Vatos

Vatos brings back that much needed action and punch that was missing in the last episode. After not finding Merle, The group is stuck in Atlanta trying to save Glenn when a gang rolls up and steals our boy. This episode shows us that other people are trying to make it by, just like our main cast. And they will do what they must do to ensure that. When bad things happen, even the weak can rise to the occasion. The Vatos is a group of survivors locked in a nursing home, trying to keep all the elders safe after they were abandoned. The tough persona this group presents is brought down after one of the elderly comes and breaks up the tension and delivers a punch of comedic relief. After the group makes it back the camp is attacks by a herd of walkers, the group learns that they are not safe, no matter how far away they are from the hot zone. Some brilliant screen writing, directing and acting make for another thrilling episode.

Had heard nothing but great things about 'The Walking Dead' from friends and IMDb reviewers. It took a while to get round to watching, both from being busy and also not being sure whether it would be my cup of tea. Finally getting round to it a few years ago and slowly working my way through it, having had a very long to watch and review list, 'The Walking Dead' turned out to be very much my cup of tea and as good as the hype made it out to be, have found it extremely addictive.

"Vatos" continues the extensive character building and a full establishment of tone, in no way disappoints, maintains the complexity and delivers even more on the tension, emotional impact and adrenaline-rush guts. Another strong reminder of how Seasons 1-5 of 'The Walking Dead' to me were absolutely brilliant and seeing the show in its full glory days (Season 6 was uneven, Season 7 was a huge disappointment and am still debating whether to watch Season 8). The characters and storylines are advancing well even if there are not what one calls "resolutions".

It still shocks me at how an intelligent, well-made (so much so that it is easy to mistake it for a film) show about zombies could be made when so many films have tried and failed abysmally to do so.

Complaints are few actually. Sarah Wayne Callies doesn't seem at ease yet in a role that was not interesting at this point of the show. The biggest issue though for me was the tension of Rick's storyline being let down too much by an anti-climactic and hokey-in-writing stand off where Guillermo's silly dialogue and how little the scene adds to the rest of the episode or that particular subplot in general dilutes things too much.

Like all the episodes of the show however, "Vatos" is incredibly well made in the production values, with gritty and audacious production design, photography of almost cinematic quality, effects that look good, have soul and are not overused or abused and pretty frightening make-up which helps make the already freaky zombies even freakier. The music is haunting and affecting, having presence but never being too intrusive.

The writing, the aforementioned grievances aside, is intelligent and thought-provoking, with lots of tension and emotional resonance and already showing signs of character complexity and multiple layer storytelling. The more eventful scenes are thrilling and terrifying as well as uncompromising.

Particularly found the Amy and Andrea's interactions very effective, the sisterly bond wrenching the heart.

It's all thrilling and tautly paced without rushing through the more important parts. The world building is already stunningly immersive and effective. Direction is smart and atmospheric while the show throughout has been strongly acted. "Vatos" is no exception, with the heartfelt performance of Laurie Holden standing out. Andrew Lincoln continues to be an excellent lead.

Overall, excellent on the most part. 9/10 Bethany Cox

After the last episode spending most of it's time character building this weeks "The Walking Dead" ups the ante and goes all "Game Of Thrones" on us, with a few central characters biting the dust. Some will be missed and some won't.

As Rick, Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog continue to look for Merle they run into trouble, as tensions grow back at camp.

The acting in this episode again is top notch, with the exception of Sarah Wayne Callies, I think everyone in this show is superb. Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun and Jon Bernthall are all excellent and Jeffrey DeMunn's Dale gets a nice scene talking about time, and again his humanity shines through. Finally Jim gets some serious screen time and Andrew Rothenburg does not disappoint.

When Rick and his gang go back downtown to get his bag of guns and to potentially rescue Merle, they discover additional survivors. By bringing in more survivors, with questionable motives, the show starts exploring just how civilization might change when everything goes to hell. By the end of the episode, it also shows just how unsafe this new world is. As the graphic novels have shown, nobody is safe, no matter how much you like them.

Bravo to AMC for going out on a limb and having pay off like this. The acting, cinematography, music, everything, hits all the right notes. I can hardly wait to see Season 2.

Directed by Johan Renck, "Vatos" expands the scope of the series by introducing new characters and delving into the complexities of survival in a post-apocalyptic world. The episode follows Rick and the survivors as they face new challenges and threats, both from the undead and from other survivors.

One of the most memorable scenes in this episode is the attack on the survivors' camp, which highlights the vulnerability of the group and the need for trust and cooperation in order to survive. The introduction of characters like Daryl Dixon adds depth to the ensemble cast, while also raising questions about loyalty and morality in a world where the rules of society have broken down.

"Vatos" explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the harsh realities of life in a world overrun by the undead. As the survivors struggle to make sense of their new reality, they are forced to confront their own humanity and the difficult choices they must make in order to stay alive.