'Walking Dead': What to Expect from the Rest of the Season

The second half of The Walking Dead's seventh season begins this weekend, and fans have reason to approach the back half of the season with trepidation. The first half of the season was received with disappointment by critics and many fans alike, and there's some concern that season seven needs to finish strong in order to save face for the series.

So what can we expect from the home stretch?

The series' producers, writers, network and cast have promised that the second half of the season is going to be characterized by all-out war between Rick's group and Negan's army. The first half of the season was a grim slog in which Rick and the others were subdued and dominated by Negan. In the second half, we can expect the tables to turn.

We probably shouldn't expect them to turn swiftly or soon, though. One of the major complaints about the first half of the season was its slow pace and dull digressions. There's not much reason to expect that the producers have learned their lesson, however. If all we have to look forward to by the end of the season is Rick's eventual victory over Negan, we should be prepared for a many-episode-long lead-up to that event.

The first half of the season was also criticized for its dispiriting, graphic violence. We're getting conflicting reports about whether or not that's going to change. Executive producer Gale Anne Hurd promised that the violence would be toned down going forward, but she was contradicted by fellow EP Greg Nicotero. Showrunner Scott Gimple hedged between the two, explaining that graphic violence would be used only when it was appropriate.

Only time will tell if TWD can pull season seven out of its slump. A new episode of the series airs on AMC on Sunday, February 12.