When 'The Walking Dead' was in its prime, it was to me one of the best and most addictive shows in the past decade or so. The best of Seasons 1-5 made for quite masterful television. Season 6 was far less consistent, with big flashes of brilliance but a case of a season starting off so well and ended the opposite. Sadly, the show has not been the same since and that it declined so drastically post-Season 6 is quite disheartening.
"The Same Boat', with Season 6 nearing its end, is a wonderful episode. Not quite a 'The Walking Dead' masterpiece, not quite as good as the season's first four episodes, "No Way Out" and "Not Tomorrow Yet", or one of the show high-points. It is though one of the better Season 6 episodes (just to say to me none of the previous episodes for the season are bad, even the disappointments) and one of the last 'The Walking Dead' episodes to come over as great to me.
It is a little slow in the pace at times, especially in the early portions.
Although Carol's character development really advances and is quite riveting, her decision making, or should we say conflicting emotions, at the end doesn't ring true and compared to her actions in perilous situations in other episodes came over as out of character as well.
Otherwise her development, moral dilemmas and internal struggles in one of the most tense situations yet had intensity and was touching to see. Also felt sorry for Maggie and Paula is one chilling villain, adding to the increasing sense of danger. The conflict has real intensity, best to quite frightening effect, making the chillingly brutal conclusion all the more powerful. Melissa McBride gives a searing performance as Carol and gives some of her best acting of the show up to this point and overall, especially when she is being taunted. Not everybody here liked Alicia Witt, personally agree with the critical acclaim she got and felt that she was very confident and delighted in bringing out Paula's cruel side, making for one vicious performance that convincingly became more subtle later on the more we knew about Paula and her internal emotions.
Like all the previous episodes, "The Same Boat" is as gritty and audacious as one expects while the necessary claustophobic tension needed to make the scenario work is brilliantly brought out in the direction. The music is not over-bearing but fits with the atmosphere like a glove. The script is taut and also surprisingly elegant and despite the scale in characters being smaller the story is still big in intensity and emotional power. The claustrophobia and intimacy is on point too. Didn't feel that it was too slow most of the time.
Summarising, excellent episode, very powerful and gave me the chills. 9/10
