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Posted in: AMC, Review, TV, Walking Dead | Tagged: amc, episode 6, michonne, Review, Rick Grimes, the ones who love, The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Offers Epic "Last Time": Review
AMC's Andrew Lincoln & Danai Gurira-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live finale "The Last Time" proved an epic yet intimate finale.
If you look at the finale of AMC's Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) & Danai Gurira (Michonne)-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live through the perspective of a video game, CRM was definitely the "Final Boss." But in terms of Rick & Michonne's TWD journey, "The Last Time" (directed by Michael E. Satrazemis and written by Scott M. Gimple & Channing Powell) brought Major General Beale (Terry O'Quinn) and Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt) back into the spotlight – as they needed to be. As much as the first half of the series was about Michonne helping Rick find his way back to himself and to the man they used to be, the final episodes shifted the focus to remind us of just how good Rick & Michonne are when it comes to saving the day and fighting the good fight – despite all that they've sacrificed… all that they lost. But for it to mean anything, we needed a finale that would have Rick & Michonne's reaffirmed faith put through a baptism of fire – and it was in so many ways.
Once again, Satrazemis helms an episode that does an amazing job of flowing from epic to intimate without missing a beat – giving the finale the sense of importance that it needs. Simply put, "The Last Time" was what the previous five episodes should've been building up to – with Gimple & Powell's script staying true to our leads while also offering some deep insights into Beale's and Thorne's psyches. The use of flashbacks can sometimes be seen as dramatic overkill, but using them to represent Rick's and Michonne's mindsets in their respective was spot-on. But the flowers belong to Lincoln, Gurira, O'Quinn, and Brandt for leaving it all on the screen with some of the best performances we've seen in the TWD Universe – all culminating in a finale that lived up to the promise of being a game-changer in a major way. With that in mind, we're throwing on the "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" sign and throwing down an image spoiler buffer before we offer any deep details:
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ep. 6 "The Last Time" Thoughts
Rick/Michonne vs. Beale/Thorne: I touched upon this earlier, and it plays out nicely throughout the episode. For Rick & Michonne to truly move on from where they've been to be able to restart their lives again, they each had to face their respective psychological "doppelganger." For Rick, it was seeing in Beale the worst-case scenario of what happens when you get so lost in your visions of the "bigger picture" that you lose any sort of feeling or empathy over the action you've taken. But it was also about casting aside the temptation of safety in the face of tyranny and the idea that only a domineering "new world order" can save humanity. One of the many things that O'Quinn is excellent at as an actor is presenting even some of the most disturbing scenarios in a way that makes it sound noble & justifiable.
For Michonne, it was about seeing in Thorne the damage that can result from blind loyalty that leads one to forget who they are, but it was Brandt who brought a heartbreakingly relatable aspect to Thorne – someone looking for a place to not only call home but also be a part of to do some actual good. Brandt was able to convey a sense of conflict in Thorne – whether during the action/fight scenes or quieter moments with Rick – that elevated her well above being just another lackey for the bad guys. While I understood the need for Beale to have to be taken down (and bonus points to Lincoln & O'Quinn for that staring moment just before things went south), I wish we could have more Thorne in the TWD Universe – Brandt's character was definitely worth exploring further.
The Plan: Well, no one can say that the Echelon Briefing wasn't something epic. With an estimation that humanity has about 14 years left on the planet unless plans are put into place, Beale shares how he sacrificed Pittsburgh to save Philadelphia – and that was before his CRM days. Now, the plan is to kill off CRM's last partner city – Portland – to be able to declare martial law and have CRM march across the country unchallenged – taking over communities until only CRM remains. Did we mention that CRM was going to kidnap a portion of Portland's kids before "liquidating" the city? Did we also mention that Beale revealed to Rick that CRM has had agents embedded in different communities for years – influencing their growth and reporting back to CRM?
The Future: First up, it was great seeing Rick, Michele, Judith (Cailey Fleming), and R.J. (Antony Azor) reunite – definitely didn't see that coming. Honestly, I thought we would get a cliffhanger ending or a tease that they're heading home. All four actors scored big time in terms of kicking the crap out of our "feels" – but bonus points for Lincoln in the way he demonstrated Rick's nervousness in seeing his family – first, on the helicopter and then as he stood in the background watching the other three hug, looking for the right moment in what must've felt like a lifetime.
As for what the future could hold – the possibilities are pretty endless at this point. I know some might complain that CRM was taken care of a little too quickly, considering how much of a threat they were built up to be. But listening to the news update left us with some question marks that we would like to see answered. What happens to all of those undercover CRM agents? Why should we assume that civilian control won't end up being just as corrupt? Who will be looking to fill the power vacuum that's been left? And with Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) getting ready to take on some European powers over in "The Book of Carol," is an international threat on the way?
And yet, "The Last Time" could also just as easily be that – the last time we revisit the TWD universe. Of course, it won't be – but it will fill like a totally different universe moving forward. So it seems only fitting that it would be Rick and Michonne who burn it down only to build it up into something new. Because the new world's gonna need Rick Grimes and Michonne.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 6 "The Last Time"
9.5/10
AMC's Andrew Lincoln & Danai Gurira-starring The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live finale "The Last Time" proved an epic yet intimate finale.
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