The Well

An injured Carol awakens with Morgan at her side. He tells her what has happened and where they are. They have been brought to a community called The Kingdom, a place led by "King" Ezekiel. Carol is stunned by the way things are run. She concludes that it's a ridiculous fantasy world, and she needs to leave.

She plays along, in order to keep people from becoming suspicious while she plans to escape with supplies. Before she can leave, Ezekiel catches her, and they both drop their facades. Ezekiel encourages her to embrace life, and suggests a plan that would allow her to simultaneously "go and not go." She takes residence in a cottage outside the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Morgan begins to bond with Benjamin, a young resident who is training to be a soldier. He also discovers that The Kingdom is being extorted by the Saviors, although it is being kept secret from most of the community.

"The Well" is a stark contrast to the season premiere, offering a glimpse of hope and humanity in the midst of the post-apocalyptic world. The episode introduces the Kingdom, a new community led by the enigmatic King Ezekiel. The Kingdom is a vibrant and thriving community, complete with its own unique culture and way of life. Ezekiel's larger-than-life personality and his pet tiger, Shiva, add a sense of whimsy and intrigue to the episode.

One of the most memorable scenes in the episode is when Carol is introduced to Ezekiel and is initially skeptical of his grandiose persona. However, as she spends more time in the Kingdom, she begins to see the value in Ezekiel's leadership style and the community he has built. The episode also explores themes of identity and self-discovery, as Carol grapples with her own inner demons and tries to find a sense of purpose in this new world.

The episode is also notable for its exploration of the relationship between Ezekiel and his people, particularly his relationship with Benjamin, a young resident of the Kingdom who looks up to Ezekiel as a father figure. Their interactions add depth to Ezekiel's character and highlight the bond he shares with his community.

Okay, yes. It was a very boring and no climax episode. But at the same time, it was a very important episode.

The episode was a real "recess" compared to the previous one. In my opinion this is the principal cause of all the boredom in today's episode. It's just with Carol and Morgan from the Survivors.

The Well was important because introduces us to the Kingdom and to King Ezekiel, both really big stuff for whats comes ahead in the show.

The most important thing in this episode is the "Pig thing" and the Saviors showing the power that they have in all communities.

Although that, the episode is very boring and in the last chance they had to do something interesting the episode ends with Carol and Ezekiel doing nothing.

As a comic reader I'm very satisfied with Ezekiel and the Kingdom, but really disappointed with the Morgan and Carol's protagonism and drama.

7.5/10

Honestly after the the emotional season 6 finale and first episode of season 7 I did not expect this...was not impressed by this episode

I'm not a huge fan of when Walking Dead takes a full episode off from 90% of the main cast to give us an episode full of backstory and exposition, but perhaps we needed that after last week.

The problem is that 'The Well' felt like a completely different TV show than what we have grown accustomed to with The Walking Dead. The setting shift to The Kingdom gave us a fresh view of life after the walker outbreak, and while it was an interesting episode, I couldn't help but wonder why we didn't at least get a little bit of a follow up to last week.

Tonight focused on Carol and Morgan as they made their new home in The Kingdom after Carol's breakdown last season. Their dynamic brings something unique to this show, so I appreciate spending significant screen time with them. With that said, it was even more fascinating watching both of their character's ideals get broken down this week by King Ezekiel. Carol came to grips with the town's ridiculousness and phony side by reverting back to her sneaky-sly self. Ezekiel wasn't having any of that.

My favorite scene came as Carol was ready to steal the King's crops and leave, but he proceeded to sit her down and have one of the better monologues the show has given us in a while (besides Negan's). Much like Carol, I found it hard to buy into his history at first with his pet tiger, Shiva, but Khary Payton's brought a lightening charisma to Ezekiel. A much needed change of pace.

It was nice to see Carol isn't entirely abandoning the life at The Kingdom, as Shiva and Ezekiel gave her a nice welcome home present, but it begs the question, just how much will Carol be involved with this season? And specifically, with the Alexandrians? But to me, the standout from tonight was Ezekiel's presence, who perhaps brings the exact opposite tone and feel than Negan did last week. Some interesting choices made by Walking Dead of late. I'm down.

+Ezekiel and Shiva

+Carol's reaction

+Breaking down Carol & Morgan's ideals

+Full-arc in one episode

-Still felt like I needed a scene with the main crew

8.0/10

I truly appreciate this episode. Watching the show a second time left me dreading the previous episode before getting there. It weighs heavy and despite acknowledging the significance of what occurred, it still hurts to see two amazing characters go out like that.

This episode is incredibly refreshing and such a welcomed contrast. Especially if one is binge watching the whole series.

This might come off as overthinking it but from a mental health perspective, it's even more important. Seeing something for entertainment worth can still be impactful. For better or worse.

The light hearted nature of the new characters and dialogue helps move the show forward. Even after something so dark.

So, thank you to the writers and creators for placing this here.