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We’ve had a year and a half to let Mad Men’s contemplative, even historical ending sink in. Don Draper found at least some measure of peace, and almost immediately returned to work to channel that into a soda commercial. Don’t expect that leopard to have changed his spots, however, as even Jon Hamm thinks whatever enlightenment Don found wouldn’t have lasted.

The Walking Dead has always pushed the boundaries of gore and violence, though Season 7 understandably reached a certain plateau with its batty premiere. Some producers even suggested that fan reaction inspired them to tone down Season 7’s bloodlust, though showrunners now say otherwise.

Yesterday we caught what looked to be a Walking Dead deviation for Rick and co., as the group met a junkyard gang on their way to “Rise Up” against Negan. Now, new photos from the 2017 premiere and beyond see the Saviors making an unwelcome return to Alexandria, while producers promise “one of the most ingenious walkers is coming up in the second half.”

Even the most downtrodden of Walking Dead fans are likely looking forward to Season 7B as a call to action, at least over the punishing and dreary first half. Now, new photos show Rick and the team back in action, while a fresh synopsis for the February premiere teases “new survivors in incredible places,” and “treachery from people we trust.”

We all got to bask in Rick’s reunion with Daryl and Maggie at the close of Walking Dead mid-Season 7 finale “Hearts Still Beating,” but there’s still the difficult task of actually inspiring hope to “Rise Up” against Negan. Rick isn’t off to a great start in our first photo from the 2017 premiere, as long as you-know-who remains in charge of the Hilltop.

It’s been an exceptionally punishing year for fans of The Walking Dead, who first endured the cop-out of Negan’s entrance, a summer spent waiting, and about eight episodes since of misery under The Saviors’ reign. Rick will finally fight back when Season 7 returns in February, and Andrew Lincoln insists “There’s a lot more levity, if you can believe that.”

Live ratings for The Walking Dead may have taken a slight tumble in Season 7, but that isn’t stopping AMC from envisioning decades of story ahead. Creator Robert Kirkman too maintains the endless nature of the comics, though new comments suggest AMC might be gaining on the comics’ lead by the time Season 12 rolls around.

Even as The Walking Dead keeps Carl alive as a symbol of hope for the future, it stands to reason Chandler Riggs will eventually leave the series behind. That prospect got more immediate with word Riggs would soon be attending college, for which the Walking Dead star says of the balancing act “It wouldn’t be easy but I think that could be possible.”

It’s safe to say that the addition of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan to The Walking Dead has been a controversial one; strong actor, but in a role weighing on viewers. Morgan has time yet to flesh out Negan’s nuances, confirming not only his return for Season 8, but also explaining some of the mysterious leaks that cropped up around his entrance.

AMC isn’t one to look a rotting gift horse like The Walking Dead in the mouth, extending its highest-rated series so long as creator Robert Kirkman provides comic source material. That relationship doesn’t necessarily extend both ways, however, as Kirkman acknowledges AMC has zero input or foreknowledge of any potential story shakeups.

The Walking Dead broke with its usual habit of super-sized premieres, going only six or so minutes past the hour for Season 7 return “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be.” We may yet get our 90-minute episode after all, however, as an upcoming hour featuring one of Negan’s biggest moments has been extended to 85 minutes.

This past Sunday’s second entry into The Walking Dead Season 7 swung considerably more positive, to say nothing introducing King Ezekiel’s friggin’ pet tiger into the mix. We’ve known for sometime that Shiva would serve as a combination of animatronics and CGI, but see for yourself in this behind-the-scenes look at Sunday’s “The Well.”