With the second episode of the eighth season of ‘The Walking Dead’ in the books, the concept, and direction of ‘All Out War’ takes shape.
Rick and his crew continue to take the battle to the Saviors, but the physical and mental casualties of war begin to stack up. This is a good thing for the show because war is not black and white, so to create a dialogue between characters adds another level of anxiety to the episode.
‘The Damned’ bookended the episode with close-ups on the faces of major characters and this made for a more intimate narrative as the viewer gets sucked into the trenches of battle. The episode showcases the emotional spectrum of war with Jesus, Morgan, Tara, and Ezekiel. Khary Payton handles the character of Ezekiel very well, and it’s a great interpretation of the character, but I can see where the more grounded viewer could be put off by the over-the-top nature of Ezekiel.
The way the episode was filmed complemented the story very well. Lots of tight shots added to the intensity of the action with a layer of claustrophobia. The special effects used for Shiva did not distract. When the script calls for a giant tiger, you need to make it work, and they did.
There will be spoilers after the break.
Rick’s moral compass is wrecked this episode, and Andrew Lincoln is hitting a new level when called upon to display emotional turmoil. There are deaths in ‘The Damned’ and they are handled how they would be in battle. There is no time to mourn when the guns are blazing, and sometimes when you give the viewer a quick gut punch, the death has more weight because the viewer is robbed as well.
Overall, ‘The Damned’ is a fast-paced episode that keeps your heart pumping from start to finish, and you want episode three immediately.
What did you think of the episode? Sound off in the comment section below.
Next week’s episode teaser:
