The fifth season of The Walking Dead has so far been a whirlwind, with consistently solid episodes that keep formidable emotional groundings. It helps that Scott M. Gimple understands the need for a faster pace, and in the process, takes the previous season’s few achievements to great use. Episodes from the last two seasons such as “The Grove” and “Alone” are not made in vain; the base of characterization the said episodes have built make this season’s stories all the more riveting and compelling.
Take, for instance, Carol’s arc. It took this week’s episode thirty seconds to remind us how far Carol has gone as a character. The scene finds Rick preparing to head towards Grady Memorial Hospital in which Carol and Beth are, based on the pseudo-community’s code of ethics, are “morally” and “socially” obligated to stay. Michonne offers Rick to stay with his son and let her go with the crew, but Rick shakes his head and tells her he owes Carol. Michonne reasons with him that they all do owe Carol, but Rick insists that he owes Carol more.
Prior to that scene the episode does not linger with Daryl and Noah returning back to the church. It is a welcome change for the series in the whole. The storytelling this season have been fluid enough given the last three episodes which are terrific magnified views of the series’s characters. For a build-up episode to such an inevitable mid-season finale, “Crossed” feels very hectic and crowded, which isn’t to imply that it is devoid of great moments. If anything it is indicative of what is to come in the said mid-season finale. And whatever that is, it seems preparation for a much larger impact.
In contrast to the last three episodes, this week’s episode employs the multi-view narrative, which, in the history of The Walking Dead, has done the series only a few good, and plenty bad. The episode lies somewhere in the middle, a bit inclined to the former. There are a lot of interesting things happen here, including Father Gabriel’s escape from the church he once holed in. He is absurdly fixated on his having to shoo a flock of believers from the Shelter of the Lord, yet he couldn’t put a walker out of her misery. At first it was Gareth, then I thought Dawn will be this season’s most hated, but then there is Gabriel Stokes. And don’t even get me started on that nail-on-foot symbolism!
Most of the episode is taken by Rick’s group infiltrating Grady. And as ever, the episode title is somewhat of a portent to how the story will play out. Crossed, Rick’s group settles on whether to kill Dawn’s officers or use them against her honestly flimsy tyranny (or leadership, whatever she or the series imposes on us). In a terrific scene, after almost becoming instant zombie-finger food, Daryl champions the most humanist idea, even when Rick insists to Tyreese that this will work, that killing will work. You can be fucked-up to an extent, but when a redneck tells you to stop the killing, you know you are within proximity of breaking.
Great episode tonight, friends! Let us know what you think of this week’s “Crossed.”
[wp-review]
Next Episode’s Promo:
Stray Observations:
[columns][two-three-columns]
- Go Tara! <3
- Carl on Weapon-Choosing 101. Nice moment.
- His father, tho. I smell Rick-tatorship brewing back!
- The trade system at Grady is a nice touch; that strawberry snitch is surprisingly tense.
- I fear Beth could die in the next episode, but then, at this point, there is no telling really. Case in point: Carol, who could have died at season one or two, but has become one of the show’s principal characters.
- Apologies for the delay of this recap. My desktop has failed on me once again.
These are known to protect eyesight and maintain normal vision. generic viagra germany But do not take this disorder lightly discount levitra as you might be in trouble in the near future. Silagra order cheap viagra is an oral treatment given to male to treat erectile problems. Online dating is ruining sexual life Another form by which internet and gadgets viagra from canada are ruining your sexual life is twofold.
[/two-three-columns]
[three-columns]
THE EPISODE IN ONE QUOTE:
“Just stay here, guys. Don’t get up. There is nothing for you in Washington”
~Tara Chambler
(Alanna Masterson)
