If the first three episodes this year didn't already convince you, The Walking Dead is no longer the same show. Having Negan around has completely changed around the structure. Heck, just looking at Rick would give you that impression.
I'm not sure if the makeup department actually changed Rick's appearance at all, but it sure seems like it. Him, and just about everyone else who witnessed the brutal murders a few weeks back, look emotionless and mentally drained. It makes for a rather somber episode. It reminds me a lot of season 5 of Game of Thrones, everyone is miserable and there seems to be no glimmer of hope whatsoever. It's working right now, but I just hope I don't grow tired of watching a depressing 60 minutes (or in this case 90) of television every Sunday night.
Luckily for us audiences, we have Jeffrey Dean Morgan to give us a chuckle every once in a while. Man can that guy deliver great monologues. Week after week he's outdoing himself with punchline after punchline. I would say I want someone to stand up to him, but we all know what happens then. Tonight it was Olivia, the Alexandrian inventory manager, whose life was threatened by Lucille.
Speaking of the dreaded bat, Negan mandated that Rick handled his beloved for the entire episode. Quite the temptation, huh? He's asking Rick to take a swing at him. In fact, he's begging Rick to take a swing at him. Oh, the temptation. But I also found it interesting that this could serve as a way for the audience to suspect Rick will 'become Negan' down the road, at least in the metaphorical way. Just take a look at the way he treated Spencer in the closing moments, you can't tell me you didn't see a little Negan in Rick there.
Another nice metaphorical moment was Michonne trying to kill a walker, only to shoot a deer instead. (shout out to season 2 at the farm). That's a nice way to sum up the last few weeks for the crew, they just can't catch a break. Michonne, like most Alexandrians, spent most of the episodes with little to say. That is, before Rick made her give the gun she was using to Negan. This prompted a much needed 1v1 with Michonne and Rick back at the house. This conversation had a few reveals, including that Rick knows that Judith is in fact Shane's daughter, not his. It was nice hearing Shane brought up for once, especially since the world they live in now is so vastly different than it once was. On a side note, this scene was a nice call back to the opening scene in which the couple are sleeping in their beds, only to be on the floor sleeping by the end of the night. Damn Negan for burning those mattresses.
Although there were still a few people who weren't totally on board with Negan's ways (come on guys did you not watch the premiere), most of the survivors and Alexandrians have changed forever. It's a little bit weird we didn't get more closure with Glenn and Abraham, but I have to believe that will come once Carol and Morgan return. Overall, this show is just getting better and better. The writing is as good as its ever been. Let's hope this continues as we are now 1/4th of the way through this season.
+Rick & Negan relationship
+Judith bombshell
+Writing
+Those monologues
-A little weird without closure for Glenn or Abraham
9.5/10
I'm not sure if the makeup department actually changed Rick's appearance at all, but it sure seems like it. Him, and just about everyone else who witnessed the brutal murders a few weeks back, look emotionless and mentally drained. It makes for a rather somber episode. It reminds me a lot of season 5 of Game of Thrones, everyone is miserable and there seems to be no glimmer of hope whatsoever. It's working right now, but I just hope I don't grow tired of watching a depressing 60 minutes (or in this case 90) of television every Sunday night.
Luckily for us audiences, we have Jeffrey Dean Morgan to give us a chuckle every once in a while. Man can that guy deliver great monologues. Week after week he's outdoing himself with punchline after punchline. I would say I want someone to stand up to him, but we all know what happens then. Tonight it was Olivia, the Alexandrian inventory manager, whose life was threatened by Lucille.
Speaking of the dreaded bat, Negan mandated that Rick handled his beloved for the entire episode. Quite the temptation, huh? He's asking Rick to take a swing at him. In fact, he's begging Rick to take a swing at him. Oh, the temptation. But I also found it interesting that this could serve as a way for the audience to suspect Rick will 'become Negan' down the road, at least in the metaphorical way. Just take a look at the way he treated Spencer in the closing moments, you can't tell me you didn't see a little Negan in Rick there.
Another nice metaphorical moment was Michonne trying to kill a walker, only to shoot a deer instead. (shout out to season 2 at the farm). That's a nice way to sum up the last few weeks for the crew, they just can't catch a break. Michonne, like most Alexandrians, spent most of the episodes with little to say. That is, before Rick made her give the gun she was using to Negan. This prompted a much needed 1v1 with Michonne and Rick back at the house. This conversation had a few reveals, including that Rick knows that Judith is in fact Shane's daughter, not his. It was nice hearing Shane brought up for once, especially since the world they live in now is so vastly different than it once was. On a side note, this scene was a nice call back to the opening scene in which the couple are sleeping in their beds, only to be on the floor sleeping by the end of the night. Damn Negan for burning those mattresses.
Although there were still a few people who weren't totally on board with Negan's ways (come on guys did you not watch the premiere), most of the survivors and Alexandrians have changed forever. It's a little bit weird we didn't get more closure with Glenn and Abraham, but I have to believe that will come once Carol and Morgan return. Overall, this show is just getting better and better. The writing is as good as its ever been. Let's hope this continues as we are now 1/4th of the way through this season.
+Rick & Negan relationship
+Judith bombshell
+Writing
+Those monologues
-A little weird without closure for Glenn or Abraham
9.5/10