The Walking Dead: The Bridge

First Aired October 14th, 2018

The communities come together to repair a bridge in the main road to facilitate trade and get supplies to the Sanctuary. However Rick (played by Andrew Lincoln) deals with Saviors walking off from the project and walker herds threatening the crews.

Michonne (played by Danai Gurira) tries to negotiate food for the Sanctuary with Maggie (played by Lauren Cohan), but promised fuel from the Sanctuary never arrived and Maggie refuses to supply food without it. Daryl (played by Norman Reedus) gets into a fight with former Savior Justin (played by Zach McGowan) after Justin tries to hoard water. Rick is adamant they can work things out but Daryl and Carol (played by Melissa McBride) don’t think all the Saviors are willing to get along. Jesus (played by Tom Payne) tries to convince Maggie to show some leniency to her would be killer Earl (played by John Finn) whose been locked up since, she eventually allows visitation with his wife. Maggie talks with him about his alcoholism and he wonders why she hung Gregory (played by Xander Berkeley) and not him, making Maggie wonder if people think she made a mistake killing him. Rick talks with Alden (played by Callum McAuliffe) and finds out the Saviors who walked off the bridge project never made it back to the Sanctuary.

Rick’s blissful view of the bridge bringing everyone together was immediately undercut by infighting which gives you an idea of how this season will play out. In Maggie’s case she isn’t wrong about withholding the food or killing Gregory but people view that as creating unnecessary problems. She’s not a stone cold killer and clearly has compassion because she saw that Earl may have attacked her but Gregory put it together and that’s more dangerous. Justin is the token ‘bad guy’ Savior who is there to cause problems and while he’s great at doing that, the Savior discord would resonate more if we saw that from Saviors we’ve met before. But seeing him get his ass kicked by Daryl and a little kid was hilarious. However the bigger problem is clearly the deserted Saviors, perhaps their dead but more likely their setting the stage for round two against Rick.

Tara (played Alanna Masterson) radios to Rick that a siren they set up to draw a walker herd isn’t working putting the crew in danger. Daryl and a group of workers are soon attacked by a herd, a fleeing worker leaves Aaron (played by Ross Marquand) trapped under a log maiming his arm. They’re nearly killed before Rick arrives with reinforcements but Aaron’s injuries are too severe and Enid (played by Katelyn Nacon), who’s studying medicine is forced to amputate his arm. Daryl attacks Justin (who was supposed to man the siren) and severely beats him. Maggie allows Earl to go free under supervision and agrees to Michonne’s proposal of a charter, even agreeing to give food to the Sanctuary but stands by her decision with Gregory and her right to do what is best for her people. Rick chastises Justin and forces him to leave under threat of death and apologizes to Aaron, but Aaron sees what Rick is trying to do as worth it to rebuild their world.

This show has been on a long time and coming up with fresh ways for walker attacks and walker kills can’t be easy. Watching several of them crushed by logs was visually amazing. But Aaron having his armed crushed and amputated was too much because it was meant to be shocking and provide gore, but just for the sake of having it. You can argue it was part of Enid’s doctor storyline (her first real one) but she’s always been a tertiary character and her quest to be a doctor is very left field. But Aaron would have given his whole arm because their working to build a better future, and with Michonne getting her charter off the ground things at least seem to be progressing that way however slowly. Maggie is all for being fair but she won’t back down on her right for self-defense and that’s great because this new take no prisoners Maggie is awesome.

Jadis (played by Pollyanna McIntosh) starts a new romance with Gabriel (played by Seth Gilliam) now blind in one eye from his infection last season. Throughout the episode Rick is shown visiting Negan (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and telling him how everything is coming together. Negan scoffs at Rick’s efforts and says eventually it will all collapse. Justin walks back to the Sanctuary that night and is approached and seemingly attacked by someone he recognizes.

The Jadis/Gabriel romance was a huge surprise but it seems like everyone’s pairing off these days. Rick’s talk with Negan was bordering on bragging (which he deserves) but Negan is very chill and throwing it back in his face. Justin may have been attacked but my theory is he’s been recruited into an upcoming Savior uprising that will fight to free Negan and restart the war.

Quotes/Thoughts

“Fairy tales end with heroes living happily forever but in the real world, in this world, it’s about finding the small moments.”

Walkers are no so common place they give herds names like with hurricanes, and they’re just as dangerous.

“Don’t you ever get tired of acting like you’re in charge?”

Who decides to walk on a deserted road at night? It never ever ends well.

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