Air Date: Sunday, February 21, 2016 at 9/8c on AMC
Rating:
“There’s still people out here, and they’re still people. We should bring ‘em in.” – Rick Grimes
Nothing going on here. Just two friends becoming more than friends…
Well, well, well… “The New World” leaves me with my jaw on the floor and my thoughts working overtime. The Walking Dead (TWD) fans have spoken and they were heard. *spoiler alert* Richonne is now a thing. Let me set the scene for you: hands touch without meaning to, eyes seek permission to go to the next step, and lips connect in a slow building rush of heated passion. I’m not surprised by the way the episode ends, just taken aback by how abrupt it all seems. What I find most intriguing about this new development is the level of character growth involved. Not only are Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) circling different points in their lives, wanting the same things, and looking to one another for those things but Carl (Chandler Riggs) is smack dab in the middle, growing up. Will the group be accepting of this new relationship? Will they have anything to say one way or the other?
For such a young man (who is in sharp contrast to the other teens shown on TWD so far) to be as in tune with his feelings as he is, Carl’s thought process could shame most of the adult survivors. This story has gone from mere survival to gaining family and the hope of enduring love throughout the apocalypse. Why should people resort to their baser natures and turn into selfish beasts? No, love is all we need. Carl’s statement to Michonne is more telling than anything I can put into words. In a nutshell, he tells her he loves her enough to want to do the right thing should she turn. “I’d do it for you. I would.” His decision to leave walker Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) to be finished by her son Spencer (Austin Nichols) is thoughtful, mature, and considerate. Can we say, hello foreshadowing? I’m all over this story arc and cannot wait to see how it develops.
What Do You Think About…?
I almost forgot to mention how awesome Spencer has become. He’s growing on me.
The time jump is necessary but I feel like we’ve missed out on something important. Thanks to the writers for bypassing the boring parts of getting Alexandria back in shape because who wants to watch the dead body clean up? Not me.
Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) name is removed from the “In Our Memory” wall. The man has literally come back from the dead.
With all of the people who’ve died in Alexandria, is there still a food shortage? And why isn’t anyone growing vegetables? Why haven’t they been doing that since Alexandria has been around for so long? Has no one else wondered about this? Or did I miss something?
I love how Daryl (Norman Reedus) communicates with a series of hand twitches and finger flicks. It’s also interesting how Daryl, once gung ho about finding new people to join their community, isn’t too excited about Paul Monroe (Tom Payne) AKA “Jesus,” joining their crew. With his ass kicking skills, I’d say they would be gaining a soldier, which is never a bad thing.
Has Maggie (Lauren Cohan) become the resident psychologist? I’ve noticed how she’s always talking to people now, trying to get them to open up to her about their feelings. Is she trying to get Enid (Katelyn Nacon) to spill her guts (ha, ha) because she knows this teen is depressed or something close to it? I can see the strain on Enid to hold onto some sense of normalcy after everything that’s happened. Apparently, Maggie has noticed too.
How much running do you think Rick and Daryl do per episode? Considering Rick starts off “The New World” by punching a new notch into his belt, he’s definitely slimming down, not getting bigger. He’s done a hell of a lot of running this season. I’m losing weight just watching him.
Quotes
Maggie to Enid: “I’m around. Come talk to me.”
**
Rick: “Firecrackers. Shit.”
Daryl: “He swiped your keys, didn’t he?”
Rick: “Shit.”
Jesus: “Sorry.”
Rick: “Shit.”
**
Michonne: “Your mom told me I had to figure out what I want, for my whole life.”
Spencer: “Have you?”
Michonne: “I’m working up to it.”
**
Enid to Carl: “I don’t want to come out here anymore.”
This is probably the smartest thing she’s said since we’ve met her character. She’s finally getting the idea that going out into the woods alone isn’t smart or productive.
**
Daryl to Jesus: “Thanks. (punches him in the face) That’s my gun.”
Overall
What can I say about the man they call Jesus except, he isn’t who he says he is.
A cross between Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and an episode of Benny Hill, “The New World” takes a turn into the comedic side of things, pulling us away from the heavy tones of love and acceptance. As an aside, “Flying Jesus”—as Nathan Fillion dubs him on Talking Dead—had to be a Special Forces operative or something in his prior life. His ninja skills are off the charts and ones we’ve never seen before on The Walking Dead. I’m digging his peaceful vibe too, though I don’t trust him one bit. I’d like to see what he does when introduced to the group and how he gets along with Morgan (Lennie James). Do you agree with Rick that they should allow more people into the camp?
“The New World” is a decent follow up to the mid-season premiere “No Way Out.” While I’m not completely convinced the Alexandrians are in the all clear, they’ve had calm long enough to get too comfortable. You know something is going to happen to break up the monotony. Let me know what you think about “The New World” 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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