Will admit to not having high expectations at all for 'The Walking Dead's' Season 9. While really liking to loving Seasons 1-5 and finding a huge amount to admire about Season 6, Seasons 7 and 8 were really not up to standard and were huge disappointments (despite having some exceptions). Especially Season 8, where the worst episodes were pretty dreadful and where many of the episodes were mediocre or less. It felt like the show had lost its identity and what made it great in the early seasons, and this viewer really did feel that it was completely dead.
Season 9 however completely surprised me in the best way. It is an enormous improvement over Seasons 7 and 8, what made 'The Walking Dead' so great in its early seasons returns and it is by far the best season since Season 5 or even earlier and one of the show's most consistent. While starting afresh, it felt like a return to the show's roots. Which is apparent in the opening episode "A New Beginning", which is an excellent start and the best episode in goodness knows how long (maybe Season 6's "Not Tomorrow Yet").
It isn't perfect, as there are a couple of forced moments, such as at the capitol.
"A New Beginning" is wonderful everywhere else and pretty much all the flaws of the previous two seasons are corrected. Only the forced moments aspect is not completely solved, but even that is nowhere near as bad as those in Season 8 especially. It is a very stylishly and atmospherically made episode, with no signs of self indulgent gimmicks or showing off. The music is also full of atmosphere of the haunting and ominous kind, while also having emotion that is not spelled out. The more action oriented moments are thrilling and well choreographed with little coming over as ridiculous or chaotic.
Furthermore, the writing is a massive improvement here in "A New Beginning". The previous two episodes had a lot of (too much) extraneous talk, long winded-ness and soap-opera, and none of that is here in a tight and thoughtful script that treats the viewer with respect. The story absorbs throughout, even when not fast paced it never felt dull and nothing for me felt confusing or over silly.
None of the characters frustrated me, with none of the intelligence insultingly ridiculous and vague decision makings and motivations that plagued too much of Season 7 and nearly all of Season 8. It feels fresh and like a new beginning, while also feeling like 'The Walking Dead' when in its prime, which felt like a distant memory for too long but had come back. The acting is spot on from all, Andrew Lincoln's intense charisma smolders.
Overall, truly excellent. 9/10.
