“Knots Untie” was a big, important episode for The Walking Dead, not because anyone of note died, or because any intense action scene occurred, but because the show’s universe has started to an large expansion with more implications than ever before. For five and a half seasons we’ve been following Rick and co. through safe-spot to safe-spot, watching them try and survive this incredibly devastating situation, witnessing our favourite characters change as a reflection of what they’ve been through, who they’ve met, and who they’ve had to kill. Them arriving in Alexandria brought in some great potential for the show, and for the most part, the crew managed to deliver a wholly satisfying storyline that essentially ended two weeks ago with “No Way Out”. Now, it’s time to move into much larger territory, and as Jesus – the catalyst for this rapid expansion – says, “you’re world’s about to get a whole lot bigger”.
As it turns out, Jesus is a runner of sorts for a compound dubbed ‘Hilltop’, which is much like Alexandria but different in feel and tone, bringing in a more colonial, historical atmosphere centered around the imposing Barrington house, which is where Hilltop’s head honcho Gregory ( Xander Berkeley) lives, he who “keeps the trains running” and is a charming balance of arrogant jerk and reasonable leader. Director Michael E. Satrazemis, who has helmed both good (“Try”) and bad (“Slabtown”) episodes for this series, handles the introduction of Hilltop with ease, exploring just enough of the new and interesting commune but keeping most of it a mystery. Writers Matthew Negrete & Channing Powell also match the balance of the episode with some great dialogue, most of which has been lifted straight from the comics with the slight tweak here and there to make for some really effective scenes, particularly for Maggie, who hasn’t been given much to do except worry about Glenn lately.
This was a big episode for Maggie, who seems primed to replace Deanna as a level-headed and assertive leader, negotiating with Gregory despite his patronising cockiness and striking a deal that sets up these next few episodes to be packed full of tension, and possibly heartache.
The Hilltop colony have crops and food aplenty, while the Alexandrians have ammo in abundance but an urgent need of food. Initially Gregory has the bargaining chip here and shows Maggie that Alexandria doesn’t have much to offer, that is until the episode’s sole slice of action follows and Gregory is stabbed by a defecting Hilltop-ian who wants his kidnapped brother back from yet-to-be-seen villain Negan and “the saviours”. This gives a platform for Rick and co. to prove their worth, and their main bargaining power which is all that combat-ready effectiveness that has been built over the past five and a half seasons. Rick swiftly kills Gregory’s attacker, giving Maggie room to once again negotiate a deal that will see Rick and co. “take care” of Negan and the saviours in exchange for half the rations Hilltop has, on the spot. Not even Gregory could deny Maggie’s impressive business acumen.
Now knowing that Hilltop is part of a larger network of colonies which have entered into a trading pact, the potential material that the writers can work with is vast. Of course, the tried-and-tested trend of sticking somewhat close to the source material (except for replacing character deaths here and there) limits the scope of what the showrunners can do, but the options are there and should mean that there won’t be any filler episodes stuck in Alexandria from here on out.
The episode wasn’t without fault though. The pit stop to rescue Jesus’ buddies on the way to Hilltop felt a bit wedged in for must-have-walkers sake and having pretty much all (except for Carol and Morgan) the show’s strongest characters journey to Hilltop felt like a tactical error from a logical standpoint, especially since Rick is supposed to be someone who makes good decisions with caution and foresight. Plus, just ignoring the likes of Carol and Morgan for the second week running felt like a bit of a letdown, especially since the dynamic between these two remains one of the most interesting things about season six.
Abraham, who I love as a character, had some “okay” moments in the show, throwing him into a sort-of love triangle (in his mind anyway) with Sasha and Rosita to try and give him some development outside the few hilariously badass one-liners which have come to define him. Really, Abraham hasn’t had much to do since the whole Eugene-can-save-us debacle so at least they are trying to develop his character through this subplot, which has the G.I Joe-esque survivor questioning whether or not a real relationship is possible anymore. I have a feeling that Abraham’s time on the show is coming to an end, which is sad because his character has a lot of potential, and his death may also mean the end of either Rosita or Sasha.
There is a lot to be nervous about as we continue chugging towards that season six finale, especially with the group now on an assassination mission to deal with Negan and the saviours, something they seem negligently confident about.
Review Score: FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights
- Hilltop has a distinctive look and feel
- Jesus introduces our survivors to a bigger world
- “Confrontations never been something we’ve had trouble with”
- “What?”
- Maggie is THE boss
Lowlights
- Abraham’s love triangle
- Contrived pit stop to introduce more characters
- No Carol/Morgan
Stray Thoughts
- There is a VERY big moment – perhaps the biggest of the entire series – coming up and the question amongst all the comic book fans is whether the show will stay true to the comics or switch characters. I think we’re about to see a switch.
- Could the introduction of a doctor mean that Denise is on her way out soon?
- With the show’s universe expanding faster than ever before where will the writer’s find the time to flesh out Heath, Aaron, and Spencer a bit more. The show has always been great for working a lot of character development into such little time, but there has to be A LOT of moments for the aforementioned to make them worthy additions.
- Andrew Lincoln really is an amazing actor.
Episode MVP: Maggie
The Walking Dead airs on FX every Monday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm.
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