Title: The Walking Dead: “Always Accountable”
Air Date: November 16, 2015
Network: AMC
Genre: Serial Drama, Horror
This week’s The Walking Dead continued its character jumping storytelling and focused on Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha. You’ll remember from last week’s episode, which took place in Alexandria, that these characters were noticeably absent despite having been expected to be back shortly after they finished leading the herd away. “Always Accountable” fills us in on what is going on with our zombie herders. This episode certainly picked up slightly from last week and introduced us to a new group. While their name is not spoken, if you’re familiar with the comics you should be able to pick up on the identity of the group, especially is you’re aware of the news of Jeffery Dean Morgan being cast as Negan for season seven.
We begin by seeing Sasha, Abraham and Daryl peel off from leading the horde of the undead away from Alexandria as planned. The group quickly comes under machine gun fire and an intense chase ensues that eventually separates Daryl from Sasha and Abraham. Sasha and Abraham hold off their attackers but end up losing the vehicle they were driving. Daryl escapes to the woods where we see he is wounded, but nothing fatal. After hearing some rustling in the bushes, he discovers two women, only to then be knocked out by a man who has crept up from behind. While Daryl is in a daze he overhears the three individuals who captured him who are clearly on the run from someone. The word “kneeling” is used several times from this point out. Could it be the “Saviors” they are referring to? These individuals seem to be good people just trying to get away and Daryl sees this despite still being held hostage.
Sasha and Abraham find themselves in a deserted town and take refuge in a small office. This Walking Dead episode seeks to build on these two characters by giving us a more in-depth idea to how they are feeling in the current moment. Sasha was not in a very good place towards the end of last season, but now she explains she’s got herself under control. However, Abraham at the moment seems to be slipping down a dark path, always itching for a fight whether it be walkers or people.
I do have a few gripes about this episode. First, when Daryl is captured by the man and the two sisters, they are convinced Daryl is one of “them.” They plan to trade him in exchange for their safety if they happen to get caught. However, later they say that they have been with “them” since the whole thing started. I don’t understand how they could have been with this group since the end of the world and then not recognize Daryl as someone from that group. Is the group really that big that it’s possible not to know everyone? Perhaps everyone in the group is segregated in some way so you never see everyone?
Another issue I have happens after Daryl and the other three do finally encounter this “Saviors” group there is a brief exchange of words with a man named Wade. Wade seems to be the one in charge of this search party, out to find the three of them and bring them back. He tells them that they are going to pay for what they had taken, and also the effort it took for Wade and the others to come out and search for them. However, when one of their group is bitten by a walker that Daryl was able to sneakily lure them to, they just give up and leave. This is a well-armed group that we’re talking about here. They’re threatening these three individuals because they left the group and stole from them, but despite having superior numbers, they up and leave when one of them is bitten.
Towards the end of the episode, Daryl lets these people know that he comes from a place where things are like they used to be. He sees that they aren’t bad people and tries to bring them back to Alexandria. It does not go how he had hoped though as they turn on him and force him to hand over his crossbow and bike. It’s not exactly clear if they are going back to the group which they have just fled from or elsewhere. Given that the guy takes Daryl’s crossbow, this could end up being Dwight from the comics. Earlier in the episode, just after Daryl was knocked out, we hear him discussing how he knows how to use the crossbow but didn’t prefer it for hunting.
Daryl eventually finds a vehicle and makes it back to the small town where the shooting initially started and is reunited with Sasha and Abraham. They all load up in the vehicle together and begin the trip back to Alexandria to regroup with the others.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ5ielw15fU[/embedyt]
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- Acting/Characters: This episode of The Walking Dead focused on Sasha, Abraham, and Daryl and introduced us to three other characters potentially from the “Saviors.” There are no real standout performances here, but Abraham did have a good episode that changes his line of thinking in this post-apocalyptic world he now lives in.
- Story: The show is still jumping around to the different characters here, further dragging out what has become of Glenn. There is, however, a brief moment at the end of the episode when a voice comes over Daryl’s radio that says, “Help.”
- Cinematography: This episode takes place mainly in a wooded area and inside a small shop so there is nothing incredible here. When we saw the possible “Saviors” group the camera refrained from showing us their faces, particularly the leader Wade. The only exception was the one member of the group who was bitten thanks to Daryl.
- Organization: The opening chase was the most memorable and intense of the episode. The pacing throughout the remainder of the show slowed down and tried to provide us more screen time for The Walking Dead’s huge cast of characters. My guess is that things will be on the slower side until the mid-season finale.
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