If you would like to read our review of last episode, click here.
Synopsis: Rick’s vision for the future is threatened by a mysterious disappearance that divides the work camp where the communities are building a bridge. (TV Guide)
Writer: Corey Reed
Director: Dan Liu
Rating: TV-MA
Running Time: 45mins
Airs: Sundays at 9pm on AMC (Canada/United States)
This episode gave us some answers to what was happening with the Saviors which were understandable when you really think about it.
The episode started with a group of Walkers feasting on Justin’s body before suddenly getting up and leaving with Walker Justin following. Michonne worked on her charter. She wanted so badly for things to work though people were still angry with Rick. Maggie got blindsided by a group of bridge-working Saviors who were wondering where Justin or even the last ethanol shipment and the Saviors who were supposed to deliver it went. She didn’t know where either were but one named Jed (Rhys Coiro) took a particular interest in her.
Rick and Michonne took Judith for a checkup before having a family fun day which got interrupted by the latest news about the Saviors. Meanwhile, all hell broke loose at the worker camp after the discovery of Justin’s body. Although the Saviors were fractured, things calmed down once Rick showed up. Accusations were being thrown around which made Anne an easy target. She definitely saw something that night but wasn’t willing to share with Gabriel who protected her from Rick. A wound on Justin suggested that Daryl did it, however, he denied it, knowing who was responsible, and turned things around on Rick and his selfish and naive optimism.
While everyone worked towards clearing grids, Maggie and Cyndie investigated an abandoned house near where Cyndie used to live that was now full of Walkers. Soon after getting overrun, they were saved but another grid was attacked in the process with one member, a Savior now missing. The goal now was to find them before chaos ensued. Rick shared with Carol that he has had thoughts of killing Negan though doesn’t follow through with them so he can honor all of those that they have lost. Maggie and Daryl had a different discussion. Maggie couldn’t see things Rick’s way, however, she conceded that he was right for the future. Daryl found evidence that confirmed who he believed to be responsible.
Anne went back to the scrapyard to find a locked walkie that she used to communicate with those connected to the helicopter she saw. She believed them to be responsible for what was happening. They apparently had some sort of arrangement and they were wondering if they had an “a” or a “b”. Though she had neither for them, they needed an “a”. Gabriel followed her and wondered who she talked to. She traded people with them in the past in exchange for supplies for her people. Because of their connection, she offered him the chance to go to a special, far away place with her in exchange for a little help and discretion but he couldn’t do it. She thought he was a “b”, however, he apparently wasn’t.
Carol was ambushed by Jed and another Savior. Jed had Carol at knifepoint because all they wanted were guns. Carol got the upper hand and stabbed Jed. Everybody counted now so they offered to patch him up instead of killing him. Maggie and Daryl found the missing ethanol as well as Beatrice and Cyndie. It was the women of Oceanside who were responsible. They were on board because they didn’t think they had a choice until Gregory was hung. Rick’s rules weren’t the only ones. They took the last Savior responsible for what happened to them who begged for their life, however, Maggie and Daryl simply walked away.
The Saviors ultimately left and Maggie and Daryl decided to do things their way.
Overall, this was a decent episode with a pretty much self-contained plot that helped start what could be the beginning of the end for Rick. He has tried to smother people with his plans for the future without giving others the chance to move on from everything that had happened. Perhaps these characters can’t move on and prefer the status quo. There was already dissent amongst the main group, the moment where Maggie and Daryl walked away was powerful to watch and the final scene with them just confirmed it. The Anne subplot was a random detour but maybe it will factor in somehow? Who really knows? It will be interesting to see how it all ends and how it all ends?
Score: 7.5/10
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.