The Walking Dead - Season 5, Episode 15 - "Try"

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

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

"Are you not entertained!?"

The Walking Dead, Season 5, Episode 15, "Try"

THE WAY IT IS

Things are never gonna be the same.

Life’s been a bit crazy for both Steve and I this week so we're just going to do a quick bite-sized recap.

I wasn't crazy impressed with this episode. The was a lot of build up and a lot of focus on pairs of people. Sasha vs her demons, Glenn vs Nick, Rick vs Pete, Rick vs Deanna.

CRIME GRIMES AND PUNISHMENT

Rick’s ideas about justice differ from Deanna’s and how Alexandria does things. It’s a solid debate for these characters to have. The world is different, so what are reasonable changes you need to make to your moral code? Should you make any? Should you try to preserve your values from the world before or is it necessary to adapt to survive?

I enjoyed Rick and Deanna's talk, it really put it in perspective how differently you can run a surviving community. Neither of them are wrong per say, but I would say Rick's way has been working better in the "new world". He is right, if you just kick them out they can always come back, with more people. Rick knows that all too well...by being on the other side of it.

NICK'S DICK MOVE

To the surprise of no one, slimebag Nicholas is trying to lie and weasel his way out of taking responsibility for his actions at the warehouse last week. I appreciate that Deanna is not an idiot and doesn’t jump to any conclusions and seems to really consider everything. I think she knows who Aiden and Nicholas were/are and doesn’t totally believe Nicholas.

I did appreciate that she thought that all through and didn't just jump at accusing them. I also liked Glenn's talk with Nick. I'm assuming we lose Nick next week, along with a lot of Alexandria.

Extended 90-minute episode finale this Sunday. Will Rick be on trial? Are the Wolves (whoever they are) ready to pounce when the turmoil in Alexandria is at its peak and everyone is distracted and vulnerable? Will this new threat force Rick’s group and Alexandria to really work together and bond or will Alexandria’s incompetent stooges get people killed?

There is quite a bit to wrap up for this season, hence the 90 min episode I guess. We got "W'olves, Preacher snitching, Pete's fate, Rick's fate, Alexandria's fate. Do Daryl and Aiden find something/someone?

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

-Carl hair update:

-Where’s Morgan? Maybe the W is an M that stands for Morgan? I doubt it.

-What's the story on Preachers snitchin'? Is anything going to come from that?

-Carl and Enid sitting in a tree (literally), K I S S I N G (almost)

-More Daryl & Aaron adventures please, they can take the place of Sash's scenes.

Blair’s Rating: B+

Steve's Rating: 3 tickets to Banana Town on the Crazy Train with Rick out of 5

Blair’s MVP:  Pete’s Punchable Face

Steve's MVP: Glenn, mainly for his monologue to Nick

Blair’s Deadpool Pick: I guess I gotta go with Sasha, because of…

Steve's Deadpool Pick: As much as I hope Sasha goes I'm rooting for Preacher

The Walking Dead - Season 5, Episode 14 - "Spend"

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

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

"Ew."

The Walking Dead, Season 5, Episode 14, "Spend"

GUTS, NO GLORY

I'd shoot a grenade for ya.

Steve's been steppin' on the beach down in Puerto Vallarta for the past week so it's just me here. While I didn't end up making the interpretive dance video I know you're all clamoring for, I will include a few ideas I had for the dance had I actually done it. 

The likelihood of multiple deaths on the show is at an all-time high because, practically speaking, the cast has gotten way too big. There are too many characters to give them all a proper piece of the narrative so naturally, some have to go. Aiden's death was not a surprise and as shown by Steve and I's Five Who Won't Survive picks in the midseason finale review, neither is Noah's, really.

Interpretive dance idea: Play “Bruno Mars – Grenade” as I strut around and do my best cocky douchebag face. A lot of slow motion re-enactment of people getting blown back by the explosion.

I understand that the nature of this show leads to a lot of gruesome and gory scenes. That's part of the appeal. This episode however, at least for me, found the line between necessary gore and bad taste and then crossed it. It showed us toolbag Aiden getting his innards pulled out and we cringed. Then it kept showing it, and it was too much. It showed us Noah being pulled apart by zombies and we were properly horrified. Then it showed his face smushed against the glass before that was also ripped apart and it was, if we didn't care about Noah and it wasn't so disgusting, almost comically too much. Maybe I'm in the minority on this (let me know your thoughts in the comments) but it felt like I got the amount of gruesomeness I was accustomed to getting from this show and then it rammed more down my throat and that triggered my visual gag reflex.

Interpretive dance idea: Slowly releasing a handful of red confetti from stomach to represent Aiden's spilling his guts while “I Dreamed a Dream” plays.

Aside from the gruesome deaths, the warehouse run scenes I found very stressful. There was obviously going to be differences in protocol and safety between Glenn and Aiden's people and someone was going to get someone else killed. As soon as Aiden shot the grenade, I started worrying about how Glenn, Noah, Tara and Eugene were going to get blamed for it. I was thinking how, if the other toolbag (Nicholas?) also died and Glenn's group came back intact, how that might look after Glenn and Aiden's dispute a couple episodes ago. But they're hauling Nicholas back to Alexandria. I wonder what his story will be.

The other big development in this episode was Rick getting the excuse he was looking for to replace Pete as the man in Jessie's life. I am not a fan of this storyline and not only because I'm Team Michonne. Rick is falling too hard too fast and Pete being a drunk, abusive husband is just too convenient. Having Carol find out through Sam's unspoken words was a nice touch, though. Carol has taken on another role now: Lady Macbeth.

Carol held Rick's hand and they worked out a plan

And it didn't taken them long to decide

That Earl Pete had to die.

Nah nah nah nah naaaaaah
Goodbye Pete.

Interpretive dance idea: Something involving an owl costume and the drum score from Birdman.

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

-Abraham's story was the smallest of the episode but the one I enjoyed the most and was a nice break from the horror going on elsewhere. Abraham steps up and gets the job done and it was nice to see Tobin recognize that and step down without a fuss. I don't think this is the case but how great would it be if Alexandria was playing possum with Rick's gang? It doesn't really make sense but it'd be a pretty big plot twist. Alexandria as the Venus Fly Trap that Terminus aspired to be!

-Two episodes remaining (the finale being extra-long) and what do we still need to be resolved? The obvious clash between Rick's group and Alexandria's people. The Wolves. Morgan. Carl's haircut. Is that it?

-Does Tara survive the head wound? I say she doesn't die next episode but the one after. Her death could be the tipping point that sends Rick's group over the edge.

-How seriously does Deanna take Gabriel's attempts to sow the seeds of doubt?

-Why was this episode called "Spend"?

Blair's Rating: B

Blair's MVP: Glenn

Blair's Deadpool Pick: Pete

The Walking Dead - Season 5 Episode 13 - "Forget"

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

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

"I'm your daddy now."

The Walking Dead, Season 5, Episode 13, "Forget"

PARTY PEOPLE

Everybody just have a good time.

House parties and party poopers. Buttons and motorcycles. 

"Party poopers in the hooooouuuuse tonight. Everybody just have a bad time....."

The house party was somewhat of a lull for me. I get it, everyone is happy, everyone is "normal" (well, old normal, not new normal) and there is nothing to worry about inside the walls that Reg built/designed. I'm still wanting to trust Deanna, and maybe I should, maybe all this is true and good and right but maybe it's not her who we have to worry about...maybe it's Rick. 

"You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain." -Harvey Dent

That line sums up Rick right about now. With Reg mentioning all the nice things everyone said about Rick he really is quite the hero. I'm sure Reg and Dea wouldn't be so full of praise if they knew his backup plan.

Seeing these characters attend a dinner party in dinner party-appropriate clothes was very strange. Maybe I'm reading into something that's not there but was there a bit of a class warfare undercurrent to the party scenes? The Alexandria elite were practically falling over themselves trying to rid these poor, unfortunate souls of their burdens by pushing chardonnay and profiteroles on them, as though the party was just an excuse to pat themselves on the back for taking in these poor ragamuffins.

Aww, Daryl made a friend! It's interesting to see the shift in Carol and Daryl in this episode. Last episode had Carol being the little shoulder angel and Daryl being the devil to both taking a hard turn to the other end of the spectrum (Daryl not even wanting to take a handgun!). After a day in the forest of almost getting a chance to break a horse to losing said horse, after some very broseph moments, Daryl might have a new buddy and a new job. I wouldn't say Daryl is getting soft but he seems to be enticed by Aaron and his kindness, mind you if someone gave me a bike I would be pretty happy too. Asking Daryl to be a recruiter seems like a bit of a gamble. I know Aaron thinks he has good intuition but Daryl isn't exactly a people person.

While a little heavy-handed with the Daryl is the Wild Horse, You Guys! Metaphor (“He always ran.” “You were just trying to help him.”), I thought the Aaron and Daryl scenes were the highlights of the episode. We all know Daryl is a big softie under that greasy, grimy, scowly exterior so to see Aaron slowly earn his trust is a nice thing to see. I really like Aaron as a character so far and I really hope he doesn't turn out to be a villain. Wait, maybe I do. After The Governor and Dawn, we could really use a villain that is smart and calculating and not just batshit crazy.

I didn't care too much about Sasha and all her inner turmoil. If I want to watch someone deal with PTSD I'll go watch American Sniper again. She's just not really a character I am concerned with as I've been given no reason to be concerned with her. The big push for having her up in the clock tower was very forced and awkward and Deanna was right to be a bit suspicious.

Zack Handlen's review of this episode over at The AV Club perfectly captured the problem with Sasha:

"Try, if you can, to describe Sasha, one of the show’s secondary ensemble members. But you have to follow a few restrictions. First, you can’t describe her by race, or by gender; second, you can’t describe her in terms of her relationship to other characters. So “black woman who was Tyreese’s sister and Bob’s girlfriend” is right straight out. Also, try to describe her without describing her specific emotional state in “Forget.” What I’m looking for is a word picture of Sasha that will bring to mind her fundamental traits as a person, the elements of her personality and history that set her apart from the rest of the group. I want to know who Sasha is—not her reactions to the present situation, but the core self that drives those reactions, that make us care if she’s happy or sad or bordering on homicidal."

I like Sasha and I think Sonequa Martin-Green does an admirable job with what she has to work with. However, I didn't realize until I read the above thought experiment exactly what was missing from making her a great character. It's because we don't know who she is or who she was. She's suffering from the same syndrome Michonne did until recently. She's got the look of a good character and a good actress driving the ship but there's no cargo. Ultimately, Sasha's inner turmoil in this episode isn't as effective as it should be. We feel it as though we're watching a co-worker or a casual acquaintance go through something tough rather than a friend: we understand she's having a hard time and we feel for her, but we don't really know her that well so it doesn't break our hearts. Damn it, The Walking Dead, we ant you to break our hearts!

Okay, if I didn't notice the possum playing Carol last episode it is apparent now. As far as they are concerned ole Carol McClane might as well be Carol Poppins. Carol is my MVP this episode because she knows exactly what she is doing and how to play everyone. Talking casseroles with the girls, cookies with the pantry lady, being a little flirty with Tobin, and instilling straight up terror in little Sam! That whole scene of making Sam shit his pants totally reminded me of this scene. The proximity of the characters, the detail in the explanation, the look of horror on the kids face, all of it pulled right out of Jurassic Park. Loved it! Will he keep his mouth shut? I sure would. They made a point to show her taking extra chocolate, is that going to come back and bit her in the ass? 

I thought of this bit. Cookies or death? Cookies please.

I suppose this was a half and half episode for me. I enjoyed Daryl's bonding and Carol's terrorizing, but was bored with the party and couldn't care less about Sasha. Oh and I suppose there was some Michonne stuff in there too...

ROMANCE UPDATE!

Damn it, Rick! Pump the brakes! First of all, going full Smolder Mode while talking to a married woman in a place you just arrived at is a swift road to trouble. He kissed her on the cheek right? Not the mouth? Second, and most importantly, what about Michonne you big dummy!? She's the one for you. What happened to Constables in Love? What happened to Richonne? Jessie and Rick don't even make a good portmanteau! Rickessie? Jessick? Jick? Just nope.

I don't even know what to do with Rick fingering his gun while looking at Jessie's husband putting his arm around her. Rick's got it bad.

Richonne!

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

-Carl. Get a haircut. For real. In real life.

-Was Father Gabriel even in this episode? At all? Even in the background?

-Rick being initiated with his 'A' stamp, and then waving to the others with it all seemed very culty

-A “W” on the foreheads of zombies and an “A” on the hands of the citizens of Alexandria. Make of that what you will.

-Carol is such a bad ass! Hiding in plain sight like an Assassin! She is a ghost!

-This Week in Apocalypse Fashion: Michonne's constable jacket must have been too big so they cut it and sewed it up down the back. Looks rad. Being a tall, skinny guy, I often have problems with jackets that are too billowy in the midsection. I might have to use this technique with all my jackets.

-Why does Rick get to have his gun? Is it for show or is it loaded? And why does he hold his hidden gun when he runs?

-I don't even like horses and that scene where the zombies bring down the horse was not fun to watch. Poor Buttons!

-Final scene was very Face-Off-ish

Blair's Rating: B

Steve's Rating: 3 quarter bars of chocolate out of 5

Blair's MVP: Aaron

Steve's MVP: Carol

Blair's Deadpool Pick: Aiden

Steve's Deadpool Pick: Maggie, please, just die. I mean that in the nicest way.

Closing aside; my wife and I are off to Mexico this Wednesday and returning next Wednesday, so I will not be commenting on next weeks episode...unless Blair wants to delay it until I get back. As I type this I think to myself; I probably should have had this aside privately with Blair first...oh well.  VIVA MEXICO!!

I'll probably just post a video of me conveying my analysis of the episode through interpretive dance, so you're off the hook.

The Walking Dead - Season 5, Episode 12 - "Remember"

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

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

Aw yiss.

The Walking Dead, Season 5, Episode 12, "Remember"

TAME AS THE WILD ONES

"The kids deserve a roof over their heads. I guess."

I enjoyed this episode. Feeling out Alexandria, feeling out the people, finding roles for everyone. Sorry Blair, the beard is gone.

Rick’s beard had to die so that he could live.

Is it too good to be true? Alexandria I mean, not the beard. It has to be, right? Will we be sitting pretty and clean for four more episodes? Or does Alexandria hold a deep dark secret?

I think for once we are getting the point of view of the “problem group” in the meeting of two communities, although not on the same level as Woodbury/Governor's Gang and Terminus. Alexandria is on the level but Rick's group is just too intense for the people of Alexandria to handle.

So what do we want to break down first? Deanna and the intermittent video interviews? I found the over exposed "camera view" was a good way of trying to brighten up the mood. Putting that up against each of the tired and dirty characters really shows how worn down they actually are. I really want to trust her, I do. It all just seems too good. I find myself feeling the same as the characters, apprehensive, skeptical, scared even. Scared to be safe, scared to let their guard down. As stated by Carl and Carol, scared to get weak!

As attached as I was getting to the merkin on Rick’s face, I think it was the right time for it to go. I’d forgotten how legitimately handsome Andrew Lincoln was under that monstrosity. 

"Hey girl."

Not only is Rick looking slick, we now have the foundations of a potential love triangle with Michonne and Jessie. We do have that, right? Or am I just wishing desperately wishing projecting? I wouldn’t be mad if the next episode was just a romantic comedy starring Rick and Michonne titled Constables of Love.

Rick and Michonne get their jobs: constables. I'm sure no one saw that coming...I'm sure that is going to cause some static. As Rick mentioned, give these brand new people that kind of power? Is that a good idea? How will that sit with the "locals"? Like I said, I want to trust Deanna, but it's too fishy.

All they wanted was a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air and they got it, landing smack dab in the middle of Our Town. The question is, are they too far gone to fit into something resembling civilized society? I’m totally on board with the direction this Alexandria storyline is headed. I’ll admit, I was skeptical of yet another community for the group to join but now, juxtaposing just how much they’ve changed with a representation of how they used to be is very revealing. Our main characters are almost feral compared to the fresh faces of Alexandria. Almost everyone in the group is either able to comfortably settle into old comforts or at least pretend to settle into old comforts to keep up appearances. The only exception is Daryl, who spends the whole episode squirming and pacing like a rat in a cage. He’s the only one who doesn’t have a former domesticated persona to re-adopt. So far, Daryl is a wild animal on display in a zoo.

The interviews were a great way to show the dark side of what this group has been through. Carl's was probably my favourite interview. Straight up real talk, "I didn't lose her, I killed her.". Carol's was sad, the way she reminisced about her abusive husband was an interesting experience. It was good as a little reminder to the viewer, put it all on the table, this is what we have been through.

The only real conflict, besides the internal ones, is between Glenn and Aiden, turdbag son of Congresswoman Deanna. His schoolyard bully mentality immediate clashes with Glenn’s practical first-hand knowledge and approach. It was nice to see Deanna reveal to Glenn that her son is a toolpouch but will she still feel that way when his (incoming blind prediction) accidental death gets pegged on Glenn in a future episode?

The "runner" scenes were my favorite of the episode. Aiden is a tool. To have these people, who have been out there since the start, and not listen to them? That is crazy! Deanna wanted the group because of their experience outside. You would think that would register with Aiden. Everything Glenn did was great. Calling him out, insulting him about his dead friends. Great, I like when Glenn gets hard. Plus watching Daryl skulk about in the shadows always means a fight is about to break out! 

Daryl Dixon: Most Likely to Give Alexandria a Bad Yelp Review.

Enid. She is an odd duck. The other boys said she was new and came from beyond the wall, and that was it. Was she out there alone? Did she have a group? Parents? I hope we find out more about her. I have a feeling Carl will connect more with her than the soft boys. Why did she leave the grounds? Does she feel the same as Carl and doesn't want to get weak so she sneaks out and keeps her walker killing game strong?  All I could think of during that scene was "Stay in the god damn house Carl!" 

My favourite scene was the one I was dreading: Carl meeting the other teenagers. Being faced with the dilemma of playing video games or pool is something so trivial and unimportant, Carl has forgotten how to even process that kind of decision. What a great showcase for who Carl is now compared with what a "normal" kid his age would be like.

Carl hasn't quite mastered the art of tracking like Daryl, he loses Enid but somehow he finds his dad and they have a nice little bonding moment! Adorable. I think after Carl's comment about not getting soft got to Rick, he was more willing to have him stand beside him as an equal than to take the lead. Who took Rick's gun I wonder?

One of those pesky possums took Rick's Milkshake Gun I bet! For real, though, pretty sure it was Enid. Is Enid a spy for whoever the wolves (capital “W” Wolves?) are? We don't see any indication she has family in Alexandria.

So they have been there what? 2-3 days? Already we have conflicts; Glenn and Aiden, Rick and (probably) Jesse's husband, (will that lead to Michonne and Jesse?), Daryl and everybody, Carl and Enid (I imagine them being a Spiderman/Black Cat kind of team. Good team with a love/hate, banter fueled relationship)

I’m interested to see how the gang integrates itself into the community and either gels with it or takes it over because either way, they better do it fast, because if the hints mean anything…wolves not far.

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

-Who was in the house outside of the fence that Carl noticed? Was it Enid, someone else from Alexandria, or some other entity?

-Michonne’s “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes” expression when she sees clean shaven Rick is what keeps my Richonne ship afloat

-Carole that gun is clearly too much for you.

-Everything Carol did in this episode was deliberate to mask her badassness. She is playing possum. Carol, you sneaky, sneaky lady! She’s going undercover!

-Symbolism in the last scene was heavy. Clean, fairly well lit Carol over Rick's right shoulder with dirty, sitting in the shadows Daryl over his left.

-That was a hell of a closing line...

-Rick is the one who knocks.

Blair's Rating: A-

Steve's Rating: 3.7 hot showers out of 5

Blair's MVP: Rick

Steve's MVP: Glenn

Blair's Deadpool Pick: Aiden

Steve's Deadpool Pick: Aiden

(singing): "I'm starting with the man in the mirror…"

The Walking Dead - Season 5, Episode 11 - "The Distance"

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

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

Trivia: Into the Woods was filmed entirely in Andrew Lincoln's beard

The Walking Dead, Season 5, Episode 11, "The Distance"

ISN'T IT PRETTY TO THINK SO?

Well at least there was some action...in this episode we find Rick has trust issues, Glenn is a damn good driver, high speed, stays on the road, all despite his windshield being totally covered, we find out Abercrombie prefers Fitch, and walker heads make poor lamps.

There were two things about this episode that I really liked. The first was the palpable tension amongst Rick’s group about trusting this hope of a new haven and the dynamics of how they dealt with it. You really feel like they’ve been together long enough that they knew how to disagree and communicate constructively. Michonne has slowly become co-leader of the group and when she simply states “we’re going,” Rick begrudgingly but respectfully consents (albeit with a few conditions of his own). It felt like everyone trusted each other to do what was best for the group and if they had concerns, they would be heard. The potential to generate interpersonal conflict was there but would have been unnecessary and tiresome and I was thankful we got to see them work it out without any contrived drama. After being burned time and time again, the prospect of safety, of success, has to take a lot of courage to open themselves up to. Hope makes you vulnerable, something that can get you killed in this world, or at least make you want to die.


While Rick gets some push back from some the group he does have a few who are just as weary. Daryl is always on edge but down for whatever Rick decides. Glenn seemed to come back into a leadership/lieutenant role, taking point to look for the vehicles. Carol seemed to agree with Rick, although that isn't stated at all until the closing line from her. A few odd choices though, as Rick talks to Michonne (a fair share of relationship building in this episode between these two) about how he will make his decision based on what he hears when they get there, yet the whole plan was to go at night. What do you expect to hear at night Rick? Going along a walker infested road at night was also a poor choice. I'm also baffled at how the RV managed to get away from the walker road. It seemed to be a straight road, otherwise how would Glenn have been able to drive without being able to see. So my question is: where did the RV go? And if the car was clearing a path why not follow? 


The second thing I liked was the portrayal of the drive up the walker infested road. The aerial view of the path Glenn was clearing, along with the red of the car lights, flare and blood made for some tasty visuals. While the whole thing was a big chaotic and confusing, I didn’t really mind because it was pretty to look at.


The woods were a very confusing scene...I didn't much care for this part of the episode. How did they get separated so easily/quickly? How did Rick's revolver have so much ammo? Where did Glenn get an AK? How did they find the RV group so quick? The flare went off and I assume they followed that direction...that is if they didn't get all turned around in the woods, in the dark, while dealing with walkers.

Finally, we find out Aaron is gay and is in a relationship with his co-recruiter Eric. The scene where they reunite is both good and bad in a way. It is good because they allow these two new characters their own scene to show us their relationship and more about who they are. The introduction of the first gay relationship on the show could have easily been tentative before being quickly pushed to the side but thankfully it was acknowledged head on and given room to breathe. On the other hand, you could feel how big of deal the scene was supposed to be when it really isn’t be that big of a deal at all. It both should and shouldn't have been a big deal. Regardless, Aaron and Eric are already more interesting and fleshed out in one episode than a lot of past characters on this show ever were (Looking at you, T-Dogg).

The episode speeds up near the end. Group reunites, make camp, drive, pull up to the gate. Where is this place? In Washington? Was that Washington in the distance? How far from Washington are we? So what's the consensus? Do we trust Aaron? He seems to have come prepared, photos, peace offerings, honesty(?), jokes...too bad it's a tough crowd. However there were a few things that make you say "Hmmm".  

Personally, despite a few red flags, I think Aaron and Eric are good dudes. I would like to think that, after the way Woodbury and Terminus worked out, the writers wouldn’t put us through the same formula a third time. While the people-less photos are suspicious, I’m going to guess that while Aaron and Eric and good guys, their portrayal of the people of Alexandria is…less than accurate. Aaron describes a utopia, complete with Friday night dancing, but I’m guessing we’ll be looking at more of a safe but mostly empty stronghold. I think Aaron and Eric are lonely.

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

-Another new name for the zombies: roamers.
-Rick's face when trying the apple sauce: 'damn, that is pretty good…'
-The apple sauce was likely the deciding factor in Rick’s decision.
-Shady Aaron: no people in the photos, lame excuse for not eating apple sauce.

-HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES!?

-All the past focus on the 3 questions, why did Rick not ask them right away?

-Do Rick and Michonne suck face before the end of the season? Fingers crossed!

-Good call on Rick hiding the gun? I would have been a little annoyed with Rick if I was there. They are broken down and Rick just sits there, they get the RV running and he decides to go for a stroll through the woods. Come on!!

-At first, I was like…Rick’s lost it! He’s trying to make a Gun Milkshake! But seriously, do we have another Chekhov’s Gun situation on our hands. No way they show us that and never revisit it, right?

-Andrew Lincoln can do magic with his face/eyes. 

-Andrew Lincoln’s beard was the rosebush in The Secret of NIMH.

Blair's Rating: B+

Steve's Rating: 3.7 jars of apple sauce out of 5

Blair's MVP: Aaron

Steve's MVP: Glenn

Blair's Deadpool Pick: Eric

Steve's Deadpool Pick: Tara

The Walking Dead, Season 5 Episode 10 - "Them

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

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

"Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I guess I'll go eat worms."

The Walking Dead, Season 5, Episode 10, "Them"

DEAD INSIDE

Well...not a whole lot to talk about in this episode. I sure hope something interesting happens soon. I'm not sure I can take another forty minute walking montage. But let's try to open this up a bit.

Don't Open. Dead Inside. It's what was written on the chained-up doors in the hospital in the first episode of the entire series. Then, it meant there were literally dead beings inside the doors. Now, it's the characters who are dead inside. But I'll be gosh darned if they don't start opening up by the end of the episode anyway. Doesn't it just warm your cold, shrivelled, little heart? No. It doesn't. I get they have to address the impact of Beth and Tyreese's death, but it is so painful to watch these sad sacks drag their defeated selves down the road with metaphorical (and now literal) rain clouds hanging over them. Daryl is turning into more of a loner and has to resort to burning himself with a cigarette to actually feel something, Maggie is stoic and pessimistic, and Sasha is destructive and hostile. What a pleasant crew.

Sasha: broken. Maggie: broken. Noah: broken. Daryl: about to break. Preacher: losing faith. Everyone: thirsty (except Abe). This is getting ridiculous, it's so depressing, it hurts my soul to watch it. I have to hop on YouTube and watch adorable animal videos to get my spirits back up.

I may have spent more time on finding this video than on my part of the writeup.

I'm a little surprised it took so long to show wild dogs. I would imagine that packs of dogs would be a very real threat in a situation like this, mind you I would have thought that would have happened a lot sooner. Unless they were all in hiding and scavenging, but now are starting to get desperate. Which I suppose is what they were trying to depict. Add a little more desperation to the episode. As exciting as that scene could have been ol buzz kill Sasha buts an end to it before it can even begin. I wanted to see some "The Grey" style, circling pack hunter, showdown shit, not a stand off that caused about zero intensity.

When the zombie horde attacks the barn, the show lays it on pretty thick that only the power of teamwork miraculously saved them from both the zombies and the wrath of God. *rolls eyes*

That is one sturdy ass barn. Massive trees are uprooted in the storm yet they are all save and sound, cozy and dry(!?!) inside. That is craftsmanship!

The Walking Dead is at its worst when it gets too talky. For me, it didn't get any worse than Rick's little speech in the barn about his grandfather and how...wait for it...”We are the walking dead.” REALLY? How very meta of you, Rick. I can only imagine the lobbying in the writers room to take it one step further and for Rick to show Daryl the “From a friend” sheet of paper in the style of his character from Love Actually. Sheet one: HERE'S SOME WATER. Sheet two: TO ME, YOU ARE PERFECT FRIENDS.

So what do we know? They've been wandering for three weeks. A quick Google maps check tells me it would take 200+ hours to walk from Atlanta to Washington. That's a long trek, even with driving portions of it. Let's do some math; If you assume 8 hours of walking a day, which they probably do more(as well as drove part way). Times 3 weeks since Atlanta, that is 168 hours. Which is good. Because that means they better be close and they better start doing something more interesting.

As for the water, "From a Friend'? Ok, I admit that would seem fishy, for a moment lets not focus on the fact that someone has been watching them for some time. Instead let's look at the clues here. Clean, crisp sheet of paper/card stock; so whoever left that is clean (no finger smudges or dirt), and have clean, storage/living spaces, so they are obviously in a better position than our group. They left about 20 liters of water; that is a lot of water to give as a handout in this situation, so again, this/these "friends" are much better off than our heroes who spend about 2 minutes collecting rain water before rushing off for cover. I thought they were in need of water? You can't just sit in the rain for a few minutes and boom there goes your dehydration. Then we meet our "friend". At least there was some tease at something exciting happening soon-ish...hopefully, because I was ready to give up like some of the members of the group. 

It isn't until the last minute that my interest is piqued, when Maggie and Sasha are about to Instagram the sunrise until some dude named Aaron wanders straight out of an L.L. Bean catalogue and into their field of view. We've seen this a bunch of times before, obviously, about trusting strangers claiming to be friendly (and it hasn't gone well yet) but I'm still interested, if only because it will mean things might start happening, instead of the entire freaking cast doing the Charlie Brown sad walk down the road.

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

-Carole seems fine after being on life support a few weeks earlier. She really is the John McClane of this show.

-How does Daryl still have smokes? How did he open, clean and fix the music box? This is no ordinary man!

-So Gabriel seemed to be straying from his faith, at least until the rain came and he asked forgiveness

-Why didn't Michonne and Sasha wrestle in the rain? (If that had happened I might have brought it up more in the above write up)

-Where are we at on Rick's beard? Awesome? Too much? Ladies, your thoughts?

Blair's Rating: C-

Steve's Rating: 2 shitty music boxes out of 5

Blair's MVP: Judith

Steve's MVP: Judith (I've never seen such a quiet baby)

Blair's Deadpool Pick: Noah

Steve's Deadpool Pick: Maggie (I'm really rooting for her)