Title: The Walking Dead: “Say Yes”
Air Date: March 5th, 2017
Network: AMC
Genre: Serial Drama, Horror
After last week’s “Hostiles and Calamities,” The Walking Dead returned tonight with the all new episode titled “Say Yes.” There had been much speculation about just what the title of this episode meant. Some had posted their thoughts regarding possible wedding bells in the near future for Rick and Michonne. Others speculated some potential baby making. As it turned out, the title of this episode really had nothing to do with Rick and Michonne at all. I had to admit, I myself was sitting just waiting for the dialogue between Rick and Michonne to fit in “Say Yes” somewhere. Instead, it was between Rick and Jadis. Despite all those guns that Rick and Michonne found out on the road, it wasn’t enough and they still need to find more.
While this episode of the Walking Dead was very Rick and Michonne heavy, Rosita also had emotional screen time. Clearly tired of waiting, Rosita sets out by herself to find weapons. In her conversation with Tara early on, she remarks on the issue of finding that many guns, which makes quite a bit of sense given the current point in this post-apocalyptic world. One would think that the majority of the guns would be snatched up with it being hard to come by any significant cache of weapons. Despite that making sense, you can see that at this point Rosita is driven by rage. She wants Negan dead and she’s going to do whatever she can to make that happen.
The Walking Dead introduced another grotesque walker which stood in the way between Rosita and a handgun. You can’t help but feel bad for Rosita, especially when you see her covered in god knows what fluid from dispatching that walker, only to find out she was going after a toy gun. The following scene with Rosita visiting Father Gabriel was one of the best of the episode.
I have really come to love Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel. His screen time hasn’t been as high as other characters but when he is on screen, it’s almost always very impactful in some way. It’s his comments to Rosita in the church that set her on her path to take out Negan by the end of the episode. “You can certainly blame me that you have a life but after that, what are you going to do with it? Anything is possible until your heart stops beating, certainly more than yelling at a fool.” Those two sets of lines there are just so powerful. Gabriel is saying, you’re capable of so much more yet here you are just spending your time yelling at me. I really enjoyed this exchange.
Much of this episode of the Walking Dead focused on Rick and Michonne’s hunt for weapons. This little adventure turns into a deadly fiasco at a carnival with a very cool walker scene. Rick removing the walker from the windshield of that car piece by piece was a gory mess. The one scene that irked me initially, had me understanding it better a little later… the assumed death of Rick Grimes. Now, I feel safe in saying I was confident that Rick Grimes was not dying in this episode. Therefore, I knew he was going to suddenly pop out somewhere. Why was this scene done this way? Was it just to give us another fake death like when Glenn actually hid under the dumpster in season six?
The deeper meaning to the death scene had to do with Michonne. Rick even explains it to her in the van on the way back to Alexandria. In this coming war with the Saviors, people are going to be lost. Rick and Michonne may even lose each other. Fighting the fight is living and that’s what they need to do. It’s clear that the potential loss of Rick has made Michonne hesitate in her decision. They’re already talking about leading the communities together after the Saviors are gone. To go from the thought of living out a future with the one you love to potentially watching that person die is a hard pill to swallow.
As it turns out, despite all the guns that Rick and Michonne collected, it’s not enough for Jadis. They need more. I do want to address a widespread complaint that came about at the introduction of the Scavengers. Comments forums blew up with people saying, “Who talks like that?” along with people remarking it’s too early on in the apocalypse for a group to be that crazy. Don’t get me wrong. I find it strange too. However, recently people reported a YouTube live stream of the coming birth of a baby giraffe. The reason… nudity. One individual even went on to suggest the zoo put clothes on the giraffe. Trust me… people are insane now without an apocalypse.
As I expected at some point during this Walking Dead episode, it’s implied near the end that Tara tells Rick about Oceanside. Aside from that, Rosita enlists Sasha to take out Negan now. Rumors have been that Sonequa Martin, who plays Sasha, may be getting killed off soon because she has been cast in the new Star Trek series. Given that both characters discuss this trip to the Sanctuary being a one-way ticket, it’s certainly looking like it could be a very real possibility.
Did you watch tonight’s episode of the Walking Dead? If so, what did you think? Be sure to let us know in the comments below. Also be sure to check out our review of Logan which just opened this past weekend.
[review]
