Thank You

Rick and the crew split up to deal with the large zombie horde as it breaks up.

This is a strong episode with great suspenseful horror sequences.

The threat of the zombies was significantly fading in comparison to the living characters, but it is definitely back after this episode. I won't go into plot details and spoil, but several of the main 'family' group of characters have memorable scenes.

Danai Gurira, Andrew Lincoln and Steven Yeun are all on great form along with Michael Traynor, who is superb.

The production values are top drawer as always. The scene on the dumpster was very effective and almost put you right in the moment with the characters. I also think the macabre art design is the pet store shows meticulous attention to detail.

My only gripe with the episode was yet another use of 'The Walking Dead' clichéd surprise zombie attack from behind, which were getting tiresome about three seasons ago!

In its prime years 'The Walking Dead' was to me one of the best and most addictive shows of the past decade. Those prime years being Seasons 1-5. Which is why it angers and saddens me that it suffered such a significant decline with Seasons 7 and 8, which could pass 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.

Season 6 wasn't as consistent, but still started off brilliantly. Absolutely loved the previous two episodes "First Time Again" and "JSS". Feel exactly the same with the every bit as brilliant third episode "Thank You". Like "JSS", "Thank You" has a lot going on, is taut, is uncompromisingly tense, emotional and is exceptionally well made (actually stands out on that front), like the best of 'The Walking Dead'. Its critical acclaim, despite its again mixed reception here, is very much deserved.

"Thank You" 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. A big standout on both counts was the dumpster scene, which was an absolutely stunning scene in every regard and up there with the show's best individual scenes from personal opinion.

On a storytelling level, "Thank You" is continually gripping and in a way that does enhance plot points and characterisation. It didn't feel like pointless filler, or at least not to me. The action left me on the edge of my seat, the taut dialogue provoked thought and the episode boasted the first "what the heck just happened, that didn't just happen" moment of the season, possibly the closest it gets to that level. The major tragedy is genuinely heart-wrenching and the decision to leave another character's fate indefinite was handled with tension and poignancy, one wanting to keep watching.

As said, the dialogue is taut and thought-provoking, avoiding descending into too much talk in the more dialogue-driven scenes. The Wolves provide the right amount of foreboding. The characters don't bore or annoy and the interactions between them avoid being overwrought and are instead tense and affecting. The acting all round can't be faulted.

Concluding, brilliant. 10/10

i can't even believe that Frank Darabont could be such a low-level writer. I am sure he has been watching Game of Thrones a lot lately and realized that killing main characters can add up to the attractiveness of his story. But you gotta be a master of this art Frank, you need to kill main characters somehow meaningful that helps the story-line. You just killed one of the most important characters who apparently was the most talented guy of hide and seeks games in the whole series in an awkward fall-off of a car hood? Are you sure you wrote the Green mile and The Shawshank Redemption by yourself? I used to admire Frank Darabont before... but now I am really in a big doubt...

Just killing characters, you are invested in for plot armor. Bad writing, cheap thrills, political correctness, appeasement politics. Stop watching the series is just bad now very bad. Not watching anymore.

Glenn, Michonne, and several Alexandrians race through the woods toward the community, where the horn continues to blare. It stops, but the group is anxious to return, as they know that only a catastrophic event could have caused the community to attract attention to itself while the horde of Walkers was still being diverted.

In private, Rick tells Glenn and Michonne that the Alexandrians with them "aren't all gonna make it". Rick instructs them to lead the team back to Alexandria, but to keep going if anyone can't keep up. Heath overhears the conversation.

Meanwhile, Daryl, Sasha and Abraham are driving vehicles that continue to lead most of the Walkers away from Alexandria. When the horn goes off, Daryl wants to rush back to the community to help out. Both Sasha and Rick (over a walkie) advise Daryl to hold his course. By staying with the plan, it is much more likely that many lives will be saved.

As Glenn's group makes its way home, many members fall to walkers. Heath and Michonne debate on whether they should leave people behind. Michonne reminds Heath that he never had to survive the way Rick and her group has. He doesn't know what's it's like to be covered in the blood of friends.

While Michonne, Heath, and the injured in the relative safety of a pet store in an abandoned town, Glenn and Nicholas, who is now fully committed to working with Glenn and redeeming himself, attempt to distract walkers by setting a fire in a nearby building. The plan fails, though, and the two men wind up getting surrounded by a herd. Glenn climbs a dumpster and helps Nicholas up. After staring at the teeming horde all around them, Nicholas tells Glenn "thank you", and then shoots himself. Glenn gets knocked into the herd by Nicholas' falling corpse. He screams as he's engulfed by feasting walkers.

Michonne, Heath, and an injured Scott wade through a creek. Heath is shocked to see his blood-soaked reflection in the water.

Rick makes it to the RV. As he is informing Daryl that he has progressed that far, he is ambushed by the remaining Wolves. He manages to kill them all, but several walkers come out of the forest as he tries to restart the RV's engine.

"Thank You" is a tense and emotional episode that follows Rick and a group of survivors as they try to make their way back to Alexandria while being pursued by a massive herd of walkers. The episode is notable for its intense action sequences, particularly the harrowing escape from a horde of walkers on a bridge. The episode also explores themes of sacrifice and leadership, as Rick must make difficult decisions to ensure the survival of his group.

One of the most memorable scenes in the episode is when Rick is forced to leave behind a member of the group, who sacrifices himself to save the others. This moment highlights the harsh realities of living in a world overrun by the dead and the difficult choices that must be made in order to survive.