The Walking Dead: Season 5, Episode 2

The Walking Dead

Episode Title: “Strangers”

Channel: AMC

Director: David Boyd

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller

Runtime: 44 min

Rated: TV-14

Original Air Date: October 18, 2014

It was going to be hard to follow a high quality premiere episode like “No Sanctuary,” but Robert Kirkman delivered an episode that kept the tension at a high level, with a fair amount of action, without relying on another hour long shoot out. The opening shots, with the group moving down the road in slow motion highlighted to me how big the group has gotten. They also triggered a sense of foreboding, because with a group that size, we all know that they're not all going to make it. From a pure production/writing side of things; giving that many people something important to do is tough. Realistically, keeping track of that many people while on the move would be a full time job, so I found myself going from face to face, wondering which ones the writers will decide to take away from us. I've got my guesses, and I'd love to see yours in the comments section.

Cries for help interrupt our merry band's romp through the woods, and it's interesting to see the reaction to the cries from the group. Rick and Carl have passed each other going opposite directions on the 'lets help people' highway, but Carl's insistence draws the group into an encounter with a new face, Gabriel. There is something immediately 'off' about the man, and Rick knows it. His story just doesn't fit with what it would take to have survived this long. After an interrogation and a lot of distrust Gabriel does put them on the path to some supplies, and to a really well done action sequence.

The water-logged walkers are an impressive achievement in practical makeup effects, for any medium but especially a television show. After some furious fighting the group makes off with a couple of cartloads of supplies. There's more suspicious stuff out of Gabriel, and some circumstantial evidence that might justify Rick's apprehension. Later on Rick agrees to Abraham's D.C. proposal. I have to wonder why Eugene's supposed plan doesn't sound as ridiculous to the group as it does to the audience. Does anybody really believe what's coming out of his mouth?

Near the end of the episode we see something that might push the group back around to Rick's more pragmatic view of things, and most likely the first of the group's fat to be trimmed. That is why you never leave enemies behind you!

Conclusion: This was a good episode, it moved the story forward enough without resorting to long-winded exposition or crazy decision making. One has to wonder if this is the final straw for the group, will they adopt a scorched earth policy concerning their enemies, or continue to turn around and hope for the best?

Rating: 8/10