The Walking Dead: Season 5, Episode 15: Try
This episode was pretty action packed and built up a nice amount of tension, but I don’t think it did a particularly good job with progressing the story after the last couple of episodes. That’s not to say it was bad, it just seemed like there was a lot more it could’ve done with the time slot given. There was so much more that could’ve been fit in without some of the filler. I applaud this half of the season for moving much faster than previous arcs, but there’s a lot more story that can be told.
The Sasha, Michonne and Rosita arc could’ve been left out to focus more on the strong points of the episode. Some of the characters’ subplots honestly just feel forced. Michonne is coming off as more of a lost puppy than an unstoppable bada**. She’s just looking for someone to cling to instead of building strong friendships like she should/could be doing. The same can pretty much be said for Darryl. His building of his relationship with Rick was definitely one of the better points of the slower seasons, but now he’s kind of just there.
Sasha and Rosita however, I fail to see what their purpose actually is. It seems like they really just exist to push the story forward for the other characters instead of being their own characters. And Tara (who I’m sure people are thinking is my punching bag) is a truly incomplete and pointless character. I really really don’t care that she is comatose. In what way is that different from how she was before she got injured?
Before we get to the point where everyone just thinks I’m picking on this show, let me point out the episode’s high points:
Carl’s little romance scene was nice. It was once of the better parts of the episode and served as a decent rest from the overwhelming tension that’s been building everywhere. I could see those two f*ucked up kids building a strong friendship and a powerful bond if they’re allowed to continue. They have the potential for two characters who come together through adversity and shared trauma. With the exception of the horrible hiding spot they chose (why the inside of the tree? They were still visible and would be completely cornered if noticed), it was a powerful scene.
Now to the focal point of the episode: Rick versus Pete. Considering the life on the road and the body count that Rick has built up, one would have thought someone like Pete would’ve been a breeze. For some reason though, it was a almost even match. I guess all that talk about the people of Alexandria being weak was thrown out the window. We’ve seen Rick in tougher situations than that (marauder throat rip!), but I guess there needed to be some kind of drama. Pete’s a douche and Rick is a psycho so it works, I suppose. Why the hell is Rick still leading people? How is it that his mental instability isn’t a cause for concern?
That question leads me to my favorite part of this arc: Rick versus Deanna. It’s very obvious that Deanna is what Rick could’ve become had either the farm or the prison worked out. She was a leader who took control and built a community, she was successful and just wants a peaceful existence for her people. She has a paradise, but doesn’t realize how unique and magical her community is to people who have been suffering since the beginning. However, she is still a very clever person.
She is capable of reading people fairly well and can recognize that sacrifices must be made from progress. The fact that she sees Pete’s spousal abuse as a necessary evil means she might already be aware of Aiden and Nicholas being cowards. Her number one goal is stability and the ends justify the means if it means safety and happiness for most of her people.
Rick cannot abide necessary evil. In a very Shane-like change of direction, his core belief is now that survival is necessary and in order to be safe, one needs completely control. Weakness and defiance cannot be tolerated in a world this dangerous. The monsters he’s encountered in humanity have finally turned him into just that. Hopefully the finale next week will show just how much like the Governor he has become.
Jonathan Thomas Jones is a speculative fiction author and founder of geekhavenreviews.com. He has been passionate about all things geek for his entire life. See more about him at jonathanthomasjones.com and follow him on twitter @jtgloryjones.
