"Spend" Your Time On THE WALKING DEAD

Article originally written for Seat42F.

A lot happens in last night’s THE WALKING DEAD on AMC, “Spend.” Both the supply run team and the construction team run into Walkers and cowardice. But it’s not just outside the walls of Alexandria where trouble is brewing, as martial issues come out and the panicked declarations of one weak man may screw things up for everyone.

First, let’s start with the supply team, as that seems the most shocking. While picking up some needed parts for the town’s solar array, Aiden (Daniel Bonjour) makes a stupid mistake that injures Tara (Alanna Masterson) and kills him. Before he dies, he admits that the former members of the group that died did so because he and Nicholas (Michael Traynor) panicked. History repeats itself when Nicholas refuses to listen to Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) plan to get them out of a revolving door, and Noah (Tyler James Williams) is the collateral damage this time.

This save-yourself mindset repeats itself on the work site, where Tobin (Jason Douglas, Revolution) and his team are ready to abandon an injured Francine (Dahlia Legault, Actress Apocalypse). Lucky for her, Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) is a little more selfless and manages to save her. Tobin, realizing that the settlement’s policy of abandoning those in need may result in unnecessary casualties, eagerly cedes command of the group to Abraham, and tells Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) the change should be permanent.

I think we now see how Alexandria has survived so long, and why there is plenty of room for others to move in. Rather than uniting to stay alive, these people are cowards who run at the first sign of trouble. That works fine until you are the one who needs rescuing, and the population numbers will slowly dwindle over time. Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) group is tougher, knowing strength can lie in numbers. Even having been on the road and compromising their morals, they still have compassion for those in need.

This is exemplified in “Spend” with Eugene (Josh McDermitt). He begins the hour insisting he doesn’t do violence, but is forced to go on the supply run anyway. When things break down, he carries Tara, his best friend, over his shoulder and killing his first Walkers on their way to safety. Then, draws away some of the cluster from Glenn and company. He stands up to Nicholas, even if he needs Glenn’s help to stop him. The nobility and braveness of Rick’s group has rubbed off on Eugene, and it’s in this episode that he finally becomes a fully contributing member.

This will rub off on the Alexandrians in THE WALKING DEAD. We see at least one member of Tobin’s group rush to Abraham’s aide, not that the gleeful Walker-killer needs it, but still. It’s a spirit the fledging town needs, and one that is giving the people not just a want to survive, but a way to feel good doing it. It’s contagious, in the best of ways, proving the inclusion of the newbies will change Alexandria forever.

But how much change will Deanna tolerate? She puts Rick and some of his people in positions of power by choice, carefully strategizing what to give up to them. Letting Abraham take over the construction crew, not the first unexpected compromise she’s made since they arrived, makes her uncomfortable because that expands what she’s willing to sacrifice. She’s afraid they will take over and bend the morals and values of those who live there. The townspeople may be weak, but they’re still civilized in a way Rick and company are not, spared from losing their humanity. Deanna knows she needs our heroes, but if the cost gets too high, she may not pay it.

It’s into this doubt, which is blossoming even before she learns her son is dead, something not seen in “Spend,” that Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) pours fuel. Gabriel also lives in a sheltered life prior to Rick showing up, and he doesn’t spend much time out in the wilderness with them. He clings to them when he needs them to survive, but sees kinship in the Alexandria residents, and warns Deanna not to trust Rick, afraid of what Rick will do to the city. This is the wrong thing for Deanna to hear right now, and while I understand Gabriel’s perspective and love that THE WALKING DEAD shows varied personalities, this is the wrong move that will surely spell trouble.

As if that isn’t enough, Carol (Melissa McBride) thinks she discovers that Pete (Corey Brill, The Normal Heart) abuses and threatens his wife, Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge), and young son, Sam (Major Dodson, American Horror Story). Carol, having been abused herself, wants Rick to kill Pete, which Rick may be apt to do, considering he clearly wants Jessie for himself. But that won’t go over in the town, especially when things are so tenuous, and I can’t imagine Deanna would approve a death sentence. Plus, Pete is the town doctor, so he’s kind of necessary.

“Spend” has all of this and more. There is plenty of symbolism and foreshadowing, like a broken owl and a mall sign that says ‘big things are coming.’ This week’s episode is stressful because of the danger certain characters are in, but also because of the hints of what’s to come. Noah’s death, just when he declares his want to work with Reg (Steven Coulter, Banshee) on a plan for the future, is tragic. But with the little bits above tossed in, it spells a big, dark season finale. I assumed that this year’s ending may be the town and Rick’s group pulling together to be tested by an outside force. Now, I’m much more concerned about an internal implosion, which seems imminent.

THE WALKING DEAD has two episodes left in its fifth season, airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

"Remember" THE WALKING DEAD Only Gets Better and Better

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Our heroes on AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD enter the settlement of Alexandria this week, where they must “Remember” what it’s like to live as civilized people. This task is much easier for some than others, of course, but one wonders if those who can stay hard might not have the advantage in the long run. There are a few things that come across as suspicious in this town, and if Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and company can’t fit in, Plan B is to just take over the place.

“Remember” is an interesting episode because it’s hard to tell who the bad guys are. Fans of THE WALKING DEAD have been trained to be suspicious of anyone new that comes around, and the people of Alexandria have their share of shady characters. There’s Aiden (Daniel Bonjour, Midnight Movie), a self-proclaimed douche bag who almost gets Tara (Alanna Masterson) killed in his quest for revenge on a mindless roamer. There’s Pete (Corey Brill, The Normal Heart), the creepy, possibly abusive husband of kind neighbor Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge, American Horror Story). And then there’s Deanna Monroe (Tovah Feldshuh, Flesh and Bone), the Ohio congresswoman in charge, who seems nice enough, but is definitely keeping her eye on the newbies.

Pete and Aiden are jerks, clearly, but if there’s someone to worry about, it’s Deanna. Politicians have an untrustworthy reputation for a reason. Deanna presents only kind words and expressions towards the survivors, but she videotapes their initial interviews and stops by their house to check on them, which could be kind, but probably isn’t. Rick’s backup gun hidden in the woods goes missing, and I assume she has something to do with that, too.

But while Deanna is suspicious of our protagonists, as she should be, she may not be evil. She says they need Rick and his company, and I believe her. As several of our main players observe, the people of Alexandria are weak; they don’t know what it’s like to survive in this dark world. Deanna herself admits to being behind her wall the entire time. This town needs survivors like Rick to protect them, and so when she makes Rick a constable and Michonne (Danai Gurira) his deputy, it makes sense. She has to start to trust them, at least a bit, in order to keep order, even willing to let Glenn (Steven Yeun) deck her son, if that’s the cost of living.

The reason I’m not sure who the villain is, though, is because Rick becomes kind of bad guy-esque in “Remember.” He is willing to play by Deanna’s rules for now, but he casts a wary eye around, checking the perimeter and walking the streets at night. He isn’t the only one, Carol (Melissa McBride) putting forth a completely false persona in order to appear more harmless, though Deanna seems to be keeping a close enough eye on them to see through this. Carl (Chandler Riggs), too, is determined to stay hard, and Rick is confident that at least some of the group can. And if the Alexandria residents can’t do what Rick thinks is necessary, Rick is determined to take the town as his family’s own safe haven.

Rick is the other side of the coin from The Governor, a man who ran a settlement through manipulation and terror. I believe Rick is more straight-forward with his intentions, and he wouldn’t torture these people unnecessarily. But he can be cold when it comes to protecting his group. Alexandria is a place they can be safe, and if Deanna and her people don’t want to let Rick and the others do what they need to do, he’s willing to use force against her. This is the spirit that has kept him and the others alive, but it may not be the one Deanna completely wants from him now.

THE WALKING DEAD excels at presenting these moral quandaries in complex, authentic ways. Viewers are not likely to turn on Rick because they understand what he’s going through and know he’s not going to kill the others unless he has to. We all want Rick’s group to survive, and so we can sympathize with his position. But from our comfy, secure living rooms, it’s also hard to imagine what can drive a person to go so dark, even after witnessing events for nearly five seasons, and it makes “Remember” an uneasy hour to watch, in a good way.

Not everyone adjusts to the settlement easily. While most of the group presumably takes jobs and starts to settle in, Daryl (Norman Reedus) remains himself apart, skinning possum on the porch. He would never have lived in a place like Alexandria pre-disaster, and he doesn’t seem willing to do so now. Rick doesn’t chide him, though Carol says he should pretend, as she does. But I can see Daryl being a problem if Rick doesn’t take over. Certainly Deanna cannot allow someone like Daryl to live inside her walls for long unless he’s willing to adapt. Will Daryl be his own worst enemy? He suddenly seems like a character that could actually be written off, which would break the hearts of many a fan, myself included.

“Remember” is a fascinating, excellent episode of television. From the interviews, which say a lot about our people, to Rick’s cathartic shower-and-shave scene, to Carl interacting with other kids, including the standoffish Enid (Katelyn Nacon, Too Many Cooks), there’s a lot to digest. The installment begs re-watches, as the amount of new characters and the subtle ways our cast interacts with them likely telegraph much of what the next few episodes of the show will be. Alexandria is a major, major new chapter for THE WALKING DEAD, with “Remember” serving as a turning point for the entire series. It’s with great anticipation I await next week’s episode.

THE WALKING DEAD airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.