The Walking Dead: Still Gotta Mean Something (8x14)

I'm getting really tired, guys. I don't hate most of what happened in this episode, but it's just making me really, really tired at this point.

Cons:

Why is Jadis just the worst? I don't want to watch her connect with Negan's humanity. I don't need a big drawn-out scene where Negan explains that his wife's name is Lucille. I don't need to see the two of them forming some sort of strange kinship. She had him at her mercy, and she should have shot him in the head. I hope that's not a shocking opinion to espouse. Honestly, how many times are people going to be stupid about this? Just kill the man, for goodness sake!

Even more annoying that Jadis' horrible decision making is the fact that I think we're supposed to want peace with Negan now? Like, I think the show is trying to make us think that the right solution is for Rick and Negan and Maggie and the rest to lay down their arms and join together as one happy family. I'm sorry, but I just could not be any less interested in that. I don't care if Carl wanted it. I don't care if Negan didn't order the death of the trash people. Is that supposed to suddenly wipe away all of the rest of it? I just want this to be over. I don't want this season to end with yet another cliffhanger centered around the Negan question, and I'm getting increasingly worried that that's where we're moving.

Morgan and Carol continuing the endless debate over killing vs. not killing is getting to be a real pain. I actually did like the stuff with Morgan and Rick later on, but I still had to endure Carol and Morgan speechifying at each other as they try to make up their mind on what to do. Do they look for Henry, who they both assume to be dead? Or do they go after the Saviors who escaped Hilltop? Yikes, I just really don't care very much at this point.

Also, Henry is annoying. I wanted to be moved when Carol found him and they reunited, and then Henry and Ezekiel reunited, and Carol and Ezekiel are all cute and people ship them or whatever... but honestly I don't feel much of anything for this whole plot thread. Sorry.

Pros:

However, I've got to admit that Rick and Morgan teaming up and then getting caught by the runaway Saviors was pretty intense. When the hoard of Walkers shows up and the two of them are still restrained, I could feel my heart-rate increasing. I mean, let's be real. I knew that they would both live - Morgan has to go be on Fear the Walking Dead after this season, and Rick just isn't going to die two episodes away from the season finale. But still, the scene did a good job of building up tension, I thought. I also like the fact that Rick actually did try and reason with them and ask them to go back to Hilltop. The crazy thing is, I think he was genuine in that offer, even after everything else that's happened.

Obviously Michonne and Rick are the sweetest. I loved their "I love you" scene because it didn't feel like the first time they've said those words to each other. I'm betting that they've said them before, but that we just haven't heard them before. It felt like a simple moment, a tragic coming together in the face of Carl's loss. Michonne has suffered the loss of a child as well, after all. Rick's reluctance to read the letter makes sense. I think there's a part of him that wants to prolong the inevitable as long as possible because as soon as he reads those words, he'll have read the last words he'll ever get from Carl. I also think he doesn't want to let go of his anger, because if he does, his grief will overwhelm him. This show has a problem with using too many words when just a few will do, and I thought Michonne and Rick's moments in this episode were a great example of avoiding that pitfall. They don't have to say much, and yet a lot can be communicated.

Looks like Rosita and Daryl might be on a hunt for Eugene. I've never found Eugene to be a particularly interesting character, but I do actually find myself looking forward to a confrontation between Rosita and Eugene. After all, the two of them and Abraham were a team for so long, and the resolution to Eugene's betrayal could be interesting to see.

So... yeah. A lot of stuff about this episode had me shrugging my shoulders. And Jadis' refusal to kill Negan just straight up pissed me off. I'm not forgiving the dude for bashing in Glenn's head right in front of his pregnant wife, okay? I'm not letting bygones be bygones.

7/10