The Walking Dead: The Complete Sixth Season

The zombie hordes of AMC's monster hit series continue to lumber on, while the intrepid little band of human survivors on whom they hope to feast still struggles to evade them. Like previous seasons, this one follows the now-familiar pattern of two eight-episode story arcs. In the first, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) takes control of the sanctuary of Alexandria to mount its defense against the “walkers”—an effort that ends in tragedy, as the horde breaches the wall and many humans die. Rick himself suffers a loss that will lead him to explode in bloody rage. In the second half of the season, the emphasis turns to the Saviors, a group of human marauders who extort food and supplies from survivor communities. Encounters with the band escalate over time, leading to the first appearance of archvillain Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who proves his viciousness by beating someone to death—although the identity of the victim is not disclosed, making for a grim cliffhanger. There are weak aspects of this season—most notable being the fate of Glenn (Steven Yuen), which many of the show's most ardent fans considered a shabby trick—but overall it maintains the quality that has made the series so successful. Presenting all 16 episodes from the 2015-16 sixth season, extras include episode commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and an extended version of the finale. Recommended. (F. Swietek)