Throughout its ratings-drawing run, The Walking Dead has taken viewers from one location to the next, as Rick & Co. seek safety and refuge in a world populated by rotting walkers. But the show has now found refuge in Alexandria, where the characters will presumably be spending a lot of their upcoming time, and they’ll be hanging around a lot longer for the Season 5 finale on March 29. AMC has announced our last gathering with the group will be an extended 90-minute episode. Get ready for more close-ups of Rick’s eyeballs than ever before!
Even though the episode is more than a month away, AMC also unveiled a brief synopsis for what fans can expect. One part involves Daryl getting into some kind of trouble while out “on the run.” No surprise there, given Daryl’s innate inability to stick around and be social. Considering Alexandria is a place where food and shelter are plentiful, he doesn’t need to go off hunting deer or dogs anymore. (Unless he just wants to feel manly or whatever.) Maybe he’s just trying to find a few peaceful minutes to himself for delayed grieving. Here’s hoping he makes it to the end of the episode.
On the other side of things, Rick and the other survivors still haven’t quite made themselves at home yet, as their arrival in Alexandria will certainly cause some waves within the makeshift community. (I still think Pete is going to be big trouble for Rick in these early days.) As well, danger is coming to the safe haven’s front gates. We have a really good idea of what that danger may include – Scavengers? – but it’s best to just wait and see where the Alexandria storyline initially goes before heading too deep into potential spoilers.
Chris Hardwick’s Talking Dead will air immediately after, at 10:30 p.m. ET, and according to EW, he and his unannounced guests will “bid farewell to fallen characters.” We know a few of the characters that have already died this season, but we can’t wait to see who bites it next.
It’s a wonder AMC hasn’t used the extended-episode tactic with The Walking Dead more often, since fellow cable network FX has no problem extending the shit out of its programming. (I don’t think any episodes in Sons of Anarchy’s last season were shorter than 7 hours.) Maybe now that the series is settling into the comic book’s best arc, the writers will have more material to stretch out.
Tune into The Walking Dead on Sundays for more flare-in-the-head zombie action. Check out the preview for next week’s episode, “Remember,” on the next page.
