It’s time folks. Someone’s going to die, and it ain’t going to be me. And by that, I mean on the show I’m reviewing, TV’s “The Walking Dead”. For a while, I’ve been saying Carol was going to bite the bullet. Did the show prove me wrong? Was it someone else? Did no one die? Did only Father Gabriel die and no one really cared? Let’s find out below as I break down last night’s midseason finale, titled “Coda”.
Spoilers aplenty from here on out. You’ve been warned.
1. Beth
So in the end, it was Beth Greene that was the one who met her maker, and I’m happy to say she went out doing what she loved: singing.
Just kidding. No one loved that, nor did she die that way.
In reality, as the episode went along it became increasingly obvious that it would in fact be Beth that died, as this second half – once we got past the Hunters – really was all about her. In that span (and a bit from season 4.5) Emily Kinney’s character really came into her own. Gone was the soothing, quiet girl who sang around campfires, replaced with a confident woman who knew how the world really worked. In the end, she couldn’t stand the injustices Dawn ran her ship with, and the fact Dawn was taking Noah away from his attempts to get home was too much for her to live with. She had to get her last word in, and that word ended her life.
It was a beautifully handled sequence with wonderful music from Bear McCreary, and the tension was off the charts as the exchange went down. It could have went a better direction, if not for Dawn’s quest for respect by any means necessary.
Beth’s death was mostly a tragedy through the eyes of Daryl. In almost every way, he was closest to her as a character (arguably, Dawn was the second closest to her in the cast), and when she was killed, it only made sense that Daryl would be the one to even the score. Reedus’s performance in that moment was truly heartbreaking, and it escalated everything to another level.
The only part about Beth’s death that I didn’t like was Maggie’s reaction. On one hand, it makes sense. Her sister is dead, so she’d naturally be sad. However, this entire half season she never seemed to care in the slightest, and the show did itself no favors by not at least having her occasionally wonder out loud, “I wonder where my sister is?” Deflated that whole moment, even though it should have been huge.
I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but the show will miss Beth. Kinney did a hell of a job once she actually had a character to perform as, and she became a really engaging, engrossing element of the show once she was given something to do. I can’t say I’m super sad, but the show will miss her. File that under something I never expected to type.
2. The Cold Open
As important as Beth’s death was, it was hard not to write about the cold open to start. It was so badass. Cross cutting Bob Lamson’s frantic departure and attempts to cut his wrist ties with Rick’s legs pumping like a madman (only showing his legs) immediately sent the tension of the episode to the stratosphere, and when Bob wouldn’t stop as Rick tried to get him to from the police car, Rick’s decision to just ram him was flat out amazing. Lamson gave him no other choice, and it was a stunning moment of just how cutthroat Rick is willing to be.
The conversation that followed, however short it may have been, was pretty superb as well. I particularly enjoyed when Rick shot after Bob was insisting that all of Rick’s crew would die because Dawn wouldn’t let his people out. The beat, beat, beat before Rick said “shut up” was maybe the single greatest moment of TV Rick’s life, and it cements it: Rick Grimes has become the second biggest badass on the show (and maybe television) after Carol. His level up in confidence and capability in the last season or so has been a sight to behold, and Andrew Lincoln, you sir, are crushing it.
Continued below3. The Proposal
If it weren’t for that cold open, the sequence on the rooftop of the parking garage when Rick shares his proposal with the Grady crew would have easily been the top of the pops. It was a relatively simple sequence – it was effectively just a conversation – but the way it was delivered was magnificent. The quiet confidence of Rick, the fear in the eyes of the cops, and the silent killing of the walker from behind them was a pitch perfect set up, and something that showed something we knew the whole time: Team Rick was in control, and they were the whole time.
The capability of this group of survivors after five seasons only makes sense. It’s probably the thing the show has done best so far, as it only makes sense that after this long killing zombies and working together, they’d be incredibly efficient and clever at what they do. I love it when the showrunners show that off, and by god, they showed it off in spades.
4. Dawn
Like Gareth before her, Dawn proved that someone who was pretty damn unpredictable could be the only thing Team Rick was susceptible to. Also like Gareth, it’s a bit of a shame that she’s gone already, as I’d loved to have seen Dawn get outside the hospital and take her life in a different direction, as Christine Woods was a pretty damn powerful addition to the cast. Her intensity in the sequence where her and Beth killed one of the other cops – both in an emotional and physical sense – was off the charts, and Woods made it all feel very grounded. If she was destined to stay in Grady, she’s better off dead for the show, as it’d feel like a waste otherwise. But I wish we could have seen more of her in a different context.
5. A Solid Finale
Based off all of that, you’d think I loved the midseason finale. Well, I did and I didn’t. On one hand, there were several really spectacular scenes. I’ve mentioned them already, but the exchange, the proposal and the cold open were all incredible. However, there was a whole lot of Gabriel being stupid – completely unnecessarily so, even if it was ostensibly to build the character – and there was a lot of hospital related business that dragged and really didn’t add that much to the situation. In fact, the latter portion actually made it feel less reasonable that Beth did what she did in the end, so in a way, it was counter productive. After a half season of pure, unfiltered awesome and not a whole lot of fat in the mix, this episode had a bit more fat than I’d like to have seen, especially considering how little those scenes will impact the story going forward.
But it did have some huge moments, and it sends a cast member out and adds a new permanent one in Tyler James Williams’ Noah. I’m really excited to see what he does, as I’ve found him to be a good addition so far, but the show is in a weird place now. Everything comes back in February, and when it does, we’re kind of back at step one. DC isn’t happening. There’s no reason to stay in Atlanta. What could be next? I’m excited to find out, but this finale didn’t give us any real indication as to what that could be.
What do you think is next? And while you’re at it, what did you think of the finale? Please share in the comments, as I sit and listen to Beth Greene’s greatest hits on repeat for the rest of the day.
