The Walking Dead S11 E1-2: "Acheron" Review
The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 1-2: "Acheron" Review
[WARNING: Major spoilers for The Walking Dead seasons 1-10, minor spoilers for season 11.]
If you're surprised to see AMC's most popular series The Walking Dead has managed to shamble its way into an 11th season, don't worry: You're not alone. A series that was once a powerhouse in terms of views because of its unique, character-driven storytelling set in the backdrop of the zombie apocalypse, The Walking Dead has seen many ups and downs in both quality and viewership since its peak of popularity all the way back in season 5. Right now, though, the series is slowly dripping as the last of its live viewers filter out, the series now only raking in 2 million live viewers on a good day. An admirable feat to be sure, and indicative of a general degree of popularity. But it's nowhere near the 14 million live viewers the series would receive during its peak.
As for the current viewership, for better or worse, I'm one of the people who have stuck around through every good, bad, and strange alteration the show has gone through. I was there during its peak, watching the post-Governor arcs of Terminus and Alexandria play out week-by-week. I was also there during what many consider to be the dropping-off point for the series: When a new major villain named Negan killed fan-favorite characters Abraham and Glenn. I also stuck around as the show's production issues began impacting the plot, most especially in season 9 where the show's protagonist, Rick Grimes, was written off five episodes in (not to worry, though; there are apparently movies set to tie his story in to the larger Walking Dead universe set to start filming...at some point). See, I have a personal issue with leaving stories unfinished, meaning no matter the quality of this final, 24-episode season, I have to see it through to the end. And probably catch up on major spin-offs like Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond, as AMC has begun laying the groundwork for a shared universe building toward a grand finale tying all the shows together.
But while the future of The Walking Dead is building toward more grand-scale conflicts, the first few episodes of this final season highlight more of the normal issues faced in a zombie apocalypse. This time, the major antagonist is hunger. After the zombie-skin-wearing Whisperers were defeated at the end of the previous season, the main group--now consolidated to Alexandria after the fall of The Kingdom and Hilltop--has been left with only one week of food for everyone in their ever-growing community. This is because of trampling and field-burning from the Whisperers, which has made farming everything back from the dust a massive effort. To combat their hunger, returnee Maggie Rhee leads a team through DC's underground subway in an effort to return to Meridian, a group she led prior to returning that was destroyed by the Reapers. The Reapers being a new antagonistic group introduced in season 10's bonus episodes. This two-parter focuses most of its time on this group hunting for food, mostly as they try and fight their way through hordes of walkers underneath DC.
To keep our focus on this storyline for now, I was often taken out of the experience of their journey because of the constant conflict between Maggie and Negan, the latter being a villain in the process of reformation. What I had believed was a conflict that ended in season 9--and seven years ago in the show's timeline--rears its head once more to add drama and tension to the group's journey. While I can understand the importance of showing how Maggie is disturbed by Negan being free despite having killed her husband the first time she met him, there's a lack of any progression or resolution to their relationship despite spending the better part of two episodes focused on it. There is a scene where Maggie hands Negan a gun that he later gives back to her when the conflict is over, but the way their characters behave around one another indicates this little exchange didn't do much to convince either of them to trust the other. This feels like a conflict that's been in the background of multiple seasons and, to me, at least, feels like something that was resolved a while ago. I just hope the arrival of the Reapers and the inevitable conflict with them helps to bring this drama to an end--and sooner rather than later.
Though I have to admit, without the forced storyline of Maggie versus Negan, this conflict did allow for multiple great moments starring my favorite baseball bat-wielding anti-hero. If I'm watching this show for any other reason outside of a sick desire to see how everything ends, it's because Jeffery Dean Morgan kills it as Negan. Every line that comes out of Negan's mouth feels like it was written by a completely different writing staff. If you told me it was ad-libbed, I would believe you. Not only are Negan's quips right to the point and entertaining, but it sometimes feels like there's a streak of self-awareness to his character. As if he knows he's a character in a zombie series where the survivors sometimes don't make the best decisions. The best moment of this two-parter comes in the form of him ranting in the first episode. Particular standout moments from his speech include his reasonable assertion that walking around in tunnels during a zombie apocalypse is too dangerous, and that Maggie only wanted him along so she could kill him, as he lives "rent-free" in her head. It's very funny and very entertaining, but also makes Negan an agreeable, rational character. Something I feel he's always been, but that's a defense for another post.
Other characters outside of these two didn't get much of a chance to shine. While Father Gabriel was there curiously aiming down sights with his blind eye, Daryl also tagged along given his new status as the closest thing to a protagonist the series has. Though he ends up shafted in the first part, the second episode sees him separated from the group as he hunts for his dog, Dog, in the tunnels. And, when he does find his way back to the rest of the gang, his reemergence makes for an admittedly cool acton sequence. An action sequence that may become more commonplace for the rest of the season, as the group's storyline ended on a massive cliffhanger that, while pushing the edge a bit in terms of design, may result in some well-choreographed fights.
But Maggie's mission isn't the only storyline highlighted in the first two episodes. Finally, after multiple episodes of buildup, Eugene, Yumiko, Ezekiel, and Princess have all arrived at the Commonwealth. After having been housed in train cars for an undisclosed amount of time, the group finally arrives as a "processing" facility, where they go through a series of hours-long questionnaires as the Commonwealth attempts to vet them as dishonest or untrustworthy. Given the group's possession of armor and weapons that could turn Alexandria into Swiss cheese, the quartet must do their best to get into the Commonwealth's favor while also keeping Alexandria's existence a secret. Along the way, as they begin to question their mission, different characters find reasons to stay--some of which come out of left field, but others that have already been grounded in a season or so of buildup.
I enjoyed these segments far more than Maggie's mission, mostly because we were slowly drip-fed information about a new group whose motives have been shrouded in mystery since the previous season. It's still not clear just how trustworthy the Commonwealth is, as the strict nature of their processing indicates just how overcautious they are when it comes to outsiders. At the same time, though, given how many antagonistic outsiders our main group has faced since the show's inception, it's understandable why a group with so many resources would want to keep its possible additions at arm's length. Some of the best moments of this section had to do with characters' interactions with Mercer, the red-armored warden of the processing facility. While he seems like a generic, no-nonsense guy ruling over the facility with an iron fist, there are hints that his character is a lot less stern than the public persona he puts on for our main crew. I look forward to seeing his character develop as this final season progresses.
In tandem with these positives, however, were a few negatives. There's a point in time where Princess reveals she can read people very easily based on body language alone, something the group uses to their advantage in the first episode as a plot to steal some of the guards' armor. The problem, though, is that the audience never sees this happen. Instead, we're led to assume that the group managed to snag the armor without a hitch. It makes for a lack of real tension in the scene because there's been no buildup to this moment. At the same time, this is only a single scene in the episode that ends up becoming nullified by one of the group members finding a rather contrived reason for everyone to stay. I feel like everything presented here was interesting on the surface, but the execution could have been a little more exciting.
Though not wanting to end this review on a negative note, I have to say that Josh McDermitt really gave it his all as Eugene in the second episode. Much of that episode's time spent in the Commonwealth focused on Eugene's increasing paranoia, as he fears he's led people that he cares about into a trap. His character really shines here as we get a reminder as to how even the most basic of human needs can lead people to do desperate things under extraordinary circumstances. I also loved the ending for the group in this episode, something I won't spoil given my affinity for leaving things a mystery in my reviews so you can explore them for yourselves. But just know that, if you've been waiting for something to happen for the last season regarding this plot thread, you won't be disappointed.
While there were a multitude of hiccups and some egregious oversights in this two-part premiere of The Walking Dead's final season, I came away from the show feeling oddly satisfied that I've stuck around for this long. It is nowhere near as good as it's peak, and I doubt the series--whether the main show or its plethora of spin-offs--will ever reach that height again. But, given where the show is right now, it's doing a good job at being entertaining. Even if some of that entertainment comes in the form of unintentional hilarity. While the first episode stumbled right out of the gate, the second episode really picked up and did a good job at telling a decent story with characters we've been watching survive for years. While I do worry about how much of the next 22 episodes of the season will feel necessary, I'm strapped in and ready to roll for this final season. Here's to The Walking Dead for somehow shambling along since 2010 with plenty of stories left to tell--for better or worse.
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