Walking Dead Episode Review 5.12: Remember

Remember when Rick was clean shaven? Yea I forgot too. You used to be able to tell how far into the series you were based on his facial hair. Not anymore!

The gang arrived at Alexandria is a community of $800K homes that got converted into a one of the last safe havens on the planet.  It’s solar powered so they have electricity and it’s a total shock for everyone.  The last time the gang got hot water and electricity was the CDC from season one and that was for one night before the whole place blew up. 

The gang is used to things going bad for each other when something “good” is presented to them.  So much of the episode is acclimating themselves to the new environment. They do so with varying levels of success. Rick, Carol (although she’s clearly playing possum), Michone, and Carl fit in well, Daryl not so much.  This is funny because Daryl is the one major character at this point who wasn’t in the comics in any form, (Noah’s in the same boat, but he’s been on the show for like half a season) and his not fitting in makes sense character wise, but also because he technically wasn’t there.

The leader of the Alexandra is Deanna who was a congresswoman before the outbreak. She takes a liking to Rick immediately and sees potential in him.  The group feels things out, Rick explores and makes acquaintances with the lovely Jessie played by Alexandria Beckenridge.  Carl meets a group of kids and plays video games.  Carol get some new clothes (that Daryl detests) and becomes a cook for older folks of Alexandria.

The Rick shaving was an interesting scene because it reminded me a bit of Shane’s hair cut scene from season two. Shane changed completely after the hair cut and Rick is changing too.  I know the first time I shaved my head it changed things a bit.  Michone even took notice since she had never seen clear cut Rick before. 

Deanna’s son, Aiden is a prick and he leads Glenn, Tara and “Everybody Hates Chris” on a run, he goes over their system but it’s pretty clear that these guys aren’t all that experienced.  They have a dispute over a strung up zombie and it nearly kills them because Aiden insists on recapturing it as it had killed their friends.  When they get back a fight ensues and Glenn pops in the kisser like Jackie Gleason on the Honeymooners.

Deanna makes Rick a constable and we close with Rick in his new police uniform.  Carol and Daryl express worry about them growing weak (which Carl had mentioned earlier), while living in the compound, but he isn’t worried about that.  They can make it and if the people in Alexandra can’t then they’ll take the city as their own.

I liked this episode and in particular the chilling ending.  Rick really did change when he shaved his beard, I was getting worried about the show after how lame the past couple of episodes have been, now at least (as my sister has hinted) I think things are moving again.

C.J. Foxx 

Author of Super-Hero Bowl VI
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