The Walking Dead 5-10 Recap: Hot Dogs for Lunch, Depression for Dinner

Beware spoilers!

This week’s episode of The Walking Dead, “Them” didn’t rip our hearts out like “What Happened and What’s Going On.” It did, however, give a look into one of Rick’s Rebels lowest points yet. With two members recently deceased, Rick’s Rebels are on their way to Washington D.C. with no end to the misery in sight.

Before we get into the recap, let’s check in with Dale.

Action Chick, it’s important to keep your spirits high and your body limber during the zombie apocalypse, which is why I’ve been practicing Nude Yoga every morning. The lady on the DVD tells me I’m getting really good, but the only position I can’t quite nail is Downward Dog; every time I hit that pose I feel like someone’s staring right at the ol’ cornhole, and I panic. Maybe I should wrap a sweater around my waist or something.

Thanks, Dale. Now, onward, to the recap!

“Them” features a huge pile of characters, but it’s primarily about Maggie, Sasha, and Daryl all grieving for the recent loss of their loved ones. Plus, to top off the misery, Rick’s Rebels have run out of gas, food, and water, and we get treated to some nice, quiet shots of the Rebels shambling like zombies down the road while being followed by a group of actual zombies in the distance. It’s a quiet shot, like much of this episode, but it’s effective. During their trek, Maggie asks Glen, “How much longer have we got?” When he responds with “Six miles,” she replies, “I wasn’t talking about that.” So, is Maggie saying she’s starving and about to die, or just done with this world in general? I say definitely both. This is really the worse Rick’s Rebels have been since the beginning. Everyone has lost hope, everyone is dying of starvation/dehydration, and even though they’re grieving, they’re too dehydrated and numb from the horror to grieve properly. Kudos to all of The Walking Dead’s mighty fine actors; these folks look utterly obliterated, like they’re on death’s door and they’re too tired to knock.

While Maggie struggles to find a reason to continue going, Sasha alternates between depression and rage, going full Red Sasha on a bunch of walkers. During her rage she almost stabs Michonne, cuts Abraham a little, and nearly gets Rick bitten. After a verbal smackdown from Michonne, Sasha gets her rage under control, but not her grief. Daryl, meanwhile, spends a lot of time wandering around by himself. Norman Reedus really outdoes himself with these quiet moments; even when Daryl’s not speaking, we can see the depth and complexity of his emotions. After putting out a cigarette on his hand and feeling nothing, Daryl seems to have a breakthrough and finally has a good ol’ cry for the death of Beth. You know, this episode does a good job, I think, of highlighting much of why people like Daryl. Sure, he’s badass, but he’s also incredibly selfless, and works his ass off trying to save people. We saw it when Sophia went missing in season two, we saw it when Beth got kidnapped, and now we’re seeing the negative effects of the guy’s selflessness.

The group finds a mysterious pile of water bottles in the middle of the road with a note saying they’re “From a friend.” HA! Of course they are. Fortunately, Rick’s Rebels are too smart to trust a dumb note, so they ignore the water even in their state of dehydration, and the universe rewards their intelligence by sending a torrent of rain their way, lifting everyone’s spirits and giving them something to drink.

After the storm kicks up a bit, everyone takes shelter in a barn, and four important things happen. One, Rick tells a story about his grampa which ends with him saying, “We are the walking dead,” which was way too on-the-nose for my liking. Two, walkers swarm the barn doors and everyone bands together to stop them; even though Maggie seemed unsure as to whether or not she wanted to continue living, she still fights the good fight because that’s what you do. Three, Maggie and Sasha bond a bit over their mutual depression and come out a bit lighter for it. And, four, a clean-cut stranger who looks like his name is Chadwick walks up to them saying he “Needs to talk to Rick” and that he has good news. Based on Maggie and Sasha’s reaction (and the preview for next week’s episode), I’d say no-one’s buying it.

“Them” was a quiet, but solid episode. The Walking Dead is one of the few shows that knows when to shut up and let the audience see things instead of being told them.

Likes:

• At one point, the group finds some cars, and Maggie finds a woman zombie in the trunk with her hands, feet, and mouth bound. I guess she was a kidnapping victim that her captors forgot about? That’s a BAD way to go.
• Everyone coming together to keep the door closed. Teamwork!
• At one point, a pack of wild dogs attacks and Sasha mows them down with an assault rifle, giving fresh, albeit yucky, meat for the group to chow down on. Mmm, dog food!
• Rick’s plan to kill the walkers pursuing them by tricking them into stumbling into a ravine. No muss, no fuss, no wasted energy.
• Carl’s voice dropped three octaves since the last time he spoke. He’s a freaking man now!
• No one died.