Photograph by Jackson Lee Davis/AMC
(Spoilers ahead)
Each week, we comb through the guts of The Walking Dead, much like a horde of hungry walkers, to bring you the episode’s best moments, surprises, and other post-apocalyptic curiosities. This week: Rick shows us how to build a bridge, Enid shows us how to be a trauma surgeon, and Angela Kang shows us how to correctly do an episode in the woods.
Season 9, Episode 2: “The Bridge”
Newest sign of better times: This week’s episode ended on a POV cliffhanger. The last time The Walking Dead tried that? The end of season six, when fans were left groaning and rolling their collective eyes at the manufactured mystery of who Negan whacked with his bat. Somehow that same trope was executed much better here in season nine. (It probably helps that we won’t be waiting half a year for an answer that was ripped from the most well-known comic event.)
Photograph by Jackson Lee Davis/AMC
Most improved fighter: Take a look at Henry punching way above his weight class taking out Justin on the bridge. Morgan (and by extension, Tabitha the Goat) would be proud.
Most obvious: Along with the signs pointing to Sanctuary, Hilltop, etc. is a sign pointing to “The Future.” Okay guys, we understand the theme of the season. You don’t have to spell it out.
Best unintentional movie callout: Was anyone else reminded of Return of the Jedi’s Ewoks when Rick took out a herd of walkers using a bunch of logs?
Most artistic: Jadi . . . Anne not only sketches an unknown woman for Gabriel (later revealed to be the organist at his church that he had a crush on), but we know from the signature on the painting in the next scene that Anne also painted the entire mini art gallery in Maggie’s office. Look behind Aaron’s head and you’ll see they appear to be of members of Maggie’s family who have died, including Glenn, Hershel Sr., and Beth.
Second opinion: Enid’s been studying medicine under Siddiq for what? A month? And nobody’s questioning her medical opinion on an amputation?
Weirdest pick-up line: “You hear that? Those are frog mating calls.”
Most unexpected couple: Anyone else feel like the TWD writers wanted a new relationship on the show and spun a wheel to see who they’d pair up next? At least Carol and Ezekiel had an existing platonic relationship—Gabriel and Anne feel completely out of left field.
Best retcon: We don’t think Gabriel being an Episcopalian priest has ever come up in the series. Honestly though, we’re fine with this retcon. It’s cleaner—we’re glad that he won’t be spending an entire episode in the woods debating whether or not he should break his vows had he been Catholic.
UFO: It’s pretty obvious that the lights in the sky Anne saw from the crane toward the episode’s end came from the helicopter that appeared last season. The question is—is Anne connected to this helicopter? Are the ones behind it also kidnapping people?
More airborne questions: Is the helicopter connected to the Commonwealth, a large collection of elitist, well-funded communities currently serving as an antagonist in the comics?
Best exchange:
Rick: “Don’t you ever get tired of acting like you’re still in charge?”
Negan: “Do you? You think just ’cause they had a little weenie roast that you got all this on lock. When it finally goes to shit—and it will—you make sure you come back and you tell me all about that day, too.”
Most disturbing image: We know this show loves its gore (see: last week’s carrion-infested head), but we inherently know that a walker won’t survive being steamrolled by a giant log. We don’t need to see the skulls literally burst and ooze onto the ground.
Photograph by Jackson Lee Davis/AMC
Best kill: Poor Ezekiel. The drama king just wanted to give Carol the most epic proposal speech possible, but she simply wouldn’t have it. The look on his face at that moment was absolutely priceless. But his girl is still wearing his ring, which means at least for now, he has the fairy-tale ending he wanted.
Episode MVP: Michonne, for her continued work bringing the communities together. Sure, Rick gave his little speech and anecdote about the bridge, but the real thing keeping the communities from tearing each other apart is open trade—and Maggie wasn’t about to release her food until Michonne talked with her.
And once again, where exactly does Rick fall this week on the calm/crazy scale?
Illustration by Matt Walljasper; photographs courtesy of AMC
