S06.E07: Heads Up

[riverheightsnancy]

This! I just think the writing is so clumsy to have her working on her statue.  This is the day after the Wolves slaughtered half their town, and there are people reading books, randomly walking down the street, and sculpting owls!?? (Granted, they were also taking lessons from Rosita, but then they suddenly reverted back to ineptitude).  This from the woman who oh-so-convincingly proclaimed that this is what the world looks like now. We have to fight or we die.  Um, ok.  So there are walkers outside the wall 20 deep and the best use of time is to work on art? I guess that kiss from Rick just made all the bad stuff just magically disappear?  

 

Don't forget she also made day after slaughter cookies!

[rab01]

This season will look much better on a binge re-watch than it has playing out on-air. Schrodinger's Glenn messed up all the narrative flow because every other plot line was just another "damn it, stop wasting time with the boring people and get back to Glenn."  That said, they did the do the one thing I demanded of the show -- they picked up his situation from the exact moment they left it and showed exactly what happened without any time jump. If it had happened all in one episode, it wouldn't seemed all that implausible an escape so I'm not too annoyed at them.

 

I like Enid and I can't believe I'm saying this but I like Carl. I thought her reactions were plenty sensible to me - why would she want to go back? Either it's not safe and she dies or she gets attached to people and watches them die - either way, why would she want to go back to that? As for Carl, I think he still thinks of Ron as his friend and wasn't being snide during the gun lesson. Carl is both a really good shot and has killed more people than Glenn so, in his own mind, he is an experienced soldier trying to help teach the noob in the platoon. Carl doesn't see all the malice coming off of Ron because Carl would never kill somebody because a girl liked them better and doesn't know he's in a TV show so has no idea that foreshadowing is being dumped on them like anvils.

Edited November 23, 2015 by rab01

[MrWhyt]

What I want to know is, how on earth would PD Jr. know which bullets were right for that gun? He'd never even held one until recently, and suddenly he can suss out the armory in 5 seconds flat? 

 

Guns generally have their caliber stamped on them somewhere. Match caliber stamped on gun with caliber on box of cartridges left lying out and you're good to go.

[Macbeth]

Thoughtful of Glenn to pick up a babysitter for Maggie.

 

I wonder how FPP will react to the church tower falling and opening up a breach in the wall for the zombies to come through?

 

Obviously God is on the side of the zombies.

[Happy Harpy]

Carol and Rick do differ somewhat. If Rick considers you one of the group, he will do everything he can to protect you and will forgive you pretty much anything; if you're in, you're in, but if you're out, you may as well be pond scum. Carol will do everything she can to protect the group, with the crucial difference that if you're a group member whose existence threatens the group, she will end you (Karen, David, Lizzie). 

You're right, but I wasn't talking about what happens inside the group. Things might have changed, but IIRC during the last "council", Carol and Rick were seeing eye to eye about the Alexandrians not being part of "their" group. So for Carol (and Rick, confirmed imo since he didn't mention her during his talk with Michonne) Jessie is an outsider. Hence my surprise at Carol confiding Judith (pretty much the apple of CDB's eyes) in someone who isn't part of the group, and my fear that it might be for some nefarious plot point concerning my Little Ass Kicker.

[Blinkoshuman]

 

They all apparently missed the random boards falling off it all episode that told us that something bad was about to happen to it.

As did I.  I thought the guys were pulling boards off the tower to use as lumber for the wall reinforcements.  der, der, der.

BTW...where are they getting all this lumber?

 

So...Deanna's kinda weird, right?  She basically skips up to Rick and Michonne, "look what I made!  plans!"  Rick says, "um...we've got kind of another thing we have to deal with."  Michonne takes the plans from Deanna like you'd take a scribble drawing from a 3 year old, "nice, thank you!"   Michonne was looking at them later on, but I couldn't tell if she was seriously considering what great ideas Deanna has or seriously considering that Deanna is cuckoo for cocoa puffs.

 

 

[dannymoon]

The way Glenn's sketchy "death scene" played out a few episodes ago, and combined with clues from TD, I knew he'd make it. I remember commenting that if he snuck under the dumpster without walkers noticing, there was a chance for him. And they did notice, but I suppose I can buy the scenarior that if he can stab the reaching walkers around him, which he did, they'd form a barrier to block more trying to get under there. *sigh* I'm trying! But the writers still suck for their lame manipulations. I know they claim to write the best story they can, and sometimes they succeed, but this was a pure exercise in watching TWD fans squirm and getting added attention for the show. But I find Glenn to be sweet and noble and hot and badass so I'm glad just the same. Anyone who can kill a walker while tied to a chair needs to stick around for the long haul.

 

I'll always love Rick but I can't believe this is the first time he got the finger. Deserved. But I get his panic, though I couldn't quite tell what position Tara was in to be considered in so much danger. She was over the wall but firmly standing on something right?

 

Carl, I'm sorry I said I wasn't a fan of your hair, because while your hair is unfortunate, it's superior to Daryl's mop and way better than your hat. Anyway, Ron is either planning on shooting Carl or Rick, though it's set up to look like Carl, and Rick will kill him. Works for me.

Edited November 24, 2015 by dannymoon

[AndySmith]

Can Morgan just die already?

 

Then she speechifies about how it's so much worse to watch the people around you die than to die yourself knowing you didn't do all you could to save them.

 

I hope this isn't some type of ironic foreshadowing for Rosita, what with Abraham and Sasha on the verge of having...something.

 

Tara offers the only visual answer that seems to fit

 

Oh, Tara. I heart you even more.

 

Ron is following Carl around, presumably with a loaded gun.

 

Maybe we'll get lucky and a double suicide over losing Enid will follow?

Edited November 23, 2015 by AndySmith

[xaxat]

Seeing (still) Baby Judith reminds of how much shit these people have been through in a matter of months.

[JBody]

Rosita knows full well what Eugene is all about. What she is worried about, I think, is his obvious terror spreading to the other machete trainees. By making an example of him in front of all of them, she was attempting to contain his fearful attitude and prevent the others from turning into Eugenes. Her speech to Eugene was for the others' benefit, not his. That's how I read the scene, anyway.

 

I actually like your interpretation better, as it is more generous to Rosita.  I thought her diatribe was over the top and ridiculous, but I haven't done a second viewing.  These are soft and scared ASZhats who are rightfully terrorized by a megaherd pushing in the walls; I don't think Eugene's fearfulness (and delightful snarkery) is going to make much of an impact on them compared to that.  Turning Eugene into the whipping boy was laying it on a bit thick -- but as Ghoulina and others mentioned up thread, she might be taking her worries about Abraham out on him (which kind of makes me gag, to be honest).

[Sakura12]

Keeping Glenn's fate from us for so long was stupid. Mostly since a lot of people called it so it didn't mean much when it was revealed. I'm happy he's alive but it was just annoying to have to sit though the pointless episodes to try to hide it. 

 

I was all for Tara flipping Rick off. He deserved it even though I understand he now considers her one of his. 

 

I used to like Enid when they were selling her an experienced walker killer like Carl. Because I'm interested in seeing the child survivors, the ones that have been living out there not ASZers. But now she's just a bratty teenager so she can go now. Or maybe I just imagined her how I made Clementine in the Walking Dead Game, a take no prisoners 9 year old, that will shoot a friend in the head to keep them from turning into a walker (after they were caught in a hopeless situation of course). 

 

Next week only looks interesting because it's survival of the fittest time. Hopefully they just take out Spencer, Father Pee Pee and Morgan for being an idiot, better yet have be taken out by the Wolf he's trying to save

Edited November 23, 2015 by Sakura12

[blackwing]

The only thing that didn't surprise me about Glenn's escape was that there wasn't a manhole cover underneath the dumpster that he escaped through.  I'd like to know why those walkers, which appeared to number in the hundreds, so quickly dispersed.  They were in a dead end, why wouldn't they have just stood there?  We have seen so many instances in the past of walkers in a building parking lot, school yard, etc that just stand around and don't go anywhere.  There are thousands of walkers right now at the Alexandria walls that haven't gone anywhere.  Why did these particular ones near Glenn leave?

 

I like Spencer so I'm glad he survived.  I find him one of the less objectionable Alexandrites, plus it'd be tough for Deanna to lose her whole family within a span of weeks.

 

Father Pee Pants is a waste of space.  Why is he even still there at this point?  What does he have to contribute to the community?  His unwavering religious beliefs that every little thing gonna be alright?   Pffffttttt.  He has already shown himself to be a coward and he openly denounced Rick, the man who pretty much led the effort to save and protect the community.

 

There had better be some payoff with this huge walker overrun.  I want to see some deaths, and not just those of redshirts we've never seen before.  I'm putting Ron, Pee Pants, Denise, Jessie and Enid at the top of my list.  But more likely, I think one of either Deanna or Tobin will die, and one of either Rosita or Maggie will die.  I'd be particularly ticked to lose Rosita, but wouldn't be surprised, since she actually got a larger speaking role in the past episode.

[Lyndy]

The Glenn reveal was some kind of bullshit. Just seems like they're too scared to kill off a major character. Now it's just the people we care about and a collection of redshirts. There are officially no stakes anymore. I mean, I'll reserve judgement in case they do something major in the finale but I don't have much confidence of that.

 

Also, ugh, when television stop it with the surly, pissy teenager crap? I am not interested in "you're not the boss of me" TV. Please eliminate all pubescent sulkers immediately.

[ghoulina]

Morgan's character confuses me. Ok, his outlook does. You can only try and talk down a lunatic for so long, but when that lunatic says 'whatever' and decides to do some real hurt, it's common sense to put a stop to that. Correct?

 

I don't think Morgan so much deep down, 100% believes this "All Life is Precious" crap, but it's more about him latching onto the only thing he believes will keep him from turning back into the raging psycho we saw in season 3. He think he HAS to adopt this mantra, because the minute he kills again, he'll go hog wild. I know that doesn't sound entirely rational, but I can see why he thinks that. 

[Grace284]

I know we're supposed to feel like Rick isn't giving the plucky Alexandrians a chance, and he's supposed to embrace his big new family, but I'm totally on board with his attitude of not risking lives to save these idiots when they do idiotic things. Although this "Rick rediscovers his conscience" thing is amusing. It's like a zombie apocalypse Grinch AU. Still, I hope he doesn't change too much. His juvenile tearing down of FPP's posters was a highlight of the episode.

 

Remember when the prison fence came down and Rick and Carl mowed down that entire herd of walkers all by themselves? This herd might be larger, but they also have more people and, I'd wager, more guns. They should be able to handle this!

 

But now they have to deal with a community of people running past them screaming, crying and accidentally shooting themselves in the face.

[RedheadZombie]

This is the first time in the long time that I went NO, NO, NOOOOOO! with Carol.

Judith basically traded the safest place for the most dangerous one. And since last I checked, Carol was Team "Those people ain't us" Rick, so  I don't understand the move, except for Plot. My worry for Little Ass Kicker is going to go through the roof during the invasion next week.

 

I would prefer Judith with Carol, but Jessie proved with the wolves that she can protect her child.  She's taking a page out of Carol's book.  From battered woman to badass fighter.  I wonder if they set up the scene of Sam in the locked closet, to prepare for Sam and Judith to hide safely.  Judith seems to be a rather quiet baby.  Lizzie taught her something.

 

Besides trying to hide Tara's (the actress's) pregnancy, it's funny that they are trying to hide the fact that the kid who plays Sam is now 6' tall by having him sit in all his scenes.

 

Funny that you said that!  I thought his scenes had a Gulliver's Travels feel, like he was a gigantic child sitting in a tiny house.

[Ocean Chick]

So... Glenn slides under the dumpster.  So if he can fit under there, why can't the hordes of walkers do so as well?  What stopped them from crawling under there and biting/scratching Glenn to death?  Yes, he might stick his knife into the skulls of the ones by his head, but what of the ones on the other side of the dumpster that were reaching for his feet and legs?  That was a stupid save.

 

And speaking of stupid saves - Glenn, just let Enid go ahead and die.  I'm tired of her and her emo attitude.  Yes, dear - you're the only person to have lost loves ones during the za.  You're a special snowflake.  Now go die a flaming death, please.

 

Carol and Michonne continue to be the best of us.  I know Carol left Lil Asskicker with Jessie because her house was right there, and she's babysat Judith not that long ago.  But also because of Plot Contrivance.  We need the baby to be in peril during the MSF, and Carol's arms are just too safe.  Michonne - just go ahead and slap Rick upside his head, thankyouverymuch.  Or take a clue from Tara and flip him the bird.  We'll all thank you for it.

 

Yeah, Coral was a little bitch during the shooting lesson, but that's what teenagers are like.  He wasn't over the top with it.  But enough so that we'll understand when Ron tries to shoot him (as he was obviously planning to do).

 

I, for one, enjoyed Rosita's little smackdown of Eugene.  Which means she's probably on the chopping block soon.  Especially since Abe's planning on kicking her to the curb.

[BananaRama]

Rick has had no use for anyone that he met since they lost the prison and I can't blame him. The first people they encountered tried to rape Carl and then the Terminites tried to eat them. He has lost his trust in people. I think that he will regain it in time. Michonne is a good influence, but I want her to have her own story other than giving him pep talks.

That's true. Before they lost the prison, Rick was acting a lot like Morgan. Rick was all "let's give peace a chance" at the prison stand-off with the Governor and then the Governor slices Hershel's head off and that was the EXACT moment when Rick realized that not everyone can change for the better.

[beaker73]

 

The only thing that didn't surprise me about Glenn's escape was that there wasn't a manhole cover underneath the dumpster that he escaped through.  I'd like to know why those walkers, which appeared to number in the hundreds, so quickly dispersed.  They were in a dead end, why wouldn't they have just stood there?  We have seen so many instances in the past of walkers in a building parking lot, school yard, etc that just stand around and don't go anywhere.  There are thousands of walkers right now at the Alexandria walls that haven't gone anywhere.  Why did these particular ones near Glenn leave?

 

 

I think they heard the gunfire from Alexandria and that drew them away.  

That's true. Before they lost the prison, Rick was acting a lot like Morgan. Rick was all "let's give peace a chance" at the prison stand-off with the Governor and then the Governor slices Hershel's head off and that was the EXACT moment when Rick realized that not everyone can change for the better.

Ah, yes. Farmer Rick and his Crops of Zen. 

[BananaRama]

I swear to Gods, Rick and Michonne are gonna be the death of me! The way she just snaps him back in line and he just seems to adore her for it. Gah.....help me.

The way that Rick was looking at Michonne, right before Deanna walked up to them, I thought he was going to kiss her.

[rab01]

Honestly, I liked this episode. All the characters acted like themselves, plus we got major characters talking to each other about stuff that matters along with a ramp up of tension that paid out with the tower falling - a fall that they set up weeks ago (albeit only a day earlier in the show's universe). For example, Spencer's move may have seemed idiotic but then he's a self-important, entitled, moronic, glory-hound (i.e., a born politician). He saw himself as the heir to Alexandria but notices his mother preparing to cede the crown to Rick and tried something incredibly public and heroic to change the political dynamics. This episode also left me wtith some guesses about the mid-season finale and some earlier stuff.

 

A guess as to the future - given how the show works so hard to try to "surprise" us, I think that the captured wolf will somehow end up saving somebody's life in the MSF. If he had escaped before the walls went down, or Carol hadn't found out about him, I could see it going very badly instead but now the only "surprise" use he has left is to end up being useful and then dying.  I think that fits their pattern perfectly. -- Also, they've now shown Morgan's philosophy explicitly endangering Rick and the community so now they will feel it's time for it to seem useful.  (They love to pretend it's an even-handed debate.)

 

A guess as to the past -- Rick's look of defeat in the van while the walkers closed in on him wasn't personal.  I now understand why AL acted that way if the Show wasn't even going to bother to show us his escape. Rick was counting on using the van to lure away the walkers. His fear, panic and regret were for his community and his family, not for himself.

[RustbeltWriter]

I'm in the minority here but I like Father Gabriel and Enid. I enjoy watching characters grow and change and for that to happen they need to start out as people we may not necessarily like. Thorughout the first two and a half seasons Carol wasn't much more than a victim who washed clothes and did dishes. Morgan was a lost cause in "Clear". Who knows what Father Gabriel and Enid can grow into given the chance? I loved the strength of his resolve when he rehung the flyers and wasn't cowed by Rick being a bully. Given Enid's age and experience she's acting just about how I would expect her to. I look forward to seeing both of them grow,

[Duke2801]

I found this episode the 2nd most riveting of the season.  The first being JSS.  I'm thrilled that Glenn is alive--crazy deus ex machina be damned. Ron trying to kill Coral and/or Rick is really gonna put the kibosh on that Rick/Jessie budding romance, eh? 

 

Ohwell, on 22 Nov 2015 - 10:11 PM, said:

Even though Porchdick Jr. is unhinged, I kind of understand why he would want to shoot Carl, because he was acting like a smug knowitall when Rick was teaching Porchdick Jr. how to shoot.  

 

I want Morgan to kill Carol. Just kill the bitch.  

 

To quote another of my dearly beloved shows... "Her?"  I mean, of all the people to want dead, I have a hard time seeing Carol at the top of the list but hey that's just me.

 

Valny, on 22 Nov 2015 - 10:04 PM, said:

OMG Glen is alive?! I can't believe it.... said no one.

 

No one ...  except the hundreds of people who were FREAKING the eff out at the end of "Thank You."   

[ghoulina]

But now they have to deal with a community of people running past them screaming, crying and accidentally shooting themselves in the face.

 

As long as Spencer, FPP, and Ron are included in that "community", I'd just shrug my shoulders and keep doing my thing. 

 

No one ...  except the hundreds of people who were FREAKING the eff out at the end of "Thank You."

 

I was freaking out. I was in such a state, I could not even use the remote when the commercial came. I was crying so hard I had to take off my glasses. I was screaming, "It's not fair!!!" at the TV over and over. 

 

That being said, I was not shocked that he was alive. If this episode had come right after "Thank You" it would have played out better. But all their chicanery with no mention on TTD, removing Steven Yeun's name from the intro, and giving us 3 freaking weeks to speculate made it rather obvious to me that he was going to survive. 

[JBody]

As long as Spencer, FPP, and Ron are included in that "community", I'd just shrug my shoulders and keep doing my thing. 

 

 

 

 

I was freaking out. I was in such a state, I could not even use the remote when the commercial came. I was crying so hard I had to take off my glasses. I was screaming, "It's not fair!!!" at the TV over and over. 

 

That being said, I was not shocked that he was alive. If this episode had come right after "Thank You" it would have played out better. But all their chicanery with no mention on TTD, removing Steven Yeun's name from the intro, and giving us 3 freaking weeks to speculate made it rather obvious to me that he was going to survive. 

 

Yeah, I liked how the recapper here put it: "Mystery solved! Badly! As everyone on the Internet had surmised weeks ago with all the squirrelly behavior and doubletalk on Talking Dead, Glenn Rhee is not dead!"

 

Has anyone here explicitly mentioned just what the hell Spencer was up to, anyway?  Because I don't believe his heroic cover story for one hot second.  I think he was fleeing an impossible situation, saving his own skin, because I believe (based on what they've shown us) he is just that selfish.  He had a backpack on -- full of crackers (like Kramer's briefcase on Seinfeld) -- that was his bug out bag, I think.  Bastard.

[TattleTeeny]

I thought everyone was issued a serious pair of boots with the onset of the ZA.  You mean the Alexandrians missed out on that too?

I miss Lori's boots; she chose wisely and stylishly (even if it appeared that a walker ate them with little effort). I don't buy leather unless it's preowned, but I have always loved the look of a good pair of brown Frye harness boots!

 

Morgan's character confuses me. Ok, his outlook does. You can only try and talk down a lunatic for so long, but when that lunatic says 'whatever' and decides to do some real hurt, it's common sense to put a stop to that. Correct?

I just don't like Morgan anymore. I don't know why the show decided to do this with his character.

 

Same here, but I still like him. His philosophy is valid for situations like that fence-impaled kid way back when; there was no reason to kill him after they brought him to Herschel's place. These Wolves were not that, to say the least; they don't deserve such a benefit of such a huge doubt--not when adopting an "all lives are precious" motto was completely disregarding the innocent people who were getting annihilated in the street.

I think Morgan is clinging to that mantra because he's scared of completely flipping back in the other direction. A while back a poster here compared his behavior to a recovering addict; I agree.

Also, no one noticed ol' Trapezin' Spencer setting up his plan until he was halfway across?

Edited November 23, 2015 by TattleTeeny

[txwatcher]

Morgan just for the record, Osensei meant killing should be the last resort. For instance, if your life or those you care for were in mortal danger. Sorta describes your current situation with The Wolves and other assorted murderous groups roaming about.

 

Yes I know he is a fictional character, but I just had to speak up for aikido.

 

Welcome back Glenn! You didn't miss out on the carnage.

 

And poor people Enid, she's just in time for more traumatizing experiences.

Edited November 23, 2015 by HalcyonDays
Removed weird <br /> tags messing up the post.

[ACW]

 I wonder if they set up the scene of Sam in the locked closet, to prepare for Sam and Judith to hide safely. 

 

$#!+, you're probably right.  Which means that Sam's probably gonna kill her, based on Carol's advice.

[shanndee]

Honestly, I liked this episode. All the characters acted like themselves, plus we got major characters talking to each other about stuff that matters along with a ramp up of tension that paid out with the tower falling - a fall that they set up weeks ago (albeit only a day earlier in the show's universe). For example, Spencer's move may have seemed idiotic but then he's a self-important, entitled, moronic, glory-hound (i.e., a born politician). He saw himself as the heir to Alexandria but notices his mother preparing to cede the crown to Rick and tried something incredibly public and heroic to change the political dynamics. This episode also left me wtith some guesses about the mid-season finale and some earlier stuff.

 

''''

 

Agreed. I'm just a little bummed that I don't feel more invested in the things that have been happening. I haven't been really excited yet this season. But I have felt this way about the show before, and things did turn around. Here's to hoping that I feel invested in the characters and excited by the scenarios again soon! :)

[truelovekiss]

Although Tara's middle finger was amusing I was little upset. Rick cares about that group and no one is Alexandria is worth risking your life for; not to mention she put everyone else in danger by proxy. She has no leadership qualities or skills so she needs to stay in her lane.

I agree with this assessment. Tara has held her own in the ZA world, and has provided us with some laughs. But she doesn't have Rick's cred. That being said, it is kind of fun to watch them give Rick some sass every now and then. But I think it also shows that in his mind (and Carol's) they never stopped being CBD and Alexandria. Tara is one of his, and he would die for her, like she would die for him. In his mind (and I agree with him) Spencer isn't worth the cornflakes he ate for breakfast, and risking your life for him is stupider than wearing open toed shoes to machete practice.

[cmfran]

Thoughtful of Glenn to pick up a babysitter for Maggie.

 

I wonder how FPP will react to the church tower falling and opening up a breach in the wall for the zombies to come through?

 

Obviously God is on the side of the zombies.

 

Yup, God was obviously mad that Rick took down Father Gabriel's prayer flyers.

[Haleth]

I haven't seen anyone mention how Glenn put down the walker formerly known as Alexandrian final note to his wife guy. (Can't remember his name.). Plus Glenn picked up the Toilet paper role note. Of course all hell has broken loose but I couldn't help but think how sad it was that the wife (can't remember her name either) is already dead.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Haleth

[diebartdie]

Why didnt Nicholas turn? There was a long shot of Glen looking right into dead Nicholas' face so why didnt he TURN?!?!?!?!?

[shanndee]

Why didnt Nicholas turn? There was a long shot of Glen looking right into dead Nicholas' face so why didnt he TURN?!?!?!?!?

 

Because he shot himself in the head so he would die and not turn.

[diebartdie]

Thank you! I forgot that for some reason, thank you :)

[WordsWordsWords]

I have only one quibble with the Glenn-is-alive scenario: They waited too long to show us. Not in this episode, of course, but in the overall arc of the season. This isn't a writer-chosen thing either. It's a show runner/producer one. Nevertheless, they should have shown us Glenn's fate the next episode or the one after that because stretching things out this long messed with the pacing. One of the most important elements in storytelling is pacing. Fast-fast-slow-fast-fast works well for horror, which is why I don't mind the occasional slower episode. But dropping the Glenn storyline for so long before picking it back up again was a bit of a mistake in my opinion.

 

On the other hand, Glenn's alive. He did what I (and zillions of others) said he'd do: He scooted under the Dumpster. Now, if it were me, I'd be zombie snax. No way could I fit under a danged Dumpster.

[Guest]

I know we're supposed to feel like Rick isn't giving the plucky Alexandrians a chance, and he's supposed to embrace his big new family, but I'm totally on board with his attitude of not risking lives to save these idiots when they do idiotic things.

 

Me too.  What makes me batty is that a couple episodes ago everyone (Michonne, Morgan, etc.) was all horrified that Rick wanted them to hold back at the fence and make the Alexandrians kill a few stray Walkers.  He wanted the Alexandrians to acclimate in a relatively safe and controlled environment and OMG, the horror and Rick is crazy and he's going to get these poor innocent Alexandrians killed. 

 

Now they have an actual horde to deal with.  Rick wants only their people to handle it and not the inexperienced Alexandrians because they will be more likely to fail or get someone killed.  Rick is talking us and them, sure.  But he clearly phrased the plan to do it themselves because they don't have the time to bring them along, which I took to mean train them to do what needs doing.   But Michonne is all dumbfounded that Rick doesn't see that this is something they should do together for a learning experience and unity.

 

As long as Rick is making decisions that reduce the total death count, then I'm with him on this.

[kj4ever]

I agree with JBrody....Spencer was just trying to escape.

 

So you are telling me that they already have Jessie, an Alexandrian, babysitting the crown jewel?  Don't get me wrong I like Jessie and hope she stays on the show for a while, but either she really gave Rick the night of his life or they are setting up some stupid situation.

 

Carl should be called HatDick.  He was a jackass to Ron.  Not that I want Ron to live or anything, but he came off like such a tool the way Carl was talking to Ron.

 

I hate the show runners for all the Glen drama.  I forget every once in awhile that this show is ran by marshmallow like nerd boys who were probably sitting back rubbing their hands like 12 years olds thinking how they got us all.  Then I remember and it pisses me off worse.

 

Die Enid Die.

[Soobs]

Jeez the Alexandrians are like baby ducks constantly wandering into storm drains and traffic. Cannot wait for Baby Judith's first walker kill. It's going to be adorable!

[lookattheflowers]

A few random thoughts:

I Lol'd at Michonne's expression when Tara gave Rick the bird.

They sure aren't trying to hide Alanna's pregnancy, when she turned to the side you could totally see her big ol' bump.

The background music has got to go. The piano sounds like we are sitting in a 70's lounge.

Carl is getting WAY to old for that hat.

Rick stressing that they have to be quiet, then he and Tobin make a racket pounding away at the boards.

[ICantDoThatDave]

No one ...  except the hundreds of people who were FREAKING the eff out at the end of "Thank You."

 

 

I could accept the idea that dozens of people were actually surprised to discover that Glenn was alive, but I can't see "hundreds".

[Guest]

I think there is another reason Rick is annoyed with Father Gabriel and his flyers, other than it just being Father Gabriel (although that's reason enough):

 

-Everyone at Alexandria is supposed to have a job, but Deanna assigned every Alexandrian a fairly useless job in the face in a zombie horde.  Deanna is having PTSD and decided to plan for the future after Rick cleans all this up for her (Rick doesn't feel like he can say anything because 1- Deanna doesn't know what to do anyway and 2- he went nuts and Carol stepped in for him when Lori died so he gets it )

 

- Deanna gave Maggie the job of deputy consultant on applying certain realities of required activities in a ZA (but Glenn is missing, Rick formerly nuts and gets it, can't ask Maggie to be a go between with the Alexandrians)

 

- Rick gives Alexandrians instructions and shifts to do stuff and thangs necessary to the communities survival.  They do the bare minimum or nothing at all and then whine about it.  I mean yes some went to machete class.  But did we see any ASZer on watch lately?  Jesse, who was the most on board with getting real about zombies, let Carol know that she wasn't open to taking extra watches even if it wasn't asked.  Only one ASZer came to help reinforce the wall. Its indicative of the environment. 

 

- This is a situation where people are getting on Rick about not letting ASZers help, but for the most part the ASZers aren't actually volunteering.

 

And now let me digress to the most fun thing about managing people {sarcasm}  Its when you are completely swamped and have to decide between taking time to ride herd on the slackers, ride herd on the slackers who don't think they are slackers, asking the people doing a little extra (but less than you) but are still more annoyed than you with the whole situation or just doing it yourself.  Rick is in 'I'll just do it myself mode.'

 

So Rick ripping off the flyer is Rick being annoyed with Gabriel not because he is going to have a prayer circle but because he and the vast majority of attendants have time for the prayer circle and leisure activities but not for any defensive activities beyond the minimum.

 

Its like getting slightly annoyed at the holidays that there are two holiday parties or whatever at work every week that are potluck that add to all the stuff you have to do.  Well intentioned but not making you less stressed out.

 

What needs to happen is if Michonne is so invested in including the Alexandrians then she needs to organize them instead looking at Rick like he's speaking word salad.

Edited November 24, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Macbeth]

Judith doesn't look like Rick to me at all.

 

I would say that it may be the shows way of saying something about Judith's parentage (Hello Shane)  - but the next baby(ies) cast could very well look like Rick, so....

Edited November 24, 2015 by Macbeth

[Nashville]

Here is my understatement of the year: Rick continues to show poor judgment with respect to the Anderson family.  The old Rick would have recognized that Ron holds a massive grudge against him for killing his father.  This Rick is not paying attention.  And neither is Carl, obviously, if he’s oblivious to Ron stalking him with a gun.

I wouldn't be too quick to jump to the assumption Carl is oblivious to Ron's presence behind him.

Survival outside the ASZ has ground into Carl situational awareness skills which Ron is in no position to comprehend, much less counter.

Two things working against Carl, though:

1. Ron may think he's "sneaking up" on Carl from behind; Ron's concept of "stealthy" is so bad, however, Carl may not recognize Ron's behavior as suspicious or menacing.
2. Carl doesn't know Ron has ammunition for that Glock 19 Ron is toting.

 

 

Speaking of other B characters, Rosita was way too harsh on Eugene.  Like really.  You’ve been with this dude forever, as long as you’ve been with Abraham, and you’re tearing a strip off him in the hopes he would suddenly, magically become a badass?  What was the point – to show the soft ASZhats – err, what exactly, that these numbskulls haven’t already seen since CDB showed up?

At this particular moment in time, Rosita and Eugene aren't traveling companions; Rosita is the drill instructor, Eugene and the ASZhats are the new inductees, and it's drill time.  First thing any drill sergeant will do to illustrate a point is pick a raw recruit who's doing it wrong and/or isn't paying attention, and introduce EVERYBODY to the concept of an "educable moment" - and leaving that raw recruit feeling a little rawer is simply part of the process. 

Rosita was going to have to single out someone for some volume-intensive education - and IMHO picking Eugene was a good idea.  Singling out an ASZHat for a chewing-out would have weakened the effect, as it might have been taken as yet another us-vs-them conflict.  Picking (on) Eugene sends the message Rosita will ream ANYONE for slacking regardless of prior associations - and that's a very necessary message.

 

Everything else has already been skillfully addressed by our delightful commentators here. 

 

Oh FPP – Prayer Circle by the Solar Panel – I had a laugh when Rick ripped the notices down.  But then I felt bad.  Carl and his “Daaaaaad!”  But FPP defiantly taped it back up.  Like Tara’s defiant finger flipping!  You can only go on like Captain Bligh for so long, Rick.

YMMV but I didn't see defiance in FPP's manner at all.  I saw resigned recognition - as in, FPP understood why Rick reacted with antagonism, and recognized he (FPP) had a heckuva lot of bridge-repairing to do if he wanted to regain any appreciable degree of goodwill with CDB.

[Clawdette]

In southern church-eze we are set for dinner on the grounds.

[chlban]

Unless the one is a pretty hairstylist/ sculptor/ soon-to-be widow.

.And if she's not already going to be a widow, not to worry, he can, um, work around that.

[truelovekiss]

I would say that it may be the shows way of saying something about Judith's parentage (Hello Shane) - but the next baby(ies) cast could very well look like Rick, so....

Exactly. The last Judith(s) was(were) strawberry blonde with blue eyes. Current Judith has olive skin, brown hair and brown eyes.

[truelovekiss]

I think there is another reason Rick is annoyed with Father Gabriel and his flyers, other than it just being Father Gabriel (although that's reason enough):

-Everyone at Alexandria is supposed to have a job, but Deanna assigned every Alexandrian a fairly useless job in the face in a zombie horde. Deanna is having PTSD and decided to plan for the future after Rick cleans all this up for her (Rick doesn't feel like he can say anything because 1- Deanna doesn't know what to do anyway and 2- he went nuts and Carol stepped in for him when Lori died so he gets it )

- Deanna gave Maggie the job of deputy consultant on applying certain realities of required activities in a ZA (but Glenn is missing, Rick formerly nuts and gets it, can't ask Maggie to be a go between with the Alexandrians)

- Rick gives Alexandrians instructions and shifts to do stuff and thangs necessary to the communities survival. They do the bare minimum or nothing at all and then whine about it. I mean yes some went to machete class. But did we see any ASZer on watch lately? Jesse, who was the most on board with getting real about zombies, let Carol know that she wasn't open to taking extra watches even if it wasn't asked. Only one ASZer came to help reinforce the wall. Its indicative of the environment.

- This is a situation where people are getting on Rick about not letting ASZers help, but for the most part the ASZers aren't actually volunteering.

And now let me digress to the most fun thing about managing people {sarcasm} Its when you are completely swamped and have to decide between taking time to ride herd on the slackers, ride herd on the slackers who don't think they are slackers, asking the people doing a little extra (but less than you) but are still more annoyed than you with the whole situation or just doing it yourself. Rick is in 'I'll just do it myself mode.'

So Rick ripping off the flyer is Rick being annoyed with Gabriel not because he is going to have a prayer circle but because he and the vast majority of attendants have time for the prayer circle and leisure activities but not for any defensive activities beyond the minimum.

Its like getting slightly annoyed at the holidays that there are two holiday parties or whatever at work every week that are potluck that add to all the stuff you have to do. Well intentioned but not making you less stressed out.

What needs to happen is if Michonne is so invested in including the Alexandrians then she needs to organize them instead looking at Rick like he's speaking word salad.

Excellent post, and it's a very relatable feeling to me as a college student at the end of the semester, stuck doing a group project in every class. Rick doesn't really strike me as someone who is particularly type-A by nature but he's just kind of looking around, like, "are you people fucking serious? How am I the only one who sees that we're all about to die?" And while he realizes he's probably better off without their lackluster help (because they'll probably screw it all up anyway), it's still fucking frustrating to see them pretending that there isn't a horrific army of the undead banging on the collapsing tin walls, and that a prayer circle at 1:00 is the best possible use of their time. Also, I know they addressed the punctuality thing with Dale in season one, but I can't help but role my eyes when they mention a specific time, as if it matters.

[thuganomics85]

So, in the end, the show took option B) Glenn miraculously escapes.  Not surprised.  This show isn't afraid to kill big character, but they usually save it for either premieres, finales, or mid season premiers and finale.  No way were they going to off Glenn in a random episode like "Thank You."  I just don't think they are quite there, yet (or ever.)  On one hand, I'm glad he and Steven Yeun are sticking around because I love them.  On the other hand, yeah, even for this show, his survival is extremely unrealistic.  And all the toying around with the audience and stuff, just makes it look silly.

 

I'm not quite sure where I am with Rick.  I mean, yeah, he is being a jerk to almost everyone and he needs to realize that isolating everyone who isn't in his group isn't going to endear him to anyone, and makes things even more intense.  But then Spencer pulls a stupid stunt like that and I'm with him on just wanting to tell these Alexandria folks (except probably Aaron) to go fuck themselves.  There is naivety and then their is stupidity, and most of them are falling into the latter.  Still, I liked Michonne challenging him on that front.

 

Dammit, Morgan!  I love Lennie James, but his character is just getting ridiculous.  He's now dragging Denise into his stupid "Save the Wolf, Save Humanity!" fantasy? I hope Carol ends this shit.  But I have a feeling giving Judith to Jessie is going to end badly.

 

I could give Ron the benefit of the doubt and hope that maybe he's going to shoot The Hat instead, because that really might be the worst character on the show (Gabriel though...)  Nah, he's totally going to sneak attack Carl like a putz.

 

Nice to see Rosita actually do something, by giving some folks machete training.  I do hope Eugene gets it together though.  I like him, but he is going to be in deep shit if he is already freaking out this much.

[Texasmom1970]

Carol leaving Judith with Jessie fills me with dread.

 

I live in fear of the inevitable bowl style haircut.....

I know. Everytime I see Jessie boys I mutter man what kind of shitty place did she learn to cut hair. Both their hair is awful!