The Walking Dead Season 7, Episode 4 Review: 'Service'

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead

Season 7, Episode 4

By Garrett Yoshitomi

After three long, agonizing weeks, we finally get to check-in with the Alexandria crew and how they're dealing with the deaths of Glenn and Abraham. Surprisingly enough, they seem to be in relatively ok spirits- coping a lot better than I certainly am- although we never get a chance to catch-up with Maggie, who was arguably impacted the most. "Service" takes place a few days after the season premiere, giving our heroes a bit of time to come to terms with their new reality. But, their brief respite is cut cruelly short, when Negan arrives (ahead of schedule) to collect his offering. Again, this episode focuses on the psychological battle of wills between Rick and Negan, and while I wish it had focused a bit more on how other, more secondary characters are doing, Rick v. Negan is sure to be the crux of season seven, and the mesmerizing performances of both Jeffery Dean Morgan and Andrew Lincoln, are well worth the trade-off.

 

If you’ve been following The Walking Dead from the start, it’s probably been pretty tough to watch Rick so beaten down and emasculated. For the past seven seasons, our fearless leader has helped the group navigate through dangerous situation after dangerous situation, projecting an unflappable level of bad-assery amidst the most daunting odds. We’re briefly reminded of this Rick of old, when one of Negan’s soldiers finds Deanna’s video recorded interview of Rick from when he first arrived at Alexandria. Even Negan admits, though jokingly of course, that this bearded, videotaped version of Rick is not someone he’d want to mess with. And, it appears that, no matter how farfetched it seemed at the time, Carl’s season five prediction came true- the quiet and safety of Alexandria made the group weak. Of course, it can be easy to sometimes mistake strength for weakness. A retaliatory strike on Negan might seem like the heroic move to make, but as Rick calmly explains to Michonne at the end of episode, The Saviors have an insurmountable numbers advantage over both Alexandria and the Hilltop, so for now, they wait and go along with Negan’s demands. And despite how awesome it would be to have Rick pull one out of the old playbook and bite Negan’s throat out, what Alexandria really needs is a leader who shows strength in restraint, remaining in control and not resorting to immediate retaliation (which is basically what got everybody into this situation in the first place). I think Rick can and will be this kind of leader.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Elsewhere, in supporting character land, for the first time in her two-plus seasons on the show, Rosita finally gets to actually do something. In fact, after countless episodes with literally zero speaking lines, Suzie Crabgrass finds herself front and center in her very own B-plot. And what a B-plot it is. In direct opposition to Rick’s plan to seemingly rollover and give Negan all of Alexandria’s guns, Rosita decides to fight back- scavenging for weapons and hitting up Eugene for some home cooked bullets. It’s pretty likely that it’s only a matter of time before Rick gets wind and tries to shut this plan down; but regardless, it’s nice that Rosita’s list of accomplishments will contain something other than getting dumped by Abraham. With the recent “thinning” of the main cast, it’s only natural for some of the plot to trickle down to characters who have been previously ignored narratively. So far, we’ve already seen a bit of this with Morgan’s prominence in The Kingdom, and the first multi-episode Daryl storyline since the Beth arc. Hopefully we’ll see the same happen to other characters who have either felt neglected (Michonne), or need to pivot into new roles (Maggie). Oh, and am I the only one who would *love* to see an Aaron-centric storyline? 

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Speaking of Daryl, we do get a few scenes this week with everyone’s favorite scraggly haired biker. In yet another demoralizing jab at Rick, Negan parades a pajama-clad Daryl around Alexandria, ordering him around left and right like his own personal errand boy. Negan doesn’t even allow Rick to communicate with his de facto righthand man; though, there is an interesting theory floating around the Reddit-verse that suggests otherwise. As for Negan, there really isn’t much more I can say that I haven’t said already. Negan is a fantastic antagonist, portrayed brilliantly by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. And, despite sagging season seven ratings, I strongly believe that Negan will be the catalyst that saves The Walking Dead from its long-simmering creative malaise. The only question is- will enough people start tuning back in to enjoy it?

And just like that, we’re halfway through season 7A, and just four short weeks away from the midseason finale. It doesn’t necessarily feel like it though, as the first four episodes of the season have been relatively good, in terms of quality, and have all served to move the plot forward, as opposed to past seasons that typically start to lose steam around this point in time. I’m looking forward to Rosita and Eugene’s secret bullet manufacturing plan; but in a more general sense, I do wonder if the writers will be able to maintain Negan’s threatening air. Given the show’s history of less than compelling bad guys, I could envision a scenario where the next several encounters with Negan are all bark and no bite, with viewers getting distracted by the charismatic one-liners, and forgetting just how incredibly dangerous Negan is. Hard to imagine, right? But the further away we get from the season premiere, the less “real” Negan’s free killing ways become. As much as I hate to say it, The Walking Dead might need to introduce a couple more characters to Lucille, as the season goes on. Here’s hoping next week doesn’t make me eat my words.

(TV)( The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 5 sneak peek trailer

The Walking Dead Season 7, Episode 3 Review: ‘The Cell’

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead
Season 7, Episode 3

By Garrett Yoshitomi

For the second straight week, The Walking Dead steers clear of a post-Lucille Rick & co. storyline, this time in favor of a Daryl Dixon-centric episode, focusing on his imprisonment at Negan’s basecamp, The Sanctuary. Again, getting sidetracked from the main narrative is something The Walking Dead has suffered from in the past. Luckily, the outset of season seven provides enough plot to go around, with both “The Cell” and last week’s “The Well,” managing to tell compelling, mostly standalone, stories for the characters currently separated from the main group.

“The Cell” benefits greatly from having Daryl front and center. By and large he’s been the show’s most popular character since early season two (he didn’t do a whole lot in season one), rivaled, perhaps, only by Glenn (RIP). In recent years, Daryl hasn’t been given as much to do as his popularity might suggest. His character development peaked considerably in season three with the death of his brother, Merle, and has since seen his contributions notably reduced to glaring menacingly and babysitting Beth (good job with that one). But all that looks to change this season, as it’s made clear this week that Negan has special plans for Mr. Dixon.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

After indirectly causing Glenn’s death in the season premiere, Daryl’s upcoming arc will focus on his guilt, and hopefully, his eventual redemption. Rather than seeing the aftermath of Glenn and Abraham’s death through the eyes of the entire group, Daryl will have to cope, quite literally, alone. And, I’m interested to see what effect this isolation has on Daryl’s road back, though, according to Norman Reedus, Daryl never truly forgives himself. It’s fun to imagine that in a few episodes down the line, Daryl manages to get the jump on Dwight, takes back his crossbow, and rides off into the sunset, headshotting Saviors left and right, on his way out. But something tells me that things won’t be quite that easy for everyone’s favorite gold-hearted redneck.

This week’s episode also supplies us with some useful backstory for Dwight. We initially meet Dwight back in season six, when he and his wife, Sherry, memorably steal Daryl’s crossbow and motorcycle. Since then, he's made several appearances as one of Negan’s many henchmen; however, this week reveals that he’s much higher up in The Savior hierarchy than we’d previously been led to believe. This upward career trajectory belies the Dwight we were introduced to in season six. The Dwight who was trying to escape The Saviors, rather than join them, and who claimed to have never killed anyone, for fear of not being able to “come back from it.”

(Photo Credit: AMC)

We eventually learn why Dwight morphs into Negan’s lapdog, though it would have been more effective storytelling if this transformation was shown, rather than explained by a separate character. The Walking Dead, in general, avoids splicing episodes with expository flashbacks, instead preferring to dedicate flashback storylines to an entire standalone episode. It’s possible that we’ll still get a Dwight flashback episode somewhere down the line. Characters like Michonne, Abraham, and Morgan received their flashback treatment well after they were first introduced. For now, though, Dwight seems to have been sufficiently fleshed out, especially since his rivalry with Daryl was already established throughout last season. However, there are some nuances in his relationship with Negan that I think could make for some interesting television, and at the very least would be worth exploring, should Dwight stick around as a major player for the rest of the season.

In addition to a deeper look at Dwight, “The Cell” offers a nice and neat peak into The Saviors’ hideout, The Sanctuary. Over the years, our heroes have come across multiple bad guy headquarters. From the outwardly charming, yet inwardly terrifying Woodbury, to the corrupt and bureaucratic Grady Memorial Hospital. And while these communities differ in appearance and manner, they all share the same type of leader- a tyrannical dictator hellbent on control. In this sense, our brief glimpse of The Sanctuary offers little that we haven't seen before.

And yet, unlike a Terminus or a Woodbury, The Sanctuary makes no effort to portray a safe haven-like facade. The Sanctuary is cold and foreboding. Its streets lined, not with quaint two-story craftsmen, but by the bowed heads of Negan’s followers. Rather than intimidate its victims with cheap parlor tricks- leading would be prey through a maze of human-filled meat lockers- The Sanctuary rules under the iron fist of Negan, who crafts a rigid sense of order out of stone cold fear. And in a lawless world, ruling through order, rather than chaos, is what’s truly terrifying. As Merle Dixon once said, “I think I'd piss my pants if some stranger came walking up with his mitts in his pockets. That'd be the son of a bitch you'd really want to be scared of.” 

(Photo Credit: AMC)

What’s scarier than someone with their hands in their pockets? How about someone with their hands gripped around a baseball bat wrapped in barbwire? After his explosive first appearance in the season premiere, Negan pops up sporadically throughout this episode, showing up at the most inopportune times for Daryl, but doing so in the most delightfully sinister way, possible. Negan has quickly risen up the ranks of those TV villains that fans just love to hate. And, Jeffrey Dean Morgan proves that even in smaller doses, he’s still capable of commanding every scene he’s in.

For an episode that “technically” counts as filler, “The Cell” succeeds by centering around fan-favorite Daryl, while providing meaningful insight into Dwight’s backstory and The Sanctuary. If this week’s previews are to be trusted, next Sunday’s episode will finally catch us up on how Rick, and the rest of Alexandria, are coping with the deaths of Glenn and Abraham, as well as their new found subjugation under Negan’s rule. After that, we’ll actually be halfway through season 7A, so we can probably expect the plot to pick up fairly quickly within the coming weeks.

(TV) The Walking Dead: The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 3 promo trailer

The Walking Dead Season 7, Episode 2: 'The Well' Review

(Photo Credit: AMC)

The Walking Dead
Season 7, Episode 2
By Garrett Yoshitomi

After the craziness that was last week’s season premiere, The Walking Dead offers to cleanse the palate with season seven, episode two, “The Well.” I’m usually not a fan of episodes completely ignoring the events of the immediately preceding episode- especially when said events are incredibly crucial plot-wise. However, last week was so emotionally draining that an hour of The Walking Dead, with zero acknowledgment of the Glenn-less world we now live in, is a welcome luxury I’m sure we won’t be able to afford much longer. From a scheduling standpoint, it makes sense to catch up on Carol and Morgan, rather than dive into the aftermath of Negan and Lucille. It keeps their side of the story relevant, while also preventing them from going forgotten amongst the show’s more casual fans. In doing so, “The Well” picks up where the season six finale’s other dangling cliffhanger left off- namely, what happens to Carol and Morgan, and who are those guys in the catcher’s gear?

(Photo Credit: AMC)

I was never big on the writers’ decision to pair Carol and Morgan together for much of last season. I understand the need to showcase their conflicting moral values- Morgan won’t kill, Carol only kills. But, the “fit” never felt natural, and the tension forced. The obvious choice for Morgan’s foil was very clearly Rick. Rick and Morgan’s relationship goes back to the literal beginning, and their reunion was long teased throughout season five. A half-season centered around these two long-lost companions, and their clashing ideologies, could have been quite compelling. Instead, Rick peeled off in his own narrative direction to set up Negan and the Saviors; leaving us with a frustratingly stubborn Morgan, and a Carol who only half-heartedly challenged him.

Last season, Carol underwent a strangely laid arc, going from a one woman stabbing crew, to a guilt ridden wreck with an unsettling death wish. It was a sudden change of heart for one of the show’s seemingly more hardened characters, making it even harder to accept, as her transformation took place over the span of just two episodes. (Although, to be fair there was a significant time lapse between them.) It also didn’t help that her new found moral compass turned her into the polar opposite of the person she had been for the previous two and a half years. Maybe next time, ease into it a little bit when you’re fundamentally altering a character? Carol spends most of this episode doing typical Carol things. She dons her “Suzy Homemaker” persona to feign unsuspecting Kingdom-ers, and appropriates anything useful, and dangerous, without hesitation.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

None of this would be worth mentioning, though, if not for the fact that two days ago (show time) Carol was practically begging a revenge-bent Savior to put her out of her misery. And as much as I love badass Carol, the writers need to pick a direction, and decide if Carol wants to live or not. Personally, I’m not exactly sure where Carol goes from here. Usually characters who decide they’re done with all the senseless violence, aren’t long for this world (R.I.P. Tyreese). But in Carol’s case, I kind of doubt the writers will bring her back from so close to death, only to turn around, and immediately kill her off. (Although, last week’s episode certainly spits in the face of this theory). For now, Carol serves as a useful character, with ties to all of the major players, and is one of the few non-Rick survivors with a fleshed out backstory. For a show that just wrote off two solidly established cast members, that matters.

A slightly less solidly established character is Morgan, who also features heavily this week. Other than his flashback solo episode, “Here’s Not Here,” I was fairly mixed on Morgan’s role in season six. He was just kind of “there” for most of the season, cryptically warning everyone that “all life is precious,” but with precious little to show for it. His unwavering pacifism could have been a much needed break from The Group’s “shoot first, ask questions never” policy- if the writers had given us the slightest of inklings that he might actually be right. Alas, it appears that Morgan will actually get to do something in season seven, rather than just exist on the periphery. His mentorship role with one of The Kingdom’s younger, less capable soldiers knights, fits his arc quite well, and has the potential to more deeply explore a character who, despite appearing regularly last season, remains quite enigmatic.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

Undoubtedly, the highlight of this week’s episode is the debut of The Kingdom. Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of different makeshift communities. Some have giant walls, others have homicidal cannibals; but so far, none have had the strikingly medieval feel of The Kingdom. From the “knights” clad in catcher’s gear, to the sounds of trotting horses, The Kingdom is unique in both name and image. Comic readers have waited patiently for The Kingdom and its leader, King Ezekiel, to finally appear on the small screen. And, while I was slightly skeptical towards how the show would handle King Zeke and his CGI-heavy companion, I’m happy to report that the early returns are quite promising.

It’s been a while since The Walking Dead has introduced a truly memorable new character (you’d probably have to go all the way back to Abraham’s debut in season four, for the most recent instance). Two episodes in, though, and season seven has already given us two, in Negan and King Ezekiel. Right from jump street, Ezekiel dominates the first scene he’s in- an admittedly easy task when you’re sitting next to a tiger. But take away Shiva, and he remains a dominating presence, thanks largely to the dynamic performance of Khary Payton. Ezekiel’s late night meeting with Carol speaks volumes to Payton’s talent, as he’s able to command the scene with his mesmerizing voice, both in and out of “character.” What’s more impressive is how subtly Payton overshadows Melissa McBride. McBride, an outstanding actor in her own right, says very few words during this scene- a fact that you don’t even realize until its already over. Payton is just that captivating.

(Photo Credit: AMC)

This episode, along with the season premiere, have succeeded in bringing some long overdue world building to The Walking Dead universe. For the longest time, Team Grimes has existed in their own little bubble- so confident and tested, handling any outside threat with relative ease and minimal loss. With the introduction of Negan, The Saviors, and The Kingdom, we finally get some perspective, and hints at where the series goes from here. Admittedly, King Ezekiel and his pet tiger, and by extension the entire existence of The Kingdom, requires a higher suspension of disbelief than we’ve had to accept in recent seasons. Which is weird, considering this is a show about zombies. However, the premise has gotten undeniably stale, to a degree, and the new characters we’ve encountered could go a long way in fixing this. It’s been no cake walk, but so far, season seven is turning out to be just the shakeup that The Walking Dead needs.