I gave this a 10.
I dig the character-focused episodes. This is what TWD does best!
Eugene?
I’m almost positive Eugene’s situation is short-term survival vs. some grand scheme that just occurred to him in the moment to take Negan down as a covert operative. Remember, as far as Eugene knows, Rick is still cooperating with Negan. Now, Eugene isn’t riding the it’s-cool-to-force-people-into-slavery train, but his foremost concern right now is his life and he’s trying to stay alive in the manner he knows best: a long-con game. I’m not mad at him. I’m intrigued with where this will go.
I liked seeing Negan’s “wives” attempt to rebel. It showed that folks aren’t sitting back and accepting Negan’s rule. Even if nothing materializes, they are unhappy and scheming. Oh, and those kill pills are gonna get used. They didn’t get made for nothing.
Oh, Dwight…
I felt a grain of sympathy for Dwight half-way through this episode. I understand why Sherry feels responsible, but what happened is not her fault. Ultimately, Dwight is his own person and can choose at anytime to go against Negan. However, my grain of sympathy eroded to about half of a grain when he coldly threw Dr. Carson under the bus. He was not protecting Sherry, he was protecting himself. Where is this good person that Dwight was supposed to be? I don’t see it. In some ways, I can appreciate that kind of grey area for a character. But it’s not clear that Dwight is having this internal struggle over the choices he makes. He just seems mostly motivated by a cowardly fear and a bizarre obsession with Daryl’s things. One thing is clear is that he does loathe Negan, who seems to get some twisted joy out of throwing Dwight shade. But why does he stay? I didn’t feel much for Sherry, but my respect for her increased when she bounced. Instead of feeling sorry for Dwight, I feel disgusted.
Negan wasn’t so irritating this time
This set up with Negan being blind to the two people who are lying and playing him like a fool, Dwight and Eugene, is very interesting. Perhaps evidence that his hubris is making him slip and causing him not to be as perceptive as he has been in the past? I’m just ready for Negan to go down. Maybe he’ll become more interesting once he is weaker and emasculated? I just know they really messed up his characterization on TV (I have a familiarity with the comic storyline). He’s an annoying psychopath. And let’s add dumb to that, because he kills a doctor. Kills a doctor in a zombie apocalypse. A medically trained person is the most precious commodity in this environment. He thinks he’s setting an example, but he’s just showing how incredibly short-sighted he is becoming.
Next Week
We Richonners have been losing our minds over what we’ll be seeing in 7.12. I just am barely dealing.