The Walking Dead S11 E16: "Acts of God" Review

 The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 16: "Acts of God" Review

[WARNING: Major spoilers for The Walking Dead seasons 1-10, spoilers for season 11.]

[Also spoilers for this episode throughout.]

The Walking Dead has proven itself time and again to be a series of varying quality. As I professed in a few posts prior to this one, I do love the series, which is why it's been such a shame to watch the quality dwindle these last few years. What's more, despite having one stint of eight episodes left before the show's curtain call, the series doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon. Not only will the next eight hours of television have to bring an end to the show's current arc and the plethora of character stories herein, but it will also have to set up the three sequel series that AMC has promised will be airing next year. Which means that, yes, even though Season 11 is the "final season" of the show, it's not really the end. Not for anyone who cares enough not to tap out, anyway. Which, sadly, I think I might be doing once Season 11 is over, unless they can really amp up the quality of writing and storytelling in the final Part of the season. Because, despite having a few interesting developments that I hope are handled well, "Acts of God" is a profession of everything The Walking Dead currently excels at, while also being a measure of what makes the series so hard to watch these days.

After a buildup over the last few episodes, Commonwealth ambassador Lance Hornsby has decided that Alexandria, Hilltop, and Oceanside all pose a threat to the Commonwealth due to their inability to conform and for their suspected betrayal of the Commonwealth soldiers at the apartment complex two episodes prior. In response to this, the episode primarily depicts Lance's attempt at garnering control of all three settlements as Commonwealth outposts. This includes attacking Hilltop, ordering soldiers to hunt down Aaron and Gabriel, and sending a newly-allied Leah out to kidnap Maggie from her home. It's actually a rather interesting and fast-paced plan that happens throughout the episode. I was genuinely interested in seeing Lance go full scorched earth in a matter of 45 minutes. That being said, I feel like the presentation in the episode could have been more poignant. A task this big doesn't feel like something the Commonwealth--especially under Lance alone--could accomplish in a matter of days. Maybe it's just me, but it feels like there should have been more exploration with this idea over the course of the last couple of episodes instead of the meandering around it that we got. At the same time, watching Lance go crazy little by little was fun (even if he did become a Two-Face rip-off at the end). I won't deny that I had fun watching everything transpire. But it didn't feel like it had the same emotional weight or well-paced development that previous seasons have had.

Given that, though, I enjoyed seeing Leah one final time in this episode as well. I think her character added to the Reapers storyline, and while there are a dozen different ways they could have used her, I'm satisfied with having her story end the way it did. I'm actually quite glad that, despite her strong connection to Daryl, the writers didn't use that as an excuse to keep her around for too long. It's very much worthy of praise, even if I feel like, presentation-wise, she could have been handled a little better. I would have liked one final scene between her and Daryl that really accentuated her current role in the story. Instead, her end felt a little unceremonious. Now, that's not to say I didn't like what happened to her. I thought Daryl coming in and shooting her was a fitting end to her story. What I didn't like was how it happened, as there didn't seem to be any dwelling on Daryl's feelings or finality to it. The presentation somehow felt choppy, like there was more to be said that was left unsaid--but probably should have been said.

These elements of the main plot of the episode in particular display what the show does well in Season 11, as well as how it falters. The ideas presented throughout Part 2 of this season have been interesting. I like the notion of Lance Hornsby's lack of control over Alexandria and Hilltop driving him insane. I enjoyed the short apartment arc, as I felt like it underscored a hidden side to the Commonwealth that the audience hadn't been exposed to before. The way in which Leah and the Commonwealth's arcs collided was really intriguing, as I hadn't expected her to end up allied with Lance. But it's in the presentation that problems start to arise. Hornsby's insanity isn't a built up as it could have been, even if it is entertaining to watch. The apartment complex arc is tainted by a follow-up episode that doesn't capitalize on the excitement and tension from the previous entry, making the tone of the season feel jarring. And Leah, while excellent as a villain, doesn't carry the same weight and presence as during the Reapers storyline, feeling more like a character checkbox to be filled rather than someone whose presence adequately contributes to the story. It's not that the ideas are bad. On paper, Season 11 of The Walking Dead is filled with intrigue. But it's within such intrigue that a lack of engaging storytelling exists.

This is highlighted very much by the sub-plot of this final episode of Part 2. During this part of the episode, Eugene, Max, and other protagonists that live in the Commonwealth create a ploy to publish a news article about Governor Pamela Milton's lies about how the Commonwealth treats its citizens. The idea of overt political intrigue getting introduced into The Walking Dead is an interesting concept. Unfortunately, the fact that there doesn't feel like there's any buildup in evidence-gathering or tension regarding it outside this episode makes it feel tacked-on. Again, it's a matter of how the ideas are being presented. The notion of the Commonwealth introducing espionage and investigative reporting into The Walking Dead is interesting. However, the way its presented makes me feel like there's a bit of a disconnect between what the writers want to happen, and how the writers can make it happen to ensure the best quality of plot progression for the show as a whole. Which is why I didn't really feel all that much when, at the end of the episode, Pamela Milton saw her own picture on the front page of the newspaper. The presentation throughout the season didn't make me feel like we were building toward something like this, making it difficult to full engage with what was transpiring.

And I think that's what's made me feel so jaded and conflicted about Season 11 Part 2 overall. While I enjoyed the ideas that were presented throughout the season--many of which were executed quite well and made me come back for more each week--the overall presentation of said ideas hasn't been up to par with previous seasons. And yes, I do believe that, despite showrunner and cast changes over the course of the last few years, I think it is absolutely fair to compare current seasons of The Walking Dead to previous seasons. Especially when, just five seasons ago, the series was one of the largest television series in basic cable history, with a quality that underscored that level of popularity. I think this series still has a ton of potential to have a great ending despite the stumbles throughout its history. I truly do hope that those involved in the series have come together to create a memorable finale for everyone who has spent so much time in The Walking Dead universe. While I am hesitant to expect finality come October when the series returns--mostly due to the plethora of sequel series on their way--I do hope that, to some extent, the series is able to end in a way where those that wish to tap out will feel some level of satisfaction in doing so.

Overall, The Walking Dead Season 11 Part 2 has been a mixed bag that I do hope will improve during the show's grand finale. While there have been some parts of the season that have stuck out to me as quality, there have been other elements so far that haven't drawn me in the way previous seasons have been able to. I truly do hope that the main show doesn't end with a teaser for what's to come for a franchise as a whole, and that we actually get some level of finality surrounding our heroes as well as the Commonwealth. There's still a lot of ground to cover before the series ends, though, so I don't think I can call myself "cautiously optimistic" until I see how Part 3 begins. And, unlike how delayed the posts for Part 2 have been, I will be ready to roll with a review of each episode of Part 3 the day after it airs on AMC. Here's to a (hopefully) fulfilling end to The Walking Dead.

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