Did find myself underwhelmed by the previous 'The Walking Dead' episode "Twice as Far". Didn't hate it sure, but having liked to loved all the previous episodes of the second half of Season 6 (starting with "No Way Out") and half of its first half it just didn't live up to expectations. Had heard mixed reviews too for the season's penultimate episode "East", though generally it was better received at the same time so watched it with both keenness and apprehension.
"East" was not a return to form for 'The Walking Dead' and is a long way from being one of Season 6's high points, but it doesn't see it going backwards either or see the season or show at its worst (somewhere around high middle if anything). While still finding that it had a lot of room for improvement, "East" was a much better episode than "Twice as Far" in my view and for all the flaws it has it also has a lot of good things that are enough to make it worthwhile.
Will start with the not so good. The story is a bit contrived, the whole thing with everybody leaving Alexandria was not particularly easy to swallow. Perhaps the episode takes a little too long to get going and it does affect the pace a bit, it probably didn't need to be as much set up as it was.
Daryl is one of my favourite characters on 'The Walking Dead', but this was a rare time up to this point of the show where his decision making was frustrating and came over as rather forced which did undermine what makes him so great a character. Carol's, another one of my favourite characters and one of the most consistently acted, character development took a step backwards in "Twice as Far" and again generally she is a pale shadow of the ruthless Carol we knew and loved in previous episodes. Oh and that cliffhanger ending is little more than gimmicky shock value.
There is a lot to like about "East" however. It looks stylish, the gritty and menacing atmosphere perfectly enhanced by the photography. No repetition or self-indulgence here. The music has a haunting presence but still succeeds in not being over-scored, obvious or too constant. The direction is alert to tension (if not in as claustrophobic a way as with "The Same Boat" for instance) but doesn't let the momentum rush.
Furthermore, while there is still some character stupidity and the pace isn't perfect, the script is much better (tighter and significantly less juvenile), there is much more tension and although it is a set up episode there is a lot more forward momentum and more of a sense of plot and character progression even if imperfectly executed. Apart from a totally killer moment with Carol, which is a more than welcome return to the Carol we know and love, the episode is most successful in the scenes and chemistry between Rick and Morgan, very intriguing and entertaining. The acting is very good, the best performances coming from Andrew Lincoln, Lennie James and Melissa McBride.
Altogether, not great but a well done penultimate episode that was not on the same level as the best of the season, but better than the previous one and a heck of a lot better than what came after. 7/10
"East" was not a return to form for 'The Walking Dead' and is a long way from being one of Season 6's high points, but it doesn't see it going backwards either or see the season or show at its worst (somewhere around high middle if anything). While still finding that it had a lot of room for improvement, "East" was a much better episode than "Twice as Far" in my view and for all the flaws it has it also has a lot of good things that are enough to make it worthwhile.
Will start with the not so good. The story is a bit contrived, the whole thing with everybody leaving Alexandria was not particularly easy to swallow. Perhaps the episode takes a little too long to get going and it does affect the pace a bit, it probably didn't need to be as much set up as it was.
Daryl is one of my favourite characters on 'The Walking Dead', but this was a rare time up to this point of the show where his decision making was frustrating and came over as rather forced which did undermine what makes him so great a character. Carol's, another one of my favourite characters and one of the most consistently acted, character development took a step backwards in "Twice as Far" and again generally she is a pale shadow of the ruthless Carol we knew and loved in previous episodes. Oh and that cliffhanger ending is little more than gimmicky shock value.
There is a lot to like about "East" however. It looks stylish, the gritty and menacing atmosphere perfectly enhanced by the photography. No repetition or self-indulgence here. The music has a haunting presence but still succeeds in not being over-scored, obvious or too constant. The direction is alert to tension (if not in as claustrophobic a way as with "The Same Boat" for instance) but doesn't let the momentum rush.
Furthermore, while there is still some character stupidity and the pace isn't perfect, the script is much better (tighter and significantly less juvenile), there is much more tension and although it is a set up episode there is a lot more forward momentum and more of a sense of plot and character progression even if imperfectly executed. Apart from a totally killer moment with Carol, which is a more than welcome return to the Carol we know and love, the episode is most successful in the scenes and chemistry between Rick and Morgan, very intriguing and entertaining. The acting is very good, the best performances coming from Andrew Lincoln, Lennie James and Melissa McBride.
Altogether, not great but a well done penultimate episode that was not on the same level as the best of the season, but better than the previous one and a heck of a lot better than what came after. 7/10