Pre: As some say, this is a love it or hate it episode. I'm having a hard time seeing the 'hate it' crowds point of view, but I'd imagine trying to convince them otherwise is like trying to explain why a certain love song is amazing when you're in love or why a song about loss hits you when you've recently suffered a loss. This episode speaks to me in a deeper level then what I normally get from other episodes or shows as a whole.
The people who seem to hate it, hate it for the following reasons:
1. They killed off Tyreese way too early - Something I agree with, but this isn't the fault, or to the detriment of the episode.
2. They seem to think the group being split is contrived in some way - Apparently, the idea that people let people in morning take a breather in relative isolation is unreasonable. They saw Noah needed a few minutes so they left to grab supplies, Tyreese stayed to protect him (because that's how Tyreese is) and Noah realized he wanted to see for himself his home, and irrationally (because he's in morning) left. Tyreese followed. Whats contrived? Whats 'bad story telling'?
3. The episode is slow / Not enough action - I don't know where people get the impression this is a Micheal Bay directed show. This is a character show that is about themes, characters, imagery, & symbolism (among many other things). The action isn't the central theme, but I respect your opinion may differ on rather or not the central themes aren't what you find 'good'.
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I'm not a writer, so this probably wont be the best written review. But I believe the biggest thing in its favor is the themes it portrays and how well. To me, there are certain artistic works that require a certain perspective to see its beauty. There are some people who may read the Great Gatsby and see it as a book about a guy who is obsessed with a girl, but if you understand its themes & imagery, you'll truly understand the depth of the work in a way incomprehensible to someone who only sees the surface.
Themes
Time - Time is huge in this episode. When the group comes to the town what do they discover? A broken clock. When Tyreese is dying what does he discover? A clock stuck on 5:09 (season 5 episode 9), to spell it out: his time is up. As you're seeing his death from his perspective, seeing his recent life pass by through individual dialog with his hallucinations, you can see him come to grip with his actions and eventually come to the realization that his time is up.
Suicide & Purpose - Tyreese's character arch really started moving when he lost Karen. Since then he essentially went on suicidal rampages. It was only after he realized he needed purpose that he kept on going. He dug the graves. He decided he needed to find Karen's killer. He went out with the group to find supplies to save his sister. He did everything he could to keep Judith & the two girls safe.
When he told the story of his father & how he saw listening to the brutal news as his duty, I believe he saw that as mirroring his own duty to stay alive to make his positive mark on the world. His arch only ended when he concluded his internal dialog with realizing that he made his mark, he performed his duty by saving Judith & helping those girls for as long as he could & for saving Sasha from needing to put down Bob. He realized he could finally 'turn the radio off' or die in peace.
Emotional Tolls (exhaustion) - The entire group is feeling the weight of all the recent deaths & killings they've needed to do. It's in this episode when not only does Michonne open up and put aside her stoicism towards the group and speak her mind regarding needing to 'be somewhere', but she for the first time truly struggles with a walker (the one with the rebar), and struggles with the idea of killing yet another one (the one she hesitantly goes after when they first reach the city).
Sasha is more than likely feeling the weight the most out of everywhere, where she doesn't even break down and cry.. She just looks emotionally defeated when she shovels in the dirt on Ty's grave.
This episodes overall mood of dread & exhaustion sets up the next episodes perfectly.
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While I didn't want Ty to die, especially so soon. I believe that not only did they do his character a huge service by sending him off on one of the most beautiful episodes of the show, but by having finally reach the peace of mind he's been wanting in the end, they gave him a bittersweet call off.
Shout out to the actors for an amazing performance. Shout out to whoever chose the music. & Double shout out to the film crew.
TL;DR Amazing episode. My favorite by far.
The people who seem to hate it, hate it for the following reasons:
1. They killed off Tyreese way too early - Something I agree with, but this isn't the fault, or to the detriment of the episode.
2. They seem to think the group being split is contrived in some way - Apparently, the idea that people let people in morning take a breather in relative isolation is unreasonable. They saw Noah needed a few minutes so they left to grab supplies, Tyreese stayed to protect him (because that's how Tyreese is) and Noah realized he wanted to see for himself his home, and irrationally (because he's in morning) left. Tyreese followed. Whats contrived? Whats 'bad story telling'?
3. The episode is slow / Not enough action - I don't know where people get the impression this is a Micheal Bay directed show. This is a character show that is about themes, characters, imagery, & symbolism (among many other things). The action isn't the central theme, but I respect your opinion may differ on rather or not the central themes aren't what you find 'good'.
----
I'm not a writer, so this probably wont be the best written review. But I believe the biggest thing in its favor is the themes it portrays and how well. To me, there are certain artistic works that require a certain perspective to see its beauty. There are some people who may read the Great Gatsby and see it as a book about a guy who is obsessed with a girl, but if you understand its themes & imagery, you'll truly understand the depth of the work in a way incomprehensible to someone who only sees the surface.
Themes
Time - Time is huge in this episode. When the group comes to the town what do they discover? A broken clock. When Tyreese is dying what does he discover? A clock stuck on 5:09 (season 5 episode 9), to spell it out: his time is up. As you're seeing his death from his perspective, seeing his recent life pass by through individual dialog with his hallucinations, you can see him come to grip with his actions and eventually come to the realization that his time is up.
Suicide & Purpose - Tyreese's character arch really started moving when he lost Karen. Since then he essentially went on suicidal rampages. It was only after he realized he needed purpose that he kept on going. He dug the graves. He decided he needed to find Karen's killer. He went out with the group to find supplies to save his sister. He did everything he could to keep Judith & the two girls safe.
When he told the story of his father & how he saw listening to the brutal news as his duty, I believe he saw that as mirroring his own duty to stay alive to make his positive mark on the world. His arch only ended when he concluded his internal dialog with realizing that he made his mark, he performed his duty by saving Judith & helping those girls for as long as he could & for saving Sasha from needing to put down Bob. He realized he could finally 'turn the radio off' or die in peace.
Emotional Tolls (exhaustion) - The entire group is feeling the weight of all the recent deaths & killings they've needed to do. It's in this episode when not only does Michonne open up and put aside her stoicism towards the group and speak her mind regarding needing to 'be somewhere', but she for the first time truly struggles with a walker (the one with the rebar), and struggles with the idea of killing yet another one (the one she hesitantly goes after when they first reach the city).
Sasha is more than likely feeling the weight the most out of everywhere, where she doesn't even break down and cry.. She just looks emotionally defeated when she shovels in the dirt on Ty's grave.
This episodes overall mood of dread & exhaustion sets up the next episodes perfectly.
--
While I didn't want Ty to die, especially so soon. I believe that not only did they do his character a huge service by sending him off on one of the most beautiful episodes of the show, but by having finally reach the peace of mind he's been wanting in the end, they gave him a bittersweet call off.
Shout out to the actors for an amazing performance. Shout out to whoever chose the music. & Double shout out to the film crew.
TL;DR Amazing episode. My favorite by far.