The Lost and the Plunderers

There are times when I really appreciate The Walking Dead's stylistic directing choices and unique way of telling a story, and then there are times when I feel it's very pointless. Albeit being a little gimicky, the title cards that would split up the night's episode were an interesting way of fleshing out this very typical episode.

For one, Simon and Jadis were clear standouts this week. I've never fully been on board with Simon as a character, as he's often felt like a carbon copy of Negan's personality. However, tonight exemplified just how different he is by shaping him as a man on a revenge tour and so clearly going to be killed brutally by Negan, and I found Steven ogg's performance to be incredibly compelling. It was in those scenes and Jadis' few quiet but bloody sequences that made the episode for me.

Jadis, much like Simon, has been a mixed bag for me. I'll never understand why the garbage folk speak so strangely, it's quite infuriating. But it seemed like Pollyana McIntosh finally got a chance to show some depth as the last survivor of The Scavengers. Just watching McIntosh painfully see her people go through the trash grinder made me feel genuine emotion for her. I can't believe I'm saying this but actually intrigued for where they're going to take her character going forward.

It was also very nice to see Negan and Rick have a 1v1 discussion that didn't end with a baseball bat or guns going off. Yes, it was frustrating to see Rick take a 180 from what Carl asked him to do last week (will Rick ever learn?), but on the other hand, how great was it to see Negan be a somewhat normal person through it all? Is this the show telling us we should expect Negan to be redeemed at some point? His supposed genuine reaction to hearing about Carl's death may be a sign of what's to come in that regard. Either way, back to back solid episodes of The Walking Dead was a promising way to begin season 8b.

7.8/10

Idk why people so hate season 8,but this is a great season,and now when we know nagen have feelings it's more than good

I was expecting another tedious, dragged out episode like the mid-season premiere but I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the format this episode was in because it allowed for back to back snippets of action. It was exactly what the show needed.

"The Lost and the Plunderers" was a very pleasant surprise. Season 8 for me, and many others, was a very disappointing season of 'The Walking Dead' (more so than Season 7), and all but two of the previous episodes of the season ranged from mediocre to dreadful. So expectations actually weren't high and was expecting it to be a case of a lot of filler and not much else, as was the case with most of the season's previous episodes.

Actually, "The Lost and the Plunderers" turned out to be more than just a filler episode and one of the few episodes up to this point of Season 8 to actually feel like it's going anywhere in terms of characterisation and storytelling. Up to this point of the season, "The Lost and the Plunderers" is by far the best episode, and even after Season 8 ended it still remained one of its best and one of the few to be above average (well above average in this case). Actually thought it was pretty darn good and the best episode since "Bury Me Here".

By all means, "The Lost and the Plunderers" isn't perfect. It does drag at times in the Oceanside parts which felt like filler that could have been trimmed a little.

Still find some of the editing rather self-indulgent and show-offy.

However, a lot is good here in "The Lost and the Plunderers". The junkyard plot surprised me hugely, was expecting that subplot to be tiresome and a waste but actually it was here where things most advanced. Also found it surprisingly entertaining and with tension. Not to mention that the development to Simon, more frightening in this episode alone than Negan has ever been, and Jadis (the latter of whom finally being interesting and shown in a different light) was highly appreciated. The ending unsettles, and Negan to me actually did come over as menacing.

Moreover, a lot goes on here, but it didn't feel too much or too sprawling and there isn't the too many characters problem that most of the previous Season 8 episodes had. The dialogue is this time thought provoking and tighter, nowhere near as many long-winded speeches or rambling self-indulgence. The acting is very good here, with top honours going to chillingly intense Steven Ogg. While having reservations with the editing, there is some atmosphere in the production values and the music has haunting parts.

Overall, rather impressed. 8/10.

OMG all the characters were wonderful , and the last speech just OMG , nice shoot