Well, the walls of Alexandria are beginning to crack. Metaphorically, of course. The literal walls are still OK...for now.
The native Alexandrians are struggling to do…anything really. It's really a wonder they've managed to survive this long. But Rick's crew have come in and they're competent. Sure, they can be dicks, but they're competent dicks.
I thought that this was a pretty good episode. It showed the trials and tribulations of trying to build a society in the zombie apocalypse. There needs to be supply runs, building of walls and the people inside have to coexist. All of these things are important factors to building a society in the zombie apocalypse and all are fraught with their own dangers.
Frankly, I could watch a lot of episodes like this one. Watching people trying to progress. Hitting obstacles along the way. Mix in some zombie killing too. Heck, even the interpersonal drama would be less eye rolling since they're in a relatively safe haven so it seems alright to have concerns above just pure survival.
I could watch episodes where Alexandria suffers loss. They would also have triumphs. But no matter what they'd keep looking forward knowing that, no matter the cost, they're building for the future.
But, I don't think that's what we're going to get. Deanna already noted that several of Rick's people have found themselves in positions of authority. And Rick's group haven't even tried to take over Alexendria yet. Lord knows how Deanna is going to react to the news that her son died.
Mix in the odd, seemingly-out-of-left-field speech by Father Gabriel to Deanna and I think Alexandria is going to blow...soon. I foresee a power struggle between Rick's group and Deanna's. There will be casualties, and probably a section of wall falling down, but Rick's group will win. The only question will be how many Alexandrians will survive and accept the rule of Rick and company. Well, that and will I be able to enjoy Rick and Company being in charge of Alexandria with the bad taste in mouth of how they acquired it.
But, for now, I suppose it's all just speculation.
Other Thoughts:
So Noah wanted to learn architecture? It makes sense to try and learn things that will help you in the long term. Well, it makes sense unless you know how the writers operate.
So, it sounds like Deanna's husband, Reg, created a solar power grid to power the city. Knowledge is a powerful thing.
Aiden learned to respect for Glenn thus completing his two episode character arc. We know what has to happen now...
Eugene gets berated by Tara for not pulling his own weight. However, there's more than one way to "pull your won weight." Of course, not according to the writers. Eugene redeemed himself by picking up a gun and shooting zombies. I suppose that's the only skill of value in the zombie apocalypse.
When Glenn and the others on the supply run saw a hoard of zombies behind a chain link fence I felt like it would be easy to just call them over and stab them through the fence. That would've helped them later on.
I'm always amazed at how easily zombies sneak up on people despite the fact that groan almost all the time.
For those counting at home, this episode had the second time Glenn saved Tara's life. You think Maggie is getting jealous?
So Carol found herself in a plot line that hits very close to Carol's proverbial home. Of course her solution, as always, involves murder. Listen, he's an abusive asshole and if he died I wouldn't shed a tear. At the same time, he is the town doctor. This could get interesting for Rick.
Did Abraham actually exclaim "Mother Dick!"? Twice?
On a few separate occasions we're learning that the Alexandrians aren't opposed to (and possibly survived because of) leaving injured or otherwise compromised people to die and saving their own skin. We're supposed to hate them for that but if Rick's group took similar actions they'd be applauded for making the tough decisions.
I did enjoy the revolving door set piece. It was nicely done and suitably tense. Kudos to the writers and director for the creative staging.
Could Glenn have shot through the revolving door window or was he out of ammo?
Seriously, what's up with Father Gabriel? Is anything he's seen Rick's group do any worse than what he himself has done? I'm interested to see what Deanna does with what he said. First of all, it doesn't seem like he's telling her anything she doesn't know. She even admits as much. Secondly, it really did come off as crazy ramblings.
On The Talking Dead, Tyler James Williams (Noah) said that when his character said "Don't let go" it was less literal to Glenn and more about him not wanting the group to let go of the idea of what Alexandria could be. I suppose we'll have to see if he's right. I did find his death sad and was beginning to like him. In The Walking Dead when a regular character dies I'm always slightly more surprised than I should be but slightly less affected by the death than the writers probably want me to be. I just think I'm a bit desensitized to all the deaths.
"Could Glenn have shot through the revolving door window or was he out of ammo?"
ReplyDeleteYup, Nicholas (the douchy guy who left Glenn and Noah behind) had the ammo. The plan was, from what I understood, Glenn to break the glass, maybe have him and Noah get out, the Nicholas gets out and quickly allow G & A to reload?
When Glenn and the others on the supply run saw a hoard of zombies behind a chain link fence I felt like it would be easy to just call them over and stab them through the fence. That would've helped them later on.
ReplyDeleteThis stuff always drives me crazy, especially when it s done by supposedly smart characters like Glenn. You don’t have to clumsily foreshadow every dramatic bit, we knew they were gonna get attacked by zombies inside the warehouse!
I'm always amazed at how easily zombies sneak up on people despite the fact that groan almost all the time.
Especially when it happens in woods, with all the noises from walking through/stepping on bushes, twigs, leaves, dead wood, to give them away...
Frankly, I could watch a lot of episodes like this one.
ReplyDeleteMe too. This, without the sinister overtones of Rick's looming coup, is what I'd like this show to be, the chronicling of the gradual (with ups and downs) re-establishment of society.
So, it sounds like Deanna's husband, Reg, created a solar power grid to power the city. Knowledge is a powerful thing.
And is a good example of how you can be useful in the zombie poc without being a good shot. I mean, for as much as Tara (and the show implicitly) chastised Eugene for not being good with a gun, the whole reason he was there was because he knew about high tech stuff to get their power grid working again. That's important knowledge to have if you ever want to move past the "just surviving" phase of existence, and it's a good example of how, despite what this show likes to posit sometimes, civilization would gradually re-emerge post-apocalypse.
When Glenn and the others on the supply run saw a hoard of zombies behind a chain link fence I felt like it would be easy to just call them over and stab them through the fence.
They do this *all the time* and it drives me nuts. The zombies are a finite problem. A large one, but a finite one. Once you kill a zombie, it's dead. So when you can kill one easily, with minimal risk, do it. Especially when doing so increases your chances of survival. One less zombie to ever worry about ever again.
I'm always amazed at how easily zombies sneak up on people despite the fact that groan almost all the time.
They don't groan when sneaking up on people. Duh.
Seriously though, if I wanted to be charitable, I could argue that zombies sneaking up on people despite making noise could be interpreted as the people being snuck up on having "tunnel hearing". That is, they're so focused on something else, they miss the obvious cues their senses are sending them about that other thing coming up behind them.
But I'm not feeling charitable.
So Carol found herself in a plot line that hits very close to Carol's proverbial home. Of course her solution, as always, involves murder.
Seriously. The one time that kid was pestering her, I was like "kid, shut up. She's killed kids for less already!" And then she's all "you're going to have to kill him" and I'm like "of course he is. That's your answer for everything."
Like you say, I'm not gonna cry much if the guy hitting his wife and kids dies, but at the same time, there are other options, especially if Rick is supposed to be acting something like a "normal" cop.
We're supposed to hate them for that but if Rick's group took similar actions they'd be applauded for making the tough decisions.
Yep. It's the "everyone's a monster but us" approach the show has that drives me nuts.
I did enjoy the revolving door set piece. It was nicely done and suitably tense. Kudos to the writers and director for the creative staging.
Ditto. That's really the kind of stuff that keeps me watching, for all my other problems with the show.
And frankly, having Aiden accidentally shoot the grenade on the zombie was also a pretty effective way of causing the situation to go bad without making Aiden look like a complete dick/incompetent while still making it clear that "Our Guys" are a little more seasoned at this stuff.
Is anything he's seen Rick's group do any worse than what he himself has done?
Right? Like somehow killing the people who tried to eat you is so much worse than locking everyone out of your church and letting them die while you ate the canned goods in relative safety?