Gone

Holy.. how can the second episode be just as good as the first one? I dont know, but it is! This was an emotional and powerfull journey with strong characters, and some stellar performances!

This episode centers on Michonne and jer journey provides just as much great character development as Ricks journey, as both journey mirrors the will to do anything to see each other again, and how they both find their strength to survive in different ways!

Danni Gulilq puts on an amazing and emotional performance as Michonne! Just like Andrew, she has no trouble carrying the episode on her own! Not every character in The Walking Dead can do that!

The side characters also leaves memorable performances, especially Nat who almost steals the show!

Whilst the season premiere "Years" focused primarily on Rick Grimes, showing Michonne in dream sequences and in the final scene with her finding him in a great but unexpected scene, episode two "Gone" follows Michonne after her final episode in The Walking Dead where she saw caravans and a community moving to a different place but also the glimpse from the series finale.

The new cast and characters for this episode are; Matthew August Jeffers as Nat, Breeda Wool as Aiden, Andrew Bachelor as Bailey and Erin Anderson as Elle. These are all likable characters with each actor bringing good performances to the episode, with Michonne being the one at the front and center, it's just easy to see why you love her and Danai Gurira so much who portrays Michonne like no time have gone by.

The episode's premise: After Rick's sacrifice to save his group everyone believed he was gone apart from a couple of people who dedicated a long time to search for their friend.

This week's episode of TWD: The Ones Who Live "Gone" was directed by Bert & Bertie and written by Nana Nkweti & Channing Powell, the direction and visual storytelling were excellent, and the writing was incredible. Gimple is great at world building but honestly he can't really write realistic dialogue, here in this episode and these compelling writers, we get dialogue and conversations we don't want to end. Situations and scenes we don't want to end, all thanks to the writing and direction but also acting. Danai Gurira is such a compelling actress with large range, able to do different amounts of emotions throughout the episode whilst also having the charisma and the skill to lead an episode. Back to the direction and visual storytelling, Bert and Bertie contribute so much to these two episodes and I would have liked to see more of them on the show but I'm quite sure Michael Slovis will be terrific who'll direct the next two episodes (who have directed a few episodes of The Walking Dead and a couple of other well known shows).

The production design and art direction is terrific, so is the mise-en-scene and cinematography for the show. The increased budget makes for better production design and visual effects, overall making a better show in every department along with the actors. The episode is suspenseful from start to finish, the suspense hits high when the chlorine gas attack scene happens, making it terrifying and you truly sit on the edge of your seat throughout the rest of the episode. "Gone" is an episode of loss and of losing hope, like the episode before it. The episode is full of emotion and drama, with incredible acting and writing, along with some perfect direction from the Berts. With an episode like this, Danai Gurira have shown as expected that this is very much her show as much as Andrew Lincoln's, it's their and about the relationship between their characters. This was an incredible episode and I'm really looking forward to the next episode!

Granted this is a spin-off, but it's still TWD and the show has been in the gutters for years. Somehow, The Ones Who Live has pulled off the impossible and breathed new life into this stale franchise. The quality of the first two episodes are on par with some of the best episodes TWD has ever produced. I was worried that there woukd be a slump in the second episode but it really was as good as episode 1. From the acting, to the story, the progression and the way I have felt watching these past two episodes, its a return to form that rivals some of the classic episodes from seasons 1-5. Truly remarkable and a giant kudos to everyone involved. I truly care about The Walking Dead again and that makes me happy.

This episode was more engaging, with better and more likable characters, and had more emotional weight to me. Even the same scene of them reuniting was more emotional to me than the last episode's (where I didn't really care much) for some reason.

I guess seeing Michonne desperately looking for Rick in this episode and what she goes through here was presented in a better way that made me care more.

This episode is surprisingly emotional too, and yeah, maybe they were trying too hard to be emotional and did it for the sake of shock value and an artificial way of making an emotional scene. But damn if it wasn't effective. I thought it was weird that in a one-hour episode, they still decided that all we needed to see from Michonne and that couple from season 10 or 11, was the interview she had with their leader. But after what happened in this episode, I'm sure this is way more engaging than whatever they would've shown as flashbacks. And it would be hypocritical of me to demand flashbacks when they can just show their journey and develop those characters through the story and not flashback, as I have said multiple times that I don't like flashbacks that much. Although technically it was still a flashback.

One thing this episode does a great job of is giving Michonne motivation and a reason to do what she did at the end of the last episode. We all know what this episode is gonna lead to, but we don't know why and how. So I think the reason they give Michonne to hate them this much is believable and warranted, and surprisingly personal and emotional. I liked it very much. I didn't think I would care about these new characters since we don't know much about them, but they did a good job of making you care in the span of a few minutes.

I also have to mention a criticism that I had from the last episode that this episode totally debunks and I probably didn't pay attention that much, so I stand corrected about that. It was about Michonne killing everyone with masks on, but only takes the mask off when it's Rick. It's way different here and I was wrong.

All in all, I thought this episode did a surprisingly good job of setting up conflicts (with the awful haircut lady), gave a good motivation and reason to Michonne, and instead of telling us why she is gonna hate all these people, they showed us and made us care. Usually TV shows drop the ball on their second episodes and not much happens and they're boring. But at least for me, this episode was better than the first one, had less nonsensical and laughable dialogue and writing choices, and overall did a better job of making me have an emotional attachment to the characters and care about them and what they're doing.

First off, i've come to realise that almost everyone writing negative reviews is an absolute idiot. True story. (Except 1 person, made some very valid points I could not disagree with)

Do you not know what a "review" is? If all you have to say is based solely on comparison, then all you're giving is uneducated and ugly, bias laden narrative.

A review is of the subject matter and what is at hand. Not a constant bombardment of: "oh, but that had this in it" or "I didn't like that. Those people weren't as fun as the other people" waaah-aaaah!!! Give the baby its bottle.

If you are speaking in continuance, then its an unfinished topic. This is episodic. If you want to write a season/series review, wait until its over. If you can't appreciate what's in front of you and only want to complain that its something its not, Don't watch!

This episode shows us Michonne from more or less where we last saw her. New characters are introduced, and in true TWD fashion, we are gripped with emotion for certain characters (with some excellent delivery I might add, well done) and also in true TWD fashion, there is death.

To quote the great wrestler Sting (who also retired this night) "The only thing you know for sure, is that nothing is for sure". Truer words were never spoken. However I believe these exact words (perhaps rephrased) were literally spoken; by Robert Kirkman in an early Q&A in the comics several years... over a decade ago.

So if this is not keeping the authentic TWD fashion, I don't know what is.

I've seen people complaining that "this would never happen" or "its unrealistic and preposterous"... its the zombie apocalypse dude. Deal with it.

On a side note:

if you don't think that the government wouldn't have army bases set up, complete with choppers ready for battle, you're insane. Its already been happening the last 5 years. HOW'S THAT FOR IRONY!? These fools wouldn't survive Z. A. so their uneducated opinions have now officially and forever been rendered: Useless.

...

The long awaited reunion has arrived and the appreheniveness is only enhanced with the return of a familiar face. (Its not exactly a spoiler if I tell you whom. Unless you're so ignorant you don't pay attention to the opening credits. There's only 3 damn names!!!)

This is the monkey-wrench we have been awaiting and expecting. It makes me wonder if there truly will be a happy ending. I will definitely come back to this in the final episode. (That's called reference. Not comparison. Take notes here kids)

I was expecting this story to go a very different direction and it does feel like we are sucked a bit into TWD of old. But its new scenarios, new people, new obstacles to overcome.

I was however a little thrown off by the timeline. I realise there is a shift that occurs via a changeover (even though it *is* presented on screen) I was so caught up in what was going on that when it became "now" it felt as though it was juxtaposition and very little emphasis on change (or any for that matter) had occured during the alleged 5 year span of time.

This was a huge hinderance for me because NO separation was given between events, and it all seemed in sequence. You can't have an unexplained 5 year gap that ultimately resumes as though nothing had happened in-between.

Despite this, everything else seemed to go fairly well. Yes, they did not mince things and like the debut episode, kept it rolling. Again, I didn't even notice the time until it was over.

Another fantastic effort!

Also i'd be remiss if I didn't call out the fool crying this was a Michonne episode saying "we want Rick. We came for Rick". The series is about both characters. Please refrain from posting, commenting, or even watching at this point. You ARE The Walking Brain Dead!

Entertainment Value 9.5/10 Overall Rating 9.5/10

An excellent job on the editing except for that 1 instance that I can't ignore. Otherwise another fantastic effort and am excited to see where this goes.

Also happy that we get to see more of Lesley-Ann Brandt. She's been quite enjoyable in everything i've seen her in.