Monday, November 14, 2016

The Walking Dead: Season 7 Episode 4 - Service


Hello everyone and welcome back to our season 7 discussion of The Walking Dead!  This was yet another pretty brutal episode to watch.  Not brutal of the gruesome variety, but of the mental torture and threat of more gruesomeness.  We get it.  Negan is bad!  If we didn't get it, we got 90 more minutes to figure it out.  I'm not saying the episode wasn't essential.  I'll discuss why I think it was.  But, there's no denying that it's a painful show to watch right now with Rick and his crew down and out.  All things must be earned though.  We will see them rise again!  (Surely, right?)  Let's dive in.

Discussion Points

Negan has arrived to Alexandria with all of his charm, charisma and downright nastiness!  He has come early and he's taking more than his original promise.  Most importantly, he's showing them all who is boss.  The biggest thing on everyone's mind is GUNS.  If you control the guns, you control the world.  I feel like I've learned this lesson before! 
  • We open up with Michonne "secretly" practicing sniper shooting with an unregistered rifle.  She couldn't hit her target walker, but no fear she just happened to shoot a deer wandering around in the woods.  Don't you think that walker would've found the deer first?   
  • Rosita and Spencer were about to go on a supply run when Negan rolled in with his fantastic big bad wolf reference.  
  • I'll spare you all from endless Negan quotes.  But I will sum them up.  They were all awesome. We hate this guy, but JDM has the role of a lifetime and he's relishing every moment.  
  • We saw Negan's crew take a whole bunch of stuff from Alexandria including most mattresses, furniture and of course ALL of the guns.  He made note that he left the food because he wants them to keep their strength and provide.  He also demanded a Thank You from Rick.  
  • Daryl was present as well but is a shell of who he used to be.  He proved this to Rick as well when he offered Daryl the chance to speak up on if he wants to stay in Alexandria.  
  • Drama unfolded in Alexandria for Olivia the inventory keeper when 2 handguns were missing. Negan sensed non-compliance from all Alexandrians and wanted those guns.  Olivia's life was on the line while Rick tried to rally the people and get the guns. 
  • Rick declared to the entire Alexandria population (minus Rosita, Spencer and Michonne) that he's not in charge anymore and never will be again.  There is still hope floating around through some people.  "When are we going to turn the tables?" type talk.  
  • Meanwhile, Dwight asked Rosita and Spencer to go fetch Daryl's bike.  It was last scene at that showdown by the railroad tracks last season.  Rosita knew Negan planned to take all the guns when Dwight took theirs prior to their departure.  She found some of Negan's dead saviors from said showdown and retrieved a gun from one of them.  An empty one. 
  • Spencer shared his thoughts on Negan's takeover and criticized Rick's handling of the whole situation.  Nothing new for Spencer.  This guy has lasted a lot longer than I would've thought.   Guess what?  The missing guns were also in his home!  Spencer later voiced his anger to Rick and blamed him for the loss of Glenn and Abraham.  Rick threatened Spencer with some facial reconstruction which shut him up for now.  
  • Rick gave the 2 guns up and as a gesture of good will gave Negan Michonne's undocumented sniper.  Michonne was not pleased.
  • Rick also was forced to utter that "Thank You" to Negan.  It was painful to watch.  But, we have to stay in these trenches to earn the payoff folks.  It's always this way.  Now, if we get another 90 minute episode of Negan mind games and Rick just taking it like a punk then I may join the chorus (I don't know if there's a chorus.  I use my wife's commentary as a barometer in these things)!  But, we had an entire episode of breaking Rick down.  He can't just come up with a master plan to take out Negan in the next episode he's in! 
  • Michonne and Rick have a chat later in their house while making a blanket bed on the floor.  Michonne does not want to give up, but Rick wants to make some semblance of a life for Judith.  Michonne argues that this isn't a life.  And then CONFESSION TIME happened!  It was finally cleared up, at least from Rick's perspective, who Judith's father is.  Rick told the story of his introduction to the Zombie Apocalypse.  Seems like ages ago doesn't it?   Shane, Lori, them thinking he was dead and moving on with life together.  Rick confirmed that he knows Judith is not his daughter.  He's made peace with it.  He wants to keep her alive and still loves her as if she was his daughter.   He wants to die before she does a long time from now and teach her how to survive.  That's what he's living for now.  Michonne seemed to hold her thoughts for another day and offer to try to live under Negan's reign.  
  • Rosita overheard Spencer's discussion with Rick about the hidden guns.  Seems like they may be on the same page for a future revolt.   At the end of the episode Rosita knocked on Eugene's door after she picked up a shell from Negan's one shot to a window he took.  And to pick up on a plot thread from last season Rosita asked Eugene to make her a bullet.  One bullet eh? Hmmmm, I wonder who that bullet is for?  I have one guess.  
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • Negan made Rick carry a blood soaked Lucille through the entire episode to further mess with his head.  Rick was tempted on a couple occasions to use it on Negan, but this episode further showed how Negan has broken Rick down.  
  • Carl tried to stand up to Negan and his men and he failed miserably.  
  • Early in the episode, Eugene was working on a portable audio system.  Not sure if this may lead to some type of unexpected advantage in the future.  
  • Gabriel spoke words of hope to Rick.  He thinks this situation will be resolved in the future.  Everything will work out.  He bases his faith on his own transformation and development of a friendship with Rick.  Dude is still creepy.  Even Negan commented on that! 
  • Oh right, Gabriel also did some quick thinking and built a fake grave for Maggie.  So Negan thinks she's dead.  Negan also spoke to wanting to have a little side action with Maggie fully knowing that he killed her husband.  Yikes. 
  • Dwight offered Daryl's bike to Daryl if he'd just agree to work for Negan.  Daryl remained silent for now.  
  • It was noted that Hilltop could support a revolt against Negan.  Rick mentioned he did the math and they don't have enough men.  Seemed to clearly indicate that The Kingdom is the wildcard here.  
That's about all I have for this week.  It's certainly rough going for now and it might be for awhile.  It's understandable that people don't really want to watch their team be on the outs for too long, but this IS the Walking Dead.  When have things ever been happy?  It seems like things just get darker and darker for Rick and crew.  They will carry on and wait for one sliver of hope and that's how we watch the show as well.  We want to hate Negan as much as humanly possible and wait for the moment when the tables will turn.   Considering Negan is a multi-season rival we have to buckle up for the long haul.  Maybe there will be small victories along the way.  We shall see.  

I look forward to our discussion in the comments.  Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I'll see you next week! 

6 comments:

MJ said...

A lot of call backs on last nights ep. Rick acknowldeging what I always thought - Judith not his kid. Talking about Shane.

When they showed Judith I got nervous - thought something about Negen would affect Judith. Notice they didn't show whether they took her crib or not. LOL Messed up that they then burned those mattresses ! Carl had me very nervous !

JDM is just awesome in this role - he goes from laughing and sassing to hard ass in just one beat. That last line to Rick though - Ugh. So hard to hear.

Never realized Michonne kinda sucks with a gun. LOL Was happy they did not take the Kintana. Rosita asking Eugene for just 1 bullet was intense !

Wonder what the blow back will be once Negen figures out that Maggie is not dead. They really should have hidden the guns that they took off Negen's group and fudged that damned book. That's what I thought was in that false grave - til Rick said not.

I know Negen's group is large - but if you take out Negen and just a few key guys - they are done for. That group won't know what to do with themselves. I don't get how all those living with Negen and hating it haven't all banned together to end it all - like the guy Dwight caught last week said. But then we'd have no big Negen story line then I guess. ;-D

FYI - Chappelle's TWD skit was pretty good on SNL this weekend.

Mike V. said...

Crap. I totally forgot to bring up the burning of the mattresses....I totally was trying to remember that too while I was writing. lol But you got it covered so I'll leave it out. :)

I always get nervous when they show Judith. It's like we're all just waiting for something bad to happen!

JDM's last line was really rough...I agree. he is absolutely fantastic in the role.

Yeah...Michonne with the gun. I said outloud, "Where's Andrea when you need her?" lol If Negan wants them to earn, he certainly needs them to keep some kind of weapons. So blades I'm sure is where he drew the line.

Maybe Rick has a trick up his sleeve that he's not sharing with the people or the audience. But right now, I doubt it. He's just trying to survive. And that means total compliance.

Yeah...that's why one gun is so dangerous. Negan isn't expecting them to have a gun. Rosita just needs one bullet and can take him out. Cut the head of the snake. Problem is...I don't see it being that easy...so if she uses that bullet and misses. There will be repercussions.

SNL - I definitely watched this wknd, but I think I fell asleep before the end. I don't remember the TWD sketch fully. I'll have to go back and watch. Oh wait..yes I do! (I may have had a few beers before watching lol) It was all the Chappelle Show characters right? yeah that was pretty funny.

BTW....There was a few MEMES after the season premiere of Rick talking to Carl and it kept writing it as "CORAAAAL" like how Andrew Lincoln says it. I can't unhear it now every time Rick says CARL in the show. So unintentional laughter is happening when I watch. lol

MJ said...

Yeah - there are also whole you tube vids with using the scenes from TWD but different dialog. Some are hysterical.

Saw this article - I pickd up most of these. funny tough - they bring up sharp shooting Andrea like you did.
http://www.businessinsider.com/walking-dead-season-7-episode-4-analysis-2016-11/#eugene-brought-up-the-idea-of-manufacturing-bullets-in-season-six-while-he-was-with-abraham-denise-and-daryl-26

Mike V. said...

Great link, thanks for posting it! Yeah I picked up on a lot of them. Forgot all about the damn green balloons. I was wondering why Enid wanted them so much. DUH. lol Cool to see the comic comparisons too. Missed the orange soda thing too. I watch these episodes once and forget a lot of the details by the time the next season rolls around! Definitely knew what the camcorder was showing though.

Anonymous said...

I loved the first 6 season. Couldn’t wait to start season 7. After the first half I stopped! I won’t watch anymore. There is no need to have such a brutal episode. I don’t care if anyone thinks it was necessary. That’s stupid!

Mike V. said...

I think I’m where you are in season 8 now. Lol but it’s more just bring tired of the show’s formula. Still watching though.