S06.E09: No Way Out

[catrox14]

You know what I find amusing in myself.  Back in s2 or s3 I might have been rooting for Coral to be the Sam here but now, I would be gutted if they killed him off.

 

That's good character development and rehab.

[Eyes High]

I had to laugh at Denise's "We did put up a fight [when the Wolves invaded]. That's why your friends are dead" to the Wolf. What is this "we"? Bitch, you did fuck all.

 

There was way more sexual tension between the Wolf and Denise than I ever saw between Tara and Denise. And Denise is a lesbian!

 

I was watching another show when the hothead lead character, in a suicidally stupid fit of rage over a fallen team member, dove straight into the fray without backup. His team, desperate to protect him, followed him into danger despite the risk. Not unrealistically, said hothead immediately received a crippling injury due to his lack of attention and his team was almost to a man massacred. I get the rah-rah message of the power of teamwork, but I couldn't help but be reminded of the other show's more realistic outcome. (Not naming the show because of possible spoilers.)

Edited February 15, 2016 by Eyes High

[Nashville]

Guys...I'm completely inappropriate - during Rick's monologue, which was solidly given by Andrew Lincoln...and he was all, "I want to show you the new world, Coral..." I interjected, "One with no depth perception."

 

Exact same here.  Verbatim.

 

Lots of shooters close one eye.

 

Well, yeah - but not permanently....  ;>

 

 

Many (if not most) do, but the really good ones?  Both eyes open - which is really hard.

 

Just a matter of training and practice - of which I think CDB has probably already had more than its fair share.

 

 

It just occurred to me: was that lake the only water supply in town?

 

Well, it's only burning on top.  Might be a little zombie flambé-flavored for a while, tho....

 

 

 Any clue what caliber it was?

 

9mm, IIRC - at least, that was the caliber ammo Ron stole from the armory.

 

 

It depends. I usually have both eyes open but regardless you are sighting with your dominant eye. If Carl lost his dominant eye, he will need to relearn how to aim.

 

Well... by definition, his left eye is his dominant eye now.  For lack of alternatives, if nothing else.  ;>

 

My second thought upon seeing Carl's right eye shot out: Carl normally shot right-handed - he's gonna have to learn lefty rule from here on out.

 

 

When Denise and G'Day Wolf ran into the sunken court and hid - what was that dripping on the upper banister?  Blood?  If so, where/who from? 

Or was it just foreshadowing, and I'm expecting logic from a director?

[Cthulhudrew]

I shouldn't be surprised by the "cheat" of the mid-season cliffhanger and Sam's "Mom? Mom!", but I am.

 

I think I'm done with this show. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Whether it worked for you or not, what an episode.  Crazy from start to finish.  If only episodes like this could get 90 minutes, instead of snoringly bore fests like Here's Not Here.

 

-  So you're telling me that Daryl took out that dude with no noisy ruckus, especially since the guy had a chance to knife him.  Yeah-k.  Suuuure.  Totally believable.

 

-  Sam & Ron dead?  Yes!!  Jessie?  No!!!  Letting him do it when FPP volunteers to take and protect Judith?  Have you absolutely lost your GD mind, Rick!?!?

 

-  Hated that they had Jessie lose her shit - and thus her life - over Sam losing his and getting eaten.  She knew that would happen, but let him end up killing her family anyways.  Oh well, at least the 'Richonne'rs can stop angsting over that (potentially likely possible) relationship.  [re-opens the door for my two Rick-centric 'ship choices as well, so there is that tiny bit of good to come out of all that]

 

-  Rick completely checked out after getting Carl to the infirmary.  That wasn't the actions of a man who knew without-a-doubt that people would help him once he started.  That was a man saying "I'm just fucking done with it all, and going out like a raging boss!".  Still the reigning 'Superman of the ZA'.  One guy vs all the walkers until the others finally got off their ass to help out, and he was going strong before the tide started turning.

 

-  To hell with thinking the Wolf might have started a path of redemption with 'saving' Denise.  That was all about protecting the commodity, ie someone who could doctor him up.  Loved that Carol shot him and turned him into zombie feed... who, distractingly, looked very unchewed when Morgan took out him out as a walker.

 

-  Redeeming FPP.  *sighing as shakes head despiritedly*  Never getting me on board that train.  He'll never live long enough to make up for his past misdeeds and cowardess.  I was hoping someone would laugh derisively at him when he was telling them they (he) had the strength to survive.

 

-  Glenn looks like he's about to be devoured again; oh hey, no, he's fine!   That's twice in the span of 3 or 4 episodes, TWD... might wanna space things like that out just a smidge bit more, to avoid being annoyingly cliche.

 

-  Carol and Morgan are gonna be the best of frienemies. 

 

-  Why do people like Spencer still have a pulse? 

Going by the preview for next week, hopefully that won't be for too much terribly longer.

Edited February 16, 2016 by HalcyonDays
Tagged possible future spoilers

[nodorothyparker]

Dear show, we like lethally competent Daryl, especially when he's bringing the snark. Please give us more of that and less emo sad trombone Daryl we've mostly been getting since season 3. Also, he still needs a haircut or at least a pretty barrette.

The fact that most of us were either cheering or relieved when the entire Porchdick family was wiped out is testament to how badly that story was underwritten and presented from start to finish. No, I don't think Carol helped the situation with Sam any, but he's supposedly from a family where Dad beat Mom so badly that he left her unconscious in the street while little Sam locked himself in the closet. That's not a good recipe for an emotionally or mentally healthy child and he had only gone downhill since then as Jessie ignored all sorts of red flag behavior while trying to decide whether she was auditioning Rick for the role of husband number two. But the story was always about everybody but the family being abused and Pete as a character had all the subtlety of a bag of sledgehammers from his very first appearance as a Porchdick.

Rick's really lucky everyone else picked that exact moment to find their courage and decide the town was worth fighting for. And dammit, Michonne finally pushed me onto the Richonne train tonight. She really does love those kids.

Edited February 15, 2016 by nodorothyparker

[oakville]

My service went out while walkers were going into the lake of fire.  Anyone willing to fill me in on the last 3 minutes?

 

Daryl ... why didn't you suggest the oil fire, I don't know ... while they were all in a huge contained pit?!?!

 

Darryl didn't have an oil tanker at the beginning of the season. However, I thought that they should have contained the Walkers in the quarry by setting fire to them. Rick's plans keep getting people killed.

 

Rick was supposed to go the armoury with the group. He changes ideas & decides to go get a car. Just dumb.

[shanndee]

...

 

-  Fuck thinking the Wolf might have started a path of redemption with 'saving' Denise.  That was all about protecting the commodity, ie someone who could doctor him up.  Loved that Carol shot him and turned him into zombie feed... who, distractingly, looked very unchewed when Morgan took out him out as a walker.

 

...

 

Oh, agreed! That Wolf was a survivor, and very good at doing/saying exactly what he needed to do to keep himself alive. He was a manipulator, who took note of everything happening around him and used it too his advantage. It would have been a major coup for him to return to his group with a doctor in tow.

[AshleyLyn]

Damn Carl gets shot a lot doesn't he?

I only caught the last few minutes- the walker massacre and all. I told my non to change channel when it looked like Glenn would die.. She didn't.

I've been trying to catch up on show. But seriously Carls been shot how many times now? 2? 3? Memory fuzzy

[Nashville]

What did Abraham yell to Glenn after mowing down those walkers?

 

"Can you get the gate?... Appreciate it, pal!"

With a Happiest Man In The World grin.

  :)

[morgankobi]

I was ecstatic when the biker gang blew up-it was so unexpected. Love that.

 

So the woman who couldn't properly deal with an infection without a nervous breakdown a few days ago can now work on gunshots to the head? Sure.

 

Rick's inspirational speech about the ASZHats actually being able to learn and fight was nice and all, but there's only about 5 left, so that's not saying much.

 

Also, I know you want to be by your son's side, but maybe clean a little of the blood and zombie guts off before you sit by and touch someone with a pretty massive, open head wound.

 

So happy Aaron is still around.

Edited February 15, 2016 by morgankobi

[Mimiray802]

Jessie and family are finally gone! This is first (and I hope the last time) I have wished an entire family to be wiped out. I'm glad nurse Jackie chick Dr.? got her shit together otherwise she was fast becoming even more useless than Morgan. Once Carl finally wakes up Rick and Michonne can mourn the the death of  Carl's eye by vigorously comforting each other like rabbits.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I know it won't ever (realistically) be played this way on screen - or even mentioned - but how long did (do) they have to wait for the walkers to come back out of the lake to finish them off?  Those lit on fire were doused once under water - the ones that fire didn't somehow destroy the brain in the process - and they can't drown... ergo, they're still threats whenever they re-emerge.

 

But who am I kidding?  Logic handicaps are nice when needed.

[PunkyMouse]

This show began with Daryl BAMF Dixon blowing up the bikers with a grenade launcher and ended with everyone fighting together. AND FLAMING ZOMBIES! Everybody I wanted to live, lived. Even Father Gabriel stepped up to the challenge. The episode ended with hope. Everyone showed why they should survive.

Best. Episode. Ever. At least it's for me. I may never forgive Hershel being slaughtered by the Governor, but this episode almost makes up for that moment.

The Flaming Zombies tour continues! Woo! Edited February 15, 2016 by PunkyMouse

[RedheadZombie]

Rick was supposed to go the armoury with the group. He changes ideas & decides to go get a car. Just dumb.

Rick's good at improvising and reacting when plans go south, but not so much long-term planning. I think they need to go back to the committee they had at the prison. Glenn will fill Hershel's seat and be the voice of compassion and common sense, Carole is the stealth observer who takes no prisoners, Michonne is the cool and detached doer, Rick brings his police knowledge and know how but isn't the Ricktator. I think Abe's military experience would be useful. Throw in an Alexandrian (Tobin?) to be inclusive.

That way Rick's weakness (long-term planning) can be covered by the more strategic in the group, but he can still take over when things go to hell.

[WordsWordsWords]

This episode delivered the goods. It just did. Daryl rocked -- kinda literally with that RPG. I enjoyed (because I'm twisted) watching the Wolf work on Denise's mind. And then I whooped when Carol ended him. (Benedict Samuel cleans up very nicely. I found his description of the process of making his teeth horrid for the role of the Wolf fascinating. Like others, I'd do him in an instant if I weren't old enough to be his mum.) I thought the look of the final walker-slaughter-montage was brilliant. It captured the look of a graphic novel so well.

 

I can't wait for next week.

[Snakelite]

The actor playing the head biker was so familiar to me, but I can't place him. It's driving me crazy. Anyone recognize him?

[morgankobi]

Here's his IMDB: Christopher Berry

[Artsda]

That was such a fantastic episode!

[guilfoyleatpp]

I'm really pissed about the misleading mid-season cliffhanger..."mom, mom."

 

I'm watching you, TWD.  That's two.  

 

You fucking don't respect your viewers.  These tricks are shit.

[radrian]

Forgive me friends, but I found this to be a completely ridiculous episode. I've been with this show since episode one and put up with a lot of silliness, but this was just awful.

- How the hell does Carl get shot in the face virtually point blank and survive? Bullets don't ricochet off soft tissue like an eyeball.

- There's no quicker death sentence than being James Bond's girlfriend in a Bond movie. With that in mind, I'm surprised Jessie lasted this long. No surprise there. I'm kind of relieved her loser sons were killed as well. Knowing how messed up her younger son was, it was idiotic for her not to leave him with Baby Judith and Fr. Gabriel. However, would YOU trust your children with that goofball?

- Since when do walkers walk into fire? Did I miss the backstory on that behavior? Wouldn't the walkers be able to walk through the fire, extinguishing the flames, and just stroll on through to the other side? I recall an earlier episode with burned, ambulatory zombies, so I can't really buy this scenario.

- Regarding the amazing good-looking Wolf guy, did anyone notice (both in this episode and the previous episode) that the "W" on his forehead changed pretty dramatically from scene to scene? Lord, that's just sloppy.

- I'm sorry, but I just can't believe Our Band of Heroes (and a handful of Alexandrians) were able to kill the enormous herd of walkers. I guess it did make for a great gory montage, but jeez!

- So Eugene, Fr. Gabriel and Morgan all experienced their conversion-to-violence at the same time, in different locations? Bullshit.

- As far as I can remember, we've never heard Baby Judith ever make a sound. Her reliable silence has been very handy when they're around the walkers. So now we hear her crying in the church with, conveniently, no walkers around.

- Despite Carl's injury - NOT from a walker - Rick would NEVER take off alone, armed with an axe, into a giant herd of walkers. If the show wants to show us a change in Rick's attitude, this was an incredibly lame and lazy way to do it. I found it a to be a cheap plot device to get Our Heros to start their final (impossible) herd slaughter.

- And just an aside, what was that lame country singer doing on Talking Dead? She was nothing but an embarrassment and added nothing.

I had high hopes for this episode, but ended up feeling let down and pandered to.

[Happy Harpy]

This is why this show needs more scenes with Daryl and guns/crossbows/zingers and less with ants on cookies. Loved it. Welcome back, Mister Badass Dixon!

 

ICAM, this should have been the MSF.

 

The Porchdicks die = the show kicks ass. Coincidence? I think not. Don't rest in peace, excruciatingly annoying wastes of screentime.

My only quibble with the episode is that they survived for too long. With the "Mom", I thought they'd bit it in the first five minutes and I had to stand Blandie's whiny pep talk, whiny kids and bad parenting decisions once more. OTOH, it reminded me why I wanted them gone so much (sorry Sam, I initially liked you but you were doomed).

 

Please excuse me while I do a little dance because Ron is deaaaaaad! And my girl Michonne took him down after he hurt her son (yes, I dare. Carl is her son in every way that counts as they say on soap operas).

The Grimes and Michonne is my favorite relationship on the show. And the Grimes family goodness was delivered. Rick chopping Jessie's arm to save his son and the monologue at the end. Michonne and Rick taking Carl to the infirmary. Michonne holding Judith in the end, and double checking when Rick placed Judith in Gabriel's care.The kiss on the forehead, Michonne torn between staying with Carl or going to help Rick.

I need more of this, and if Rick/Michonne decide to officially become a family I wouldn't be against it. At all.

 

Loved that everyone kicked ass, especially Carol and Rosita. I really love Rosita. Loved that Denise and Enid stepped up. I liked that the latter's evolution mirrored Rick's, in the sense that he accepted the Alexandrians in his definition of "us", and she accepted she was part of an "us". I like her relationship with Glenn and I do hope he'll go on parenting her.

 

The characters who were on my shit list (Gabriel, Abraham, Gabriel, Eugene, Gabriel) won major redeeming points or their awesome card with me. Morgan isn't there because when he hesitated in front of Walker Wolf, I rolled my eyes and said out loud "Oh come on, not that schtick again!".

 

Hopefully, the second part of the season will focus on CDB and not so much on a ton of new red shirts. I smiled when Glenn hoped in the truck next to Daryl because I'm in for those characters.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Happy Harpy

[Dobian]

What an episode!

 

The Sons of Anarchy getting blown up by a rocket.

 

Denise: "Dammit Carol, you wrecked my chance to practice amputations!"

 

Rick making me cry as he watched possibly the last cute blonde on earth get snacked on before he had a chance to nail her.

 

Carl, eye-yi-eye!

 

Father Pee Pants rediscovering that the Crusades was when Christianity was cool, so grab a weapon and smite those heathens...er... zombies!

 

Dammit Abraham and Sasha, you spoiled another Glenn fake death!

 

The only thing missing from the big finish was Johnny Cash singing Burning Ring of Fire.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Dobian

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Here's his IMDB: Christopher Berry

Recognized him from 12YAS and Django Unchained.

[AwesomO4000]

Well I for one loved this episode. Things so rarely go right for these people, so I didn't mind an episode where everyone shows up just in the nick of time to save each other (porchdick family aside).

I found myself more than once being reminded of Buffy, first the rocket launcher, the Rick's spiel about wanting to show Carl the new world, which was reminiscent of what Buffy said to Dawn at the end of season 6.

I also really loved the weapon swinging montage. It felt like a comic book style scene, which was pretty cool.

 

I, too, thought of the Buffy season 6 finale during Rick's speech. Good thing I loved most of the rest of the episode then (The Glen/Enid scenes were a little slow, but I didn't hate them), because I haaaated the Buffy season 6 finale (don't get me started).

 

I loved the teamwork as well - and yay Aaron surviving.

 

And poor Carl... not only for losing his eye, but is it wrong that one of my thoughts during the final battle montage was that when he wakes up and hears about the epic battle, Carl is gonna be bummed that he wasn't able to be there to slaughter zombies alongside Rick and Michonne?

 

Also poor Carl in that whenever he tries to give people the benefit of the doubt, it it seems to come back to bite him in the ass.

 

And the Wolf just had to go all "Go on, go!" to Denise to get her moving as his final act while getting chomped. Nice attempt, but you were still too creepy.

 

Also as many have already noted: welcome back badass Darryl. Crossbow will be jealous that he didn't wait for her return, but Darryl needed a new toy and rocket launcher provided some awesome moments.

Edited February 15, 2016 by AwesomO4000

[mommalib]

Rick is such a bad ass he just decided that enough was enough. Loved him chopping Jessie's arm to save his kid.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

After surviving that night of slaughtering walkers, would've had me some whiskey.

Smoked a few cigs, cleaned up then had some earth shattering sex.

[paigow]

- How the hell does Carl get shot in the face virtually point blank and survive?

Magneto altered the bullet's trajectory.

 

Carl, eye-yi-eye!

T800: "45 long slide with laser sighting" There has to be at least one in Virginia....

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

After surviving that night of slaughtering walkers, would've had me some whiskey.

Smoked a few cigs, cleaned up then had some earth shattering sex.

 

Good idea, one I'd copy..... but not necessarily in that order.   lol

[jsbt]

I never post over here but that episode did my taxes.

[Eyes High]

- How the hell does Carl get shot in the face virtually point blank and survive? Bullets don't ricochet off soft tissue like an eyeball.

 

Carl's Injury: As I understand it, as they explained what was supposed to have happened on Talking Dead,

the bullet didn't directly hit the eye at all. Rather, the bullet hit his cheekbone at an angle, sending bone fragments into his eye and turning it to mush. In the comics, Carl took a direct hit to his eye that blew out not only his eye but also a good chunk of his face, including brain matter (picture here)

, but I'm thinking they changed the injury for the show to make it less patently ridiculous that Carl survived (and less patently ridiculous that TV Denise could save him, since the brain was not injured, only the eye). Whether this other scenario with the bone fragments taking out the eye is also medically ridiculous, I couldn't say (not being a doctor and all), but that seemed to be the show people's explanation of TV Carl's injury.

 

Greg Nicotero on TD blamed Jessie not putting her foot down and sending Sam away with Gabriel for Sam and Jessie's fates. I dunno, though; by the time the discussion with Sam happened about whether or not to go with Gabriel, Sam had already waded through a large crowd of walkers unscathed. Was it crazy of Jessie to assume that he could keep doing it as long as he needed to without breaking, given that he had already demonstrated that he could do so successfully? I don't know.

Edited February 15, 2016 by HalcyonDays
Comic Spoilers

[spinxella]

 

BBQ Asshole Bikers

 

 

Porch Dick Jr Shish Kabob

 

RIP Carl's Eye

 

Such a BADASS episode!!!

[mnfe]

I enjoyed this episode, but I have to say that the transition from day to night really bugged me.  It seems like such a small thing but for me it really broke continuity and it pulled me out of the story because I was trying to figure out what happened.  At first I thought it was poor shooting for the episode, then I thought they must've been walking through the Walkers for quite a while and were outside of the town.  But no, they're just up the street from the infirmary.  They only went a couple of blocks at the most in the time they went from full daylight to darkness!

[Ronin Jackson]

That was a good episode. Though it did make the stupid "Mom, mom" thing at the end of the last episode even more stupid by pretending it never happened. Anyway, the episode being good more or less means the show has fulfilled its quota of good episodes for the half season.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Ronin Jackson

[AbFabGab]

Wow. The characters who annoyed me most bit it (or, should I say, were bitten), Daryl M'fing Dixon stepping in with perfectly timed grenade launches, adequate amounts of zombie slayage and even Father Pee Pants put on his big boy Depends. This is pretty much the best I think I could have hoped for in a premiere - hell, I'd even be good with it as a season finale before someone annoying steps in to mess it up again.

[jsbt]

I was glad they took it a tad easier on Carl's face (believe it or not). In the comic half of his head looks like Sloppy Joe and it was typical Robert Kirkman XXXTREEEMEE!! overload. I expected Carl to lose the eye eventually but I'm glad they toned it down a bit.

[GaT]

Holy shit! I thought this was going to be a continuation of the crap, but Daryl took out the new batch of crazies (thank God, I just couldn't take another crazy in charge), & watching Sam & Jessie get eaten was awesome & watching Ron finally get his was pretty great too (glad that family is gone) , & then Carol took out the wolf guy, & Abraham & Sasha show up in time to save Glenn. & even Father Pee Pants & Eugene kill the zombies! Much better than I was expecting.

[thuganomics85]

Ha!  Daryl  just blowing up all of Negan's minions with the rocket launcher was an awesome surprise.  I figured something was going on when he and the one minion went off screen, but that was still a great reveal.  The head minion was fun though, but he totally deserves it for toying with Sasha and Abraham like that.  I do wonder what this Negan fellow will due when words gets to him.

 

And so ends the the most dysfunctional family in Alexandra.  Sam, the sheltered kid who would have probably gotten even more people killed at his rate?  Walker chow.  Jessie, whose main purpose seem to be just Rick's love interest and allowed Sam to be this sheltered?  Walker chow too.  And then fucking Ron, the little twist who allowed his hatred for Carl to make him freaking pull on them in the middle of a field of Walkers.  Walk.... actually, no!  Dead at end of Michonne's katana blade!  Even better!  Either way, I can't say I will really miss any of them.

 

Glad that the Wolf guy bit it too, and Denise pulled through.  I wonder if anyone else is going to ever find out that all of this was Morgan's doing, or if Denise and Carol will keep it to themselves.

 

Carl's eye sure looks fucked, but he's alive at least.  But if he gets the eye-patch, I just hope it doesn't automatically make him another Governor.

 

The folks at Alexandra step up!  Eugene steps up!  Fucking Father Gabriel steps up!!!  Miracles can happen!

 

Glenn really has the best plot armor out of the entire main cast.  At this point, I will truly be surprised if/when he does go.  And it will probably be something unexpected like catching a disease or tripping and falling off a cliff.  Walkers though, just can't see to handle him.

 

Only major complaint is no official Glenn/Maggie reunion in this episode.

 

Fun episode and a good one for the heroes, which means that the rest of the episodes will probably be bringing everyone back down in various ways.

[placate]

I love TV!Heath so much. He's so much more attractive than Comic!Heath. I liked that Eugene and FPP put up a fight this episode. I think Judith is a goner in the season 6 finale.

[SometimesBites]

Just watched, and at 1a.m. no time to read here yet. Loved it. Perfect? No. But damn fun TV.

[Glaze Crazy]

This is one of my favorite shows so I find myself easily forgiving the improbable actions taken by the characters, in order to get these gems.  Like a bunch of folks just hacking away at a walker horde without either being overcome or inadvertently hacking a fellow good guy, all the while having no clue that there was any possibility that someone would show up with a big fix, like a fuel truck and a lighter.  And that day-to-night sun drop was questionable.  I didn't think Alexandria was so big that walking even the furthest distance across town at a slow slog would go from full sun to pitch black, but that's on the showrunners.  This will probably be one of my favorite episodes in the overall show.  I was worried the showrunners had finally pushed their luck with the first half of season 6, but they pulled out a great return for the back half, IMO.

 

Daryl's look of amazement at the smoking rocket launcher was great, like he had no idea it would do such satisfactory damage to the bikers.  Loved Abe's little snark to Glenn about opening the gate, after taking out the walkers about to finish him off.   so glad to see some decent characters have reality checks and finally step up to their responsibilities in the ZA.  I really like the Eugene character so I'm especially glad he's coming around, even if he just wants to be part of the "story" being told the next day.  I never felt that Morgan wouldn't kill the walkers so he was more of a natural to take a hand in the battle.  I think every character still alive and standing on that porch the next day will be interesting to see how they do in the next chapter.   Sam was never going to make it in the ZA and both he and his brother were always going to be Jessie's Achilles heel, on some level.

 

Glad to see TWD back!

[forum4idiots]

welcome back, crazy rick. welcome back.

 

btw...pretty fucking epic episode.  one of the best walking dead to date.

Edited February 15, 2016 by lovebug1975

[CletusMusashi]

It was fun to watch, but on introspection most of the writing just seemed glaringly half-assed. I wish the whole episode had been narrated by Rosita, because she seems to be the only one involved with the show who understands how anything actually works.

Also, in that "God has given us a way out," speech, was I the only one who thought for a minute that FPP was about to literally sacrifice Judith?

Edited February 15, 2016 by CletusMusashi

[Guest]

It was fun to watch, but on introspection most of the writing just seemed glaringly half-assed. I wish the whole episode had been narrated by Rosita, because she seems to be the only one involved with the show who understands how anything actually works.

Also, in that "God has given us a way out," speech, was I the only one who thought for a minute that FPP was about to literally sacrifice Judith?

 

It was a hell yeah episode with lots of action that was a relief after so many boring episodes treading water that existed for no reason other than wanting the horde to cover multiple premieres and finales.  But if you think about any of the actual hell yeah moments at all, they make absolutely no sense because there was no way people would act that way except to set up the hell yeah moment.

Edited February 15, 2016 by ParadoxLost

[Pixiebomb]

If Jaime Lannister can learn to sword fight with one hand then surely Coral can learn to shoot with one eye.

Gabriel steps up. Does this mean I have to stop calling him FPP?

[CletusMusashi]

If we have to, we can always make the letters stand for something else.

But what I think it actually means is he'll be dead soon anyway.

Edited February 15, 2016 by CletusMusashi

[ghoulina]

I imagine Daryl was sad to have to blow up all those motorcycles.

 

HA! And, honestly, my first thought was all the weapons they incinerated. 

 

Morgan saving the Wolf was stupid but it didn't actually get anyone killed.  Which I think was on purpose to keep Morgan from having too much to answer for.

 

Maybe not that ACTUAL Wolf. But he let a whole group of them go, and that very group almost killed Rick. ALMOST. It was very close, and if had been someone else, they might have succeeded. 

 

What did Abraham yell to Glenn after mowing down those walkers?

 

In case someone hasn't answered this on the next page, he asked him to open up the gate. 

 

As Rick sat with Carl my main thought was that it's unfortunate they lost their hairdresser. Carl looked pretty and all but, he could do with a trim.

 

I don't think it was that big of a loss. Look at her kids' hair!!! I bet you could give Carol some shears and she could make everyone look pretty, in between baking casseroles and slaying bad guys. 

[sigmaforce86]

I'm going to go back and watch Daryl blow up the bikers about 10 more times just for fun. Not looking forward to Negan so any delay is fine with me; didn't like his storyline in the comics and probably won't like it here.  The only reason I want to see him at all is to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan but otherwise I hope they don't drag it out over a season or a more.

 

Knew what was supposed to happen to Jessie and family and wanted it to happen but wasn't sure if they'd change it for the show.  Glad they kept their deaths in.

Carl's eye though?  Did not think they'd do it.  For the show I really didn't think they'd let him get a permanent injury like that.  But I guess since they left Rick's hand intact they had to do something to keep close to the books.

 

My Mother is nearly 80 and won't miss a second of this show; no phone calls and no talking in the room while it's on.  But when they showed the day after the zombie invasion and all the bodies I suddenly hear her yell from behind me "Cleanup aisle 5".

[Haleth]

Note to the biker gang:  See what happens to bullies?  Eventually you come up against someone who fights back and you end up with your flaming skull on the pavement.  Do not mess with Darryl.  Sheesh, rookies. <eyeroll>

 

Speaking of eyeroll, poor, poor Carl.  That was one seriously ugly wound.  On the bright side a patch will be a nice accessory to go with the hat.

 

I was so, so afraid we'd lose someone we cared about from either the walker attack or Negan's gang.  So, so relieved they all survived.  Obviously I'm not counting the Andersons as anyone we cared about.

 

That is one hell of a mess in the streets to be cleaned up.  

[ghoulina]

Rick's good at improvising and reacting when plans go south, but not so much long-term planning. I think they need to go back to the committee they had at the prison. Glenn will fill Hershel's seat and be the voice of compassion and common sense, Carole is the stealth observer who takes no prisoners, Michonne is the cool and detached doer, Rick brings his police knowledge and know how but isn't the Ricktator. I think Abe's military experience would be useful. Throw in an Alexandrian (Tobin?) to be inclusive.

That way Rick's weakness (long-term planning) can be covered by the more strategic in the group, but he can still take over when things go to hell.

 

I agree with you completely. I've long thought that Rick is a great leader when SHTF, but the council would be a better way to run the day to day stuff, and would be a better representation of the group as a whole. I think Rosita might be a valuable member as well. I liked the way Tara was freaking out and being reactionary and Rosita put her in her place with logic. She seems pretty sharp, and she can definitely hold her own physically. 

 

- I'm sorry, but I just can't believe Our Band of Heroes (and a handful of Alexandrians) were able to kill the enormous herd of walkers. I guess it did make for a great gory montage, but jeez!

 

There was a lot I had to handwave this episode, but that wasn't really one of them. I've long thought the way these people get surprised/overtaken by walkers to be much more unbelievable. They're several years in now. Walkers are, by definition, brainless. They're fairly easy to kill. Remember how the 5 of them took out that group at the prison? They just did that tonight, on a larger scale. Really, if they would find some more body armor (or devise their own using carpets or something), they could form little moving circles like that and take out a whole bunch, really clear up their area of walkers. 

 

- As far as I can remember, we've never heard Baby Judith ever make a sound. Her reliable silence has been very handy when they're around the walkers. So now we hear her crying in the church with, conveniently, no walkers around.

 

She was crying in the woods with Tyrese and the girls. That's when Lizzie almost smothered her. There were definitely walkers around, because Mika was freaking out about her making noise. I recall her crying several other times, but that's the only one I can think of where walkers were an immediate danger. They've kept her pretty well isolated. 

 

Greg Nicotero on TD blamed Jessie not putting her foot down and sending Sam away with Gabriel for Sam and Jessie's fates. I dunno, though; by the time the discussion with Sam happened about whether or not to go with Gabriel, Sam had already waded through a large crowd of walkers unscathed. Was it crazy of Jessie to assume that he could keep doing it as long as he needed to without breaking, given that he had already demonstrated that he could do so successfully? I don't know.

 

I don't know if it was crazy to assume, but....why risk it? They were going to get cars. Sam can't drive. There was no point in having him along on this trek, and I probably would have put my foot down as well. As it is, I'm glad she didn't. =)

 

Also, in that "God has given us a way out," speech, was I the only one who thought for a minute that FPP was about to literally sacrifice Judith?

 

That wasn't my EXACT thought. But his eyes looked very crazy during that speech and I was just waiting for something awful to happen.