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The Walking Dead season 7, episode 5: The episode where nothing happens

Published Nov 21st, 2016 12:31PM EST
The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 5 Recap
Image: YouTube

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I was annoyed last week because our favorite characters in this world dominated by human flesh-eating species were careless, even stupid, in episode 4. Now that I’ve seen the latest episode “Go Getters,” I’m just bored. We could do without everything that happens in this episode. Instead, one of the characters could simply give us that short recap of off-screen events in an intro for a different episode. Think voice over with walkers dying on screen. That sort of thing. Because in episode 6 nothing really happens. Beware, spoilers follow below… but even if you haven’t seen episode 5 you should just read this recap instead of wasting your time.

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If there’s one thing that most Walking Dead episodes deliver, it’s great zombie scenes. Go Getters fails at that too. And it’s rather disappointing.

First of all, we’ve got Enid terrified by one single walker. She apparently needs Carl’s help to dispose of him. It’s like we’re supposed to forget that Enid is probably one of the toughest teenagers around and that she’s more than comfortable on her own, killing walkers if need be. And what’s the deal with Carl wasting a car like that? Does the boss’s one-eyed son get to run away with a car and no one else in Alexandria cares?

Speaking of stupidity in Walking Dead, why would anyone roller skate on a road that’s used not only by walkers but also by those nasty Saviors?

The second zombie attack happens at The Hilltop, where the Saviors unleash a tiny horde of humanoid beasts onto unsuspecting people, all of whom are sleeping. That’s right, nobody is at the gates. Nobody is on watch duty. The Saviors can simply force their way in, start fires, play loud music, and then divert a group of walkers that way. I still can’t believe there were no walkers in sight when Negan killed Glenn and Abraham.

So it’s up to pregnant Maggie, Sasha and Jesus to deal with the attack. Where are the other people? And why can’t they defend themselves against such an invasion? Sure, they can’t do much to battle the Saviors. But walkers?

There was plenty more that didn’t make sense, and I didn’t realize Enid is so close to Maggie. Sure, she probably admires her, and Maggie deserves that. Also, how is it that Jesus is so familiar with Maggie and Sasha. And how is it that he’s not the leader of The Hilltop. The walkers’ attack just proved Gregory’s men need someone else in charge.

Yes, we learn about Maggie’s recovery, about the grief, and we get to see Gregory for who he is. We also get to see a tiny version of Negan doing to The Hilltop what Saviors do: take half of everything. We learn that Carl is on a stupid mission. Jesus is on the same mission because Sasha asked him to find the Saviors’ lair.

Rick, on the other hand, departs on his own, in search of something. AMC doesn’t tell us what, but next episode might bring us the answer we’re looking for: Has Daryl told Rick where the Saviors are?

At this point, there are too many regular Walking Dead characters we don’t really care about. And that’s why we get episodes like these, episodes that could be summarized by one word: boring. But at least Carl and Enid kissed. So did Rick and Michonne. Great!

Sure, we need to see Maggie Rhee getting back on her fit. And we need to see Carl search for the Saviors. But these plot lines do not deserve to take up most of a 40-minute episode.

I’d be more interested in the logistics of Alexandria day to day life now that Negan has taken all the guns and half of everything else. What are do people do to protect themselves and survive in the future? That includes getting food, staying safe from walkers, and paying Negan’s tax whenever he comes to collect. Talking retribution is futile at this point. You can’t mount an attack on Nega when you’re not in any condition to wage war on anyone, let alone the Saviors.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.