That metaphor at the beginning with the ants streaming in through the window was fantastic.
Can't wait till Rick get a hold of Morgan.
Can't believe that dude. He turned out to be a big disappointment. Great episode.
This was the episode that made me hate quite a lot of characters. I already hated some before, but now I'm sure about the rest. Why were so many characters this episode so fucking stupid? I really liked Morgan for a bit, but now...ever since he started this whole "all life is sacred" bullshit... Then he is even willing to fight Carol to defend an absolute psychopath?! I say fuck Morgan. What carl did is pretty much just as bad as when Glenn spared Nicolas. I already hated both of Jessi's sons, but now I just want both of them gone. I already hated Eugene, and I hate that little bitch Glenn was trying to talk to whatever her name is. After all the bullshit the main characters have been through, why do they all of the sudden seem to have so much patience for this shit? This is turning out to be the worst season ever! Carol is probably the only character left on the show that I trust to make the right decision and do what is needed to survive. Everyone else seems to have their head up their ass.
7.5/10. Perfectly acceptable mid-season finale. The cold open with the ants sneaking into Sam's little hideaway was nicely artistic, if a little too "the rat stands for obviousness" in the metaphor it conveyed with the imagery. Sam was actually a surprisingly strong part of this episode. How a young child copes with this world is an interesting angle on the zombie apocalypse story. The show's had mixed results trying this sort of thing with Carl, or the young zombie-loving girl from the last season, but Sam's demeanor really communicates how scarred and frightened someone too young to really deal with the carnage and state of affairs around him could be.
Rick gets a final speech from Deanna that "they're all his people." Like I mentioned last week, this story of RIck learning to appreciate all of his compatriots and not just his crew hasn't really worked for me. It feels like a rehash, and while the actress who plays Deanna does a good job, it's a pretty facile lesson to build Rick's arc around.
Speaking of surprisingly strong performances, Ron actually impressed me this week with his shell-shocked routine. Sure, his attempt to kill Carl was a kind of weak development that we all saw coming from a mile away, and I shudder to think of the two of them becoming best buddies now that Carl covered for him (especially after Carl's haughty, "but your dad was an asshole" line that was an unbelievable thing to say in that situation), but in similar terms to Sam, I appreciated how Ron just couldn't process everything that was happening and seemed believably in shock and out of sorts.
And speaking of speeches from Deanna, while I liked her performance generally, and Mischonne's one of my favorite characters on the show, the dialogue between the two of them didn't do either any favors. "What do you want from this?" is such a cliche, "mentor-y character dying words" thing to say. The actress who plays Mischonne sold it as best she could, and did a good job under the circumstances selling her character's struggle, but those scenes feel ripped from a standard action movie where a hopeful character kicks the bucket and tells her friend to go on. The actors elevated the material, but there's only so much they can do.
The stand out segment, to my mind, is Morgan's stand off with Carol. Carol is such an interesting Carol, and the subtext of her stance that she can't let anyone die, with the background that she was abused by her husband and allowed abuse without doing anything about it and won't go back to that, gives her scenes such power. Lennie James has quickly become one of the best actors on the show, and what we know about the background that led him to his no killing stance adds weight to his position as well. Setting the two against each other like that was tense and laden with interesting philosophical and thematic baggage. Carol is a utilitarian; Morgan is a Kantian; and the Wolf guy (who stood out as superbly unnerving in this episode) is something of a nihilist. Putting those philosophies in opposition to each other is an interesting direction to go, and I'm curious as to the fallout now that Wolf guy has escaped and has Denise.
Otherwise, it's mostly drips and drabs of other stories. Maggie has a fairly standard escape from the horde sequence. Rosita, Tara, and Eugene have the usual "I guess it's not over yet! We persevere!" scene. Glenn has the same kind of rote exchange with Enid. We get a bit of a scare with Deanna and Judith. And hey! They remember the zombie guts camouflage from Season 1! Mild continuity! Who'd have thunk it!
But overall, this was an episode had some artistic framing, direction, and cinematography (time slowing down from Sam's perspective was particularly effective), and while the dialogue, as usual, was pretty on-the-nose, there were some good performances, some interesting thematic material even if it didn't land perfectly, and some good zombie sequences to boot. As with most of Walking Dead, it's still a mixed bag, but there was more good than bad this go-around.
Jessie is the worst mother. What the hell has she been doing while Son 1 is out to murder because someone stole his girlfriend and Son 2 is losing his fucking mind...?
Dammit Morgan, why did you turn from everyone's favorite to peace-loving hippie who can't read situation?
This must be the most cliche moment in TWD this season: stupid teen getting too emotional and messing up (Ron), dumb kid being scared and making loud noise (Ron's brother), and some idealist (Morgan) insisting on his ideals--all of them risking the lives of other survivors.
This first half of season 6 seems to miss the opportunity to build upon the group dynamics to a more interesting twist. In the start of this season, on one hand we have the hot-blooded Rick, leader of the survivors who have went through hell and back, dare to risk anything for the safety of his group. On the another hand we have the de jure leader of peaceful community Deanna, who have never seen the horrors of TWD's world. And on the another additional hand we also have Morgan, the guy who have survived insanity, traveled alone with his newly-founded unorthodox ideal.
We have a hard-boiled survivor vis-a-vis naive unexperienced leader, with a fellow survivor--who has a very different outlook on life--in between. The season did a good job in the first four episodes portraying this.
But by the end of the mid-season, Deanna's leadership simply returns to Rick and Morgan has become nothing more than eccentric guy who seem to give more trouble than counter-balancing Rick's brash and heavy risk-taking leadership. And in the process a lot of people died... died too clichely to give way for Rick to his leadership. And as Rick take the leader role once again, we're presented with another opportunist hostile stranger groups (The Wolves) who always have no purpose than raiding the groups--just another trouble to make the groups life more difficult. Not much characterization, not much to have sympathy for.
And I like the throwback to Season 1's zombie disguise (and other throwback in previous episodes), but in this episode it just seems off. It seems to lack the tense, the breath-taking risk that it had back in Season 1. It feels like it's guaranteed the plan must fail to certain extent--and that failure is caused by none other than Alexandrians naivities.
I really liked this episode. Especially the parts with Deanna. Best episode so far this season.
Damn they needed to stuff that kid' mouth with something before going outside. Also, while it was mature of Carl to cover for that piece of shit Ron, I feel like he's going to regret it. Jessie is really unfortunate in the children department, isn't she. Oh and I'm giving up on Morgan. I manage to swallow down his idealistic, deeply flawed philosophy, but when he fucking extends it to others, don't just don't kill himself but stop others from doing it and actively sides with a fucking enemy, it's just unacceptable and beyond understanding. When it's not only his life at risk, he has no right to make that decision. So yeah, regardless of his mad skills with a stick, he doesn't belong in Rick' group. All in all, a great episode, but a bit underwhelming for a mid season finale.
Man do I hate Morgan each episode a little more sigh
I understand Morgan's point of view because of his backstory, but COME ON that guy ALREADY SAID he was gonna kill. I loved Eastman but how can he save everyone? The fact that he thinks NO ONE EVER needs to die is so flawed.
Also that fucking kid LMAO I knew he was gonna mess things up, he just LOOKS like the type of motherfucker to talk AT THE MOST CRITICAL MOMENT. He's scared, but he should just follow everyone else's lead and not talk.
Father Gabriel is surprisingly less annoying because he's compliant now, but Jessie's kids are really freaking annoying. That other kid that's supposed to be around Carl's age - does he not have any common sense? Trying to kill Carl AT THE EXACT MOMENT the walkers are attacking. Really, boy, REALLY???!? He put them all in danger by smashing that glass. His dad abused him and he still protects him, I mean I don't know much about psychology but the kid's an idiot.
It looks like TWD wants us to hate as many characters as possible..
Rick : can be annoying when he wants
Carl : Always annoying, of course. And take that stupid hat off
Judith : We don't really know her yet, BUT, she's crying a lot. Already.
Morgan : makes bad choices
Glenn : I love you.
Carol : Wants to be a badass but doesn't really impress me at all.
Daryl : I love you too but don't be too kind to others. Otherwise... well you know.
Maggie : you're fine.
Michonne : good fighter, keep it up
Sasha : she has her head back on her shoulders. Good.
Tara : she's sweet
Eugene : Scared. Always Scared. Sigh
Rosita : ok but not really important (not yet)
Abraham : Though dude but don't get fucked up
Gabriel : he's doing better but used to be f*cking annoying :)
All the people from Alexandria : ok.
Except : Nicholas (now dead, finally), Enid (stop saying shit all day long plz), Ron (same for you), Sam (Die plz)
Conclusion :
Many characters are annoying. But I still watch this TV show. Don't ask me why
WTF! Even the priest is more reasonable than Morgan now
They saved a good set up episode as the midseason finale. Way too anti-climatic
Morgan's previous episode where he met a man who made him want to change was good stuff. Too bad he is like a terrorist who misinterpreted the lessons of Muhammad. He no matter what thinks he can change an arrogant jerk killer and puts many lives at risk.
So he went from a favorite to a "kill him" just in one episode.
Mid season finale episode? you fucking kiddingme? Morgan youre so STUPID
i think im starting to like father gabriel :flushed::flushed:
Damn this must have been one of the most worst mid-season finale.
Serious first we got two sons who can't act like shit. (Ron & Sam)
Carl and Ron getting in a fight (yeah right, like thats what we need right now.)
The whole Morgan character started as promising in the beginning. But after an episode or 2 of him with more screen time changed that.
He's an annoying character that only gives shit and has no extra value for the group at this point.
Exept for getting more people killed of the group cause of his idiotic ways.
Sam will (hopefully) be eatten next episode in the first 5 minutes when he attracts some zombies while shouting like a retard for his mom.
Everyone will see Sam get eaten and they won't be able to do a thing cause else they will get eaten themselves and that will be the start of a season that just will involve cast members to die off.
This serie is really getting milked to much.
They should actually start on finishing of the series in the next 2 seasons tops.
Cause the way they going now nothing actually happens exept for some people who die and give in each episode a speech to eachother on how to survive.
It's just getting boring after a while and the directers are contect they don't have write something thart actually makes sense.
They just film the same crap over and over again and earning money cause people still think the show is good.
They really should start advancing the series on a new level then just random killing people.
I thought Deanna was eating Judith. That was a great shock.
This is really weak for a mid-season finale
Oh man, the group is in a terribly dangerous position. Just hope Sam doesn't mess it up
"Dolor hic tibi proderit olim."
Carol V Morgan was epic, the ending scene was epic and the post-credit confrontation was also epic. I've heard about Negan being a fan-favourite so looking forward to meeting him!
This episode was just awesome
Ron, you fucking bitch... :) and Morgan is such an idiot!!! now is not the time for your bullshit! All life is precious, okay, but that asshole is a vicious murderer, how stupid are you??? if you don't want to kill him just step aside, you don't have to force your Aikido stuff on other people!
Expected more...
And I dont think Carl would have been that big of a loss for the show
As far as TWD mid-season finales goes, this was so disappointing... Characters that acted stupid or OOC, and others being annoying,
I was bored most of the time... and it's such a big contrast considering that season 6A had 4 AMAZING episodes, and 4 LAME ones.... Hopefully 6B will be able to balance it better
Jeez... Eugene is so pathetic!
yea... So if you are seening the trap, you'll go right in, because why not? Right?
uuff, de mal en peor.
The impulsive stubborn stupidity of Carol will get kill the rest of the community.
The most boring episode ever... It took me like 15 mins to what whole episode (skip, skip, skip,s...) Annoying kids, pointless talks, and predictable events including this right before end where this kid starts MOMing around...
disappointed with this midseason finale.... :/
Shout by LecoBlockedParentSpoilers2015-11-30T08:43:56Z
The only thing I hated to like is that's pretty clear some kiddo is going to screw things up next episode...
The rest of it, I'd say: painfully obvious. Just the good ol' cliff-hanger without many surprises.