Grieving from the deaths of Beth and Tyreese in different ways and with dwindling supplies, the group face the harsh road to Washington D.C.Grieving from the deaths of Beth and Tyreese in different ways and with dwindling supplies, the group face the harsh road to Washington D.C.Grieving from the deaths of Beth and Tyreese in different ways and with dwindling supplies, the group face the harsh road to Washington D.C.
- Walker
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAndrew Lincoln said that he felt emotional during his speech about his grandfather because he felt like he could somewhat relate to his character.
- GoofsAlthough the characters would have always been just a few miles from a major water source (and had maps), they somehow couldn't find water. The vegetation showed no such signs of a supposed drought, either.
- Quotes
[the group holes up in the barn for the night with a fire going, when Rick looks at Carl sleeping]
Carol Peletier: He's gonna be okay. He bounces back more than any of us do.
Rick Grimes: I used to feel sorry for kids that have to grow up now. In this. But I think I got it wrong. Growing up is getting used to the world. This is easier for them.
Michonne: This isn't the world. This isn't it.
Glenn Rhee: It might be. It might.
Michonne: That's giving up.
Glenn Rhee: It's reality.
Rick Grimes: Until we see otherwise, this is what we have to live with.
[there's a long pause as the storm thunders over them]
Rick Grimes: When I was a kid... I asked my grandpa once if he ever killed any Germans in the war. He wouldn't answer. He said that was grown-up stuff. So... so I asked if the Germans ever tried to kill him. But he got real quiet. He said he was dead the minute he stepped in to enemy territory. Every day he woke up and told himself, rest in peace. Now get up and go to war. And then after a few years of pretending he was dead... he made it out alive. That's the trick of it, I think. We do what we need to do and then, we get to live. But no matter what we find in DC, I know we'll be okay. Because this is how we survive. We tell ourselves... that we are the walking dead.
Daryl Dixon: We ain't them.
Rick Grimes: We're not them. Hey. We're not.
Daryl Dixon: We ain't them.
[Daryl walks off from the group around the fire]
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Walking Dead: The Journey So Far (2016)
The first half of Season 5 ranged from good to outstanding from personal opinion, there were episodes that others didn't like or had a divisive critical reception/fan reaction but had a lot of fine merits still for me while acknowledging the flaws. "What Happened Then and What's Going On", which commenced the second half of Season 5, was a memorable if flawed episode. Would say the same for the marginally better "Them". There is a lot to like about "Them", but it is far from a 'The Walking Dead' high point.
"Them" does move somewhat too sluggishly at times for my liking and this may have been more forgivable if the storytelling was more consistently compelling and fresher. Other episodes do much better with plot advancing, can understand the filler complaints.
Although the story has moments of brilliance and is investable enough, along with the pace not being tight enough it breaks no real new ground and reiterates too much so it feels repetitive too.
Like all the episodes before it, "Them" is superbly made. It has gritty and audacious production design, visuals that are well crafted and have soul rather than being overused and abused and photography of almost cinematic quality. The music is haunting and affecting, without being intrusive. The direction is controlled yet alert and the acting is never less than great, with the standout for me being Sonequa Martin-Green, an intensely moving performance here.
Especially in one of Rick's greatest speeches, there is a lot of thought provoking writing and emotion. It is one of the more intriguing 'The Walking Dead' episodes up to this point of the show from a thematic standpoint, and raises some interesting questions on survival and death. Also appreciated it approaching the characters from a psychological standpoint, which was also done very well in "What Happened and What's Going On", as it added a lot to the characters. Aaron's introduction here is an interest point. The ending was somewhat refreshing but it was how the grief of the characters was presented that was most striking, like with Sasha, Daryl and Maggie and the barn door and Sasha's rage, heart-wrenching scenes.
Overall, pretty good but didn't blow me away. 7/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 11, 2019
Details
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD