The Walking Dead - “Heads Up” Review. Yeah, Didn’t See That Coming.

Season 6, Episode 7

Air Date: Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 9/8c on AMC

Rating: ★★★★★

“The world is trying to die, and we’re supposed to just let it.” – Enid

So, that’s where he was hiding, huh?

You know what I’ve never figured out? How are the walkers’ hands able to rip apart a person to eat them? Just think about it. Do they develop superhuman strength once the infection takes over? How are they capable of digging into living flesh without so much as breaking a finger? I can’t cut into a chicken without a really sharp knife and applying a lot of pressure. I only ask because of what takes place during the opening scene of “Heads Up.” But what have we missed that is now being thrust upon us? The aptly titled episode comes from the line, “Hey, heads up! Shit. I said ‘heads up’.” Oh yeah, your favorite moody young teen has returned and she’s tossing bottles of water with horrible aim.

The Walking Dead (TWD) writers and producers finally give us the answers we’ve been waiting for in an exciting, yet somewhat tame episode in “Heads Up.” Although I’m confused about what’s going on, I’m not entirely mad with the way things have turned out. Ok, maybe a little. You see, I don’t like my emotions to be toyed with. I don’t like to be made to think one thing when the reality is something else. The theories, speculations, and guesses have all been right. So, what comes next?

Surprises Abound

*Spoiler Alert* You have got to be shitting me! Loyal TWD fans, rejoice. In what was planned to give us the realistic experience of what may or may not have happened to a beloved character, we get Merle’d (Michael Rooker). Yup, I totally just made that up. You see, back in season one when Merle was handcuffed to a rooftop, viewers were left in suspense when Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Daryl (Norman Reedus), and the gang set out to rescue him, only to find Merle’s hand remained. We didn’t get direct answers as to his whereabouts or whether he’d survived his gruesome escape. It was probably months before we saw him again in season two. And oh happy day, because I loved me some Merle. Really, it’s Rooker’s portrayal of the love-to-hate character. But I digress. Glenn (Steven Yeun) escaping to hide beneath a dumpster was a popular guess for many viewers about the ‘is he or isn’t he dead’ cliffhanger. Now we find that guess to be true and I’m feeling a bit duped. I’d already made my peace with his passing so to see he’s miraculously survived, only to chase after a brooding teen, it’s kind of like … why all the subterfuge? I understand the need to have us wonder about Glenn’s fate, much like Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and the other survivors, but I cried, damn it, and I don’t like wasting my tears. With that said, I’m happy to see Glenn again. He’s come so far in the series that to have him taken away, doing what he innately does would have been unjust. Now we’ll have to endure Glenn’s fight to return to his beloved Maggie, while carting an uncooperative (and I still don’t trust her entirely) Enid (Katelyn Nacon) back to Alexandria. I have to ask, writers and producers, are there any more surprises in store? Oh yeah, Yeun’s name has returned to the credits … for now.

What Do You Think About…?

Now this is one scary damn picture.

Tara (Alanna Masterson) gives Rick the finger and I’m conflicted. On one hand, I totally agree with her flipping him the bird. She couldn’t sit by and do nothing when someone’s life is on the line. On the other hand, she wastes bullets for an Alexandrian. One just doesn’t do that kind of thing during a zombie apocalypse.

Carol (Melissa McBride) is fighting her feelings for Sam (Major Dodson). It seems like she hates the kid but I know she doesn’t. Far from it. Her problem is his proximity in age to her now deceased daughter Sophia (Madison Lintz). The feelings are heavy for Carol when she sees this kid is alive and well, while her child is dead and gone. Carol’s attachments to the young people at the prison nearly broke her. I don’t think she wants to put another bullet into a child if she doesn’t have to. Now, you might wonder why she can hold and care for Judith the way she does. Judith is Rick’s lifeline and Carol believes with everything she has that Rick is key to the group’s survival. If Rick loses Judith, he’ll lose his shit and it will hit the proverbial fan. Also, Judith is safe where Sam is not. The baby can’t get into trouble, run away, or ask unanswerable questions. I think if Carol finds herself loving that boy too, she’ll break if something terrible ends up happening to him.

What’s with the pow-wow between Morgan (Lennie James), Rick, Michonne (Danai Gurira), and Carol? Why do I get the sense Rick, Michonne, and Carol are ganging up on Morgan, trying to make him see reason? His ‘give peace a chance’ mantra isn’t a popular one but will they consider it? Is this a world where they can adopt that stance?

Memorable Quotes

Glenn to Enid: “You honor the dead by living.”

Rick: “You got an idea like that, you come to me.”

Spencer: “Would you have listened to me?”

Fair point there, Rick. We all know it’s a Ricktatorship in Alexandria. I don’t give a crap about the Alexandrians either but they are your neighbors. Gotta be neighborly and all that.

Overall

Methinks something wicked is afoot. Someone might lose a son…

The Walking Dead brings back the excitement with “Heads Up.” The walls literally come tumbling down and all hell breaks loose. I don’t know whether Alexandria will be able to survive this new threat. And with so many unknowns surrounding their current situation, who will be left to rebuild? Is there truly a safe place in the world of zombies and civil unrest? Where will they go if Alexandria falls? Gotta wait until next week to find out. Maybe.

Let me know what you think about “Heads Up” by dropping me a line in the comments section below or tweet me @ellemoe.

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Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle