The Walking Dead, “Heads Up” (6.7) - TV Review

11/22/15, 9 pm (EST), AMC

It seems as though my complaints of the last couple weeks of The Walking Dead were heard. After some of the worst episodes in a long time, the show finally got back on track with a big non-surprise moment as well as getting back in the mix with what’s going on in Alexandria. “Heads Up” certainly helped pave the way for what should be an interesting mid-season finale.

First thing’s first: Glenn is alive. Everyone fine with that? Ok, good. After weeks of agonizing over his fate, he survived the fall into the pit of walkers by crawling under the dumpster as they snacked on Nicholas’ innards. I can forgive this only because the show has had far more ridiculous things happen to characters. The one thing I can’t forgive is the length the showrunners went to disguise this. Had we only waited an episode or two, the suspense would’ve been more palpable.

Glenn and Enid’s team-up seemed somewhat natural. Enid is the loner that does the right thing for people, but isn’t sure how to go about interacting with them long-term. Glenn’s moral compass is such that he can’t abandon someone, despite how he might feel about them. What started out as a favor for Maggie turned into something more. Glenn didn’t quite become a surrogate father figure for Enid, though their interactions at times where that of a father talking to his teenage daughter. Glenn understands Enid’s fears about getting close to people, but his relationship with Maggie changed a lot of that. Eventually they find their way back to Alexandria, but discover it overrun with half the herd from the quarry. Not knowing what to do, they seek shelter (I assume) before releasing the balloons for people in Alexandria to know that Glenn is alive. More on that in a little bit.

Back in Alexandria, we deal with several interactions amongst different members, which felt like a nice, fluid balance to what had been going on. Rick shows Ron how to shoot a gun while Carl stands by and mocks him incessantly. Rick allows Ron to keep the gun, which of course leads to Ron stealing bullets from the armory. We last see Ron stalking Carl, which anyone that’s read the comic knows this could lead to an interesting turn of events for Carl. Rosita finally gets a little more screen time as she leads a group in using knives. She and Eugene get into it as he’s scared of the dead, which causes Rosita to tear him a new one as she says living is the scary part, and that he should be scared of living knowing all the other people he allowed to die because he couldn’t or wouldn’t save them. Gabriel posts some flyers about a prayer group, which Rick promptly rips down. I know Gabriel has been a pain for the group lately, but Rick’s petulant childishness regarding this needs to end at some point. Rick of all people shouldn’t judge, as he’s put the group in harm’s way before.

Deanna’s plans for the future of Alexandria seem short-sighted at best. Things have been so screwed up that she can’t think clearly about getting the community back together. It’s great she wants to expand and be hopeful, but there are several pressing matters that need to be dealt with. One of those is her idiotic son Spencer, who tried to traverse a gap of the wall to apparently try and get a car to lead the walkers away. He almost ends up dead in the process, with Rick, Morgan and a random Alexandrian helping him. Rick pretty much threatens Spencer to not do anything stupid without talking to Rick first in the future.

Probably the most interesting interaction revolved around Morgan. Rick confronts him about letting the group of wolves go who tried to take out Rick in the RV later. Morgan goes on his “all life is precious” speech again, which no one is buying. Michonne at least respects it, but is realistic to know that it’s not always possible in this world anymore, especially now that they have a place people will covet. Later on, Morgan convinces Denise to come with him to help treat the injured wolf Morgan has stashed in one of the houses. Carol follows and confronts Morgan, but we’re left hanging as to how that will turn out.

Rick notices the section of wall that had blood seeping through. He’s joined by an Alexandrian to help him reinforce the wall to keep the walkers out. All the work ends up being for naught, though. Just as everyone sees the balloons Glenn and Enid released, the watch tower that was hit when the wolves attacked comes tumbling down, with that broken section of wall with it. Now there’s nothing stopping the walkers from getting in. This is going to end up being one interesting mid-season finale. Will Alexandria be totally overrun, or will they be able to fend off the walkers? Will Ron hunt down Carl? Will Carol kill the wolf Morgan has stashed away? Will Glenn and Maggie finally be reunited? Let’s hope that last one at least happens as we need something good to occur.

The Roundup

• Tara flipping off Rick after he goes off on her for helping Spencer was pretty great.
• Deanna is thankful that Rick saved Spencer. She seems to know her days as leader are numbered, if not already over.
• It seems odd that no one noticed the watch tower was slowly losing structure since the wolves’ attack.
• Will Carol’s “the only way to not become a monster is to kill” speech backfire on Sam?