(SPOILER ALERT: The following post contains key plot details from “Remember,” Sunday’s night’s episode of “The Walking Dead” on AMC).
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Alas, “The Walking Dead” has claimed yet another victim. Let’s take a moment of silence.
Yes, Rick’s gnarly beard finally met its demise — the innocent victim of a cold and ruthless razor. Oh, well, it had a good run and some would say its death was long overdue. In recent weeks, said beard had inched way past the hipster stage and into all-out, mountain-man hideousness.
The mourning period, therefore, will be brief.
Rick’s beard went bye-bye in the so-called safe zone of Alexandria, where our gutty band of survivors were stunned to find beautiful and spacious, well-kept homes with furniture running water, electricity, food and, yes, shaving cream. We learn that it’s a former planned community with home prices starting in the low $800,000’s.
“Lori and I used to drive through neighborhoods like this and think, ‘Some day …'” Rick tells Daryl, who really could use a shower.
Of course, Rick and the gang remain on guard. They’ve been through so many scenarios that appeared, at first glance, to be brimming with feel-good vibes, only to find themselves in dire danger, fighting for their lives.
The person who runs this place is a woman — Deanna Monroe. She’s a former congressional representative from Ohio and seems friendly enough. She does filmed interviews with all the potential new citizens of Alexandria to see if they’re good fits. (It’s like an audition). She tells Rick that he and his fellow travelers are the first outside group that she has considered in a long time. She explains that they need people who have lived out “there” and can handle themselves.
We’ll pause here to note that readers of the “Walking Dead” comic books will realize that the show has given us a significant character change here. In the books, Alexandria was run by a man — Douglas Monroe — an alpha male with whom Rick had many pissing matches over how to run things. Deanna potentially brings a very different dynamic.
Deanna, who says she would have been a pro poker player had politics not worked out, claims to be a good read of people. She likes Rick, and before the hour is over, she’ll recruit him to be the town sheriff, with Michonne as his deputy.
But for now, the newbies are encouraged to explore the place and feel out the people. Carl meets three kids around his age, including a girl, Enid, who is an outsider like him and rather standoffish. And Rick meets a cute blonde woman named Jessie (a potential love interest?) who used to be a stylist and offers to cut his hair. (We later learn that Jessie has a husband).
Meanwhile, our other survivors go through the interview process. Carol’s session with Deanna is the most interesting because it’s total BS. Carol puts on a big front, telling the boss lady that she’s like the loving “den mother” of the group, that she loved her husband and is a “people person.”
When a still unshowered Daryl later sees Carol in a very matronly cardigan sweater, he tells her, “You look ridiculous.” But she insists that it’s important to “keep up appearances” if they’re going to fit in and win the citizens’ trust.
By now, we’re thinking that things are going a little too smoothly and what this episode really needs is some conflict. We get that in the form of two chumps named Aiden and Nicholas, who apparently won’t be featured in the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce brochure.
They recruit Glenn, Noah and Tara to go out on a supply run that turns nasty. Aiden insists that he’s the boss and that they must follow his orders at all times. The problem is that, when zombies attack, these jerks don’t just go for the quick kill. No, they prefer to play and spar with them and taunt them for a while. (Aiden actually even whistles to get their attention). But when a skirmish with some walkers gets too intense, Glenn ends play time by doing what he has always done — stab the walkers in the skull.
This annoys Aiden to no end and when they get back Alexandria, he takes a wild punch at Glenn, who ducks it and counters with a punch of his own that decks Aiden. Now, Nicholas wants in on the action, but Daryl comes out of nowhere to put a choke hold on him. That forces a response from Rick, who aggressively pulls Daryl off the idiot. Don’t mess with the newbies!
By now, the commotion has drawn several Alexandria citizens to the area, which prompts Deanna to make an announcement.
“Rick and his people are part of this community now,” she says. In other words, welcome them and accept them. She then anoints Rick and Michonne as official town constables and even congratulates Glenn for knocking Aiden on his ass.
So it looks like Rick and company may have found a home here — at least for a while. But there is an underlying concern among the group: If they get too comfortable here, and if they let their guard down, they will get weak. It’s a concern that has been voiced by both Carl and Carol.
But Rick has a somewhat ominous response:
“We won’t get weak. That’s not in us anymore,” he says. “If they can’t make it, we’ll just take this place.”
So what did you think of “Remember”? Do you feel the episode set up some intriguing possibilities? Share your thoughts.
Contact Chuck Barney at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.ChuckBarney, or Twitter.com/chuckbarney
