Hello and welcome to “Gut Check: The Walking Dead” where I spout off at the mouth about the most recent episode as soon as it is done airing. No thought, no research just the feeling in the moment. Let’s begin.
Tonight on The Walking Dead: Gregory’s House
Alternate Title: It’s Not a Small World After All
Alternate Title 2: It puts the Bisquick in the Basket
Spoilers for:
The Walking Dead
Season 6
Episode 11
2/28/2016
Knots Untie
Everything is better with Jesus! Really, this new addition to the cast is already one of my favorites. It is nice to have another moderate voice to go along with Glenn. It takes some gumption to stand up to Rick when he goes full caveman, and Jesus didn’t even flinch. He also got to see Rick and Michonne in the afterglow and even broke the news of mattress gymnastics to Carl and Rick didn’t break his face.
So far this half season is miles above the front half of season 6. Better acting, better story, better progression. It all feels more kinetic, even when it is at rest it is the gears are turning. Thank goodness for that. Rick wasn’t as upfront and center this episode and as usual that led to an episode I enjoyed a great deal. It let others shine, and shine they did. This may be the most we have heard from Abraham and Maggie in ages.
Abraham is going through some sort of existential crisis. The old soldier doesn’t know where he fits in this world any longer. Worse for him, he isn’t sure where his heart lies. As he figures this out someone is going to get hurt. Of course with how they are giving him more screen time and development the old Walking Dead standby is likely to happen. So enjoy Abe while you can; Red is probably not long for this world. Who knew he loved baking so much? Getting choked out sent him into “Nicolas Mode” but instead of killing himself he seemed to have an epiphany. Let’s hope he lives long enough to play it out.
Maggie is now the speaker of the house. I think even Rick knows he has a hard time keeping a conversation civil at this point. They also did some alluding to a certain fate for her growing family; I hope it is something they change up from the comics. I want a happy family. Maggie has done enough crying for one apocalypse.
We finally got to Hilltop which feels like it was put off forever. It was a lovely, almost idyllic place. You knew that wouldn’t last as soon as Rick walked in the door. Hilltop’s leader, Gregory was played to a greasy, grimy perfection by Xander Berkeley. It is easy to tell there is more going on behind his eyes and behind the scenes, but no one talks to Maggie like that! You saw her friend had a katana, right? Check yourself before you wreck yourself Gregory.
You really cannot take Rick anywhere. The Survivors really need to send scouts ahead without him. Sure he saved Gregory’s life, but man, you send Rick to a new place and it hits the fan.
The world is now a much larger place and this can fix many of the problems the show has had. Now they can keep their home for the long haul and still go to other locations.
“Knots Untie” was a very good episode carried by Maggie, Abraham, and Jesus. Rick stepped back and did what he did best: act as a catalyst. It was another episode with little action but again that action was important. So far we are batting 3 for 3 since the break. The only thing dragging down this episode was no Eugene. “Uggin’ bumplies,” bless you Abraham, never change.
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