If this episode of The Walking Dead was not the best one ever, it is a cinch to make the Top Ten list-at least until a better one comes along.
It starts out with one of the greatest opening scenes ever, picking up with Darryl, Sasha, and Abraham's encounter with Negan's scouting party. It does not go well for one side; let's just say Darryl is not going to miss his crossbow as long as he has that trusty RPG launcher. Nibble on that indeed.
But does this set things up for a far more deadlier encounter when Negan himself, the epic Big Bad of the comic book, inevitably makes his appearance later in the season?
Back in Alexandria, Rick's plan to use Walker guts as camouflage does not work out as planned when Little Sam freaks out and before we know it, Jessie, Sam, and Ron are wiped out, but not before a vengeful Ron attempts to take down Rick and only succeeds in shooting out Carl's eye. This spoiler had leaked out online months ago, but it did not lessen the impact when we finally saw it on the screen. And what other show besides The Walking Dead would kill off a love interest of the hero on Valentine's Day?
Multiple other plot lines left dangling from the mid season finale got resolved in this episode, including the reunion of Glen and Maggie, although both nearly fell victim to the Walkers first. We find out what happened to Denise and the Wolf, and it does not work out quite as expected. Morgan and Carole seem to resolve their differences, with maybe Morgan finally coming to understand that his pacifist ways are just not going to cut it in the end.
The absolute highlight of the show, and the moment that makes it an instant classic is when a distraught Rick, who having gotten the wounded Carl to the infirmary, goes all Wild Bunch on the Walker herd. And in in doing so, inspires the rest of the heretofore cowering survivors of Alexandria to come to his aide and together with the help of that tanker truck Darryl was driving, and another RPG, takes them all down. In the process, a number of characters-Father Gabriel, Enid, Spencer, Denise, Eugene, and Aaron-either redeem themselves or prove their worth.
The acting was outstanding as usual, but special praise for Benedict Samuels as the Wolf, and Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel, who have a couple of effecting moments. And a high five to Christopher Berry as the little prick who heads Negan's gang, he's not in the show very long, but he does make an impression.
The final scene shows the dawn of a new day, and it's hard to realize that all of the events since the season premier encompass only the previous 24 hours. It's been a long haul with lots of losses and near catastrophes, but our hardy band of ragtag survivors in Alexandria have gained much experience in that time, as well as courage.
They're going to need that courage and much more when Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan shows up.
It starts out with one of the greatest opening scenes ever, picking up with Darryl, Sasha, and Abraham's encounter with Negan's scouting party. It does not go well for one side; let's just say Darryl is not going to miss his crossbow as long as he has that trusty RPG launcher. Nibble on that indeed.
But does this set things up for a far more deadlier encounter when Negan himself, the epic Big Bad of the comic book, inevitably makes his appearance later in the season?
Back in Alexandria, Rick's plan to use Walker guts as camouflage does not work out as planned when Little Sam freaks out and before we know it, Jessie, Sam, and Ron are wiped out, but not before a vengeful Ron attempts to take down Rick and only succeeds in shooting out Carl's eye. This spoiler had leaked out online months ago, but it did not lessen the impact when we finally saw it on the screen. And what other show besides The Walking Dead would kill off a love interest of the hero on Valentine's Day?
Multiple other plot lines left dangling from the mid season finale got resolved in this episode, including the reunion of Glen and Maggie, although both nearly fell victim to the Walkers first. We find out what happened to Denise and the Wolf, and it does not work out quite as expected. Morgan and Carole seem to resolve their differences, with maybe Morgan finally coming to understand that his pacifist ways are just not going to cut it in the end.
The absolute highlight of the show, and the moment that makes it an instant classic is when a distraught Rick, who having gotten the wounded Carl to the infirmary, goes all Wild Bunch on the Walker herd. And in in doing so, inspires the rest of the heretofore cowering survivors of Alexandria to come to his aide and together with the help of that tanker truck Darryl was driving, and another RPG, takes them all down. In the process, a number of characters-Father Gabriel, Enid, Spencer, Denise, Eugene, and Aaron-either redeem themselves or prove their worth.
The acting was outstanding as usual, but special praise for Benedict Samuels as the Wolf, and Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel, who have a couple of effecting moments. And a high five to Christopher Berry as the little prick who heads Negan's gang, he's not in the show very long, but he does make an impression.
The final scene shows the dawn of a new day, and it's hard to realize that all of the events since the season premier encompass only the previous 24 hours. It's been a long haul with lots of losses and near catastrophes, but our hardy band of ragtag survivors in Alexandria have gained much experience in that time, as well as courage.
They're going to need that courage and much more when Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan shows up.