The Walking Dead: The King, The Widow, and Rick

November 27, 2017 5:47 AM - Season 8, Episode 6

With things looking up for Rick and the group, an argument breaks out at the Hilltop; the consequences of the decision are life versus death.
posted by LizBoBiz (16 comments total)

Was it really an argument? More like careful disagreement, synopsis writers.
posted by agregoli at 8:38 AM on November 27, 2017

I only have a few observations after this episode:

-That kid better check his attitude when talking to Carol. She will straight up murder a child.

-Also, Carol's letting that kid come along and she hasn't even given him proper knife training?

-Agree with the trash lady, Rick talks too much.
posted by LizBoBiz at 9:04 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Talk too much, that gets you a night in the box.
posted by cardboard at 9:22 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]

REALLY cool that they got the brother of the actor that played Sophia to be the new little kid bothering Carol! After I learned that I can totally see their resemblance to each other.

And that the deja vu scene in the premiere of the pilot used the now-grown-up little girl as a walker in a nightgown.

I do think it's interesting that kids are drawn to Carol - I think it's a combo of her being very capable but also lacking that layer of bullshit adults often put on for kids. They know she'll say it straight, which is good.

(I assume we can assume that the kid had knife training in The Kingdom since they practiced all the time there, but I was like, "maybe a few more pointers on gun safety before we take a kid's word for it?")

I think it would be pretty funny if Rick has to remain naked for the next episode. Also, hopefully being naked in a box is exactly what he wanted? How are they so confident on the trash people's moves?

This episode felt really unsatisfying which made me think that bottle episodes are almost better?
posted by agregoli at 11:07 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Oh and I forgot to mention how annoyed I was that all of a sudden Michonne can't handle waiting in the town anymore? And Rosita is just gonna go with her, and they were RANDOMLY going to go peek at The Sanctuary? What the hell? And then on the way, they just HAPPEN to come across a VERY relevant portion of the plan going awry? And are able to stop it? Super annoying. What timing those bored people have!

And if Daryl and Tara and Michonne and Rosita go fuck up this situation, while Rick waits patiently naked in a box for everything to go according to plan, I will be very cross indeed.
posted by agregoli at 11:40 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm still on board with this show, but that was a very boring hour of television with at least two or three lines of dialogue that I can't believe even an intern would greenlight.

"Sometimes kids have to find their own way to show their parents the way."

Seriously? That would be cringeworthy dialogue even on an after-school family-friendly sitcom. But out of Carl's mouth?
posted by 256 at 4:50 PM on November 27, 2017 [3 favorites]

I heard that quote again 5 min before I read your comment, 256, in my 2nd rewatching. YES. How awkward can we make this dialogue?
posted by agregoli at 7:44 PM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

So as not to just be a downer, I will say that I did really like Carol in this episode. I was totally expecting her, in her conversation with Ezekiel, to ask him to marry her. More for practical reasons (a royal wedding, even a rushed Vegas-Elvis equivalent, would be a morale boost to the kingdom, plus then she could help him lead in an official capacity as queen without straining the conceit of the kingdom) than for emotional ones. But also a bit for emotional ones.

I don't think I'm just shipping here, it really seemed like they were building up to it. Maybe next episode.
posted by 256 at 8:07 PM on November 27, 2017

Whaaaaaa? I did get a sense of a relationshipy idea, but I don't ever think Carol would ASK anyone to marry her. Command, maybe!

How hottt was Jadis in that leather butcher's apron? Loved it. The trash people seem like they deserve more explanation and we definitely won't get it. Her quote, "Shot you." Awesome.
posted by agregoli at 8:20 PM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Step 1: Cut a hole in the box.
Step 2: Put your Rick in the box.

All we need now is Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg.
posted by neilbert at 8:36 PM on November 27, 2017 [5 favorites]

Rick's plan is working. The Saviors are bottled up in Sanctuary and can't get out.

So Darryl and Tara are going to break in to Sanctuary, just to kill Dwight?

I know there is little point in expecting character motivations to make that much sense in the Walking Dead, but this is a move that has zero upside and 100% chance of downside. Not that I expected Rick's plan to go perfectly (remember those scenes of Rick dazed and bloody in the season premiere, they were undoubtedly a flash forward to when the plan goes sideways), but if the reason is Daryl and Tara's vengeful stupidity and not because the Saviors get the upper hand through their own actions, well... I, like agregoli, shall be cross.
posted by ejs at 10:11 AM on November 28, 2017 [1 favorite]

I feel like this episode is the kind of necessary evil that comes with plotting and pacing of the season. Looks like we get 2 more before the mid-season break. So it makes sense that they would hardcore put on the breaks, reset, remind us some other characters still exist, and every so slightly start moving various people in different directions. Next week probably has people getting deep into their missions, and the week after that ends in some incredibly sad or tense situation?

I think I'm mostly bitter about how things went in Sanctuary over the last two episodes. I thought they'd take their time and explore a worker's revolt and how loyal everyone truly is to the idea that "we are all Negan" and also to who would step up and take command. Oh well.
posted by jermsplan at 11:51 AM on November 29, 2017 [2 favorites]

I think Rick has reminded Negan enough times that he is going to kill him that it will ultimately happen. However, my real dream right now is that Eugene calmly and methodically works himself into a mental framework where killing Negan is the necessary move. And, given it's Eugene, he doesn't do anything wild or reckless, or with greater than 3% chance of failure. It's a scene where everything has turned to Negan's favor, and suddenly, in the middle of a monologue or horrible poem, Eugene calmly leans over and puts a knife in Negan's neck or something.

In fact, I like that so much as a culmination to Eugene's character development, internal struggles over his own cowardice, loss of Abraham, impostor complex and everything else that I may choose to believe that's what happens regardless of what AMC airs.
posted by jermsplan at 7:17 AM on November 30, 2017 [4 favorites]

Oh I get it, I have alternative timelines in my head for a lot of WD stuff. Recently, that Rosita popped out of that coffin and either killed Negan or was killed as a walker, and Sasha is still preparing a kill shot with that big rifle.

It is totally possible that Eugene will "do the math" and decide that Negan alive is too precarious to keep going.
posted by agregoli at 7:31 AM on November 30, 2017

In the show, though, Eugene is on to Dwight, right? I may not have been paying enough attention to how he knows, but the implication was dropped pretty heavily with those intense stares. And then after Negan gave Eugene that ultimatum, I can't figure out what is keeping Eugene from handing over Dwight right now.
posted by jermsplan at 10:52 AM on November 30, 2017

Yes, he's on to him. Maybe he doesn't yet know if it is helpful to be that ratlike.
posted by agregoli at 10:57 AM on November 30, 2017