Dead Digest: The Walking Dead (SSN 7, Ep 6)

Episode 6 - "Swear"

Words cannot express how excited I was to see Tara and Heath. I had kind of forgotten about those two seeing how it was like, 9 episodes ago when we last saw them. After Rick & the gang (including those two) attacked the Neegan outpost, Heath and Tara set out in the RV on a two-week scavenging mission. Heath was not in favor of the killing mission. It seems he’s still struggling with it, and what this means for their future and survival. The pair get separated with Tara going into a river and washing up on a beachy shore in Virginia. Oh, and it looks like Heath just let her go over without helping her. Not cool!

A nice young lady spares her life and leaves her supplies. There’s a weird little girl with her who gleefully wants to stab Tara in the head. Now, here is where things get really interesting. Turns out that Tara is an unwelcomed guest at this compound called Oceanside. The villagers there have a kill on sight policy. The girl who saved her, Cindy, is the optimistic grandchild of leader Natanya. Once they discover Tara’s intrusion, the wild women of Oceanside try and shoot her down. Cindy intervenes AGAIN to save our friend. Natanya and her two sidekicks offer Tara the chance to stay on with them. It turns out the group of ladies are hiding out from the Saviors, who killed all their menfolk. Tara has no choice but to come clean and tell the troop about Alexandria, her friends, her girlfriend (whom she doesn’t know is dead!!!), PLUS that she thinks they killed Neegan at the satellite building, and that she just wants to find Heath and go home. Tara tells them she will build an alliance and Alexandria and Oceanside can help each other.

Natanya’s right-hand women, Beatrice and Katherine (??) agree to lead Tara back to the bridge she fell off of. Well, turns out it was all a big trap. The two beezies were just taking her out back to kill her! Beatrice explains the brutality the group faced under with the Saviors. All the men and boys over 10 were lined up and executed. The women were supposed to serve them, and managed to escape instead. She goes on to explain to Tara that she and her peeps just took out an outpost, the Saviors is a massive organization that cannot be beat. And if the people of Alexandria has run into them, it’s already too late. And yet AGAIN Cindy saves Tara’s ass. Cindy still has hope in humanity! She makes Tara swear to tell no one about Oceanside, then uses her major sniper skills to help Tara escape.

Tara makes it home, because she’s a bad ass. It looks like Heath may have made it out of the scuffle on the bridge too. We see in flashbacks that despite their differences, Heath DID try to save her. I’m really happy about that, cause I liked Heath. Sadly, Tara is greeted by Eugene telling her everyone she loves is dead. Rosita plies her for info on weapons and ammo, anything they can steal or scavenge to take out Neegan. Because Tara also still has some of that good ole’ humanity in her, she keeps her promise to Cindy and doesn’t say a word about Oceanside.

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Top 4 Moments of the Night:

1. TARA is BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!! Not only is she awesome, this girl brings with her some much needed comedic relief. She’s got jokes, sarcasm, and the BEST delivery. I hope that she keeps some of that humor throughout the rest of season despite the REALLY bad situation she just came home to.

2. Cindy! This girl was lovely. Her mother and brother were killed by The Saviors, but she is still clinging to hope and not despair. Forgive my paraphrasing, but near the end of the episode she tells Tara, “no one is evil, they just choose to forget who they are.”

3. The sand drenched zombies. In a neat little trap, a whole mess of walkers come tumbling out of a dump truck filled with sand on the bridge. They look almost mummified and have this satisfying way of crumbling when stabbed in the head.

4. Finding a new community! Oceanside may not be the friendliest city in the apocalypse, but I’m still happy to have met them. I love that this season our survivors are getting a taste of what is out there, and the promise of more to be explored.

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Dead Digest: The Walking Dead (SSN 7, Ep 5)

Episode 5 - "Go Getters"

Good news! Maggie, the baby and Sasha are all doing okay! Maggie’s been unconscious for a few days given the trauma her the yet-to-be born kiddo have gone through. The doctor at The Hilltop reckons she stay living there until the birth. And lookee, Jesus is still around! This time it feels like we see a more angsty side of him. We also find out he’s kind of a commitmentphobe; hence why he spends so much time out on the road. He’s happy to have the gals there though. The only person who seems to have an issue is their “leader” at Hilltop (HT, for short), Gregory. He recovered from being stabbed by The Saviors last season. He’s a cowardly drunk and a total jerk. He can’t seem to get anyone’s name straight, and wants our heroines to get back to Alexandria before Negan knows they’re there. Remember, Greg & Jesus are the ones who got Rick & the gang tangled up in this whole mess. They were dispatched to the outpost to kill Negan in return for food and stuff, if you recall. Our crew become guns for hire and ended up killing a ton of people who were NOT in fact Negan.

Back in Alexandria, Rick and Aaron head out to look for some cool stuff Negan may like. Carl is being a grumpy teen to his pops. It seems the lad doesn’t like his father’s choice to serve The Saviors. Michonne doesn’t like it either, but she is keeping a level head and weighing options it seems. Enid wants to leave for HT to see her surrogate mom, Maggie. Carl escorts her. Along the way they roller skate (it’s adorable, actually), and kiss! Awwww. A little young adult romance never hurts in these zombie situations.

Before Gregory can throw the ladies out of HT, The Saviors break in at night and leave a trap to bring walkers in. Of course, Maggie, Sasha and Jesus handle it. No help from stupid, mean old Greg. And still, the ass won’t let them stay. The next day, The Saviors come back to collect their goods and make sure Greg knows who’s still really in charge. Negan’s sidekick Simon gets to do the honors! Predictably, Gregory tries to fork over Sasha and Maggie, but Jesus being the smart cookie he is saw that one coming and instead Simon gets to leave with all the drunken leader’s booze. Ha! The trio lets Gregory know they will expose him unless the women can stay. Sasha asks but one secret “repayment” from Jesus; for him to follow The Saviors home and find out where Negan really lives and hides out. But, it looks like Carl had the same idea, as Jesus and he are both stowed away together.

Top 4 Moments of the Episode:

1. Sasha. I’ve always been a big fan of that girl, and damn is she amazing. Not only is she a STAND OUT badass as always, but can we all please take a sec to remember she’s suffered worse than most in this apocalypse?? Her awesome brother Tyreese is dead, her old boyfriend Bob died but not before cannibals ate his FUCKING leg! And right when she and Abraham fell truly for each other…well, we all know what happened there. And she had to WATCH it. No wonder this lady’s last shot tonight was her chompin’ on a cigar and sharpening a knife.

2. Maggie backing over walkers and the Savior’s bait car in a giant tractor. Well done Mrs. Rhee.

3. Jesus alluding to Maggie that maybe SHE should be the next leader at HT. We’ve always known she has what it takes to get stuff done and inspire the people…

4. Enid, Sasha, and Maggie sitting down to dinner and holding hands to say grace. All three of these girls has been through a lot. And it’s nice to know they still have each other.

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Dead Digest: The Walking Dead (SSN 7, Ep 4)

Episode 4 - "Service"

Sorry for the posting delay, I am ill with one of those bone-rattling coughs. It’s gross. But, better late than never, right? So this was the hyped 90-minute episode tonight. I’m not mad about it or anything; it wasn’t disappointing, but it didn’t really feel like much happened. Not enough to warrant an additional 30 minutes anyway. Maybe this just felt like a good amount of episode. Perhaps every week should be 90 minutes. This week’s show takes us through our first Negan/Saviors visit to Alexandria. It was, predictably, uncomfortable. Tense, even. The Big Bad Wolf showed up at the gate of our little piggy’s once happy community a few days early. They commenced to bullying and pillaging, as expected. This included confiscating all the guns. And when two were missing from Olivia’s inventory, Negan threatened to kill her if they didn’t produce the goods.

Rick found Spencer’s little treasure trove in the floor boards of his home. Spencer did in fact have the two guns, food, and booze. Selfish little bastard has been stealing! Of course he didn’t take too kindly to Rick ransacking his house while he was out scavenging with Rosita. Rosita meanwhile is hellbent on vengeance and has commissioned Eugene to start manufacturing ammo for her OWN secret gun she took off a dead Savior. Michonne was off practicing her sniper skills, which are sadly lacking. And here we have another woman who wants her wants her revenge. Rick turns in her rifle, and tries to reason with her. The people of Alexandria seem to be having some issues understanding who Negan is (the devil), and what he wants, (he wants all the things) and that he won’t be easily toppled. Sad Darryl was there as an indentured servant collecting the stolen wares, eyes downcast and not allowed to talk or stay with the fam. Negan threatens that Alexandria better have something “interesting” for him next week, or someone will die.

Spencer tries to stand up to Rick, which was an embarrassing fail. I really don’t like Spencer, but maybe he has a point that Rick should have made a deal with Negan last season. Instead, he decided that he & his people make good mercenaries and should just charge blindly into as assassination attempt against a foe they knew little about. Rick makes it clear he’s not some weak pushover now, but is just trying to keep his family and community alive. Good luck with that.

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Top 4 Moments:

1. Rick opening up to Michonne about his old buddy Shane who he knows is baby Judith’s biological father. But he doesn’t care, Judith is HIS daughter. It was really sweet, and sad. Also, Shane episodes feel like they were a million years ago.
2. Father Gabriel being a team player! That guy has finally come full circle, and I’m super happy about it. He even digs a quickie grave that they tell Negan contains Maggie and her baby.
3. Seeing the painful interaction between Darryl and Rick. I have to keep hope alive that Darryl has some tricky plan up the sleeve of his dirty beige sweatshirt.
4. Negan taking out a walker with an absurdly large candle stick to the face.

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Dead Digest: The Walking Dead (SSN 7, Ep 3)

Episode 3: "The Cell"

Negan’s house sucks and I’d like to go back to The Kingdom, please. In tonight’s episode, we learned that living as part of the Savior's fam comes with a price. This news, of course, shocked no one. Poor Darryl; Things are really not going well for him. We find our dear friend nude and dirty in a little, concrete solitary confinement cell; No windows, with only a sliver of light under the door. His only meal is a truly disgusting looking dog food sandwich. Literally, canned dog food with bread. As if the bread somehow makes up for the fact that it's dog food. The best part? They play him the same song on repeat all day. Clearly, this is the type of torture that has broken lesser men in the past. Our old friend Dwight is his jailor. Remember Dwight from last season? He and his wife Sherrie betrayed Mr. Dixon in the forest last season. Sherrie’s sister Tina ended up dead. Now Dwight is a “loyal” soldier and is running around in Darryl’s winged vest, using his cross bow, and generally being a dick to everyone.

Eventually Darryl is given some truly ugly clothes to wear and is taken to the doctor to be patched up. Sherrie, Dwight, and Dr. Feelgood all try and tell him to just get with the program and kneel. More attempts at breaking Dixon down are promptly thwarted. At this point I’m screaming at the TV, "C’mon Darryl! Just say you’re one of them and try to fuck up the system from the inside!" But he refuses. We also get to learn the whole history of how Dwight, Sherrie, and Tina ended up in those woods…and the fallout from it. Long story short, Negan got to marry/steal Sherrie, Tina is dead, and Dwight “got the iron.” Hmm. Explains why half his face is melted off now.

Negan totally broke these people; he OWNS them. But is it really, truly too late? We see glimmers that Dwight isn’t really bought in. He just fears for his life and that of his now ex-wife. One example of this is when he is forced to go collect a deserter. This dude used to be his friend, and now he’s lost everything. He can’t understand why they don’t topple the Negan dictatorship, and he would rather be SHOT dead right then and there than go back to Neagan’s compound. Dwight threatens to destroy the lives of everyone this random dude knows unless he comes along. (Side note - am I supposed to know this character’s name?? Let’s just capitalize "dude" and move on.) But once Dude’s back is turned, he shoots him. See? Dwight KNOWS that being dead is better. Just like in “Pet Semetary.”

What happens now? Can the folks under Negan’s thrall really overpower this madman? Is it truly better to be under Negan’s servitude than to be out there scrappin’ for survival?

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Top 4 Moments of the Night:

1. Did my ears deceive me? Or do we in fact, get a 90 min episode next week?!?
2. Darryl CRIED. He wept in his nasty little cell! The kicker was when Dwight gave him a polaroid of Glen’s impression of a puddle and said it was his fault his friend died. [insert crying emoji here!]
3. Negan has a quaint little apartment. A studio by the looks of it. Is this his only place? Or just his apartment at this location? Either way, he has books and a fern.
4. The use of music in this episode. This show usually nails it, but damn, they got it so right tonight.

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Dead Digest: The Walking Dead (SSN 7, Ep 2)

Episode 2: "The Well"

“Ezekiel 25:17.”The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children.”

Welcome back! I've never claimed to be a biblical scholar, so forgive me if the passage above is a bit off. I had to call on my Google-foo to help me out. So on tonight’s episode, we picked back up with Morgan and Carol for the first time since last year. After Carol is injured, the pair are rescued by a group of people wearing body armor, while astride some horses. Turns out these are the “knights” of King Ezekiel. Yes, King. Well, really he’s just a handsome man with dreadlocks and a tiger named Shiva. Ezekiel is the kind and good-hearted ruler of The Kingdom; the denizens of which are happy, shiny, and productive people. Fertile crops! School children! All the cobbler one can eat! It all makes Carol wanna puke. She never did take kindly to people who didn’t have the good sense to realize they’re living through the end of the world. Ezekiel postures and speaks with all the poise of a moderately good Shakespearean theater actor. His “court” is even held on a quaint community stage. The tiger is most impressive. His subjects seem loyal and happy to play along with his little LARP.

Carol puts on her goody humble homemaker act to try and seem unassuming while she plots her escape. Morgan, thankful for the good king’s help and that of his subjects, repays his debt to them by going along on some secret missions. Only the King and his most trusted guards are allowed on these little treks. Morgan and the merry band set out on the surrounding streets to round up some pigs and feed them walkers. The piggies are then slaughtered and surrendered to none other than Negan’s Saviors. Here is yet another group under his powerful thrall! This is a dirty little secret the King and his knights keep from the townsfolk as they live in blissful ignorance. Morgan takes a young squire-type under his wing to teach him Aikido.

The King catches Carol trying to escape and calls her out on her act. He admits that he’s an actor too. Apparently he did his fair share of amateur theater back in the day. Ezekiel was a zookeeper who lost everything in the apocalypse except his loyal Shiva. Her presence helped him gain a following of people who needed help and leadership. But he only has the best of intentions and wants to give hope to the hopeless, and a sense of safety and happiness too. He and Morgan set Carol up in a little house on the outskirts where she can have solitude and contemplation without being a part of the commune. Also, methinks there is a romance brewing between Carol and the king. But are there also sparks between her and Morgan? This series needs a new love triangle already.

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Top 4 Moments of the Night:

1. Decapitating walkers whilst on horseback. Seriously awesome and effective! We should have been doing this the whole time, people!
2. The town choir sings Bob Dylan. Excuse me, where do I sign up??
3. Morgan. Morgan is my (very close) second favorite character after Daryl. I know, I’m a trashy Dixon fangirl, but at least I own it. Morgan’s arc in this series has been BEAUTIFUL. Please writers and producers, keep him around for a long time and continue to utilize this man!!
4. “Where there is life, there’s life” A quote from the good king to Carol. This is his motivation, and why he continues to help people and keep going despite the hellish world around them. Please don’t let this guy turn out to be a secret cannibal.

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