The Walking Dead - Season 5, Episode 5 - "Self Help"

Blair Fink (Twitter: @BlairMFink, Instagram: @BlairFink)

Steve Bethel (Twitter: @the_lazy_gamer, Website: steveisthelazygamer.blogspot.ca)

"Call AMA."

The Walking Dead, Season 5, Episode 5, "Self Help"

EUGENE, YOU GENIUS

Can we just spend this whole recap talking about everyone’s hair on the show? I’ve brought up my Needs a Haircut Power Rankings (Carl's Cousin It is still leading but Daryl's Greased Weasel is not far behind) before so when the conversation early in the episode turned to Eugene’s mullet, I was all ears. The most important element of this was it showed how welcome a little humour can go a long way in a show as bleak and miserable as this one. I can’t remember any jokes or lightness in the early seasons whereas they’ve been sprinkled in more often recently and it’s been so great. This was why I’m concerned about who is going to fill Bob’s role of positivity and humour going forward. Finding that perfect balance of interpersonal buoyancy and gut wrenching drama is key for this show to remain at the high level it’s started out this season at.

Eugene hair, his Tennesee top hat. That made me laugh out loud, I've never heard that term before*. Eug, your hair has become so much of a talking point to fans that it has broken the fourth wall and is now a point of contention to everyone else! Considering the attacks on the poor man's choice of hair style he is still coming off as super sketchy. We found out more later, for now let's talk about Abe.

Abe had a family. Fairly safe to assume that was a possibility. However these in and out flashbacks didn't give us much information about them. Why were they in that store? How? Why were they afraid of him? Was it because he raged out and beat those men to death? Was that not to protect them? Is there more to him, that we were never shown, that would explain why they were afraid. Why they, a frail woman and 2 young kids, would take their chances out there alone without Abe? Will we learn more? Probs not...



At first I found the flashbacks a bit intrusive to the narrative and generally unnecessary but as the episode progressed and what it was trying to show us about Abraham’s character formed into something more coherent, I was sold. They were great, mostly because they were so vague. I hope that’s our only glimpse into his past. They were accents to the present day portrait of Ford, and thankfully not a long winded origin story that this character doesn’t really need. Abraham Ford is a simple man. He is barely more than an instrument. He is a hulking, violent instrument that you wind up, point towards a goal and let loose.  Without a mission, without a purpose, he is useless and lost. Will that become his character arc? Will his journey be to become someone who is comfortable in his own skin and useful to those around him even if he doesn’t have a goal to blindly obsess over?

CRAZY THEORY: The woman and children who Abraham was protecting weren’t his family but his surrogate family, someone he adopted to protect. Although this would mean that, judging from the wedding ring he still wears on his finger, his real wife would have already died before the grocery store events. Maybe this is what caused him to break and mash in all the shoppers’ faces in with a can of bean medley. 

PROBABILITY OF THIS THEORY BEING TRUE: Pretty low. And does it matter?

Back at the bus we see Eug and Tara building a relationship. Good thing they became friends otherwise who would he have told his secret to later on? We also see just how useless Eug is. Later at the library/book store we get more Eug and Tara, we get a very real fear from Eug. It’s the same fear that Dr. Steven had last episode: "If I'm of no use, will they get rid of me?" Maybe, maybe not. As well, we get his partial confession. More and more coming to light as we find out what Eugene really is, or more so, isn't. 


Not a scientist.

I can’t say I was surprised at Eugene’s big revelation.  I was shocked, however, despite growing evidence that this season is going to be hurtling through plot at a breakneck pace (The Speedwalking Dead?), that came up now, so early. I keep waiting for things to slow down and the plot to start spinning its wheels so the big events and cliffhangers are clearly taking place at the midseason and season finales. Eugene revealing his whole scientist shtick was a bag of hooey was the kind of bomb that I was sure was going to be saved for when they reached Washington or at the end of one of said finales. Nope, let’s blow this whole Washington arc to smithereens in episode five with everyone just standing on the road arguing over routes!

As despicable as Eugene’s snowballing lie was, I really felt for him and how brave he was this episode. He is obviously someone who is controlled by his fears and for him to make that small confession to Tara almost as a litmus test for how his ultimate confession might go over was a big step for him.

Abe hits his breaking point. Road block after road block he finally snaps. You get an understanding for his break down once Eug gives his reveal. Prior to Eugene's confession he lists the amount of people that have died to get them this far. In a flash back we see Abe and Eugene were the original 2 of their group. After taking up Eug's "mission" because everything else Abe had lived for is dead. To protect him that long, carry him through that much blood and death. Ya, I feel for Abe. You'll also note that Abe still wears his wedding ring. That was clearly showcased against his busted knuckles that he used to beat Eug with. His family died so he helped Eug, now that dream is shattered. What's left for Abe? He made protecting Eug his sole purpose.

Honest Abe’s going to need some therapy after this gut punch. Also, are we assuming Eugene isn’t going to die from facial devastation? He looked kind of rough at the end there.

So where do they go now? Do they continue to DC? Do they go back to the church? Will Rick still be there if they do? Do they go back to the bookstore/library? Will they ever join back up?



I say they turn the fire engine into a Mad Max-esque apocalypsemobile with spikes and a bulldozer blade and just battering ram their way to the capital. Oh who am I kidding? They should definitely hang out in the book store and read books. Especially if the books are in as good of shape as the copy of H.G. Wells’ The Shape of Things to Come that Eugene is reading. Beautiful cover on that book. I thought at first it was from The Folio Society but it wasn’t. If anyone’s looking for gift ideas for me for Christmas, anything from The Folio Society would be awesome. ;)

*A brief excursion into the internets resulted in these other names for mullets:

Mississipi Mudflap

Kentucky Waterfall

The Canadian Passport

Squirrel Pelt

Nape Drape

Camaro Crash Helmet

Shoulder Sweeper

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

- It's nice that Maggie is concerned about the rest of the group....even though she so easily wrote off her sister.

-That is driving me crazy. Seriously, would it have been that hard for her to mention Beth ONE FREAKING TIME during this episode?

- I've decided that a fire truck could possibly be the best zombie vehicle. Size, water, room, brilliant.


- Just a few badass modifications away from being unstoppable.

- Is Abe broken? Will Glenn have to step up?

- I actually think (and hope) this is Rosita’s window of opportunity to shine. She got the tiniest bit more to do this episode, even if it was solely based on whether or not she supported Abraham.

- Will Carol & Daryl bring some action back to this show?

- Looking forward to The Carol and Daryl Show. Let’s hope it’s SUPER ROMANTIC. *kissy sounds*

Blair's Rating: A-

Steve's Rating: 3 out of 5 peeping Eugenes

Blair's MVP: Eugene

Steve's MVP: Abe

Blair's Deadpool Pick: Noah

Steve's Deadpool Pick: Based on the preview, Dawn from the Grady Bunch

Steve is doing Movember again this year, so if you want to kick in a few shekels, head on over to his page: http://mobro.co/stevebethel121