THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND Is Dead On Arrival

 Article first published as TV Review: THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND on Seat42F.

Last night, THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND, the third series in the franchise, premiered on AMC. It follows four teenagers in an Omaha college campus-dwelling community beginning about ten years after the zombie apocalypse began. These four are dissatisfied with the Civic Republic Military, an organization that seems to run wide swaths, if not the entire, former United States and travels in helicopters. This group has been glimpsed in The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, but now takes center stage as the teens seek to rescue the father of two of their group from the CRM.

THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND seems to be an attempt to set a teen drama in this universe. The relationships and dynamics at the center of the show feel more like a typical young adult work than the deeper, more complex series that spawned it. None of the four lead performers are very recognizable, and at least one of them is just a downright terrible actor. Which immediately lowers the quality of the production.

Iris (Aliyah Royale, The Red Line) is the do-gooder who seeks to be a leader in the community. Her sister, Hope (Alexa Mansour, Unfriended: Dark Web), is the opposite, a troublemaker who acts out. Both have experienced a lot of pain, and are hiding it from one another, refusing to engage in any serious manner. They miss their father, who is a brilliant scientist and leader on loan to the CRM. Things come to a head when a CRM general, Elizabeth (Julia Ormond, Witches of East End), arrives in Omaha, while at the same time, their father sends a message that he is in danger.

So the girls, of course, decide to set off on their own to rescue dear old dad. They are joined by two of their misfit peers, Elton (Nicolas Cantu, The Amazing World of Gumball) and Silas (Hal Cumpston, Bilched), one of whom shares a secret history with the sisters. And the four are pursued by their guardian, Felix (Nico Tortorella, Younger), and his fellow guard Huck (Annet Mahendru, The Americans), who want to make sure they stay safe.

THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND is not without its high points. There are some moving scenes, such as when Iris speaks to a counselor pal of hers, or when Felix and Huck learn the girls are gone. The adult performers are, by and large, good, and so are a couple of the kids.

But besides inexperienced performers, the main problem THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND seems to be dealing with is its half-hearted attempt to stick to the format they’re pushing. I complained about the young adult conceit early on, despite liking a good many shows in the genre, because this one seems to be picking some of the worst tropes of genre. Perhaps if the story committed to it, they could make it better.

The most interesting aspect of THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND is the CRM and whatever they’re up to. Elizabeth herself does some puzzling things in the pilot, and there is a lot of mystery surrounding the group from appearances elsewhere. This seems like a much better foundation to build a show on, and in fact, appears much better developed than the central premise.

Fear the Walking Dead didn’t start out all that great, but it grew into a more-than-worthwhile show. As such, I’m inclined to give THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND a chance to be something more than the first episode indicates it is. But they really need to lock down what they are and replace a few of the characters (primarily Iris) for the series to be something worthy of the franchise.

THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND airs Sundays at 10PM on AMC.

THE WALKING DEAD: Is It Done Disappointing?

Article first published as TV Review: 'The Walking Dead' - "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" on Blogcritics.

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read this if you haven’t watch the season seven premiere.

I would like to start by saying that The Walking Dead is my favorite currently running show. I don’t state this lightly; I’m a television critic who has watched way, way too much TV, and so my standards are pretty darn high. Yet, this one has consistently explored human morality and complex character development in a way that surpasses just about any other on the air, despite the fact that it’s got a bunch of zombies, creatures I don’t particularly care for. So yeah, it’s a really, really good show.

Having said that, this is not going to be a very positive article, so I wanted to establish the place I’m coming from before I criticize, as a genuine fan that cares, not just some snobby critic who doesn’t know this program very well.

The episode itself, “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be,” is another excellent hour of the series, of which I have few complaints about when taken on its own. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) comes face-to-face with his most dangerous adversary yet, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and painfully has his worldview changed by said villain. There is some very tense suspense over whether or not Rick will either lose a hand or be forced to chop his own son’s, Carl (Chandler Riggs), off. The end is a perfect, moving capper that is sorely needed after the carnage. So it wasn’t this hour alone that has frustrated me.

My deep disappointment comes with two, in my opinion, spectacularly bad moves in last year’s run that dampen what should have been much, much more emotional scenes last night. These deal with the deaths of Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), and while these are long-time characters I care deeply about, their passings were not all that affecting. I’ve cried over many characters on this show, but barely felt a thing for them watching last night’s episode. It had nothing to do with the actors, and everything to do with the way the show has treated the characters leading up to it.

I have no problem with the telegraphing of Abraham’s demise throughout last spring’s finale. It is a sweet send-off, just as surely going to come to pass as Glenn’s death under the dumpster earlier last year (more on that in a moment). So why in the heck would the show leave us on a cliffhanger instead, making viewers wait many months for confirmation of the thing we already all knew was going to happen?

Had this been a fake out, I might forgive it, but the sheer shamelessness of the lead up and unresolved story sucked. It just wasn’t necessary. Some members of the production have claimed that the death launches a new story so they had to hold it, but I disagree. I’ve had a night to think about it, and had they showed that it was Abraham who was beaten to death last spring, I don’t think it would have lessened the impact of this “new world order” story in “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be” in the least. If anything, it would have been more affecting because we wouldn’t have been run down by theories and debates and internet rumors all summer.

By the time it actually happens, as much as I adore Abraham and wish he didn’t died, I was like “yep, finally,” exhausted from the wait and reiterating my view for the number of people who wanted to know who I thought was dead and why over the interim. (I don’t say this with any ego; everyone I know who watches the show wanted to know everyone else who watches the show’s theories. Except me, apparently, who hates this kind of discussion.)

Now, let’s talk about Glenn. Last fall, The Walking Dead presented an hour that very clearly, though subtly, telegraphs his death next to a dumpster. When the production decided to do an about-face and reveal that dumpster death didn’t really happen, no plausible explanation for Glenn’s survival is given. The situation, as it is presented, does so with the flimsiest of excuses that is not anywhere near the narrative’s usual standards. (Read my review of that episode here.) Obviously, I’m still not over it.

So when watching Glenn pass last night, as disturbing as the actual sequence is (copied beautifully from the comic book), I didn’t care because he should already have been dead, and as far as I was concerned, The Walking Dead was just resetting their universe to right and moving on.

The idea of a second death at Negan’s hand is a solid one. That would have provided the surprise Abraham’s murder was lacking, and really given us a great start to the new year, something to talk about. Not to mention, Daryl (Norman Reedus) causing the second death will definitely provide some more guilt for the man who doesn’t need it. Unfortunately, Glenn is the one character in the lineup that this twist doesn’t work for, because he died at this point in the comics and he is just a correction to a bad plot line.

I do actually get the mindset that led to setting up last night’s story. The writers may have been excitedly talking about how they’d kill Abraham, defying comic readers’ expectations and making us think Glenn was safe, only to twist the knife in the back unexpectedly. Sadly, after the cheesy, unnecessary cliffhanger and Glenn’s ridiculous survival under the dumpster, there was no impact at all, at least not for me.

The saving grace here is that last night’s episode was as good as what I’ve come to expect from The Walking Dead, and it resolves and moves past those two major missteps from last year. Hopefully, they’ve learned their lesson and will go back to giving us nearly flawless entertainment without the gimmicks. If we have to go through the same cheese in season seven as those two huge miscalculations in season six are, I will have to rethink what my favorite show is.

The only other thing I’d like to add is that I think it’s absolutely ridiculous AMC will allow the level of gore we saw in “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be” and still won’t allow Negan to use his favorite word (which, by the way, has been filmed and will be uttered frequently in the DVD release of this season). Our priorities on decency standards in this country are pretty screwed up, am I right?

The Walking Dead continues its seventh season Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

THE WALKING DEAD Messes "Up"

Article originally published as TV Review: 'The Walking Dead' - 'Heads Up' on Blogcritics.

I was wrong.

I have to start my review of this week’s The Walking Dead episode “Heads Up” with that statement because of how vehemently and often I had asserted that Glenn (Steven Yeun) was dead. When last we’d seen the original cast member, he is lying on the ground, seemingly being ripped apart by a huge crowd of Walkers. I was sure he could not have made it out of the alley alive. “Heads Up” reveals that apparently he did.

Now, I’m torn as to how much to go into the way Glenn is brought back, because I run the risk of sounding like sour grapes. I do think, however, that the way The Walking Dead orchestrated his survival is as unrealistic as the show has ever been. Usually, it’s a series that stays as grounded as possible, despite the central, highly unrealistic conceit of a zombie apocalypse. But in this case, they break that trend and go into superhuman territory.

A popular theory floated on the internet and by friends of mine in the wake of his ‘demise’ is that Glenn is safe under Nicholas’ body and manages to crawl under a dumpster, waiting out the Walkers until they leave. I dismissed that scenario because there are a LOT of Walkers in the alley and there is no realistic way they would only tear at Nicholas. They would have ripped into Glenn as well, if not immediately, as soon as they’d eaten their way through Nicholas. Instead, the crowd isn’t so tight that Glenn can’t slip between their legs and under the dumpster, which makes no sense given what viewers previously witnessed. It also doesn’t make sense that within the very small space, in which Glenn is able to maneuver, Walkers don’t crawl under and get him. He can’t defend all sides at once, and there’s enough of them that he should not be able to fight them off, especially not for the day or two in which he’s hiding.

If The Walking Dead had presented a believable way for Glenn to make it out, I’d readily admit I’d been fooled by the shot of the pocket watch and the set up that left no doubt he should be dead. I’d heap admiration and respect towards The Powers That Be, happy to be proven wrong. That would have been brilliant writing. Instead, I feel a bit let down by the show itself. The series failed to meet the high expectations I’d formed based its past excellence. So I am absolutely wrong, not because I misread the situation as it unfolded on screen, but because I trusted writing that did not live up to that trust, which is kinda depressing.

To make matters worse, shortly after Glenn gets out from under the dumpster, he comes across the Walker body of one of the Alexandrian party. This guy hadn’t even attempted to hide when he was attacked (not that there was any way he could have). He is smashed against a fence where a bunch of Walkers were pressed against him. How is enough intact to be recognizable? This makes no sense for the world of The Walking Dead. He would have surely been devoured or at least completely unrecognizable!

Thankfully, the rest of “Heads Up” is up to the usual standards of the show. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is starting to realize the Alexandrians are part of his family now, as some of his group, like Tara (Alanna Masterson), already accept. Carol (Melissa McBride) catches Morgan (Lennie James) hiding his prisoner, which is going to result in bad stuff. Morgan boosts the confidence of Dr. Cloyd (Merritt Wever) in a very sweet moment. Ron (Austin Abrams) is so plotting to make an ill-advised move against Rick and/or Carl (Chandler Riggs).

I think Michonne (Danai Gurira) realizes that Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) doesn’t plan to live long, and I will be surprised if she makes it past next week’s installment. And the moment with Spencer (Austin Nichols) on the wire teases that some of the things in the comic book will probably repeat on screen next week, though likely with some twists. These are all really great scenes that further character development and set up what is sure to be an exciting finale. Almost enough to make me forget the missteps at the start of the hour, and enough to keep The Walking Dead in my “favorite TV show currently airing” slot.

Plus, we get a really sweet plot between Glenn and Enid (Katelyn Nacon), in which our miraculously resurrected hero convinces the girl to come home, saving another soul and reinforcing that the reprieve he has been given is probably temporary, as the moral center of the show never lives long. Glenn’s impending death will right the mistake made, though I still doubt that (SPOILER ALERT!) Glenn will meet his fate the same way he did in the comics, as perfectly moving and disturbing as that is.

The Walking Dead concludes the first half of its sixth season next Sunday at 9 p.m. on AMC.

THE WALKING DEAD "Not Here"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Last night’s THE WALKING DEAD ignores conspiracy theories that Glen is somehow still alive (why does anyone buy into those?), and instead gives us a ninety minute flashback as to how the Crazy Morgan of season three becomes the nonviolent Morgan (Lennie James) of the present day. Will what he’s experienced mean he cannot change again, and is his new path going to be a detriment to his attempts to stay alive?

I always enjoy THE WALKING DEAD, and normally, I really, really like a slow burn that focuses in on a character or two, but “Here’s Not Here” is not one of their stronger episodes.

For one thing, it just was not necessary to do ninety minutes on this transformation. Morgan has PTSD from losing his family. He meets a man who is into peace. Morgan comes around and takes on the man’s ways. The man dies. This same story could be accomplished in four or five cut scenes interspersed into a normal episode, and certainly doesn’t need to be supersized.

For another, it’s not that big a change for Morgan. Had Morgan been portrayed for a long time as an uber-violent man and he showed up different, that would be one thing. Instead, he’s first seen as a kind individual who helps Rick, and only goes crazy after losing his son. It’s easy for an audience to understand this flip, just as I believe it’s easy for us to understand how he could heal and turn back.

The journey Morgan goes on is completely predictable from the start. As soon as we see him set up his new camp in the same way the building he lived in is set up, and as soon as we meet Eastman (John Carroll Lynch, American Horror Story: Freak Show, The Drew Carey Show), the observant audience member can put together the pieces for themselves as to what exactly will happen.

Now, this has not always been the case for other character-driven episodes. Often, THE WALKING DEAD shows us something unexpected, and some type of unforeseen threat that must be overcome. Who expects Carol to shoot a little girl at the end of one of the finest hours of the series, or Rick to have to hide under a bed for hours or Daryl to open up? It’s simply because of how normal Morgan’s arc is that “Here’s Not Here” is a bit unsatisfying.

That doesn’t mean I don’t like the episode. The worst episode of THE WALKING DEAD is still miles ahead of most installments of television. The two performers in this hour-and-a-half are both absolutely fantastic, and it’s easy to watch them and be moved. Their plight, along with that of Tabitha the goat, may not be inspired, but it’s well done. I do care about the characters and feel for them, being saddened at the death of the goat as much as when Eastman goes.

The final scene in which Morgan talks to the Wolves leader (Benedict Samuel), who is every bit as much of a psychopath as the killer in Eastman’s past, is so much more compelling and interesting than the rest of the episode that it immediately highlights the flaw in doing this story now. At the end, we’re left wondering if Morgan is making a mistake in leaving this guy alive, even if it will give him no satisfaction in killing him. As Eastman says, every life is precious. However, if it’s OK to kill a walker, who is only there to endanger and kill you, it should be OK to kill a human who serves the same purpose, right? Will Morgan regret leaving him alive? This is a question worth pondering, and the outcome is uncertain.

At least Morgan locks the cage that the Wolf is in. This Wolf is not at all the same as Morgan is when he is in Eastman’s cage, and I’m glad Morgan realizes that. It’s a positive sign.

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

ASH VS EVIL DEAD is Storytelling Vs Gore

Article first published as ASH VS EVIL DEAD Review on Seat42F.

Starz’s newest series, which premiered last night, is sure to make fans of one horror franchise happy. In ASH VS EVIL DEAD, viewers catch up with Ashley “Ash” J. Williams (Bruce Campbell) thirty years after the events of the original movies. The Evil Dead have left him alone for a long time, but now they’re coming back for him and for others. Is Ash the ‘El Jefe’ foretold to stop this wicked force?

I have to admit up front that I don’t like the Evil Dead films. They are way too gory for me. I’m not a fan of the horror genre in general, but can handle those with a very good story and not too many body insides on display. The Walking Dead is my favorite show, but I watch it because of the truly excellent character development, not because of the zombies. In anticipation of this show premiering, I attempted to watch the movies in the series, but could not get very far in them, the effects of the violence far too outrageous for me to handle.

That being said, I enjoyed the pilot of ASH VS EVIL DEAD a lot. Not enough to get past the exploding heads and spurting necks (how does a little bullet explode a head?), so I won’t be giving it a second try, but the parts of the hour without that stuff, I found very entertaining. So for those of you not bothered by the gross element, or who may even celebrate the campiness of it, I think this will be a show worth watching.

Campbell is terrific as Ash, arguably the defining character of his career. He’s a lazy, manipulative moocher who is too full of himself. Yet, Campbell still makes him sympathetic and likeable, and not just when he goes into heroic action. Ash is a character fans will want to see stay alive, and root for him as he does the bad ass stuff that he does.

Ash’s missing hand, an event that occurred in a big screen installment, is a minor issue for the production. The Walking Dead (SPOILER ALERT) television series purposely chose not to have The Governor cut off Rick’s hand as he does in the comics because it provided a significant challenge to impart on their show’s lead. ASH VS EVIL DEAD uses the stump mostly effectively, giving Ash a way to lock a weapon on it and pick up girls by lying about it, but there are still times where it kind of gets in the way. I swear I saw the fingers move when Ash closes a car door with it in the opening sequence.

Of course, as charming as Campbell is, he can’t carry a whole TV show himself. Others have to get involved, too, if for no other reason than to provide cannon fodder. I doubt they will kill off Ash’s friends quite as quickly in this new incarnation, given that TV shows typically have at least a few main players, but eventually, some or all of them will have to die and Ash will have to replace them.

His initial team includes Pablo Simon Bolivar (Ray Santiago, Touch, Raising Hope) and Kelly Maxwell (Dana DeLorenzo, Impress Me, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson), co-workers of Ash’s at the retail store in which he works. Both are considerably younger, which makes sense, given the audience Starz is hoping to attract. Pablo is comic relief and Kelly is a possible love interest. A triangle between the three could make things messy later, but I have the feeling ASH VS EVIL DEAD thrives on messiness. Neither sidekick is much more than a typical archetype, but that could change over time, if they live long enough.

Elsewhere, we are introduced to two other women. Amanda Fisher (Jill Marie Jones, Sleepy Hollow, Girlfriends) is a cop who has her own run-in with the evilness. Ruby (Lucy Lawless, Xena: Warrior Princess, Battlestar Galactica, Parks & Recreation) is a mysterious lady who seems to know something about what’s going on, but who is barely glimpsed in the first installment. Amanda is a relatively familiar type of personality, but Ruby is intriguing, especially in the hands of Lawless, a brilliant performer. I look forward to seeing how the two tie into Ash’s journey, the latter more than the former. It occurs to me, though nothing in the pilot supports this, that Ruby could make a more age appropriate love interest for Ash, freeing up Kelly for Pablo.

Overall, while I don’t appreciate the gore, I think most of the target audience will. ASH VS EVIL DEAD seems more fun than the bits of the movies I glimpsed, and should make for an enjoyable romp, giving the television landscape something it doesn’t quite have currently.

ASH VS EVIL DEAD airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. on Starz.

No "Thank You," THE WALKING DEAD

Article originally published as THE WALKING DEAD Review "Thank You" on Seat42F.

No one will be saying “Thank You” to THE WALKING DEAD after last night’s episode on AMC. With much of zombie herd closing in on Alexandria, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) works on a plan to redirect the walkers, while tasking Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) with getting some of their new neighbors home safe. Walkers may be slow, but they are persistent, and as Rick predicts, not everyone makes it home.

Early in the episode, Rick tells Michonne and Glenn that not everyone is going to make it and they have to understand that. This is kind of a running theme in THE WALKING DEAD. You may want to save everyone, but you just can’t. The world is too dangerous, and if you don’t know when to cut and run, you’ll end up dead, too.

Rick isn’t being heartless when he says this; he’s being realistic. I understand why Heath (Corey Hawkins) takes offense when he overhears these words, though. While Heath has left Alexandria to go on supply runs and recruit new citizens, he hasn’t faced anyone like the Governor, nor tried to protect a community of dependents under attack, so he doesn’t have full understanding. Heath’s arc in “Thank You” is an introduction to the harsh world he now lives in, which he only scratches the surface of prior to this.

Thankfully, Heath learns his lesson in time to make it home, but the whole group is not so lucky, some of his friends falling in order to teach him the truth. I am impressed with several of these new people. Annie (Beth Kenner, Battle Los Angeles) and Scott (Kenric Green, Let Me Go) ask to be left behind when they’re slowing the others down. David (Jay Huguley, Treme) knows he’s doomed, but just wants to get back to say goodbye to his wife. These guys may not be prepared for what they’re facing, but at least they’re trying and dying with dignity, not tearing others down along the way. And one of them, Scott, actually makes it.

Of course, not everyone is so heroic. Sturgess (Jonathan Kleitman, +1) takes off running, abandoning the group and getting himself killed for it. But the real detestable weakling in “Thank You” is Nicholas (Michael Traynor).

Throughout “Thank You,” I keep looking for Nicholas to step up. Glenn rescues him and gives him a second chance, and Nicholas has become a loyal student of Glenn’s. Yet, Nicholas keeps faltering over and over again in this hour, never acting quickly to do what needs to be done. My biggest worry as events play out is that Nicholas will die before he gets a hold of himself, as I’ve come to like him.

But then Nicholas kills himself in a moment of desperation and takes Glenn out with him, the ultimate act of betrayal and cowardice. Not only does Nicholas remove himself from the fight, but he robs our group of a good man who doesn’t deserve to go. It’s one thing to act stupidly or come to grips with your own limitations; it’s quite another if you hurt someone else while doing so. For this, Nicholas has ruined any chance he ever had of being remembered fondly.

Glenn’s death isn’t a huge surprise. He’s become the moral center of the show, and THE WALKING DEAD always kills its moral center. Always. Glenn is too good and gives people too many chances. I didn’t expect him to go at this point, in the penultimate act of the third episode of the season, but it just reinforces once again that anyone can die at any time on THE WALKING DEAD.

Now, in the Talking Dead after show, host Chris Hardwick didn’t confirm his death and a theory or two are batted around about how Glenn might miraculously survive. But I think the best thing we can hope for at this point is that someone finds a trace of him to confirm his fate. Glenn is gone, and as hard as that is, losing one of the original crew, we have to live with it.

Daryl (Norman Reedus) has his own crisis of conscience in “Thank You,” not sure what to do when Rick asks him to keep leading a portion of the herd away. Daryl’s instinct is to turn around and help his friends, protecting the town that gives him, as the sign says, a fresh start. This is a noble feeling, and one completely understandable. But it’s the wrong move, and when Daryl hears Rick possibly sacrifice himself for the greater good, he decides to stay on his mission. It’s the right call, one hard-earned, and may keep him alive longer than Glenn.

Speaking of Rick, our hero tries to make it to an RV to help redirect the walkers. After the longest mile anyone has ever run, or so it seems, he finds the vehicle, but is attacked by Wolves and he can’t finish the job. Rick won’t die here; he’s on the very short list of characters I think THE WALKING DEAD cannot kill, which currently includes only himself, Daryl, Michonne, and Carl (Chandler Riggs). Seeing him single-handedly fight off five Wolves proves Rick’s worth again. I don’t know how he’ll get out of this situation, especially feeling helpless when he realizes his attackers have come from Alexandria (the only place around with baby food), but he will.

And then the preview for next week’s episode shows us that it will be the long-awaited Morgan (Lennie James) flashback. I can’t help but feel this is an awful time to air this. Three weeks spent building up a giant herd, we need to see the resolution of that before taking a moment to catch our breaths. The only reason I can think of to do the Morgan flashback now, aside from artificially drawing out anticipation, which THE WALKING DEAD doesn’t tend to do (it draws it out, but authentically), is that Morgan will die in the upcoming battle and they need to get this in first. Considering Morgan’s pacifism and morality, that feels the most likely explanation. But I hope I’m wrong.

While I don’t want to say “Thank You” for an hour that killed off Glenn, this is yet another awesome installment of the best show currently on television. It has lots of action and death, but it all plays out around the complex character studies one has come to expect. Each development means something; nothing is gratuitous. That’s why this show is so, so good.

THE WALKING DEAD airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC. For those who DVR it, make sure you set for 90 minutes next week (does anyone actually still manually set the time?), as that installment will be extra long.

"JSS" THE WALKING DEAD

Article first published as THE WALKING DEAD Review "JSS" on Seat42F.

“JSS,” the title of this week’s installment of THE WALKING DEAD on AMC, stands for ‘just survive somehow.’ This seems an apropos title when The Wolves attack Alexandria and lots of people are dying left and right. The world in which this series takes place in is very, very dangerous, and all anyone can be expected to do is to try to stay alive. Unfortunately, that is much easier said than done.

“JSS” begins with a girl in a vehicle with her parents. It’s Enid (Katelyn Nacon), whom we’ve seen living in Alexandria. As the next few minutes pass, viewers witness how Enid loses her parents, survives on her own, and eventually makes her way to the settlement. It’s a brief character profile that certainly tells us more about the girl, how she has toughened herself in order to stay alive, which is also why she has trouble getting close to anyone, trying to avoid going through that pain of loss again.

It’s not unusual for THE WALKING DEAD to begin quietly, even after a cliffhanger like the one in last week’s season premiere. What is unusual is that the cliffhanger is not picked back up upon during the hour. One could argue the horn honk is to let us know about the attack on Alexandria, and it does. But it also turns an entire hoard of walkers towards the safe zone, and “JSS” doesn’t show us what happens with that yet. It’s basically a real-time event that takes place during the season premiere.

THE WALKING DEAD is terrific at teasing and drawing things out. It will eventually give us a satisfying resolution to the huge action sequence promised, but it will not be rushed in getting there. There is more story that needs to be covered first, and the show is structured in such a way as to expertly build drama until it can be built no more. It may be frustrating for some viewers to have to wait until episode three to get a promised battle between humans and zombies, but given just how good “JSS” and “First Time Again” are, I feel like there’s no room for complaint. Anticipation only continues to build, and the events of “JSS” leave our heroes much less prepared to deal with the coming zombies.

“JSS” sees The Wolves attack Alexandria, and as Rick (Andrew Lincoln) predicted, the people who have been living behind the walls don’t know how to defend themselves. Most of our main contingent is away, as we see in the premiere. It’s basically left to Carol (Melissa McBride), Morgan (Lennie James), Rosita (Christian Serratos), and Aaron (Ross Marquand), who isn’t one of Rick’s group, but has spent a lot of time in the outside world, to defend everyone else from a band of armed marauders. This isn’t a large force, but thanks to their experience and smarts, they are able to do so.

Now, not every Alexandrian is helpless. Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) does take out one woman when her family is threatened. This is clearly because of Rick’s influence, since she previously couldn’t bring herself to stand up to an abusive husband. Now, though, she’s growing quickly, and finally seems prepared to contribute.

But a lot of other Alexandrians lose their lives. Mrs. Neudermeyer (Susie Spear Purcell) is one of the first to go. Olivia (Ann Mahoney) and Denise (Merritt Wever) cower in fear, content to let others do the work for them. Spencer (Austin Nichols) helps from his tower, but then doesn’t directly counter attack on the ground.

Now, Rick has a plan, and he will be helping them get better at surviving. Some, like Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), are willing to learn, thankfully. Others are not so eager. As THE WALKING DEAD has shown us, those who do not step up and become capable of defending themselves will die. So it seems the community could end up being mostly Rick’s group when this is all over.

Morgan is a big question mark, though. He clearly abhors violence, and tries to only disarm The Wolves, not kill them. Is this an attitude that will work for him? He encounters The Wolves prior to this, and if he had killed the two he ran into then, at least the attacking group would have been slightly smaller. Can he really afford mercy in this day and age? I have serious doubts that he can, and he’ll either have to adapt or put the group at risk.

Thankfully, we’ll always have Carol. Her cover as a timid housewife may be blown, at least with Olivia, and she’s not able to save everyone, but she does a lot, arguably more than anyone, to defend the place. Carol is highly capable, and a good example of what Jessie might become in time, their histories being so similar. Yet, Carol isn’t cold, either, much as she might appear to be, as we see her holding a dying neighbor in her arms. Carol has found the right balance, just like Rick, that is needed in this world.

“JSS” ends with Enid running off. Will she be back? She is the one that tells Carl (Chandler Riggs) to just survive somehow, and that is certainly easier to do in a group, especially with some of the strong people around to help protect her. She’s a capable girl, but I hope she changes her mind before she becomes walker food. She definitely isn’t the only Alexandrian that needs help.

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

THE WALKING DEAD Ups the Game "Again"

Article originally published as THE WALKING DEAD Review "First Time Again" on Seat42F.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes - The Walking Dead _ Season 6, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

The long wait is finally over, and THE WALKING DEAD has returned to AMC! In last night’s sixth season premiere, “First Time Again,” Rick (Andrew Lincoln) leads the people of Alexandria, including his own group, in corralling a giant herd of walkers. In flashback, the aftermath of last year’s finale is explored interspersed with the current crisis. There are tons of zombies, more than the show has ever shown before, there is death, and of course, things go horribly wrong.

The question of whether or not Rick will be accepted in Alexandria is laid to rest at the end of season five when Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) lets Rick kill Pete. But just because Rick’s authority is now established, seemingly second only to Deanna’s, and barely so, doesn’t mean the townspeople will go along with it. In fact, if anything, “First Time Again” finds many of them rebelling much more openly than anything we’ve seen so far.

The rabble-rousers are led by Carter (Ethan Embry, Once Upon a Time), but he is just the face that gives voice to others’ concerns. As noted in the first year, Alexandria has not faced what others in the post-apocalyptic world have faced. Without being cognizant of the dangers, they are resistant to Rick’s ideas of violence and putting oneself out there. Carter would prefer to continue to hide behind his walls, not realizing how lucky he’s been and that it’s not sustainable.

“First Time Again” does explain the luck Alexandria has seen so far. A large group of walkers are trapped, and their noise has drawn others in the area to them. The walls of the settlement aren’t being beaten down because there’s a convenient trap keeping the menace off of their lawn. However, the trap is full, and those captured will soon escape. Meaning, Alexandria’s luck is about to run out, unless they listen to Rick, who has a plan to resolve the crisis.

All of this sets up an interesting problem for Rick. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone in order to save the town, but if he lets the people stay soft, they will endanger everyone. Rick tries to make Carter strong by letting him face walkers, but Morgan (Lennie James, now a main character), who has become a pacifist, steps in to protect Carter, ruining the lesson. By the time Carter does screw up, it’s an almost-disaster, with Rick having to silence him before he draws the herd off-course.

Morgan’s position, one in which he protects people, is a valid one, but it’s also dangerous, given what happens with Carter. I do think it’s good to have someone like Morgan around to balance out Rick and remind Rick what they’re fighting to protect, as Rick gets too brutal at times. Yet, as fans of THE WALKING DEAD know, there isn’t always room for compassion in this new, harsh reality, and protecting a group is far removed from protecting only oneself. I don’t think Morgan will make the same mistake again soon, but neither will Rick simply execute anyone anymore, as he avoids doing in the storeroom, as that is going too far.

It will be up to Rick as to which tactics, other than execution, to use, as Deanna doesn’t seem to be making too many decisions these days. Numb after losing her husband, she listens to the lawman more than she ever has, and gives him a large amount of leeway in what he does. This is what Rick wants, and I’m sure he’s capable of handling it, but it does swiftly change the dynamic of Alexandria, and gives rise to Carter and others’ negative feelings.

Thankfully, not everyone is rebelling. Nicholas (Michael Traynor) learns his lesson after Glenn (Steven Yeun) spares him and wants to help out, probably now a loyal friend. Heath (Corey Hawkins, Straight Outta Compton) just returns home and meets our group in “First Time Again,” but having been outside the walls, he immediately sees the wisdom in what Rick stands for. Tobin (Jason Douglas) and Aaron (Ross Marquand) have already gotten on board, and so has Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge), even if she can’t be close to Rick as he’d like because of her teenage son, Ron (Austin Abrams), who understandably hates the former cop for killing his dad. So it’s not all bad.

Besides showing the herd, THE WALKING DEAD has black and white flashbacks to between seasons five and six, which is stylistic, but also interesting because it gives us chances for that character development that the show does so well. We see how Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) is no longer suicidal, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Tara (Alanna Masterson) reluctantly accept Glenn’s decision to forgive Nicholas, and how Darly (Norman Reedus) disagrees with some of Rick’s decisions. This is all interesting stuff, and while not super important to the main plot, are the details that make the program so good.

The most intriguing scene to me is when Morgan calls Carol (Melissa McBride) out on who she truly is. I don’t think the Alexandrians have noticed that Carol’s timid housewife is a front, but Morgan does. Carol is kind of Rick’s secret weapon, hiding in plain side and providing intelligence on the ground. If Morgan sees through her, though, others will as well, and I wonder how Carol’s neighbors will feel about her deception.

Then, at the end of the installment, a horn blares and screws up everything. Suddenly, this giant herd of zombies is heading right for the formerly safe little settlement, and there’s no way their laws will hold up to a hoard this big. It promises the intensity the producers seemed to sell for the premiere, but I’m glad they waited to deliver it because it gives us time to get to know the people here more before they have to change forever, as Rick predicted.

“First Time Again” is an excellent mix of a lot of things. There is danger and compelling human drama and foreshadowing and moral complexity. It gives us everything one could want from THE WALKING DEAD except for those who long for big zombie attacks, but I’m sure that they’ll get more than enough of that next week.

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

No FEAR; THE WALKING DEAD Does It Again

Article originally published as FEAR THE WALKING DEAD Review on Seat42F.

As a television critic, I watch way too much TV. There are many drawbacks to this, such as not reading nearly as much as I’d like to, but there are also some benefits, such as that I feel I have a large perspective on what’s good because I have a wide understanding of what is out there. Even though I hate zombies, The Walking Dead is my favorite current show because it has the richest and most original characters and scenarios and the most complex, make-you-think writing on the tube, which, in my opinion, is what makes great TV right now. (It also has terrific acting and design, but so do many others.) So my expectations were high for FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, the prequel spin-off practically sharing the title, which premiered last night

FEAR THE WALKING DEAD is not The Walking Dead; this much is clear pretty early on. Someday it may be, but it is not from the get go. I’m not saying that in the way that The Walking Dead was great at the beginning, but took some time before it became as awesome as it is now. Pilot versus pilot, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD falls short, with its family being less compelling than Rick and their world being much more familiar.

But honestly, it only falls slightly short, still making it one of the best things on, and something I will look forward to tuning in each week.

Part of this inferiority may be necessary because of the structure of the first episode, given where the series is starting from. The Walking Dead had the luxury of a man alone in the world, which is easy to focus in on. FEAR THE WALKING DEAD begins in a bustling city, still very much alive and operating, so there is, by necessity, a lot more distraction.

The distraction is well used in most cases. The first sequence ends with a pull back on the lively city, and this makes an impact. It doesn’t make an impact on its own, because lots of series could show a similar shot with little effect. It makes an impact because the vast majority of viewers are familiar with what this world is about to become, and an impending sense of doom hangs over L.A.

Viewers see this again and again throughout the first hour, this program playing off the expectations and tropes of the other, with a wink and a nudge. A hunching administrator isn’t a zombie, but he could be soon. A dying man in the hospital hasn’t turned, but any time now, all dying men will. An attack on police by a motorist moments ago lying dead on the road is strange, but to the characters, it doesn’t spell the end of civilization, just the spread of a mysterious illness.

At first, I was a bit disappointed that FEAR THE WALKING DEAD wasn’t giving us a macro image of the descent of the city and the country. Then, I realized that was because of whose perspective it was being told from. The pilot opens with Nick Clark (Frank Dillane, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) high on drugs, then in the hospital. The other three core players, Nick’s mother, Madison (Kim Dickens, Treme, Friday Night Lights), his sister, Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey, The 100), and his step-father, Travis (Cliff Curtis, Gang Related), are all focused on what’s going on with Nick. Of course they aren’t glued to the news. Not yet anyway.

I can’t fault these characters for their concerns, and I can’t fault FEAR THE WALKING DEAD for zooming in on them. After all, at the start of this review, I admitted that the characters are what drive the parent show, so choosing to keep the story personal in this other chapter is a smart move, one that will surely help it in the long run.

Then there’s the simple fact that these people and their lives suck me in so completely. The concern, the desperation, the frustration they experience is highly relatable and compelling because of the top-notch performances. Few shows have the power to grab my full attention and not let go. This is one of them.

So maybe it has a few flaws, skimming over some things, using a couple of characters for cannon fodder, Madison not being more interested in why the school is suddenly empty. But the pilot is very good, and being set in a densely populated city, I am incredibly intrigued to watch the collapse of civilization from people on the front lines, many of whom surely won’t survive. This is a family unit that cannot possibly make it out of the City of Angels without loss, and I already care enough about them to be invested in their continued survival. Great job, all around, for making a worthy expansion of a wonderfully wicked world.

My only question is this: where is our Talking Fear hosted by Chris Hardwick?

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

THE WALKED DEAD Did "Conquer" Story and Ratings

Article originally written for Seat42F.

The central question of the season finale of AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD is, what will the Alexandrians do with Rick (Andrew Lincoln)? After Rick’s gun-waving breakdown at the end of the previous episode, Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) is leaning towards kicking him out of the settlement, but she holds a town forum first to get opinions. As scary as Rick may have been in the moment, though, is he wrong, and do the people see that?

Rick’s contention is that the Alexandrians have been lucky thus far and they are not prepared to take care of themselves when that luck runs out. He and his people have been out in the world and have seen firsthand how bleak it can get and how cruel people can be. This darkness may not yet have touched Alexandria, but it will.

“Conquer” begins by showing us some of that evil that Rick is so worried about. Morgan (Lennie James) has been tracking Rick all the way to the D.C. area. Stopping for a little breakfast, he is set upon by two “Wolves,” people who ruthlessly take all they can, set traps of brutalized Walkers, and have no qualms at all about killing people that they come across. Morgan is able to deal with two of them and walk away, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still pose a threat, especially as we don’t know the size of their group.

Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Aaron (Ross Marquand) run into this same contingent on the road. They lose a man they are considering recruiting, distracted by one of the Wolves’ traps. Not prepared, they realize too late what is happening, and are soon stuck, finding an ominous note that bad people are coming. Thankfully, before the duo perishes, Morgan shows up and saves them because he’s just a good dude.

THE WALKING DEAD presents a world where two types of people survive. One type is the bad sort, like the Wolves or The Governor, but another is the kind that look out for others and stick together like a family. Morgan is an example of the latter, altruistic towards innocents, and not even killing the Wolves that attack him. Daryl and Aaron are, too, each willing to sacrifice themselves for the other before deciding to make a break for it together, which they thankfully don’t end up having to do.

Glenn (Steven Yeun) proves himself in the same category in “Conquer.” Nicholas (Michael Traynor) feels threatened, not understanding the gift of protection Glenn is offering him. Frightened, Nicholas strikes, luring Glenn outside the walls and shooting him, trying to kill him. Multiple times the two scuffle, Glenn tough enough to survive one idiot and a handful of Walkers. In the end, though, while Glenn could easily kill Nicholas, he does not, instead limping back to Alexandria together. Not many would spare Nicholas as Glenn does, likely seeing Nicholas the scared child that he is.

Nicholas will likely come out of this learning something about Glenn and having a new-found respect for him. He isn’t the only one changed by his encounter with Rick’s people, Tobin (Jason Douglas), Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge), and even Deanna’s husband, Reg (Steve Coulter), believing Rick should stay and maybe is needed to save them. The weaker in this world have to put their faith in someone, and those like Glenn and Rick are the types to earn that faith.

Which brings us back to the start of this review, and that is to Rick himself. His gun swinging does feel a little crazy, but “Conquer” gives us a little more insight to the sheriff. Despite Carol’s (Melissa McBride) assertion the two of them should continue their deception, Rick doesn’t feel comfortable lying to the others, especially Michonne (Danai Gurira). He’s worried Michonne won’t side with him against Deanna (though of course she says asserts her continued loyalty), but he thinks Michonne deserves to know what’s going on. Here, we see Rick’s nobility, and as he explains to her, he snaps a bit because he is totally frustrated at how blind these naïve people are, which is understandable. He refuses to apologize to the group, but he does offer to make them his family and teach them how to survive, being open and honest. This puts him firmly in the good column.

There is a slight snag in the neat ending, as Deanna orders Rick to execute Pete (Corey Brill) after an angry Pete accidentally murders Reg, a regrettable happenstance. This seems to be Deanna deciding in Rick’s favor and putting to bed the debate, but Rick murders Pete just as Morgan walks in, and Morgan is all about zen-like non-violence these days. Fans of THE WALKING DEAD widely love Morgan and wish him to be a part of the cast. Will Rick’s brutality, necessary as it is, scare him away? Will Morgan’s journey have been for nothing?

Two more intersecting subplots of note plays out in “Conquer,” making more obvious some of the internal struggles Rick and the others go through as they try to adapt to civilization again. In the first, Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) tries to literally bury her demons as she cleans up dead Walkers outside the wall. She’s at a very low point, even lying in the mass grave with them because she feels as dead as they are. Still, she is clearly trying to get better as she goes to Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) for advice and spiritual guidance.

The good father is in no position to counsel her, or anyone else who asks, for that matter. He hates himself so much for not saving his parishioners that he goes outside the walls and tries to commit suicide-by-Walker. When he can’t bring himself to do that, killing his first undead, he tries to goad Sasha into taking him out. I do think the emotional confrontation that follows, which they both walk away from, should be cathartic enough to help them begin to move on, but it’s very charged and it takes us into the depths of their pain.

THE WALKING DEAD packs a lot into this final hour and a half. All of the stories mentioned above are deeply personal and complex in their highlighting of personalities. We also see Maggie (Lauren Cohan) be set up as a spiritual healer, Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) make peace, and Tara (Alanna Masterson) looks like she’s recovering. So much goodness, and still with pacing that doesn’t feel rushed.

“Conquer” does succeed in overcoming the strife of the past eight episodes, though, bringing everyone, Alexandrians and our group alike, which are now one and the same, into a common cause. This is super necessary, as we know the Wolves will soon be coming. Thankfully, Rick has a bigger group than ever to help fight those that are evil and give those that deserve to the best chance possible to survive. It’s going to be a hell of an exciting sixth season.

THE WALKING DEAD will return, likely around October, to AMC. The companion series, Fear The Walking Dead, which takes viewers to L.A. in the early days of the Walker outbreak, launches late this summer on the same network.

Just "Try" to Resist THE WALKING DEAD

Article originally written for Seat42F.

As THE WALKING DEAD begins last night on AMC, things are tense in Alexandria. With a person lost on both sides, Rick’s group and Deanna’s aren’t exactly happy with one another, especially when those that return from the supply run tell conflicting stories, each side blaming the other for what happened. Will they continue to “Try” to get along, or is this the beginning of the end of the happy town?

Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is the best representation of a wild person trying to go back to civilization. He is on edge because of what happens to Noah (Tyler James Williams), but also because Carol (Melissa McBride) keeps urging him to take out Pete (Corey Brill), who is abusing his wife, Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge). The evidence seems to be there, Pete’s son, Sam (Major Dodson), telling Carol bad things that Jessie doesn’t exactly deny. Still, Rick isn’t sure he should interfere, until he admits to himself his feelings for Jessie.

I love that Rick tells Carol she would still be here, even if her own abusive spouse, Ed, hadn’t been eaten by Walkers. Carol is a very strong person, someone capable of holding her own, and even giving back, as she does when arguing for Rick to take action against Pete. Jessie isn’t the same type. She will probably die if no one stops Pete. But what to do? Is she someone Rick should take care of? He decides yes, but admits he wouldn’t do the same for just anyone.

Rick is not part of the community yet. He isn’t interested in protecting all of these new people, seeing them as weak and not willing to do what’s necessary to survive. In “Try,” he tells Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) that they must separate Pete and Jessie, and if Pete doesn’t cooperate, kill him. Deanna says they do not execute and Rick better never suggest it again, which I think is her trying to assert the control she feels slipping away, enhanced by grief and anger at losing her son. But Rick knows what will happen if they let a bad guy escape be exiling him. He’ll come back, and there will be consequences. Rick has seen this before, Deanna has not.

All this leads to a town square brawl between Pete and Rick. Rick gets the upper hand, then rants at Deanna and the others, waving his gun around. He tells them they’re not safe, and that they can’t go by Deanna’s rules any more. It’s quite a speech, though it does come off crazy. I think Rick is just at his breaking point, knowing in his gut that Alexandria is not going to survive unless changes are made, but unable to make those changes. He hasn’t adapted, “Try” as he might, and this is a key moment for his character.

Which ends with Michonne (Danai Gurira) cold-cocking him. Rick may be right that Deanna’s way isn’t right, but Rick’s rules would take away much from the good civilization that is being preserved here. Not everyone wants what Rick wants in THE WALKING DEAD.

Glenn (Steven Yeun), for one, is looking for balance. He tells Nicholas (Michael Traynor) that he will not go out on any more runs, not because Glenn in threatening Nicholas, but because Glenn wants to save him. Glenn isn’t looking to punish; he’s looking to protect. He wants to build upon what Deanna has established, not tear it down.

Michonne also wants to hang onto the promise of a semi-normal life. She chases Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) out into the woods, alongside Rosita (Christian Serratos), sans police uniform and sword. Sasha is angry and needs to blow off steam, feeling guilty for telling Noah he wouldn’t survive, which only builds upon her struggle at losing Bob and Tyreese. As Michonne helps Sasha, though, it’s not anger Michonne feels. She remembers her past, remembers what it’s like on the outside. Not bringing her uniform reveals her doubts about fitting in, but not bringing her sword is a rejection of who she was. Michonne is reminded of what’s outside the walls, and after bringing Sasha home, she chooses Alexandria. This leads her to don the uniform and knock Rick out, as mentioned, to preserve the peace.

Carl (Chandler Riggs) is part of the fitting-in group, too. He tries to stop Rick’s fight. This is after he shares a moment and almost-kiss with Enid (Katelyn Nacon) in the woods. Carl realizes the danger, but like Enid, he also wants to live in a world where he can run and enjoy himself. Alexandria offers a chance at that.

What will happen next? Deanna seems very close to kicking out at least Rick, if not the group, knowing she needs them, but coming close to rejecting the price of their assistance. However, seeing Carl and Glenn and others “Try” to fit into Alexandria, witnessing Michonne exert control over Rick when it’s necessary, perhaps Deanna will be tempted to punish only Rick, leaving the others alone. If Rick’s people can help him find the middle ground, as they have done, the entire group stands a chance at making Alexandria a home. Will Deanna allow that to happen?

Outside the walls, Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Aaron (Ross Marquand) find mutilated Walkers with Ws carved into their foreheads. This continues a trend that started at Noah’s family’s neighborhood. Periodically we’ve seen scenes of disturbing brutality. I haven’t made a thing of them in my reviews because they’ve been minor foreshadowing in very full episodes, but in “Try,” it’s clear that THE WALKING DEAD is heading somewhere with this sooner, rather than later. Who is doing this, and what do they want? They surely won’t be friendly to the good people of Alexandria.

THE WALKING DEAD continues to masterfully balance deep character stories with larger plots, spooling out an arc patiently and artistically. Some of my fellow fans have mourned the loss of the hours focusing on one or two characters that were so brilliant last year, but I think the current structure matches what’s happening now better. THE WALKING DEAD has continuously shifted and morphed over the seasons depending on the needs of the story, and I think it is brilliantly continuing to do the same this year.

THE WALKING DEAD ends its fifth season next Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.