The seventh season of The Walking Dead, an American horror-drama television series on AMC, premiered on October 23, 2016, and will consist of 16 episodes that are split into two eight-episode parts, with the second half debuting on February 12, 2017. Developed for television by Frank Darabont, the series is based on the eponymous series of comic books by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The executive producers are Kirkman, David Alpert, Scott M. Gimple, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Gimple as showrunner for the fourth consecutive season.
This season adapts material from issues #100–114 of the comic book series and introduces notable comic characters King Ezekiel (Khary Payton) and his pet Bengal tiger, Shiva, including new communities: the Kingdom, the Sanctuary, Oceanside, and the Scavengers. The first half of the season focuses on Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his group under the rule of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and their struggle to obey his orders. The second half of the season focuses on Rick and his companions building an army with like minded communities to prepare for an all out war against Negan and the Saviors.
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, the series' protagonist and the newly established leader of Alexandria, who is forced to submit and adapt under the rule of Negan.
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, the group's primary hunter and a recruiter for Alexandria.
Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee, Maggie's resourceful husband, who stands as the group's moral compass.
Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee, Glenn's strong-willed and pregnant wife, who serves as a liaison between Alexandria and the Hilltop Colony.
Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Rick's teenage son, who struggles to maintain his renewed morality that he achieved from residing in Alexandria.
Danai Gurira as Michonne, a katana-wielding warrior, who has opened up from her previous solitary life and has recently begun a relationship with Rick.
Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier, an empowered member of the group, whose several tragedies force her to question her ruthless methods.
Michael Cudlitz as Sgt. Abraham Ford, a former military sergeant, whose reevaluation of his life led him to break up with Rosita and pursue Sasha.
Lennie James as Morgan Jones, the first survivor Rick had ever encountered, who is questioning the pacifist philosophy he had adopted.
Sonequa Martin-Green as Sasha Williams, a former firefighter, Abraham's girlfriend and a guard of Alexandria, who has overcome various traumas.
Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler, a caring member of the group, who, while on a supply run, meets a community of survivors known as Oceanside.
Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter, a survivor, who struggles to prove his worth to the group after lying to them about knowing a possible cure to the walker virus.
Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, a pragmatic and protective member of the group, and ex-girlfriend of Abraham.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan, the manipulative-totalitarian and merciless leader of the Saviors, and the primary antagonist of the season.
Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes, a priest, who has managed to earn the group's trust after previously betraying them.
Ross Marquand as Aaron, an Alexandrian recruiter, who brought Rick's group to Alexandria, and serves as a bridge between the two factions.
Austin Nichols as Spencer Monroe, a guard of Alexandria and the only surviving member of his family.
Austin Amelio as Dwight, a ruthless, reluctant member of the Saviors, who forms a hostile rivalry with Daryl.
Tom Payne as Paul "Jesus" Rovia, a scout for the Hilltop Colony, who introduced Rick's group to their compound.
Xander Berkeley as Gregory, the selfish and arrogant leader of the Hilltop Colony.
Alexandria Safe-Zone
Katelyn Nacon as Enid, an isolated teenager residing in Alexandria, who forms a special bond with Carl and Maggie.
Jason Douglas as Tobin, the foreman of Alexandria's construction crew, who had a brief relationship with Carol.
Corey Hawkins as Heath, a supply runner for Alexandria.
Ann Mahoney as Olivia, a resident of Alexandria in charge of the community's supplies.
Jordan Woods-Robinson as Eric, Aaron's boyfriend and his former recruiting partner.
Kenric Green as Scott, a supply runner in Alexandria.
Ted Huckabee as Bruce, a member of Alexandria's construction crew.
Dahlia Legault as Francine, a member of Alexandria's construction crew.
R. Keith Harris as Dr. Harlan Carson, the doctor of the Hilltop Colony.
James Chen as Kal, a guard of the Hilltop Colony.
Peter Luis Zimmerman as Eduardo, a guard of the Hilltop Colony.
Jeremy Palko as Andy, a resident of the Hilltop Colony.
Karen Ceesay as Bertie, a resident of the Hilltop Colony.
Brett Gentile as Freddie, a resident of the Hilltop Colony.
Ilan Srulovicz as Wesley, a resident of the Hilltop Colony.
Christine Evangelista as Sherry, Dwight's ex-wife and now one of Negan's harem.
Steven Ogg as Simon, Negan's right-hand man.
Joshua Hoover as Fat Joey, a member of the Saviors.
Elizabeth Ludlow as Arat, one of Negan's top lieutenants.
Tim Parati as Dr. Emmett Carson, the doctor of the Saviors.
Aerli Austen as Isabelle, a member of the Saviors.
Lindsley Register as Laura, one of Negan's top lieutenants.
Martinez as David, a member of the Saviors.
Mike Seal as Gary, a member of the Saviors.
Jayson Warner Smith as Gavin, one of Negan's top lieutenants, who extorts the Kingdom.
Joshua Mikel as Jared, a hostile member of the Saviors who works with Gavin.
Autumn Dial as Amber, one of Negan's harem.
Elyse Nicole DuFour as Frankie, one of Negan's harem.
Chloe Aktas as Tanya, one of Negan's harem.
Griffin Freeman as Mark, a member of the Saviors and Amber's ex-boyfriend.
Khary Payton as King Ezekiel, the flamboyant leader of the Kingdom.
Logan Miller as Benjamin, a young resident of the Kingdom, who forms a bond with Morgan.
Cooper Andrews as Jerry, Ezekiel's bodyguard.
Karl Makinen as Richard, one of Ezekiel's top soldiers.
Kerry Cahill as Dianne, one of Ezekiel's top soldiers.
Daniel Newman as Daniel, one of Ezekiel's top soldiers.
Carlos Navarro as Alvaro, one of Ezekiel's top soldiers.
Macsen Lintz as Henry, a resident of the Kingdom and Benjamin's younger brother.
Jason Burkey as Kevin, a resident of the Kingdom.
Nadine Marissa as Nabila, a resident of the Kingdom.
Deborah May as Natania, the vigilant leader of Oceanside.
Sydney Park as Cyndie, a member of Oceanside and Natania's maternal granddaughter.
Mimi Kirkland as Rachel, an aggressive young member of Oceanside.
Briana Venskus as Beatrice, a top member of Oceanside.
Nicole Barré as Kathy, a top member of Oceanside.
Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis, the impassive leader of the Scavengers.
Thomas Francis Murphy as Brion, a top member of the Scavengers.
Sabrina Gennarino as Tamiel, a top member of the Scavengers.
The Walking Dead was renewed by AMC for a 16-episode seventh season on October 30, 2015. Filming for season 7 began in Georgia, on May 2, 2016 and concluded on November 18, 2016. Actors Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Xander Berkeley, Tom Payne, and Austin Amelio were all promoted to series regulars for the seventh season, after having recurring roles in the sixth season. The seventh season has featured several extended episodes, running longer than its usual 43-minute running time (without commercials). Extended episodes have ranged from 46 to 62 minutes in length.
The first episode of the season, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be", received negative criticism for the amount of violence depicted in the episode, with one writer calling it the equivalent of "torture porn". Subsequently, the first half of seventh season has seen some of the show's lowest ratings. The show's executive producer Gale Anne Hurd claimed that in light of the negative feedback, they tamed some of the more gruesome scenes that were in episodes being filmed for the second half of the season. Hurd said that "this is not a show that's torture porn...Let's make sure we don't cross that line". However, this claim was countered by executive producers Scott M. Gimple and Greg Nicotero. Gimple said that the violence used in the episode was "pronounced for a reason", specifically that "there was a purpose of traumatizing these characters to a point where maybe they would have been docile for the rest of their lives", but noted that he felt that this episode shouldn't represent "the base level of violence that necessarily should be on the show".
The season has received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 64% with an average score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 8 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "Increased character depth and effective world-building helps The Walking Dead overcome a tiresome reliance on excessive, gratuitous violence."
The Walking Dead's seventh-season premiere received 17.03 million viewers in its initial broadcast on AMC in the United States. The viewership steadily declined every week after the premiere, until the seventh episode, with the sixth episode of the season dropping to 10.40 million viewers, the lowest rating the show has had since season three. Viewing increased to 12 million viewers in the ninth episode, following this viewing decreased with the twelfth episode reaching a season low with 10.16 million viewers.
^1 Live +7 ratings were not available, so Live +3 ratings have been used instead.
