The Walking Dead “Now” – Review

Obvious spoilers ahead

This week we move past one of the best written episodes of the series, and back to the horde that approaches Alexandria.

The Alexandrians have finally been put to the test with how the world really is now, and that there are very real dangers that they have to face. Up until now everything has been pretty peaceful for the people of Alexandria, with their high walls, power, water, food, and safety. They have had no time to harden themselves to the dangers of the walkers, or the people who have turned away from their own humanity.

Many of the Alexandrians turned to what you saw at the beginning of the plague, looting food, anger, doubt in themselves and others, suicide and loss of hope. These feelings in a small community can either spread like wildfire, or can be quelled if someone strong takes up power and ensures that everything will be okay. Spencer attempts to take control at the food storehouse while the residents who were scared and afraid of the walkers tried to take food for themselves. This seemed to be a noble approach by the son of the leader of the group but ultimately failed as we see that even he can fall to the pressure of what they are facing. Spencer ends up stealing what he can for himself, and promptly gets drunk, letting his mother find out what he is doing.

Denise and Deanna appear to be the only two Alexandrians who are really trying to take control of their lives during this stressful time and make something worthwhile of their time trapped within the steel walls. Deanna taking her time to plan out the future of the settlement, creating a map with plots for food, water, and a mill. You also see all of her pent up anger get released in this episode by not letting it ruin her as it has so many others, but she is channelling this anger into something positive for the future of her people. Denise takes the same approach by getting over her fear and doubt of being the only doctor in town, by learning how to drain the infection from Scott’s leg and saving his life. Denise also takes this time to let viewers that she will not be making an amazing awkward couple with Eugene, but will be making an adorable couple with Tara.

With the episode focusing so much on the Alexandrians during this time of crisis, there is not much focus on the original survivors. We don’t get a chance to find out what happened to Abraham, Darryl or Sasha, and we get zero face time from Morgan, Michonne, and Carol. What we do get from this episode is a lot of Maggie, and it is well deserved after “Thank You”.

Maggie has been left to wonder what happened to Glenn since seeing Rick, Michonne and the surviving Alexandrians make it back from their attempt to lead away the horde. She knows that if he was alive he would do anything he could to send her a signal that he is okay, but no signal has been seen as of yet. This leaves her with one option only, and that is to go out and find him. At this point Maggie wants one of two things, to find the man she loves, or get closure that he is gone. Aaron makes it a point to do what he can to help Maggie, after feeling regret from being the one responsible for the Wolves finding the town. He must think that by helping Maggie out of Alexandria and out to find Glenn, this will make everything better and do some good for the community he feels he let down.

Maggie realizes though, just as they are about to get out that she accepts the fact that Glenn is probably gone, but she can’t risk going out there. The only possible thing she has left to remember him by is their unborn baby, and she will do whatever she can to survive and raise the child. I truly hope though that Glenn and Maggie’s kid will be less… troublesome than Rick’s (somewhat absent of late) baby that almost got Tyreese killed on multiple occasions.

The little bit of Rick we get this week brings us back to the Rick/Jessie situation, and it looks like once again Rick is getting what he wants. He has a new kid to teach how to shoot things, and a new girl who hopefully we won’t see get the wrong end of the gun.

Overall this episode was back to form with wrapping up some loose ends, and creating new issues for us to sweat over. This episode did have some stressful moments though with the sewer walkers, and the random walkers that seem to keep popping up within the walls of the community. I assume next week will be very Darryl, Abraham, and Sasha focused, letting us know what they have been up to and how they managed to get rid of the horde. I doubt we will get any closure on the rumour mill with Glenn and is possible death/survival from “Thank you”. If he doesn’t come back it will be okay though, considering he is voicing the main character in the animated TV adaptation of “Chew” which is one of my all-time favourite graphic novels.

Glenn, if you are out there let us know, if not… you were great.