The Next World

After one of the most thrilling and easily one of the best episodes of the entire series' run, this week took a step down in its intensity and quality. Not that this was by any means a bad episode, it was just a very slow and calm episode. I mean, after last week's episode, we probably needed something a little lighter, and opening the episode playing 'More Than a Feeling' was a good way to send those vibes to the viewers.

I don't read the comics, so the Rick and Michonne romance was a little strange at first, but as I've started to think about it, it's beginning to make more sense. Seems to me like Michonne is the first woman he's been with that he doesn't have to worry about when she's by herself. So although it's a little weird right now, I'm definitely open to the idea of it going forward. Change can be good, but I'm also aware that every great relationship doesn't have to be a romantic one. We shall see where it goes though.

There were a few other revelations this week as we met the apparently famous comic character Paul Monroe, AKA Jesus. Watching Daryl and Rick go through so much trouble to take him down, tie him up, and then take him to Alexandria was pretty fun and had less of an ominous tone than something like this would usually have. Although, from the last scene, it sure seems like Rick's optimistic idea of taking him in will turn out to have further implications. It's also hilarious to hear that Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in preparation for their road trip.

One of the surprises of this week was that this episode took place weeks after last week's episode (2 months according to Danai Gurira on Talking Dead). That to me feels like the last episode should have been the mid-season finale to correlate the two month break a little more properly, no matter, both episodes worked. While Michonne and Rick's scene didn't completely resonate with me, Carl and Michonne's scene did. I haven't been the biggest fan of the Carl character, but he's been winning me over of late. Leading Deanna to Spencer was a risky but thoughtful thing to do and a nice reference to what he had to go through with his mother a few seasons ago. So overall, not as exciting as last week's episode, this week showed some of what the rest of the season can offer.

+Carl and Michonne

+Rick and Daryl road trip

+Introduction of Jesus

+Carl helping out Spencer

-Richonne feels a little bit strange

-Time jump was a little bit much

7.6/10

Alexandria is short of supplies and Rick and Daryl find a truck loaded of supplies in a storeroom. While driving back to Alexandria, they meet a stranger called Jesus that steals the truck from them. Rick and Daryl track him down and find him on the road with a flat tire. Carl and Enid go to the woods just to walk. Michonne sees Spencer sneaking out Alexandria with a shovel and she decides to go with him. Soon she learns what he is looking for.

"The Next World" is a reasonable episode of "The Walking Dead". Good to see that Carl has recovered from the shot on the face. Rick and Michonne together are kind of weird. The best moment is when Spencer finds Deanna. But the attitude toward Jesus is quite silly after retrieving the truck as well as bringing him to Alexandria. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "The Next World"

Note: On 24 April 2016, I saw this show again.

Rick and Daryl go on a supply run where they find a truck with a large store of supplies. On the way back home, they run into Paul Rovia - though his friends call him Jesus - who tells Rick and Daryl that he was just running from walkers. Gunshots go off, but the two discover it was firecrackers, as Jesus steals their truck.

Just outside of Alexandria, Michonne catches up with Spencer, who she had seen sneaking over the wall. As they walk through the forest, Spencer won't say why he is out there, although Michonne notes that he has brought a shovel. Meanwhile, Carl and Enid are relaxing and reading nearby. A walker, whose face is left unseen, attacks the pair. Enid wants to kill it, but Carl refuses. Enid is angry, and also hurt that Carl won't discuss his reasoning with her. Soon afterward, Michonne and Spencer encounter the same walker. It is the reanimated corpse of Deanna, who Spencer sadly puts down. It then becomes clear that giving her final closure was the purpose of his search through the forest.

Rick and Daryl catch up with Jesus, and leave him tied up as they leave in the truck. Soon, though, Daryl realizes that somehow Jesus had escaped and is now hanging onto the top of the truck. As the truck slams to a stop, Jesus is thrown off, and Daryl and Rick fight with him. Unfortunately, while the struggle is going on the truck rolls backwards into a nearby pond. The truck sinks to the bottom.

That evening, Michonne tells Carl that she had seen him outside the walls, and asks what he was doing. He tells her that he too had wanted to put down Deanna. In the end, though, he couldn't go through with it. When Michonne asks why not, he explains that he felt that it needed to be done by her own family. He then tells Michonne that if he ever had to, he could put her down. She is touched.

Jesus, who was knocked unconscious immediately after saving Daryl from an approaching Walker, is taken back to Alexandria for questioning. Denise checks his head wound, after which he is locked in a storage room to keep him from again escaping.

As the night ends, Rick and Michonne sit having a relaxed discussion. They then realize that they have become too close to simply remain friends. They fall into a passionate embrace. The next day, as Rick and Michonne lie nude in bed, Jesus suddenly appears in Rick's room. He says they have to talk.

"The Next World" is a refreshing change of pace that follows Rick and Daryl as they go on a supply run and encounter a new group of survivors. The episode is notable for its lighter tone and humor, as Rick and Daryl embark on a road trip together and bond over their shared experiences. The episode also explores themes of trust and friendship, as Rick and Daryl must decide whether to trust the newcomers or treat them as a threat.

One of the most memorable scenes in the episode is when Rick and Daryl stumble upon a supply truck filled with food and supplies, a rare find in the post-apocalyptic world. This moment highlights the characters' resourcefulness and ability to find hope in even the darkest of times.

I can tell that there weren't that many actors featured but it still lead to an enjoyable episode that I wouldn't mind watching again any day of the week. This didn't feel like another boring, slow paced episode as this had me invested, interested, and intrigued just based off one new character. Also, Great choice, Rick. Definitely better than Lori👍.

8.9/10.

After all that happened in the previous episodes, I needed a quiet and calm episode like this! They haven't had a good day since the prison collapsed :(