What do critics think of The Walking Dead season 10 premiere?

The Walking Dead returns for its tenth season in just a couple of weeks, and the embargo on spoiler-free reviews of the premiere episode, “Lines We Cross,” has lifted. Several outlets have begun to publish their opinions on the first episode, and we’ve rounded up the better ones so you can make an educated decision about watching — or continuing to watch — this long, loooong-running AMC show.

If you don’t want to know a single thing about the season 10 debut, then turn back now.

First, let’s watch the trailer to refresh our memories, and then dive into the details.

First up, Forbes’ Paul Tassi says there isn’t anything too flashy about “Lines We Cross,” but that it’s “a solid opening to what should be another good season.” Tassi does give some vague details about the state of things in the opener:

• Season 10 opens with another time jump. It’s been five or six months since the end of season 9.
• Rosita has given birth, with Eugene, Father Gabriel and Siddiq all helping to care for the child. I guess it really does take a village.
• Oceanside is the primary location for the premiere episode, and the community’s former leader Cyndie is back. If you remember, Cyndie and her most trusted people were last seen murdering former Saviors who had slaughtered the men of their community, leaving the women and children to fend for themselves.
• Aaron is now the de facto military leader for all the aligned communities, and he looks like an absolute badass.

Ross Marquand as Aaron – The Walking Dead _ Season 10 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

• Carol has just returned from a solo boating trip. She was pretty torn up in the season 9 finale after she saw her adopted son Henry’s head on one of the Whisperers’ pikes. Apparently, she and Daryl have some tender moments.
• Negan gets some screentime with Lydia. Negan was the leader of the Saviors before Rick captured and imprisoned him, and Lydia is the daughter of the leader of the Whisperers, Alpha. I’m sure their conversation will be healthy and productive.

• Something big happens toward the end of the episode involving walkers and the survivors. Good thing the show hasn’t forgotten it’s about a zombie apocalypse.

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Den of Geek’s John Saavedra notes that while Daryl, Michonne and Ezekiel are all given ample spotlight, it’s Carol who really stands out in the premiere. Saavedra also mentions a climactic event that happens at the end of the episode. “All I can say is that is that it’s a good one, even if the payoff is a little too convenient for my taste.”

Sarabeth Pollock, from our sister-site Undead Walking, calls the season 10 premiere “glorious fan service.” Pollock points to a tender moment Michonne shares with her children, Judith and RJ. Knowing that Danai Gurira is leaving the show at some point in the season makes this scene really stick, apparently.

Angel Theory as Kelly, Lauren Ridloff as Connie, Kerry Cahill as Dianne, Dan Fogler as Luke, Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes Danai Gurira as Michonne, Nadia Hilker as Magna, Jackson Pace as Gage, Jerri Tubbs as Margo, Gustavo Gomez as Marco, Callan McAuliffe as Alden, Ross Marquand as Aaron – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Brandon Davis of Comicbook.com says the opener is a character-driven episode. He also mentions that while the Whisperers aren’t a main attraction in the premiere, they are lurking about, serving as reminders that no matter what happens, the aligned groups of survivors still have to face their worst enemy yet.

And finally, Alex Zalben of Decider says The Walking Dead season 10 premiere will remind fans why it’s “still one of the biggest shows on TV.” Zalben praises showrunner Angela Kang’s script. He also says that Daryl — a character usually relegated to a line here and there, mixed in with some grunting and mumbling — gets to show off that he’s trying to make the world a safer place for the children of each community so that they can become the next leaders and help rebuild civilization.

Antony Azor as RJ, Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

The critics seem pretty unanimous in their praise for the first episode of season 10, and it actually makes me cautiously optimistic that I could enjoy a season of The Walking Dead for the first time since season 5.

The Walking Dead returns to AMC on October 6.

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