The Walking Dead season 8 episode 11 review: Dead or Alive Or

Last night’s The Walking Dead gave us a little more action and a mix of face time with survivors and Saviors. We also learned this show does not like doctors.

Warning: Spoilers below.

Father Gabriel returned, red-eyed and nearly blind but his faith strong as ever. Last we saw, he and Doctor Carson were given keys to an escape car by Eugene.

In this episode, we see a focused and brave Gabriel versus the coward he’s been in the past. He’s determined to get Carson to the Hilltop and more importantly to a very pregnant Maggie.

What was most moving about the scenes between Carson and Gabriel was how faith trumped realism again and again. The two come across an abandoned home filled with radio equipment. Gabriel ponders whether a message ever got out, which Carson scoffs at. The log says nothing went through, but Gabriel has hope. More importantly, he says the messages may have helped the messenger through trying times.

Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes; single – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

As they search the hideout, Carson finds the “messenger” dead and walker-fied. But then the two come across antibiotics for Gabriel, find keys to a car plus a map, and escape a bunch of walkers after Carson is caught by a bear trap.

A famous Bible phrase says to “walk by faith, not by sight,” and it seems for these two, everywhere they turn, something or someone is helping them.

That is until a bunch of Saviors roll up on them.

In a last-ditch effort to test his faith, Carson reaches for a gun but is killed. Though these scenes between Carson and Gabriel were uplifting, it wasn’t surprising to see one of them end up dead.

Per usual on this show, if things look too good to be true, they are. Also per usual, if you’re a doctor on this show, you won’t last long.

Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler; single – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Now as Gabriel developed in this episode, another character went backwards.

Tara could be following in Morgan and Rick’s footsteps as far as wanting vengeance for those she’s lost. As Daryl leads Alexandria’s survivors into the woods, Tara literally tosses a walker at Dwight.

Daryl makes it clear now is not the time to take people out, as there are a bunch of people who need their help to make it to safety. Rosita, who only seasons ago was on the revenge train herself, even tells Tara to back down.

Dwight vehemently explains he hates the Saviors. He adds that even if he wanted to double-cross the survivors, he knows he’s got a date with Lucille if Negan ever sees him again. In this episode, Dwight proves his newfound loyalty twice.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler, Austin Amelio as Dwight; group – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

First, he tells the survivors they can evade the enemy by going through a swamp the Saviors deemed too hard to cross. Later, when Tara loses it and tries to kill Dwight (she’s slipping fast), they come across some Saviors.

Dwight jumps out before they can find him with Tara. He protects the Alexandrians, saying he just came from the swamps and there’s no one to be found, so best get back to the Sanctuary. Tara (and Rosita, who followed up on her to stop the Dwight killing) watches as he walks away with his old crew, and off to what could soon be his death.

Back at the Hilltop, Carol and Morgan are hanging out with creepy-killer kid (also known as Henry). Carol doesn’t want him to know who killed his brother, thinking he’ll go stab-stab with his stick like he did to Savior lieutenant Gavin.

Morgan tells Carol the boy should know, and that nothing will stop him from his fate of being a killer later. Dark much, Morgan? However, he eventually lies to the kid and says Gavin was the one who killed his brother.

Not sure how this added to anything, other than to let us know said creepy-killer kid will not kill again (or will he)?

As for Maggie, she has some major resource issues to deal with at the Hilltop. Rations need to be cut back to help the community, but should the new prisoners be included? We haven’t seen much of Maggie lately and when we do, it seems to be this ongoing cycle of her being the leader and having to make tough decisions. Will she be nice or will she be hard as nails?

This episode didn’t offer anything new. One of the Saviors pleads they be let out on good behavior. Maggie mulls over this until the end, when she’s reunited with Alexandria’s people and everyone learns of Carl’s death. Whether it’s the grief, Carl’s plea somehow making it through for people to stop fighting, or Maggie not being able to be fully cruel — she gives in and tells the Saviors they’re going to get some time outside their prison.

This may not seem so bad, if it weren’t for the fact Negan has a very sick plan up his leather sleeves.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan; group – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Back at the Sanctuary, Gabriel is returned to what is going to be Eugene’s bullet-making outpost. Negan wants — and needs — more weapons to stay on top of all the other communities. Eugene sees Gabriel and begins to sweat bullets (oh yeah, we said it), thinking the Father will tattle on who helped him escape.

Instead, Gabriel lies and says it was Doctor Carson.

Reassured of Eugene’s loyalty, Negan asks when bullets will be ready. Knowing he can’t make enough yet, Eugene offers up a creepy solution — and we can’t tell if he honestly thought Negan would take this seriously.

The idea? To dip weapons in walker blood, tainting them with the infection-causing agents they carry.

In the end, a character we weren’t really close to died. Other characters like Tara are unraveling. Eugene is either a complete jerk or playing the best double-agent role ever (he’s got experience from his time with Rosita and Abraham).

Also, one of the best moments came in the final minutes when Negan realizes he can use walkers to make very deadly weapons. So. Frustrating.

Nibbles and Bites

Could Rosita and Daryl be our next Walking Dead couple? They’re damaged, tough, and honestly would be pretty hot together.
Does Eugene need an AA meeting? Seriously, he’s about to have a wine rack at that outpost.
Shocking to think the OG’s left right now are Carol, Daryl, Rick, Morgan and Maggie.
Tara seems to forget how people forgave her for being on the Governor’s side.
Could Siddiq be our next doctor? He was only a medical resident before, but better than nothing right?

The Walking Dead returns next Sunday with “Dead or Alive Or” at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

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