The Walking Dead - “Crossed” Review. Suicide Missions ‘R Us.

Season 5, Episode 7

Air Date: Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 9/8c on AMC

Rating: ★★★★★

“I know all this is new to you; all of it. I just wanted to tell you, for you to know, the things that we do … they’re worth it.” – Michonne

I hate to say it but “Crossed” is another meh episode swimming in a sea of great ones. The survivors are all split up, so you just know something bad is going to happen. But does it really? The times are a changing for everyone in the game. It isn’t a constant fear of walkers breaking down defenses; other people who remain among the living are what plague Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and his family. The Walking Dead continues to look at the dynamics of what it means to survive when you are the only people remaining in a dead world.

What Now?

Tyreese isn’t down for killing people. He’s leading the peace movement.

I get the feeling Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) isn’t the only one having a “Kum Ba Yah” moment. Peaceful resolutions can be had instead of going guns blazing, which tends to be Rick’s go to game plan. Every living person encountered is a survivor of the zombie apocalypse. They should all be working together, trying to survive as one and not taking advantage of weaknesses or taking the upper hand in order to get what they can get. That train of thought won’t get anyone anywhere but dead. So that’s where we are now. Who has the most guns, more men, and more of a reason to live than the other? New alliances are being formed, sides are being switched; how does the title come into play here? “Crossed” could refer to lines being crossed, people’s attitudes, or the actual crosses we see in the episode. My money is on Father Gabriel’s (Seth Gilliam) encounters. Every time he crosses the path of a walker, they are wearing a cross around their neck, and he falters. He’s holding so tightly onto the one thing he can—his faith—that anytime he sees evidence of that belief, he goes all scatterbrained. The man doesn’t know what to do, how to survive, how to live. He just exists. Gabriel is the type of survivor you don’t want to meet during the apocalypse. He’s weak because he wants to be. Gilliam is consistent in his portrayal of the fallen Father. I’m impressed every week as I watch Gabriel trying to come to grips with his situation. There is no hope in his eyes; I’m certain the writers want us to see the difference in Gabriel versus the other survivors. Why haven’t they all given up, too?

In Other News…

I didn’t realize Carol (Melissa McBride) is so severely injured. Did the car she ran into (har, har) during “Consumed” really hit her so hard? If she’s hanging on by a thread, wouldn’t it be smarter for her to stay put, under the close eye of a doctor? I want her rescued as much as the next person but I’m getting worried. Remember what I said about “Consumed” being Carol’s big sendoff … I only hope it isn’t true.

Daryl (Norman Reedus) deviates from the norm. He doesn’t blindly follow Rick into the sunset like usual. I’m pretty sure I was wearing the same exact look as Rick when Daryl speaks. You know, WTF?

“Don’t.” Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) is in a bad place. Who knows when he’ll snap out of it. He’s in beta mode—doing nothing but breathing and staying upright. How long will he remain in his current catatonic state? Yes, Eugene (Josh McDermitt) has shattered his reason for existing but it isn’t the end of the world; um, OK, it kind of is. I’ll cut Abraham some slack. I only hope he snaps out of his funk before too long. The group needs him. It’ll be interesting to see how things go from here on out with everyone reuniting. This group just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Noah (Tyler James Williams) is always running and he has a bum leg. Doesn’t this bother anyone else? I’m not saying he’s incapable; I’m worried one of these times, he’s going to be caught because he can’t keep up. I’d hate to see Noah eaten now that he’s finally escaped the hospital.

Memorable lines:

Rick to Tyreese about his plan to rescue Carol and Beth: “I get it and it might work. This will work.”

Daryl to Rick: “Nah, that’ll work too.”

Big turning point here. Does this mean Daryl is stepping out to be his own man? Has he tired of Rick’s leadership?

Father Gabriel: “Defend myself? They said they’d go.”

Carl: “They were liars and murderers.”

Gabriel: “Just like us.”

Carl: “We protected ourselves. They wanted us dead. You’re lucky your church has last this long. You can’t stay in one place anymore, not for too long. And, then once you’re out there, you’re gonna find trouble you can’t hide from. You need to know how to fight.”

Carl (Chandler Riggs) dropping knowledge once again. I can’t get over how mature he’s become since the beginning of this mess.

Overall

Rick is on the verge of being so out of control, even Michonne can’t bring him back.

Again, we’re faced with moving along in the plot at a snail’s pace because there is so much left unresolved. Rick has changed (not for the better); trust is challenged; and hope is dashed. Where are the survivors headed now? What is there for them to look forward to with Eugene killing the dream? I’m excited to see what happens in next week’s mid-season finale because the story lines can go either way—bad or worse. What are your thoughts on “Crossed?” Let me know what you think by dropping me a line in the comments section below or tweet me @ellemoe.

Tune in to the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead, Sunday, November 30 at 9/8c, only on AMC. For more on the show, visit the official site.

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Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle