The Walking Dead: “The Same Boat” (Adapting to Survive Isn’t Easy)

First Aired March 20th, 2016.

Morgan (played by Lennie James) completes work on a cell he’s been building, reasoning imprisonment is a better alternative to killing. The Alexandrians’ everyday lives and routines are shown through a montage, signaling a brief period of peace.

Denise (played by Merritt Weaver) asks Daryl (played by Norman Reedus) and Rosita (played by Christian Serratos) to take her on a run to search for medical supplies, but a fallen tree forces them to continue on foot. They arrive at the store and find a fully stocked room filled with pills and antibiotics. Denise hears the sounds of a trapped walker and moves to kill it but is horrified when she finds it emaciated with the remains of a murdered infant. Eugene (played by Josh McDermitt) leads Abraham (played by Michael Cudlitz) to a place where he thinks they can manufacture bullets. Abraham kills a walker Eugene struggled to take care of and Eugene is offended by the remarks that he can’t survive on his own so Abraham leaves. On the walk back, Denise spots a cooler inside a car and tries to kill the walker within to get it, but it attacks and she refuses help in order to save herself. Daryl and Rosita chastise Denise but she defends herself and chastises them for not facing their own personal fears when an arrow flies into Denise’s eye.

Abraham may be too blunt but most of what he says is not wrong, Eugene is a great tech guy but in fights is generally useless (which makes Abraham leaving him alone a total dick move). It’s great that Eugene is trying but he’s reaching if he thinks all of a sudden he can take on the dangers of the world. Denise is one of the two Alexandrians who have had any significant screen time which made her death resonate. Watching the episode it was glaringly obvious Denise was going to die because the entire episode telegraphed Denise’s death. She never left Alexandria before because she was the only doctor and suddenly decides to go on a run, plus we learned about her troubled brother and alcoholic parents. Although killing her seconds after her near death experience was a shock so at least Denise’s expected death was in a way unexpected. She was a compelling character but it’s been a while since anyone of consequence died on this show it’s always an inevitability.

Rosita and Daryl are held at gunpoint by a group of Saviors who have also taken Eugene hostage. One of them is a severely burned man named Dwight (played by Austin Amelio) who Daryl had run into weeks before but spared. Dwight wants his group to be taken into Alexandria and allowed to take whatever and whoever they want. Eugene sees Abraham hiding nearby and seemingly gives away his location, but uses the distraction to bite Dwight in the crotch and let Abraham open fire. The group fights back and though Eugene is shot in the crossfire they are able to drive Dwight and the remaining Saviors away. They carry Eugene back and he’s treated for a flesh wound and Abraham concedes that Eugene has what it takes to survive in the world. The experience motivates Abraham to officially begin dating Sasha (played by Sonequa Martin-Green).

Speaking of dick moves, check out Eugene taking a bite out of crime (that and the burns; Dwight is not looking too good). Eugene has earned his place among the survivors as a true blue hero (at least for now). Murderous reminders about the dangers of leaving threats out there pop up like ads on this show, the latest being Freddy Krueger aka Dwight. Although these Saviors have had the drop on our heroes twice already and each time they manage to lose the upper hand and run away with their tails between their legs. These guys remind me of Team Rocket; they start off mildly threatening but by the end of the episode are easily dispatched by the heroes. However, to the credit of the Saviors, they have gotten better in managing to kill a member of the group, but the score is Denise to the two or three dozen killed Saviors so that’s not saying much.

Carol (played by Melissa McBride) leaves her lover, Tobin (played by Jason Douglas), a note saying goodbye. She tells him she realized that even if they manage to kill the Saviors another threat will come to steal everything they have. Carol has decided to leave because the idea of spending the rest of her life killing was too much for her. Carol’s struggles with killing have been touched upon slightly but her decision to up and leave is very shocking. I feel like we needed to see more of that. Regardless they need to bring her back ASAP because Carol is one of the best aspects of the show. As long as the character is still breathing she needs to be on my screen when I’m watching The Walking Dead.

Quotes & Thoughts

“I apologize for doubting your skills. You know how to bite a dick Eugene, I mean that with the utmost respect.”

Everything out of Abraham’s mouth is a potential new catchphrase.

“You want to live, you take chances.”

There are only two episodes left, give us Negan already!

If you enjoyed Manny’s review, you can find the rest of his work right HERE on Sci-Fi Bloggers. You can also follow him on Twitter @KN_Manny.

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