The latest episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City falls victim to the same sluggish pacing that plagued the later seasons of The Walking Dead—nothing much happens. Compared to the show’s most iconic episodes like “Days Gone Bye” that seamlessly delivered tension, emotional depth, and action all at once, “Why Did the Mainlanders Cross the River?” feels glaringly inadequate. Yes, it’s an unfair comparison, but when you’ve got only eight episodes to work with, wasting precious narrative space is a bold choice. Unfortunately, it’s not a good one. Let’s review.
 |
| “Why Did the Mainlanders Cross the River?”– THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured: Logan Kim as Hershel. Photo Credit: Robert Clark/AMC © 2025 AMC Networks Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
The episode’s central focus is on Herschel’s (Logan Kim) grooming and coming under the corrupt influence of the Dama (Lisa Emery). The Dama and Herschel’s storyline, that could have been gripping, remains frustratingly underdeveloped. The moment Herschel parrots the Dama’s words to Maggie about the city—”broken, ignored, abandoned”—as something that can still be transformed was interesting. And yet, the real revelation was what Herschel saw in those words—himself.
The Dama-Herschel flashbacks—while beautifully shot—blur into present-day scenes with such little distinction that viewers are left guessing. A simple “six months earlier” caption or a black-and-white filter (like the Season 6 premiere, “First Time Again”) could have cleared things up without requiring a forensic investigation.
 |
“Why Did the Mainlanders Cross the River?”–” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD |
The writers keep dangling a dynamic between Herschel and Ginny (Mahina Anne Marie Napoleon) but refuse to explain it. Herchel’s territorial outburst in the last episode—”She’s, my mom!”—suggests an intriguing tension, especially as both children grapple with their bizarre, unstable relationships with Negan. Yet, with a third of the season already gone, these threads remain frustratingly underexplored. Do the writers have a plan, or are they just winging it? Jury’s out.
 |
| “Why Did the Mainlanders Cross the River?”–” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan. Photo: Robert Clark/AMC © 2025 AMC Networks Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
Of course, Negan returns alone, having dispatched Waylen using the time-honored throw-walkers-at-your-enemy trick. While the scene delivered solid action, Waylen’s miraculous survival just to later threaten Herschel and the feral girl felt forced. Negan explains to the Croat that the park is crawling with the dead, and that the mainlanders were “pretty much dead already.” The Croat, ever the smug chess master, responds with a knowing: “Accidents happen.” While this, along with the story of how he became partners with the Dama, offers insight into the Croat’s personality, it fails to deliver meaningful story progression.
 |
| “Why Did the Mainlanders Cross the River?”–” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured: Gaius Charles as Armstrong, Dascha Polanco as Narvaez. Photo Credit: Robert Clark/AMCC © 2025 AMC Networks Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
The episode does deliver striking cinematography, but its world-building remains half-hearted. The ritual—where Roksana (Pooya Mohseni) and the foragers give the girl’s heart to the dead so she can roam among them—was an eerie addition. Unfortunately, the mainlanders’ awkward, wide-eyed gawking—more like clueless tourists than thoughtful observers—stripped the chilling cultural moment of its impact, reducing it to little more than a grotesque sideshow.
 |
“Why Did the Mainlanders Cross the River?”–” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD |
It may be unfair to compare Dead City to the original Walking Dead, but the intent isn’t to tear it down, it’s to highlight that the canon offers plenty of examples of how it could be better. As it stands, this episode was a frustrating waste of time with glimpses of potential. Course correction is needed—and soon.
Lynette Jones