The Walking Dead Season 9 Midseason Finale Review: ‘Evolution’

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead

Season 9 Midseason Finale

By Garrett Yoshitomi

Stumbling, soulless, meandering – no, I’m not talking about one of the many herds of walkers seen weekly on The Walking Dead, I’m talking about The Walking Dead itself and the state of the series after almost a decade on the air. The Walking Dead arrived with a bang in 2010, establishing itself as a show with an “any character can die” ethos rivaled only by Game of Thrones. While ignoring the pacing issues that plagued even the earliest of seasons would be revisionist history, The Walking Dead always managed to please fans with a combination of suspenseful storytelling and a grounded sense of apocalyptic adventure.

However, in recent seasons, the show’s lost a lot of this mojo, limping from episode to episode with a barely fleshed out plot and clinging to its former ratings glory by killing off characters in increasingly foreseeable and impact-less ways. Enter season nine and new showrunner Angela Kang, and The Walking Dead finds itself soaring close to the heights of its prime. With the help of a six-year time jump, Kang has brought the show back to its roots, giving The Walking Dead the kind of reset it’s so desperately needed. It’s fitting then that the season nine midseason finale is titled, “Evolution.” Although, it doesn’t apply to the walkers as Eugene hypothesized, The Walking Dead is in the midst of its own evolution, reinventing itself on the fly, while building towards new and exciting storylines to come.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The midseason finale focuses largely on the group’s attempt to find Eugene- a subplot that’s been simmering since episode six, the first full episode after the time jump. It’s been a while since we’ve had a good old-fashioned rescue mission, and the team-up between Daryl, Jesus, and Aaron is a welcome combination of characters we seldom get to see interact. These three get to venture outside of their community’s respective walls (or respective raft tent, in Daryl’s case), returning to the elements that were once very familiar to them as the group recruiters. It’s a lot of fun seeing Daryl dip into his old bag of tracker tricks several times throughout the hour, and it keeps this fan favorite character present, without drawing focus away from the story’s more central characters. Daryl is a great character in this sense. He doesn’t require a ton of screentime on his own, and is able to still contribute to an episode, even when he hangs out around the periphery.

The precision and skill that this group exhibits during their search for Eugene does a great job of passively establishing just how apocalypse-hardened these characters have become. And, that’s one of the great things about a time jump. It allows writers to bake in useful character development, without necessarily requiring said character development to play out in real time. Even the once sniveling Eugene is able to secure himself a well concealed, structurally sound hiding spot, not necessarily out of cowardice, but as a practical means of survival. Several times, Eugene offers the others to leave him behind in order to ensure their safety, which is the kind of deal old Eugene only made once before learning his lesson, when he offered to pilot the decoy RV just moments before the group gets captured by the Saviors in the season six finale.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The writers have made a concerted effort to show that Eugene is not the same man post-time jump, and even though the crux of this episode rests on his rescue, he demonstrates that he’s no longer the kind of able-bodied dead weight that the heroes get to drag to the finish line. These different skills and tactics that the group portrays are ones that we’ve seen in pieces throughout the series, but they all come together effortlessly in this episode, contributing to the feeling that these characters have truly gone through six years-worth of experiences during the time jump. And while their keystone maneuver to split up ultimately fails (because honestly, who didn’t see that coming?), the way it fails is unexpected, and transitions nicely with this episode’s climax.

As mentioned previously, there was a time in The Walking Dead’s run when no character, save for a few, felt genuinely safe from the deadly dangers of the zombie apocalypse. What’s more is that the ‘when’ and ‘how’ of most characters’ deaths were generally less easy to predict than they are now, contributing to the thrilling sense of suspense we’d get as we’d watch our favorite survivors traverse the unknown. Fast forward several years, and The Walking Dead has dropped all pretenses of surprise, going so far as to construct elaborate marketing plans advertising which character is the next to bite the bullet. Sadly, when the deaths start to become predictable, a lot of the tension gets sucked out of the show, eventually turning what should be an emotionally charged moment into nothing more than a box to be checked.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

In possibly its greatest feat, yet, season nine turns this trend on its head, as it delivers a throwback Walking Dead death scene that catches viewers by total surprise. Usually when someone succumbs to walkers, it’s because they’re either massively overwhelmed or caught off guard by a stray biter. To see someone die in such a unique way is genuinely shocking. The whole setup for this death is really quite simple, but the twist pays off in a major way, and it’s this simplicity that makes the end result feel that much more tragic. This wasn’t some effects-filled battle or a giant explosion on a bridge, the fact that a character can die during something so routine certainly reintroduces the feeling that at least somecharacters can die at any time, even if realistically there will always be people who are off limits. If characters continue to feel vulnerable in more ordinary situations, it will add stakes to this show in a way it hasn’t had in a long time, resulting in genuine levels of tension particularly outside of where we’ve been trained to typically expect characters to die.

This was a very solid midseason finale, which gels well with the overall increase in quality we’ve seen in season nine. Sometimes, The Walking Dead ends on an awkward, forced cliffhanger, leaving us with too many unanswered questions and not enough context. While we do get a cliffhanger-y ending for “Evolution,” I think it hits the right mix of revealing enough information (we get to see Daryl “unmask” a Whisperer), but also leaves us wanting more, as the episode fades out with our heroes surrounded by fog and menacing whispers. The second half of season nine is supposed to pick up roughly where the first half ends. And, if this first half is any indication, we should be in for an entertaining ride as the show enters its next big arc.

The Walking Dead Season 9, Episode 7 Review: ‘Stradivarius’

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead

Season 9, Episode 7

By Garrett Yoshitomi

We’re two weeks into The Walking Dead’s post-time jump reboot, and we’re finally starting to feel the effects of Rick’s absence. Although it’s been six years since Rick’s “death,” the communities feel more separate than ever, with Alexandria, under Michonne’s leadership, the most isolated of them all. For some, this shift in diplomacy between Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom, might feel forced and out of place. However, there have been clues, sprinkled throughout 9A, hinting at the tenuous relationship between these former wartime allies. Daryl mentioned in the season premiere how deteriorating road conditions and dwindling fuel supplies would soon make travel between any two outposts take more than a day. Also, despite longtime Rick and co. member, Maggie Rhee, running the Hilltop, you could see the seeds of disunity being sown, when Maggie refused to fully commit Hilltop resources to Rick’s bridge project.

Combine all of these factors, and it’s slowly becoming apparent that Rick was right about the bridge and its necessity in keeping the communities unified. Although it seemed of little consequence at the time, the bridge would have served to facilitate trade, as well as maintain realistic travel times between the communities. We’re no longer just a year and a half out from the zombie apocalypse outbreak. Fuel is scare, if not practically depleted, and those sweet, sweet fully loaded Hyundai Tucsons aren’t riding in to save the day anytime soon. Not only did losing the bridge impart a practical cost on the survivors, but Rick’s “death” clearly had an impact on community cohesion and sent characters like Daryl and Michonne spiraling down different paths of solitude.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

We saw a bit of Daryl’s forest nomad act last week, but we’re only now getting a true sense of just how isolated Daryl’s been over the six-year time jump. According to his conversation with Carol, Daryl went off into the woods to look for Rick, and essentially just stayed out in the wilderness when he couldn’t find him. That means that Daryl has spent more in-universe time (six whole years!) living in seclusion than he did even knowing Rick (roughly a year and half. No, seriously, the first eight seasons of The Walking Dead took place over ~600 days.). It’s easy to dismiss this disproportionate amount of time as nothing more than a sloppy miscalculation or a plot hole, but over the course of the series, Daryl has always clung to his lone wolf tendencies, despite being a mainstay member of the group.

While Daryl had a mean loner streak during the show’s early days, he eventually secured himself a spot in Rick’s inner circle thanks to his fierce loyalty and love for his companions. However, when the group rolled into Alexandria in the middle of season five, it was clear that Daryl felt out of place, and spent most of that time on recruiting missions outside of Alexandria’s walls. Daryl looks back on these early/pre-Alexandria days wistfully. In the season nine premiere, he tells Rick, “That small group we had back in the beginning…we could do anything. That was right,” and further backs up his preference for the great white somewhere by stepping down from command of the Sanctuary and choosing to leave for the rustic Hilltop Colony over the suburban Alexandria.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Seeing Daryl on his own (Dog not included) makes me strangely sad. As badass as loner Daryl is, I think he’s at his best when he can play off of other characters. The contrast between his ruff and gruff exterior and tender willingness to always stand up for his friends is something that I love. And, it’s this willingness to step out of his comfort zone and let others in that has endeared his character to so many fans. It makes sense, though that Daryl would withdraw from the group after suffering through so much loss and especially after losing such a core relationship in Rick. However, his other core relationship, Carol, has clearly been keeping tabs on him, as she’s able to find his forest camp with relative ease. As unlikeable as I find Henry, I don’t mind the idea of Daryl mentoring him because it’s more of a reflection of Daryl’s bond with Carol, two of the longest recurring characters on the show.

Another long-time character, Michonne, is also facing a crisis of isolation. But, unlike Daryl, who is very much alone, Michonne manages to cut off ties to former allies and walls herself in from new friends, all amid the hustle and bustle of Alexandria. Despite softening towards Alexandria’s unexpected visitors at the end of last week’s episode, Michonne is still weary of Magna’s group as she helps escort the quintet to the Hilltop. Thanks to the incredulity of a precocious Yumiko and Siddiq’s sheepish honesty, Michonne reveals that not only has she not been to the Hilltop in a considerable amount of time, but she also has no idea that Maggie left the colony permanently. What happened that made Michonne withdraw so much? As recently as the beginning of this season, Michonne was banging the drum for community charters and unity, just as loudly as anybody. Something happened during the six-year time jump that turned Michonne into an untrusting, security protocol obsessed wet blanket, and according to Angela Kang, it’s a story that should be revealing itself soon.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Who won’t be revealing themselves soon, though, is Maggie, who is confirmed to be off rebuilding society and writing letters with Georgie and the twins from last season. Writing Maggie off in this way is messy. It leaves the door open just a crack for a possible eventual return, but it leaves a pretty unsatisfying gap in her character development, as well. It’s just so hard to believe that Maggie would actually abandon the Hilltop. While she might not have always relished being a leader, she’s always cared about her people, and the Hilltop was chock full of them. Behind the scenes, AMC found themselves caught between a rock and a hard place, and ultimately this version of Maggie’s story might be the best we were ever going to get.

The cloud of Lauren Cohan’s unsuccessful contract negotiations loomed quietly over filming for most of season eight. And, while The Walking Dead has never been known to pay much mind towards the long-term survival of its characters, AMC knew that Maggie would be a crucial character in future story arcs. It wasn’t worth risking those future arcs by killing off Maggie in season eight, plus there weren’t a ton of spots in season eight where writing her off made sense. So, a decision on Maggie’s future was put on hold, and all parties were able to come to an agreement that brought her back for five more episodes in the first half of season nine.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The only problem is, Maggie’s brief season nine storyline didn’t do anything at all to setup her impending exit, nor did it minimize her importance in the show- if anything, it just increased it. So, suddenly losing Maggie in the middle of 9A, for seemingly no good reason, not only feels awkward, but detracts from the post-time jump storyline that her character development seemed to be playing into. Realistically, The Walking Dead probably couldn’t have given Maggie a better send-off, even if they wanted to. Her last episode just so happened to coincide with Rick’s big bang of a departure, and there’s no way AMC was going to let Maggie’s non-controversy free exit detract at all from #RickGrimesFinalEpisode.

Next week is the midseason finale for what’s been a pleasantly surprising season for The Walking Dead. Sure, ratings are still down, but they’ve been steady- a possible sign that fans are sticking around for the improved storytelling and writing. The scope of this show has been reset, something that’s been long overdue for AMC’s former ratings darling. The smaller scale storylines and more intimate character interactions have been a godsend, and I almost want to see more of this much-needed worldbuilding before turning it over to the show’s next big bad, the Whisperers. The Whisperer arc will be a good test for Angela Kang and the minds behind season nine. Will this show be able to continue its recent run of stellar storytelling? Or, will it fall back on old habits, weaving a shallow, convoluted plot around an uninspiring caricature of an antagonist?

The Walking Dead Season 9, Episode 6 Review: ‘Who Are You Now?’

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead

Season 9, Episode 6

By Garrett Yoshitomi

We’ve officially entered the post-Rick Grimes era of The Walking Dead, and although season nine, episode six, “Who Are You Now?” doesn’t pack the same action-filled punch as Rick’s explosive exit last week, it does a good job of reintroducing us to the main cast post-time jump and sets up the story for the weeks to come. With such a huge event, (Rick’s departure), falling right in the middle of the ‘A’ half of this season, it feels like there should be more than two episodes to go before the midseason finale. But this shorter runway should actually help The Walking Dead avoid its typical pitfalls of filler episodes and drawn out storylines, by allowing it to zero in on its next major arc.

It’s no secret that The Walking Dead has been in a ratings freefall. Ever since seventeen million people tuned into the season seven premiere to find out which character got Lucille’d, fans have been flocking from the show at a steady rate. Season nine has seen viewership decline to new levels, with ratings finally dipping below the all-time low marks set back in season one. There is some reason for hope, though. Ratings have been rising slightly since the second episode of the season, (the third least watched episode of the entire series), and last week’s outing received a relatively sizeable bump, no doubt due to the marketing push it gained as Rick’s final episode.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

However, the reception for last week’s episode has been mixed, with some critics pushing back on yet another Walking Dead bait and switch job. Amid what’s so far been the most critically well-received season in show history, Rick’s final episode is the lowest rated episode of the season, according to Rotten Tomatoes. With ratings already as low as they are, The Walking Dead probably can’t afford a string of bad episodes, like the ones it suffered through at the beginning of seasons seven and eight. Those seasons technically improved but failed to reel in more viewers. Realistically, ratings will probably hold steady where they are, as numbers take a huge drop after a season premiere and then stabilize throughout the rest of the season. And, with ratings this low, and a future that’s bright but uncertain, I’m sure AMC will gladly take stabilization, for now.

Even with a cast of characters, whose fates largely remain uncertain from episode to episode, The Walking Dead has grown stale due mainly to the predictability of its storylines. For the most part, seasons have been constructed around building up to a flashy, visual effects-fueled conflict with the series’ latest deranged antagonist, with minor, ultimately irrelevant fire fights thrown in along the way, as well as a healthy dose of resistance from some random protagonist, who suddenly decides that violence isn’t the answer due to a myriad of vague, yet supposedly compelling, moral reasons. Sprinkle in a major character death every half season or so, and you’ve basically got the recipe for a major, albeit fleeting, hit TV show.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Of course, television writing is much more complicated than that, but it’s not unreasonable to say that The Walking Dead has lost much of the pizzazz that once made it the most-watched show on cable. If there’s a bright side in all this, it’s that the next chapter of The Walking Dead seems promising. Even without its leading man, long-time fan favorites, like Daryl, Carol, and Michonne, should be able to step in and fill Rick’s shoes, while there’s still enough untapped creative potential within this fictional universe for Angela Kang to mine and craft into primetime cable gold. This six-year time jump could be just the soft reboot this show needs, and this week’s episode, “Who Are You Now?” does a great job of setting the tone for The Walking Dead’s new trajectory.

Although we’re just one episode into The Walking Dead’s new reality, it seems like the show’s future will be decidedly female, as characters like Michonne, Carol, and pseudo-newcomer, Judith Grimes, all take center stage. Judith’s character development benefits the most from the time jump, as she’s now able to walk, talk, and headshot walkers from fifty yards out. For storytelling purposes, Judith is basically a brand-new character, but her time on the show as a baby/toddler allows her to enter the series with valuable, baked-in relationships with already established characters. Unlike a truly new character, Judith’s introduction doesn’t need a ton of fleshing out, and “Who Are You Now?” takes advantage of this, by hitting the ground running with her storyline with Magna’s group. 

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Judith gets a healthy amount of screentime in this episode- not too much where the episode is reliant on her, but just enough to emphasize her importance in the narratives at play. It’s clear that going forward, Judith will adopt some of the storylines that are given to her brother in the comics, specifically the bizarre relationship Carl develops with Negan, through their series of jail cell chats. The scene between Judith and Negan is cute, although it probably does more in casting Negan as a sympathetic character, than it does in establishing Judith’s outlook towards the former Saviors head honcho. Jeffrey Dean Morgan had a tendency to steal the spotlight in his scenes with Chandler Riggs, a natural outcome for such a forcefully charismatic actor; however, it could inhibit some of Judith’s early character development if she’s seen as more of a prop during these conversations, rather than capable player, in her own right.

With the action seemingly shifting away from Alexandria, and towards the members of the group who are currently on the road, we’ll probably see Judith take a slight backseat, at least for next week’s episode. Even if you’re not a comic book follower, you don’t have to sniff around the internet too much to know where The Walking Dead is heading next. While the Whisperers are undoubtedly an exciting new foe, I do kind of wish that we were spending a bit more time exploring our characters’ post-time jump lives. One additional episode of world building could be nice to demonstrate what differences we can expect, besides a few new haircuts. However, I can appreciate the benefit of keeping the main storyline humming along, especially because so many seasons of The Walking Dead have suffered from meandering plotlines.

The Walking Dead Season 9, Episode 5 Review: ‘What Comes After’

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead

Season 9, Episode 5

By Garrett Yoshitomi

Usually, when a show writes off its main character, it signals that the end is near. Whether it be a Michael Scott or a John Dorian, the vacuum left behind when a series lead departs is just too wide for any cobbled together group of replacements to realistically fill. But sometimes, main characters depart, new characters are added, returning characters shift their roles, and a show is able to pivot and find a new path. With Rick Grimes riding off into the sunset, Scott Gimple, Angela Kang, and the rest of the folks over at AMC are hoping, possibly praying, that The Walking Dead will fall into the latter category, rather than the former.

For a show with as much turnover as The Walking Dead, you’d think that it, among all other shows, would be best equipped to handle the departure of its main character. However, this ain’t no Shondaland production. While, The Walking Dead successfully follows its comic book source material, killing off characters in increasingly brutal and disturbing ways, creatively, the show suffers for it, as season arcs are predictably built around a key death or two that always seem to be thrown in right around a premiere or finale. With ratings in a free-fall since the season seven deaths of popular characters like Glenn and Abraham, there’s little recent evidence indicating that The Walking Dead will be able to survive its most major character departure, yet.

True-blue fans have known for months that season nine would be Rick Grimes’ last. But, even for those who don’t spend their summers following the Comic-Con news circuit, AMC has shown no hesitation in bookending every single Walking Deadpreview with their subtle “Rick Grimes’ Final Episodes” marketing campaign. The intent behind this is obvious. The Walking Dead is losing viewers fast, and AMC will do whatever it takes to get people tuning back in. It’s likely that this episode will enjoy a small ratings bump, as former Dead-heads resurface to see what all the hullabaloo is about. But whether this hullabaloo turns into sustainable, genuine interest will depend on how the writers wrap up Rick’s story, and what turns the show takes going forward.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Unfortunately, the majority of this episode is average at best, unless you’re particularly fond of watching middle-aged British men slowly bleed to death, or if you won’t be entirely bored by the show’s 100^thspeech about the importance of family and loved ones. It’s not a bad episode per se- we’ve certainly seen worse over the course of the series- but it’s uninspired, essentially cobbling together the same themes and mechanics, but this time around a bloodied, stumbling Rick.

I am glad that Jon Bernthal was able to pull himself away from the set of The Punisher to film a cameo. And, I appreciate Herschel’s scene, an appearance made even more special by the untimely death of the late Scott Wilson. But, as much as I love Sonequa Martin-Green, her inclusion as one of Rick’s ghosts of Christmas past is puzzling, considering Sasha and Rick never interacted very much. It would have felt much more meaningful to see Glenn or Carl make return appearances, but given that Steven Yeun has distanced himself from the show, and Chandler Riggs left on allegedly shaky terms, it’s not surprising that the writers decided to go with more practical, albeit less cohesive characters.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

However, if you managed to stick around for the first forty-five minutes, you’ll be rewarded with an ending that’s both visually exciting and surprisingly poignant. Last week’s episode made it pretty obvious that Rick’s ace in the hole would be leading the giant herd over the recently constructed bridge, in the hopes that it would collapse, sending the walkers down the river. And, while this episode makes it very clear that this is Rick’s ultimate end game, the entire sequence is still a thrill to watch, despite this predictability. You can feel the weight of each one of Rick’s plodding footsteps, as he stumbles across the bridge that he put so much faith into. And, when our beleaguered hero finally crosses the bridge and turns to face the encroaching heard, the look in his eyes when the bridge holds firm is heart wrenching. And yet, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, Rick Grimes, a character who’s dodged so many close calls with death, draws his iconic hatchet from his belt for what truly feels to be the last time.

Of course, this is the not the end of Rick Grimes’ story. No, as announced by Scott Gimple during Sunday’s episode of Talking Dead, Rick Grimes will live on in a trilogy of AMC original movies, with the first set to start production in 2019. This outcome is pretty unexpected, as Andrew Lincoln’s departure from the show seemed final, and usually the only way someone leaves The Walking Dead for sure, is when their character meets its zombie maker. After the infamous dumpster controversy with Glenn, and the ill-advised cliffhanger during the season six finale, fans are understandably upset at The Walking Dead for pulling yet another bait and switch with a popular character’s supposed death. At best, Rick’s extremely well-timed chopper ride could be seen as sloppy writing- a textbook deployment of a cheap deus ex machina. At worst, it’s low level trolling on AMC’s part, and just another slap in the face for whatever loyal viewers The Walking Dead still has.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

And yet, despite this deception, I feel really excited about The Walking Dead in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. AMC is getting a jump start on fleshing out their own shared universe, similar to what HBO is planning with their Game of Thrones prequels, and Marvel has been tinkering with through their Netflix shows and soon to be released Disney streaming service. Sure, in the short-term, you can certainly make the argument that killing off Rick is a much more impactful narrative. But, keeping Rick alive in a trilogy of spin-off movies opens up a ton of long-term storytelling options, and allows The Walking Dead flagship series to immediately reinvent itself in a fresh, new way. Face it, The Walking Dead has been stagnant for a while. Without major changes it’s not hard to imagine this show dying as early as next season. Something had to give. There’s no guarantee that these decisions will pay off, but ultimately, I think it’s a smart move, as The Walking Dead still has the fanbase and the branding to take a chance on this type of creative industry maneuver.

And honestly, I actually enjoyed this episode’s ending. With Andrew Lincoln’s month-long goodbye tour, and the episode’s overall build-up, I really did believe that Rick was going to die and was genuinely surprised when he didn’t. Moments of pure triumph and shock can be so few and far between in this show and getting to see the one and only Rick Grimes ride off into the sunset, living to fight another day, is a true ray of hope in an otherwise bleak fictional universe. Yes, this is The Walking Dead we’re talking about, which means we probably haven’t seen the last of filler storylines, poorly paced episodes, and yes, cheap character death fake-outs. But Angela Kang has proven so far that she’s capable of alleviating these issues, and with an entirely new sandbox for her to play in, there’s no telling what heights she can take this show.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

So, where does The Walking Dead go from here? Well, there’s the movies for starters. With production for the first Rick Grimes feature film set to start in 2019, it seems likely that we’re looking at a 2020 release. Details so far are sparse, but it sounds like the story will pick up after Rick’s one-way helicopter flight and will not ignore the character’s inevitable desire to return home. Recently, news broke that Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride have negotiated new deals with AMC that could allow crossover into other Walking Dead franchises, including the films. Reportedly, a new deal for Danai Gurira is on the way, as well, and according to AMC programming president, David Madden, “[He has] high hopes that Rick and Michonne’s paths will cross again.”

Other cast member returns are less certain; however, as quietly, this episode serves as Maggie’s last confirmed appearance, as well. Believe it or not, with Lauren Cohan’s new ABC series, Whiskey Cavalier, set to premiere next year, Maggie will not be appearing in another episode this season. Of course, there’s always a chance that a deal gets done and Maggie is brought back into the fold. But for now, The Walking Dead will be moving forward down two major stars. Oh, and Jadis, too, who will soon be joining Rick in the movie biz.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Despite what felt like a finale-esque hour of television, The Walking Dead is back in just one week, with a huge time jump and a barrel full of questions. Based on previews, it looks like Judith will be featured more prominently going forward, stepping into the role Carl would have played based on the comics, if he hadn’t been killed off. And, in addition to introducing several new characters, the last three episodes of 9A should all be building up in some way to the introduction of the Whisperers, the show’s next big bad group of villains.

The Walking Dead Season 9, Episode 4 Review: ‘The Obliged’

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead

Season 9, Episode 4

By Garrett Yoshitomi

The Walking Dead has been enjoying a rebirth of sorts, thanks to new showrunner Angela Kang. After seasons of meandering plotlines and shallow character development, Kang stepped in for season nine, and immediately breathed new life into a show in desperate need of a creative makeover. The first three episodes of the season have been great, with well-paced narratives, interesting character pairings, and a well-grounded feel to the overarching storylines. Unfortunately, with these three positive steps forward, the show seems to take four walker-sized stumbles back, as episode four, “The Obliged,” disappoints in some major ways, despite having the opportunity to lead into one of the biggest events in series history.

I’m talking, of course, about the impending departure of Andrew Lincoln’s character, Rick Grimes, the show’s main character, as well as the face of AMC’s cash cow machine. The scenes we get of Rick this week are quite well done, but there is a lot of B and C-plot flotsam thrown in that is considerably less compelling and greatly detracts from this crucial storyline. “The Obliged” very much feels like a Scott Gimple-era episode due to its choppy structure and forced, drawn out subplots.

One of these subplots, the Anne-Gabriel storyline, seemed promising when it was introduced a week ago, but failed to really expand on that promise, as it was relegated to just a handful of moments that were spliced within the larger A and B-plots this week. As unamusing as I found yet another double cross, from the Queen of Double Crosses, Anne/Jadis, I found solace in the fact that her predictable shadiness would ultimately lead to the introduction of a new, sinister group of human trafficking baddies- something that we haven’t totally seen, yet in this show.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

When we last left Anne, she had just knocked out Gabriel, after he followed her to The Heaps, cryptically revealing that while she previously thought he was a ‘B,’ she now thinks he’s an ‘A.’ But, what does it all mean, Basil? Angela Kang has dropped her hints, and it’s an interesting mystery for a show that’s pretty devoid of ones that don’t have to do with guessing who’s going to bite it. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait at least two more weeks for an answer because I highly doubt Rick’s send-off episode is going to devote any time to the latest in a long line of hairbrained garbage lady schemes.

The entire execution of this storyline is very Gimple-era Walking Dead. The awkward jumps away from the much more exciting Rick-Daryl plot, to yet another scene of Anne getting ready to feed someone to a walker; the heartfelt monologue as a main character approaches, but never quite reaches, their imminent doom; the sense of dissatisfaction when you realize that parts of an entire episode were spent on a plotline where barely anything happens- all have been weekly staples of Walking Dead episodes, for almost its entire run. I hope this is the last we see of this kind of sloppy writing, but even with a new showrunner, old habits die hard, and I have a feeling this isn’t the last season nine filler plot that we’ll have to endure. As long as the real narratives of the season are solid enough, and I believe they will be, it’ll be worth it.

Another plot detour, albeit a more worthwhile one, is the lengthy conversation we get this week between Michonne and Negan. Despite being such an enormously popular character, Michonne really hasn’t gotten to do a whole lot for the past several seasons. She entered the show with a bang back in season three, where most of her character development was tied up in the Governor storyline- her most memorable moment being when she delivered the killing blow to the Governor in the season four midseason finale.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Since then, most of her character development has been based on her relationship with the Grimes family, as she became a love interest for Rick, as well as a close friend and mother figure for Carl. Although this tender family dynamic has become core to the show, it’s unfortunate that in recent seasons, Michonne has received very little attention outside of her relationship with Rick. In season seven, she was mainly tasked with convincing Rick to stand against Negan, and while this came with a healthy dose of Michonne badassery, her role was still secondary to Rick- relying on him as the narrative focal point, while she worked around him. It would have been totally feasible, and a lot more satisfying, if she had just decided to take out Negan on her own. Why does Rick get all the glory, when Michonne would have been just as capable at galvanizing the troops and leading Alexandria against the Saviors?

It might be a season or two too late, but it looks like we’re finally going to be able to see how Michonne does in this kind of leadership role. The idea of Michonne as a leader was slowly built up over season eight, and has finally reached a head, here in the early going of season nine. Last season, she received very little individual focus, never leading group missions, or going out on her own; but Michonne was always there, helping out when needed, and subtly nudging the group towards more peaceful and thoughtful long-term solutions, from the outskirts of the story. While it didn’t seem like as big of a deal in the midst of last season’s All-Out War arc, Michonne’s more reconciliatory leanings are going to become a very valuable commodity after Rick’s departure from the show next week. 

(Photo Credit: AMC)

It’s very clear that Michonne will be one of several characters set to fill Rick’s role in the coming episodes. So far in season nine, we’ve already seen her spearhead the effort to craft a group charter between the four communities, as well as take over chieftain duties, while Rick is away from Alexandria. What’s more, this week she gets handed one of Rick’s major storylines straight from the comics. In the comics, Rick develops a strange relationship with Negan, as the two share conversations, while the latter is imprisoned. Michonne and Negan have their first conversation of this kind, and while it’s not an amazing scene by any means, it is nice to see these two characters interact after not having appeared onscreen together since the lineup scene.

Unfortunately, as much as I like this new character development being thrown Michonne’s way, I’m fairly lukewarm about the role Negan will play in it. Negan was a fantastic villain when first introduced, but eventually wore out his welcome after his “charming sociopath” schtick got old after the better part of two seasons. The unoriginality continues in his conversation with Michonne, as he tries to Jedi mind trick her into feeling sympathy for him by giving her the old “we’re the same, you and I” spiel. Ugh. Everything about Negan is just so…comic book-y. And, while I think that was an interesting dynamic starting out, I don’t think it’s necessary anymore, especially when season nine has felt so fresh with more grounded storylines.

While the potential for Michonne’s new direction is exciting, the real heart of this episode lies in the brotherhood between Rick and Daryl, and the resolution to their conflict that’s been brewing since the season premiere. Maggie’s decision to head to Alexandria to kill Negan, triggers a series of events that ends with Rick and Daryl stuck at the bottom of a sinkhole, finally forced to face their disagreement. I’m glad that Rick and Daryl’s confrontation in this episode is more of an argument, rather than a repeat of their fistfight from season eight, episode five. While that was an entertaining fight scene, this argument turned heart to heart is much more powerful and appropriate for what’s likely going to be Rick and Daryl’s final scene together.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The fight itself isn’t overly contentious (although it does feature The Walking Dead's first ever broadcasted f bomb!)- voices are raised, blame is tossed, but ultimately, these two longtime companions, members of the original Atlanta group from all the way back in season one, connect over their mutual love and respect for each other. In defending Maggie’s choice to kill Negan, Daryl reminds Rick of the debt he owes Glenn, and it’s amazing that after two whole seasons, the very mention of Glenn’s name carries a weight to it that no other character quite captures. In turn, Rick argues that Daryl sparing Dwight back in season six, is similar to keeping Negan alive.

This scene is quite special when looking at it within the entirety of The Walking Dead. The friendship between Rick and Daryl is one of the defining relationships of the series, as the two went from bitter enemies to true brothers. And, this scene captures this dynamic well, with an outstanding script and beautiful performances from Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus. In the end, differences are put aside, and although neither man convinces the other in an overly logical way, Daryl ends up striking at what matters most- that the bonds he and Rick share, along with the rest of their original group of survivors, is what will carry them into the future, not what kind of symbol keeping Negan alive may or may not mean for Carl’s memory and to the rest of the communities.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Next week is Rick Grimes’ last episode. Which means that The Walking Dead will be saying goodbye to its central character and face of the franchise, after eight years and over a hundred episodes. You’ve heard how Rick getting written off amounts to a huge departure from the comics, but with the death of Carl last season, and now Rick’s end looming, it’s clear that AMC isn’t afraid to diverge from Robert Kirkman’s source material, at least when their actors force their hands and ask for an out. My expectations for next week are relatively mild.

Despite “The Obliged” being the weakest outing of the season so far, I still have faith in Kang’s creative vision, and I believe that the rest of season nine will look more like the first three episodes, rather than the latest. Though, I wish there would have been a bit more shock and awe thrown in for Rick’s death, I understand the show’s need to get ahead of leaks, as well as advertise the hell out of #RickGrimesFinalEpisode, in an effort to boost sagging ratings. With most, if not all, of the suspense sucked out of next week’s episode, it seems likely that we’ll get a story more focused on Rick’s relationships with others, as well as his transformation as a character and impact on the overall story, similar to the send-off we got for Carl. I think it will be a good episode, one with the feeling and resources of a season finale, but with much build-up comes the potential for letdown, and I’m not entirely ruling out an earnest, yet ultimately underwhelming farewell for Sheriff Grimes.

The Walking Dead Season 9, Episode 3 Review: ‘Warning Signs’

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead

Season 9, Episode 3

By Garrett Yoshitomi

Things are really starting to pick up for The Walking Dead’sninth season, as it delivers one of its best episodes of all-time, in this week’s “Warning Signs.” Episode three gives us a nice blend of dramatic tension, satisfying action scenes, and just the right amount of whodunit sprinkled into a well-paced hour that moves the story along, and manages to touch on all of the important players this season, including several supporting characters. The Saviors are still public enemy numero uno, as construction on the bridge comes to a screeching halt once they realize that someone’s been hunting Saviors in the middle of the night.

I’m usually not a fan of shows recycling the same group of villains over and over again, but so far, this arc is shaping up to be one of the show’s best. New showrunner Angela Kang has breathed new life into the Saviors by humanizing them- giving them motivations beyond just being evil- and centering their conflict with Rick’s group inside a wider, complex narrative. The storyline itself is rather simple, and I think having a straightforward story is important when dealing with a layered plot that affects a large ensemble cast of characters in different ways. You want the sequence of events to be easy to follow, and the character development to feel authentic, so that the overall thematic importance seems cohesive and logical.

After being spared at the end of the war, the Saviors have been brought into the fold by Rick, but the rest of the communities aren’t all that interested in playing nice. However, because of the deal Maggie struck with Rick, the Saviors make up the bulk of the work force for the bridge project, so for the time being, they’re a necessary evil. Relations with the Saviors have been cool at best (thanks largely to Rick’s efforts), but tensions have been bubbling at the surface for a while, and now that Saviors are being mysteriously murdered left and right, this relatively peaceful coexistence finds itself turned upside down.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

This friction eventually builds to a full-on standoff between the Saviors and the rest of the bridge camp. With their members being rapidly picked off, and no way to defend themselves, the Saviors decide that vengeance is the next best choice, setting their sights on Daryl as the likely angel of death. What separates this conflict from a typical Savior showdown is that it’s motivated by more than, “the Saviors are the bad guys, Rick’s group are the good guys, let’s have them fight.” The Saviors are fighting for their own self-preservation, not some contrived, feudal warlord desire to subjugate people for their personal gain. This is a humanizing desire for a group of characters who are usually depicted as anything but. And, while it doesn’t earn them any sympathy, it certainly raises the stakes of their situation, and gives the entire feud a more grounded, realistic feel.

The entire face-off itself is incredible. It’s intense, well shot, and one of the most captivating scenes of the entire series, without even a single bullet being fired. The dramatic tension and the rising exchange of aggressions, with each side getting closer and closer to blows, kept my eyes glued to the screen in a way this show hasn’t managed to do in a while. It feels so natural seeing Daryl and Carol steadying their troops like hardened field generals. Daryl standing above the rest of the group, scanning the Saviors’ ranks like a hawk, and the rest of the group drawing their sidearms on Carol’s mark, feel like the kind of roles we missed out on for these two during the All-Out War saga. Although it’s a season too late, I’m glad we’re getting to see these two OG characters really strut their stuff, and I can easily see them sliding into the central leadership role, once Rick departs the show.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

I think what really makes this whole storyline hum is how well the writers have managed to incorporate several minor characters, in a way that feels organic and genuinely interesting. For the first time almost ever, the Saviors feel like actual compelling villains, but if I had to tell you even one of their names, without looking them up, I couldn’t. Even with names, none of these bit characters have anything close to something resembling a backstory. Named Saviors like Arat, Laura, and Regina have received a moment or two in the sun, only to be inevitably relegated to background roles, popping in and out when the story calls for a smirking lackey or two.

So far, the writers have ignored the criminal neglect these minor characters have received in seasons past, reincorporating them into the story in a very central way. And, because of how straightforward this overall storyline is, it doesn’t really matter that we don’t know who these redshirt Saviors are. While individual characterization is important, it’s not required to understand the Saviors’ motivations- members of their group are being killed, and they want to do something about it. However, what turns this storyline from an entertaining, multi-episode A-plot, to a series-wide turning point, is the full exploration of its effect on characters both major and minor.

It’s amazing to see the events of this episode fuel the ideological, soon to be physical, conflict between Rick and Maggie and Daryl. We’ve seen members of the group feud in the past, but this upcoming clash between longtime friends feels like it will have major, much more permanent consequences. Based on typical Walking Deadplot progression, it’s pretty surprising to see this storyline play out so quickly. If this were a season ago, we would have spent the next four episodes building up to Maggie’s eventual visit to Alexandria. Granted, this could all be getting sped up for the sake of RICK GRIMES’ FINAL EPISODES, but I’m willing to bet that keeping the plot moving is all part of Kang’s plan to retool the show.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The impact of this storyline goes beyond the main characters, though. What really gives me high hopes for this show going forward, is how the Oceanside women, a heavily underutilized group of minor characters, are so seamlessly incorporated into the episode’s main plot. Prior to this episode, the Oceanside community had been relegated to nothing more than a convenient plot device. The community’s tragic origin story helped to further demonize the Saviors, while their refusal to give Alexandria their giant stash o’ guns gave Rick’s group a nice softball of an obstacle to overcome in the back half of season seven. The women of Oceanside do ride out to the Hilltop’s aid at the end of season eight, but the focus was more on how this benefitted the overall war effort, rather than the impact this decision had on Oceanside. For the most part, in the two seasons since they’ve been introduced, there’s been very little substantial character development for the Oceanside women.

This dynamic gets turned on its head, though, as Oceanside features heavily into this episode, shaping its outcome, and displaying the kind of agency that few supporting characters on The Walking Deadget to have. When all of the puzzle pieces start to finally fall into place, the backstory and characterization that Oceanside had previously only received in passing comes full circle to provide their arc with a natural sense of closure that also serves as a building block for the show’s wider narrative. This scene plays out beautifully, and is incredibly well acted by Sydney Park, who plays teenage Oceanside leader, Cyndie. Park gives a haunting monologue that truly captures the heart of what I think can make The Walking Dead a great show- the importance of loved ones, both lost and alive, and the emotional impact they have on even the most apocalypse-hardened characters.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

In a large ensemble show, characters and their relationships are king. While having more characters than you know what to do with is usually a burden for The Walking Dead; in the case of “Warning Signs,” it’s a strength, as Kang is able to swiftly and purposefully move her multitude of chess pieces across the board, engaging them in shorter term storylines, all while getting them positioned for the bigger picture ahead. If you’ve felt less invested in The Walking Dead in recent seasons, or have given up all together (although, if that’s true, I’m not sure you’d be reading this), I’d give the veteran show another chance. The early returns from season nine have been very promising, and “Warning Signs,” in particular is a strong enough offering for this longtime Dead critic, even longer time fan, to admit that this show is definitely worth your time. It’s a new world, indeed. And in this new world, The Walking Dead is back.