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Posted in: AMC, Review, TV, Walking Dead | Tagged: amc, episode 5, Review, Season 1, the ones who live, The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live E05 Review: Sympathy For A Devil
With only two episodes remaining, here's our review of AMC's Andrew Lincoln & Danai Gurira-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
After what I can arguably say was one of the best single episodes in the long-running franchise's history, AMC's Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) & Danai Gurira (Michonne)-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live returned this week with the season's penultimate episode (we're working under the assumption that it's getting a second season). If we're being honest, we were expecting a "bridge" episode that would pick up threads from last week and set the stage for the season finale – which we would've been more than fine with. But the Michael E. Satrazemis-directed and Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete-penned "Become" offered us an emotional whirlpool that we did not see coming. Lincoln & Gurira own every "Richonne" moment – it's almost comical just how great their chemistry is together. But it's actually another couple that sits at the heart of this episode – and with that, we're throwing on the "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" sign and throwing down an image spoiler buffer as we do a deep dive into "Become"…
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ep. 5 "Become" Thoughts
Okay, we did not have Seth Gilliam's Gabriel on our "The Ones Who Live" scorecard – even taking into consideration his connection with Pollyanna McIntosh's Jadis/Anne.
Serious props to the filming team for that shot of Rick and Michonne eating noodles while lost in each other – something about that "Wyoming" backdrop with the horses made it all very romantic (and tripled our paranoia).
I could spend an entire episode where these two just catch up on old times – loved those moments where Rick was looking to get a gift for RJ (sorry, not "Junior"), Michonne mentions Judith having a sword, and Rick drops that toothpaste flashback.
The way Rick and Michonne tried to give the three people they saved a do-over from trying to steal their stuff at gunpoint was well-played by Lincoln & Gurira, showing just how sharpened the two have become by their respective and collective experiences. Bonus points to Michonne for taking back their noodles – completely with her on that, and I loved how Rick gave her that "Damn, that's cold" reaction (and called her out on it LOL).
"Protect the People From the People": Yeah, that does have a much bigger metaphorical vibe to it.
THREE YEARS AGO: Here we go – and I was as shocked as Gabriel was if I'm being honest. While I can't forget what Jadis has done, there is still something heartbreaking about their hug. Also, bonus points to hearing Eugene and Rosita being name-dropped. McIntosh and Gilliam are acting magic in this scene – Gabriel is looking for forgiveness in someone who, at that very moment, continues to hide the truth from him. In particular, McIntosh's quieter moments in this scene demonstrated am almost kind of mental tug-of-war between "Jadis" and "Anne."
Oh, the disrespect! LOL I love the way Rick and Michonne talk about Jadis like she's not even there – until they need to get intense to remind her of just how much she's taken from them. And that's when things get scary because we believe Jadis when she says that she isn't the same woman they knew. She truly believes in CRM's cause & keeping Alexandria safe – and that kind of "Kool-Aid" thinking looks a little too entrenched in her brain for Jadis to get a redemption chance.
Ouch! Michonne personally introduces Jadis to that handax…
TWO YEARS AGO: Jadis and Gabriel meet up again, and we learn about the ring that Gabriel found that he wanted Rick to have to present to Michonne. Jadis explains how having to live her duality could help save lives, while Gabriel asks if CRM would be able to help Alexandria. McIntosh does a wonderful job showing-without-showing the conflict she feels at that moment because she knows what getting CRM's "help" would mean.
You have to love how Rick and Michonne are debating a "good cop/bad cop" approach to Jadis when both are in agreement that Michonne gets to kill her if she doesn't cooperate. And then, we get reminded why Jadis is beyond redemption – still willing to throw others into the meat grinder to serve herself while looking for excuses to justify what she's done.
ONE YEAR AGO: The tragedy that was Gabriel & Jadis/Anne plays out completely in the scene – from Gabriel's sense of hope & faith in her to the brutal reality that he doesn't quite know her as well as he thought she did. But in the end, enough of Anne remains to help her understand who she is – though it almost came at the cost of Gabriel's life.
What the f**k is that "Echelon Briefing" all about?!?
In that death scene, McIntosh finished the story on one of the most complex characters in the franchise's run. I think my heart broke harder for her because of just how broken she was – and that every effort she made to make things better failed because she never understood until the very end that everything she had done was for her – not for some "greater good" that she convinced herself was the reason.
The duality during the end scenes shouldn't be lost in the conversation – we had Rick and Michonne coming together after gaining a better understanding of who they are and what they can do. Now, contrast that with the heartbreak of seeing Gabriel alone during what would've been his annual meet-up with Jadis.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 5: "Become"
8.5/10
After what I can arguably say was one of the best single episodes in the long-running franchise's history, AMC's Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) & Danai Gurira (Michonne)-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live returned this week with the season's penultimate episode (we're working under the assumption that it's getting a second season). If we're being honest, we were expecting a "bridge" episode that would pick up threads from last week and set the stage for the season finale - which we would've been more than fine with. But the Michael E. Satrazemis-directed and Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete-penned "Become" offered us an emotional whirlpool that we did not see coming. Lincoln & Gurira own every "Richonne" moment - it's almost comical just how great their chemistry is together. But it's actually another couple who sits at the heart of this episode - and with that, we're throwing on the "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" sign as we do a deep dive into "Become."
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