The Walking Dead - “Start to Finish” Mid-Season Finale Review. Alexandria (Or the Idea of It) is Lost.

Season 6, Episode 8

Air Date: Sunday, November 29, 2015 at 9/8c on AMC

Rating: ★★★★★

“Someday this pain will be useful to you.” – Deanna

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes and Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes - The Walking Dead _ Season 6, Episode 8 - Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Like father, like son.

The usual excitement I am filled with when watching a new episode of The Walking Dead (TWD) escapes me during the mid-season finale, “Start to Finish.” I just don’t find myself as enthused to watch this new episode because of how slowly season six has been progressing. If you think about it, only a matter of days has passed since the first episode, “First Time Again,” aired seven weeks ago. Recently, TWD episodes have featured the same old plot points with little to no resolution. When are we going to get to the good stuff? The zombie horde was riveting at first but now it leaves me feeling blah. They aren’t creating much havoc or leaving things in complete disrepair (read: eating anyone important). I want the tense, edge of my seat viewing from episodes of old. I realize I may not be in the majority on this idea but it has to be said. I don’t think Alexandria is good for the group or the show. Let’s move on.

What Do You Think About…?

Why would Rick (Andrew Lincoln) leave an injured person who’s knocking on death’s door in the same room as his baby girl? Has he lost his damn mind? I’m all for putting my trust in people but how quickly can someone die and turn before they’re discovered? Writers, please stop trying to give us a heart attack where Judith’s well being is concerned.

This is pretty obvious but I don’t get why everyone is holding long, drawn out conversations when they are supposed to be silent? You know, so the noise from their voices doesn’t attract the flesh eating zombies roaming around outside. Don’t they realize any small noise will attract walkers? Shut the heck up!

What a tangled web…

Will Carol (Melissa McBride) be the one to take out Sam (Major Dodson)? You know it’s a fair question. That kid is gonna get everyone killed because he can’t help himself. Not that it’s Sam’s fault but you can see where I’m going with this. If baby Judith can stay quiet while walking through a zombie herd, why can’t he? Sam exemplifies the innocence of people like the Alexandrians who have been sheltered during the zombie apocalypse. He doesn’t understand what’s going on nor does he have a clue of his ignorance. I feel for the poor kid but he’s not long for this world. He seems so out of touch by what’s going on around him, probably because he’s been so protected. I blame his mama Jessie (Alexandria Breckenridge) for trying to keep him oblivious to the hell they are currently living in. Sam kind of reminds me of Carl (Chandler Riggs) in the very beginning of the zombie apocalypse. He hid behind his mother’s apron strings, ended up getting into trouble, and causing some as well. Who’s going to be bitten because Sam can’t keep his mouth shut?

Daryl (Norman Reedus), Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), Glenn (Steven Yeun), and Enid (Katelyn Nacon) get their few minutes of screen time so that we know what is going on with them. A big fat not much. Well, that’s not true for our fearless three (Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham) but we’ll have to wait until next year to see what new adventures they’ll be faced with. Daryl has to be more than tired of running into new people who want to take his shit. What is keeping Glenn from running to Maggie (Lauren Cohan) since they’ve been apart for so long? And how long will it be before Enid runs off again and some dude goes chasing after her? I’ve had about enough of her teenage angst.

Morgan (Lennie James) and Carol finally go toe-to-toe and I don’t know who to root for. I love them both for different reasons and don’t like seeing two of my favorite characters butting heads. Carol has a valid point, and eventually, Morgan will see his way of thinking does not always work the way he thinks it should.

Deanna passing the torch.

Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Deanna (Tovah Felshuh) bond and become besties all in a matter of minutes, sharing Latin quotes and tears. What did I miss? Or is the better question, will Michonne move into a more prominent leadership position in Alexandria? The two women have similar qualities and I can see the remaining survivors looking to Michonne for guidance. Rick can go off the grid at times; the people will want someone who can think with a level head. Maybe there will be a council and we’ll see a group of people running things. It remains to be seen.

And last but not least, who’s Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) *said in my Abraham voice*? I’m more than excited to see Morgan’s character make his appearance on The Walking Dead. I love everything Morgan has done and look forward to him gracing my screen with his greatness.

Memorable Quotes

Carl to Ron (Austin Abrams) regarding the tension between them: “I get it; my dad killed your dad. But you need to know something; your dad was an asshole.”

Very astute, Carl. And funny as all hell. How can he say that to Ron’s face, though?

Deanna to Rick: “It’s still me.”

Morgan: “We can be better than them.”

Carol: “We are better.”

Morgan: “Not if we kill.”

I’m not sure if Morgan will get through to Carol with mere words. She’s seen too much bad in the world and is sucked into the kill or be killed mentality to the point she can’t see anything else. She’d probably make a great Wolf.

Carol to Morgan: “I will kill you to kill him so that no one else has to die.”

Now why didn’t Morgan listen to this wise reasoning? Here, Carol is telling Morgan while he thinks he knows her, he doesn’t. She cares more for the people she has come to love than some random guy with a ‘W’ carved into his forehead. Her people come first.

Abraham: “What in the holy shit?”

My sentiments exactly. I love Abraham’s off the cuff comments.

Overall

“Start to Finish” does not wow me but it doesn’t leave me bored to tears either. I know something is going to happen when the season returns next year, and it will probably result in someone being bitten, someone else dying, or another kidnapping. I just don’t know what to think anymore because everything that can be thrown at us has been. What off the wall event will the writers have in store for us to bring back the mojo? Maybe this hiatus will do me some good. It’ll give me a chance to miss TWD and long for a new episode. Let me know what you think about “Start to Finish” by dropping me a line in the comments section below or tweet me @ellemoe.

Tune in to The Walking Dead when it returns next year on Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 9/8c, only on AMC. For more info on The Walking Dead, visit the official site.

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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