Now that we’re in Alexandria, does the show smooth out and get back to where it was in the first half season, also known as the best place the show has been in its run? Let’s find out, as I take a look at this week’s episode of “The Walking Dead”, titled “Remember”.
As per usual, don’t read if you haven’t seen the episode yet, or you will have the show spoiled for you.
1. Rick
I’m going to admit, I was starting to think the show was backing itself into a corner with Rick. With the way he was being written, he was starting to feel pretty irredeemable, no matter how much pathos and gravitas Andrew Lincoln layered into his performance. Could the character find his way back to the humanity he once had?
That’s the question at the center of this episode, and both the writers and Lincoln made it a remarkably interesting journey, one that first came in the form of a physical manifestation of his humanization but transitioned into the acceptance of a new role for the character as the constable of Alexandria at the end. Granted, it’s still the same old Rick at the end – he does have a meet up with Carol and Daryl at the end in which he admits that if it doesn’t work out, they’ll take the place themselves – but you can feel him letting down his guard ever so slightly. Lincoln’s performance was exemplary, and it’s a sight to behold as he lets his guard down ever so slightly. Hell, he’s even gaining a love interest of sorts, which is a real shocker. I’m happy to see the character back in an interesting, more relatable way, and hope this sticks for a bit.
2. Deanna and Rick
The tête-à-tête that acted as the second sequence of the episode between Alexandria community leader Deanna and Rick was, in a word, tremendous. It set up everything we’d see in the episode, from the interview element worked in throughout the show as Deanna spoke with members of the team to what likely will be the central struggle of the rest of the season: Rick’s fearsome capability and Deanna’s more live and let live handling of situations. While she does let her asshole son Aidan have it when he screws up (and gets decked by Glenn for the troubles), there comes a time where there will be a power struggle between her and Rick. The question is, does she have an ace up her sleeve to help her win? I’ll be interested in finding out.
This is where I admit that I genuinely hope things work out. I could go for the show just having some normalcy and simple drama for the rest of the season before, I don’t know, Negan shows up at the end. We probably won’t get that, as this is The Walking Dead and Daryl for one seems like a time bomb, but I could go for some serenity now, insanity later.
3. SHOWER, SHAVE AND A HAIRCUT
Can I just say that I love that they dedicated a segment and parts of other scenes to Rick and the others getting cleaned up? How amazing must it have felt to have a shower and a shave if you were Rick? I honestly forgot what Andrew Lincoln looked like! That dude is handsome! When he’s not a scruffy hobo, I mean, but it was a hell of a sight to see a clean shaven Rick after all of this time.
The show could have went a lot of different directions with the episode, and some may have found it to be a waste, but I really could go for an entire episode of the cast just acting out scenes where they rediscover video games or watching movies or eating peanut butter or pooping in a toilet. That has got to be therapeutic, even if Michonne still is holding back and only have 20 minute showers.
4. Weakness
The core of this episode was built around the idea of weakness. Are the people of Alexandria weak because they’ve been in the community the whole time? Will time in relative luxury dull the hardened edges Rick’s team have built? They’re fair questions, and the types of questions people who have been living like Team Rick has been for the last year or so, but man, one has to wonder what an ideal situation for them would be. That’s not to take away from the very realistic drama that’s taking place with them – they’re playing the long game, and to them, the long game says that this won’t last forever and they need to stay sharp – but can this group ever trust again? Can they allow themselves to shave and shower and bathe and eat and love again? Hopefully we get to explore that more as the season goes along.
Continued below5. Self Representation
Tying into the paranoia the group is going through in Alexandria, I thought they varying ways the group represented themselves both to Deanna in her interview and to the group around them was fascinating. Naturally, Michonne and Glenn (both of whom wanted more than anything to find a new home) want it to work out and are working with everyone else to do so, even if Deanna’s son is a douche. Daryl looks about as comfortable there as that zombie was being chained up to a tree outside the community did, and seems like he’s a flight risk at any given moment (I don’t imagine he showered and shaved a lot to begin with).
The most interesting person, however, was Carol. She’s a fascinating character who hasn’t had much to do this half season so far, and I think we’re getting her play now. She’s playing a role that allows her to get to know the community fast – basically, the team mom of Alexandria – so she can provide intel for the rest, and it’s basically the subterfuge equivalent of her one woman war against Terminus. I couldn’t love it more as she puts on a cardigan and talks about how kindly everyone was in protecting her. Melissa McBride’s a phenomenal performer, and watching her flip on a dime with her “aw shucks” attitude is a tour de force. Excellent stuff, as was the episode as a whole.
