S05.E11: The Distance

[nodorothyparker]

The look on Rick's face when he realized he was hearing children playing inside the wall made sitting through 15 shades of increasingly unhinged paranoia worth it.

 

I was expecting to see more resistance to going too but I guess after you've been on the road in the same stinking clothes for weeks eating worms and dogs, any chance seems better than none.  Andy Lincoln does two degrees short of crazy very well.  Michonne taking him by the hand was awesome as was Carol acknowledging that he wasn't wrong to be super cautious even if he was wrong about this.  And welcome back Glenn.  Doing something other than holding Maggie's purse looks good on you.

[Raven1707]

Nah, the government could be useful. You could butcher them for food, without having to resort to eating humans.

Yeah, but you'd have to worry about food poisoning.

[Nashville]

I am concerned about the introduction of new characters but am content to see where it goes.

 

Gotta restock the cannon fodder every now and then.

[ghoulina]

I was expecting to see more resistance to going too but I guess after you've been on the road in the same stinking clothes for weeks eating worms and dogs, any chance seems better than none.

 

Daryl DID say the barn smelled like shit. So yea, at that point, they probably felt they had little left to lose.

[CletusMusashi]

So, what's the official number of black men who are allowed to live in a large community, in the D.C. area, once Rick's group arrives?

I mean, it's got to be a bigger number. So what is it? Five? Ten?

[HalcyonDays]

It really too bad that the writers won't go there with Rick and Michonne. Tonight showed that Rick and Michonne have potential to be a great couple. Carl and Judith would have two badass parents.

 

Totally agree. I "ship" them so much. What a great bond!!

 

Okay, first of all - excellent episode. Much more engaging than last weeks (which was more sad). Totally understood why Rick was so suspect over Aaron's motivations. Once one withholds information or refuses to disclose important info, yet asks Rick and the others to TRUST him....Nope. Rick wants to feed him the apple sauce. Yeah, you may not like it, but if you want Rick to trust you, suck it up and eat it. I know it was done to make Aaron look shady, but still. Some of his behaviour was quite suspect. Trust No One. I totally get Rick.  Also, you had Aaron saying "We need you..." and I'm like.....why??? Tell me why.

 

Hubby's prediction - Rick's group is needed to perform manual slave labour for the "community." I know the spoilers, but I thought the idea made complete sense. We had the Governor with his crazy dictatorship, Terminus with the cannibalism, so what's next? Slave labour. That's just what he thought and I was like....damn, yeah....makes total sense....

[MrsRafaelBarba]

@Irishmaple...

The walker kill in the cornfield, reminded me of when Glen got double teamed in Big Spot.

He took out the one crawling up his leg first, with a head shot.

Then opted to bash the skull of the other(right up close) with the butt of the same gun.

[CletusMusashi]

That barn must have really smelled of huge amounts of shit. Considering that it was detectable over the smell of Rick and Daryl.

[Macbeth]

I didn't realize how much I wanted it to happen until I saw Michonne reach for Rick in the last scene.

 

With so much danger - it is not believable that there hasn't been more hook ups.

[CatMomma]

 

She wasn't in the back seat alone for the ride, wasn't Carl back there - I assume someone was holding her and laid her on the seat when they got out (why, I don't know).  It was Aaron/Eric's car, no one had a car seat - though if they really wanted to be trustworthy, they would have brought one.

 

Even then, why the heck would Carl, or whomever, just leave her there to roll off the seat onto the floor.  I know car seats aren't readily available, but didn't the car have seat belts?  Even holding Judith while travelling would be incredibly dangerous.  Slam on the brakes and Judith goes flying.

 

See, this episode was actually pretty good. I'd even say it's the best since the Terminus story line wrapped up. I get the idea. Rick hears kids playing and gets Judith. It's all about hope.  But, things like that just take me right out of the story.

[Raven1707]

Aaron mentioned that his mother added ONIONS to her homemade applesauce to try and make a man out of him.

 

I love applesauce, but with onions? Yuck!

 

Although if Rick was offering to spoon-feed me, I might be tempted.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Raven1707

[SimoneS]

I didn't realize how much I wanted it to happen until I saw Michonne reach for Rick in the last scene.

 

With so much danger - it is not believable that there hasn't been more hook ups.

 

My one complaint about the show is so few couples and the lack of desperate sex.

[nodorothyparker]

With the exception of the napalmed walkers in 5A that I had to look away from, I've become pretty blase to most of the walker stuff on this show.  The flare gun to the skull definitely got my attention though.

[CletusMusashi]

We just did slave labor, over at Grady. It wasn't very well written slave labor, granted, but it was capturing people for forced servitude.

I personally think they want Rick's group for fuel. Daryl's hair alone could power them for eight months.

[ghoulina]

Hubby's prediction - Rick's group is needed to perform manual slave labour for the "community." I know the spoilers, but I thought the idea made complete sense. We had the Governor with his crazy dictatorship, Terminus with the cannibalism, so what's next? Slave labour. That's just what he thought and I was like....damn, yeah....makes total sense....

 

But if slave labor was what you needed, why pick Rick's group? Yes, they're strong. Physically. But they're also strong mentally. They're not the types you can just boss around. You'd have to be a pretty badass group to think you can take the fight out of Camp Dinner Bell.

[Maverick]

 I thought she forced fed him things he didn't like to make a man out of him:  salmon, onions and applesauce.

 

 As I mentioned in the other thread, who hates applesauce.  I get not caring for it, but it's so bland I don't get hating it to the point of not taking a spoonful when a crazy man is threatening you and eating it can only help your position with him.  I can understand gagging on salmon and onions, but applesauce?   Man up, indeed.

[mla40]

I would be as paranoid as Rick and I would have thrown Woodbury and Terminus in their faces over and over again until I made my point that they were stupid for blindly accepting the new guy and whatever words he was saying.

After finding the listening device I would have stashed my people away in the RV, sent Aaron and his boyfriend back to the community and staked it out for a week or two. Get a good view up in a tree and sat and watched and listened until I felt it was worth the risk. Granted they would have known he was there so they could pretend to be decent but it would give me a little piece of mind rather than just rolling up and going right in.

At the very least I would dump the priest, Noah, Tara and Eugene there.

[Nashville]

My one complaint about the show is so few couples and the lack of desperate sex.

 

I know, right?  Glenn and Maggie appear to be the most chaste couple of the planet.  The only action we've seen this season has been Abraham and Rosita doing the double-back dolphin.

[minamurray78]

I won't be able to stop thinking about that gun Rick hid before getting to the camp. How far do you guys think it was?

I didn't think anything about Judith's crying; Lizzie used to be around her all the time, Judith didn't even make a peep while she was knifing Micah.

[ghoulina]

At the very least I would dump the priest, Noah, Tara and Eugene there.

 

LOL, jokes (or not) aside, I do have to wonder why they didn't take an A-team in there to start, to see what they're working with. I guess maybe it was too far to risk being separated? 

[Raven1707]

Time for the encore presentation...

[SimoneS]

I noticed in this episode how Rick has trained the group to respond to his shorthand orders. He does not even  have to spell out what he wants, he calls their names and they jump to do it. Amazing, how they have become a cohesive team.

[ghoulina]

I won't be able to stop thinking about that gun Rick hid before getting to the camp. How far do you guys think it was?

 

I must be a bit confused, because I didn't see him leave it. I thought he was hiding it in the blender as a way to sneak a gun into the camp without anyone knowing. 

[Watcher0363]

So, what's the official number of black men who are allowed to live in a large community, in the D.C. area, once Rick's group arrives?

I mean, it's got to be a bigger number. So what is it? Five? Ten?

I've come to the conclusion that zombies prefer dark meat.  A cultural hangover from their Vous Deux origins in Africa. Atlanta and Washington D.C. is like the Beliagio buffet room.

[TexasChic]

I must be a bit confused, because I didn't see him leave it. I thought he was hiding it in the blender as a way to sneak a gun into the camp without anyone knowing. 

I thought he hid it and left it behind, but I may have to rewatch to know for sure.

[HalcyonDays]

But if slave labor was what you needed, why pick Rick's group? Yes, they're strong. Physically. But they're also strong mentally. They're not the types you can just boss around. You'd have to be a pretty badass group to think you can take the fight out of Camp Dinner Bell.

 

Rick's group is strong physically, therefore good for labour. Also, divest them of their guns and weapons, and treating them like slaves were treated in the past, that would (unfortunately) work, unless they would rather take their own life.

 

Michonne's attitude makes sense, because the last episode, she was willing to make the trek to Noah's family's community, because she thought it a possibility to "settle". This community better work out, but I still am quite wary.

 

I laughed though. The shot on the highway of the Washington Monument and the Capital building was true/correct (from what I remember), but then the next shot is like "yup, still in Georgia!"

[BrokenRemote]

It really too bad that the writers won't go there with Rick and Michonne. Tonight showed that Rick and Michonne have potential to be a great couple. Carl and Judith would have two badass parents.

I kinda thought tonight showed they don't communicate without words as well as we thought and that they're in very different, almost incompatible head spaces. The actors have good chemistry, but I think this week is one where the characters seemed somewhat far apart. Yes, he listened to her in the end, but it was also pretty obvious she was speaking for most, if not all, of the others.

[editorgrrl]

Pardon my rude labeling, but I'm terrible with character names: but did we ever find out what happened to the lesbian? The one who kind of had the bromance with Glen last season? I don't recall her getting killed off but don't think we've seen her at all this half of the season. Did I miss something? I kinda liked her

Alanna Masterson (Tara) is on Talking Dead next week. Fun facts: her half-brothers were on Malcolm in the Middle and That 70s Show, and she's a Scientologist who reportedly dated Tom Cruise's son Conner.

And according to this week's TD, the canned sketti was manufactured by the company Tara's dad worked for.

Edited February 23, 2015 by editorgrrl

[Valhalla]

I was expecting to see more resistance to going too but I guess after you've been on the road in the same stinking clothes for weeks eating worms and dogs, any chance seems better than none.

Michonne was right to put a spike in Rick's initial reaction, that there was NO chance Aaron's community could be good. There's at least a chance Aaron and co. are ok. But after Woodbury and Terminus, I'd expect them to take more precautions, like leave part of the group outside as the rescue party or something. Anything besides just driving right up to the gate and everyone hopping out. After all, Woodbury had kids too. And Aaron had a bit of Gareth's Starbucks Asst Manager thing going on.

[CletusMusashi]

Why was Rick so sure there weren't any cars? Questioning their location, I could see. Or thinking that there were 50 guys with machine guns waiting out there. But his words were "There aren't any cars." Emphasis his. So how exactly did he think Aaron carried all those bottles of water around without breaking a sweat?

[CatMomma]

Michonne was right to put a spike in Rick's initial reaction, that there was NO chance Aaron's community could be good. There's at least a chance Aaron and co. are ok. But after Woodbury and Terminus, I'd expect them to take more precautions, like leave part of the group outside as the rescue party or something. Anything besides just driving right up to the gate and everyone hopping out. After all, Woodbury had kids too. And Aaron had a bit of Gareth's Starbucks Asst Manager thing going on.

 

I dunno. The fact that Aaron admitted he tracked them for miles to make sure they were good people sets him apart from the rest. Terminus and Woodbury was all about welcoming everyone.  I didn't get the feeling his community welcomes everyone. I think that is why Michonne was willing to trust him.  Aaron was careful, just like CBD would have been.

Edited February 23, 2015 by CatMomma

[BrokenRemote]

I won't be able to stop thinking about that gun Rick hid before getting to the camp. How far do you guys think it was?

I didn't think anything about Judith's crying; Lizzie used to be around her all the time, Judith didn't even make a peep while she was knifing Micah.

Agreed. I don't think it was meant as a sign. Babies often pick up on the moods of their caregivers, and I'm sure she felt Rick tense up and his heart rate jump when a stranger appeared, and that it upset her.

[Raven1707]

 I thought she forced fed him things he didn't like to make a man out of him:  salmon, onions and applesauce.

 

You're right, I misheard...it was salmon patties, onions, and applesauce.

[islandgal140]

Now that was a good suspenseful episode.

I loved suspicious, trust no one Rick. Given the characters they have come across it seems logical to be that way. I would have appreciated at least a mention of how everyone they have run across with a 'community' so far has been a fucking pyschopath. I cheered when Rick knocked Aaron out. Cue Chris Tucker in movie Friday: "You got knocked the fuck out!!!"

It seemed odd to me that it was an all or nothing thing with the group. Why not send a few and see WTF is up and then come back for the rest if it is safe like they did when taking the kid to his home? Why they all got to go NOW!!!

WTH happened to their walkie talkies? Is that how Rick was able to find the group or was it the flare? I found that part so damn confusing.

I am surprised that Darryl didn't feature more prominently in this episode. I sort of see him as Rick's sergeant at arms, however, I did love the interplay between MIchonne and Rick so I ain't mad about that.

Nice to see that through drought and famine, Abe has been able to keep his henna rinse in Lucille Ball red fresh to death.

That barn must have really smelled of huge amounts of shit. Considering that it was detectable over the smell of Rick and Daryl.

I am always a bit WTF?!? when they mention being overwhelmed by the smell of shit and stuff. They live in a world where rotting carcasses freely roam the world. Hell, there must be about 20 or so rotting corpses implaled on trees right outside the barn and there probably hasn't been a horse in that barn for ages. How can the scent of horse and horse shit be worse than that?

Aaron and Eric were very cute together.

Edited February 23, 2015 by islandgal140

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I can't blame Rick for the extreme paranoia.  First there was Woodbury, then Cannibalism Cafe, I mean Terminus, and then the dead-end that was Noah's old community.  Not to mention the extremes these people went to follow them.  I thought maybe they had heard of Rick's awesomeness and that's how they knew who he was, but after that 'reunion' scene, I realize it was all about the BeardZilla look he's got going on.  Some guys just can't resist it.

 

Stupid sense of realism, watching them shoot a bunch of bullets, but then clicking dry when they need to create drama or "let's get creative & show a walker getting flare in the eye!".  And speaking of that; what a shot, with a flare gun, by a guy who used his last bullet from his normal gun to barely nick a walker - that's just a few feet away - in the shoulder!

 

Not sure how smart it is for everyone else to hear "we've got a community, you'll be safe!!" and then is almost instantly "rah rah; let's go!".  I guess Terminus and everything else was just a fluke.  Honestly not sure know how to take Michonne's new persona.  She used to be the most weary and cautious person around, but now she's all gung-ho on throwing caution to the wind and wanting to believe in anything remotely disguised as a 'good thing', no matter what.  And also, how wonderful that they allowed their excitement and joy of going to the community, they forget to 'questionnaire' the guy until their like halfway there in the car.

 

The need to update the questionnaire though.  1) How many walkers have you killed?  2a) How many people have you killed? 2b) How many of those killed did you munch on?  3) Why?  Were you protecting yourself?  Did they look tasty?   

[CletusMusashi]

I apparently have the least interest of anyone here in what foods Aaron's mother made him eat.

All I ask is that if he dies we are not subjected to an entire "Foods I hated as a child," conversation between him, The Governor, and Gareth. Well, OK, maybe Gareth would be entertaining.

Edited February 23, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[HalcyonDays]

I dunno. The fact that Aaron admitted he tracked them for miles to make sure they were good people sets him apart from the rest. Terminus and Woodbury was all about welcoming everyone.  I didn't get the feeling his community welcomes everyone. I think that is why Michonne was willing to trust him.  Aaron was careful, just like CBD would have been.

 

The tactics may change, but the reasons why a community would welcome more people is quite suspect. Extra people require water, food, clothing, shelter. Respecting humanity is one thing, but survival is another. Fact is, extra people are a burden and people are assholes/selfish/brutal. Again, trust no one. The reasons as to why Rick's group are so welcoming to Alexandria were never made clear....therefore...Rick and company should be quite wary.

[CletusMusashi]

Yeah, I would target smaller, less aggressive groups. That way you can avoid the troublemakers like Rick and Abraham, while still getting people at least as useful as Eugene or FPP or Judith.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I apparently have the least interest of anyone here in what foods Aaron's mother made him eat.

All I ask is that if he dies we are not subjected to an entire "Foods I hated as a child," conversation between him, The Governor, and Gareth.

Well, OK, maybe Gareth would be entertaining.

 

Something tells me Gareth wasn't much of a vegetarian. Wild guess.

Yeah, I would target smaller, less aggressive groups. That way you can avoid the troublemakers like Rick and Abraham, while still getting people at least as useful as Eugene or FPP or Judith.

 

Hey now, Judith has her uses.  That crying is an instant "come eat us!" ringing dinner bell for the walkers.

 

Loved how Aaron pretty much literally told Rick to shut up the little Walker Bait.  "Get her (apple) sauced, now, before I get roamered!"

[minamurray78]

Then again, a larger group makes them safer. Rick's group looks like they know how to handle their own with walkers, despite lack of food and water, they kept on going, their mistrust with the water made them look cautious (although they didn't notice they were being observed). All in all, quite capable. They would make a good addition.

Well, except for that thing I mentioned in the live chat thread.

[econ07]

I would be asking questions like:  "In a suburban center with so many people, how did you have enough living people to fight back the walkers and build a wall?  Also, how do you farm a suburban area? and gather sufficient food, especially with a growing population?"  Too many unasked questions for me to have gone into that place.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

The tactics may change, but the reasons why a community would welcome more people is quite suspect. Extra people require water, food, clothing, shelter. Respecting humanity is one thing, but survival is another. Fact is, extra people are a burden and people are assholes/selfish/brutal. Again, trust no one. The reasons as to why Rick's group are so welcoming to Alexandria were never made clear....therefore...Rick and company should be quite wary.

 

Not to mention wanting to bring in a guy who promises to "we're good people, but that doesn't mean I won't shove a knife in the base of your skull" if his people weren't back in an hour - no matter why they aren't back exactly at an hour or before.  Yeah.  That's the kind of guy I want where I'm trying to live as safely as possible.

[Ellaria]

The tactics may change, but the reasons why a community would welcome more people is quite suspect. Extra people require water, food, clothing, shelter. Respecting humanity is one thing, but survival is another. Fact is, extra people are a burden and people are assholes/selfish/brutal. Again, trust no one. The reasons as to why Rick's group are so welcoming to Alexandria were never made clear....therefore...Rick and company should be quite wary.

The advantage of more people is added resources. If the ideal is to create a new society, then more individuals are an asset.

However, food would an enormous concern. How many peas and carrots can you grow? Aaron mentioned something about Apple trees, I think. The food source has to sustain this community for a long period of time. Also, where is their water supply and how is maintained?

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Am I the only people who couldn't stop groaning when the guy says "it didn't develop right" as to why there were no 'people pics', answers very unsurely and (seemingly) deceitfully "I don't know... alot(?)" to how many walkers he's killed and then goes nuts after the flare went off [without context, at the time] - but everyone is still eager to believe and get to Alexandria and this community.  The Star Wars' Mon Calamrian general's "Its a Trap!!" scene kept running over and over in technicolor in my mind.

 

You weren't quite right last week, Rick.  Your group isn't the "walking dead", their currently more like the walking brain dead.

[bmoore4026]

They better not kill off Aaron.  It's nice to have a character that still has a modicum of a soul left, and I'm not talking about the Walkers.

[editorgrrl]

WTH happened to their walkie talkies? Is that how Rick was able to find the group or was it the flare? I found that part so damn confusing.

I am always a bit WTF?!? when they mention being overwhelmed by the smell of shit and stuff. They live in a world where rotting carcasses freely roam the world. Hell, there must be about 20 or so rotting corpses implaled on trees right outside the barn and there probably hasn't been a horse in that barn for ages. How can the scent of horse and horse shit be worse than that?

Rick said the walkies are out of juice.

Daryl couldn't say "Rick, you're wrong and Michonne's right," so he snarked about the barn smelling like horseshit. (Alexandria has an infirmary. Get that man to the barber, stat!)

[Disraeli Ears]

I laughed though. The shot on the highway of the Washington Monument and the Capital building was true/correct (from what I remember), but then the next shot is like "yup, still in Georgia!"

Before I moved to Denver, I lived in Alexandria for 5 years, so I had to say "that doesn't look like Alexandria" as soon as they were there (and from the glimpses in the previews). Even after a zombie apocalypse, there really wouldn't be an area of Alexandria or, say, neighboring Arlington, that would look that rural. I'm going to have to get over that as I continue to watch (knowing the show is filmed in GA still and it will always...look like GA)!

This was a good eppy. The zombie gore was pretty good (especially flare head), but we had a hard time seeing much detail in those scenes since they were so dark.

And while I think Michonne and Rick could be a good couple, I'd rather it didn't happen because the writers would mess it up...and Michonne would probably be the character that would suffer for it. Just let her raise Judith!

Edited February 23, 2015 by Disraeli Ears

[Samsnee]

I dunno. The fact that Aaron admitted he tracked them for miles to make sure they were good people sets him apart from the rest. Terminus and Woodbury was all about welcoming everyone. I didn't get the feeling his community welcomes everyone. I think that is why Michonne was willing to trust him. Aaron was careful, just like CBD would have been.

Who is CBD?

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

 

I am always a bit WTF?!? when they mention being overwhelmed by the smell of shit and stuff. They live in a world where rotting carcasses freely roam the world. Hell, there must be about 20 or so rotting corpses implaled on trees right outside the barn and there probably hasn't been a horse in that barn for ages. How can the scent of horse and horse shit be worse than that?

 

That scene could have won comedy gold if right after that line about the place smelling like horse shit, Daryl tilts his head down and sniffs at his own BO.  "oh wait... shit"

[editorgrrl]

Who is CBD?

I think she meant CDB (camp dinner bell), aka our heroes.