Faith

Starting to get to the build up to the finale, this episode has some great full circle moments such as a reverse of the line-up scene with Negan that was brilliant and Negan and Ezekiel carry most of the episode along with other characters search for their children making for an intense and dramatic episode.

Having Alexandria back also brings most the characters and storylines together ready for the final act of the season. This probably should have happened earlier in the season but its still effective here. Many character arcs are getting closer to conclusion and this episode makes the commonwealth seem more like a threat.

Could have been better but still a great episode.

Rating: 86%

The premise of episode 11.22 titled "Faith": Ezekiel and Negan plan a work camp revolt; Eugene stands trial with Yumiko as his defense attorney. Nicole Mirante-Matthews & Magali Lozano penned the script for 11.22 and they brought the writing back to how it should be, the dialogue felt natural and overall well written. The episode uses the big budget wisely, making it brilliant both technically and the acting and so on, the camera work are brilliant and visually a great episode, an overall impressive production. There's so many shots in this episode that are brilliantly shot, such a stunning looking episode, but that doesn't make a great episode.

Rose Troche directed "Faith" and being a guest director, she phenomenal job. Troche's vision and direction were truly great, bringing her skills and experience to a show that currently needs it. Her work on the episode are surely one of the highlights. The cinematography and the other departments, especially the makeup and special effects departments, were as always top notch. The attention to detail and all the shots in the nature, they nailed it on the camera side of things. The cinematography is once again breathtaking and incredible, just right for the show, the way it was shot and so on, simply brilliant. The sets were detailed and perfect, and so are the art and production design. I also found the effects to be fantastic in this episode, practical effects always makes it so more real, and The Walking Dead is known for their practical effects and they didn't let us down for this episode. Superb sound design and a musical score both gripping and dramatic. It's one of many things on the technical side of things that the show succeeds perfectly with.

The Commonwealth arc have had its ups and downs but I'll have to admit, I really liked this episode. I thought it was great. It's the final arc of the series like the source material it's based upon, though very different but most of the changes I can be behind. The plot moves forward nicely and the two separate storylines (Aaron and the others) are now one thanks to everyone is in Alexandria/Outpost 22. The trial in the Commonwealth happens simultaneously and it's suspenseful and full of tension, like the other storyline, the episode is full of suspension and tension. I even sat on the edge of my seat during the most suspenseful sequence in the episode, first time since Sebastian's death I didn't know what was going to happen. But I still think Angela Kang is playing things too safe, the unpredictability hasn't been there in the entire season. We see more of how fascist and how Commonwealth have evolved into a military-state, fully fleshed out. It's brilliant really, believable too. There were so many brilliant performances, my favorites being: Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene, Khary Payton as Ezekiel, Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier, Eleanor Matsuura as Yumiko and Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa are some of my favorite performances. But I think Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Josh McDermitt has the best performances in the episode, as Negan and Eugene.

This episode kept the story going much more, in a great way. Luke is finally back. Episode 11.22 has most if not the whole cast in it, it feels like an old episode of The Walking Dead. I think this was one of the better episodes of Part C, but I'm tired of how safe they're playing it, all those spin offs which were announced hurt the show a lot, still hurting. Yet, the episode was full of suspension and tension, but almost no action which I liked. You see, The Walking Dead have never been about those big action sequences, it was mostly in season 8 that happened, TWD for me have always been a character driven drama and this episode succeeds with that idea. There's some superb drama in this episode, character interactions that keeps you engaged, you don't need action sequences in every episode (like the previous which had some of the worst) just write a solid episode like this one and you'll be good. It was so nice watching some quality drama. I won't get into details but how this episode ends, I can finally say that I'm actually interested in seeing how the final two episodes will turn out, it's looking bright for The Walking Dead.

While working at the railroad tracks, Negan and Kelly observe the behavior of the Warden and the guards and Magna prepares a map. Princess notes that the former trooper Tyler Davis is one of the prisoners and tells Ezekiel. Negan offers to work and extra shift to a soldier provided his pregnant wife rests and works less but another soldier hits him, and Annie is subdued trying to protect her husband. Aaron, Jerry, Lydia and Elijah stumble upon Luke and Jules in the woods, who are fleeing Oceanside. Luke tells them that the Commonwealth soldiers have taken Oceanside, and Aaron and the group do not understand since they have an agreement with them. Eugene's trial begins and Pamela tells the audience that Eugene had tampered the tape since that was not the voice of Sebastian. Negan and Ezekiel approaches to Tyler Davis at the messroom and invite him and his people to join the riot they are scheduling, but Davis declines the offer. The Warden summons Negan and asks him who is the leader of the group that has prepared the map he found, and Negan says that everybody hates him. The Warden assigns Negan to find who the leader is. Early in the morning, he gathers all the prisoners to watch Negan be killed by a firing squad. Meanwhile, Daryl's group breaks in Alexandria through the sewer.

"Faith" is another full of action episode of "The Walking Dead". Eugene's trial is a farce, and the testimony of Pamela is a big lie. The return of Luke and Jules after a long period increases Aaton's group and he is informed that something is wrong with Commonwealth. Negan's situation in the end of the episode on his knee begin to Annie is similar to the situation of Glenn and Maggie when he was the leader of the Saviors. The surprising attitude of Ezekiel is a great moment of the show. Mercer's attitude in the end of the show is also a surprising moment. The soldier Robert stopping the firing squad from killing the prisoner is also amazing. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Faith"

11C so far has been so disappointing, nothing had really got me intrigued until this episode. Although my rating is still only a 7, thats all credited to JDM.

I don't know what more to say, every episode has felt very repetitive in these last few. I just hope my favorite show has a good ending, we need Andrew Lincoln to end this series!

Lets be honest, ever since Andy left, this show has been more than dead, even before Andy left some had already given up.

I always stuck around and even though im not completely satisfied with the way this final season has presented itself, I hope we end The Walking Dead on a high note.

Happy 12 years.

This episodes script was so all over the place it could only have been on purpose. The decision must have been made to go full b grade cheesy schlock.

From the ridiculousness of the court room, where apparently the authoritarian state of the commonwealth has a Judge Judy show that lets prisoners give anti establishment speeches to the attendees. Not sure why they didn't have it live streaming to people on their home tvs, why not eh?

Then our team of harden survivors held captive in a hard labour prison camp shifting a hilariously conspicuous pile of fresh dirt into a wheel barrow (we need them to be doing something while Negan and Ezekiel heart to heart so just dump a pile of dirt there).

Then the team in the woods hiding from the patrol behind there wagon pulled by a living horse??? "the fugitives we're looking for aren't there, all I can see is a horse and cart in the forest". Move on.

Then the team on a car with a spot light scanning for our team in the zombie hoard. Which they would have easily spotted cos make up decided not to put any blood and guts on their face this time, ewww ick etc.. It's like they don't even care any more.

Then all it took was one guard at a hard core prison camp where the officers take glee in tormenting the prisoners, to be disgruntled cos he and wasn't allowed to visit his sick brother (nice touch writing team, shades of covid lockdown, contemporary!), suddenly they're not all authoritarian pawns any more and the rebellion has started, and even better Eugene's speech hit it's mark and the guy who let his girlfriend got to a hard labor prison camp decides he wasn't that hard after all.

The thing is the actors deliver all of this with a straight face, like it's shakespeare or something. So either it's meant to be ridiculous, or these fine actors are in a prison cult, being forced to deliver terrible dialog and plot.

So if you're reading this fine actors who deserve so much better than this, blink twice if you being held captive and need to be rescued.