomplished cast and ultimately builds to a tantalising cliffhanger. If First Time Again is anything to go by, The Walking Dead has just discovered a new lease of life.