I’m not going to lie to you. I almost didn’t write anything about this one. And that’s mainly because while there were a number of emotional beats that kept the episode moving, none of it seemed all that interesting. It’s nice to know for sure now that Maggie (Lauren Cohan) is pregnant, but most of us had been assuming that for a while. It’s nice that Denise (Merritt Wever) is starting to get her feet under her as the new “doctor” and that she and Tara (Alanna Masterson) might become an item. It’s nice to see Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) step up and join team Rick for real this time, but give Sam (Major Dodson) a break. He’ll come back downstairs when he’s ready. Maybe give it a few more hours. It’s been a rough day.
Aside from that, the rest of the episode really didn’t score any points with me. The cliffhanger ending from a couple of weeks ago, with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) in the camper being surrounded by hundreds of walkers is resolved by just outrunning them? Carl (Chandler Riggs) and Ron (Austin Abrams) have a slap fight? Aaron (Ross Marquand) confesses to the townsfolk that the Wolves probably found them thanks to his lost knapsack full of intelligence, in a scene that is as awkward as it sounds.
And I’m sure teaching Ron how to shoot won’t come back to bite anyone in the ass.
Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) staggers around in a daze most of the episode, which is understandable, but when she’s confronted by a surprise walker (that Carol – who is entirely absent this episode – wounded but couldn’t find???) she goes apeshit on it with a broken bottle that echoes last week’s Ash vs The Evil Dead – but without the hilarity – and has to be rescued by Rick. Her son Spencer (Austin Nichols) gives a nice speech about solidarity to keep people from raiding the community pantry, then steals food and booze for himself. I understand what they’re doing here, but it just didn’t really ring true.
In fact, I think this is the part that made me kind of disengage from the episode. The majority of plot movement wasn’t exactly the spinning of wheels, but it was damned close. The microadjustments of character loyalties and “political” positioning will pay off down the line, I assume, but without any major movement – and the total absence of Carol (Melissa McBride), Daryl (Norman Reedus), Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) – it was just kind of boring.
Despite there being an army of walkers pressing at the walls.
There was a moment there, when I thought something was going to happen as Maggie and Aaron try using the sewer to escape and search for Glenn and are attacked by two ultra-disgusting shit walkers. It’s one of the grossest moments in the show’s history. It all turns out alright, but they’re never gonna get that stink out of their clothes. And Aaron really shouldn’t be splashing around in sewage with an open wound on his forehead.
Then Rick and Jessie make out before the show ends on a blatantly symbolic shot of cracks appearing in the wall.
The Walking Dead has now spent two episodes out of five squandering the good will they established after the extremely strong season opening. Here’s hoping that this week’s gets back on track.