Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

The Walking Dead: World Beyond: Season One Blu-ray Movie Review

Whine and cheese.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III June 28, 2021

As the second of several Walking Dead spin-offs (two more are currently in the works), Scott M. Gimple and Matthew Negrete's World Beyond has some pretty big shoes to fill. The original series, whose eleventh and final season will air later this year, famously cemented America's ongoing zombie craze without once calling its "walkers" by their proper name. And while the Z fad is long past its expiration date -- not exactly a hot take, people -- this expanded franchise is trying to stay afloat by any means necessary. So what new ideas does World Beyond bring to the table? Welp, instead of adults struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic dystopia, now it's teenagers. Cool? Cool.

Truth be told, World Beyond is a little more ambitious than that flippant character-swap suggests and, even while the series doesn't seem to have been well-received -- based on a quick scan of critical reviews and ratings charts -- its premise carries slightly more merit than expected. The show takes place a full ten years after the Z-word apocalypse that left humanity scattered and the world increasingly overrun by "empties" (World Beyond's word substitution for "walkers", which... ugh), focusing on a core group of four teenagers who grew up under much different circumstances than the previous generation but with no real sense of loss. It's just always been this way, which allows room for a different kind of introspection than its parent show and makes for at least a passably interesting premise.

Unfortunately, almost all of the characters -- and thus, the situations they're faced with -- aren't nearly as interesting, which is more or less evident from the first show onward. The default leads are Iris (Aliyah Royale) and Hope Bennett (Alexa Mansour), two very different sisters who, along with about 10,000 others, have managed to eke out a pretty good living within the protective walls of Nebraska's Campus Colony, a sheltered city-type environment largely safe from outside danger. Along with two other teenagers -- bookish and claustrophobic Elton Ortiz (Nicolas Cantu) and introverted lug Silas Plaskett (Hal Cumpston) -- the sisters successfully sneak out of the facility to find their father Leo Bennett (Joe Holt), a top scientist now working for the Civic Republic Military under Elizabeth Kublek (Julia Ormond). Once the four teenagers are discovered to be missing, Campus Colony security officers Jennifer "Huck" Mallick (Annet Mahendru) and Felix Carlucci (Nico Tortorella), the Bennetts' de facto guardian, set out to find them.

As their journey progresses, a formula is established almost immediately and World Beyond, for better or worse, sticks to it like glue. Their long but linear path is mostly loaded with exposition and character beats -- some good, some bad, but most are pretty clichéd -- routinely broken up by jump scares or slow-burning suspense created from their searches of new (for them) places in various stages of decay and collapse. Certain stretches stand out more than others: World Beyond seems most comfortable when the characters are confined to isolated spaces and forced to fend for themselves, which happens most frequently during this ten-episode season's middle point. Unsurprisingly, no stand-alone episodes are present here -- it's all serialized and thus tends to bleed together, which doesn't do the collective journey any favors as its characters, though fitfully interesting, soon wear out their welcomes. (I felt that Elton was probably the most interesting by a wide margin, but maybe it's because I'm also bookish and claustrophobic.) In contrast, the two sisters just aren't strong enough to be main characters: Iris' Girl Scout routine is mostly dull as dishwater, while her much more rebellious sister Hope doesn't fare much better. And the loner Silas? He's a big old blob of meh.

Despite these reservations, Season One of World Beyond is at least worth a once-over, even if you're not very familiar with its parent show. It's very competently made from a technical standpoint and the Z-words, though afterthoughts during many stretches, feature the same great makeup and effects that make most appearances fun enough to watch. But there's little staying power here and, given its lukewarm ratings, it's no surprise that the (apparently green-lit) second season will likely wrap things up. For now, here's a quick run-through of the first ten episodes.

Episode List & (mostly spoiler-free) Summaries:

Disc One:

• "Brave" - Iris welcomes an enigmatic ally to their community while her rebellious sister Hope questions the visitor's motives. A message upends the sisters' worldview, forcing them to decide between the safety of their home and the uncertainty of... the world beyond. (That's a "Roll Credits!", for you Sins fans.)
• "The Blaze of Gory" - The group adjusts to the reality of life beyond their community’s walls, perhaps their only collective sense of loss to date. Iris attempts to take charge, in spite of Hope's reservations. Felix and Huck trail the teens while Felix is forced to confront unwanted memories.
• "The Tyger and the Lamb" - Burdened by their pasts, members of the group adopt opposing strategies for dealing with a massive obstacle. Pressure is put on the group to return home.
• "The Wrong End Of A Telescope" - The group seeks shelter from a storm inside an abandoned high school. While resupplying, they imagine what school life was once like and encounter threats both living and dead.

Disc Two:

• "Madman Across the Water" - While the group works together to cross the Mississippi River, a plot devised by Felix to steer the determined teens back home hits an unexpected snag. A member of the group must overcome past trauma to save the others from an approaching threat.
• "Shadow Puppets" - When an unexpected newcomer reveals information that could help them reach their destination, the group cuts a deal. While some are intrigued by the new arrival, others are suspicious.
• "Truth or Dare" - While the group searches for something to advance their quest, one of them recalls their struggles in the early days of the apocalypse. A game of truth or dare brings emotions to the surface.

Disc Three:

• "The Sky is a Graveyard" - A horrific discovery finds the group at a sharp crossroads and prompts one of them to revisit a particularly painful past trauma.
• "The Deepest Cut" - A series of setbacks causes a member of the group to reevaluate their role in the mission. Someone makes a surprising discovery. A startling revelation casts everything in a new light.
• "In This Life" - A divided group struggles to reunite. Others set their sights on the greater good.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I'm guessing World Beyond was an all-digital affair, and within those boundaries RLJ Entertainment's 1080p transfer is a very capable effort that likely exceeds any and all streaming versions by a decent margin. Unsurprisingly, outdoor footage fares best even when it's not naturally lush and green: whether it's a crowded scenario like an all-hands-on-deck presentation from CRM's Elizabeth Kublek during the first episode (or one of many Z- word infestations) or a silent one-person search through desolate landscapes, depth is impressive with image detail reaching as far back as focus limitations will allow. Other sequences, whether naturally tinted by odd lighting or tweaked for stylish reasons, come through cleanly with very little bleeding or other saturation issues. The darkest scenes, as well as those compromised by heavy fog, don't fare quite as well but banding and artifacts are kept to a minimum -- it's a bit more noticeable on Disc One since four episodes are included rather than three, but nothing major. Overall, it's fine work as usual and, aside from a true 4K release, I couldn't imagine this series looking much better on disc than it does here.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the default DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix offers a fairly enveloping sonic experience that, as expected, combines lots of mostly front-loaded dialogue with occasional ambient effects, supportive music cues, and more than a few jump scares to engage (or possibly annoy) you. Overall detail and clarity are very good to excellent, with most sequences serving up a straightforward style that's intermittently broken up by distortion, echoes, and other subtle touches depending on the mood or situation. Like the visuals, these particular style changes are most apparent during stray flashbacks, but either way the effect is smooth and doesn't seem all that flashy or overcooked. No obvious defects, drop-outs, or sync issues were heard along the way. Optional English (SDH), French, and Spanish subtitles are included during all the bonus features, as all as both respective foreign dubs during all 10 episodes.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This three-disc release ships in a hinged keepcase with a third hub on the right side. A matching slipcover is included, but no inserts or episode list. The bonus features listed below can all be found on Disc 3.

• A Look at the Series (4:01) - Executive producers Matthew Negrete and Scott M. Gimple, as well as other key members of the cast and crew (including the four main teenagers), offer a quick overview of this new world and the main characters. It's more promotional than in-depth but still worth a once-over.

• Meet the Characters (6:13) - The same contributors focus on character backgrounds, as well as acceptance of the post-apocalyptic world given their different set of circumstances than those of The Walking Dead.

• The Making of Season One (22:35) - Although formatted like both earlier featurettes and with most of the same participants (including a few recycled clips), this mid-length piece takes a closer look at this season's characters and production, including on-set footage from a few episodes. Still, it's very promotional in nature and doesn't go into any real technical detail about things like music, cinematography, or special effects.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's pretty telling that the series premiere of The Walking Dead's second spin-off series, World Beyond, debuted to only a fraction of its parent show's dwindling viewership and continued to sink as the season wore on. This just isn't a very compelling series: there's more drama than dread, but both elements begin to feel repetitive after only a few episodes. While the varied locations, tense situations, and a few specific second-half surprises can be kind of interesting in the moment, nothing lingers in your mind for long afterwards and makes this a once-and-done experience for all but the most dedicated Dead-heads. It's a shame, too, because RLJ Entertainment's Blu-ray set -- which many worthier shows don't get any more -- serves up a solid A/V presentation and a few lightweight but appreciated extras.