‘The Walking Dead 8×08 – How It’s Gotta Be’ Review

Remember when the Saviours were trapped in a siege and Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) plan appeared to be working? We should have known things wouldn’t run smoothly, this is The Walking Dead. With many people wondering if it was their fault this week, the answer is yes, it is their fault.

The Walking Dead

With Rick racing back to Alexandria to protect his family, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is already there and ready to raise hell. Carl (Chandler Riggs) takes control though and takes steps to help people escape, but will they all make it out alive?

Negan is in his element this week, and when he gives his big speech, I can’t help but compare him to Rick. What Negan is doing is what Rick has done, but he takes a more direct approach. When Rick finally does make it back and we see the two starts to fight, Negan’s reaction to Rick handling Lucille says a lot about his character.

Not getting too deep into Negan’s actions, it does strangely feel good to see him back in his element. It is typical of Jeffrey Dean Morgan that he steals many scenes in this season finale, but even in his more violent, this isn’t really about him.

What this episode is about is the destruction of Alexandria and a huge change for the Kingdom and the Hill-top too. When The Walking Dead comes back from its break, there will be many differences, and many of the audience may like a refresh for the show is coming. Negan is arguably back on top now, but there were a few surprises, especially when it comes to Eugene (Josh McDermitt).

While it may be hard to like Eugene, or even feel pity for him, he does show that there is a glimmer of hope when it comes to his actions. I’m not sure I’m ready to defend him just yet, but he does show that he as a conscience hidden away in his selfish brain.

Another character that comes into his own this week is Carl. He is far from the annoying little boy that we saw in the early seasons of The Walking Dead, now he is more of an adult who takes responsibility when it needs to be taken. Seeing his confrontation with Negan at the gates of Alexandria not only shows a mature Carl, but one that Negan actually respects. Until of course he realises that he has been tricked.

The big twist at the end of the episode is something I won’t get into, especially if you’ve not seen it yet. It is series changing, and something that many people expected to come sometime in the future. There were hints in Rick’s vision of the future, and that is all I will say. Other than that, watch the episode and see for yourself.

This week’s episode of The Walking Dead brings back the darkness into the show, with little rays of hope from characters that do tease the future may not be all doom and Gloom. When The Walking Dead returns, it will be interesting to see if we return to all out war, or if Rick and his allies will be hidden away from the Saviours.

The Walking Dead will return to Fox UK in February

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