Rick and the group are still having trouble assimilating into Alexandria. Will a new threat bring them closer together or drive them further apart?
During my time binging The Walking Dead over the summer before both the prequel series and the original returned for Season 6, it became very clear that this show does a number of things very well and others less so. The darkness that comes out of the need to survive and the hopelessness that results from being out there in the unknown for so long has been a remarkable place to consistently find tension. Sure, it's a well the show goes back to many, many times. But it works for the overall atmosphere. Plus, the creature design of the walkers is some of the best makeup and special effects in the business. Every zombie attack set piece gives the show an exciting piece of action that is always intriguing and new. However, the character work can be spotty. Characters wax and wain in importance on a regular basis. It's clear that people like Rick, Carol, Michonne and Daryl are badasses. The show doesn't have to constantly remind the audience of that fact. The supporting ensemble has gotten slightly large to the point where some people can disappear for weeks. Despite all of that though, The Walking Dead is entertaining and is still able to create new situations that maintain interest and suspense.The Alexandria arc of the fifth season worked so well because it was drastically different from any of the previous places Rick and his group of survivors found sanctuary at. The show lives in the dourness of these characters doing their best to find a place to live and survive for as long as it can hold them. Alexandra presented the characters a sense of normalcy and protection unlike anything they had ever seen before. It was startling and forced them to go through an adjustment period as they embraced the new normal. Rick's inner conflict of survival instincts vs. being seen as a respectable and reasonable man to his new community was a compelling arc. That continues into the new season as Rick has to teach this community of people what it's truly like to survive in this dark, dark world.
The apocalypse has gotten to the point where only the people who know how to survive are the ones still living - except in Alexandria. This community was able to thrive without having to brace the harsh realities of life outside the walls. Reg did a very good job constructing the walls that kept this village safe. He was the wise man who made this happen. This episode also explains how Alexandria was able to have such a long period of peace in a world where the dead seem to overrule every part of society. The majority of the walkers in the area have been trapped in a quarry unable to get out because of several trucks blocking their path. That realization hits Rick with a call of action. He sees this as a threat that's just waiting to happen. He sees it as a way to unify the people of Alexandria in a way that makes them accept the outside world. It will also eliminate any of the weak, stupid people still amongst the crowd.
The scope of this premiere is larger than any other episode the show has done in a long time. It's a stunning visual feat. The image of the walkers all being trapped and falling down into the quarry is strong. But the more intimate moments are much more chilling as Rick and the group enact this plan to lure all of them away from Alexandria. It's a complicated plan that the group has to do without any certainty that it will work. It's very tense watching as the survivors do their very best to eliminate this threat. It's still uncertain if this community can embrace Rick as a leader right after he pointed a gun in their faces and told them the harsh truths of the world. That was a mistake but his message is still very clear. These people need to learn how to protect themselves in order to make sure Alexandria survives the apocalypse. Various members of the group are aware that an outside human threat is brewing. The wolves are dangerous and smart people who may destroy the community. And yet, that threat is still just something being vaguely hinted at. Something the group addresses but isn't their primary objective right now.
Deanna has hardened since Reg's graphic death in front of her. Rick warned that that kind of darkness rules the world and she is starting to listen to what he has to say. She holds so much influence and respect over her people. They trust her to lead even though she's in a complex emotional state at the moment. Rick knows what they need to do and she follows his lead. This plan may be overly complicated and could go wrong any number of ways - like it does for Ethan Embry's Carter. But it's still the best plan to tackle a group of walkers this size. This herd is unlike anything these people have ever encountered. They can plot out their movements. But no matter how much planning went in to this massive undertaking, it can still go wrong so quickly. It's uncertain how Rick wanted to end this whole thing. But that's not really important in the end. Horns are blaring out of Alexandria that will bring the herd to the one place that Rick didn't want them to go. It completely disrupts everything these people have worked for in this expanded season opener. All of their planning goes away in a second because some mysterious horn starts up. Why is that noise happening and is there anything anyone can do to stop all of these walkers from destroying Alexandria? Rick won't go down without a fight. But he's still working with a community of people just learning how to survive in this world. Nevertheless, it creates a situation where they have to immediately act or run the risk of getting their faces chewed off. It's an exciting and enticing way to start the new season.
Some more thoughts:
- "First Time Again" was written by Scott M. Gimple & Matthew Negrete and directed by Greg Nicotero.
- It was a tad surprising that Embry was only a one episode guest star. His purpose was to prop up just how smart and badass Rick is as a leader. But he also had some serious concerns regarding the number of ways this plan could go wrong. Still he didn't survive because he was just another stupid person living in Alexandria who doesn't know how to survive in this world. That was a bit lackluster.
- Rick and Morgan reuniting had so many exciting prospects heading into the season. They are a character pairing that has always worked incredibly well. Here, they address the fact that they do know and trust each other even though they don't completely know how they've changed while on this long and arduous journey.
- Eugene shouldn't be tasked with manning the front gate ever again. Yes, the people he let in were citizens of Alexandria back from a long scouting mission. But he didn't ask any questions to confirm their identities. That could have gone wrong so very quickly.
- The black-and-white stylistic detail that composed a lot of this episode when dealing with the aftermath of Reg and Pete's death was odd. It did feel necessary to distinguish between the planning stages of this big adventure and actually going through with it. But it was also kind of distracting.
- How much longer until Rick realizes that Gabriel is one of the stupid people he keeps talking about who will die eventually and just does something about it? Gabriel is such a weird character on the show that should be disposed of as quickly as possible. He didn't work last season so there's no understandable reason why he should still be around.
- It was great that Morgan was able to see through Carol's mousy act almost immediately. She is very capable of handling herself in this situation. But no one suspects her. And now, Morgan is aware that she is more than what she is playing herself as.
- It took a long time before I realized that the kid running after Rick and Morgan as they disposed of Pete's body was actually Pete and Jessie's son. He didn't make much of an impression last season.
- It seems Sasha no longer wants to die. She steps up for the task of driving the car that will lure the walkers away without planning on it being her suicide mission. Though it also seems like Abraham was really tempting fate when he left the vehicle to get some stray walkers back on the path.
- Does anyone really buy into the Rick-Jessie romantic connection? It just feels so forced to me.
