S07.E09: Rock in the Road

[Dobian]

I have to laugh that these people actually try to negotiate with Gregory.  The guy is powerless, he's a figurehead behind a desk. They can just toss him out the door and be done with it.

It was a surprisingly good episode overall, loved the zombie slicer.  Hopefully that Negan goon squad visit near the end will be the last one we have to suffer through before the battle begins.

[Lakebum]

Whoever sat up behind Father Gabriel is stealthy, small, and... well, probably a shape shifter. There was a clear shot of the back seat of that car, and there wasn't enough room for a normal human to climb in, hide, then rise up, much less to do any of them quickly, quietly or easily.

And how did he know about the boat -- either boat-- much less how to get there? And if HE didn't write "BOAT," then do we have to add yet another super-human skill to our shape-shifting garden gnome?

I guess we'll find out in 2-3 weeks, when Gabriel gets his stand-alone episode. (I'm just guessing about that, but it does seem to be SOP.)

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Well, this show keeps getting less dreary episode by episode, in a (very) few aspects.

In the last 4 episodes alone (along with groups seen in the last 2 or 3 seasons), we know there are [at least] 5 moderate to hugely sized groups out there in the general area relative to Alexandria;  ASZ, Hilltop, The Kingdom, the group Tara found, the new group from tonight, and the Saviors - & that's not even including CDB, although technically they are part of ASZ.  That's a shit ton of living humanity compared to how the 'very little left of life' there was that we had depicted for us in the first few seasons.

Considering the [viciously deluded] mentality of some and level of denial in others shown by those in charge, I think this might be apropos...

Edited February 13, 2017 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[Tesla]

40 minutes ago, Lakebum said:

Whoever sat up behind Father Gabriel is stealthy, small, and... well, probably a shape shifter. There was a clear shot of the back seat of that car, and there wasn't enough room for a normal human to climb in, hide, then rise up, much less to do any of them quickly, quietly or easily.

And how did he know about the boat -- either boat-- much less how to get there? And if HE didn't write "BOAT," then do we have to add yet another super-human skill to our shape-shifting garden gnome?

I guess we'll find out in 2-3 weeks, when Gabriel gets his stand-alone episode. (I'm just guessing about that, but it does seem to be SOP.)

I think they were supposed to be in the front seat.

[Anela]

This episode was better. I miss being excited that the show is back, though. I recorded it, as usual, made my tea, but was also chopping vegetables, and getting something cooking during the first half - I wouldn't have done that before. I watched, because I heard that Ezekiel was back, and thought Carol might be reunited with them.

I'm in the group that thinks Rick was smiling at all of the people with weapons. More people to fight. 

[AnnaMayWong]

Gregory was hilarious!

Not a Rosita fan...At all...

Carol needs to get with it or get ta steppin'. Tired of the isolation coupled with pain and rumination.

Oh, po' Morgan. Had to kill in this here zombie dystopian hellscape. REALLY(?)!  Well, too bad, so sad.

Still  l❣v  ya, Rick!

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

20 minutes ago, Anela said:

This episode was better. I miss being excited that the show is back, though. I recorded it, as usual, made my tea, but was also chopping vegetables, and getting something cooking during the first half - I wouldn't have done that before. I watched, because I heard that Ezekiel was back, and thought Carol might be reunited with them.

I'm in the group that thinks Rick was smiling at all of the people with weapons. More people to fight. 

Same.  (although wouldn't be surprised if it was because he saw FPP or someone else we haven't seen for a while)

[thuganomics85]

Man, rejected by not one, but two leaders of a massive group! Not a great start, Rick!  I'm sure they'll come around eventually, but I did find that amusing.  I know Gregory is a dick and I really don't understand why they bother, since they probably could just toss him out, have Maggie sit in the chair all "I'm the captain, now!", and most of Hilltop would probably shrug their shoulders, but that little weasel cracks me up.  I blame all of it on Xander Berkeley.  He is just having a ball in this role.

Ezekiel's reasonings were a bit more understandable, but I do think that Rick is right (gasp!), that he can only keep this "truce" for so long, before the Saviors decided to just do away with it and screw The Kingdom up.  I hope Ezekiel realizes this before it's too late.  Glad for his return.  He's a ball of ham, but I love him for it and the actor is still captivating.  And I'm glad Jerry's still around!

Nice to see the episode still found a way to have Carol show up and scare a child/teenager.

 Feels weird that they're suddenly having Rosita resent Sasha again, but I guess it's been a while since they interacted again.  At least Rosita did a good job defusing the bombs.

Daryl has the hide at the Kingdom, and silly Rick actually asks him to try and change Ezekiel's mind.  Yeah, Daryl is the least likely person in the entire group to actually have any kind of tact to pull that off.

Morgan is back to being a bit shy about the whole killing thing.

Negan's "eulogy" over the walkie-talkie was one of the few times I actually found him entertaining.  Still prefer Simon as the face of the Saviors though, but overall, the sooner the team drops them, the better.

Gabriel steals all of Alexandra's food and bails, and they track him down to where the boat was, and they suddenly get surrounded by an another group!  So many of them!

Rick and MIchonne use the wire to take out the horde was the highlight.

Better then the majority of the first half of the season, due to the majority of the team back together and actually working towards something.  And, of course, reducing Negan to only a voiceover through a walkie-talkie.

[Gulftastic]

After the Saviours had completed their search and the door had closed behind them, I half expected them to knock again saying 'There's one place we didn't look....' and all come trooping back in.

Better episode. Stuff happened! Things moved on. We met new people. 

And Rosita.....just yummy.

[spiderpig]

Rick seemed to be channeling his inner Negan when. he. told. that. story. about...the...rock.  Mr. pig and I kept yelling at him to just get to the point!

Agree that Alanna Masterson is absolutely awful, even when she doesn't have any lines to deliver.  That perpetual "duh?" expression gets on my nerves.

On the positive side, we had that classic motorized horizontal zombie guillotine.

[Happy Harpy]

That's more like it!

I actually giggled with glee when Enid brought her fighting farmers squad in. I don't even remember last time I had this reaction. Positivity becomes Enid, and Carl was proud of his GF, aww . [shipper talk/] Rick and Michonne's hands joining, almost better than their last scene.[/shipper talk]

Rick and Michonne *facepalm* shared look  alone, when Morgan began with his pacifist schtick again, would have made it worth watching this one. I like it when different POVs are confronted, but here the pacifist one doesn't have a leg to stand on imo, not after half a season was  wasted spent on establishing that Negan = Hitler with a baton fetish. I get Ezekiel's dilemma because he's responsible for his people and is relatively spared, but proposing a vague "peaceful" solution isn't going to to cut it with those animals. Lurch having a bad hair day is all it could take for their relative luck to end.

I really like the Kingdom people. CDB and the tiger, finally more humorous moments! I got my wish with Richard and Rick's alliance, but I think that Richard and Daryl might be new BFFs, too. Pink anvils were flying re: Ezekiel/Carol, I like the inversion of the "nice girl melts hardened guy's heart" here. Ezekiel seems smitten, I find it cute. Benjamin is such a sweet unicorn, I'm afraid he's in for a "break the cutie". Can he be friends with Carl instead? I also felt once more that something happened with Benjamin's dad.

Eric: "Did you pack your red shirt for your trip?" Aaron: "Nah, you can wear it if you want."

I love Bitchy Rosita. I found her reaction quite realistic, too. She and Sasha grieved the same person but it doesn't make them friends. I love, love, explosive specialist Rosita.  I also found her reaction to Gabriel's departure quite interesting, after they seemed rather close in the MSF. I think after she was betrayed by the one she trusted, she doesn't want to give the benefit of the doubt anymore.

I think that Gabriel is up to something, and I'm expecting some flashbacks to explain what it was. He looked more like a man about to make a huge bet and aware of the risks, than like a deer caught in headlights. He seemed to count the supplies he was taking, checking a list etc. Not a "take the money and run" attitude.

The dynamite retrieval and the Power Couple zombie slashing car ride was awesome, awesome, awesome. Michonne is so awesome that she can say they'll live, and they will. She's the Chuck Norris of TWD.

Hearing Negan's voice made me realize how much I wasn't missing him and how much better the show was without him. I could have done without the mention of oral sex with Lucille, if only because his obsession with his freaking bat is probably the most annoying thing about him. Carl is so going to kill off Toothy Pornstache in the most gruesome way. Don't piss off a Grimes.

Welcome back, Rick's "they're messing with the wrong people" smile! How I have missed you!

Edited February 13, 2017 by Happy Harpy

[JackONeill]

You know, if Rick were a door-to-door salesman, he'd be out of a job based on last night's show.

[Pixiebomb]

My prediction:

King Zeke refuses to stand with Rick until either Benjamin or Richard gets Lucilled in front of Him.  My money is on Benjamin.   Then Richard gives Rick all his Molotov cocktails. 

[JackONeill]

I had this crazy vision last night. I thought of Monopoly, what with Rick wandering around trying to form "neighborhoods." He wanted all the Greens and Blues. Then it dawned on me: Negan has (nearly) all the guns. Those are like Motels. But Rick how has the explosives. Those are like Hotels. Now, we just have to wait and see who steps were.

[paigow]

No better authority than Agent Smith to question the viability of Saviourdom..

"You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area"

How much is left to scavenge? How much agricultural production is happening? Is there a Mad Max oil refinery still running in Virginia?

[Haleth]

8 hours ago, Mu Shu said:

I think Heath went the way of the dinosaur.  Got shit canned, and show was too cheap to even pay him to act out his death.  I mean Heath was sort of a cipher of a character, and they have too many people on payroll now.   So they just said you won't be coming back, and we won't even bother to kill you.  But I have been wrong a time or 100.

Maybe they left his fate open in case 24 doesn't work out?

7 hours ago, CletusMusashi said:

To get Zeke to take him seriously, Rick should have had somebody walk behind banging two coconuts together.

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.  

Quote

I'd really like to know how these communities just pop up out of nowhere.  All these 'skilled' trackers roaming the country side and none of them know these people are there? 

Reminds me of Lost, how a deserted island eventually had a population density greater than Passaic NJ.

Good episode, especially from the explosive retrieval on.  Lots of suspense and one great visual stunt that will be long remembered.  Best thing was no Negan (even if we had to suffer his speechifying over the walkie and watch wannabe Simon swing his stuff around).  Love Zeke and know he will eventually come around.  (Yeah, probably RIP Benji.)  Rick's smile at the end was an unexpected directing choice that left us wondering.

[Dodginblue]

I like Rosita.   I like that "bitter but still someone who can get shit done" attitude.  Which seems totally realistic to me.   

It's a sign, to me, of how far this show has fallen, that it's reduced to building a mystery around the actions and motives of a loser character like Father Gabriel.  

Daryl glowers, Carol wanders aimlessly in the woods, Tara gawps, Morgan gives us some more peace, love and understanding and Rick is intent on building another coalition of the willing.  I stopped watching after the first two episodes last Fall and I'm satisfied after last night that I basically missed pretty much nothing.  

[ghoulina]

Well, this wasn't a bad episode for a mid-season premiere. It probably helps that my expectations of this show are so ridiculously low. But I always really enjoy the ensemble episodes. One of the good things that still exists on this show is strong acting from most of the leads, and a really wonderful chemistry between them all. I especially loved seeing Rick and Michonne back on the same page; and that double walker take down they did on the highway was really fun. 

Only Negan was a few soundbites from the walkie. So I was good with that. 

The pacing was good, they kept it interesting. I didn't really get bored at all, so that was nice. 

I do think some of the dialogue they are giving Jesus is getting really cheesy. And there was an overall abundance of telling not showing this episode. 

What I'm going to need to stop:

1.Carol being this aloof eeyore with everyone she encounters. If she wants to be alone that bad, go live in Alaska or something. Why is this show intent on ruining my favorite character?

2. Rosita being a fucking bitch with that damn sneer on her face all the time. I'm sorry that Abe gave you the shaft and then you watched him die while still loving him. That's got to suck. But you're not the only one to have lost someone, so simmer the fuck down. The way she spoke to Sasha was just NASTY. And since when is she an explosives expert? Am I forgetting something? 

3. Daryl speaking. Period. He has nothing of value to contribute to any constructive conversation. Just shut up until we need a soldier. 

I was glad to see the Kingdom again, as it's been my favorite non-CDB community thus far. I really really like what they have going on and would want to live there if I was in the ZA. I'm annoyed that Ezekial isn't joining the fight against the Saviors, and even more annoyed that it was likely because of Morgan's pie-in-the-sky "There has to be another way". No, Morgan. There is not fucking other way. 

I do have to say, as much as of a douche canoe as Gregory is I loved when he told Tara, "Let me stop you before you break into song". There was definitely some good comic relief in this episode. 

But now all Hilltop's redshirts are gonna diiiiiie. 

Um....where is Eugene? Have we seen him since the premiere? I, honestly, totally forgot about him until he was mentioned in this episode. I know Negan took him, but what are they doing with him? Why haven't they shown any of that? Or have we, and I'm spacing? 

So clearly the forest girls are going to end up joining forces with ASZ and Hilltop. Maybe that will get Ezekial to chance his mind. Or maybe Richard will stage a coup? At least we're moving forward....a little bit.

[CletusMusashi]

I think Rosita suddenly learned about explosives the same way that Beth suddenly got a nursing degree. As King Zeke would say: a wizard did it. Or as a Walking Dead nerd would say: the virus mutated. And started giving people random abilities. Next week we'll discover that Coral can tap dance.

Edited February 13, 2017 by CletusMusashi

[JackONeill]

The writers, I think, dropped the ball on telling/showing us who Rosita is. She was introduced with Abe, and she was wearing the unbuttoned top and short-shorts. I guess when the writers saw that that couldn't finish giving us her background. You know: premature exposition.

[DearEvette]

First episode I watched all season.  Not bad.  I was so happy that there was No Negan and then still had to hear his stupid voice.

I laughed so hard at the whole Ren Faire vibe of The Kingdom right down to the speech pattern.  I especially loved Ezekial calling Rick, "Rick of Alexandria" like that was a real motherfuckin' title.  Seriously, I think he knighted Rick right on the spot!

Rosita was flying her bitch flag high.  And it wasn't the cool sort of bitch but rather the little petty sort.  Jesus, Sasha wasn't asking Rosita to braid her hair,  she was letting out some frustration about their situation and  just happened to be walking next to Rosita at the time.  If she can't put aside the fact that a guy dumped her ass during a fucking Zombie Apocalypse where their group currently being made to bend over and take it by a psychotic bully, then her bitter ass deserves to die.

I think I rewound the Clothesline Mass Death scene like three times.  That was fun to watch. 

The look on everyone's faces when they got a load of not only Ezekial but Sheba was worth a rewind too.

[seacliffsal]

I really enjoyed this episode after pretty much hating the first half of the season.  

I would like to see Tara die or leave though as her over-reacting facial expressions to EVERYTHING kind of lessens some of the serious moments.  I really wish the actress had used some of her maternity leave to take acting lessons or something.  She really is the worst actor on the show and yet they have built her into a main role rather than a supporting role (with the women's island episode).

It will be interesting to watch Darryl adjust to life in the Kingdom; however it will probably be just what he needs after being imprisoned by Negan.  Oh, and I think that what Negan will miss the most about Fat Joey is making fun of him.

[festivus]

4 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Nice to see the episode still found a way to have Carol show up and scare a child/teenager.

Ha ha, yes. Unfortunately this also means Ben is doomed.

 

This episode had a few boring parts (Rick's story-this is what being exposed to Negan does to a person) but it was a big step up from the first part of the season. 

[nodorothyparker]

This wasn't a bad episode at all.  No solo episode isolating one or two of our core with new people we don't know or care about, no cartoon villain monopolizing half the run time with endless monologues, stuff actually happened, and there was even a bit of creative zombie killing thrown in for good measure.

I know the show wants us to see Rick as the guy who's always right and everyone should just fall in line, and I also know that will eventually happen here too, but I love that we got to see not one but two groups shoot him down for reasons that seem pretty valid from their perspectives.  While it's obvious that the show is painting Gregory as just this terrible awful no good very bad leader that of course Maggie will have to replace after plenty of the Hilltop red shirts are killed in the fight they were recruited into, he's also not wrong that Rick's group is the one that showed up with a "will mercenary for food" sign and then not only couldn't hold up their end of the bargain but brought retribution down on the Hilltoppers.  Gregory may be an ass but he's an entertaining ass who's managed to keep his group together and productive enough to feed themselves even with the Saviors taking their cut, which is more than Rick or snippy Daryl can claim.  The actor is also clearly enjoying himself in the role.

The same can be said for the Kingdom.  Our gang can roll their eyes all they want at the goofy Ren Faire affectations (although the collective WTF faces at their first look at the tiger were priceless), and Daryl and company can sneer all they want about the king not immediately rolling over for them but the Kingdom has food and a thriving community and even still mattresses from the looks of it.  They've clearly achieved a peace that they believe they can live with right now, so who are you to tell them 30 seconds after you got there that no, they have to get themselves killed following you instead?  I do love that Rick thinks monosyllabic Daryl has any shot at convincing anyone of anything after insulting them right out of the gate.  It probably says quite a lot about the history of this show that I find myself rooting for both groups to survive contact with Rick and company intact only slightly less than I want them to survive Negan.

Benjamin is a sweetheart and apparently the original Ezekiel-Carol shipper.  Ezekiel might as well be sending him through the woods with notebook page notes telling her to circle yes or no if she likes him back.  Of course this means we'll have to watch Benjamin die horribly probably in the next episode or two.

I'm okay with both Daryl and Rosita being bitchy after everything that's happened but I'm also okay with other people giving them the side eye for it.  Daryl and Rick's complete nonreaction when Morgan was telling them how he'd finally had to kill someone like a big boy was terrific.  You could almost see them both thinking "Dude, do you even have a clue what we've had to live through the last couple of weeks?"  They had that same look when Morgan was fumbling through his alternative idea to their fight plan after just being told the Saviors had murdered Abraham and Glenn.

[Primetimer]

Resist! That's what's on Rick Grimes's mind, but he's gonna need help from people outside Alexandria.

View the full article

[Dobian]

You can see what's coming.  The Saviors never actually enter the Kingdom and get their payoff elsewhere.  Now you can expect them to storm the kingdom looking for Daryl, trashing houses, knocking people around, maybe kill someone.  Maybe even kill the tiger.  And then it's war.  Kingdom will be on board.

Edited February 13, 2017 by Dobian

[AngelaHunter]

8 hours ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

Neither Rick nor Michonne even got a grazed by tooth - or hell, even a long jagged fingernail

I'm so used to that kind of thing it doesn't even prompt an eyeroll anymore. It was the same when Negan took him for that little joyride and he (Rick) was totally mobbed by zombies. Not a single bite to be seen. Tyreese too, was completely engulfed in a crowd and somehow emerged totally unscathed. We won't mention Glenn and the Magical Dumpster Force Field.  It's like some cheesy old '50s show where the hero can dodge bullets being fired by five people and not get even a graze, or only ever gets shot in the shoulder and it doesn't even hurt.

 

8 hours ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

wouldn't it have made more sense to have had the leader of the Saviors be 'Jesus'? 

 He's like Daryl - useful and all (I guess Jesus is supposed to be useful... somehow) but he's a follower and not a leader.  

[walnutqueen]

51 minutes ago, Dobian said:

You can see what's coming.  The Saviors never actually enter the Kingdom and get their payoff elsewhere.  Now you can expect them to storm the kingdom looking for Daryl, trashing houses, knocking people around, maybe kill someone.  Maybe even kill the tiger.  And then it's war.  Kingdom will be on board.

No, No, No.  Kitty kitty MUST live.  If only to eviscerate Neegan while everyone else is arguing about who gets to kill him.

Serious purrs. 

[Artsda]

What was with Rosita's attitude towards Morgan? Its not his fault all those people are dead, in fact he told you all. They blindly follow Rick and then give Morgan attitude for being right. He should have told her "I told you so" when she made the snotty response. Go send that attitude towards your leader who put you in this mess with Negan to begin with.

[maystone]

That last group Rickco met wasn't just all women. I saw a few guys as they came swarming out, and in Omar's recap the last picture clearly shows at least one male, possibly three. But yeah, overwhelming young women and hell yeah to that.

I'm wondering if Gabriel bumped into them on the day that he and Spencer went out scavenging but then Gabriel got out and walked back after calling Spencer a tremendous shit. One of my fave Father Gabe moments.

[AngelaHunter]

1 hour ago, nodorothyparker said:

Daryl and Rick's complete nonreaction when Morgan was telling them how he'd finally had to kill someone like a big boy was terrific.

I was thinking the same thing. Morgan makes it all into this really big, long, somber announcement. "I killed him. I had to do it." (So all life is sacred until he finds one that isn't.) Was he expecting hugs? Congratulations? An offer of therapy?  I was picturing Daryl thinking, "Like anyone gives a shit!" and was wishing Rick would butt in and say, "You wanna hear about all the people I killed? How much time do you have?"

 

1 hour ago, nodorothyparker said:

 I do love that Rick thinks monosyllabic Daryl has any shot at convincing anyone of anything after insulting them right out of the gate.

 Cringeworthy. This was an incredibly awkward, clunky, obvious and ridiculous contrivance to keep Daryl out of Alexandria so the Saviors wouldn't find him.  Yes, Daryl the Diplomat. Daryl the negotiator, who speaks as though words were a dollar each and he's a miser.

[Boofish]

12 hours ago, MichaelaRae said:

That was a refreshing change of tone from the first half of the season. Some actual hope and fight in our people, key groups finally meeting up, and some truly stellar walker carnage. But even in an episode where Neegan doesn't show, He's. Still. Fucking. Talking. 

I know everyone hates Negan and I'm gone let y'all finish but Fat Joey had the best eulogy of all times

I also think Rick was smiling because he saw people and guns. Not a familiar face

[Juliegirlj]

I actually fell asleep during the episode which has never happened to me while watching this show. 

It wasn't bad per se:I found it mediocre. I'm just not loving it anymore. 

Strange lack of wtf reaction to "King Ezekiel " from Rick and co. Bad cgi. Actors seem to be on autopilot-likely from lack of stimulating storyline and script. 

Watching Nicotera on Talking Dead behaving as if they created some kind of masterpiece had me bewildered. 

[Mu Shu]

6 minutes ago, Boofish said:

I know everyone hates Negan and I'm gone let y'all finish but Fat Joey had the best eulogy of all times

I also think Rick was smiling because he saw people and guns. Not a familiar face

I loved the fat Joey eulogy.  Turns out that when Negans on a walkie talkie and not mugging and leaning in person, he's pretty funny.   Then again, I wanted to smack everyone in our group who wasn't Rosita.  Especially Tara.  Good god, that woman must be working for food and medical benefits.  They can't be paying this inept actress scale to regurgitate her lines worse than Beth or Lori ever did. 

[Haleth]

2 hours ago, DearEvette said:

I laughed so hard at the whole Ren Faire vibe of The Kingdom right down to the speech pattern.  I especially loved Ezekial calling Rick, "Rick of Alexandria" like that was a real motherfuckin' title.  Seriously, I think he knighted Rick right on the spot!

Evette, it might be worthwhile to go back and watch the epi where we first met Ezekial. (7.2 I think?). He's the Wizard of Oz, not a crazy person.

[ghoulina]

Just now, Haleth said:

Evette, it might be worthwhile to go back and watch the epi where we first met Ezekial. (7.2 I think?). He's the Wizard of Oz, not a crazy person.

Definitely worth watching. The King stuff is so fun, and Ezekial/The Kingdom are my favorite newcomers in a LONG while. 

[mrspidey]

3 hours ago, paigow said:

No better authority than Agent Smith to question the viability of Saviourdom..

"You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area"

How much is left to scavenge? How much agricultural production is happening? Is there a Mad Max oil refinery still running in Virginia?

Fuel is my biggest gripe with the show. Just like food, this stuff has an expiration date. No car should run this far into the ZA. The comics acknowledged this long ago and people have returned to using horses and coaches. But I guess when you have a budget, cars are cheaper. 

[Haleth]

I'm not sure horses and buggies could have pulled off that zombie cheese slicer stunt. ?

[Boofish]

Gregory has managed to be #1 on my worst survivor list that includes Simon, Dwight and Tara (Negan is not on my personal list because I actually like him)

It's too bad Rick can't get an inside man to convince the people in Negan's camp that are working for points to join him. There is where all the power lies. 

[nodorothyparker]

I'm really loving Ezekiel and the Kingdom too, although I'm a little concerned that we got yet another mention of how Ezekiel is keeping it from the residents that they're also feeding the Saviors.  This show tends to be pretty heavy handed in equating secret keeping with THE EVIL and aren't all the people that managed to survive whatever smoking ruin their community is now that Rick and Co. have rolled through the better for knowing that they were being lied to.

Sure, Ezekiel is the Wizard of Oz, but he doesn't appear to be doing it for any nefarious purposes.  He's got a fully functioning and self-sufficient community and an apparent willingness to take in anybody who needs help, no matter how ungrateful they may appear to be.   The people who live there obviously don't mind the whimsy of being ruled by a king with a pet tiger.  It probably breaks up the monotony of vegetable growing and zombie killing now that cable is gone.

[Omar G.]

59 minutes ago, maystone said:

That last group Rickco met wasn't just all women. I saw a few guys as they came swarming out, and in Omar's recap the last picture clearly shows at least one male, possibly three. But yeah, overwhelming young women and hell yeah to that.

I'm wondering if Gabriel bumped into them on the day that he and Spencer went out scavenging but then Gabriel got out and walked back after calling Spencer a tremendous shit. One of my fave Father Gabe moments.

It's a weird reveal if it's NOT Oceanside, but yeah, I thought I spotted a few males in the crowd while watching.  I'm not seeing them in the screencaps, but it certainly could be a group that's not Oceanside but largely comprised of women. (Narratively, that seems like muddying the waters, but that's just me.)

[Mu Shu]

22 minutes ago, Haleth said:

I'm not sure horses and buggies could have pulled off that zombie cheese slicer stunt. ?

There are some Amish with mad buggy skills, though.  Come to think of it, the Amish are probably thriving during the ZA.

[maystone]

I love Ezekiel and the Kingdom, too. Actually, I love having all of these new communities in the show now. Each has its own dynamic, and that's how it would go.  Richard had a good (although throw-away) line about how in the beginning there were many small communities, but that most of them collapsed or were destroyed and the survivors eventually all found bigger communities to join. I really think that our guys were the anomaly in the ZA in that they spent so much time wandering around. Now that they're grounded, they're discovering that Alexandria isn't that much of an outlier in the new world. At some point soon Tara has to break and tell Rick about Oceanside, and when she does I'm really looking forward to the summit meeting with all four of the leaders.

I don't think Benji is zombie feed even if Carol does take a liking to him. He's the next generation of leadership in the ZA along with Carl in Alexandria, Enid at Hilltop, and Cindy at Oceanside. At least I hope the show starts pointing at that dynamic. Starting with the end of the MSF, the focus has moved to thinking about the future instead of only trying to stay alive in the present. I think that's what I enjoyed most about this episode - that shift in perspective among all our guys. Even Rosita will come around in time, I'm sure.

[magemaud]

This is my theory on who Rick was smiling at at the end last night: Whoever was wearing boots and using binoculars (let's assume it's a young woman) to spy on Rick and Aaron at the zombie lake at end of the the last episode, is the leader of that group of young, well-armed people. Somehow, somewhere, (off-screen but viewers will find out later in a stand alone episode) Gabriel has encountered her and took the food from the pantry to feed their group and she was the other person in the car. He lured Rick and the others to the boat because he knew this group was willing to help them fight the Saviors, and Rick smiled when he saw Gabriel in the crowd. 

Edited to add: That would also answer the question that Rick asks when he sees the pantry log, "How would he know we were out at the boat?" 

But here is the thing that is REALLY bothering me...WHERE IS JUDITH? Wasn't Gabriel her babysitter? Maybe I missed it, but when they got back and found Gabriel had left with supplies and a car, was there any mention of her whereabouts? 

Edited February 14, 2017 by magemaud

[AngelaHunter]

41 minutes ago, Mu Shu said:

They can't be paying this inept actress scale to regurgitate her lines worse than Beth or Lori ever did. 

Tara - she makes Beth look like Judi Dench. Just awful, and to think they gave her a whole episode to herself. When she said, "But he found his strength," I think I physically winced, both at the line and her delivery.

[Dobian]

31 minutes ago, Boofish said:

Gregory has managed to be #1 on my worst survivor list that includes Simon, Dwight and Tara (Negan is not on my personal list because I actually like him)

It's too bad Rick can't get an inside man to convince the people in Negan's camp that are working for points to join him. There is where all the power lies. 

Gregory is just annoying in a comically funny way.  What's stupid is that all these people still allow him to have any kind of a say in anything, but I'm guessing that is about to change.  Simon is the single worst character, even more so than Dwight.  All he does is ape Negan, affecting the same speech patterns and mannerisms.  He's a total troll, and it will be good to see him die a very undignified and cowardly death.  Maybe he's the one Kitty will eat.

[Ocean Chick]

So now both Ben and Eric are wearing shirts with targets painted on them.  Sorry, E&B - it was nice knowing the both of you.  Anvils hurt, so I'm hoping your deaths will be quick and clean.

Zombie cheese slicer reminded me of "Ghost Ship".  Too bad they couldn't take out the whole herd with it.  And yes, how did both Rick and Michonne manage to get through the remaining herd without bites or scratches?  Their plot armor is better than any armor The Kingdom has, for sure.

I love Rosita's bitchy attitude - very realistic.  She's not all sunshine and rainbows, nor should she be.  She got dumped in the worst possible way for Sasha - Abe made it very clear he was never in love with her and was just using her.  She has every right to be bitter.  But she still gets the job done.  Love that she knows about Blowing Things Up.  Sasha may be a sharp shooter, but Rosita is the demolition expert.

Gregory made me laugh.  Negan's eulogy for Fat Joey made me laugh.  I love Ezekiel and the Ren Faire Kingdom.  Can't wait to see what FPP has up his sleeve.  Can't wait to see what brings Zeke to the coming war.  Can't wait to see Negan and his gang to get their proper ending.

[DearEvette]

58 minutes ago, Haleth said:

Evette, it might be worthwhile to go back and watch the epi where we first met Ezekial. (7.2 I think?). He's the Wizard of Oz, not a crazy person.

Yeah, I think Imma need to.  I defiantly refused to watch any part of the first half of this season so this was my first exposure to The King!  TBH, I kinda feel like I was one of them (CDB) in meeting him like this for the first time.  LOL.

[MaggieG]

So what should we call the new group? The Jets, the Sharks or the Greasers? I did like Rick's smile when he realized he has his army.

34 minutes ago, Ocean Chick said:

Gregory made me laugh.  Negan's eulogy for Fat Joey made me laugh.  I love Ezekiel and the Ren Faire Kingdom.  Can't wait to see what FPP has up his sleeve.  Can't wait to see what brings Zeke to the coming war.  Can't wait to see Negan and his gang to get their proper ending.

All of this!

[Anela]

1 hour ago, maystone said:

I love Ezekiel and the Kingdom, too. Actually, I love having all of these new communities in the show now. Each has its own dynamic, and that's how it would go.  Richard had a good (although throw-away) line about how in the beginning there were many small communities, but that most of them collapsed or were destroyed and the survivors eventually all found bigger communities to join. I really think that our guys were the anomaly in the ZA in that they spent so much time wandering around. Now that they're grounded, they're discovering that Alexandria isn't that much of an outlier in the new world. At some point soon Tara has to break and tell Rick about Oceanside, and when she does I'm really looking forward to the summit meeting with all four of the leaders.

I don't think Benji is zombie feed even if Carol does take a liking to him. He's the next generation of leadership in the ZA along with Carl in Alexandria, Enid at Hilltop, and Cindy at Oceanside. At least I hope the show starts pointing at that dynamic. Starting with the end of the MSF, the focus has moved to thinking about the future instead of only trying to stay alive in the present. I think that's what I enjoyed most about this episode - that shift in perspective among all our guys. Even Rosita will come around in time, I'm sure.

I hope you're right. When I saw Ben and Carol, I thought that he would die before the end of the season, but also hoped that he would survive, and become a real friend for Carl (a guy around his own age), someone who can take care of himself.