“The Walking Dead” ramps up the intensity but missing the landing in the fall finale
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Online Editor
The Walking Dead: “For Blood”
Season 11, Episode 8
Airdate: 10/10/2021
Cliffhangers and “The Walking Dead” have always been a mixed bag, and this observation has been established within these reviews for a few seasons now. “For Blood” has two seperate cliffhangers, and while they don’t harm the episode that came before them, they don’t really leave me wanting more, either.
Let’s talk about the obvious one first: There is no way in hell that the Reapers are going to win this fight. Especially now that Pope isn’t around anymore to call the shots (thanks, Leah). Not to mention, the confirmed existence of the spin-off show centering around Daryl and Carol means that Daryl is essentially bullet-proof, and there’s no real drama around this. This show isn’t going to kill off Maggie or Negan, and if Gabriel is going to die this season, I think that the powers that be have a different kind of death in mind for him (which I’ll talk about more at a later date). Truthfully, the only character that is at risk of dying is Elijah, but I haven’t seen enough of Elijah to care much about him. There’s a lot of intensity in this battle between our group and the Reapers, but there’s no real drama about the outcome; no matter how many times that the fuse on the rocket launcher gets lit.
The second one takes place back at Alexandria, where lightning from a storm engulfs the windmill in flames, and strong winds knock down the walls to the community, allowing the place to be overrun by the dead for what has to be the 45th time. Judith and Gracie somehow get caught in the basement of the house that a group of our characters are holed up in, and between the dead roaming the house blocking the door and the rainwater that is filling up the basement very quickly … it is not looking too good for two of the only children on this show that I actually like. That being said, while this show isn’t above killing kids … the show is not going to kill off one of the last remnants of the Rick Grimes legacy, and killing Gracie is essentially doing that since they’re in the same space. So again, there is no real drama here.
This episode wasn’t bad by any means, but it would have benefited from a more definitive ending in both of its stories. There is a longer wait than usual until the next batch of episodes (a by-product of the season starting earlier than usual), and there’s not really a lot to be excited about for its return. This is especially true when you realize that the Commonwealth community, which is the setting for the series’ final major arc, was not visited at all this episode. Even a small teaser from there might have done at least a little to keep the fanbase excited for what’s to come.
This is the show’s final season, and it would be better if the writers and powers that be tried to stay away from these kinds of cliffhangers going forward.
STRAY OBSERVATIONS:
– Seriously, what is Carol even doing this season? Stop looking for horses to eat and get out there and kill people without remorse, lady. This is your calling card!
– Aaron is such a bad father.
– Virgil is such a good guy now that he’s stopped drugging people with his LSD tea.
– I’ve seen the first two episodes of the second season of “The Walking Dead: World Beyond.” I’m not going to be doing reviews of them or “Fear The Walking Dead” because I am in charge of “The Montage” now and let’s be real, I need a break from these weekly reviews until this show returns. That being said, I have seen those episodes, and the first episode of Season 7 of “Fear” and I thought they were very good. “World Beyond” seems to have found its footing, and say what you want to about “Fear,” but the cinematography on that show is always top-notch.
