The Walking Dead: World Beyond has turned the franchise's zombies from an ever-present threat to a mere inconvenience. The Walking Dead may be the most popular and successful zombie-based TV series of all time, but Robert Kirkman's story has always been more about the human characters than the undead. This became increasingly apparent as the seasons progressed and Rick's group transitioned from the wilderness to the safety of Alexandria. The Walking Dead attracted criticism for sidelining the zombies during the "All Out War" arc, but the accusations weren't entirely deserved. The arrival of the Whisperers gave the undead a new lease of life, and The Walking Dead has reliably delivered innovative zombie set pieces.
The Walking Dead's second spin-off, World Beyond, begins with a quartet of teenagers departing from the 10,000-strong Campus Colony to search for a scientist poached by the Civic Republic. Little do they know that the CRM (Civic Republic Military) wipe out their home mere moments after their departure. Led by Iris, the kids are relatively unaccustomed to seeing zombies in the (rotting) flesh, more familiar with high schools, illicit parties and field trips, but as they head to New York City, the sheltered youngsters are forced to grow up quickly in the harsh environment of the zombie apocalypse.
Where The Walking Dead has previously been attacked for making the show's zombies less important, the undead are virtually anonymous in World Beyond. The first zombie Iris' group encounter is treated as an experiment rather than a threat. Iris tries to prove herself by attacking the creature alone, refusing help from her friends, all of whom show roughly as much fear as a grown man watching Casper. Iris is ultimately unable to kill the zombie - instead she throws up on it and walks away with the creature still writhing. The Walking Dead: World Beyond's zombies only get worse from there. When one of the undead approaches the group's treehouse camp, the hormonal heroes decide to ignore it, like next door's cat begging for scraps. The gang loudly play bowling in the middle of the street, and when approaching a tire field full of undead, the zombies are presented as an inconvenient obstacle rather than a deadly disaster.
The leading teenagers of The Walking Dead: World Beyond are a complete departure from the grizzled survivors of The Walking Dead. If Rick Grimes or Daryl Dixon were around to witness the street bowling scene or the group neglecting a zombie near their camp, their reactions would be a sight to behold. Even the grown-up pairing of Felix and Huck fall asleep without setting watch. The most frustrating part of The Walking Dead: World Beyond is that the central premise could have been really interesting - sheltered, inexperienced kids heading out into the wild for the first time and underestimating how dangerous the zombies are. But the teenage heroes should've received a harsh awakening as the reality of zombies dawned upon them. Instead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond forgives the rookie mistakes of the protagonists time after time. While passing through the zombie-infested airfield, for example, the biggest challenges prove to be Elton going back to pick up his luggage and Silas experiencing a sudden moment of mental clarity when face-to-face with one of the undead. Their rotting enemies are surprisingly well-behaved.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond is a zombie show desperately trying not to be a zombie show, but the root problem runs beyond the spin-off alone. The World Beyond's young cast are a talented bunch who might've fared better without the hefty "Walking Dead" tag. The spin-off should also be commended for trying to do something different compared to The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead, but therein lies the true problem. The Walking Dead franchise is growing exponentially, and the central premise of the zombie apocalypse is spreading thin. World Beyond is daring to be different by focusing less on the undead, but the result is a spin-off that feels a world away from its parent series.