'The Walking Dead' was to me one of the best and most addictive shows of the past decade in its prime years. Those prime years being Seasons 1-5. Which is why it angers and saddens me that Seasons 7 and 8 saw such a big decline in quality, to the extent that the show could have passed for something else entirely. One of the biggest declines for any show in my mind, have yet to see Season 9 (will do after reviewing all the episodes in Seasons 1-8) but am really hoping that it's better.
Found Season 6 to be inconsistent, though quite a lot better than what would come afterwards. Had no problems with how the season began, the first four episodes were brilliant. It was with "Now" where the season started to lose its way, the next two episodes were improvements if not quite returns to form before going backwards again with the dull mid-season finale "Start to Finish". With this second half premiere, the show is back on form and feels re-energised, not once forgetting what it was that made the show so good. To me, "No Way Out" is a contender for the best episode of Season 6, the best of the season up to this point, the best episode since "Thank You" and one of the best 'The Walking Dead' episodes, with jaw dropping tension, surprising developments and emotion that could easily pass for a season finale.
"No Way Out" as always for 'The Walking Dead' looks top notch. The gritty and audacious production design still remains, photography worthy of a film, suitably frightening make-up and visuals that don't look amateurish in any way and like they were made with heart and effort. The music is haunting and affecting, without being intrusive. The direction is some of the best of the whole of 'The Walking Dead' up to this point, both visually and providing the right amount and kind of drama.
It is one of the season's best written episodes too, the best written episode since "Here's Not Here" (by quite some way, had issues with the writing in three of the four episodes with the exception being "Heads Up"). The dialogue is taut and thought-provoking, avoiding descending into too much talk in the more dialogue-driven scenes. The characters don't bore or annoy, not behaving like idiots like they did in "Start to Finish" and the interactions between them avoid being overwrought and are instead tense and affecting.
The story is arresting and has emotional impact, shocks and more tense than the season's tension-laden first three episodes. The ending and the exit of the Andersons are especially powerful. The acting is very, very good with exceptional work from Andrew Lincoln.
Overall, truly fantastic. 10/10
