I’m curious to see how The Walking Dead numbers stack up against the Oscars. Season 8’s ratings haven’t been stellar but I can’t be the only one who chose Rick and Michonne over the Hollywood gala. Right? Last week was intense. Carl is gone. Rick and Michonne’s world will never be the same. Rick and Michonne will never be the same. Tonight we see them navigate their new reality with permanently altered personalities. What could be more fun? An episode broken down into chapters, with chyron’s announcing individual narratives? I guess that would work.
Michonne
Grief. Walkers. Katana sword. Michonne comes up for air and finally sees the destruction the Saviors wrought on her home. The obvious solution? Grief. Walkers. Katana sword. She could kill every walker in Virginia but it will never be enough. Leaving Alexandria is doubly hard. It’s their home but it was also Carl’s. Judith and Carl’s blue handprints only tighten the vise.
On the road, Michonne tries to regulate Rick. Cradling Carl’s letters, she finds one to Negan. She begs Rick stop and read his goodbye. But Rick has stowed all emotional attachment. He can only bear to focus on war. Which leads him to Jadis. Sure, she turned on him for the Saviors. And she abandoned him at the Sanctuary. But numbers are numbers. You get them where you can. Something is wrong at the trash yard. It’s too quiet. And messy. Their walker welcoming committee explains a lot.
Negan
Negan reestablishes his stifling grip of control. To a man. Simon is tasked with bringing the Scavengers into line. He can kill one (as an example). Beyond that, intimidation is the only course of action. Negan is abundantly clear on that number. HIs men bring a gift from Maggie. A Savior, in a coffin, waiting to be dispatched. She warns she has 38 more. Simon recognizes one of his men. Which means Maggie has the rest. This just got personal. Lest Simon forget this is Negan’s show, he yells, he slams Lucille around. He gets his way. Funny how that works.
Enid
Enid’s peacekeeping mission to Oceanside ended with a bang (killing Natania). Now her and Aaron’s fate is in the hands of Cyndie. Enid explains that killing them will only bring more pain, not relieve it. Letting them live is Cyndie’s contribution to their war effort. Against Cyndie’s strident warning, Aaron decides to stay. He’s determined to win Oceanside over. Almost as much as he’s determined to die. Enid’s job is to report to Maggie. She knows she probably won’t see Aaron again.
Simon
Simon wants action. For now, he’s eating shit. Bite, chew, swallow, repeat. It goes quicker. He offers Jadis diplomacy, Savior-style. When she refuses to take the proverbial knee, Simon snaps. He shoots once. He shoots twice. He orders full-scale annihilation. Negan’s plan is out the window. Simon is playing by his own rules.
Jadis
Rick and Michonne go up, up, up to avoid the Scavenger walkers. Jadis, the only survivor, is a broken shell. The world she so carefully constructed is decimated. Her lifeblood, her purpose, gone. Her stilted language disappears. It has no place in the harsh reality of her current situation. Post-Carl Rick is unmoved. He doesn’t let Jadis escape with them. This is all her fault. She has to take care of herself. So she does. It includes turning her friends and family into mincemeat but it’s effective.
Rick
Rick assures Michonne he didn’t want to kill Jadis. He’s not a complete monster. Just a man in great amounts of pain. Instead of reading his letter from Carl, he reads Negan’s. The weight of Rick’s life settles over him. He gets on the walkie with Negan. Negan is genuinely upset to hear of Carl’s death. He had a real connection with the boy. Carl’s dying wish is for a truce. Instead, Rick doubles down. He promises to kill Negan. Negan blames Rick for Carl’s death. Just two alpha males, bro-ing out.
Next week: Daryl finds himself in bad company as his group heads to the Hilltop; Maggie makes difficult decisions at the Hilltop; Gabriel’s faith becomes tested.
I think I am hate watching this show, now. The writers are too cocky and disrespectful of the viewers, who have been long-time loyal fans. We can spot manipulation, characters acting out of character, and the fact that we are simply slogging through the season to get to the final showdown. They drag the plot out and pepper the struggling narrative with shocking images and violence.
It’s not enough.
That said, the conversation between Negan and Rick was well written. I wholeheartedly agreed with Negan’s indictment of Rick. He does make bad decisions, decisions based on emotion that wind up getting people killed.
I love your recaps, Lady C. They are smarter than the show these days.
i agree. Its like they are trying new things to make the show cutting edge, the names at the beginning of the different segments was not necessary and inconsistent throughout the episode. I realize I’m watching out of loyalty because the show has become a joke. Jadis’ acting was bad. She better when she barely speaks. The chopping up of zombies in the trash compactor was supposed to be extra gory and dramatic but it fell flat, I didn’t care and wasn’t shocked. I enjoyed the Rick and Negan talking over the walkie talkies scene. I was almost sucked in to what Negan was saying to Rick but then I realized Negan is a master manipulator and Rick won’t fall for his mind games.
I feel like I’m missing something with the blue paint. It was on the front porch with Carl and Judith’s handprints then again at the junkyard with Simon knocking over a can and then getting it all over his shoes. I feel stupid, like I’m missing blatant symbolism or a call back. I know Carl did the handprints with Judith was it supposed to be symbolic of Simon destroying their home? Or all homes? Cause Jadis too. They kept showing it. Is there something else with blue paint I’m forgetting?
Good question…..
I don’t know either.
I did not watch the Oscars either, instead opting for Homeland and the Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead is slogging through at a snail’s pace for any interesting themes and plots.
It’s very stale. Bland. Boring.
I much prefer Fear the Walking Dead and can’t wait for it to return.
Didn’t watch Oscars and don’t watch this any longer. Too many chefs in the kitchen. The characters have lost their depth and too numerous to care about. Bye Walkers
I turned from a big fan to a meh fan after Glen got Lucilled. Now Carl has died without fanfare…boring. Jadis’ comeuppance was cool but Rick should have taken her with them. I hope he goes back for her otherwise Rick would make Carl roll over in his grave. Every week Rick says, I’m gonna kill you Negan. If Rick continues on the selfish road he needs to step down and let Carol and Ezekiel take over. Megan needs to get bit like Carl did and die quietly. Let Simon and Daryl have a fist fight winner take all ! I hope the show gains back its glory days cause I am channel surfing during the commercials.
I believe the writer killing Glen and Carl was a big mistake ..people were heartbroken and pissed off I am 1 of them The show didn’t have to go there and it sucks that it did !!!
I LOVED this show, have watched it from the start, and this is the first season I have found myself completely disinterested in what’s going on. They have drawn this fight with Negan out too damn long, how many seasons now??? I just don’t care as much anymore. Pains me to say because this was a huge favorite of mine and I just couldn’t bring myself to watch it Sunday when Homeland was coming on instead lol
I will do my best to stay with it but it’s just a shell of what it used to be 🙁
Sometimes I feel like I’m the only fan left. I still really enjoy the show. I thought Jadis watching her friends and family turn into pulp was incredibly moving.
Aw, now I feel like a heel. Don’t worry. . I keep watching because I am the eternal optimist. And, it has its moments.
But I am looking forward to Fear the Walking Dead.
I never have watched the early show and end up watching Talking Dead first then the show ( Kids are up that this would give nighmares )
Knowing Carl died last week I really had no excitement to watch another show it pisses me off that Glen and Carl are gone.
I have missed whole seasons of this show and went back and watched then back to watching .. So I have never been a super fan as some.
I really was getting into ZNation on SyFy then it started getting really strange.
I hope TWD just doesn’t get so strange that I can’t watch anymore.
They could of killed Eugene then Negan wouldn’t of had the bullet maker…
The war I Totally Agree with everyone here this war has been drug out too lomg.
Kill off Negan or Rick but let it be over already. I perfer to keep Rick ..