The Walking Dead: Dead City Review: Ezekiel and Rosita’s Escape Stumbles Past Its Villains

The Walking Dead: Dead City is supposed to be the final chapter of a saga that has stretched across thirteen seasons. Instead, it feels like a footnote. AMC’s six-part spinoff, which aired in 2023, follows Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and Rosita (Christian Serratos) as they flee the burning city of Alexandria and crash into New York. The premise is bold. The execution is not.

Trailer, via The Walking Dead.

Exodus From Alexandria

The first episode opens with Alexandria under siege. Ezekiel and Rosita flee on a train with a group of survivors, including Eugene (Josh Mancini), Siddiq (Avi Nash), and Magna (Sophia Takal). The journey is tense, but the tension is mostly about logistics: where to find food, where to hide from the dead, where to cross a bridge that has collapsed. The writing leans heavily on exposition. Characters explain things they should know, and the camera lingers on faces rather than on action.

The show introduces the Whisperers early, led by the young Alpha (Riley Keough). Their presence is meant to be ominous, but the threat feels half-baked. The Whisperers in this universe are not the same relentless force they were in the main series. They are more like a nuisance than a danger. The result is a slow start that never quite picks up speed.

New York As A Shell Of Itself

When the group reaches New York, the city is a shell of itself. The skyline is empty, the streets are overrun, and the living are just as dangerous as the dead. The setting is visually striking, but the story struggles to justify why anyone would want to stay. The characters wander through abandoned buildings, encounter small pockets of survivors, and face off against gangs of desperate people. None of it lands with the weight it should.

The show tries to build a sense of dread by showing glimpses of walkers in the distance, but the effect is diluted. The zombies in The Walking Dead: Dead City are less frequent and less threatening than they have ever been. The show seems more interested in human conflict than in the horror that defined the franchise. That is a fair shift, but it requires stronger character drama to make up for the lack of scares.

Ezekiel And Rosita’s Strained Partnership

The core relationship between Ezekiel and Rosita is the emotional anchor of the series. Khary Payton plays Ezekiel with a wounded dignity, and Christian Serratos gives Rosita a weary edge. Their scenes together are often the best moments. She is frustrated with him, and he is constantly trying to prove himself. The tension between them is genuine, even if the plot around them is not.

The problem is that the supporting cast gets short shrift. Eugene, Siddiq, and Magna are all interesting people, but they rarely get room to breathe. The show jumps from one crisis to the next without giving viewers time to care about who these people are. The result is a story that moves fast but leaves behind a trail of forgettable faces.

Whisperers Arrive In New York

The Whisperers are the supposed big bad of The Walking Dead: Dead City, but they feel like an afterthought. Riley Keough plays Alpha with a cold intensity, but her scenes are few and far between. The show introduces her late in the season and then spends more time on Ezekiel’s internal struggle than on any confrontation with her forces. The Whisperers are meant to be a looming threat, but they are barely present.

The show also introduces a new character named Ian (Evan Rachel Wood), a survivor who claims to know the city better than anyone else. Ian is meant to be a guide, but the show underuses her. Wood is a talented actress, but she is given little to work with. Her scenes are competent, but they do not add much to the story.

The Walking Dead: Dead City is a missed opportunity.

Final Stand In Manhattan

The season finale is the biggest swing. The show stages a battle in Manhattan, with Ezekiel and Rosita leading a group of survivors against the Whisperers. The action is chaotic, but it lacks clarity. Bullets fly, walkers stumble, and the outcome is never in doubt. The finale is a spectacle, but it is a hollow one. The show has spent so much time on setup that the payoff feels thin.

The series ends with a cliffhanger that promises more. But the question remains: more of what? The Walking Dead: Dead City has established a new world, but it has not earned the right to continue telling stories in it. The characters are still figuring out where they are, and the audience is left wondering why we should care.

What Works, What Doesn’t

The Walking Dead: Dead City is not a disaster, but it is a disappointment. The show has some strong performances, a few memorable set pieces, and a decent premise. But it fails to deliver on its promise. The pacing is uneven, the stakes are unclear, and the villains are weak. The show is at its best when it slows down and focuses on Ezekiel and Rosita’s relationship. It is at its worst when it tries to be a big, sprawling epic.

Here is what the show gets right:

• Khary Payton and Christian Serratos carry the emotional weight
• The setting of New York is atmospheric
• The Whisperers are a promising threat, even if they are underused

Here is what it gets wrong:

• The pacing is uneven and the middle episodes drag
• The zombies are less scary than ever
• The supporting cast is underdeveloped
• The finale is a letdown

The Verdict On Dead City

The Walking Dead: Dead City is a mixed bag. It has moments of real quality, but it is ultimately a failure of ambition. The show tries to be a grand finale for a franchise, but it falls short. The final score is 5.8 out of 10.

AMC · Dead City · spinoff · The Walking Dead · TV Review