Air Date: Sunday, October 19, 2014 at 9/8c on AMC
Rating:
“What have you done? We’ve all done something.” – Rick Grimes
With the separation caused by the prison being overrun, have the survivors become strangers? Do they really know one another? A lot of shit has gone down in the time they’ve been apart. “We need to start over, all of us, with each other.” Exactly what I mean, Daryl (Norman Reedus). Case in point, Carol (Melissa McBride) has done things she can’t talk about now because of how it weighs her down. She has a conscience and can’t ignore it; will it eat away at her? Yeah, no pun intended. The Walking Dead shocks again with a powerful episode in “Strangers” and an ending I did not see coming.
Trust Not
The Key to ending the zombiepocalypse, folks. And I can’t forget his mullet.
It’s big of Rick (Andrew Lincoln) to ask Carol if they can join her instead of the other way around. “You said I could survive; you were right.” I assume Rick is taking Carol’s words to mean she’s capable of being a leader in her own right, and gives her the respect she’s due. With the amazing way Carol handled herself in last week’s season premiere, “No Sanctuary,” there might be a shift in who runs things. I’m not saying Carol will become their fearsome leader overnight— let’s not forget she killed fellow survivors in cold blood—but there could be a delegation of responsibility within the group. Everyone won’t always look to Rick for what to do next. Rick is more solidified this season. He isn’t talking to dead people; he doesn’t second guess any decisions to take someone out; and he has more faith in himself. He’s grown in a matter of days whereas Carol has had weeks alone to find who she is. Perhaps the writers are setting us up for the potential that something will happen to Rick (riots shall ensue, of course), and the person everyone will turn to is Carol. I like her growth, her strength, and where she is now. My only hope is she continues on a good streak. With the Terminus villains still out there, who knows what Carol will be pushed to do. And at this point, everyone can be pushed to their limits when it comes to exacting revenge.
I’m intrigued by this man of God. How do you function in a world where creatures are trying to have you for dinner, people do what they can to survive, and you abide by the word of God only, not resorting to violence? Some may call Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) stupid because of his unwillingness to take up arms. I get the feeling he’s crazy. There is no way you can be alone for several months and not come across at least one person in that time. Gabriel is a liar, of this I’m certain. But why? Does he shut the door to the church, locking himself away from the world so he doesn’t have to kill? Kudos to Gilliam for his excellent portrayal of the mysterious Gabriel. He’s annoying, distant, and nervous at all the right moments. I’d love to know where Gilliam pulls his motivation from for the priest. Whatever the source, it makes a difference in his acting.
Rick is right in not trusting Father Gabriel. I bet we’ll find out why soon.
I love the scene where colors shining through the stained glass windows of the church change the appearance of the actors. Do you notice how Rick is bathed in red light while Gabriel is swathed in blues and greens? Could red symbolize the amount of bloodshed plaguing Rick? But what about the blues and greens? The cool tones of blue and green usually mean trust, stability, nature, and growth. Warm tones, like the primary color red, scream passion, danger, and love. Think about it.
I now appreciate why Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) couldn’t go through with killing another human being. That’s neither where he is nor where he wants to be. It’s a place he has seen others go, and realizes that’s not for him. He needs to hang onto his humanity for reasons I understand. Where would we be as a society giving way to murder as the right thing to do, just because the other person deserves it? Tyreese doesn’t want to stoop to the level of those who have survived the apocalypse and lost their moral compass. He’s holding onto his beliefs for as long as he can, no matter the cost.
Memorable lines:
Father Gabriel: “I am a sinner. I sin almost every day but those sins, I confess them to God, not strangers.”
Deep. Or is it?
**
Glenn: “One way or another we’re doing what Rick does. We’re not splitting up again.”
Tara: “What he said.”
Bob: “We want to roll with you but … what she said.”
What could Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) possibly say to that?
**
Rick: “I don’t trust this guy, he ain’t right. Why do you trust him?”
Carl: “Everybody can’t be bad.”
This is where my mind is. I know the survivors have encountered some creeps but everyone in the world can’t have gone to the dark side.
**
Rick: “Do you miss the sword?”
Michonne: “Wasn’t really mine in the first place. I found it, in the beginning.”
Michonne (Danai Gurira) may not miss it like she does more important things, but she reaches for it out of reflex. What’s that tell you?
**
Overall
Damn, Bob! Now he’ll always be one step behind.
Too much happens in “Strangers” for me to come up with an adequate analysis of it all. I’ll say this much, the writers are keeping me intrigued. I don’t want to miss a minute of any episode. I’m on the edge of my seat until every commercial break. I find myself confused, enlightened, and overwhelmed all at the same time. The acting remains top notch, the dialogue on point, and the hidden gems hard to catch. I don’t think the survivors will have a moment of rest this season. If you feel the same, or opposite, drop me a line in the comments section or tweet me @ellemoe.
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Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC © 2010-2014 American Movie Classics Company, LLC. All rights reserved.
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