Hey, this is The Divine One bringing you a double whammy of reviews on The Walking Dead for GHG, and what a damn great two episodes it has—oh skip it……
GLENN IS ALIVE!!!!! WHOOO-HOOO!!!
(happy dance) (happy dance)
We were all worried there for a while but now we can breathe easy. Well sort of. There still is that matter of a hundreds of zombies surrounding Alexandria. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) are trying to work out a plan to get the “walkers” away while they also sit down with Morgan (Lennie James) and have a Dr. Phil moment about his unwillingness to kill any of the Wolves. I’ve been a fan of Morgan since Day 1, but this zen crap is going to get someone else killed.
Episode 7 jumps back and forth from Alexandria to the Adventures of Glenn (Steven Yuen) and Enid (Katelyn Nacon) as they make their way back home. Glenn’s compassion for wanting to make sure Enid makes it back to Alexandria only reminds how much we care for this veteran character. But Enid continues to challenge him every step all the way, up to them making it right outside the walls. As much as it can be annoying, her desire to cut herself off from the group and just live her life alone makes sense. After seeing your family taken from you it has to be hard to want to open up to anyone else.
Glenn releases some balloons into the sky to show Maggie he’s okay. As everyone stops and stares as they float up, there is a wonderful serene moment of peace that is interrupted by the creaking and snapping of old and broken wooden planks. The tower outside the walls that had been hit by the Wolves truck comes crashing down completely flattening a portion of the Alexandrian perimeter.
Except for a brief intro, Ep. 8 picks up right where the “walkers” funneling into Alexandria after the tower fell and destroyed one of the walls. Now this being a mid-season finale, you’d think there was going to be at least some carnage with all the residents of the town walking around; but, apparently, everyone is light on their feet and got to safety.
Guess they’re saving it for later.
Well, there is one casualty (wish it would’ve been the ever-annoying Sam (Major Dodson)). Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) got bit by a walker while they were trying to get to safety. Now holed up in Jessie’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) house, she dispenses wonderful lessons of wisdom to Rick and Michonne before she turns. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of her character in the beginning, she grew on the Divine One as she adjusted to working with Rick — with the realization of how she had to help her people change to survive. R.I.P.
Meanwhile — even with all the craziness going on outside — Carol still finds a way to go downstairs and discover the Wolf that Morgan is keeping. Of course Morgan has NO SHOT trying to reason with her. (If you scroll down below, you’ll see that I “called it”!) Hence: The Morgan vs. Carol throwdown! Ding! Although, technically, Morgan wins… nobody wins with the Wolf knocking him out and escaping with Dr. Denise as a hostage. You could call it a lose/lose.
Now over at Casa de Jessie things have gone far shittier, with Ron (Austin Abrams) in a walker-alerting-now-home-invading scuffle with Carl (Chandler Riggs). Really, dumbass?! You somehow think killing Carl is going to help you out of this situation? Both of these kids and their asshole, (now deceased) father are so irritating! Jessie sure got herself the biggest shitbird lottery ticket with this family of hers. So with the walkers literally downstairs, Rick goes back to his roots and suggests everybody blood n’ guts up and cover themselves with walker insides so they can try to escape out of the house. My only question being……where the hell are they gonna go?! And then Sam calls out “Mom, Mom.” What the serious fuck?
It couldn’t get any crazier for our Walking Dead family after Episode 4, until we see Rick running up with half the herd they tried to keep away from Alexandria in Episode 5. However, Rick being the optimist that he is– claims they are safer because the walkers “now guard the town”
That’s one way to look at it after a brutal attack by the Wolves.
The people of Alexandria finally face the rude reality that lived beyond their walls, struck with their inability to protect themselves. They are now trapped as we begin to see FEAR manifest itself in the towns’ people. Their once semi-safe reality is turned upside down and we realize how it affects their societal relationships. Jessie Anderson (Alexandra Breckenridge) says “if we don’t fight we die”, after killing a neighbor-turned-walker who committed suicide due to fear. She is one of the few who keeps a survivalist mentality. Rick finally kisses her too, and Deanna Monroe (Tovah Feldshuh) formally tells Rick “we need you” to lead–as if he wasn’t already.
We also see poor Maggie run off to find Glen with the help of Aaron (Ross Marquand) through a “safer way out”, a sewer tunnel system under Alexandria that can lead them past the herd. When they get stuck and realize it’s foolish to go out alone, Maggie reveals she’s pregnant! (Glen better be alive!). So, what does this sewer system mean? Could this foreshadow a way out for everyone; or will the Wolves come back to attack through there; or could Glen really be alive, and possibly have found a manhole opening under the dumpster leading him home? (Wishful thinking) And…did Episode 6 really answer these questions for us?
Of course not! The episodes are intentionally being dragged on so not to answer whether or not Glen is dead or alive! Episode 6 was merely a placeholder. The only significant thing that occurred after Daryl, Sasha and Abraham were ambushed off the rode by a mysterious group and Daryl is separated, was that his motorcycle was stolen by some people he tries to help who are hiding from this mysterious new group.
As the pattern shows most filler episodes star Abraham and some crappy dialogue, this is no different; we see a possible romantic relationship forming between him and Sasha. The only significant thing to occur, besides poor Daryl losing his bike, is the word “Help” coming from the walkie talkie. Could this be Glen? Or is it Rick? Let’s hope it’s Glen, and that we get some more character driven episodes that make us all keep Walking back for another mind-blowing episode.
@Steph_Panisello
***EPISODE 0604 & 0604***
Greetings from Alexandria! It’s another peaceful, lovely da…wait, just kidding.
Alexandria is in the middle of a crisis, and we are all along for the ride. Let’s start with last week (only because every one here at the “Clergy of Cool” spaced-out over Star Wars news and forgot there was an episode to review): the gigantic horde of zombies was headed straight for the rickety gates of Alexandria and Abraham, Sasha, Darryl. Rick, Michonne, Glen, Nicholas, and various expendables were out to lure the walkers out of town and away from everyone else. Like the rest of the season so far, the episode jumps back, operating in the same few hours that last week’s did.
Our fearless leader and his team have to deal with the after effects of Week 2’s Wolf attack (see below), and nothing is going as planned. Darryl battled with himself, torn between sticking to Rick’s plan and veering off to help Rick. Glenn and Michonne lead the clueless and the crippled through the woods and into a nearby town….and then, disaster strikes.
If you’re a TWD fan–and of course you are–you saw the collected internet rage after Episode 3 ended. Not only was Rick trapped in a Winnebago and surrounded by a plethora of walkers, but Glenn and Nicholas (Michael Traynor) ended up trapped on a dumpster — with disastrous results. Unable to move past his cowardice and past actions, Nicholas once again took the coward’s way out, shooting himself in the head. Unfortunately, his last act signaled what appears to be the end for Glenn too, as Nicholas’s body knocked Glenn into the teeming mass of hungry walkers.
One would think, with the shocking events of last week, that Episode 4 would quickly move back into the thick of things and answer some of last week’s looming questions: Will Rick find his way out of this one? Is Glenn really dead? What are Abraham and Sasha planning to do with the walkers they moved out of town? Instead, we get an hour-long look back at how Morgan (Lenny James) became the anti-killing, bow staff-wielding machine that showed up in Alexandria. Don’t get me wrong. Morgan’s story is interesting, and perhaps placed somewhere else in the season’s run, it would have been amazing. But coming so quickly on the heels of last week’s shock and tragedy, it just felt like filler.
Right now, I don’t care about Morgan. I want to know what happened with the people I’ve been following for 5+ seasons! Instead, we flashed back to crazy Morgan — scribbling on every surface and killing everyone he came in contact with, until he stumbles upon the little piece of sanctuary that is former forensic psychiatrist Eastman’s domain. An aikido practicing vegetarian, Eastman (John Carroll Lynch) uses his shrink powers to diagnose Morgan’s crazy and try to bring him back to a functioning human. An engaging character, you know he’s not long for this world, and sure enough, after he helps Morgan find some semblance of piece and acts as the Splinter to Morgan’s Donatello, he becomes a walker snack — with all the deadly consequences.
There are only things to really take away from this episode: we now know why Morgan is so loathe to kill the Wolves when they rampage through town, and that he’s secretly keeping one of the Wolves tied up in an abandoned house in town. Put together, this may come back to bite him in the butt. On a side note, this week’s use of the blurry camera lens was distracting. Using it every once in a while, to show Morgan’s fuzzy mind and how he’s out of whack? I totally get that. Using it all the time, for no added effect (other than to irritate me while I watched)? Unnecessary.
Next week, hopefully, we will find out what actually happened after Episode 3 faded to black.
@DarthHistory
Stay tuned to this very column (bookmark that shit, bro!) for more reviews of The Walking Dead throughout Season 6.
***EPISODE 0602***
Hey there geek potatoes! It’s the Divine One coming in for a review of Episode 2 of my favorite show, The Walking Dead. Now, I have to admit I had some immediate concerns. Like, hey–sometimes this show likes to punch you in the face and then sit down and watch you sleep. Ep. 2 opens with a quick backstory on Enid (Katelyn Nacon) and how she came from surviving on her own and making it to Alexandria to become one with the town…
Then, we get instances of normal Alexandrian life including Carol (Melissa McBride) clueing the other women on how to cook, Carl (Chandler Riggs) moping around because Enid isn’t paying enough attention to him and, Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) having to deal with her son Ron (Austin Abrams) in the aftermath of his dad being killed.
But all I want to know is: WHO BLEW THE FUCKING HORN??!
Thankfully they don’t make us wait long. Those damn Wolverines that were teased at the end of last season find a way to break in to the compound and start going on an insane massacre of the town folk. And being as many of the best fighters are off on Walker Herd Moving Co., the bulk of the residents are easy victims for them (These savages are right out of the Arkham Asylum looney bin.) They don’t just kill, they obsess about repeatedly striking their prey even after they are dead like out of a Rob Zombie movie…
But once the initial surprise is over these sick bastards weren’t aware of one thing: the mighty force that is Carol Peletier and Morgan Jones (Lennie James)! While Morgan tries to reason with the assailants and convince them to give up Carol just works her way through the town killing every single one of them she comes across. We knew that homemaker thing wouldn’t last long.
Commenting on “Cardinal” Robert talking about the likely ongoing conflict between Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Morgan, I see the same situation coming–but with Carol. Morgan has instances where he obviously disagrees with Carols decision to callously take another persons life. This is definitely going to be a reccuring situation that has massive potential to interfere with the group working well together.
The damn horn ends up being a Wolverine that was gunned down trying to drive a truck into the town. The weight of his corpse falling on the switch until Morgan is able to pull it off. But, of course, it still remains to be seen how much damage that will cause from the herd hearing it.
This episode had everything to love about this show. At a kick ass action pace mixed with a dire circumstance story that really brought out the true and raw emotional core of many characters. The way that this attack was handled will be the turning point for several of the Alexandria residents plus maybe even more insight into the more main characters.
But even more than that this first attack just introduces us to the threat of the Wolves and the likeliness of them returning to cause more chaos. Because even though the walkers are a massive problem having actual free-will, bloodthirsty maniacs that might show up at any moment is an all new different kind of hell on their earth.
Just Survive Somehow
If Only they can……
@uncledarryl37
***EPISODE 0601***
“Rick… do it.”
Those are the second-to-last words we heard when we last left the Walking Dead community last season (Morgan’s “Rick?” didn’t sound quite as catchy). All off-season we have been left to wonder how Season 6 would start off: Was Alexandria Community leader, Deanna Monroe (Tovah Feldshuh), finally coming around to Rick? Had Rick finally lost it? How was Morgan Jones (Lennie James) going to react to this “new” Rick? Would Carl finally stop with the emo crap?
We open up with Rick leading the group on what we learn was supposed to be a dry run that turns into a much more dangerous situation against an extremely large herd of walkers. For anyone who watched it knows “large” is a complete understatement — and we aren’t let off the roller coaster for another hour-and-a-half.
We have a few new additions, including Heath, played brilliantly by Straight Outta Compton’s Corey Hawkins (proving Dr. Dre DID survive the apocalypse) and Ethan Embry as “jackass supreme” Carter (which is a shame because I really like Embry and have been waiting for him to get a good vehicle underneath him, but I digress). We pick up what seems like a few days (maybe a week or so) after the Season 5 finale, and with the aftermath of the death of Reg Monroe.
There are always great storylines that get started in the opener that play out throughout the season, like is Abraham starting to get a little to frayed and starting to go down Sasha’s path from last season? We see that Tara is out of her coma and is starting to follow Glenn and Maggie’s orders (yay for no more coma!). What is running through Daryl’s mind now that he sees what is really happening with the community? And just how will Gabriel’s idiotic tendencies get him, and the zombie Scooby gang, into trouble this season?
However, as usual, it was Rick who stole the show. The yin/yang of Rick and Morgan is going to be an interesting “watch and see” for this season. We’ve seen Morgan lose it and come back from the abyss, and now we are waiting for Rick’s “lost and found” moment. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Rick and where we are in Season 6 is that he has tried really, really hard throughout the series to find peace and time and time again he keeps getting slapped with the harsh un-dead hand of reality– there is no peace in the world. Which is why him backing — but really leading — the Alexandria Community is such a reality check for those living there.
And I’m also not just talking about Rick.
Everyone in that group has the look of someone who has done one too many tours of duty, but knows that their only hope is to keep fighting and to never, ever let your guard down. Now, if only the rest of the community can follow suit. We see some people starting to understand Rick’s point of view, but will everyone? That’s for the season to show. Rick, in a flashback scene, shows just how much of a unit his group is. They are fast, fierce, lethal, and most of all dangerous. They are not a group to be messed with.
Andrew Lincoln has been doing a great job of portraying a man that is teetering on the edge. There is a great lull in an otherwise hurricane of action between Rick and Morgan (Lennie James) where Morgan is telling Rick that he is still the same person who saved Morgan from himself and Rick almost balks at that idea. He isn’t the same Rick and we the audience have been privy to that since the beginning. Many people might assume that anyone is Rick’s position is automatically going to become the Governor from a few seasons ago and there is a HUGE main difference.
The Governor was sadistic and wanted power. Rick assumes power to protect people from themselves. He knows that a group is only as powerful as their weakest link and in a world where one misstep gets you killed, or worse, a zombie; there is no room for weakness. And of course, no Walking Dead review would be complete without your Carol update. Yep, she’s still playing sweet-little ol’ housemaker-Betty Crocker-I can slit your throat and keep smiling-Carol. And. It. Is. Awesome.
However, there is one person who might just see through her ruse– and Morgan should just take a cookie and not say anything.
Right when you think that the Walking Dead has no new tricks up their sleeves they totally come up with something out of right field and opens the season premiere with 2 episodes in one, we have PRESENT Walking Dead and FLASHBACK Walking Dead, shot beautifully in full comic book black and white, as the somber and more melancholy moments hit you a little bit harder and dichotomy of the past and present are that much more present.
Showrunners Greg Nicotero and Scott Gimple also kick off Season 6 with the largest herd of walkers we have ever seen. During The Talking Dead post wrap-up show, Nicatero said they had 1,000 walkers for the season premiere and that the largest number they had ever had previously was 300.
Lincoln says that season 6 is going to be big, brave and ambitious and by the way that the show started and finished, one can only imagine how much bigger this season is going to get. I’ve been watching since the Season 1, Episode 1 and stuck around during Season 2 where they were on the farm and it seems that they have learned their lesson: make each season better than the last, make each premiere better than the previous one. The Walking Dead’s Season 6 premiere punches you in the gut and never stops until the horn goes off at the end. Oh, did I save “the horn” until the very end? Yes I did.
Who is honking the horn and throwing every freaking thing off course?? Who would be that stupid or that evil to do that? I think a giant howling would have been too on the nose. It looks as though the Wolves have finally come out to play and as the comic book readers all know, they don’t play nice.
Stay tuned to this very column (bookmark that shit, bro!) for more reviews of The Walking Dead throughout Season 6.