Review: #TheWalkingDead LOOK AT THE FLOWERS #TWD #TWDFamily

Previously:
Review S10x13 WHAT WE BECOME

~ S10 x 14  Look At The Flowers ~

Written by: Channing Powell

Directed by: Daisy Von Scherler Mayer

I just can't get over how good S10B is, without so much as a weak scene ... it's going to be hard to wait until we-know-not-when for episode 16—for anyone who doesn't know, AMC made this statement:'Current events have unfortunately made it impossible to complete post-production of 'The Walking Dead' Season 10 finale, so the current season will end with its 15th episode on April 5'.  

Let's cross fingers we get to see it soon!

Carol and Negan making their deal was the best possible way to open this episode, especially as they've had no direct contact before (and, incidentally, didn't Carol look beautiful in those scenes in Negan's cell?)

'I need this done, and it will help every man, woman and child here 

... so you bring me Alpha's head, and that's what people will remember you for'

'Just walk me through those gates 

so I can open up a whole new chapter in the Book of Negan' 

When she walked off and left him afterwards, though, instead of taking him back to Alexandria to claim the glory, it quite took the wind out of his sails; Carol is one of the few to show him that, of superior intelligence and cunning though he is, he can't always be in charge of every situation!  That she's more than just a 'certified badass who missed her shot'...

 

I usually find hallucination scenes on TV or films (or in books) pretty tedious, but not this time; using Alpha as Carol's subconscious was a clever way of showing the torment in her mind, all the painful memories and true feelings with which she has been wrestling for so long ... especially when Alpha echoed dear little Mika: '{My mom used to say} Everything works out the way it's supposed to'—and, of course, the title of the episode.  

Alpha-Subconscious said, 'What do you want?  What do you want?  Say it'.  So did Carol acknowledge that she won't find it by running away, as she has done more than once, but by going back to Alexandria?  And it was interesting that her inner thoughts should appear to her as Alpha, rather than someone more benign; does this symbolise the dislike for herself that she has, all too often?  Poor Carol, when she has done so much good for so many people.

I have to say, though, that I thought Daryl might have given her a slightly warmer reception when she returned.

Since Negan made Beta look silly with all the hilarious Beta-with-benefits stuff, and now that they do not have the Machiavellian Alpha at their helm, the Whisperers seem to have lost their terrifying mystique; the fact that Negan is considered the new Alpha because he killed the old one is truly animalistic and ancient-tribal, but also funny—and I doubt that anyone apart from those three Whisperers thought Negan was really going to kill Daryl rather than them.  

'You should probably shoot me'

'Don't threaten me with a good time'

I've already seen on Twitter that the Caryl fans are loving the fact that Negan referred to Carol as 'your girlfriend' when talking to Daryl ... is this another slow step forward towards what most people want to happen?  Or are they just teasing us?  The Daryl and Negan scenes were interesting, though I suspect that Daryl will continue to be a hard nut to crack, if indeed this ever happens.  'Is that supposed to make me like you?' 

I will never forgive Negan for Glenn and Abraham, but I do think he is genuinely trying to mend his ways, and becoming a better person—and I think that if the writers/producers allow him to die it will be a seriously bad move for the show; JDM just gets better and better, every week.  I did consider a mild sort of theory that the delaying of the finale might also be to give it a do-over to keep him in it, because he's been so massively popular with the fans this season.

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As for Beta, the Jolly Green Giant is deranged with heartbreak and a desire for vengeance; less terrifying or not, the scenes from next week are looking a bit worrying.  Beta appears to be in Alexandria with rather a lot of Guardians, although it seems that our people have all left (see below, if you haven't seen the trailer for next week).

I loved Beta's scenes in the café—TWD scenic perfection, with all those poignant details of the world before: the blackboard on the wall, a salt shaker on the table, candles, coatstands, and posters about forthcoming gigs that probably never happened* (see below!).  'Those 2 eyes see 1 truth', said the note, and his twisted mind thought it was telling something. He was pretty nuts before, but the loss of the woman he loved has definitely sent him over the edge.

 

 
*March 30 update: I just read via @TWalkingDWorld on Twitter that the poster was actually about Beta himself—he was not a deranged loser before the apocalypse, as I'd always assumed, but a famous musician called Half Moon.  Daniel in FTWD had one of his albums!  

Question: where is Lydia, and what part will she play next week?

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So to the other main story—and Ezekiel wins the prize for being my favourite character this week.  I wasn't bothered about him either way until Season 10, but he has become kind of lovable in his sadness and humility, and has grown on me more and more.  I loved how he jumped in to support Eugene when Magna and Yumiko were mocking his plan to go and meet Stephanie.  I still can't see the point of Magna and Yumiko; I guess their goodbye scene was written to be touching, too, but they still feel too 'new' for me to care about what happens to them.  But then it's often that way with newer characters.

That scene when he said goodbye to Jerry was a real 'ahhhh' moment, especially as Jerry called him 'Boss' at first, then changed it to Ezekiel, possibly for the first time.  Loved this scene, above—it's got a real medieval look about it.  When Jerry said he was going to miss him 😢 ... please don't let it be the last time they see each other!

Eugene continued his run of being pretty damn awesome this week, too ... 'After everything we've lost, I'm willing to be the fool'.

Then there was Ezekiel's bravery on the road, the sadness when he had to put his horse down, and entering the city, at which point I kept pausing it to study all the fabulous detail of nature reclaiming control... eleven years in, and the shop signs are faded, the cars just forgotten, useless lumps of rusting metal.

Ezekiel knows he may not have long and is making the most of every moment, like when he saw the humour in the dressed up Walkers in the tacos van, the café and, of course, the traffic warden—no doubt the work of Princess, who they met at the end, who seems just as deranged as Beta, though in a different way.

I'm hoping that Ezekiel doesn't die too soon, given his cancer—I hope my theory about lots of tear-jerking and touching scenes before a sad demise is proved wrong.

Lots to look forward to as ever next week, then, but in a bittersweet way as we don't know when we will get to see everyone again.  Let us pray that all of our precious TWD Family, fans, crew and actors alike, stay safe and well. 💕