Four episodes in for this half season, our ledger finds two episodes in the black and two episodes in the red. The good news is the last two were the good ones. The bad news is, “The Walking Dead” rarely needs a reason to bust out a serious stinker. Did they keep the good times rolling in Alexandria, or did they go Forrest Gump on us and show that stupid is as stupid does? Let’s find out in our look at this week’s episode, titled “Forget” (get it, last week was “Remember”!).
As per usual, do not read on if you haven’t watched the episode. Spoilers will be discussed.
1. Fork in the Road
One of the last shots of the episode was used to show Rick, Carol and Daryl going in three different directions after meeting in the woods to divvy up the guns from the armory Carol collected based off of their collective plan. Relative to their external appearance and, realistically, where they were last episode, the three of them are moving in opposite directions. While Daryl straight up rejected the opportunity to carry a gun with him from the collection Carol got and Rick was hesitant in acquiring them, Carol straight up threatened to murder a child who followed her on her mission. Sure, Rick’s still pretty broken – they did everything but play Puff Daddy’s “I’ll Be Missing You” when Rick did the Walking Dead equivalent of the hand on the prison glass with a zombie at the end of the episode – but at least he isn’t threatening children.
When they made the assuredly deliberate choice to show that the three of them were moving in different directions, it was a good visual cue that for a family, things can still get messy in the group. Not everyone is comfortable, not everyone misses life outside the walls, and not everyone knows what to think yet. Because of the differences in the group, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it all build to a boiling point sooner rather than later. I’m a bit surprised that’s where the drama may come from, but I gotta say, I really enjoyed the direction and was surprised by it.
I do have frustration with the self-destructive direction they’re taking the team down in their pursuit of control of Alexandria, but overall, it’s creating good drama.
2. Homemaker Daryl
While he’s not quite wearing an apron and baking pies (that’s Carol’s gig, if only as a cover), Daryl and Aaron’s budding friendship and Aaron’s offer to Daryl for both a purpose and an opportunity to get a new motorcycle was straight up beautiful. Norman Reedus hasn’t had a lot to do so far this half season, but man, that scene in the garage between the two of them…that was basically his single tear, heartbreak moment. It was what it took to break through to Daryl. It was what took to bring out the man that the audience loves. It was really well handled, and I love that the once rumored to be gay Daryl has found kinship in the gay couple of Alexandria.
I’m in on Alexandria. I’m in on Daryl being in on Alexandria. More of this please.
3. Sasha Fierce
There’s a part of me that understands what Sasha is going through, as she’s had a tough time of it recently. Bob died. Her brother died. Things have been dark. It has to be hard to go through what they’ve all been through and then go in and deal with mundane things like favorite meals and book clubs. But the difference between Sasha and the rest of the group is they’re all trying, or at least putting on the veneer of trying. Why is she the most broken of the lot? Why is she losing her shit at parties and the thorn in Deanna’s side?
I have to admit, I think she’s going to die soon. Typically when characters go down this path, that’s a one-way train to Deadsville. It could just be a focus on a temporarily broken woman, but for my money, I think she’ll be the next to die (even though the majority of the cast has turned into redshirts).
Continued below4. Redshirts
Speaking of, it only makes sense with a whole community to meet and be introduced to that some of the cast would be pushed to the background, relatively. However, it feels like 75% of the cast is fat right now. Even characters like Rosita or Noah are glorified extras at this point. Hell, I think Maggie spoke for the first time this half season in this episode, and it’s a statement of where they’re at that even major characters are being pushed to the background.
The point is, Sasha’s probably not the only one that’s set to go. If the season doesn’t end with some sort of bloodbath, I’d be genuinely shocked. There are so many cast members who either feel ready to go (Sasha), necessary to go (I love her, but Carol’s just not a fit for this new world order) or extraneous enough to be zombie fodder (hello, most of Alexandria!) that it just seems like Walking Dead 101 that many of them are about to die soon. But I could be wrong!
5. Cookies
Now, I’ll be the first to admit the allure of cookies are hard to resist. If I could make any food healthy, it’d be cookies. They’re a glorious thing, and if they had no caloric impact save for healthy ones, I’d eat them all day, every day.
But that little kid’s pursuit of cookies was straight up insane.
Having the little son of whatsherface (even Rick’s new love interest is a redshirt to me) be the one who discovers Carol raiding the armory was simultaneously completely illogical (that kid’s love of cookies is so absolute that he tracked a stranger through the darkness during the zombie apocalypse into a building he knows he shouldn’t be in?) and a copout version of what we knew was going to happen, and while it did give Melissa McBride the chance to be astronomically creepy, it was pretty damn dumb. In an episode I’d say was generally great – I’m really digging Alexandria – this was the only part where I was skeptical of the story logic. Alas. They all can’t be winners.
