What’s Happening in “The Walking Dead” Extended Season 10?

Fans of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” can live it up this year. The cult hit zombie apocalypse series returns with six new episodes to wrap up its extended 10th, penultimate season—not to mention the return of two spinoff series later in 2021.

The six episodes were added last year after the pandemic delayed production of the series over several months. AMC and show executives initially planned to air what was supposed to be the season finale last April, but didn’t get to air that episode, “A Certain Doom,” until October. In July, they announced six extra episodes would be shot to bridge this season with the show’s 11th and final season.

Where can you watch new episodes of TWD?

The first of the new episodes will air February 21 exclusively on the paid streaming service AMC+,a week ahead of its February 28 premiere at 9 p.m. EST on AMC. New episodes will continue to air weekly until the extended season 10 finale on April 4. Viewers will want to stay with AMC following each episode to check out the popular talk show “Talking Dead,” hosted by Chris Hardwick, which offers insights on the hit series and exclusive interviews with TWD actors and executives.

What happened to our favorite survivors when we last saw them?

[Warning: Spoiler alert!] We saw our beloved gang prevail in the Whisperers War—but not without paying a big price. Following the shocking death of Alpha (Samantha Morton) at the hands of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), an all-out slugfest erupted. The Kingdom and Hilltop were destroyed while residents of Alexandria emptied out to prepare for the final battle with their masked adversaries.

Facing grim odds, Daryl (Norman Reedus) and other survivors were able to sneak through a horde of walkers, ultimately eliminating the dead by directing them off a cliff by blasting loud music. They even defeated the Whisperers as longtime adversaries Daryl and Negan teamed up to kill Beta (Ryan Hurst).

Meanwhile, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) returned from her trek to seek out new communities with an unknown masked man—just in time to rescue Gabriel (Seth Gilliam).

Many miles away, Eugene (Josh McDermitt), Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and the rest of their group found themselves in a different predicament. They were being held at gunpoint by a mysterious white-armored militia group who ambushed the crew during Eugene’s trip to meet up with his radio pal, Stephanie.

What revelations can you expect in the new episodes?

Based on a minute-long teaser released by “The Walking Dead”—a lot.

Viewers should finally witness the long-anticipated confrontation between Maggie and Negan. Maggie is still out for vengeance over her late husband Glenn’s death at the hands of Negan during the Season 7 premiere.

“He asked how his daddy died. I told him that a bad man killed him,” Maggie tells Daryl, while both look at her sleeping son, Hershel. “And he wanted to know that man got what he deserved.” (That answer right now is “no.”)

Glenn, a longtime fan favorite played by Steven Yeun, was killed by Negan after Negan and the Saviors ambushed the allied communities, led by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), in a bid to force a trade relationship.

Since Maggie left the allied communities, Negan has slowly transformed from supervillain to an ally to one of our favorite survivors, even joining up with Carol (Melissa McBride) to tactically take out Alpha by using his charm. Can Maggie accept that Negan is now welcomed by her longtime friends?

The teaser also introduces a new character named Mays, played by “Terminator 2” star Robert Patrick. It also shows the militia group (which, according to the TWD comic book universe, is known as The Commonwealth) interrogating and roughing up Eugene and his group. Did Stephanie, who we’ve yet to meet, set Eugene up to walk into a trap?

The season will also feature a prequel episode centering around Negan, which will include Morgan’s real-life wife, Hilarie Burton, playing Negan’s late wife, Lucille.

According to Variety, the extended episodes will also show the surviving “Whisperers in a state of vulnerability, questioning the state of their community and struggling to find strength to persevere.”

The teaser ends with perhaps the biggest tease yet: Negan, sporting his iconic leather jacket and red scarf, tapping on the floor with his bat, smirking eerily while saying, “Little pig, little pig, let me in!”

Who is he talking to? Or even more important—when is he talking? Is this a flashback or a future event?

When will TWD season 11 finally air?

Sometime in late 2021. The show’s final season will include 24 episodes and wrap up sometime in 2022.

What’s in the future for the rest of the TWD universe?

Although ratings have fallen the past few years, “The Walking Dead” remains AMC’s top-rated program. It has also spurred two spin-off series, “Fear the Walking Dead” and “The Walking Dead: World Beyond,” with other projects in the works, too.

“Fear the Walking Dead” is currently in the middle of its sixth season and will return in April, while “World Beyond” is a limited series that completed its first season in November 2020 and will wrap up its second and final season this year.

A spin-off of TWD featuring Daryl and Carol will premiere in 2023, and AMC is also working with the show’s creators to develop an anthology series called “Tales of the Walking Dead,” which will provide “individual episodes or arcs of episodes focused on new or existing characters, backstories or other stand-alone experiences,” according to a press statement.

Perhaps of most interest to fans is the return of Rick Grimes.

AMC has said it plans to produce a trilogy of movies for the big screen about Rick, who was presumed dead following a bridge explosion in season 9 but was actually rescued by militia types in a black helicopter, who we later learned through “World Beyond” are part of that show’s mysterious group known as the Civic Republic.

We don’t know much about the plotline for the movies, but there’s always a chance Rick will reunite with his wife Michonne (Danai Gurira)—who is currently searching for him—and learn she gave birth to their son, Rick Jr., after his disappearance and that daughter Judith is growing up to become a badass like her adoptive parents. Yes, the late Shane (Jon Bernthal), also a badass, is likely Judith’s dad.

If only Rick’s son Carl (Chandler Riggs) didn’t die in season 8, there could have been a huge family reunion, but perhaps Carl shows up in a flashback scene.

How can I catch up on old episodes of TWD?

You can stream seasons 1–9 on Netflix, but AMC Premiere and AMC+ are currently the only way to watch previously aired episodes from season 10. While TWD is not on Hulu, you can use the service to watch “Fear the Walking Dead.”

Program availability may have changed and is subject to change. Streaming services may require a subscription and sometimes an additional fee.