Variant

So TWD spins down the road to its ending. So what? Angela Yang should have been gone after season 9, the only season she did a good-though extended job on. OK, the pandemic had some effect on the show, but the pandemic didn't cause the silly, extended, unnecessary story lines. The pandemic didn't cause the mistakes such as: Letting Rick and Michonne walk (in one of the dumbest exits and episodes of the entire eleven years). Maggie returns and says nothing about yet another group of murderous morons who are there just to extend an unnecessary Darryl arc. They've obviously turned over the Carl arc to Judith, and I guarantee the final episode will have her as an adult, possibly as governor of the Commonwealth. They split Sebastian's character into him and Hornsby. But now, how, after eleven years of rotting (possibly longer in the timeline of the show) are zombies evolving? Oh, yes, we saw one or two in the first few episodes who were a bit more aware. But their brains are rotting. Rotting things don't evolve. This was a stupid idea in Land of the Dead and it's a stupid idea now. And why haven't they learned that all the spin-offs, including Fear have been trash? I'd like to say I'm going to miss this show, but it's passed it's due date and is time to go.

I can't get enough of Aaron and Jerry. The rest of this episode was crap. Who cares about all these new people we've known for five minutes? At least Jerry got his hero scene hacking walkers to bits! I'd watch a spin-off of him and his family and Aaron building a new Kingdom. Can we kill off the rest of these idiots now please? I'm so done with Lance and the stupid Commonwealth blah blah blah. The actors who play Eugene and Rosita are great but their stories suck hard. I like Mercer but give him something to do besides wander around scowling in a pumpkin suit. I'm so disappointed with this whole season. I'd really hoped we'd get back just a little of the Season One magic for the end. I guess all those writers/ directors are gone.

Another episode that smacks of filler despite being so close to the end now. This one begins with Eugene finding himself suspected (not without reason) in Sebastian's death and the consequences that follow. I was worried it was going to be the Eugene show again but thankfully he doesn't get an awful lot of screen time. We do get Darryl being badass in the woods which is a lot more satisfying, and I have to say that the Hornsby character has grown on me quite a bit over this season. The scene in his prison cell is relatively shocking but the rest is very much average, neither amazing nor particularly bad.

Let's face it, it's been a rotting corpse for a while.

Last season was terrible and it's not getting better is it?

Half of the time it's like some low rent daytime soap from the 80's but with much worse acting.

I'm only still watching so I don't feel like I've completely wasted the last decade and I get to see what will hopefully be the gruesome death of 95% of the cast.

We already know who survives due to the pointless and no doubt increasingly poor quality and ridiculous spin offs.

The whole concept only had a handful of seasons in it really and should have ended about 5 years ago.

Pap.

In the aftermath of the riot, Pamela orders Eugene's arrest for the murder of Sebastian, promising to pardon Max if Mercer cooperates. Concerned for his sister, Mercer mercilessly hunts for Eugene, but he is troubled by both Max and Princess' attempts to convince him that he is on the wrong side in the matter. After learning that Max has been arrested, Eugene turns himself in and takes sole responsibility for what happened, claiming that Max had nothing to do with the recording of Sebastian. Sebastian reanimates and a grieving Pamela has Roman executed and orders Lance to feed his corpse to Sebastian as a punishment. At the same time, Aaron, Jerry, Lydia and Elijah make their way towards Oceanside, but are forced to take cover at an old renaissance fair after spotting a herd with Jerry thinking that the fair might make a good location for a new Kingdom. At night, the herd attacks, led by what the group believes to be a surviving Whisperer, as it can climb, open doors and use weapons. However, Aaron discovers that it's actually just a walker. After putting it down, Aaron makes the troubling deduction that there must be other variants of walkers out there that are more dangerous than the usual roamers. Having developed feelings for Elijah, Lydia hesitates due to her love for Henry before taking Aaron's advice and starting a relationship with him.

Episode 19 of the eleventh season of "The Walking Dead," titled "Variant," plunges the audience deeper into the evolving chaos and challenges faced by the survivors. This episode intricately weaves a narrative that not only propels the plot forward but also delves into the psyche of its characters, showcasing their resilience and adaptability in the face of new threats. As the communities grapple with internal conflicts and external dangers, "Variant" introduces a fresh perspective on the undead threat, hinting at an evolution that could redefine the survivors' understanding of the world around them.

The episode is marked by its intense character-driven moments, where personal dilemmas and moral ambiguities take center stage. The survivors, now more than ever, find themselves at a crossroads, having to navigate the complexities of leadership, loyalty, and survival. Notably, "Variant" does an exceptional job of highlighting the emotional toll of the apocalypse on the characters, portraying their struggles with loss, hope, and the constant fight for a semblance of normalcy. These themes are encapsulated in poignant scenes that not only resonate with the viewers but also add depth to the characters, making their journeys more relatable and compelling.

Critically, "Variant" stands out for its innovative approach to the series' traditional narrative structure. By introducing the concept of a new, potentially more dangerous variant of the undead, the episode revitalizes the series' central conflict and raises the stakes for the survivors. This fresh threat reinvigorates the storyline, offering new challenges and dynamics for the characters to confront. However, while the episode excels in its thematic depth and character development, it occasionally suffers from pacing issues, with some scenes feeling either rushed or overly prolonged. Despite these minor flaws, "Variant" successfully balances action with introspection, making it a significant addition to the season and setting the stage for an intriguing buildup to the series' climax.