6x02 JSS

Two exciting episodes in a row! I almost didn't blink during it because I was so focused
I expected the Wolves to make an appearance in Alexandria, but I didn't think it would be so soon and quite that vicious. I was sure that a bunch of walkers had separated from the horde Rick and the others were leading away and found their way there. So imagine my surprise when that lady who was smoking just got hacked out of nowhere
AThe writers once again did a great job in one single episode making me change my mind again about a character... I mean, I was faithless regarding Rick in 5.15 and then in the season finale he actually made sense and I was back in the "Go Rick" band wagon. The same happened to Carol! I really liked that they showed her more human and actually feeling sorrow and a little bit of guilty about killing people... because I was already wishing her demise about her attitude of "let's just kill everybody" from season 5. Carol stole the whole episode, she was impressive, smart, strong and human.
I also think it was important to see Morgan going from "not killing anyone" to finally realize that it was necessary.... TBH he was annoying me when all hell was breaking loose and he was making angry faces about killing those guys, not to mention he did allow some of them to run away carrying a gun, so it's a no brainer that they'll come back and next time will be worst
I also like that they are slowly redeeming Gabriel? His apologies to Carl was good and I since they both interacted more at the church it felt right. I am hoping that he will learn some things with him. One that really needs to step up his game is Deanna's son... the guy was useless.
And I felt really sorry for Aaron when he found his backpack
I'm liking Jessie so far... I was afraid she would be a helpless damsel in distress and run to Rick's arms, so now that she is starting to fight I'm happy about her development.
Ohh another thing I want Eugene and Aaron's boyfriend (I forgot his name) to help out in the clinic with that new doctor

9.1/10

This was a pretty great episode. There was a strong visual theme of markings, typically with letters, whether it's "JSS" or "W" or a Scarlett Letter-esque "A". My natural inclination is to go philosophical and interpret these markings in the shadow of the Scarlet A the show's writers seemed to be referencing. The protagonist of that novel was marked because she had transgressed society's bounds and was treated as stained because of it. Much of this episode had to do with people questioning or running from the ways in which they felt stained by their past actions, what the fall of society had made them into. "We didn't choose" say the wolves. We were made into this, and in many ways it's true, but that doesn't stop folks like Carol from questioning how she's been marked and what that means.

And her opposing force is Morgan, who, as depicted in the final shot, is walking the opposite direction. Morgan is Batman; he's a badass who doesn't want to kill anyone; he just wants to keep going. I loved his scenes; I loved his hesitance to kill, and I loved his juxtaposition with Carol. Carol is probably the show's best character, and the scenes depicting her feeling the weight of the things she's done, the hard woman she's turned into, were powerful and heartbreaking. Morgan is the yin to her yang, desperately trying to hold onto his humanity thrust into a world that practically invites you to become a monster. It was stellar work in terms of the writing, the production and direction, and especially from both actors.

I also loved the little short story film with Enid that served as the intro. This show often works best when it tells stories using images rather than dialogue, and there was some great visual storytelling here. I especially liked the editing, where right before the terror or violence was about to begin, it would jump cut to the aftermath -- not because I'm against depicting violence, but because it was more effective her to imply what was happening. I also appreciated the image of Enid eating the turtle, looking just like the zombie that eats her parents. Again, it's a powerful visual statement that shows what the world has turned these people into.

I also loved the white-knuckle excitement of the Wolves' invasion. It was all well-shot with a number of exciting set pieces. It was a very well-structured episode, with the first third or so letting us see where everyone is settling in back in Alexandria and reestablishing the setting, before all hell breaks loose. The Wolves' arrival was a hell of a twist, and it dovetailed surprisingly well with the end of last week's episode.

The show overall has gotten better about its "divide and conquer" storytelling technique. With a cast this big, it's easy for folks to get lost in the shuffle (note the thin characterization the show had to give some of the generic Alexandrians so that it would mean something, even something slight, when they were killed by the Wolves), but by splitting everyone up and showing how their stories impact each other, it gives more time to develop the characters, and makes those moments where the stories intersect cooler and more meaningful.

It wasn't all great, though. I did appreciate the new doctor's struggles, and I'm a big Eugene fan, but the story was a little too neat given the setup. There's still a lot of speechifying going on in this show (Rosita's was especially groanworthy), and while Ron dealing with his father's death and anger at his mother for it could be fertile teritory for the show to explore, the teenaged actors just weren't up to the subtle love triangle angle with Ron, Carl, and Enid. It was pretty low level Dawson's Creek stuff. The same goes for a pretty on-the-nose "I don't know how to shoot a gun, I'm not a warrior" bit with Deanna and Spencer.

Still, this was a stellar episode that, through impeccable pacing managed to balance some character development, a thrilling series of action scenes, and some quality thematic resonance with various characters wondering whether they or others have been debased into becoming killers, or whether it's just people doing what's necessary. The leftover casserole Carol mentions, and then makes, is a symbolic reminders of what they're trying to do out there, use whatever's left and try to make it into something worthwhile. One of the show's better outings in recent memory.