I have been one of the biggest naysayers of AMC’s The Walking Dead for years. Literally, years. As I stated countless times, if it were not for reviewing the show for the site, I would’ve punched out a long, long time ago.
However, I have to give this series credit where credit is due. The second half of Season 9 has actually been quite enjoyable. This is large part due to the narrative direction of the series. The majority of the story for this half-season has been driven by the imminent threat of an unpredictable, and menacing new big bad – The Whispers.
No longer is a season bogged down in the daily tedium and politics of post-apocalyptic life. Yes, these stories still exist, and remain the worst parts of the show, but the main focus is battling a new enemy that’s unlike any — in terms of combat — that they’ve faced before. This show is always at its best when the heroes and audience alike are fearful of the villain.
The show has also benefitted from allowing Norman Reedus and Danai Gurrira becoming the focal points of the show. Gurrira we knew could carry the show, especially after her performance in Black Panther. Reedus, however, was cause for some breath holding. We had not seen him flex his leading man muscles in years. But, like riding a bike, Reedus showed he’s more than an action guy.
‘Choke Point’ embodies the good of this season. It was an action driven episode that inspired tense, organic drama between the heroes. The dialogue was immediate and important — no grandstanding speeches about humanity. The addition of the Beta character has been fantastic, as this new “super villain” brings us back to the realm of horror and not another ‘crazed man with a lust for power.’
Sadly, with all of this good, the question remains — who’s watching this show? The ratings have dipped below a 5 on the Nielsen scale. Great news for AMC — but terrible for the show itself. Imagine how many people, who left this show over the years, would be loving this new arc? I bet people would be so into it, and this series would catapult back into the mainstream conversation instead of becoming a pop culture punchline.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
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