Jadis is the hero with not the best haircut, Rick is a bit right XD. This scene was the best in the whole series so far and no one will change my opinion. Every scene with Jadis and Rick is brilliant. Nice that we are getting more answers. The slowest episode of all three that came out, but it's typical of TWD that the beginning and end shine and the middle has to do the dirty work of laying everything out and the pace of the action suffers a bit. Worst of the first three episodes, but better than any episode from all the other spinoffs, not counting the one about Daryl. That is, in short, the weakest so far, but the series is so good that even its weakest moments are still very good.
17 Reviews
The Ones Who Live does it again.
magnusthegamer10 March 2024
Episode 3, "Bye," is really where the story starts to pick up, with no more flashbacks, besides the two flashbacks in the beginning, of course. However, besides those, this episode takes place in the present timeline.
I want to start by saying that Jadis is an absolutely awesome villain. It's the first time in a long time where I have actually been invested in a villain from The Walking Dead. The last few seasons of TWD and Fear TWD have had some of the most bland and boring villains, and it never really felt like they were a threat to the main cast of the shows. But Jadis actually feels like a villain that can really mess some things up, and that's exciting and very stressful. Pollyanna McIntosh really does an excellent job at playing Jadis.
It's amazing to see Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira together again after so long; they haven't lost their touch. I also want to mention Terry O'Quinn and Lesley-Ann Brandt; they are both excellent.
"Bye" is an excellent episode with some fun and shocking twists, and the action is amazing too, just like episodes 1 and 2. The ending is also very exciting; I did not think it was going to go the way it did. It's setting up for some very interesting plotlines, so I am very excited to see where the rest of the season is going.
I want to start by saying that Jadis is an absolutely awesome villain. It's the first time in a long time where I have actually been invested in a villain from The Walking Dead. The last few seasons of TWD and Fear TWD have had some of the most bland and boring villains, and it never really felt like they were a threat to the main cast of the shows. But Jadis actually feels like a villain that can really mess some things up, and that's exciting and very stressful. Pollyanna McIntosh really does an excellent job at playing Jadis.
It's amazing to see Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira together again after so long; they haven't lost their touch. I also want to mention Terry O'Quinn and Lesley-Ann Brandt; they are both excellent.
"Bye" is an excellent episode with some fun and shocking twists, and the action is amazing too, just like episodes 1 and 2. The ending is also very exciting; I did not think it was going to go the way it did. It's setting up for some very interesting plotlines, so I am very excited to see where the rest of the season is going.
... And We're Back in Form
nooapatjas11 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Finally, the show sticks to its strengths and finds the magic that the old school Walking Dead had.
The episode wasn't clear of cringy dialogue or boring character journeys by any means (mainly Rick's lines early on and Thorn's character in general is lacking), but the good vastly outshined the bad this time.
The setpieces looked incredible, the music was fantastic and the world felt alive. It is satisfying to see the "true" Rick unravel from the shell of this broken man. Michonne is once again fantastic in every scene she's in. The action was fun and satisfying and felt like true TWD.
Jadis was one of the worst villains in the original series, yet here she's absolutely phenomenal and with a great performance from the actress to match.
I liked the callbacks in the episode as well, especially with Thorn acting like Shane.
Overall, a good episode. Hoping this trend continues for the next 3 episodes.
The episode wasn't clear of cringy dialogue or boring character journeys by any means (mainly Rick's lines early on and Thorn's character in general is lacking), but the good vastly outshined the bad this time.
The setpieces looked incredible, the music was fantastic and the world felt alive. It is satisfying to see the "true" Rick unravel from the shell of this broken man. Michonne is once again fantastic in every scene she's in. The action was fun and satisfying and felt like true TWD.
Jadis was one of the worst villains in the original series, yet here she's absolutely phenomenal and with a great performance from the actress to match.
I liked the callbacks in the episode as well, especially with Thorn acting like Shane.
Overall, a good episode. Hoping this trend continues for the next 3 episodes.
Days Gone Bye
justdan202311 March 2024
This episode turns out to be quite steadily consistent, in terms of quality. Every single scene does not go out wasted, and have all sorts of plot points that eventually ties up to whole plot in general, which makes the ending of the episode - or rather the concept of it at least - quite more narratively natural and impactful.
Aside from Andy and Danai, who strives as fierce as before, I gotta say, I love Pollyana McIntosh. Her acting shines along with her character, which went from ehh in season 7 to eyy here. I mean, who would expect a non-comic character that came off as weird initially would turn out to be the biggest potential threat to everyone in the TWDU, without the character progression turning out to be jarring and unrealistic?
Lesley-Ann Brandt is great too playing as Thorne. She sure is a much more intriguing character we've ever had for a while. Gotta appreciate the effort the writing crew put in their characters.
So, thus far, out of all the first three episodes, this is the weakest certainly, but oh my how good it stiil is. Now I really can't wait for the last three episodes!
Aside from Andy and Danai, who strives as fierce as before, I gotta say, I love Pollyana McIntosh. Her acting shines along with her character, which went from ehh in season 7 to eyy here. I mean, who would expect a non-comic character that came off as weird initially would turn out to be the biggest potential threat to everyone in the TWDU, without the character progression turning out to be jarring and unrealistic?
Lesley-Ann Brandt is great too playing as Thorne. She sure is a much more intriguing character we've ever had for a while. Gotta appreciate the effort the writing crew put in their characters.
So, thus far, out of all the first three episodes, this is the weakest certainly, but oh my how good it stiil is. Now I really can't wait for the last three episodes!
Years Gone "Bye", offers powerful storytelling with lots of tension and suspension, along with incredible performances with Lesley-Ann Brandt standing out the most
Holt34412 March 2024
Years have truly Gone "Bye", the third episode has Rick and Michonne together, partly. With the final scene of the previous episode, showing Jadis blackmailing Rick, I just felt we were going to be down a road of an episode full of tension and suspension. This episode has all that along with so much more, powerful storytelling and character drama. The episode is emotional and the theme of hope is done brilliantly here, how easy it is to lose it. How much a person can change and what that person will do for the safety of others, in this way, Rick Grimes. It's not often we see Rick scared and it's contagious, as we become scared as well.
The cast and characters for this episode are; Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis Stokes, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Pearl Thorne, and Terry O'Quinn as General Beale. With new cast members being Julian Cihi as Benjiro and Tessa Slovis as Cleo Clifton.
The episode's premise: While pretending to be strangers, Rick and Michonne search for a way to survive under the eyes of the Civic Republic Military.
This week's episode of TWD: The Ones Who Live "Bye" was directed by Michael Slovis and written by Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete, the direction and visual storytelling were excellent, and what I found interesting was how Matthew Negrete co-wrote the script and if you don't recognize the name, he was the showrunner on World Beyond which was a below average show but the world building and story with the CRM in its second (final) season was quite compelling. There's also no Gimple speech, overall great dialogue. The screenplay for "Bye" was incredible! Back to the direction and visual storytelling, Michael Slovis who has directed a few episodes of The Walking Dead and a couple of other well known shows was the right choice to helm episode 3 and the upcoming fourth episode. He handles every scene with perfection, making sure there are brilliant shots as well as the actors are doing their finest work, which they are. The premise doesn't lie, although it's hard to see these characters (Rick and Michonne) act like strangers around each other for the majority of the episode it's just interesting to see because of the performances Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira do in the episode. The latter of them doesn't get as much material as in the previous episode, yet the subtle details around her performance makes it perfect nonetheless. I would like to say Andrew Lincoln has the best performance in this episode but that's not entirely right, because of Lesley-Ann Brandt who gets the MVP. Pearl Thorne became the show's best character (after the two leads) in how complex and likable she is, you might react with the word "likable" but it's because of how human she is thanks to the portrayal and writing but also because of how easy it is to sympathize with her, the dialogue about how she sees Rick as her family was priceless. I also really like the scenes with Rick and Jadis, with her acting as the show's antagonist. Andrew Lincoln acts superbly throughout the episode with us viewers noticing how sad and emotional he is, how he contemplates his actions and the large range of emotions he brings in the scenes.
The production design and art direction is terrific, so is the mise-en-scene and cinematography for the show. The musical score is something I haven't commented about but it's spectacular. The increased budget makes for better production design and visual effects, overall making a better show in every department along with the actors. There's a action sequence pretty late in the episode which was fantastic, something to look forward to! If you compare Philadelphia with the Commonwealth, you see how small the latter was in comparison, and I mean how they make it look. Both settlements are big, but this just feels bigger. The storyline of CRM is handled brilliantly, so is the individual character arcs and major story arc. With only three episodes left, I think we don't have to worry about quality dropping. This episode was superb from start to finish.
The cast and characters for this episode are; Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis Stokes, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Pearl Thorne, and Terry O'Quinn as General Beale. With new cast members being Julian Cihi as Benjiro and Tessa Slovis as Cleo Clifton.
The episode's premise: While pretending to be strangers, Rick and Michonne search for a way to survive under the eyes of the Civic Republic Military.
This week's episode of TWD: The Ones Who Live "Bye" was directed by Michael Slovis and written by Gabriel Llanas & Matthew Negrete, the direction and visual storytelling were excellent, and what I found interesting was how Matthew Negrete co-wrote the script and if you don't recognize the name, he was the showrunner on World Beyond which was a below average show but the world building and story with the CRM in its second (final) season was quite compelling. There's also no Gimple speech, overall great dialogue. The screenplay for "Bye" was incredible! Back to the direction and visual storytelling, Michael Slovis who has directed a few episodes of The Walking Dead and a couple of other well known shows was the right choice to helm episode 3 and the upcoming fourth episode. He handles every scene with perfection, making sure there are brilliant shots as well as the actors are doing their finest work, which they are. The premise doesn't lie, although it's hard to see these characters (Rick and Michonne) act like strangers around each other for the majority of the episode it's just interesting to see because of the performances Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira do in the episode. The latter of them doesn't get as much material as in the previous episode, yet the subtle details around her performance makes it perfect nonetheless. I would like to say Andrew Lincoln has the best performance in this episode but that's not entirely right, because of Lesley-Ann Brandt who gets the MVP. Pearl Thorne became the show's best character (after the two leads) in how complex and likable she is, you might react with the word "likable" but it's because of how human she is thanks to the portrayal and writing but also because of how easy it is to sympathize with her, the dialogue about how she sees Rick as her family was priceless. I also really like the scenes with Rick and Jadis, with her acting as the show's antagonist. Andrew Lincoln acts superbly throughout the episode with us viewers noticing how sad and emotional he is, how he contemplates his actions and the large range of emotions he brings in the scenes.
The production design and art direction is terrific, so is the mise-en-scene and cinematography for the show. The musical score is something I haven't commented about but it's spectacular. The increased budget makes for better production design and visual effects, overall making a better show in every department along with the actors. There's a action sequence pretty late in the episode which was fantastic, something to look forward to! If you compare Philadelphia with the Commonwealth, you see how small the latter was in comparison, and I mean how they make it look. Both settlements are big, but this just feels bigger. The storyline of CRM is handled brilliantly, so is the individual character arcs and major story arc. With only three episodes left, I think we don't have to worry about quality dropping. This episode was superb from start to finish.
Just what the franchise needed!
gonclapssasuke12 March 2024
It was quite exquisite and tasty. Fantastical episode that made me plumpy and fulfilled. Jeez Louise The Walking Dead! You've really showed us who you really are! They came out from the darkness of this fallen franchise! I'm never gonna cry for the rest of my days! This is straight up some lean! Type beat! I just hope that they continue to plumpen me with this amazing content! And oh yeah! Keep up those magical make out scenes! They really make you feel the characters connections! Keep doing them please! I think they are the best character building for each character! Please keep it up the walking dead!
Best episode so far
mesanoviczz10 March 2024
This episode is best so far, and I've seen people saying this show is about the zombies but they need to understand that it's been over 13 years and CRM is most equipped base itw, so there isn't much zombies there, and the show is mainly based on Rick escaping and getting back to Alexandria, but with Jadis being such a b, i don't think it will be possible unless they change her mind or somehow, i really hope next episode will be like this, we deserve it after season10,11 in main series, this is masterpiece, Andrew Lincoln deserves an oscar in my opinion, nobody could ever do this role so good,
Rick
hamyrmhmd-1863313 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This episode turns out to be quite steadily consistent, in terms of quality. Every single scene does not go out wasted, and have all sorts of plot points that eventually ties up to whole plot in general, which makes the ending of the episode - or rather the concept of it at least - quite more narratively natural and impactful.
Aside from Andy and Danai, who strives as fierce as before, I gotta say, I love Pollyana McIntosh. Her acting shines along with her character, which went from ehh in season 7 to eyy here. I mean, who would expect a non-comic character that came off as weird initially would turn out to be the biggest potential threat to everyone in the TWDU, without the character progression turning out to be jarring and unrealistic?
Lesley-Ann Brandt is great too playing as Thorne. She sure is a much more intriguing character we've ever had for a while. Gotta appreciate the effort the writing crew put in their characters.
So, thus far, out of all the first three episodes, this is the weakest certainly, but oh my how good it stiil is. Now I really can't wait for the last three.
Aside from Andy and Danai, who strives as fierce as before, I gotta say, I love Pollyana McIntosh. Her acting shines along with her character, which went from ehh in season 7 to eyy here. I mean, who would expect a non-comic character that came off as weird initially would turn out to be the biggest potential threat to everyone in the TWDU, without the character progression turning out to be jarring and unrealistic?
Lesley-Ann Brandt is great too playing as Thorne. She sure is a much more intriguing character we've ever had for a while. Gotta appreciate the effort the writing crew put in their characters.
So, thus far, out of all the first three episodes, this is the weakest certainly, but oh my how good it stiil is. Now I really can't wait for the last three.
Bye
bobcobb3014 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The military aspect of this show is a little different and a little refreshing. We have seen power groups emerge across The Walking Dead, but no one who has been able to master technology before and actually have a plan to bring the world back. It has just been individuals who are obsessed with their own power and doing it in evil ways.
But it does not seem believable how they would pull this kind of comeback off and keep it hidden. And none of the other groups with these military bases would have attacked Rick and the crew on the original run, they just chose to save him way back at the bridge?
But it does not seem believable how they would pull this kind of comeback off and keep it hidden. And none of the other groups with these military bases would have attacked Rick and the crew on the original run, they just chose to save him way back at the bridge?
Lost
martymoves12 March 2024
I am truly unsure what to make of this episode. I wish they would give us some clarity on who knows what. Its hard to read the characters.
I've seen at least three reviews where people said this was the best episode yet. This is BY FAR the worst of the 3, or the least awesome i should say.
This episode has a lingering annoyance that has stuck with me. Otherwise it was pretty entertaining.
The thing that has me wondering is, this is only a 6 episode limited series. Given the number of episodes left, i imagine there will be clarity given very soon.
What I hope to God they don't do is another one of these final episodes where everything comes to light. Its been done several times over and everytime i see it now it only gets worse and worse. (I'm referring to tv/film and D-bag hollywood in general). The filmmaking becomes lazy and derivative and TWD has been pretty stellar to date.
(although i was not able to watch the DD series or the M&N series, so I can't speak to their quality, but I hear they are worth the watch)
Having said that, I felt FTWD was utterly horrendous, so this series could have a big drop off ahead of us. Its impossible to know where these stories are going so I assume this was the precursor to the token bridge episode. (That is not a euphamism of a euphamism, i mean it
All in all it was done quite well. Everything was shot well, all the parts played. It was just the writing of this episode that really irked me.
Entertainment value 6/10 Overall rating 8/10.
I've seen at least three reviews where people said this was the best episode yet. This is BY FAR the worst of the 3, or the least awesome i should say.
This episode has a lingering annoyance that has stuck with me. Otherwise it was pretty entertaining.
The thing that has me wondering is, this is only a 6 episode limited series. Given the number of episodes left, i imagine there will be clarity given very soon.
What I hope to God they don't do is another one of these final episodes where everything comes to light. Its been done several times over and everytime i see it now it only gets worse and worse. (I'm referring to tv/film and D-bag hollywood in general). The filmmaking becomes lazy and derivative and TWD has been pretty stellar to date.
(although i was not able to watch the DD series or the M&N series, so I can't speak to their quality, but I hear they are worth the watch)
Having said that, I felt FTWD was utterly horrendous, so this series could have a big drop off ahead of us. Its impossible to know where these stories are going so I assume this was the precursor to the token bridge episode. (That is not a euphamism of a euphamism, i mean it
All in all it was done quite well. Everything was shot well, all the parts played. It was just the writing of this episode that really irked me.
Entertainment value 6/10 Overall rating 8/10.
Disagree with the hate for all the others spin-offs
roberthys-4758213 March 2024
I agree that this series is very good so far but hate the hipocrisy of this fandom,the worst spin-offs where Dead City and Daryl Dixon and this mental illness fandom still rate them very high,World Beyond was...i watched in 4x but Fear The Walking Dead was good yes mainly the last episodes and the last three of Morgan if Fear was very bad was mostly seasons 5 and 7 but even there you can find good episodes and i sad because AMC don't care and don't want their series to be exhibited on Brazil anymore so the only thing we can do is watching english subtitles...for the people who even known engl!
Just can't wrap my head around it!
holly-0152318 March 2024
I wanted to love it like I did 'The Walking Dead', but I'm having trouble. Maybe it's because I really wasn't excited about the whole Rick and Michonne thing. (Very disappointed in the ending of the last episode of 'Dead'. I wish the love story had been Darryl and Carol instead. I always hoped that would eventually happen. I think the writers are running out of ideas.
In any case, they're not doing any fact checking. I just watched the so called General (happy to see Lost's Terry O'Quinn) say, ' Sergeant Majors' !! (Such a mistake drives any military watching crazy!) Correct terminology is, SERGEANTS MAJOR, when there's 2 E-9s with that title, ITS '2 sergeants, not 2 majors!
And is Rick wearing a wig? White beard, black hair! Did they really have time to color their hair after the world ends as we know it?
In any case, they're not doing any fact checking. I just watched the so called General (happy to see Lost's Terry O'Quinn) say, ' Sergeant Majors' !! (Such a mistake drives any military watching crazy!) Correct terminology is, SERGEANTS MAJOR, when there's 2 E-9s with that title, ITS '2 sergeants, not 2 majors!
And is Rick wearing a wig? White beard, black hair! Did they really have time to color their hair after the world ends as we know it?
A longer, but never boring, thanks to Michael Slovis's competent direction, which leverages the tense and stressful atmosphere of the CRM setting, as the central couple
fernandoschiavi17 May 2024
In a flashback, Jadis approaches Rick in Millenium Park, and explains her people's deal with the CRM and her intention to sign up. However, Rick is only interested in escaping. After returning to base, Rick enlists Thorne's help in successfully getting Michonne into the consignment program, but Jadis warns that if Rick and Michonne escape, she will have to kill everyone that he loves for security. Rick attempts to help Michonne escape on her own, but she refuses to go without him. While touring Millenium Park, Michonne meets the artist who created Rick's engraved iPhones and finds new hope.
After receiving the Echelon Briefing - the revelation of all of the CRM's secrets - and a promotion, Thorne becomes unsure of whether to follow in Okafor's footsteps, reluctantly enlisting Michonne's help for the mission. When Michonne goes rogue during a walker fight, Thorne nearly kills her, and Rick ends their relationship in an attempt to protect her. Having earned Major General Beale's trust, Rick is slated to receive a promotion in advance of a summit of the CRM's entire leadership. However, Michonne throws herself and Rick out of a helicopter in a daring mid-air escape on the return trip in the middle of a severe thunderstorm.
After being admitted by the CRM auditors, Michonne becomes a consigner, highlighting the complexity of maintaining such a position. What happened to her is exactly what happened to Rick; both try to hide their true identities but fail. Rick's advantage was having Okafor (Craig Tate) to cover for and protect him, slightly reducing the risks. Michonne doesn't have that support. The episode's tension revolves around Thorne's (Lesley Ann-Brandt) growing distrust of her. Both she and Jadis have similar trajectories within the CRM - the higher they are promoted, the more they know about the community's secrets, and consequently, they protect and increasingly believe in Beale's ideals.
From my perspective, the highlight is entirely on Lesley Ann-Brandt. Thorne has risen in the CRM military hierarchy, replacing Okafor, but she emphasizes that she is not him. Although she doesn't explicitly say it, Thorne sees Michonne as a potential threat to her position, as Michonne is her responsibility. This becomes even more evident when she considers killing Michonne for disobeying orders on the walker-clearing mission. In these first three episodes, it is constantly emphasized that secrecy, security, and order are the CRM's pillars and must be placed above everything and everyone. It seems that after her promotion in this episode, Thorne has been brainwashed, now acting more for the CRM than for herself. She appears to want to rise to gain more power within the established system rather than change it, as Okafor wanted.
Another aspect that we got a taste of in the previous episode but is explored much more deeply here is the new dynamic between Rick and Michonne pretending to be strangers to protect themselves. This is certainly beneficial for them in the short term, but with Jadis in their way, everything becomes even more complicated. Initially, we believe the plan is for them to go together until we discover that Rick arranged everything for Michonne to escape, arguing that someone needs to stay inside to cover for her (Okafor left disciples). It's a brilliant move by the script to put both Rick and Michonne on the same level. While Rick sacrifices his safety and well-being to protect those he loves, Michonne does the same. When she learns that Rick won't be going with her, she sacrifices returning home to save him. She is clearly very angry about this, having gone through everything only to return home empty-handed. Despite her short time inside, she has already realized how ruthless the CRM is and makes it clear to Rick that they won't get out of there alone. As Jadis herself says, Rick alone is not a threat, but Rick and Michonne together can accomplish anything.
In a highly political episode with power plays, the moment that breaks all the tension is the scene with Michonne and the vendor. Here, the episode finally reveals who drew Michonne and Judith on the phone. Rick had repeatedly asked the man to draw the two and Carl (Chandler Riggs), but he never got it right. Seeing Michonne talk about Carl after so long without any mention of him is certainly heartwarming for every fan. The episode ends with Rick "breaking up" with Michonne, hoping it would motivate her to leave without him. She realizes that Rick has been completely changed and broken by his time with the CRM, bringing a sense of urgency for her to act on Rick's behalf, which she does. Despite the drastic move of jumping from the helicopter, we finally see the first joint escape attempt by the two, and from now on, we will see what the CRM is like compared to Rick and Michonne.
In terms of pacing, this episode is slower than the first two, focusing on establishing the plot's main obstacle: escaping the CRM. In Gone, the audience questioned the story's direction - whether we would have a plot about the characters' escape or their fight from within against the CRM, something made clear when the characters "fall" from the helicopter. Nevertheless, Bye takes advantage of the CRM's setting, with secrets, lies, conspiracies, and the main characters' tension about being caught, providing great scenes of stress and anxiety, especially when Pearl is suspicious of Michonne or Beale's distrust, who deserves more screen time. Even Jadis, not a standout character, fulfills her basic role of driving the plot by complicating Rick's life.
In a way, I am slightly disappointed with the narrative direction, as I truly believe there is much potential in exploring a story about Rick and Michonne rising through the ranks of this new society, altering the system from within, always in a state of alert and apprehension - something that would be innovative within a franchise that has already exhausted plots about conflicts between survivor groups. However, I understand the production's choice. This episode made it clear that this is a story about a resilient and surviving romance, focusing on the characters' determination to fight or sacrifice for this love, all within a story that progressively expands the franchise's universe with high doses of curiosity. This is the first chapter of the series that is not limited to contextualizations, allowing the story to finally flow and establish itself for the rest of the year. In this sense, it ends up being a more prolonged episode, but never boring, thanks to Michael Slovis's competent direction, which leverages the tense and stressful atmosphere of the CRM setting, as well as the central couple's drama. Additionally, we get some pleasant set-pieces, though I still believe we are facing another production that denies the franchise's horror characteristics. The cliffhanger is an excellent conclusion to the central plot conflict: Michonne forcefully bringing Rick back into the fight. It will be difficult, but can they escape?
After receiving the Echelon Briefing - the revelation of all of the CRM's secrets - and a promotion, Thorne becomes unsure of whether to follow in Okafor's footsteps, reluctantly enlisting Michonne's help for the mission. When Michonne goes rogue during a walker fight, Thorne nearly kills her, and Rick ends their relationship in an attempt to protect her. Having earned Major General Beale's trust, Rick is slated to receive a promotion in advance of a summit of the CRM's entire leadership. However, Michonne throws herself and Rick out of a helicopter in a daring mid-air escape on the return trip in the middle of a severe thunderstorm.
After being admitted by the CRM auditors, Michonne becomes a consigner, highlighting the complexity of maintaining such a position. What happened to her is exactly what happened to Rick; both try to hide their true identities but fail. Rick's advantage was having Okafor (Craig Tate) to cover for and protect him, slightly reducing the risks. Michonne doesn't have that support. The episode's tension revolves around Thorne's (Lesley Ann-Brandt) growing distrust of her. Both she and Jadis have similar trajectories within the CRM - the higher they are promoted, the more they know about the community's secrets, and consequently, they protect and increasingly believe in Beale's ideals.
From my perspective, the highlight is entirely on Lesley Ann-Brandt. Thorne has risen in the CRM military hierarchy, replacing Okafor, but she emphasizes that she is not him. Although she doesn't explicitly say it, Thorne sees Michonne as a potential threat to her position, as Michonne is her responsibility. This becomes even more evident when she considers killing Michonne for disobeying orders on the walker-clearing mission. In these first three episodes, it is constantly emphasized that secrecy, security, and order are the CRM's pillars and must be placed above everything and everyone. It seems that after her promotion in this episode, Thorne has been brainwashed, now acting more for the CRM than for herself. She appears to want to rise to gain more power within the established system rather than change it, as Okafor wanted.
Another aspect that we got a taste of in the previous episode but is explored much more deeply here is the new dynamic between Rick and Michonne pretending to be strangers to protect themselves. This is certainly beneficial for them in the short term, but with Jadis in their way, everything becomes even more complicated. Initially, we believe the plan is for them to go together until we discover that Rick arranged everything for Michonne to escape, arguing that someone needs to stay inside to cover for her (Okafor left disciples). It's a brilliant move by the script to put both Rick and Michonne on the same level. While Rick sacrifices his safety and well-being to protect those he loves, Michonne does the same. When she learns that Rick won't be going with her, she sacrifices returning home to save him. She is clearly very angry about this, having gone through everything only to return home empty-handed. Despite her short time inside, she has already realized how ruthless the CRM is and makes it clear to Rick that they won't get out of there alone. As Jadis herself says, Rick alone is not a threat, but Rick and Michonne together can accomplish anything.
In a highly political episode with power plays, the moment that breaks all the tension is the scene with Michonne and the vendor. Here, the episode finally reveals who drew Michonne and Judith on the phone. Rick had repeatedly asked the man to draw the two and Carl (Chandler Riggs), but he never got it right. Seeing Michonne talk about Carl after so long without any mention of him is certainly heartwarming for every fan. The episode ends with Rick "breaking up" with Michonne, hoping it would motivate her to leave without him. She realizes that Rick has been completely changed and broken by his time with the CRM, bringing a sense of urgency for her to act on Rick's behalf, which she does. Despite the drastic move of jumping from the helicopter, we finally see the first joint escape attempt by the two, and from now on, we will see what the CRM is like compared to Rick and Michonne.
In terms of pacing, this episode is slower than the first two, focusing on establishing the plot's main obstacle: escaping the CRM. In Gone, the audience questioned the story's direction - whether we would have a plot about the characters' escape or their fight from within against the CRM, something made clear when the characters "fall" from the helicopter. Nevertheless, Bye takes advantage of the CRM's setting, with secrets, lies, conspiracies, and the main characters' tension about being caught, providing great scenes of stress and anxiety, especially when Pearl is suspicious of Michonne or Beale's distrust, who deserves more screen time. Even Jadis, not a standout character, fulfills her basic role of driving the plot by complicating Rick's life.
In a way, I am slightly disappointed with the narrative direction, as I truly believe there is much potential in exploring a story about Rick and Michonne rising through the ranks of this new society, altering the system from within, always in a state of alert and apprehension - something that would be innovative within a franchise that has already exhausted plots about conflicts between survivor groups. However, I understand the production's choice. This episode made it clear that this is a story about a resilient and surviving romance, focusing on the characters' determination to fight or sacrifice for this love, all within a story that progressively expands the franchise's universe with high doses of curiosity. This is the first chapter of the series that is not limited to contextualizations, allowing the story to finally flow and establish itself for the rest of the year. In this sense, it ends up being a more prolonged episode, but never boring, thanks to Michael Slovis's competent direction, which leverages the tense and stressful atmosphere of the CRM setting, as well as the central couple's drama. Additionally, we get some pleasant set-pieces, though I still believe we are facing another production that denies the franchise's horror characteristics. The cliffhanger is an excellent conclusion to the central plot conflict: Michonne forcefully bringing Rick back into the fight. It will be difficult, but can they escape?
S1.E3 - Trapped [9/10]
panagiotis199315 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
(S1. E3) My Live Reaction / Review for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Season 1 Episode 3 ''Bye''. The previous episode was good and I gave it a rating of 9/10. Let's see if this one is better or worse. So even if Jadis dies she made sure that the CRM will know about Rick and his people? That sucks. So now Rick cant even talk to Michonne? The situation they are in sucks. Rick and Michonne are planning to escape? What about Jadis' threat? Wow, Rick's plan was for Michonne to escape and for him to stay back? I didn't see that coming but it makes sense. Michonne decided to stay? I saw that coming. I don't understand why Thorne wants to kill Michonne, she has almost killed Michonne two times so far. What the hell happened? They jumped out of the helicopter? That's insane. Overall this episode was good and I enjoyed it. My rating is 9/10.
The Walking Dead: Insu;t Those Still Watching
brucecsnow11 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Gave it three stars just because of production values. Typical TWD plots: something important is happening but we've got to stretch it out over many episodes because we're so plot poor. So what happens is Rick and Michonne is hiding their relationship. Rick has arranged for Michonne to high tail it out of Philly but at the last second Michonne backs out. What happened to the child Rick and Mich had? Why did Mich back out? Because they need to be together and RIck can't leave yet. Why? Keep staying tuned for the meager payout. In the meantime the leader of the garbage pail kids has learning to speak proper English and gives a sorry excuse for her relationship with the. CRM. This whole trying to weave all of the loose storylines is stupid. How does blowing up surviving cities and creating more walkers help survival? How does killing leaders make the group stronger? Please make it stop.
If you love me, you'll leave
Rob-O-Cop12 March 2024
Well you're kinda forcing us to leave with the lame story and writing.
The writers obviously have very little experience with logic and reason as a human being, as the story jumps from one illogical turn to another. The characters leap through the same unbelievable twists and bad decisions this program thinks is normal human behaviour but sits jarringly as plan bad ideas to the viewer.
Then the over-grand voice over The "brave man" rubbish, like they're telling the greatest story ever told, but it's so not, it's just boring rubbish.
A guy drawing on cell phones and cathode ray tvs? Hasn't he heard of paper?
And the greatest force in the modern world with the power to track down one human in the world meltdown, hasn't got cell phones up and running but they've got bombs a plenty.
They're making the baddies out to be the greatest authoritarian force ever, and we've seen nothing to make us believe that. Just some old lady with a bad hair cut and a South African accent also with no backbone. The fear is founded on nothing, and the reason is absent. What is so bad about Quinn? He's just a standard military dude.
None of it adds up and seems like someone's napkin sketch of an idea they never bothered to do the second thought on to weed out the stuff that makes no sense. This is a one pass idea. And they're forcing us to pass.
The writers obviously have very little experience with logic and reason as a human being, as the story jumps from one illogical turn to another. The characters leap through the same unbelievable twists and bad decisions this program thinks is normal human behaviour but sits jarringly as plan bad ideas to the viewer.
Then the over-grand voice over The "brave man" rubbish, like they're telling the greatest story ever told, but it's so not, it's just boring rubbish.
A guy drawing on cell phones and cathode ray tvs? Hasn't he heard of paper?
And the greatest force in the modern world with the power to track down one human in the world meltdown, hasn't got cell phones up and running but they've got bombs a plenty.
They're making the baddies out to be the greatest authoritarian force ever, and we've seen nothing to make us believe that. Just some old lady with a bad hair cut and a South African accent also with no backbone. The fear is founded on nothing, and the reason is absent. What is so bad about Quinn? He's just a standard military dude.
None of it adds up and seems like someone's napkin sketch of an idea they never bothered to do the second thought on to weed out the stuff that makes no sense. This is a one pass idea. And they're forcing us to pass.
Episode 3: A Desperate Attempt at Romance
tjhpz-1001011 March 2024
After enduring the nauseating love-sickness of Rick Grimes in Episode 3, titled "Bye," it's evident that "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live" has taken a catastrophic turn towards the cringe-inducing. The excessive focus on Rick's pathetic romantic struggles is not only stomach-churning but marks a disheartening low for a series that once thrived on suspense and gritty survival.
The positive reviews that celebrate the return of Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira seem to overlook the fact that their reunion is overshadowed by a story so grotesquely centered on a love-sick Rick that it becomes unbearable. Any attempt at character development or plot advancement is drowned out by the nauseating spectacle of Rick pining for Michonne.
Pollyanna McIntosh's portrayal of Jadis, lauded as an awesome villain, can't salvage the sinking ship of this episode. While her performance might stand out, it's lost amidst the overwhelming love story, leaving viewers yearning for a return to a time when villains posed a legitimate threat instead of being drowned out by romantic sobbing.
Terry O'Quinn and Lesley-Ann Brandt may deliver decent performances, but their efforts are overshadowed by the sheer absurdity of a storyline that seemingly revels in the excessive drama of love-sick Rick. The few positive twists and action sequences mentioned by some reviewers fail to redeem an episode that ultimately feels like a betrayal of the once-gritty essence of "The Walking Dead."
The attempt to inject shocking twists and exciting endings is marred by the overarching romance plot, leaving viewers questioning the creative decisions behind the show. The departure from flashbacks doesn't rescue this episode from its nauseating focus, making it difficult to envision a path of redemption for a series that seems to have lost its way.
"Bye" doesn't just signify a farewell within the episode; it also marks a farewell to the quality storytelling that once defined "The Walking Dead." The desperation to inject romance into a post-apocalyptic world leads to an episode that feels more fit for a cringe-worthy soap opera than a series with a once-stellar reputation. It's disheartening to witness a show that was once a pioneer in the genre fall so far from its glory days.
The positive reviews that celebrate the return of Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira seem to overlook the fact that their reunion is overshadowed by a story so grotesquely centered on a love-sick Rick that it becomes unbearable. Any attempt at character development or plot advancement is drowned out by the nauseating spectacle of Rick pining for Michonne.
Pollyanna McIntosh's portrayal of Jadis, lauded as an awesome villain, can't salvage the sinking ship of this episode. While her performance might stand out, it's lost amidst the overwhelming love story, leaving viewers yearning for a return to a time when villains posed a legitimate threat instead of being drowned out by romantic sobbing.
Terry O'Quinn and Lesley-Ann Brandt may deliver decent performances, but their efforts are overshadowed by the sheer absurdity of a storyline that seemingly revels in the excessive drama of love-sick Rick. The few positive twists and action sequences mentioned by some reviewers fail to redeem an episode that ultimately feels like a betrayal of the once-gritty essence of "The Walking Dead."
The attempt to inject shocking twists and exciting endings is marred by the overarching romance plot, leaving viewers questioning the creative decisions behind the show. The departure from flashbacks doesn't rescue this episode from its nauseating focus, making it difficult to envision a path of redemption for a series that seems to have lost its way.
"Bye" doesn't just signify a farewell within the episode; it also marks a farewell to the quality storytelling that once defined "The Walking Dead." The desperation to inject romance into a post-apocalyptic world leads to an episode that feels more fit for a cringe-worthy soap opera than a series with a once-stellar reputation. It's disheartening to witness a show that was once a pioneer in the genre fall so far from its glory days.
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