Walking Dead Recap: Scavenger Hunt
Charlie Mason
Editor
And they’re off! In Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead, Rick and Michonne searched high and low for the firepower that they were going to need in order to set in motion Alexandria’s deal with the junkyard collective. But, although their efforts weren’t in vain, they also weren’t enough. So, by the end of the hour, two survivors had decided to take matters into their own hands. (Yes, because that always goes so well.) Who embarked on a suicide mission? Read on…
‘WE’RE FIGHTING THE FIGHT’ | As “Say Yes” began, Rick and Michonne were having a grand ol’ time scavenging. True, they’d only found a coupla guns, but they managed to steal some batteries (and pretzels!) from a pair of Saviors, and were hooking up every chance they got. Back in Alexandria, Rosita, whose attitude adjuster seems to have gotten stuck on “sour,” was having a time that was anything but grand ol’. First, she took out her frustrations on Tara, who suggested, “Maybe you could just save all this” aggression for the Saviors, then she took off on her own in search of guns. Alas, even after dispatching what had to be one of the series’ all-time ugliest walkers, she went home empty-handed.
Pissed — which I probably needn’t mention anymore since she’s always pissed — Rosita lit into Gabriel for convincing her not to go after Negan before he’d murdered Spencer and Olivia, and taken Eugene. Rosita would be dead if she had gone through with her plan, but that, too, made her angry. “I’m here,” she spat, “because I was stupid enough to listen to you.” Acknowledging that “it’s easier to be dead” than alive, Father G gently reiterated that he’d done what he felt was right, especially since she was so badly needed. Furthermore, he challenged her to make what needed to happen, happen — beyond yelling at the fool he was willing to let her say he was. The next day, Tara confided in Judith — as good a listener as there is — about Oceanside and her fears that, if she told Rick about Cyndie’s community, the women would fight Alexandria rather than join the fight against the Saviors.
‘YOU CAN HANDLE EIGHT’ | In the field, Rick and Michonne happened upon a high school that had been having a carnival at the end of the world. So its grounds were full of zombified soldiers — armed soldiers! What ensued as they attempted to assess and deal with the promising situation was some of the cutest, most couple-y stuff we’ve ever gotten to see from them. First, they fell through the roof of the school, laughing hysterically before they discovered that in front of them lay a treasure trove of nonperishables (including a chili/mac-and-cheese combo, for Pete’s sake!). Then, over a candlelight dinner, they planned the future of the world, with him only agreeing to reorder things post-Negan if she did so with him. The next day, they engaged in a pretty adorable lovers’ spat over which of them would block a hole in the school’s fence with a car and which of them would take out eight walkers in the way. Too late, he realized that the car’s brakes didn’t work and rolled straight through the gap he’d hoped to close. “I think we overshot it,” he cracked. “You think or you know?” she replied.
As walkers lumbered toward them, Rick and Michonne delighted in leaping behind the carnival’s barriers and dispatching them. (And they say romance is dead!) But, when he took a fall while attempting to bag her the deer that he owed her, things got serious fast. So serious that, at one point, she mistakenly believed that she was witnessing the walkers devouring her boyfriend! Later, on the way home to Alexandria, Rick — knowing full well how freaked out she had been at the thought of his demise — admitted that he didn’t mind taking night watches because he was having trouble sleeping, always “thinking about what we lost… thinking about my friends… ” (Nice shout-out to Glenn saving his ass in the series premiere.)
‘IT’LL BE WORTH IT’ | Furthermore, Rick warned Michonne that, when the war against the Saviors began, they would lose more people — “maybe even each other.” If that happened, whoever was left would carry on, because in the end, it wasn’t really about them, it was about the future — Judith, and Glenn and Maggie’s baby. If he was the one who didn’t make it, he added, it would be up to Michonne to lead everyone. And he knew that she could do it. How? “You led me here,” he replied. Mind you, there were still obstacles aplenty to overcome before they’d have to worry about losing one another. For starters, Jadis wasn’t satisfied with the number of guns they’d scored. “Not enough,” she said. “Need nearly twice.” At least Rick bargained to keep some of the firearms — and the metallic cat he’d taken! (So there!)
As the hour drew to a close, it appeared that Tara was about to tell Rick about Oceanside and its impressive arsenal. Meanwhile, Sasha showed up at the Hilltop… but not to mourn Abraham, to ask for Sasha’s help in doing what she’d wanted to for ages — kill Negan. Sasha was in on “one condition,” she said. “I get to take the shot.” Since Rosita had a gun from Rick and Michonne’s recent scavenging as well as the lowdown on Negan’s place, and Sasha had Jesus’ map of how to get there, they had everything they needed. “It’s a one-way ticket for both of us,” Rosita noted. But that didn’t seem to much bother them.
So, what did you think of “Say Yes”? Were you relieved to see Rick and Michonne happy, if only for a little while? Do you think Rosita or Sasha will survive their mission? Hit the comments.
God I can’t stand Rosita anymore. Spencer died because he was an idiot. Olivia was killed and Eugene taken because of Rosita’s reckless behavior. I half expect Sasha to get killed now and Rosita will blame Judith.
Zzzz…can this show get anymore boring?Good gawd this is season dragging! Ugh I love Rick and Michonne, but a whole show devoted to them being giggling teenagers was not needed.
This whole episode was a cringe to sit through. I don’t ship Richonne. I don’t see the “chemistry” everyone thinks they have. They both annoyed me this episode with the sex and touching and giggles. There are no couples I can root for in this show. They have their couples all wrong.
Yeah I don’t ship them either. Didn’t help my enthusiasm for this episode.
TWD shouldn’t be really focusing on any shipping whatsoever anyways.
Gee, what a shock.
There is no chemistry between Rick and Michonne. The relationship is weird. The producers are determined to force this couple on the fans.
Putting Rick and Michonne together made no sense at all. An entire episode of them behaving like teenagers was just stupid.
Richonne and it’s shippers have turned this series into a subpar soap opera. The pacing is horrible especially when they focus on two or three characters an episode. Shows like LOST/GoT/ETC managed to do that formula perfectly but not this show. I want to love it as much as I used to but the soap opera aspect has ruined it especially between two characters who’s relationship was forced and is contrived with no chemistry.
S1-S2, Rick/Lori/Shane neverending love triangle complete with Lori pregnant and not knowing who the father is.
And the show would be a soap opera now, because two characters are in a monogamous and drama-free relationship?
Agree about the pacing, but I fail to see see how Rick/Michonne was responsible for Tara-centered, Eugene-centered or Negan-centered episodes.
You anti-Richonners really need to do better. This show has been a subpar soap opera from the very beginning, with the endless Rick/Whori/Shane nonsense from the very beginning of the show, yet you manage to sit through that without complaint. Hmm, wonder why?
God forbid we have to see 43 minutes of two mature friends-turned-lovers in a (mostly) drama-free relationship. No, let’s ramp with the misery porn with endless cartoon villians, ridiculously gruesome deaths that drive down ratings, and contrived emo pain BS for useless characters like carol and daryl (bet you wouldn’t have been complaining if you got an episode with that greasy, non ‘ship) who should have died off seasons ago or never been existed in the first place.
You had me until you dissed Carol. She is the most complex female on the show, and has shown the most character growth since the start of it And as for last night’s episode, I really enjoyed it. It was so nice to see a little bit of humor and fun in between the walker dispaches for a change.
Here here! Took the words right out of my mouth
Funny how many people had no issue with couples, love, or romance on the show until it was Michonne with Rick. If she were a blonde these complaints would conveniently not exist.
So true. If Michonne was not black there would be NO complaints. People should just admit they don’t like it because she’s black.
It’s not about the fact that they’re a interracial couple. I don’t have a problem with that at all. With them it’s the lack of chemistry and random hook up. It doesn’t make sense. It astonishes me that so much people ship Richonne down to the fans all the way to the celebrities. In order to have chemistry there has to be an attraction. Sexual or not. Andrew and Dinai don’t play it that way. This episode should’ve been called “Fan Service” because that’s exactly what it was.
I’ve never been a fan of Richonne. Don’t see the chemistry either. But I enjoyed this episode. Not sure what would please some people nowadays. This had suspense, character development, zombies, humor, AND visited Alexandria a couple of times. Agree with those who are fed up with pouty Rosita. She’s def gonna get someone else killed.
I enjoyed this episode. I hated how dark the first half was, so I welcome lighthearted episodes like this one.
I like this episode and the lightness that it brought us from a heavy first half of the season. Rosita needs to buck up! Judith is growing fast… I wonder how far along Maggie is getting, but mainly I just want to move on from this whole Negan arc.
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P.S. It should say Rosita went to the hill top and talked to Sasha.
I enjoyed the episode. It’s good to see characters being light and smile and think about /talk about the future they want once they get past the Saviors. I liked how realistic (in ZA terms) and balanced the episode was. The show is about survival which encompasses the past, present and the future. This is what the drives the characters. I think that was portrayed very well in the eyes of mainly Rick and Michonne (their drive, hope, struggles and dreams) but also in the struggles of the other characters like Tara, Rosita, Fr. G and Sasha. But I do agree that Rosita struggles are becoming annoying/dangerous because she is a walking time bomb and she just signed Sasha up for a suicide mission. This is not going to end well. Rick and Michonne are such a dynamic duo and they work really well together.
One more small complaint. Did anyone notice the awful looking CGI deer? They must have spent their CGI budget on the tiger.
It was 1980’s terrible.
Not as bad as the green screen garbage heap background from last week.
I beg to differ. I think it was worse than last week. That thing was almost see through. It look like a hologram. Even my dad and watching crew was like WTF. lol :P
It was really bad.
Great episode. I loved it.
I loved a lot of the episode – particularly the logistical takedown of the carnival walkers and acquiring of their guns. However, the deer thing was a bit far fetched, they just wanted us to think Rick was dead – but they should’ve at least had the deer in the shot for a moment before he goes down to make it look more believable. Also why would they just give the Scavengers all those guns? They barely know them, and I didn’t realize there were 100+ able-bodied scavengers that all needed guns to fight? And why do they talk in a strange dialect, seriously it hasn’t been that long since the world collapsed – they need to develop that plot much more realistically for me to enjoy it.
I get that Rick had to hide the guns and supplies from Negan and not take them back to Alexandria, but handing them all over to the Scavengers seems too trust worthy too soon. How do we even know that they can or will fight? They take, not bother, remember? Jadis has the advantage and she knows it. Rick is just so happy that he has a new ally.
It’s tough to be the “worst episode” of a sub par season but they found a way. What a boring and needless episode.
And I’m not sure if it’s the writing or the actress but every scene with Rosita now is cringeworthy. So over the top.
I keep hoping the writers will remember that there should be a plot and that a story is supposed to progress.
At first I thought this was going to be a pointless, boring episode but the carnival action was interesting enough and something slightly different with the walkers so that I enjoyed this sequence. I agree with what everyone has said about Rosita; she went from be unmemorable to unlikable. I don’t mind Tara, but I’d like to spend more time with Maggie, Sasha and Carol. When was the last time Carl was around?
Sidenote: I dislike “ship” wars so much. There are some viewers like me who don’t get so caught up in a shows couples. I’m fine with Michonne and Rick, and their relationship didn’t make or break the show to me.
Considering that Carol is in ‘hiding’, it’s not surprising that she wouldn’t be around much….. We must saw her reunion with Daryl last week and previews shown on Talking Dead indicate she’s back next week.
That CGI deer that Rick spotted looked like it had been created and animated in MS Paint.
This comment made me laugh out loud
I can’t stand the Richonne pairing. This episode was awful and silly wrote only to cater those shippers. The acting was off and the cgi deer looked straight out of a videogame from 1996. I really hope all the intercourse doesn’t end up with another pregnancy, enough with babies that only have the purpouse of being props. I don’t care if Rick or Michonne die. It makes me angry that Gimple made me hate this show. Richonne, the garbage people and Rosita are goddam awful. I was hoping this show would last 12 even 14 seasons but now I really wish it was cancelled. Would love to see an adaptation that follows the comics, with less episodes and r+ for real. It seems like they really toned down the violence even if they say they didn’t. This show is not worth watching anymore.
Yep. I totally get where you coming from. This is probably the first season that has me thinking about giving up on it. I’m looking forward to the finale already just to get this season over with.
You know the show doesn’t have to be canceled for you to stop watching? You could’ve just turn off your tv.
Great episode as usual. I love these characters and it was nice to have a lighter episode to offset the darkness. The carnival scenes were fantastic and i truly enjoyed Rick and Michonne having some normal moments in a world that has only allowed them to be commanding leaders. I agree that Rosita has lost it and complaining about everyone else while not taking responsibility for her own actions is making her hard to watch. I can’t wait for next week!!!
I liked this episode too. I’m not a romance ‘shipper really, but I do like Rick and Michonne and I liked the warmth and humor that is so rare on this show. My only issue was that horrible CGI deer. Yikes. Rosita is going to mess things up again most likely. I wouldn’t miss her.
Never read the comic books, but, from what I’ve read of them, there are sexual and/or romantic relationships in them, too. As 2 adults who have survived together and made a family together, it’s not surprising that feelings would evolve. Marriages in IRL have been made on less. For me, these relationships (romantic, or just plain friendship) represent the hope for the possibility of survival vs TWD just being about killing zombies and bad guys – where’s the humanity in that?
I especially liked that Rick and Michonne decided between the two of them that THEY will be the King and Queen of the world once the dust settles. They will run all the communities. Isn’t that what Negan is doing? I assume since R & M won’t be violently killing everyone then it will be just fine for them to rule the world. Also, can they drag things out any more than this? Soooooooo sloooooooow. Maybe I don’t need to watch it just read recaps.
Oh for f—‘s sake you know what’s immature and so predictable? The complaining and whining about an excellent series. How about this,once you’ve created a series as creative as TWD then compare notes.
Rick and Michonne is an awesome idea. A romance that took time to develop and they have such a connection with one another. You can’t “feel” it between them? Loved this episode. Looking forward to backstop of the Scavengers.
The thing is that people need to own up to their racism and admit they don’t like Richonne because Michonne is Black and Rick is white. They can use every excuse in the book. The seeing no chemistry is BULL. Its been building from the beginning. I just wish they would own up to their racism. And I am saying this as someone who is white. Love is love no matter what race or sexuality you are.
LOVE This!!
Why do you “LOVE” this? Because someone just had to play the race card? Or because you get to assume the worst about others? I have never seen the “chemistry” between Rick and Michonne, but they are two of my favorite characters. I’ve never EVER wanted Carol and Daryl together. Two more of my most favorite characters, both white. Does that make me racist?? I’ve just believed these four people were the strongest, toughest characters on this show, and I always saw them more as war brothers/sisters. To assume they HAVE to hook up just because they are best friends doesn’t sit with me. But I get that others disagree with me. I never could stand Lori or Shane OR their relationship. Lori’s character always felt like she’d be better suited for a soap opera, with all her drama, wishy-washy thinking, and self-centered manipulation. I liked this episode of TWD because it was nice to see two characters experience a REASON to try to survive this world. I’ve let it go that I don’t see a chemistry there.