Monday, March 23, 2015

The Walking Dead, Season Five, Episode Fifteen: Try


Deanna, holds Aidan's zombie killing cd lovingly and then places it in the cd player.  Reg listens thoughtfully.

Carol appears to be making a tuna casserole (does anyone really it this crap, even in a zombie apocalypse?).  When Carol looks up. Sam is looking at her through the window.

Sasha is in the guard tower and she watches through the scope as a zombie approaches the wall. For some reason, she seems to have difficulty taking the shot.

Finally, Reg cannot take the horrible music anymore and asks for it be turned off.

The zombie continues to make it's way toward the wall.

Deanna steps outside and find Carol's casserole with a note expressing sympathy for her loss.  Deanna reads the card and leaves the casserole on the front step.  Inside the house, Deanna burns the note. 

The zombie is now struggling to get inside Alexandria and Sasha finally shoots it in the head.

A zombie is making its way way through a field and is shot by Darryl.  Aaron note that there are more walkers around the area than there used to be.  Aaron wonders if there are any people around.

Deanna is watching the tape of Nicholas' testimony about what happened at the factory.  Nicholas of course lies to cover his ass.  In the meantime, Glenn is telling Rick about what a coward Nicholas was.  Nicholas explains away his exit from the revolving door, as Glenn tell Rick about watching Noah die.  Nicholas explicitly says that it was Rick's people who did this and is adamant that Rick's people need to go.  Deanna warns Nicholas that he doesn't know what she sees and that she sees a great deal.  Rick and Glenn talk about the problems with the Alexandrians and the problem with their rules.  Glenn however is adamant that they are Alexandrians now and says that they have to make this work. 

Carol looks over at the Anderson's on their front porch.  When Rick approaches, Carol tells Rick about the lock in Sam's closet to keep him safe from Pete. Apparently, Sam can hear Pete yelling,  breaking things and his mother crying.  Last month, when it got quiet, Sam found Jessie unconscious on the floor.  Rick questions why Carol cares and she simply says that he knows why.  Carol then brings up the fact that she has seen Rick talk to Jessie and that she knows he cares.  Carol states that if Ed hadn't died, she wouldn't be standing there with him right now.

Rick stands in the open holding his gun at his side when he is approached by Pete.  Pete calls to Rick several times and Rick turns with the gun behind his back and gives Pete the you should be dead look. Rick tells Pete to keep walking and Pete is shocked by his reception.  Pete finally drops his ridiculous smile and complies. 

It's 6:30 in the morning and Michonne is lying in bed.  Michonne looks over at a hamper filled with clothing and slowly gets out of bed.  Michonne lays out her sheriff's clothing, as Rosita knocks on the door.  Rosita reports that Tara is stable and that Sasha spent the night outside of the walls.   Michonne quickly grabs a shirt, leaving her sheriff's uniform behind.  The two women walk through the woods looking for Sasha.  Rosita and Michonne talk about the fact that this is the first time they have been of the outside of the walls since they arrived at Alexandria.  Rosita admits that she was screwed up after she found out about Eugene's lies and that Michonne however seems screwed up because they found something.  Michonne simply says that Noah is dead and thinks that she mentally fell asleep inside the walls.  Michonne does not want to forget what they have been through and Rosita suggests that she not give up.

Deanna stares at the graves and Rick approaches to say that he is sorry about the loss of Aidan.  Rick then brings up Pete, to which Deanna says that she had hoped it would get better.  Rick makes it clear that it won't get better but Deanna points out that Pete is a surgeon and saves lives.  Rick wants to separate Jesse and Pete but Deanna questions what happens when Pete doesn't want to do this. Rick answers that if Pete doesn't want to leave his family, then the only solution is to kill him. Deanna however is absolutely against this, pointing out that Alexandria is civilization and that they don't kill people. Rick however believes that a warning to stop or die is civilization these days.  Deanna feels that their only option is to exile Pete and is adamant that they are not executing anyone.  Deanna adds that this sort of thinking doesn't belong in Alexandria.  Deanna tells Rick that she wouldn't kill him and would just send him away.  Little does she know how empty this threat is.

Rosita and Michonne come across zombies who have been shot in the back of the head and surmise that this Sasha's work. 

Carl is following Enid through the woods and she calls out to him that she is aware of his presence and asks him to leave because he scares her.  Carl tells Enid that she shouldn't sneak out by herself, adding that two people just died.  Enid starts running and Carl is quick to follow.  The two stop when they see a walker.  Enid winds up an egg timer and throws it in the direction of the walker.  The zombie moves toward the sound when the egg timer goes off and the kids take off in the other direction.


Nicholas is cleaning out the blood in the back of the van, when Glenn approaches to say that the four people Nicholas lost on the run are on him.  Glenn adds that Noah's death is on him as well.  Glenn makes it clear that people like Noah are supposed to be dead but because Nicholas had the sanctuary of Alexandria, Nicholas is still alive.  Glenn tells Nicholas that he is not to leave Alexandria anymore and that this is how Nicholas is going to survive.  Nicholas is not at all impressed and starts to play wrong and strong, pointing out that Glenn just got here.  Glenn simply tells Nicholas that he is saving him.

Enid and Carl stop and take a seat. Enid says that they are supposed to be out here and feel like this, adding that she doesn't want to forget.  Carl however says that he cannot forget and that he dreams about being in the forest.  They discuss Ron and Enid says that he wouldn't understand why she has to come out here.  Enid pulls out a knife and says that it belonged to her mother.  Carl asks what happened to Enid before Alexandria but Enid says that it doesn't matter.  Carl reveals that something bad has happened to him as well.  Zombies approach and instead of running away, the two hide in the base of a hollowed out tree.  The zombies walk past them in a line and Carl gently touches Enid's hand and withdraws.  Enid whispers to Carl that he is afraid of her as well.   One walker has a W carved into its forehead.

Nicholas is out in the woods and he digs up a gun he has hidden.

Sasha takes out a group of zombies headed in her direction and keeps on moving.  Sasha is so good that all it takes is one shot for each zombie.  Rosita and Michonne finally catch up with Sasha.  Sasha says that she is sick of playing defense and asks Michonne and Rosita to go back.  The women approach a hoard and Sasha starts shooting.  Rosita suggests they need to leave but Sasha refuses to leave.  Michonne has flashbacks to her zombie killing days on the road. Michonne starts to kill the zombies and when Sasha says that she doesn't need Michonne's help, Michonne makes it clear that this isn't for Sasha.  Rosita uses her knife and gets in the game.  Suddenly, Sasha's gun stops working and so she uses her knife but a zombie manages to knock her to the ground.  Sasha struggles to reach her knife but Michonne takes the zombie out.  Instead of saying thank you, Sasha is angry, claiming that she had the situation under control.  Sasha tells Michonne that she cannot help her and that things worked out for Michonne.  Sasha starts to cry saying that she told Noah that he would make it.  Sasha walks away and Rosita follows as Michonne looks on.

Aaron and Darryl continue to make their way through the woods.  They come across a body torn to shreds.  They find a woman tied to a tree with her entrails ripped out.  Darryl tells Aaron that this just happened.  Darryl lifts the woman's head to see a W carved into her forehead. 

Jesse is sitting in her garage having a smoke.  Jesse tells Rick that Noah was a sweet kid and that Tara is in good hands with Pete.  Rick simply replies that Pete has to stop hitting Jesse.  Jesse says that it will stop and that there are things in Pete's life that happened.  Rick however does not care to hear explanations.  Jesse reveals that it was like this before and Pete got help, adding that  she helped specifically helped Pete and things were good.  Jesse is adamant that she can fix this.  Rick says that Jesse cannot and he can.  Jesse is worried that Rick is only going to make things worse; however, Rick replies that if it gets worse, it's because Pete killed her.  Jesse asks why this is so important to him, adding that Rick now has a home for his kids.  Rick says that he is trying to help.  Jesse points out that she is married and can take care of herself, before heading back into her home. 

Rick walks into the street where he sees the residents of Alexandria clearly living an idyllic life, completely unaware of the peril of the outside world.

Rick follows Jesse into the house and tells Jesse that Sam asked for a gun to protect her.  Jesse however tells Rick that he shouldn't be there. Rick  tells Jesse that she cannot wish this away because if she doesn't fight, she will die. Rick tells Jesse that he doesn't want her to die adding that he can keep her and her children safe.  Rick tells Jesse that all she has to do is say yes.  Jesse asks if Rick would do this for someone else and Rick replies no.  Jesse tells Rick yes.  The two are interrupted by Pete, who asks what Rick is doing there. Pete asks Rick to leave and Jesse says no.  Jesse tells Pete that he needs to leave, so Pete asks what Jesse and Rick have been saying to each other.  Rick declares that he and Pete are going to leave right now.  Pete gets angry and gets in Rick's face and throws a punch.  The two men begin to fight, as Jesse screams for them to stop. Rick throws Pete through the front window.

The two men continue the fight outside, as Glenn comes running and Reg screams for Deanna.  Jesse tries to pull Pete off Rick and Pete backhands her.  Carl is the next to try to stop the fight and this time, it's Carl who is pushed away.  Rick has Pete in a choke hold and makes it clear that he should kill Pete, as Deanna yells for him to stop. When the residents of Alexandria approach, Rick pulls his gun and asks if he is going to be kicked out if he doesn't stop.  Deanna tells Rick to put the gun down, as Rick screams that none of them get it and that they do what needs to be done.

Sasha is back in the watch tower and she shoots the zombies. 

Rick says that if they want to live and if they want Alexandria to stay safe that there way of doing things is done.  Rick tells them that starting right now they have to live in the real world and control who lives here.  Deanna says that it's never been more clear to her than it is right now.  Rick realises that Deanna is talking about him and so he responds that her way of doing things is going to get people killed and has already gotten people killed. Rick tells the people if they don't fight they die.  Michonne suddenly cold cocks Rick and gives the people of Alexandria the angry eyes. 

Okay, that was an action packed episode.  Am I the only one wondering what the W on the walkers forehead means.  Darryl and Aaron saw a light in the distance indicating more humans and if they are responsible for the zombes with the carvings, they are clearly going to cause a challenge to Alexandria's comfortable way of life.  Rumor has it that Neegan from the comics is going to make an appearance before the end of the season and if that's true, things are going to get bad for Rick's group and the Alexandrians in a N.Y. minute.

Things have moved quickly with Rick and Jesse.  Though Rick declared his feelings, it's too early for him to actually be in love.  Jesse represents a damsel in distress - a woman to be saved.  It is worth noting that Jesse is the exact opposite of Lori.  In Jesse, as much as Rick talks about wanting to accept the reality of the world they live in, Rick sees a chance of redemption - a chance to build that life he once had. 

It's interesting that of all the people to stop Rick it was Michonne.  Perhaps it's because Michonne was also named a peacekeeper.  If anything, it shows Michonne's commitment to making things work in Alexandria despite the doubts she mentioned to Rosita earlier in the season. Michonne knows, just like Carl did that Rick's behavior was risking their ability to stay.

Carol reclaimed her maternal role.  She watched the fight with Sam in her arms.  Carol suddenly had the desire to protect a child again and this was evidenced by the way she turned Sam's head away from the violence.  With her history of domestic violence, Carol clearly saw the beating as justice and had completely different goals from Rick. 

I loved the conversation that Glenn had with Nicholas about the run.  Glenn continues to evolve.  Unlike Rick, he doesn't need to be loud and full of bravdo. Glenn's actions are thoughtful and reasonable but there is not doubt what Glenn's intent is or that he will enforce his will.  Glenn is the antithesis of Rick the great male white savior. 

Am I the only one who doesn't care about Carl and Enid? I know that people are excited about the potential of Carl getting a girlfriend but quite frankly I was happier when group member spent their time occasionally wondering where Carl was, than him having an actual storyline.

Sasha is still clearly on the brink. I am not sure what Sasha meant when she said that Michonne has everything she always wanted.  Any thoughts on that one?

Finally, Aaron and Darryl.  I am glad to see these two working together; however, given that Aaron is one half of the GLBT presence on the show, I really want to see Aaron spend more time with his partner not doing the odd couple routine with Darryl.