"The Walking Dead" returned from its annual midseason break on Sunday. These breaks are often used to wipe the slate clean and begin a new chapter in the show. Season 4 used it to break up the characters after the harrowing ordeal at the prison. Season 5 did it to introduce Alexandria and finally put that stupid Beth storyline to bed. They're usually riveting episodes, and while this one was chock full of action, it ultimately fell flat for a number of inane reasons.
For one thing, the show YET AGAIN gives us a fake-out cliffhanger. At the end of the previous episode, Stupid Kid yelled out "Mom?" because we was afraid yet again of the zombies. Yet this episode opens up with them wearily marching through the streets of Alexandria with not a zombie on them. So either that kid's whisper didn't attract attention, or the show faked us out with some BS cliffhanger to keep us hooked over the break. That's twice now in one season, and it's getting both tiring and aggravating.
Then the show goes and pulls one of its dumbest moments ever, in an episode full of them, by having Rick and co. pull off to the side and have a jolly ol' conversation right in the middle of the zombies. I'm sorry, but are you kidding me!? The show's established rules of its zombies have drifted on its best days, but this is outrageous. Before, you could barely whisper without a zombie breathing down your neck. Now, apparently it's OK to have a conversation, as long as you're covered in zombie guts (a tactic which they only bring out when the plot requires them to). BUT that is dispelled later, when Stupid Kid and Jessie get devoured by zombies DESPITE wearing the guts poncho. So talking DOES alert them to your human-ness after all? I don't even know anymore, and frankly, I don't think the writers do, either.
But wait, that's not all! Stupid Moment #2 comes when Rick goes all Aragorn, charging into the horde of zombies by himself, emotionally affecting everyone else and resulting in a hero-charged strike against the forces of evil. And, of course, not one main character dies in this ordeal. So apparently sometimes even one zombie can cause all hell to break loose, but hundreds can be easily dispatched with just enough motivation. OK then.
Oh, and Carl got shot in the eye, which was fun. Let's ignore the fact that his brains should be splattered all over Zombie #74 behind him. It leads to a super cheesy moment with Rick proclaiming that he feels hopeful for the first time in a while, which in turn leads to the soap opera moment of Carl grasping his head. Puke. Next.
What else? Oh yeah, the whole Daryl fiasco. So Daryl blows up a couple of Negan followers with a rocket launcher, which was admittedly pretty cool. But then, Deus Ex Daryl shows up just in the nick of time to not only save Glenn from certain death (again), but to inexplicably waste a ton of gas in order to ignite it (with a rocket launcher!) to lure the zombies away. Let's just ignore the fact that he used a rocket launcher, because that is just too baffling to understand. Since when have zombies willingly walked into fire before? I understand that they're attracted to the light, but zombies have some sense of self-defense, and seeing them just walk into the fire was extremely ridiculous.
Oh, and the speeches! We get a few this episode. Carol and Morgan yab on about something or other (I stopped paying attention), and Glenn pontificates about the meaning of life and love or some crap like that. It's just Walking Dead Speech #735, so I've more than lost interest.
Zombies are no longer a threat. It was scary at first, but they're old news by now (and according to this episode, easily disposed of). It's clear that no one important is dying anytime soon, so all sense of drama is immediately sucked out of an episode (and the climactic battle with the zombies). The show keeps changing its rules on us to fit a particular moment in the plot, and it's getting out of hand.
Action does not equal a great episode. Good writing, a sense of confidence, and logic does, none of which were present in tonight's episode. Let's hope this new, hopeful Alexandria can provide some actual interesting story lines, because this show has run its course. But, somehow, I don't think it will.
Grade: D-
For more reviews, head over to nathansharp28.wordpress.com.
For one thing, the show YET AGAIN gives us a fake-out cliffhanger. At the end of the previous episode, Stupid Kid yelled out "Mom?" because we was afraid yet again of the zombies. Yet this episode opens up with them wearily marching through the streets of Alexandria with not a zombie on them. So either that kid's whisper didn't attract attention, or the show faked us out with some BS cliffhanger to keep us hooked over the break. That's twice now in one season, and it's getting both tiring and aggravating.
Then the show goes and pulls one of its dumbest moments ever, in an episode full of them, by having Rick and co. pull off to the side and have a jolly ol' conversation right in the middle of the zombies. I'm sorry, but are you kidding me!? The show's established rules of its zombies have drifted on its best days, but this is outrageous. Before, you could barely whisper without a zombie breathing down your neck. Now, apparently it's OK to have a conversation, as long as you're covered in zombie guts (a tactic which they only bring out when the plot requires them to). BUT that is dispelled later, when Stupid Kid and Jessie get devoured by zombies DESPITE wearing the guts poncho. So talking DOES alert them to your human-ness after all? I don't even know anymore, and frankly, I don't think the writers do, either.
But wait, that's not all! Stupid Moment #2 comes when Rick goes all Aragorn, charging into the horde of zombies by himself, emotionally affecting everyone else and resulting in a hero-charged strike against the forces of evil. And, of course, not one main character dies in this ordeal. So apparently sometimes even one zombie can cause all hell to break loose, but hundreds can be easily dispatched with just enough motivation. OK then.
Oh, and Carl got shot in the eye, which was fun. Let's ignore the fact that his brains should be splattered all over Zombie #74 behind him. It leads to a super cheesy moment with Rick proclaiming that he feels hopeful for the first time in a while, which in turn leads to the soap opera moment of Carl grasping his head. Puke. Next.
What else? Oh yeah, the whole Daryl fiasco. So Daryl blows up a couple of Negan followers with a rocket launcher, which was admittedly pretty cool. But then, Deus Ex Daryl shows up just in the nick of time to not only save Glenn from certain death (again), but to inexplicably waste a ton of gas in order to ignite it (with a rocket launcher!) to lure the zombies away. Let's just ignore the fact that he used a rocket launcher, because that is just too baffling to understand. Since when have zombies willingly walked into fire before? I understand that they're attracted to the light, but zombies have some sense of self-defense, and seeing them just walk into the fire was extremely ridiculous.
Oh, and the speeches! We get a few this episode. Carol and Morgan yab on about something or other (I stopped paying attention), and Glenn pontificates about the meaning of life and love or some crap like that. It's just Walking Dead Speech #735, so I've more than lost interest.
Zombies are no longer a threat. It was scary at first, but they're old news by now (and according to this episode, easily disposed of). It's clear that no one important is dying anytime soon, so all sense of drama is immediately sucked out of an episode (and the climactic battle with the zombies). The show keeps changing its rules on us to fit a particular moment in the plot, and it's getting out of hand.
Action does not equal a great episode. Good writing, a sense of confidence, and logic does, none of which were present in tonight's episode. Let's hope this new, hopeful Alexandria can provide some actual interesting story lines, because this show has run its course. But, somehow, I don't think it will.
Grade: D-
For more reviews, head over to nathansharp28.wordpress.com.