What Comes After

Will admit to not having high expectations at all for 'The Walking Dead's' Season 9. While really liking to loving Seasons 1-5 and finding a huge amount to admire about Season 6, Seasons 7 and 8 were really not up to standard and were huge disappointments (despite having some exceptions). Especially Season 8, where the worst episodes were pretty dreadful and where many of the episodes were mediocre or less. Season 9 though was a real surprise and saw the show seeming to find its identity again.

All the previous Season 9 episodes were excellent, especially "Warning Signs". "What Comes After" is notable for the exit of Rick Grimes, the character that had held 'The Walking Dead' together from the very beginning, as well as the returns of Shane, Sasha and Herschel in dream sequence form. It is another outstanding episode and one of the best of Season 9, truly powerful emotionally and satisfied to me as an exit of such a great character (am aware though that this aspect has divided the fandom).

It is a very stylishly and atmospherically made episode, with no signs of self indulgent gimmicks or showing off. The music is also full of atmosphere of the haunting and ominous kind, while also having emotion that is not spelled out. The more action oriented moments are thrilling, suspense laden and well choreographed, with an ending that roused and moved. Nothing is ridiculous or chaotic.

The massive improvement in the writing has not been lost with "What Comes After". The previous two seasons had a lot of (too much) extraneous talk, long winded-ness and soap-opera, and none of that is here in a tight and thoughtful script that treats the viewer with respect. The Season 1 callbacks were very affectionate and never felt forced. The story absorbs throughout, even when not fast paced it never felt dull and nothing for me felt confusing or over silly, while having a lot of emotional impact. For me, the exit was movingly done even if it was ambiguous and the appearances of Shane, Sasha and Herschel were also heart-warming.

None of the characters frustrated me or made ridiculous or vague decisions, a great job is done here with connecting with Rick. The acting is never less than very good, with Andrew Lincoln and Jon Bernthal being outstanding. Couldn't help too choking up seeing Scott Wilson, who sadly died not long after.

Concluding, brilliant. 10/10.

This is the best episode for like 3 or 4 years including finales. just amazing.

It came so fast that I felt like I was in tears, and it was the best end and the best start, and I'm starting to look forward to season 10

My mind went nuts as results of this episode. They brought cameos, and brought the show back on its feet again. Salute to the new show runner Angela.

This episode would have been at 10 for me if I had just sat down with no knowledge of what was going to happen. Unfortunately, as is becoming all too common these days, you pretty much knew what was going to happen with Rick. And that takes all of the surprise out of it. For about the first 45 minutes of this episode I wasn't terribly interested at all, other then the scene with Maggie and Negan. Basically, I was just sitting around watching Rick pass out and have a little talk with a dead loved one, get back up and pass out again, rinse and repeat. So it really didn't hold my attention. If I didn't know this was ricks last episode I would've been on the edge of my seat.

However, the last 25 minutes of the episode were absolutely great and I can't wait to see where everything goes from here. I'd say more but I really don't want to give a single thing away that you haven't already been told about.

So, definitely worth the watch! Definitely a great episode! And it is in the way the filmmakers fault that it could've been at 10 all the way through was partially spoiled because we the public are told too much before hand!