WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS. Read on only if you've already seen "The Walking Dead" Season 5, Episode 7, titled "Crossed."
While I wouldn’t necessarily call tonight’s episode of “The Walking Dead” filler, it was definitely meant to lead up to next week’s main event -- saving Beth and Carol. Thankfully the episode found a perfect balance of action and mystery, which left me fully satisfied (unlike last week).
Although it would have been nice to see Rick and the gang make it to the hospital already, I liked that the episode didn’t solely focus on that group. We got to see all of our favourite survivors, despite them being separated. What made this set-up even more interesting was all the groups -- except one -- had a character deceive them.
Let’s start with Gabriel. In this episode we get the sense that the pastor is still keeping secrets from us. Earlier this season, we learned that he locks the church doors at night, essentially condemning defenseless people to death. That’s why he carries so much guilt. But while that might be the case, Gabriel surprised us all when he told Michonne and Carl that he wasn’t feeling well, locked himself in his study, and then proceeded to open a hole in the floorboards so that he could escape the church.
Weird, right? For someone who so desperately fears walkers, why would he leave the safety and protection of the church? My theory is that Gabriel is actually associated with another group and he’s been slowly biding his time until he had a chance to get back to them. I’m not sure who they might be, but I have a feeling they’ll be trouble.
Next is Dawn. Back at the hospital, Dawn secretly gave Beth the key to the medicine cabinet so that she could attempt to save Carol. This was odd considering Dawn had just decided that they wouldn’t waste their resources on her, despite the fact that she’s only been there a day. So, can Dawn be trusted?
My first instinct was yes. Before you start thinking I’m crazy, I was basing my opinion on the fact that Dawn’s group relies on people “owing” them in order to survive. But after Beth’s short chat with Dr. Edwards, I knew it was likely that Dawn was trying to trick her instead. Thankfully Edwards is a good guy and told Beth which medicine to give Carol, despite his uneasiness with the situation.
My theory here is that Dawn is trying to frame Beth for being defiant so that she can get rid of her ASAP. It’s obvious she hates the girl. It will be interesting to see how the drama unfolds and to see whether of not Rick and the gang can get to the hospital before the shit hits the fan.
On to Officer Lampson. Also known as Bob (coincidence?), Lampson was one of the three officers Rick and the gang captured as hostages after a mini, but intense, confrontation. Amazingly, Lampson was able to gain Rick’s trust, “help” him figure out how to negotiate with Dawn, and escape with minimal effort.
As a viewer, I should have known better than to trust him, but he was too convincing. The sincerity in his voice, his ability to relate to Rick and Sasha, and his genuine care for others were so smoothly played out that I have to applaud him on his trickery. Now that he’s successfully messed with Rick’s head before his confrontation with Dawn, I can’t wait to see how next week’s midseason finale plays out.
Next week, there will no doubt be a death (or two, or three) of a character we’ve come to know. After all, with only one dramatic fatality this season thus far, another is bound to happen sooner or later. The big question is: who will it be?
I hate to say this, but I feel as though Beth’s days are numbered. She is in the worst situation out of all the characters and I think her only survival at this point will depend on if Rick and Co. can get to her before Dawn tries something. Let’s hope they get there first.
Random Thoughts:
- When Carl told Gabriel to pick a weapon so he could show him how to fight, I totally thought Gabriel was going to try and attack him. Yes, that would have been out of the blue, but that just goes to show how much I don’t trust him.
- I loved when Lampson deduced that Rick was once a police officer, based on the way he talked and carried himself, and then asked him about it. This was a nice moment because it was a reminder to Rick (and to us!) about where he came from and where he started.
- Even in a world as bleak as this, why do we keep living? That’s the question GREATM (an acronym for Glenn, Rosita, Eugene, Abraham, Tara, and Maggie) dealt with in this episode and I loved it. Compared to the other group’s storylines, the message of hope was uplifting as the group continues to face the struggles of the apocalyptic world.
- Did anyone else have an anxiety attack when Daryl was struggling to fight off one of the police officers? I couldn’t help but cheer when Daryl knocked him off with a walker head he just happened to tear off in the moment. So amazing.
- Briefly seeing Carl and Michonne in this episode made me miss them. Let’s hope they have more of a role in the next half of the season.
“The Walking Dead” airs on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.