Spoilers for the season 5 premiere of The Walking Dead and for future episodes follow.
We’ve heard from Walking Dead comic creator Robert Kirkland that the show will be closer to the comic this season. That was evident in last night’s excellent season 5 opener, which very quickly resolved the Terminus storyline and reunited our favorite characters. There was plenty of violence and zombie gore, including an actual scene of face eating, along with moral dilemmas that revealed some of the tough decisions people have had to face during the zombie apocalypse. Is it a matter of eat or be eaten or is there a way through the darkness in which humanity remains intact? It’s worth noting that the character whose moral relativism got her ousted from the group, Carol, is the one who ultimately saves them from being eaten by cannibals.
Here’s a quick overview of the most shocking moments, thanks to E! Online. You can read a more thorough recap at Pennlive.
—Barely two minutes into the episode and Rick gets his face stomped on. Great, if great is short for “guess I’m going to be closing my eyes a lot for an hour.”
—We moved on from face-stomping to guys hitting other guys with baseball bats before slitting their throats! At least we think that’s what happened. We definitely were not looking.
—Carol covered herself in walker guts to disguise herself from the walkers. Duh. Why have they not all been doing this since the very beginning if it lets them walk around unnoticed? If it’s because it’s totally disgusting, we kind of understand.
—Gut-covered Carol got into a fight with Terminus Mary in a chapel full of candles and we were way more concerned about the candles than anything else.
—A Terminus guy threatened to snap Judith’s neck and we were about to jump into the screen and snap his neck, until we got distracted by Judith’s immaculate little baby sweater. How did it stay so clean?
—When Tyreese opened that door back up after defeating the walkers, we actually clapped a little. We thought about chanting his name as he pummeled Terminus guy to death, but we decided that might be a little much.
—That hug between Daryl and Carol perfectly encompasses what we want out of most of our relationships in life.
—They got out of Terminus! Rick and Carl were reunited with Judith! What are these? Happy tears? During The Walking Dead? Where are we?
I definitely noticed that baby Judith’s outfit and her cute little shoes were spotless. I was wondering how they even clothed Judith so well. Did they raid a Babies R Us at some point? That was a minor inconsistency in an otherwise highly entertaining story. When Daryl and Carol reunited I actually got teary eyed.
I had some questions about this episode: Carol blew up the place by disguising herself as a zombie. As Kristen at E! asks, why hasn’t anyone tried to pass as a zombie recently? We saw Glenn do it in the first season, but no one has tried since. Is it because it’s just too risky?
Why isn’t anyone calling out Eugene on his bogus claim that he has some kind of weaponized disease that will kill the walkers? Maybe I know too much from the comics, but that whole story sounded fake. Even if it was true, doesn’t it sound too risky to “fight fire with fire”?
Also, I missed this because it played after the credits but apparently Morgan is close behind the group. Morgan is the guy who saved Rick in season one and then lost it in season three after his son died. He’s played by British actor Lennie James. I’m so excited he’s coming back! I’m also glad they got rid of the Terminus storyline early on, and I can’t wait to see what else happens this season.
Here’s the clip featuring Morgan. You can see another clip from the upcoming episode on YouTube.
I had the SAME reaction re: Tyreese. That man is awesome and I was not ready to watch him die. Carol is my Spirit Animal in the zombie apocalypse.
I sent a text last night with the words CAROL IS MY SPIRIT ANIMAL.
I sent a text last night with the words Carol is a BADASS.
Ha, totally tweeted last season that michon is my spirit animal. Lol
I legit cheered at Tyreese when he came back through that door. I felt ill watching that creep put his hands on Judith, and her little pouty sad face…god that killed me!
He and Carol…pure awesome!
That opening though…bloody hell!!!
On Talking Dead they covered the baby’s emotions. It was the fathers hand on her face too. The baby cried and cried so they shot all the scenes needed and then she stopped and they skipped right to the scene where Tyrese kicks down the door. Great timing!
MAN, I was not ready for the “hit and slit” in Terminus. I actually screamed.
And Morgan!!!!!!!!!!
I was not ready either! I yelled so loud my husband (who doesn’t like the show) came running to see what the ruckus was.
I had read about it before-so I made my husband (who doesn’t watch the show) sit there with me. I still watched it with a pillow in front of my face.
Yeah that trough was so out of left field, I guess they realized they had to go that far to shock everyone who’s been watching gory zombie deaths for 4 seasons. This was a new and interesting twist.
I thought it morbidly clever, considering that stunning with a blow to head and slitting the throat is commonly how cattle are slaughtered. With the referencing of “butcher” vs. “cattle” it fit nicely. Well, NOT nice of course, but you know what I mean.
I didn’t read the comic so don’t say anything (La lal allalalalallaaaa, I can’t hear you)
but I don’t think Eugene knows enough to warrant protecting him so much. Plus, on the topic of calling him out, why is no one calling him out on his dumb mullet. Who has to time for a friggin mullet in the middle of a damn zombie apocalypse??
The explanation on how to stop the zombie apocalypse didn’t even make sense. Speaking of hair why is that other guy’s hair orange?
It sounded like a load of soundbites you’d pick up from tv/movies/videogames.
All he was doing was saying words like pathogen and bioweapon, there was no basis behind it.
I haven’t read the comics either, but I agree with Lindy. I’ve said from the start that all his “scientific” jargon sounds like stuff he picked up playing video games in his mom’s basement.
I thought Abraham and Rosita were even bigger idiots for believing him (although who could blame them for holding onto that spark of hope), but I think last night alluded to the fact that they know he’s full of shit.
Without dipping into my novel knowledge I do get why they didn’t question.
They’re holding guard. He’s claiming it’s very hard to explain. That he’ll only give them an outline because there’s threats all around and not much time.
Any doubts the group has won’t come out until there’s another red flag. Right now is about keeping the peace and working as a unit for freedom and survival.
And Ab and Rosita was to believe so badly in this. Of course, once they get to DC we will see how the show differs from the books. There are enough changes so far that can allow for an unsure future story line.
I loved the whole episode. Found little to no issues with it so far. And thank goodness Terminus is resolved.
P.S. I hope people are watching Talking Dead. There was so much in that episode that got explained by the writer and director/prooducer(?). Who the guy on the slab was. How Terminus picks who to eat and who to join them. The history of Terminus. Guy on the slab, etc… Just neat!
Haven’t read the comics either and the biggest WTF for me on this show so far is how no one went out of their way to care or question Eugene’s claims. They’ve been on the run, family/friends killed, lives uprooted, overcome injuries/disease, etc. but when confronted with possible answers to this giant dilemma everyone’s like “meh.” I agree with Lindy79—If I had to guess Eugene has a high-functioning mental illness and he’s living out his video game fantasies. The moment Abraham and Rosita had near the end of the episode about telling Rick something, might be alluding to something along these lines. Maybe I read into that too much, but those are my two cents.
Tears welled up when Daryl hugged Carol. Seriously.
So happy that the group is (almost) completely back. This was, hands down, the BEST season opener they have ever had. Can’t wait to see what this season has in store.
I could not agree more!!
I was standing when he turned and saw her… it dropped me to my knees. Let’s just give them all the awards now.
Yes! Great scene.
I’m not one to cry at things on the TV screen, but I too teared up when Darryl saw her and ran to hug her. I agree that it was the best season premiere in the series history.
So glad everyone is back together, finally I can sleep easy! Very interested to see what happens with the (recently) crazy dude from season 1 😀
Seriously? You can sleep easy after that?? My sleep was very, very disturbed. Lol. If that’s the premiere, how much more disturbing will the rest of the season be?!
I was shocked I slept so well. I was more at ease that the show returned as is still awesome.
And we’ll find out about Beth! Black car white cross took her and she’s not having fun. Daryl to the rescue!
Haha yeah, waiting for Judith (pretty sure that’s the baby’s name) to get back to rick and Carl had been killing me ever since they found her car seat filled with blood after the prison was compromised. Honest to god that was the saddest/hear trenching moment for me, so for them to see her and hold her… Gah I’m tearing up writing this. I’m so lame. Can you tell I have kids 😛 and get wayyy to emotionally invested in this show
Ugh I felt sick at the beheadings and the threat to Judith. I don’t know if I can even watch this anymore.
Plus Rick really needs to cut that gross hair. Bring back hot Rick! He’s a badass. Loved the scene when he opened up their boxcar and it is complete mayhem outside.
And carol stole the show, as always. A wonderful character!
Carol is a complicated character. I’m still on the fence about her. But that scene with rick freeing the rest! Pure awesomeness.
Where are you getting beheading from? They cut there throats
When gareth walked in with his clipboard, those four dudes were headless. At least that’s what I saw while peeking through my fingers. 😉
Ok my husband just informed me that the heads were still dangling. Still gross; carry on.
Carol has had the most interesting character development of them all, in my opinion. My roommate watched bits and pieces of the marathon leading up to the premiere and it was shocking to see the Carol of season one versus now.
Strains credulity a bit. The guy with a greasy mullet has the answer to save humanity?
Re: disguising one’s self as a zombie – yes, why don’t they do that, or follow Michonne’s lead and keep a couple of de-armed, de-fanged zombies on a leash, so the other zombies can’t recognize them as living? They could go just about anywhere unimpeded.
And in response to CBs comment, Glenn was not the last one to do it. Michonne did it on her trek to the prison after Glenn and Maggie were taken prisoner.
I guess maybe it’s a grossness factor? I mean, as a general rule, people prefer to be clean, not just for aesthetics, but also for health reasons. And bathing opportunities are hard to come by in the zombie apocalypse, so maybe they only use it as a last resort? Like when they’re forced to travel alone instead of with someone to watch their backs?
I believe Glenn and Rick did it first, when they were in Atlanta in the first season. It started raining though.
Wouldn’t it be dangerous too? If a bite transfers the disease I imagine zombie guts could do the same if you had a cut or some sort of open wound.
Great episode top to bottom. I too noticed how dusty the room got when they were all reunited, especially when Rick saw Judith. The twins they use for her are absolutely adorable. I had to laugh a couple of times though when it was so obvious that Tyreese was holding a doll.
My predictions this year are that Carol and Glenn don’t make it. Not that I’d be happy about that but its not realistic (as realistic as you can be in a zombie show) to have everyone survive all the time. I hope Beth gets it too though. She’s annoying as F***. But I loved how much ass Carol kicked last night. I love the arc her character has had and Melissa McBride is so good.
And that surprise at the end with Morgan was AWESOME.
If Carol doesn’t make it, I may have to give up the show. No joke. Her character has shown the most growth over the course of the show. She IS the heroine. Not Rick. She has become the person everyone thought Rick would be. Although I can totally see her dying trying to save someone else.
Great thing about the show is we will go with it. We all couldn’t wait for Andrea to leave. I think it will be done well and there will be new factors that help us accept a characters leaving. Carol could become reckless and endanger every. Then it would be fine.
The violence in this episode was hard to watch and I am now no longer a viewer. Your taste will change and mindless violence will go away.
A show about the zombie apocalypse is too violent for you? Isn’t that the whole premise?
Well, that is your opinion and choice. I hope you never read the novels. With has a g rating compared to those.
And there’s more death on the alphabet channels. More horrible acts not for story line, but for shock value and viewers. This at least is part of the story. All the gore is realistic and not cut out or mainly cgi. It’s the bad side of human nature. I find it well put together and i’m in the vast majority.
my husband doesn’t watch the show and had the same reaction. I explained it like this:
season 1 takes place directly after the dead have started rising. people are desperate, but you can still find genuinely good people in the world. remember the janitor taking care of all the old people?
You aren’t safe, but it’s easier to bring new people into the fold.
Seasons 2-4 we’ve seen that as time has passed, it’s becoming more dangerous and more brutal. Just like the walkers are becoming more rotted and gruesome as time goes by, the humanity of people is being chipped away. The show is becoming more violent because the world is becoming more violent.
Personally what I found MOST disturbing the entire episode, was Gareth talking to Bob and referring to him by name. That was weird, and I think, an oversight on the part of the writers. If you’ve been reduced to cannibalism for survival and you’re actively herding people in and treating them like livestock, then treat them like livestock. Don’t talk to them! IMO the fact that you’re willing to have a conversation with bob and then turn around and slaughter him and butcher him illustrates a certain “okay-ness” you have about what you’re doing. If you aren’t uncomfortable talking to your dinner, you must like it a little bit.
Regarding talking to your food before it becomes food. Not an oversight imo. The characters are so far removed from their situation. This is a norm. That was a running theme in this episode. Remember when Carole tells Mary before you lets the walkers eat her? She said neither of them are here. That they are not the people they were. They’re what it takes to survive.
They’re not ok with what is happening. It’s just how things have to be to survive.
I am actually in 100% agreement with this and had the exact same reaction.
If they are gonna get closer to comics this season:
Does that Mean Tyreese and the women of this show get a backbone and awesomery?
Does this mean we wont have to continue Carlhate?
Is Rick gonna continue his ruling as the King Midas of Shit..cause everywhere he goes he comes out big dick aggro swinging for no reason and turns it all to shit??
Anyways They didnt call out Eugene’s bs but Michonne’s face while he was talking was classic “he’s Mansplaining ” face
Speaking of eugene…he runs like the galaxy quest alien… Go look it up!!
I still dont understand why Judith (aka a super hindrance!) had to “be alive” like in the book she wasnt and it dovetailed nicely with making her family of jerks sympathetic… So why not leave her as Zombie Scooby Snack?? Is cause we have to continually deal with AMC Pussying out on The Very Good Source material… bah! At this point im still watching so long as Noting befalls Michonne or Darryl and so long as they keep bringing The Wire actors in!
Galaxy Quest alien..HAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Lindy Id recognize that stiff ass “what are arms for” slow run ANYWHERE!
I can NEVER unsee that and it’s fabulous. I hope he runs in every episode. Even when they’re all standing around talking, he can be running around in the background.
So basically you’re saying you want the baby to die? That’s not weird at all!
*shrugs* yes and?? If anything they could do the same “implied” “panning away” “not shown” stuff theyve been doing for every minor…lord knows it was way way wayyyy better/more explicit in the comics
I don’t think AMC backs away from the taboo. Look at Lizzie. I mean, that crossed a line for a lot of people. I think Judith is symbolic of their hope, and they are keeping hope alive. Even when it seems so completely hopeless.
Engh! IDK Rae wasnt that the actual Point of Carl the Brat being around tho?? Or is it that the writers have so thorougly botched his character (Hi Andrea!) to where he don’t care about him like that and we needed the fresh baby to make us root for em?
It’s a borderline hatewatch for me unless the series continues last night trajectory!
I don’t think I can consider that objectively since I’ve ALWAYS wanted Carl dead. I’m pretty sure that says a lot about me as a human being.
While I think the show did a terrible job of portraying the female characters in the first few seasons, I think Maggie/Michonne/Carole/Sasha are strong females with backbones.
I think that there is a certain line that TV won’t cross, and killing a baby on screen is probably it. Lizzie was hardly a crossed line because she was messed up. She killed her sister and was going to kill Judith and was a danger to EVERYONE in the group.
I know a lot of people who quite GoT when they killed Robert’s bastards in season 2.
Yeah, it’s my hope they don’t let Judith get harmed, and as for the idea that they would be better off leaving her behind? It’s human instinct to protect/care for the very young, otherwise no one would have kids and the human race wouldn’t have survived as long as it has so far. I have kids, a 5 year old and (almost) 7 month old twins, a lot of work/money/energy goes into breast feeding, basic hygiene needs, stimulation -no way would any human willingly put that much effort into anything if it wasn’t human instinct. When people start putting themselves before their babies I automatically assume they are sociopaths, even animals will die protecting their young.
I don’t want them to kill off Judith. I have a young daughter and the idea of that REALLY upsets me. I think it is possible that they have kept her alive specifically to have that “easy” tension builder. I agree with QQ that having the baby is a hinderance for the group as they try to stay alive—but I think that for a lot of the viewers, having her around creates the opportunity to put us at the edge of our seats,
Semi -related. Whren I first started watching ths series (on netflix–so I was late to the game), my daughter was an infant. Judith was not ON the show in the earliest episodes and I couldn’t stop thinking about how if my husband and I were in the middle of a zombie apocolypse, we would be screwed because we wouldn’t be able to keep the baby quiet. That constant thought made the show even more scary for me, and that was without actually having a baby on screen yet to project these fears on. I think having a baby on the show adds a level of horror for people who are parents in real life.
I was so happy when Tyreese beat up that Terminus dude. His and Tasha’s reunion as well as Rick, Carl and Judith was the best. Carol rocks!
There were other reunions??? All I saw were Daryl and Carol…
The background story of Terminus was harder for me to get my head around, than the Mullet Cure. A peaceful sanctuary town of people is taken over by bad guys who rape, kill, and cannibalize. The original residents fight and get their town back. (I’m with them so far) So the first thing they do when they get the town back is, lure in innocent people, steal their stuff, slaughter them, and eat them? I feel like that’s a pretty big leap. Surely there were steps in between. It’s just hard to imagine a whole group of people saying, “Well, we could strengthen the defenses OR we could trap, slaughter and eat children.”
I know, whatever defense they had for what they were doing, which was bull anyway -personally I think they just went a bit feral and mad after they were attacked- they lost me when I saw all the kids teddies in that room of stuff. They could go eff themselves after that.
What threat are kids, or how about treating newcomers with suspicion until you can trust them and not just killing and eating them…how gross was that meat room they had…jesus?!?
kids are a huge threat. if the zombie apocalypse started today, I’d be dead in days with a boisterous 2 year old and noisy baby. If you’re making the decision on who to eat first, loud kids that attract zombies (and especially babies that you have to keep making formula runs for) and then the old/slow.
You have a point, but how do they procreate then? By the way they never had a baby zombie right? That’d be so creepy.
They had the Governor’s kid (Penny?) & Sophia, along with the others locked up in Hershel’s barn. I don’t recall a baby or toddler, but honestly zombies have enough issues with motors kills, I cannot see a baby or toddler being too much of a threat. And I agree with kids being a liability, but a “sanctuary” like Terminus & the Prison would make more sense to being able to have and take care of kids. And I have an issue with how much food/meat they were using. At least 8 full grown men (Rick & co), plus the dead guy on the table, PLUS those 4+ bodies in the drying room… That just seems like greedy overkill. And at no point did these people try to raise actual cattle (like they did in the prison)? Seems pretty short sighted in the long run.
the show’s ok. I LOVEd the first season. Right now I’m all about Telltale Game’s Walking Dead
I love Telltale Game’s The Walking Dead. I can’t wait for the third season next year. For some reason I can’t get into the show. I’ve only seen the first 1-2 episodes and never continued with it. I guess I’ll watch it some time in the near future but it isn’t urgent for me like the games.
(Screaming still) Last nights premiere was amazing! I don’t I looked away from the tv once. And I will say, Carol is a badass chick!
The premiere was amazing!! Had me on the edge of my seat!
Having said that between Boardwalk Empire and TWD I seriously need a laugh on Sunday nights.
They got the baby clothes from the house where they were staying. Remember? There was a crib there and a baby had lived there (this is the house with the grove where Carol ended up having to kill Lizzie). I agree though, too clean.
Oooh I forgot that part, thank you!
I love TWD, and really liked the show last night. However, I am sick of the graphic threats to baby Judith. They feel cloying, like the show is trying to prove how edgy it is with “we might kill a baby, you dont think we will but we would if we WANTED too.” The bloody carseat, Lizzie about to kill her, now the neck-snapping thing… The show CAN be horrifying and I accept it as part of the premise, but I dont know how long I can handle hanging Judith over the cliff over and over. She’s just a babyyy!!!
The danger to Judith and Carl almost being raped, are ten times harder for me to deal with than a face being eaten. I think one of the points regarding Judith, is she’s everyone’s baby, and they would all probably die trying to keep her alive.
Yes! I just need to know Judith will always be safe. Maybe she is the savior? Can you imagine what a child born into that world would be like? I mean, look at what five seasons has done to Carl. Still can’t stay his ass in the house!
Fun Fact: Did anyone recognize the first guy that got it in the slaughterhouse?
I couldn’t put my finger on it while I was watching, plus there was so much else going on, until I saw Talking Dead afterwards.
He’s Hippie Sam, the guy they found in a house with his girlfriend.
I did not make that connection because i knew what was coming and had to look away. And when I heard them talking about it on the Talking Dead, I tried to watch it again in the encore episode, but I still couldn’t do it.
I need someone to hold me…
I knew there was some recognition in Ricks face, and a moment between them but I couldn’t place it!
I missed that. I also didn’t connect Alex to the dead guy with the bullet in his forehead, and that he was Gareth’s brother.
I made the connection right away, but my friend who I was watching with didn’t. Before I could explain, well….yeah.
Oh, come on. Can’t we please have a post that discusses only last night’s episode without spoiling upcoming episodes? I’m so interested in seeing what everyone else has to say about the premiere but I can’t even read the article or any responses because of the warning at the top about spoilers for episodes that haven’t even aired yet. It’s one thing to discuss an episode after the fact, but why also tell us what’s going to happen in the coming weeks rather than just let us watch it for ourselves?
If it helps, I don’t think anything is discussed about future eps above either in the article or the comments, just a link to you tube that is region locked?
There is a question that Eugene may be full of crap but…well we all know that just because it’s so obvious.
I really loved, loved this episode. I watched the 1st episode of Season 4 the previous night because I had missed it when it was first shown and it just seemed soooo slow. It was the one with the Irish woman in the woods and the group was enjoying the calm before the storm in the prison. This season’s premiere was far better and what’s not to love? Carol is back, none of the core group was killed off, the pace was great – and Morgan!!
As far as the violence goes, I am forever immune to it since binge watching TWD last fall in order to catch up to the 4th season last year. Try watching 3 or 4 episodes *an evening*! At first, it was totally shocking and unnerving. But after a few seasons, it was like, oh, another lobbed off head…and since I watch both TWD AND The Strain, nothing gets to me anymore…
I’m not squeamish but the opening scene did make me tense, as did the guy threatening Judith first with his hands and then with the knife, her little face killed me!! but I found AHS Freakshow more disturbing because of that bloody clown and I’m not even afraid of clowns.
Jessica Lange singing Bowie in a bad German accent made up for it though.
Thank you. AHS: Freak Show scared the crap out of me and I’m not afraid of clowns either! My husband actually told me to turn it off. I do not know if I will be able to continue to watch that weird show. WD all day long (even though the trough scene may have scarred me for life) but AHS still cannot watch the Asylum one and this one is a real question mark. I texted to my sister “Carol is my b**ch!” She is the best.
My husband seems to think that the guy at the end, who originally took terminus just before the cattle line, looked an awful lot like Negan.
So did mine..we googled and apparently its not which makes sense because if the Termites overthrew the gang to retake control they would have killed them so he’d be dead, but someone said he was the long haired beard guy Rick and Co let out of the other train car so he’s dead either way.
I would be so upset if that was all of Negan. He’s such a big character in terms of future events. IMO he’s worse than the Governor.