5.14 Spend This is a common thread in all situations where someone from Rick’s group interacts with the folks from Alexandria. They assume positions of leadership simply because they’re both more experienced and more able to do the things that need to be done, even when it puts them in grave danger. There’s something to be said for following someone into Hell when you’re behind them, not being pushed in front of them. For seasons now, we’ve seen these characters develop in the shadow of people like Rick, rarely able to assume the mantle of leadership, but now we’re watching them blossom at the expense of some hurt Alexandrian feelings. One of the best things about this episode is the way Jennifer Lynch shows this behavior, not tells it. Glenn assumes control from Aiden in a very subtle, smooth way, and Aiden is smart enough not to fight it. Abe takes control by rushing to the aid of someone he barely knows on the fence-building team, and while Tobin might try to turn and run, he inspires the other members of the construction crew to fight with him rather than leaving him to save his own skin. And Eugene, well… Eugene’s moment of bravery is incredibly effective, since it’s not something ingrained within him like it might be with Abraham, and it’s not something he’s displayed before like Glenn. It’s as triumphant a moment for this show as we’re going to get, and it’s book-ended with both folly and tragedy. Great work from Michael Cudlitz, Stephen Yeun, and Josh McDermitt, who nails every comedic beat he can get his hands on and also puts in a great performance as the unlikely hero, finally getting his hands dirty and using both body and brain to keep his friends from too much harm. That happens a lot on The Walking Dead. Bad things happen to good people, like Jessie and Sam (if you’re to believe Carol’s interpretation of events). She’s a cautious woman, and it’s a great performance from Melissa McBride, because Carol might threaten Sam and tell him not to talk, but you can see in her face that she’s aching to reach out to the poor boy, and when he confesses without admitting it that he’s in an abusive situation, poor Carol is overcome with emotion. It’s handled as sensitively as this show can handle any issue, despite Carol’s first instinct being to go kill the town physician after he awkwardly attempts to bro out with Rick. Everyone brings baggage into Alexandria, and nobody brings more baggage than Carol. Is she reading the situation right, or is this going to create trouble where none exists? I’m not quite sure yet. It might be an abusive situation, or Carol just might be so hypersensitive to it that being thrust back into the familiar suburban environs of Alexandria just might be bringing up her own post-traumatic issues. Certainly it’s doing a number on Gabriel, who throws Rick and the gang under the bus in such a fashion that I don’t see any way for Deanna to believe him over, say, Aaron and Eric’s opinion of the group, or her own eyes for that matter. Read Ron’s review of the previous episode, Forget, here. US Correspondent Ron Hogan is still trying to figure out who Deanna is, and what her endgame might be. Surely she didn’t just import a bunch of strangers to take over her town. Unless she did? Find more by Ron daily at Shaktronics and PopFi. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
