Season 6, Episode 9
Air Date: Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 9/8c on AMC
Rating:
“Nibble on that.” – Abraham Ford
There’s something brewing between Abraham and Sasha, and we just might get a chance to see what it is.
The Walking Dead (TWD) returns us to the post-apocalyptic world of zombies and immoral people with a serious bang. “No Way Out” sits in my mind as one of the best episodes of TWD to date. It isn’t a simple episode. It doesn’t leave you feeling elated or weepy. “No Way Out” keeps your emotions on a rollercoaster, hell bent on making you puke. Or whatever. I cheered, almost shed tears, and cheered some more while watching. I haven’t held my breath so long during an episode since finding out Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) fate in “Heads Up.” As an aside, Glenn is one lucky son of a gun. How he manages to make it in this world is a wonder to me. He’s got more than one guardian angel on his side, *cough* Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) *cough* that’s for sure. Just about every scene with Glenn tugs on my heart strings. We just got him back and already episodic writer Seth Hoffman is toying with our emotions. But I digress…
Isn’t there a saying about the sins of the father being visited upon the son or something like that? Talk about being flabbergasted. I’m at a loss for words over the first half hour of this mid-season premiere. “No Way Out” is the perfect title because there really is no way out of the complex situation these people find themselves in. We cannot fathom the outcome of the foreshadowing the writers lay down for us. I didn’t see a lot of what transpires in “No Way Out” happening and I applaud the writers for being so twisty. I’m at the point where I feel all the Alexandrians need to go. I don’t care how or why they’ve come out of their shells or found the courage they are now exhibiting. These mofos have led to the deaths of so many of our beloved characters this season that I can’t find any love for them. And they make Rick (Andrew Lincoln) go all ragey. We don’t want the newly enlightened Rick; we want the Ricktatorship because that’s what kept the survivors alive until now. Rick is changed thanks to the Alexandrians. He thought they were weak and now sees they have some hidden strength. He thought his life would change for the better with them in it but finds it ripped away in a moment of fear and revenge. Where do we go from here?
What Do You Think About…?
I think this pic speaks for itself.
I guess you can call yourself pretty tough when you have seven men with guns standing behind you backing you up. Too bad Daryl (Norman Reedus) doesn’t have his crossbow to show just how badass he is. Oh yeah, he’s got a grenade launcher, bitches.
Did anyone else cheer when Sam (Major Dodson) bit it? I said to no one in particular, ‘That little bastard needed to go.’ I’m horrible, I know but seriously, he was going to get someone killed. Oh wait; he does that, doesn’t he? I’m just happy Carol (Melissa McBride) doesn’t have to tell him to look at the flowers. In an odd twist though, Carol is the reason Sam freaks in the middle of the zombie herd. So who’s really to blame for the lives lost during this scene?
The Bible quote on the church wall “Faith without works is dead,” comes true for Father ‘I’m Finally Growing Some Balls’ Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) when he steps out of his shell and mans up. What a way to put himself on the winning team. But as a mother, I still would not have handed over my child to him. Just couldn’t do it. He doesn’t have the street cred needed to fulfill that duty.
Rick loses his mind when faced with something he can’t stop or control. A montage of his encounters with Jessie (Alexandria Breckenridge) flashes before his eyes leaving me to wonder what might have been. As he ponders Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) fate, he realizes he’s been going about things all wrong. This newer side of Rick I alluded to earlier makes me nervous. How will he go about keeping everyone safe now that he knows he can never keep everyone safe?
Glenn and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) reunite, sort of, during an emotionally charged scene. Her shout of “Glennnnn…” made me tear up a bit. It is at this point in “No Way Out” where I realize I’m far too invested in this show and need to take a breath before my heart explodes. These characters have become so important to me that I won’t be able to handle anything bad happening to them. Can we petition the writers to only kill off anyone who is a bad guy or from Alexandria? Please?
That is a serious ‘don’t fuck wit me’ face. Michonne backs it up too.
Michonne (Danai Gurira) gets my vote for MVP this episode. Not only does she take the lead when faced with impending death, she throws herself out there to protect her friend and her family. The survivors have formed an unbreakable bond and the fact their willingness to throw themselves into a zombie horde with no hope of escape says a lot. They got courage, ya’ll.
Memorable Quotes
Negan’s guy to Abraham: “If you have to eat shit, it’s best not to nibble; bite, chew, swallow, repeat.”
**
Carol to Morgan: “I should have killed you; I should have…”
I think it’d be best if Morgan (Lennie James) and Carol not hang around one another so much.
**
Father Gabriel: “God will save Alexandria because God has given us the courage to save ourselves.”
And next week it will snow because Gabriel is showing he can be a dependable man.
**
Eugene: “No one gets to clock out today. And hell, this is a story people are going to tell.”
There must be something in the water. Everyone’s getting some team spirit!
**
Abraham to Glenn: “Can you get the gate? Thanks, pal!”
Cudlitz seriously has the best lines. He makes me laugh even when I should be crying my eyes out.
**
Rick to Carl, about Alexandria, its people, and the new world: “We’ll rebuild the walls. We’ll expand the walls. There will be more; there’s gotta be more. Everything Deanna was talking about is possible. It’s all possible. I see that now. When I was out there with them, when it was over, when I knew we had this place again, I had this feeling. It took me a while to remember what it was because I haven’t felt it since before I woke up in that hospital. I wanna show you the new world, Carl. I wanna make it a reality for you. Please. Carl, let me show you.”
Rick gives one of the most epic monologues ever during a time when we don’t know his true state of mind. ‘Cause he does hand off his baby to Father Gabriel and runs out into a zombie mega herd alone, right?
Overall
When Greg Nicotero directs an episode, it usually kicks ass. “No Way Out” is no exception as it left me on the edge of my seat. I’m overwhelmed with emotions, ranging from joy to anger to melancholy, because so much happens in these 60 minutes that I can’t wrap my mind around. For one of the most epic, action packed, thrilling episodes I’ve seen yet, The Walking Dead reaches new heights with “No Way Out.” I don’t want to speak too soon but the remainder of season six will hopefully give us more than we bargained for. I’m all for it. Don’t forget, we still haven’t met Negan (Jeffery Dean Morgan). Let me know what you think about “No Way Out” by dropping me a line in the comments section below or tweet me @ellemoe.
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Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC © 2010-2016 American Movie Classics Company, LLC. All rights reserved.
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