The Well

This episode was very different from all the previous ones, and shifted focus from the events of the premiere!

While you could complain that it is slow and un-eventfull, i instead sees it a much needed feel-good episode after some dark and depressing episodes! I guess i just needed an episode that didnt break me or teared me apart!

The introduction to The Kingdom community was great and Ezekiels first scene was iconic! It really felt like this untouched paradise, and for sometime you believe it!

I enjoyed Ezekiels character and philosophy! About essentially being "Nobody" and wanting to live rather than just survive!

Okay, yes. It was a very boring and no climax episode. But at the same time, it was a very important episode.

The episode was a real "recess" compared to the previous one. In my opinion this is the principal cause of all the boredom in today's episode. It's just with Carol and Morgan from the Survivors.

The Well was important because introduces us to the Kingdom and to King Ezekiel, both really big stuff for whats comes ahead in the show.

The most important thing in this episode is the "Pig thing" and the Saviors showing the power that they have in all communities.

Although that, the episode is very boring and in the last chance they had to do something interesting the episode ends with Carol and Ezekiel doing nothing.

As a comic reader I'm very satisfied with Ezekiel and the Kingdom, but really disappointed with the Morgan and Carol's protagonism and drama.

7.5/10

The previous episode "The Day Will Come Before You Won't Be" was surprisingly not bad at all, despite going too overboard on the violent tone. Am saying surprisingly, because it followed on from such a disappointing finish to the previous season, an inconsistent one but with many fine things. And because it opened the season where 'The Walking Dead' went notoriously downhill and felt like a completely different show altogether.

Despite a much lower rating here as of now, for me Season 7's second episode "The Well" was a little better and it is not hard to see why it was one of the best received episodes of the season by quite a large margin. It is a very solid episode, interesting for introducing one to The Kingdom and another new character, albeit a very different one compared to the previous episode, its more restrained and calmer tone being a welcome departure from before. While it won't be for all tastes and it's a long way from being 'The Walking Dead' at its best, "The Well" is one of Season 7's better episodes in my view.

It is certainly not perfect. It is a little too slow in spots, the episode being somewhat of a slow-starter and it is with the Saviors when it gets going, and bogged down by being a little too exposition heavy. Some of it being rambling (if not as much as Negan's dialogue in "The Day Will Come Before You Won't Be").

Other episodes did a better job at progressing the characters, with the introduction of Ezekiel being the most striking thing in this regard, and at moving the story forward (the episode is not complete filler though), the closest "The Well" comes to being that is other than the introduction to the Kingdom the hostility between the Kingdom and the Saviors.

However, "The Well" is stylishly photographed without trying to do too much, no trying-to-be-too-clever editing to be seen here, or being too static. Shiva looks great. The music avoids being too bombastic or being too low-key, being suitably haunting. Personally do prefer it when the direction has more tension, especially of the uncompromising kind, but did appreciate the sensitivity of it here. While the dialogue is not perfect, it is quite thought-provoking and intrigues enough, especially between Ezekial and Carol. Melissa McBride, Lennie James and Khary Payton are excellent throughout.

Although, like the script, the storytelling is flawed, there are things done well. The big scene between Ezekiel and Carol is particularly well done, great chemistry between the two, not too heavy-handed and really probes thought. Close behind is with the Saviors, that had intensity and a further sign of how dangerous they are. Carol and Morgan's story here is on the most part more interesting than in "Last Day on Earth", which didn't fit with the rest of the episode. It was great to have "The Well" focusing on two of the show's better regular characters and focusing on less characters than tends to be the case, am aware that fans had issues with Carol's development in the latter episodes of Season 6 but she is very well handled here and Morgan has come on a lot. Ezekiel is a colourfully characterised character, very intriguing and enigmatic.

In summary, well done if not top-'The Walking Dead' standard. Better than a lot of what came after though, which was a completely different story. 7/10

As someone who's read all of the comic books, it's great to see such an interesting character appear in the show. I am really impressed at how this episode currently has a perfect score of 10! While I can see it getting a lower score, I still love it for now. Hey, Breaking Bad's Ozymandias has a perfect 10! Anyway, this episode introduces us to Ezekiel, an eccentric fan favorite from the source material. It's hard to not like a guy who has a tiger with him. Rather than focusing on Rick and Negan, we get a look at what's going on with Morgan and Carol. Hey, I'm starting to remember all of their names.

This episode might not have had much action, but it makes up for that with great introductions. Ezekiel sees Carol's ambitions, something no other character has really done before. It's great to have time to flesh out all of the individual characters. I love his hair style and costumes. There's not much zombie (or should I say walker) action going on, but this doesn't need it. It's always great to see new characters interact and play off of each other. ****

An injured Carol awakens with Morgan at her side. He tells her what has happened and where they are. They have been brought to a community called The Kingdom, a place led by "King" Ezekiel. Carol is stunned by the way things are run. She concludes that it's a ridiculous fantasy world, and she needs to leave.

She plays along, in order to keep people from becoming suspicious while she plans to escape with supplies. Before she can leave, Ezekiel catches her, and they both drop their facades. Ezekiel encourages her to embrace life, and suggests a plan that would allow her to simultaneously "go and not go." She takes residence in a cottage outside the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Morgan begins to bond with Benjamin, a young resident who is training to be a soldier. He also discovers that The Kingdom is being extorted by the Saviors, although it is being kept secret from most of the community.

"The Well" is a stark contrast to the season premiere, offering a glimpse of hope and humanity in the midst of the post-apocalyptic world. The episode introduces the Kingdom, a new community led by the enigmatic King Ezekiel. The Kingdom is a vibrant and thriving community, complete with its own unique culture and way of life. Ezekiel's larger-than-life personality and his pet tiger, Shiva, add a sense of whimsy and intrigue to the episode.

One of the most memorable scenes in the episode is when Carol is introduced to Ezekiel and is initially skeptical of his grandiose persona. However, as she spends more time in the Kingdom, she begins to see the value in Ezekiel's leadership style and the community he has built. The episode also explores themes of identity and self-discovery, as Carol grapples with her own inner demons and tries to find a sense of purpose in this new world.

The episode is also notable for its exploration of the relationship between Ezekiel and his people, particularly his relationship with Benjamin, a young resident of the Kingdom who looks up to Ezekiel as a father figure. Their interactions add depth to Ezekiel's character and highlight the bond he shares with his community.