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The Walking Dead: Dead City S01E02: Neckbeards, Zip Lines & OG Negan

The Walking Dead: Dead City didn't waste a second offering us the action & intrigue, while still making sure that the quiet moments counted.

Published Sun, 25 Jun 2023 21:03:13 -0500

by Ray Flook

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After a strong start to the latest spinoff series (check out our review of "Old Acquaintances"), AMC's Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan) & Lauren Cohan (Maggie Rhee)-starring The Walking Dead: Dead City returned this weekend with the season's second chapter, "Who's There?" (directed by Loren Yaconelli and written by Eli Jorné). Now that Maggie and Negan are in NYC, they're getting to "know the neighborhood," so to speak – and you can just imagine how well that went. Especially when they have opposing forces of nature, The Croat (Željko Ivanek) & Marshal Armstrong (Gaius Charles), coming at them for two very different yet equally deadly reasons. But it looks like Armstrong has some issues of his own to deal with – and if you thought there was more to Ginny's (Mahina Napoleon) story than just her staying behind? Bullseye! But before we do a deep dive into why this short & sweet episode worked so well, we're throwing on the "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" sign and throwing down an image spoiler buffer – you have been warned!

The Walking Dead: Dead City S01E02 "Who's There" Thoughts

First up, serious props to Yaconelli & Jorné for an episode that was intense & action-packed without needing to sacrifice the quieter, more emotionally impactful moments. Also, props to TWD CCO Scott M. Gimple and the folks behind the franchise for embracing the streaming practice of timing episodes as the story needs and not out of a need to fill an hour. At 52 minutes, this chapter would've felt bloated – but having the episode clocking in at under 40 minutes made every moment count.

Cohan & Morgan continue to offer a masterclass in how an actor can truly understand the character they inhabit in ways that allow for new layers to be found. Cohan's Maggie is still dealing with years of trauma – and I appreciate this being shown after what many felt was a little too "convenient" of a series finale to the main series. In every scene that they're together, Cohan presents us with a Maggie who looks like she could take a knife to Negan's throat in a heartbeat – held back only by the clarity that comes with her knowing that he might be the only way that Hershel (Logan Kim) makes it out of this alive. And then there was that flashback with Maggie and Hershel, with Maggie unable to get through to Hershel's growing anger.

With Negan, Morgan is walking a very fine line between the Saviors leader and the man still on a path toward redemption. And if anyone had any doubt about Morgan's ability to flip the switch between the two in a hot second, look no further than that "Knock! Knock!" scene near the end. But it's also that duality that's creating a growing problem for him when it comes to Maggie because Morgan offers us moments when Negan seems to be looking for some level of forgiveness – and then there are those moments when it feels like he's trying to force a confrontation. Again, look at the end of the scene that was just mentioned – as Negan turns & looks at Maggie, he's in "Saviors" mode. But we can see a physical change in front of our eyes as Morgan, via Negan, portrays a resigned guilt over what he knows he needed to do.

: Photo Credit: Peter Kramer/AMC

: Photo Credit: Peter Kramer/AMC

What else worked? Napoleon has a quiet presence that has us on board with where her journey is taking her. Michael Anthony's Luther, Jonathan Higginbotham's Tommaso, and Karina Ortiz's Amaia are welcome additions to the cast and the TWD universe – hooking us into wanting to know more about them in a shorter-than-usual time. With both Armstrong and The Croat, we're presented with powerful characters born out of tragedy – some pretty brutal stuff for The Croat, based on what we learned from Negan as the two's past connection is revealed. With Armstrong, Charles revealed new & tragically personal reasons why the lawman has embraced the need for such a rigid sense of justice. Once again, the franchise won't ever let us divide folks too easily into "heroes" and "big bads." But the episode's winning moment? Is there any doubt? Yup, Morgan slipping back on the "Saviors Negan" skin to mock the dude with the neckbeard and rattail. Welcome to AMC's The Walking Dead: Dead City – not your average, everyday zombie apocalypse action drama.

The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 Episode 2 "Who's There?"

Review by Ray Flook

8.5/10

After a strong start to the latest spinoff series, AMC's Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan) & Lauren Cohan (Maggie Rhee)-starring The Walking Dead: Dead City returned this weekend with the season's second chapter, "Who's There?" (directed by Loren Yaconelli and written by Eli Jorné). Now that Maggie and Negan are in NYC, they're getting to "know the neighborhood," so to speak - and you can just imagine how well that went. Especially when they have opposing forces of nature, The Croat (Željko Ivanek) & Marshal Armstrong (Gaius Charles), coming at them for two very different yet equally deadly reasons. But it looks like Armstrong has some issues of his own to deal with - and if you thought there was more to Ginny's (Mahina Napoleon) story than just her staying behind? Bullseye! Here's a look at why the short-but-sweet chapter worked on a number of levels.

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