Posted in: AMC, Review, TV, Walking Dead | Tagged: amc, episode 3, Review, the ones who live, The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ep. 3 Review: Fascinating Thorne

We get some fascinating insights into Lesley-Ann Brandt's Pearl Thorne in an impressive chapter of AMC's The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

Damn you, AMC's Andrew Lincoln (Rick) & Danai Gurira (Michonne)-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Just when I thought I knew what I was going to get with last week's episode, you went and flipped the script on my TWD expectations. Sure, we were treated to Michonne's (Gurira) backstory leading up to her first episode reunion with Rick (Lincoln) – meeting & then having to say goodbye to some memorable characters along the way. But we were also treated to a whole lot more of the here-and-now than we were expecting, as Michonne takes on the persona of "Dana" so that she and Rick can plan their next move. Complicating matters in a big way was none other than Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh), who paid a surprise visit to Rick to remind him of a deal they made some time ago – and to let him know what will happen if he tries to escape.

That led us to this weekend's episode "Bye" (directed by Michael Slovis and written by Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete), as Rick looks to stay in CRM's good graces and keep Jadis off his scent – while Michonne/"Dana" gets acclimated to her surroundings – and gets a better sense of how CRM operates. That includes getting to know Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt), who doesn't seem to be buying too much into the idea of "Dana" being a "B." Here's a look at what went down and our big takeaways from another fine effort – including an appreciation for what Brandt's portrayal of Thorne brings to the game. With that in mind, we're throwing on the "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" sign and throwing down an image spoiler buffer – and we'll see you on the other side.

Cold Open Plays Nicely with "Timey-Wimey" Stuff: As we've seen more and more over the years, the TWD Universe has effectively used time jumps and flashbacks – and they kicked things off in the same fashion with this episode. I know some folks have some issues with how the show's not too subtle in telling us that we're about to look at another time period, but I like the ten-ton approach – hit me with a huge "YEARS AGO" so that I can keep the timelines clear. In this instance, it was also an effective way to offer more of the Jadis/Rick backstory – especially learning how Jadis made out in the deal when she handed over Rick to CRM. From there, we inched closer to the here and now as Rick sought Thorne's help in getting Michonne into consignment – with a shift back to the current timeline showing that "Dana" was able to make it in, leaving Jadis wondering what Rick & Michonne have in mind.

Just a Thought… We all know that Cascadia Forward Operating Base will play a huge factor in whatever it is that Rick and Michonne end up pulling off – right? A new CRM outpost set to have a big unveiling that's set to include a whole lot of CRM's top folks seems like the perfect time & location to make a statement.

Lesley-Ann Brandt's Pearl Thorne: Fascinating Character: If you're looking for another well-rounded character with a deep backstory who demonstrates the "gray" that exists in the TWD Universe, look no further than Brandt's Thorne. Promoted to the position of Command Sergeant Major and assigned to Cascadia, Thorne embraces the family structure that CRM brings – to a fault, despite the questions about the military organization's true intentions that continue to grow. And yet…

We see that Thorne feels a connection with Rick, even signaling a kind of family connection with him – so much so that she even tips off Rick to the news that Beale (Terry O'Quinn) is keeping an eye on "Dana." As for the interrogation scene, that made sense in that for everyone to remain alive, they all have to keep up appearances – but it still resulted in Michonne accompanying Rick and Thorne to Cascadia. And yet…

Heading into the operation with plans that must've worked much better on paper, it doesn't take long before a plan to take care of some walkers (I'm old-school) who are making things not-so-friendly goes south. While "Dana" might be a "B," Michonne offers yet another example of why she will always be an "A" by getting the job done – a move that Thorne was definitely not a fan of at all. But it's that moment when Thorne attempts to shoot Michonne (Rick with the save) that we get a better understanding of the raging conflict inside of her – a conflict we've seen sadly too many times. It's the conflict between protecting what you have now out of fear of returning to how things were and doing the right thing – despite the cost, and Brandt does an amazing job of presenting that duality in conflict.

How's That for a Cliffhanger? Seriously, how can we go wrong having Rick trying to convince Michonne to make her escape and leave him behind so he can protect her from CRM from within – only to have Michonne grab him, and they both leap out of the helicopter together? Since we're assuming that this didn't just become a three-episode spinoff series, we're curious to see what the writers have in store to keep Rick and Michonne from going splat.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 3: "Bye"

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Review by Ray Flook

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8/10

Damn you, AMC's Andrew Lincoln (Rick) & Danai Gurira (Michonne)-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Just when I thought I knew what I was going to get with last week's episode, you went and flipped the script on my TWD expectations. Sure, we were treated to Michonne's (Gurira) backstory leading up to her first episode reunion with Rick (Lincoln) - meeting & then having to say goodbye to some memorable characters along the way. But we were also treated to a whole lot more of the here-and-now than we were expecting, as Michonne takes on the persona of "Dana" so that she and Rick can plan their next move. Complicating matters in a big way was none other than Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh), who paid a surprise visit to Rick to remind him of a deal they made some time ago - and to let him know what will happen if he tries to escape. That led us to this weekend's episode "Bye" (directed by Michael Slovis and written by Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete), as Rick looks to stay in CRM's good graces and keep Jadis off his scent - while Michonne/"Dana" gets acclimated to her surroundings - and gets a better sense of how CRM operates. That includes getting to know Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt), who doesn't seem to be buying too much into the idea of "Dana" being a "B." Here's a look at what went down and our big takeaways from another fine effort - including an appreciation for what Brandt's portrayal of Thorne brings to the game.

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