Daryl is trying to survive a mercenary war cult from the inside. Maggie and friends are trying to stay out of their site. And there’s another chunk of survivors trying to survive a compound that’s a little too good to be true. But last episode, we were hit with the revelation that Connie may still be alive. If she is, there’s a good chance that some bizarre, as of yet unseen threat lurk in the few shelters she can find.
**SPOILER ALERT** for exactly that happening.
1. Connie
Another episode that opens with people running in the woods. That seems about right. This week, we’re catching up with Connie and Virgil, who have dunked into an old mansion for safety. While the camera work leading into the house is functional, the storytelling inside is very clever. While this episode does use its fair share of jump scares, the way it plays with sound effectively elevates the tensions around them. Part of this is to put us in Connie’s headspace, showing us the horror from her perspective as a deaf woman, even if the sound eventually does burst back with the more intense action sequences. I do need to point out that I’m writing this as someone who is abled. I have seen some question about whether or not using a disability as sound design is exploitive. Even if it’s one shared by the actor playing the role (Lauren Ridloff). That’s not a question I may be completely equipped to answer. But at least from my perspective, it didn’t feel overly gross.
2. Oh wait, those are just people…
This season of Walking Dead has given us two sets of silly antagonist grounded by technical competence. We have Battle Ned Flanders army of incredibly patient ninjas with Reapers. And we have Redtape River City with the Commonwealth. But the one shot feral humans in this episode might be the silliest. But whoever these performers are, their physical movements make them seem more like Silent Hill creatures than just some guy. It’s incredible work for characters that make less sense the longer you think about them. Seriously, the show’s taken place over the course of roughly ten years or so, right? Is that long enough for one family to turn into the wolfman, complete with their little Tarzan loincloths. That being said, I did appreciate the subversion. The build was suggesting either another walker or Connie going mad. Having the villains be just some guys was a nice change of pace, regardless of the logical leaps behind it. Having the walkers outside finish them was a clever twist too.
Oh yeah… the house is also boobytrapped. Almost forgot to mention the hollow walls and trap doors.
3. More Torture
When it comes to cinematic violence, there’s three camps most audiences fall into. You have the folks who can’t handle any, and the folks who can take it all. But there’s a third camp of people who might be totally cool with heads chopped off or limbs yanked from their sockets, but the second an eyeball gets gouged or a tooth gets pulled, they’re out. If you fall into that last camp, then you’ll want to fast forward past the close up shot of Frost’s fingernails getting ripped off. Daryl watches as Carver tortures Frost for information, desperately trying to keep his cover and not tip the Reapers off. He even has a go at Frost himself to prove his loyalty. He’s witnessing how Pope treats his enemies, with the knowledge that Pope doesn’t treat his allies too much better. Before the end of the episode, he confesses that he doesn’t want to end up face down in the fire with a boot against his head. Keeping his friends alive will take some quick thinking. But Daryl trying to out-think his new compatriots, down to him demanding Frost give up “a” location.
4. Reunited for a Second
We see this in full force Daryl tries to communicate with Maggie while throwing the Reapers off their trail. Maggie and crew watch on as Daryl tries to convince the search party to get out of the neighborhood, even though there are clear signs of life. Not to mention buy them some time by arguing with Carver, despite Leah’s warnings. This is where Daryl lets a bit of truth come out. He admits he doesn’t care about Pope. He only cares about Leah. Leah is the only reason he agreed to join up with the Reapers. The scene works. Carver is suspicious of Daryl. So the best way to convince Carver he isn’t a liar is to tell the truth, even if it isn’t the whole truth. It’s a well written way out. Sure, him staying for Leah was obvious and really didn’t need spelling out. But that’s not the point of the scene. And Daryl putting his cards on the table will make his future interactions with the Reapers all the more interesting. Although when they return, Pope seems to have gotten a new piece of information from Frost, who we see as a walker tied to a tree. Whether we find out immediately next week or if the writers choose to drag it on, it can’t be good.
5. Kelly
Carol finds Kelly. And as the Walkers finish the feral, Kelly and crew save Connie. Even inside, Virgil gives Connie his knife after spending the episode making sure she was okay. The three other storylines in play are all built on paranoia and distrust with the threat of violence underscoring every interaction. It makes the genuinely positive relationships on the show all the more refreshing. And hey! Maggie and Negan didn’t fight for the like three minutes total they were on screen! That’s something too, right?
