Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Sunday's episode of "The Walking Dead,""Stradivarius."

Michael Cudlitz returned to "The Walking Dead" Sunday to direct his first episode of AMC's zombie drama. 

Cudlitz played fan favorite, Abraham Ford, for several seasons before he was killed off the show's season seven premiere by Negan.

INSIDER spoke with Cudlitz at length about what it was like to be back on set, how he first mentioned directing an episode of "The Walking Dead" before he even joined the show on season four, how he'd be down for a "Walking Dead" movie or short, and much more. 

It took Michael Cudlitz years to direct an episode of 'The Walking Dead' and almost cost him his friendship with former showrunner Scott M. Gimple

Kirsten Acuna: What was it like being back on the show, but as a director this time?

Michael Cudlitz: It was great. It's something I've been wanting to do for about seven years now. Direct.

Acuna: Oh, wow. That's a long time.

Cudlitz: Yeah. So I was supposed to, had "Southland" gone another year, I would have directed on "Southland." So they knew that when I came in, and then Scott Gimple knew I was interested in doing it and he sort of made that happen. I'm very grateful and thankful for everyone over at AMC, and [current showrunner] Angela Kang, and everyone who trusted me with my first directing assignment on something so important as, not just the show, but this season in particular. With Andrew [Lincoln] leaving there's a lot of concern about the show itself, so for them to trust me during this time was a huge vote of confidence.

Acuna: You mentioned Scott [Gimple] had helped you get on board with directing. Is this something that you talked to him about for a few seasons? Was it something that you maybe had considered a season earlier? Or was this always something in talk for this season?

Cudlitz: I talked to him in the very, very beginning, right before I came on board, just to see where my career was headed, what I was doing. And he was aware that I was getting ready to do it [direct] on "Southland." And I said to him at that initial meeting, "Somewhere in the future, I would love to talk to you about that.' And he was like, 'That sounds great." And then, a couple seasons in, we passively talked about it. He said, "I would not be opposed to looking at that." He says, we had the same sensibility for storytelling. He said, I can trust your instincts. Whenever you come to me with notes or questions, they're always very well thought out and they help the story and character, so I wouldn't be opposed to that.

And then when I left the show and had my exit meeting, I said to him, "Hey, this might the perfect time for us to do this, but I would love to, at some point, come back and direct the show." And I specifically chose to not put it as part of my contract negotiation, set to renegotiate my last year. My agent/manager at the time said, "Maybe we want to put this in and make it part of...," and I said, 'I don't wanna be in a place where I'm being forced on somebody." I said, "I would hate that." I said, "The directing thing, as much as I want it to happen, has to happen on its own." Everyone agreed to that.

We never brought it up until I spoke to Scott when I was leaving, and I said, "You know, I would love to explore this if it makes sense." And once again, he said, "That sounds great, actually. Maybe in the next year or two, we can do that."

And things with the show got so sort of hectic that it kept coming up and kept going away. So much to the point where I told Scott, "You know what? This is actually affecting our friendship, with you trying to make it happen, and we're having all these conversations about it not happening, or when it could, or this." And then I went, "I'd rather have a friendship with you that was just based on what it had been in the past, which was just us liking each other, and enjoying talking about story." I said, "Every time we talk, it's about this, and you telling me the actual reasons why it's not able to happen now." I said, "So let's put that aside, and just not worry about it. You're off the hook. Don't worry about it."

And then, about a year later, he called me when I was in New York, put Angela [Kang] on the phone, and they had arranged apparently that I was going to direct if I was available, and they were waiting for Angela's deal to close over at AMC, so she had known for months. Once everything was closed up, and they knew that she was the new showrunner, they called me and offered me the position. It was pretty amazing.

What the show is like without Andrew Lincoln

Acuna: Was it a little weird for Andrew Lincoln to not be there while you were on set?

Cudlitz: For me? No. I had been around the show and the people on the show for such a long time, I knew it was happening. Ultimately, when it happened, with everyone that they had lost up until then, I still think it's a very smart move for the show. It re-energizes the show in not just a new season, or a new character way. The complete fandom was focused on everything that AMC was saying about the show, what was going to happen, and where it was going to head, so everyone is sort of on board in this episode, ready to experience what this is. I'm not saying that they like it, but everybody knows what's going on, and I think it's a really great reset for the show — to see characters that we love leave, how the characters that we know that are staying are processing this, and then to see all the new characters coming in.

We're so far from the comic book now that people can't say what they used to say. Sort of the battle cry of the die-hard comic fans was, "This isn't how it was in the comics." Well, guess what? We're so f---ing far from the comic, you can't even say that anymore. It's like, no kidding. If that's your argument at this point, you should go watch something else. But we don't want them to do that. We want them to stay with it. And hopefully this world that Robert Kirkman has created, which all those rules still are in effect, and the world still exists, we get to see similar stories through different eyes. 

Thoughts on Angela Kang running the show and the direction it's heading in without Lincoln

Acuna: What are your thoughts on Angela Kang running the show now, season nine, and how it's different or similar to when you were there?

Cudlitz: I think it's great. I don't know how far you've seen, you've probably seen up to [episode] seven.

Acuna: Yeah, that's correct. I've seen what the Whisperers look like, but yes.

Cudlitz: There's a difference in the storytelling this year, so far as that there's a lot more movement of the camera. That's by design, and by choice. And the previous way the stories were told was by design and choice as well. There's a lot more movement in the cameras. I think she's put a lot of focus on the... We've always had really, really, really strong women. I think the focus has shifted more on the women. Partially from choice, and partially from circumstance. We've lost a lot of men on the show.

The wonderful thing is we have really strong women coming in, and the great thing is now, we actually see conflict between strong women, which is something that has not necessarily been dealt with on the show. And I think that with the times they were in, not hitting any nail directly on the head, I think that it's a long time coming. The stories are told in a thoughtful, intelligent way. And we have thoughtful, strong, intelligent women who are coming in making some different points of view, and we get to see those conflicts play out on screen, which is kind of new, I think, for what you see on television. There's not just one set of women. Especially coming in the future we're in, we see many, many strong women who have tremendous amounts of conflict with each other, so I'm excited to see where that goes.

And also ... Again, this is not even an Angela thing, this is something that the show has always been very responsible about representing every lifestyle, and every walk of ethnic background on the show. And I think we do a great job with that too, representing people, and not making the storyline about their ethnicity or their sexuality. It's about how they have moved through life. And when that comes up, it's dealt with, but that is not a driving force. It is as it should be, these are all elements and pieces of things that make us who we are. They don't define us, necessarily.

How 'The Blair Witch Project' inspired the opening sequence for season nine, episode seven

Acuna: I want talk to you about the opening scene of the episode. I think it's the quickest opening that we get this season, so far at least. I love the little flashes of black in between Rosita running, to feel that panic and uncertainty. What was going through your mind to bring that moment to life, while she's running away from these walkers that she hears that are whispering?

Cudlitz: When I first read that, I thought "Okay, well this is too short." We're setting this up for the whole episode and for everything that's coming, and leading out of what we just saw with Rosita and Eugene. And so we basically ... I went in wanting to make a little mini movie with that. We shot a ton of footage. But the idea behind it was I didn't want the audience to know what was happening at all. I want them to be discovering it as she was discovering it.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' just teased talking zombies on the show — here's what's really going on

And one of the things that popped into my mind was "The Blair Witch Project," and I wanted a "Blair Witch Project" feel to that opening sequence. Where you really felt like you were there with her, not watching it happen to her, but also having it happen to you. So we shot a bunch of stuff, where we were running with her, and following her, and tracking her in the woods. We had this rig that she ran with, that she was carrying a camera on her. Mostly because it was sort of all happening, but it was all happening in her mind, I wanted it to be very personal as well.

So we shot a bunch of footage, and I gave it to our editor and said, "I want you to basically make a little mini movie. Don't worry about time. Put this together, and just tell the story of her being chased and passing out, and use everything we have. I want it to use certain traditional scares from horror movies, and I want us to be terrified for her." And then once we did, I said, "Don't worry about it, we'll cut it out later. And we did. We boiled it down to it's most terrifying moments for her. And it came out great. I think it really sets the tone and adds a complete WTF moment at the beginning of the episode, so you're reminded that there's this terror going on, within the midst of my episode, which is actually pretty calm, all things considered. It's very much a character-driven episode. And that's a reminder that the world is sort of insane outside of our immediate remit.

Acuna: Right. Well, I was glad that we saw that scene with Rosita running, and that we didn't have to wait until the mid-season finale to catch up and see what was happening with her and Eugene. So I think that the fans will appreciate seeing that scene right in the opening. You said you shot a lot more footage for that opening scene, I think it's 50 seconds.

Cudlitz: I think the one I put together was maybe two minutes. But again, this is the nature of a 42-minute [episode] format to fit everything. You take the air out of everything. You put things together, and you look at them, and then you go, "Yeah, that will make it better. How can we take time out that shows not only the story, but the audience and what's happening." I didn't feel [like] we lost anything. I feel like it was a natural producing process that we go through.

Why the title of the episode is 'Stradivarius' and the reasoning behind that

Acuna: You mention that this is more of a character-driven episode. It is, so that we can learn more about Magna's group. I want to talk about the title of the episode, Stradivarius. It's probably one of the most eloquent, interesting episode titles the show has had. We see a violin in the episode get "murdered" by Michonne. What can you tell us about why that is the title of Sunday's episode?

Cudlitz: Obviously I thought Stradivarius, probably the most beautiful violins ever made, certainly the most expensive. The juxtaposition of that fact in this world, always struck me. It's something that in our world right now has a tremendous amount of value, but in that world [of "The Walking Dead"] would have zero value. Except for the fact that it's connected to music, which has a tremendous amount of value.

So you have these things fighting each other. You can look at it and go, "Well who the hell cares? It's Stradivarius, but who cares in this world?" And I think that Dan's character [Luke] gives us that talk about music, what music, and art, and poetry mean. And it's so significant to society. It is one of the first things that we lose when things get tight, either financially, or there's not enough time to do something. The first thing that goes is what we consider these things that are extra, which is music, art, and poetry. But it's one of the defining things that makes us who we are, makes it so we can survive as a people and come together as a group. And strive and, as he puts it, thrive as humanity.

Read more:Michael Cudlitz on the mystery "X" seen on Michonne and Daryl's backs

That is what separates us from other creatures, is our ability to build things, to talk about things, to share stories, to make music. And our ability to do those things is only intensified by our ability to work with each other in doing those things, because we do make each other better. But for that part of the story, where we're dealing with Michonne, where she has separated herself from the Hilltop group, and isolated herself with just Alexandria ... We're not exactly sure why, we will find out later. A lot of it's tied to the 'X' that we see on her back, that we just revealed on Michonne's back, that you saw on this episode. Now we see it on Daryl's back. The audience will want to know what that's about. They're gonna find out what that's about, but that is something that connects them all, even though they're all separated right now, we're gonna find out why.

On Daryl spending a lot of the past few years searching for his 'brother' Rick

Acuna: What do you make of Daryl still looking for Rick after all this time? Is that healthy, or at some point, does he need to give up and move on?

Cudlitz: Well, I think it's pretty clear that he did stop looking. He said that he's not. It's pretty clear to me when I watched the episode, that he stopped looking. It's at that whole scene when he talks with Carol about it, that he's not looking. He looked initially, and he's telling her that he's not looking anymore, and hasn't been. Because he thinks she thinks that's why he's still out there, and he's telling her no, it's not.

During the haircut, he tells her, "I'm not." Because he realizes that that's what she thinks is going on with him, and he lets her know it's not what's going on. He's just out there because it's easier to be out there. But then he realizes it's not, because he realizes as much as the Daryl character has through the years been a loner, that he now has people that he not only cares about, but he needs to be with. Henry helps point that out by basically saying, "Dude, what are you, a f---ing moron? My mom cares so much about you, and she didn't have to go searching throughout when she needs you. That's not what family does. That's not what friends do to each other. That's not what people who love each other do to each other." And he hears him. So there's some serious truth being laid down by young Henry. And to Daryl's credit, he hears him.

Acuna: I think that the one line that threw me off was just when Daryl had said that there was no body ever found. So I guess that that gave me the sense that maybe he, in the back of his mind, that he was still holding on to some sort of hope about Rick.

Cudlitz: Well, he still might be holding on to hope, but he's certainly done looking. It's like a parent, if you lost your child, they told you that there was an accident and they're gone, but they never found the body. There's always that sense of you want the body. The body is complete closure. 

Cudlitz knew Lauren Cohan was leaving the show as Maggie, at least for now

Acuna: Lauren Cohan is away from the show right now. Her exit was left open-ended. She's going off to her ABC show. Was it a bit sad to not be directing her at the Hilltop?

Cudlitz: I knew. I've been along with her for her ride of leaving. We're both at ABC now. I've seen her at many events and we've spoken. Obviously, I left the show. So I know what leaving the show is like. I don't mourn the loss of anyone in that way, because it's so connected to other things, and it's such a natural part of the show. I was glad I was able to direct the ones that were still there. That was exciting, and then to direct people who were new.

Read more:Rick Grimes isn’t the only beloved character who departed 'The Walking Dead' and fans are not happy with how it was handled

Cudlitz: Certainly, working with Norman [Reedus] and Melissa [McBride], and working with them together was great. You just watch those two go. You just stay out of the way. That's the best way to direct those two. When they're working with each other, they're just wonderful together. Certainly, I would want to direct my friends, and work with my friends, because it's just a fun thing to do, I think. It would have been fun to direct Josh [McDermitt, who plays Eugene]. But as I know by being on the show, we're not in every episode even when they're there, so the idea of knowing that I wasn't gonna be directing all of them, that was always part of the deal.

Abraham on Negan being alive and talking about 'what ifs' in 'The Walking Dead' universe

Acuna: Something fans wanted to know was what Abraham would say if he knew that Negan was still alive, and would he be happy with that decision that Rick had made?

Cudlitz: Those are tricky questions because the "what if" game ... If you're like well if Abraham was still there, then Abraham would not have been killed by Negan, then who would Negan have killed, if anybody? So I try not to go into the "what ifs," because it's silly. It's like, "Well what if Abraham would have gotten up and beat the sh-- out of Negan? That's not the story we're telling, so I can't even think of "Who would win between a fight with you and Negan?" Well Negan killed me, so we know the answer to that. But had it been more fair, had it been me and him in the octagon? It's a different question.

Acuna: Definitely. I think that Abraham would have beat the sh-- out of Negan, and would have tossed his bat aside.

Cudlitz: Exactly. Exactly.

Acuna: Negan even said, I think it was last season to Rick, if it wasn't earlier this season, "You know that it wasn't a random killing, and that I picked Abraham because I knew that he was the strongest, toughest looking guy."

Cudlitz: Yeah. The guy [Negan] takes out the strongest guy [Abraham]. Then you know everybody else below doesn't have a chance. It puts everybody in line. That's a tactical choice.

What Abraham thinks of Rosita's relationship with Father Gabriel

Acuna: If we're not gonna play the "What If" game then what did you make of Rosita being in a relationship with Gabriel? I was very shocked by that, because I thought we were going to go the Rosita/Eugene route.

Cudlitz: Yeah, Father Gabriel's getting all the action this season.

Acuna: Yeah.

Cudlitz: I think it's great. I want to see where they're going to go with it. And this, we can do a little "what if." I think Abraham would be happy if she [Rosita] was happy. I don't know if she's necessarily the strongest. It's interesting that she didn't choose someone who was... He [Gabriel] certainly has evolved into a strong fighter, but I don't know. I think he [Abraham] would be ultimately happy as long as she was happy.

Acuna: Okay. Well I mean, Eugene is certainly trying to change her mind, but he's also hiding off in a barn or something now.

Cudlitz: Yeah, we'll see where that is.

Would Cudlitz return for a 'Walking Dead' movie or short? 

Cudlitz: Yep. Yep, absolutely. I think they've hinted in that direction when they showed last year, on "Fear the Walking Dead," the tapes that were made by the reporter that were inside the truck. One of the tapes, when they did a close-up insert on it said Abe/Doctor. That would be Abraham and Doctor Eugene Porter. So there's an interview somewhere. There's a story somewhere floating around out in that universe about us. So I would certainly be open to that. I had a great time with the people in the show. It by no means defines my career, so I'm not in any rush to run away from it. I would be fine with any of that.

Acuna: Have you been approached about any of that at all yet, or no?

Cudlitz: No. And if I was, I couldn't tell you.

Would he return to direct another episode of 'The Walking Dead'?

Cudlitz: Yes, I would love to. If they'll have me, I would certainly come back. Everyone seemed happy. That doesn't always define what happens on the business side of things, and the creative side of things. All those choices are made, decisions are made by other people. But I've let them know that I'd be more than happy to come back if they wanted me to. So we'll see what happens.

You can currently watch Cudlitz on ABC's "The Kids are Alright," which was picked up for a full season.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You can follow along with our "Walking Dead" coverage here.

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• Prior to starting his "Today" show interview on NBC on Monday morning, Michael Bublé explained to viewers that he had to take a moment to compose himself as they showed emotional footage about his son's battle with liver cancer.
• "We've gone through so many hard times and we've dealt with this and I've had to now answer the questions that it's so much fun for me to sort of not look back at the past and to look forward to the future and be excited about life for our family and our boy and everything," he told hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie. "I just wanted to get away and get focused on the good stuff."
• The singer added that the experience has helped him learn "what's important and what matters."

Michael Bublé stepped away from his "Today" show interview because they played a video about his 5-year-old son Noah's cancer battle.

"I walked away when you guys showed the whole thing about my son because it sucks, it hurts," the singer told the NBC morning show's hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie before starting his interview on Monday.

"We've gone through so many hard times and we've dealt with this and I've had to now answer the questions that it's so much fun for me to sort of not look back at the past and to look forward to the future and be excited about life for our family and our boy and everything," he said. "I just wanted to get away and get focused on the good stuff."

The singer revealed Noah's liver cancer diagnosis in November 2016, and has opened up about his family's experience in multiple interviews since then. 

Read more: Michael Bublé struggles to talk about his son's cancer diagnosis: 'My whole life ended'

While on "Today," Bublé explained that despite the hardships, he and wife Luisana Lopilato, son Elias (born in January 2016), and daughter Vida (born in July 2018) are trying not to dwell on the past.  

"When you go through things like this that are so painful, there are two kinds of pain as Frank Underwood [a character from "House of Cards"] says. There's pain that's useless and there's pain that you learn from," Bublé said. "You learn a lot about life and what's important and what matters and you stop sweating the small stuff because you realize that most of the stuff is the small stuff.'

The 43-year-old's personal experiences inspired him to create his latest album, "Love." But not too long ago, he made headlines after saying that he was quitting music. 

Read more: Michael Bublé says he is quitting music following his son's cancer battle: 'I don't have the stomach for it anymore'

In October, he told the Daily Mail that he "doesn't have the stomach" for the celebrity lifestyle anymore and was going to retire.

A representative for Bublé later told INSIDER that the Grammy-winning singer "has absolutely no plans to retire" from music.

Watch the "Today" video below.

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NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

Between remakes, reboots, and unnecessary spin-offs, television is crowded with blasts from the past. Whether it's an attempt to rekindle love for a familiar favorite or translate a show from another country into an Americanized sitcom, major networks keep trying to make modern hits out of old material.

Here are nine TV reboots that bombed with critics, turned away fans, or failed to make it to air.

1. NBC's version of "The IT Crowd" was a failed reboot that never made it to air.

The American version of the highly popular British series "The IT Crowd" never managed to get off the ground. Richard Ayoade, one of the main cast members of the original, was set to reprise his role as Moss. "Community" lead Joel McHale was cast as Roy and Jessica St. Clair signed on as Jen.

Though a pilot was filmed and later leaked online, NBC's "The IT Crowd" was canceled before the rest of the episodes could make it to production. Another chance at a US reboot is apparently in the works. 

2. "Charlie's Angels" (2011) was canceled after the fourth episode aired.

The original spy series "Charlie's Angels" roan from 1976 to 1981 and was a massive hit with audiences. The adventure show starred Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith in the iconic roles of three female leads.

The ABC reboot, starring Minka Kelly, couldn't capture the show's original charm and failed to connect with fans and critics alike. It was canceled after only four episodes made it to air.

3. "Knight Rider" (2008) wasn't the same without David Hasselhoff.

The first "Knight Rider" aired from 1982 to 1986 and was a crime fighting action series starring David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and an artificially intelligent car called KITT. NBC tried to reboot it in 2008 with Justin Bruening ("All My Children") as Knight's estranged son and his Val Kilmer voicing the new version of KITT.

Ratings were low and critics were tough on the show, which led to its cancellation after one season. Slate's Troy Patterson wrote, "If you're looking to see the sci-fi Cheese Whiz of your youth transformed into something compelling, then you're probably already watching Battlestar Galactica."

• Emily Blunt appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Monday and said that it's "nerve-racking to sing in front of people." 
• DeGeneres told the "Mary Poppins Returns" star that the audience wanted her to perform, so she grabbed a microphone and was joined by the Backstreet Boys."
• The fans screamed as Blunt sang a piece of "I Want It That Way" with the boy band. 
• Fans of the 35-year-old actress know that she's a talented singer, and has showed off her skills in musicals like "Into the Woods" (which was released in 2014).
• Watch the video below.

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Warning: Minor spoilers ahead for AMC's "The Little Drummer Girl."

"The Little Drummer Girl" is a tense spy thriller.

Directed by Park Chan-wook ("The Handmaiden,""Stoker"), the series stars Florence Pugh as Charlie, a radical actress who gets caught up in a plot to find a Palestinian terrorist and infiltrate his network. Alexander Skarsgard is Gadi Becker, an Israeli intelligence officer sent to recruit Charlie, though he is somewhat reluctant. Pulling the strings and leading the hunt is Israeli spymaster Martin "Marty" Kurtz, played by Michael Shannon. 

The AMC miniseries first aired in the United Kingdom on BBC One and consists of six episodes. 

Why you should care: It's based on John Le Carré's novel of the same name. 

Le Carré, the pen name of David John Moore Cornwell, is known for his espionage novels. He served as an intelligence officer himself, working for both the Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) in the UK.  

A number of his novels have been turned into movies, including "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and a 1984 version of "The Little Drummer Girl." 

AMC already brought another of his stories to the small screen with 2016's "The Night Manager." The miniseries first aired on the BBC, as well, and starred Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman, and Elizabeth Debicki. It won two Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes.  

Read more: 16 must-read books being made into TV series

What's hot: Florence Pugh stands out. 

Skarsgard and Shannon do a phenomenal job playing Israeli spies, but it's Pugh's performance as Charlie that stuns viewers. 

Pugh, a relative newcomer, captures Charlie's fierceness in every scene. Charlie is an argumentative girl with strong beliefs and an interest in taking a stand. When she meets Becker, she's drawn to him romantically, but the offer of becoming something more is just as enticing. Ultimately, Charlie loses herself in her double identity. She excels at manipulation and lying, but that doesn't exempt her from feeling, and she gets lost in the space between fiction and reality.  

The 22-year-old actress stars alongside Chris Pine in "Outlaw King," and she'll soon be seen as Amy March in Greta Gerwig's "Little Women." 

The series is also just a visually beautiful adaptation. Between the concrete bleakness of the Munich Olympic Village to the crystal-clear water and the stunningly white buildings of Naxos, Greece, each location entraps the viewers. Director Chan-wook is a masterful filmmaker who knows how to create intrigue and suspense and pair it with striking visuals. 

What's not: There are so many characters to remember. 

There are a ton of players involved in the counterterrorism plot. In addition to Kurtz, Becker, and Charlie, the Israeli spy team includes Litvak (Michael Moshonov), Miss Bach (Clare Holman), Rose (Kate Sumpter), Schwilli (Gennady Fleyscher), Simona Brown (Rachel), and Daniel (Daniel Litman). The group they are after consists of Michel (Amir Khoury) and Anna (Iben Akerlie) just to start. Then there's Charlie's group of actor friends.

While numerous characters aren't necessarily a problem, almost none of the characters are clearly introduced. Many of them even go by a number of different names. With only six episodes to watch, it's difficult to remember who is who and what they do.

None of that is helped by a plot that moves at a snail's pace. 

The bottom line: It's a striking spy thriller. 

Fans of espionage books or movies are sure to enjoy this tale of intrigue.

There are a number of players in this plot, so it can be a tad confusing if one isn't paying enough attention to the episodes. With only six episodes to get through, there's not enough time to fully grasp the role of every character, and it's better to not even try.

The cast itself is phenomenal, but the series is worth watching for Pugh's performance alone. Paired with Chan-wook's directing, this story and visuals will draw you in.  

Grade: B

"The Little Drummer Girl" premieres Monday, November 19 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. 

Watch the trailer below.

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Running out of shows to watch? We can help. Every Monday, we put together a list of three great shows on Netflix for you to check out.

We pick shows you can finish quickly, and others you binge for weeks. And it's not just new releases either: We mix in some old favorites you might have missed in addition to shows that have recently landed on Netflix.

This week, two shows we highly recommend are available to stream: "Dogs," a documentary about our relationships to our pups and "Narcos: Mexico," which is a companion series to the popular Netflix original that told the story of

Here are three great TV shows you can binge-watch on Netflix this week:

"Dogs"— a Netflix Original

Seasons: 1 

Episodes: 6

Netflix description:These six intimate stories explore the abiding emotional bonds that form between dogs and their caregivers, no matter the circumstances.

This six-episode documentary about sweet, adorable dogs explores and celebrates the bond they share with humans. Some episodes are more gripping than others, but all are worth it, because there are dogs. 

"Narcos: Mexico"— A Netflix Original

Seasons: 1 (the first three seasons of "Narcos" tell a completely different story with a different cast)

Episodes: 10

Netflix description: Witness the birth of the Mexican drug war in the 1980s as a gritty new "Narcos" saga chronicles the true story of the Guadalajara cartel's ascent.

If you've never seen the first three seasons of "Narcos," it doesn't matter! You can start this one without having seen the show before. We're happy this show went in a new direction for its fourth season, which tells a new story and serves more as a companion series to the first three seasons of "Narcos." The star-studded cast for this violent but exciting new season includes Michael Peña, Diego Luna, and Jackie Earl Haley. 

"One Day at a Time"— a Netflix Original

Netflix description: In a reimagining of the TV classic, a newly single Latina mother raises her teen daughter and tween son with the "help" of her old-school mom.

Seasons: 2

Episodes: 26

This sweet sitcom is one of the best shows right now, and not enough people talk about it. It's warm and hilarious but isn't afraid to take a stance on heavy issues like immigration that are relevant to today's political climate.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

• Colton Underwood will take on the titular role for season 23 of ABC's "The Bachelor."
• In the first preview of the upcoming season, Underwood appears to struggle with rejection and shed quite a few tears.
• "Every time I put myself out there I get rejected," Underwood says in one scene.
• The clip shows Underwood declare that he's "f---ing done" and storm off the set by literally hopping the fence.
• It also shows Underwood — as well as multiple contestants vying for his love — discuss his virginity.
• Host Chris Harrison appears to address it during the infamous "fantasy suites" episode, telling Underwood: "You could lose your virginity this week."
• "The Bachelor" returns on Monday, January 7.
• Watch the full preview below.

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NOW WATCH: Valedictorians rarely become rich and famous — here's why the average millionaire's college GPA is 2.9

• Mariah Carey appeared on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live" on Monday and answered questions from fans who called in. 
• One viewer told the singer that he faked a proposal at one of her Las Vegas, Nevada shows in an effort to be noticed by her.
• "You were so sweet and invited us backstage," he explained. "I didn't know how to get your attention."
• The fan added that he "felt horrible lying" to Carey, but the 48-year-old said that she wasn't mad or upset at him.
• Watch the video below (the fan talks to Carey at 2:13).

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NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

• "Dancing With the Stars" just awarded a new winner with the Mirror Ball trophy. 
• Radio host Bobby Bones won season 27 of the ABC show with his dance partner, Sharna Burgess, Monday night.
• Fans were not expecting Bones to win and took to Twitter to express their shock. 

"Dancing With the Stars" fans were left shocked during Monday night's finale. 

Radio host Bobby Bones and his dance partner, Sharna Burgess, won the Mirror Ball trophy for season 27 of the hit ABC dancing competition. Though Bones was a fan-favorite during the season, viewers were not expecting him to win it all. 

Read more: 8 of the biggest upset wins in 'Dancing With the Stars' history

Fans were blindsided. 

Bones beat Disney star Milo Manheim, model Alexis Ren, and "Harry Potter" actor Evanna Lynch to win the trophy. 

Some claimed that the other competitors were "robbed" and picked their own winners. 

Others said Bones won a "personality" or "popularity" contest instead of a dance competition. 

Bones himself didn't even expect to win. 

Days before the finale, Bones shared an image on Instagram of the odds against him winning and wrote, "Never let peoples ideas of you dictate your success. These were the odds when the show started. Obv I was picked at the bottom. Appreciate you guys so much. Let's shock the world."

His fans did come through with their votes to shock viewers.

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NOW WATCH: Trump once won a lawsuit against the NFL — but the result was an embarrassment

A slew of TV shows were canceled in 2017, and the list of shows canceled in 2018 has grown rapidly since May as networks decide their schedules of new and returning shows, and figure out what they're doing in 2019.

The most recent cancelation comes from CBS, which canceled summer series "Salvation" after two seasons. 

Despite slightly better reception for its second season that dropped in September, Netflix has canceled "Iron Fist" after two seasons, a show that wasn't a hit with critics. Days later, Netflix canceled Marvel's "Luke Cage," leaving many wondering why these seemingly successful superhero shows are getting the axe. And the week after that it, canceled satire series "American Vandal."

So far in 2018, networks have canceled fan favorites like "The Last Man on Earth" and "Quantico." Fox also canceled its quirky cop comedy "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," but NBC picked it up for another season less than two days later.

ABC also canceled the previously renewed "Roseanne" revival, after Roseanne Barr posted a racist tweet about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. However, ABC announced a spin-off called "The Conners" without Barr that premiered in October.

In 2018, the streaming giants are canceling more shows than ever as well, with many getting cut on Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. 

So if you're wondering why a show you love hasn't returned in 2018, it might have been canceled. (You can also use this list to see what shows are not returning in the fall or in 2019.)

Here are all the shows that were canceled in 2017 and 2018, including those from networks and streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon:

SEE ALSO: All the confirmed original shows coming to Netflix in 2018

Canceled in 2018:

"The Mayor"— ABC, one season

"Chance"— Hulu, two seasons

As the year flies by, the list of canceled TV shows piles up.

While there's been somewhat of a quiet period since May, some networks have cut shows throughout the summer and fall.

CBS recently canceled "Salvation," a summer series that aired for two seasons. 

Other recent cancelations come from Netflix. Netflix recently canceled "Iron Fist" after two seasons, and announced that "Orange is the New Black" will end with its upcoming seventh season. Netflix also canceled the excellent satire series "American Vandal" after two seasons. 

ABC canceled the previously renewed "Roseanne" revival in late May, after Roseanne Barr posted a racist tweet about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. However, ABC debuted a spin-off called "The Conners" without Barr.

In other notable cancellations, USA's critically acclaimed "Mr. Robot" will end with its upcoming fourth season, and CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" is ending after 12 seasons. 

We'll update this list as more are announced.

Here are all the shows that have been canceled this year, including those from networks and Netflix:

SEE ALSO: The worst TV show of every year since 2000, according to critics

Amazon

"Jean-Claude Van Johnson"— Amazon, one season

"I Love Dick"— Amazon, one season

• Michael B. Jordan appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Tuesday and was grilled about his love life by DeGeneres and guest co-host Chrissy Teigen. 
• After Teigen bluntly asked if he's ever hooked up with fans through direct messaging, Jordan said yes. 
• "I have, I'm human," the "Creed II" star said. "Not often, but yes, I have."

Michael B. Jordan said that he's not currently dating, but has hooked up with fans via social media.

"I have, I'm human," the actor said during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Tuesday after guest co-host Chrissy Teigen asked if he ever hooked up via direct messages. "Not often, but yes, I have."

Jordan explained to DeGeneres and Teigen that he's been busy working and hasn't "had the time to properly date."

"We don't buy it," the host said. "We all work hard, but we have relationships. So many people have crushes. It must be flattering. There are so many girls who are just crazy about you."

Read more: Nicki Minaj shamelessly flirted with Michael B. Jordan during her People's Choice Awards speech

Teigen went on to say that her assistant, who's a fan of Jordan, was probably going to direct message him.

"She's ready for kids, everything," the cookbook author joked. 

Previously, Jordan spoke about his personal life during an interview with GQ for their Men of the Year issue. 

"My career is awesome," he said. "It is going great. There's other places in my life that I'm f---ing lacking at. I'm very mature and advanced in a lot of areas of life. Dating may not be one of 'em. My personal life is not. I don't really know what dating is."

Watch the video below. 

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NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

Netflix has released all the titles that will be arriving and leaving the streaming platform in December.

There are new originals like a "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" holiday episode and the Jennifer Aniston-starring "Dumplin.'" Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" is hitting the streaming service, as well as old favorites like "The Big Lebowski." Plus, Marvel fans can get pumped for "Avengers: Infinity War" later in the month. 

But some folks will be disappointed to see that "Moana,""Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," and "Troy" will be getting the boot.

Here's a list of everything coming and going on Netflix in December. 

Arriving in December:

Available 12/1/18

"8 Mile"

"Astro Boy"

"Battle"— NETFLIX FILM

"Bride of Chucky"

"Christine"

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"

"Crossroads: One Two Jaga"— NETFLIX FILM

"Friday"

"Friday After Next"

"Hellboy"

"Man vs Wild with Sunny Leone" season 1

"Meet Joe Black"

"Memories of the Alhambra" (Streaming Every Saturday) — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"My Bloody Valentine"

"Next Friday"

"Reindeer Games"

"Seven Pounds"

"Shaun of the Dead"

"Terminator Salvation"

"The Big Lebowski"

The Great British Baking Show: Masterclass"  season 5 

"The Last Dragon"

"The Man Who Knew Too Little"

Available 12/2/18

"The Lobster"

Available 12/3/18

"Blue Planet II" season 1

"Hero Mask"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Sound of Your Heart: Reboot" season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 12/4/18

"District 9"

Available 12/6/18

"Happy!" season 1

Available 12/7/18

"5 Star Christmas"— NETFLIX FILM

"Bad Blood"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Dogs of Berlin"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Dumplin'"— NETFLIX FILM

"Free Rein: The Twelve Neighs of Christmas"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle"— NETFLIX FILM

"Nailed It! Holiday!"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Neo Yokio: Pink Christmas"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Pine Gap"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"ReMastered: Who Killed Jam Master Jay?"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Super Monsters and the Wish Star"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The American Meme"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Hook Up Plan (Plan Coeur)"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Ranch" part 6 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 12/9/18

"Sin senos sí hay paraíso" season 3

Available 12/10/18

"Michael Jackson's This Is It"

Available 12/11/18

"Vir Das: Losing It"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 12/12/18

"Back Street Girls: Gokudols"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Out of Many, One"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 12/13/18

"Wanted" season 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 12/14/18

"Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Cuckoo" season 4 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Dance & Sing with True: Songs"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Fuller House" season 4 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Inside the Real Narcos"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Inside the World's Toughest Prisons" season 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Prince of Peoria: A Christmas Moose Miracle"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"ROMA"— NETFLIX FILM

"Sunderland Til I Die"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Fix"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Innocent Man"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Protector"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Tidelands"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Travelers" season 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"Voltron: Legendary Defender" season 8 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Available 12/16/18

"Baby Mama"

"Kill the Messenger"

"One Day"

"Springsteen on Broadway"— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

"The Theory of Everything"

• NBC will pay Megyn Kelly $30 million as part of her exit from the company, according to the New York Post.
• Kelly and NBC agreed to part ways in October after the company fired her from "Today" for defending blackface.
• A previous Wall Street Journal report suggested her compensation at NBC would be $69 million, but a source told the Post she's being paid the full amount owed in her contract.

NBC will give Megyn Kelly a $30 million payout for leaving the company, according to the New York Post.

Kelly was fired from her spot on NBC's "Today" show in October after defending the act of wearing blackface on Halloween. NBC and Kelly then mutually agreed to have her leave the company, and have spent the past month negotiating the terms of her exit. 

"Everyone wants this to be over — both Megyn and NBC — and Comcast has the money to pay off Megyn," one source told the Post. "We thought this would be a done deal a few weeks ago."

Read more:Megyn Kelly just escalated her legal battle with NBC.

Kelly joined NBC in 2017, after spending several years at Fox News. NBC made a "$69 million bet" to hire her, according to the Wall Street Journal, but it's not clear if that entire amount was meant for her salary, if it also included production costs and staff salaries, and over what course of time that investment was planned for.

One source told the Post that Comcast, NBC's parent company, was paying Kelly "the full amount owed in her contract to go away," but predicted she would be back on cable news.

"This is far from the end of her TV career — in the Trump era there are few broadcasters like her," the source said. "Megyn would likely take a short break from TV and return to cable news ahead of the 2020 election."

Head to INSIDER's home page for more. 

SEE ALSO: Megyn Kelly just escalated her legal battle with NBC

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NOW WATCH: There's so much CO2 in the atmosphere that planting trees can no longer save us

• At-risk teenagers say watching "13 Reasons Why" puts them at a greater suicide risk, according to a new study.
• It's an important part of a body of evidence linking the show to suicide risk for young people.
• More than half of teenagers in the study's sample who went to a psychiatric emergency department "with suicide-related concerns" and who watched the show said it increased their risk.

A significant number of at-risk teenagers say the Netflix show "13 Reasons Why" puts them at greater risk for suicide, according to a study published in the journal Psychiatric Services.

The show, marketed to teenagers, revolves around the suicide of a 17-year-old girl and its impact on her friends and community. The story goes into graphic detail about the reasons behind her suicide, and also addresses sexual assault and substance abuse.

There's a body of evidence supporting that interest in suicide rose among teenagers following the show's release. Netflix itself commissioned a study on the issue and ultimately added a content warning before each episode.

• Read more: '13 Reasons Why' may not be right for you, according to Netflix's new video warning.
• The new study, conducted by professors at the University of Michigan, surveyed a group of young people — mostly people between the ages of 13 and 17, and mostly female — and asked them about the show. Everyone in the sample had also gone to a psychiatric emergency department "with suicide-related concerns" in the year since the series premiered.
• 49% of the sample surveyed said they watched at least one episode. Of those people, 51% said it increased their risk of suicide. The effect was especially strong among "high-risk" youth, according to the study.
• "Youths with more depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were more likely to identify with the lead characters and report negative affect while viewing," the study said.
• Victor Hong, the study's lead author and the medical director of psychiatric emergency services at Michigan Medicine, said that parents, teachers, and health providers were concerned about the effect of the show — especially on teenagers already at risk for suicide.
• "Our study doesn't confirm that the show is increasing suicide risk, but it confirms that we should definitely be concerned about its impact on impressionable and vulnerable youth," he said. "Few believe this type of media exposure will take kids who are not depressed and make them suicidal. The concern is about how this may negatively impact youth who are already teetering on the edge."
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

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NOW WATCH: Trump once won a lawsuit against the NFL — but the result was an embarrassment

• Chrissy Teigen appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Tuesday and explained that she doesn't like "bare feet," especially her own.
• "I used to have it in my Sports Illustrated contract, like, 'No feet.' I would bury them in the sand," the cookbook author and model explained.
• The 32-year-old also joked about her Thai roots, saying, "I have Asian jungle feet, like, we're meant to climb trees."
• After revealing her insecurity, Teigen tried to conceal the body part and squealed when the camera zoomed in on them.
• "they're what john [Legend] meant by 'curves and edges,'" Teigen later tweeted, referencing the lyrics to her husband's chart-topping song "All of Me."
• Watch the video below.

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NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Black Friday 2018 has tons of great deals on TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, and many more.
• We've rounded up the best TV deals we've found so far at Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart.
• We'll be updating the deals all Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so stay tuned! You can also check out all our deal coverage on Insider Picks.
• To potentially save more on Black Friday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

One of the best things you can buy on Black Friday is an amazing TV. It's a big-ticket item that you might have been hemming and hawing about for the past few months, but now the time has come to finally buy the TV of your dreams.

Why? Because the best TVs from Samsung, Sony, LG, VIZIO, and others are on sale today.

The best TV deals at Amazon:

• Samsung UN65NU8500 Curved 65" 4K UHD 8 Series Smart LED TV (2018), $1,097.99 at Amazon (originally $1,799.99 ) [You save $702]
• Sony XBR65X850F 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV, $998 at Amazon (originally $1,398) [You save $400]
• LG Electronics 65UK7700PUD 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2018 Model), $846.99 at Amazon (originally $1,499.99 )[You save $653]
• Toshiba 32” HD Smart TV - Fire TV Edition, $129.99 at Amazon (originally $179.99) [You save $50]
• Toshiba 50” 4K Ultra HD Smart TV - Fire TV Edition, $299.99 at Amazon (originally $399.99)[You save $100]

The best TV deals at Walmart:

• Vizio 60" 4K UHD TV, $498 at Walmart (originally $598) [You save $100] 
• Samsung 32" Class Smart TV, $178 at Walmart (originally $197.99) [You save $19] 
• Sceptre 50" 1080P LED TV, $199.99 at Walmart (originally $349.99) [You save $150] 
• Samsung 55" 4KTV, $397.99 at Walmart (originally $699.99) [You save $302]

The best TV deals at Best Buy:

• LG 55" 4K UHD TV with HDR, $1,699.99 at Best Buy (originally $2,199.99) [You save $500]
• Samsung 65" Class 4K UHD TV with HDR, $1,297.99 at Best Buy (originally $1,799.99) [You save $502]
• Samsung 65" 4K UHD TV with HDR, $997.99 at Best Buy (originally $1,299.99)[You save $300]
• Samsung 55" 4K UHD TV with HDR, $747.99 at Best Buy (originally $999.99)[You save $252]
• Samsung 50" 4K UHD TV with HDR, $327.99 at Best Buy (originally $449.99)[You save $122]
• Insignia 32" 720p HDTV, $89.99 at Best Buy (originally $149.99) [You save $60]
• TCL 65" 4K UHD TV with HDR (Roku TV), $899.99 at Best Buy  (originally $969.99) [You save $70]
• VIZIO 65" P-Series 4K UHD TV with HDR, $899.99 at Best Buy (originally $1,199) [You save $300]

Check out all our Black Friday deal coverage on Insider Picks

The best Black Friday deal roundups

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NOW WATCH: The first woman in space almost didn't make it back to Earth and she had to keep it a secret for 30 years

• Netflix's library of original content is continually expanding at a rapid pace.
• Here, we rank all of Netflix's notable original shows by their critical reception on Rotten Tomatoes.

As Netflix's library of original content continues to expand, it's worthwhile to take stock of all that the service currently offers.

With popular shows like "Stranger Things" and "Big Mouth," Netflix has hit the mark with both critics and audiences. 

But the service has also had its share of critical flops, including the Marvel series "Iron Fist" and the high school dramedy "Insatiable."

To figure out which Netflix original series are worth your time, we turned to the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes to rank the shows by their composite critical reception.

We excluded any show that did not have enough reviews to receive a designation of "Fresh" or "Rotten." We also did not include children's shows, talk shows, docuseries, or shows that were continued from other networks, and we used audience scores to break any ties. 

Here are 82 of Netflix's notable original shows, ranked from worst to best, according to critics:

SEE ALSO: The 9 best Netflix original series to binge-watch

82. "Insatiable"— 10%

Critic score: 10%

Audience score: 84%

Netflix description: "A bullied teenager turns to beauty pageants as a way to exact her revenge, with the help of a disgraced coach who soon realizes he's in over his head."

81. "Marvel's Iron Fist"— 19%

Critic score: 19%

Audience score: 74%

Netflix description: "Danny Rand resurfaces 15 years after being presumed dead. Now, with the power of the Iron Fist, he seeks to reclaim his past and fulfill his destiny."

80. "Between"— 22%

Critic score: 22%

Audience score: 66%

Netflix description: "After a mysterious disease kills every resident over 22 years old, survivors of a town must fend for themselves when the government quarantines them."

There are spoilers ahead for "The Walking Dead" season nine, episode eight, "Evolution."

Sunday's mid-season finale of "The Walking Dead" finally introduced us to the true identity of the show's talking zombies. They aren't really evolving as Eugene suggested. Daryl revealed them to be a group of survivors who blend in with the undead by wearing their skin called the Whisperers.

Showrunner Angela Kang told INSIDER there was some debate on whether or not to make the Whisperer reveal until the show's return next year, but she pushed for it to happen sooner. 

"My preference for story is that if you kind of introduce a mystery, you don't drag it out too, too long. It just felt [right] for the rhythm of the show," Kang told INSIDER. 'For the comic-book readers, they know exactly who the Whisperers are from the beginning and I felt, for me, as just a fan and a viewer, I would have been frustrated if we didn't get an answer within the mid-season."

"There was definitely some debate," Kang said about the decision to reveal the Whisperers on the mid-season finale. "This was a conversation with multiple people about, 'Do you hold the reveal until after the break?' And I was like, 'No, no, no. You introduce the mystery and then there's an answer to this little chapter of it and then we start the next little chapter when we open up the mid-season [premiere next year].' That felt cleaner to me."

It's one of many decisions Kang has helped make since becoming showrunner of "The Walking Dead" on season nine to help pick the pace back up on the AMC zombie series, which has slogged in ratings after Negan brutally killed two beloved characters on the season seven premiere. 

On the season nine premiere, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) quickly and efficiently killed off old Hilltop leader Gregory (Xander Berkeley) after he tried to have her killed. Typically, it's the sort of death that would take a few episodes to play out on the show. On the series' aftershow, "Talking Dead," Kang referred to Gregory's swift death as putting "the pedal to the metal" and getting it over with after building up his story for so long. 

Similarly with the Whisperers reveal, there's a danger of making people believe the show may be jumping the shark after nine seasons if you make people sit too long on believing that there are talking zombies on the show. 

Kang said she didn't think of it in terms of jumping the shark or not. For her, it was about story.

"It's really like a story/rhythm preference on my side that seemed to work well for us as we were working on how it plays out," Kang said of the Whisperer storyline.

"I really felt like the actors were so game for kind of going in new directions with their characters. Sometimes people can be protective of wanting to do one thing and all of our people were like, 'Yes, bring on the challenges. Bring on the change.' Let's do new things. Their performances have been stellar," said Kang adding what she's been most proud of this season. "We basically had to do the equivalent of two pilots in the first half [of the season] alone. The first episode as well as the sixth episode."

Where do we go from here?

Daryl, Michonne, Aaron, and more are currently surrounded by the Whisperers and Kang says it won't take long for us to see more of them, including their leaders.

"I'm excited for the audience getting to see more of the Whisperer story," said Kang of what's to come. "We have Samantha Morten and Ryan Hurst coming up as Alpha and Beta for the comic-book fans. These are just great, great actors who kind of folded in so seamlessly and are wonderful people to work with. I'm excited for people to see their work."

"This group, the Whisperers, is unlike anything we've encountered on the show and we're going to start to learn about their philosophy and the way that they handle things and it truly gave us the opportunity to delve into a group that was so different. I think it's been really interesting for us to kind of work on that and see the designs that go into it," Kang continued. "As well, we'll find out some more about what happened during that six-year passage of time with the mystery of the "X," [and] we may see the return of a familiar character. I'm excited for all of that. And we also, I'll tease, that we do something we've never done on the show before in the back-half of the season that I think fans will be into."

And what about Negan?

Negan escaped from his prison on the mid-season finale and is on the run. Kang says it won't take long to see what Negan is up to now that he's free from his cell.

"We've obviously deviated a bit from the comics at this part of the story. When we open up in the first episode back in the new season, we will find out what it is that Negan is up to," said Kang of what Negan will be up to on the rest of the season. "I think Jeffrey [Dean Morgan], who is such a remarkable actor. He has just done incredible work the whole season, but it's really fun to watch him."

"He's certainly been sick of being stuck inside that cell, both Negan and Jeffrey," Kang added. "So it was fun to kind of have him out and about and I think there's a pretty cool story to be told there that I hope that fans will enjoy who have enjoyed Negan from the start or who are kind of just enjoying seeing his evolution in the character."

You can follow along with our "Walking Dead" coverage here.

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NOW WATCH: The first woman in space almost didn't make it back to Earth and she had to keep it a secret for 30 years

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Sunday's episode of "The Walking Dead," season nine, episode eight, "Evolution."

Sunday's mid-season finale of "The Walking Dead" introduced the show's next creepy villains, bid farewell to a beloved character, and gave us a deeper look at the rift between Michonne, the Hilltop, and some of her family members.

A lot of it is rooted in those mystery "X" marks we've seen carved into the backs of both Michonne and Daryl.

"In doing a six-year time jump, there's got to be a lot that's happened to our characters during that time and it's just part of the story that factors into Michonne and Alexandria, the way that they've sort of isolated themselves and [have] become very wary about strangers," showrunner Angela Kang told INSIDER.

When Michonne first arrives at the Hilltop on Sunday's episode, she's treated completely different than we've ever seen on the show. The community is almost fearful and hostile of her as they scramble to get indoors and collect her group's weapons before they may enter. More strangely, Carol and Tara didn't exactly give her the warmest welcome. If you noticed, none of the women embraced when they saw each other.

Something significant clearly happened between the communities after Rick's absence. And we get a few hints of that from the episode, particularly when Siddiq tells Michonne she should try and mend some fences. 

"I won’t, not the way they want me to," Michonne tells Siddiq of making amends. "I didn’t make the choices I made because I thought they’d be easy. At least they’re alive so they can hate me for it."

"This is a story that we will reveal more about in the second half of the season, which starts airing in the new year," Kang said in regards to the mystery "X" on Michonne and Daryl's backs. "And it's just one of these things that's touching [on] important parts of backstories for characters. It's something that obviously Michonne and Daryl, they both experienced something. There's probably others that are affected in various ways, if not in the same ways."

No clearer was that then when Carol had a brief discussion with Michonne early on Sunday's episode. She tried inviting Michonne and Alexandria to come to the Hilltop for their upcoming fair and Michonne ultimately refused.

"I know what you went through and I get why this is hard for you, but we’ve all lost something," Carol told Michonne. "You and me, we’ve both lost children and we kept going, for each other. We’ve always been a family."

"And we still are. But Kingdom is Kingdom. Hilltop is here and Alexandria is there and in between there’s a whole lot of broken world and we cannot pretend otherwise. We’ve got to take care of our own now. It’s just the way it is," Michonne decided.

Kang hints that when we eventually find out what happened to our group it may be pretty dark.

"It's one of these character, intrigue mysteries that we wanted to sort of show to the audience a little at a time," Kang added. "We start with the effects of everything that's happened in the past and then we'll learn what exactly did happen and how it is that they came to kind of take on the positions that they did and things they've been through together. It's a world of the apocalypse and a lot of hard and scary things happen to our people."

How do you think Michonne and Daryl received the mystery "X" marks on their backs?

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