The Walking Dead has hit its last season and has decided to split it into three separate sections, each being

eight episodes long with a hiatus between parts. Last month, the first section ended, leaving the viewers with the framework for a much larger plot to finish the landmark tv show.

The season picks up after the last with the survivors in Alexandria without a rival group in the area, but facing hard times with dwindling supplies and dwindling people. One group of survivors are cut off from Alexandria when they go out far scavenging for food by a new group, The Reapers, that has old ties to Daryl. Meanwhile, Eugene tried to make contact with Alexandria from the new settlement he found.

This season has taken a more unique method of storytelling compared its predecessors, which had many different storylines that came together in the end. This season seems to have two different plots and emphasis is put on how characters interact and play off each other. New conflicts and bonds have been formed in this season, being set up for more development for when the next installment of the season releases in February. This portion of the season has toned down the more grandiose action sequences for more constant, smaller scale action scenes.

In addition, some episodes go for drastically different tones. One episode has Connie and Virgil trapped in a house with feral people stalking them inside. The episode feels like a true horror movie, similar to The Hills Have Eyes (1977) by Wes Craven. Each one captures the tone of being trapped in a small area while being hunted by other people. This is juxtaposed with Eugene, who is in a large settlement with thousands of people working jobs like lawyers and bakers.

Overall, this season—while it doesn’t reach the same level as earlier seasons—has a lot to offer, and it’s building up for what looks like a great ending for the series after its eleven year run. It’s refreshing to see new ideas on the show after all the ideas and plots the team has already accomplished.