The epic sixth season opener of THE WALKING DEAD is a testament to the steely resolve of Rick Grimes and the crew, who after being forced to flee Hershel Greene's farm, seen their prison sanctuary destroyed, and barely escaped the cannibals at Terminus, are now sure as hell not going to lose their new home of Alexandria, Virginia. Moreover, if the residents of Alexandria have a problem with them, then they have no idea with whom they're dealing. Rick is the man who bit out Joe's throat and has not looked back since.
This episode, titled First Time Again, is told in two separate story lines, one of which picks up right where the events of Season 5's dramatic finale left off and is in effective black and white, telling the background of the main story, set in the present, where the denizens of Alexandria must deal with the eminent threat of a mega herd of Walkers. Rick has a risky plan to draw the massive herd away from their walled off town, one which relies on tight teamwork and expert timing. The problem is that the Alexandrians are fumblers, bumblers, or just plain cowards, all badly lacking in Walker skills. Pulling this operation off and the tension between Rick, Darryl, Michonne, Abraham and their weak-kneed allies is the main plot of the episode.
The subplot concerned the reunion of Rick and Morgan, two men who have been down similar roads, but who have arrived at different destinations. While Rick will stand for no slacking in those who do not meet his standards and expectations, Morgan is a man seemingly at peace with himself and this terrible world, although somewhere along the line, the man picked up some mad ninja skills. No matter, Morgan easily fits in with Rick and the rest when it comes to facing the threat of the herd. He is the only man outside of his crew whose opinion Rick seems to care about, as when Rick reluctantly helps Morgan dig Pete's grave so Pete's son, Ron, will have a grave to visit.
There were some incredible highlights to this show, starting with the opening scene at the Walker quarry, which is like nothing we have seen before in the series. A definitive Darryl moment comes when he calmly rides his motorcycle down the highway with the herd following less than stone's throw behind. Rick's takedown of Carter and the would-be mutineers is classic, so is the throw away scene where he completely shuts down Father Gabriel, who evidently not been forgiven for leaving that gate open last season. Then there is Eugene and Heath's first meeting at the gate, with some truly comic dialog. There were some quiet moments between Abraham and Sasha, Maggie and Tara, Morgan and Michonne, and another one where Morgan lets Carole know he's on to her meek housewife charade. Nicholas has seen the light and is now following Glenn's lead after the latter spared his treacherous ass last season.
The performances were excellent; all of the regulars now fit their roles like gloves; among the Alexandrians, special praise to Ethan Embrey as Carter, truly the most worthless character in the series since Carole's husband, Ed Peltier. Lennie James's return as Morgan is most welcome, but we should all worry about a character that is the moral conscience of the show.
This episode made for quite the contrast with FEAR THE WALKING DEAD; junkie Nick Clark from that show wouldn't have lasted five minutes on the highway with the herd. However, FEAR is a completely different show about people in an entirely different place and time in the Zombie Apocalypse. We'll see them again next year. In the mean time, we've got the original TWD.
And just who was blaring the horn at the end of the episode? As World Patriot has been reminding us all summer: Wolves Not Far.
"We're doing it live!"
This episode, titled First Time Again, is told in two separate story lines, one of which picks up right where the events of Season 5's dramatic finale left off and is in effective black and white, telling the background of the main story, set in the present, where the denizens of Alexandria must deal with the eminent threat of a mega herd of Walkers. Rick has a risky plan to draw the massive herd away from their walled off town, one which relies on tight teamwork and expert timing. The problem is that the Alexandrians are fumblers, bumblers, or just plain cowards, all badly lacking in Walker skills. Pulling this operation off and the tension between Rick, Darryl, Michonne, Abraham and their weak-kneed allies is the main plot of the episode.
The subplot concerned the reunion of Rick and Morgan, two men who have been down similar roads, but who have arrived at different destinations. While Rick will stand for no slacking in those who do not meet his standards and expectations, Morgan is a man seemingly at peace with himself and this terrible world, although somewhere along the line, the man picked up some mad ninja skills. No matter, Morgan easily fits in with Rick and the rest when it comes to facing the threat of the herd. He is the only man outside of his crew whose opinion Rick seems to care about, as when Rick reluctantly helps Morgan dig Pete's grave so Pete's son, Ron, will have a grave to visit.
There were some incredible highlights to this show, starting with the opening scene at the Walker quarry, which is like nothing we have seen before in the series. A definitive Darryl moment comes when he calmly rides his motorcycle down the highway with the herd following less than stone's throw behind. Rick's takedown of Carter and the would-be mutineers is classic, so is the throw away scene where he completely shuts down Father Gabriel, who evidently not been forgiven for leaving that gate open last season. Then there is Eugene and Heath's first meeting at the gate, with some truly comic dialog. There were some quiet moments between Abraham and Sasha, Maggie and Tara, Morgan and Michonne, and another one where Morgan lets Carole know he's on to her meek housewife charade. Nicholas has seen the light and is now following Glenn's lead after the latter spared his treacherous ass last season.
The performances were excellent; all of the regulars now fit their roles like gloves; among the Alexandrians, special praise to Ethan Embrey as Carter, truly the most worthless character in the series since Carole's husband, Ed Peltier. Lennie James's return as Morgan is most welcome, but we should all worry about a character that is the moral conscience of the show.
This episode made for quite the contrast with FEAR THE WALKING DEAD; junkie Nick Clark from that show wouldn't have lasted five minutes on the highway with the herd. However, FEAR is a completely different show about people in an entirely different place and time in the Zombie Apocalypse. We'll see them again next year. In the mean time, we've got the original TWD.
And just who was blaring the horn at the end of the episode? As World Patriot has been reminding us all summer: Wolves Not Far.
"We're doing it live!"