Sadé Green reviews the ninth episode of The Walking Dead season 5…
After the shocking mid-season finale, where our innocent Beth was sadly shot and killed by Dawn, surely you would expect to be eased back into The Walking Dead? But The Walking Dead isn’t your average television show. The Walking Dead aims to shock; to strike you where it hurts when you’re still emotionally sore from the last beating you endured. So here is your warning – expect some serious heart-breaking, devastating, gut-wrenching pain with this mid-season opener; an entire box of tissues will be in need!
The start of ‘What happened and what’s going on’ is like nothing The Walking Dead has ever tried before. A series of seemingly unrelated images flashes onto screen: Maggie crying on the ground; a skeleton on a leaf strewn woodland floor; fresh dirt being shovelled onto a grave; blood dripping onto a cosy looking painting of a perfect home. With Beth’s untimely death still fresh in the viewer’s mind, it is clear where these images are trying to draw you. But don’t be fooled by this clever ruse.
Apart from the initial foray into an art-house film, ‘What happened and what’s going on’ shows our gang trying to find a new place to call home. A season and a half after being forced from the prison, they’ve not had much luck. Having lost two family members in the past half season alone, tensions are clearly running high. On a quest to follow one of Beth’s last wishes to help get Noah back to his family, Rick, Michonne, Tyreese and Glen take Noah to Richmond, Virginia to a private housing enclosure that Noah used to call home. Noah believes that his family and neighbours must be holed up, protecting their community. Unfortunately what the gang find instead is zombie infested streets. The mission to find a new home becomes a supplies run instead.
Overcome with devastation for his lost family and friends, Noah collapses to the ground and whilst the others search for supplies, Tyreese tries to console a weeping Noah. When Noah suddenly runs in the direction of his old house, Tyreese runs after him and they find themselves confronted by Noah’s long-dead mother and his zombie twin brothers. However, when scoping the house for hidden dangers, Tyreese is distracted by a distinct lack of photos featuring Noah with his brothers. This can only spell trouble, in more ways than one.
During the mission, one of our gang runs into trouble with a bastard zombie and finds themselves bitten and bleeding profusely. When anyone gets bitten in The Walking Dead, it is always a heart-stopping moment – normally the moment you jump and spill your drink or you scream ‘No!’ into your T.V. But this one will come as a particular shock. You will plead with the powers that be in your head – they must be immune! Cut their limb off! They can’t die! But to no avail. As our character slowly bleeds to death, they start having hallucinations. Past family members and past enemies offer words of comfort and words of deathly encouragement. As the rest of the gang jump in to help our floundering family member, you will find yourself transported into one of the most spectacular 15 minutes of television, firmly cementing The Walking Dead as still being at the top of its game. One hiccup after another delays getting our wounded the help they need, keeping you truly on the edge of your seat, desperately hoping and pleading that they will survive. But as the gang speed away to a waiting Carol and first aid, our beloved family member makes their choice. The viewers watch from a distance as the car pulls over and the rest of the gang carry the member gently onto the ground, portraying from 100 metres away, the sheer devastation of the situation. This 15 minute section makes for truly spectacular viewing – the whole sequence will go down in history as being one of the most beautifully put together death scenes in existence.
The Walking Dead have mastered their craft. The series of images from the beginning will suddenly have taken on a whole new meaning. ‘What happened and what’s going on’ is a stunning episode of television, featuring a death scene like no other on the show so far, which is only fitting for such a treasured character. During their hallucinations, one of their enemies says ‘You were too good; it’s the goodness that has gotten you killed’ which will only aid your heartbreak even further. But this begs the question: the whole of season 5 has been a showcase of diminishing goodness; diminishing humanity. If being good gets you killed, then is everyone else on the right track? If the opening episode is anything to go by, then the rest of season 5 will be a masterpiece.
Zombie kill of the week
There is entire sequence of killing that needs to be mentioned this week. A solid 20 seconds is shot from the point of view of our dying character whilst crouched on the ground looking up at the chaos around them. As another of our gang desperately try to stem their bleeding from the left, the rest of the gang take out 5 encroaching zombies in super slow motion. Axes plunge deep into their skulls splitting their heads in two, guns literally blow the brains apart piece by piece and a sword slices diagonally through their head. With a mournful violin playing over the top, this is arguably the most emotional zombie kill of the week. Simply put, it is absolutely fantastic.
Sadé Green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszFJHnpNzqHh6gswQ0Srpi5E&v=qqtW2LRPtQY&feature=player_embedded
Originally published February 11, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
