I wish the episode had delved a little bit deeper into its most compelling aspect: an exploration of PTSD. Our heroes were in a war zone, and there were some very intriguing little vignettes showing us what that meant. Rick practically lost his mind (in his own words) over getting separated from his children for a couple of minutes. (Though would he even have allowed a stranger to come near his unprotected head with a pair of sharp scissors?) Carl found himself unable to befriend children his own age and return to being a "normal kid." Daryl couldn't even exit soldier mode long enough to allow himself a shower. We also got several insightful excerpts from characters' video interviews, showing us how they haven't left their "war" behind. I actually wish the episode had made time to take us through all the characters to explore this PTSD theme fully.
But among the characters who did get some attention, I give major props to two actresses in particular. Danai Gurira expertly conveyed just how desperately Michonne needs Alexandria to turn out to be 100% what it appears to be, enough for it to be heartbreaking even before we see whatever shoe is later sure to drop. Indeed, my Spidey-sense is tingling, telling me to suspect Michonne's death at the end of this season. That would be a major loss, to be sure, but at least this time it would feel earned, unlike every other character death this season.
Also wonderful was Melissa McBride. Carol has chosen to present a false face to the Alexandrians, right down to donning hilarious grandma clothes and "aw shucks"ing her way into a job that lets her canvass the town. McBride had many wonderful little moments throughout the hour, my personal favorite being when Carol pretended that her big, heavy gun was just too much for her to handle when she put it on the weapons cart. Lots of subtle performance on McBride's part, adding a lot to the script.
But it does feel like the writers are already sowing the seeds of how to get out of the Alexandria arc. It seems like it could go two ways. Option one: the people of Alexandria are so foolish and stupid that they wind up jeopardizing the safety of the whole town when they let zombies overrun it somehow. If the writers go this route, disposing of this subplot in basically the same manner that they did the farm, Woodbury, and the prison, then I swear: I will be done watching this series. There's only so many times I can see the same material repeated.
Option two: Rick actually makes good on his threat that ended the episode, and they make a move to take over Alexandria. I seriously hope the writers do go this route, because this would be new territory for the show. To have the characters find paradise and then throw it away in their own mistrust and suspicious would be a bleak and bitter pill for them all, darker perhaps than anything the show has done since its brilliant first season. Moreover, it would mean showing Our Heroes being decidedly less than heroic -- becoming villains, even. I think we've spent enough time with them now that they could eventually be redeemed from that in future seasons. But no matter what the future holds, it would mean a dramatically different storyline now, which the series desperately needs.
As for now, I give this episode a B, and I cross my fingers that it leads to a compelling arc in the weeks to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment