The Reel Rejects - THE WALKING DEAD: The Ones Who Live 1x4 Breakdown & Review

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Starting point is 00:00:52 Only in the Target app. Just tap Target. Thank you to all. I've been supporting the channel by checking out our merch at RejectnationShop. and becoming royal rejects. I think that you look ready for the apocalypse. Let's do this. Yeah, that was one of the best episodes of Walking Dead ever that I've seen.

Starting point is 00:01:13 I don't know you've seen all the spin off and shit. Out of watching Walking Dead, this is like easily one of the best episodes I've ever seen. I think it's the best episode. I think it beats the Morgan and Rick episodes. wow this is like a master class in television writing and acting just uh i don't usually like cry while watching tv especially not the walk in dead uh how first off the fact that she wrote this is extraordinary and i feel like there is a um there's like something to be said about somebody who has spent so many years with a character and taking all

Starting point is 00:02:17 of those collective experiences and being able to put it into this thing and like using the the dream sequence in the way that they did without us realizing that was the So, like, because in my mind, I'm, like, racking my brain. I'm like, what kind of torture do they subject them doing at the end of the day? It's just that moment, it's that second death of after you lose a person the last time you can see their face in your head and just, oh, man, I just, like, what beautiful, beautiful art this was. and to watch like love be able to cut through all of that and to get to this like raw moment and it all just felt so earned and visceral and beautiful and like um i'm going to get a little personal here if that's okay but like uh one of the reasons

Starting point is 00:03:27 I watched The Walking Dead is because my best friend, who I made a promise before he passed away, I was going to keep watching the show. Meanwhile, it's been like a decade. And, like, it was really hard not to think about him this entire episode and that process of, like, that fear of letting go and that fear of losing again and how hard it is to even put yourself in the position to love and to lose. And, like, I just... absolute art at its finest in the most unexpected and wonderful of places.

Starting point is 00:04:04 What did you think, Craig? Yeah, I thought it was one of the best episodes I've ever seen of it. And it's absolutely like kind of sensibilities I'm most personally drawn to. Without saying too much, Michael, is actually made me go, I need to change some stuff in something I wrote. because I was like, it's a lot of similar things that already. It's kind of funny to be like,

Starting point is 00:04:31 oh, it's where I just finished ready to say you get it. Like, oh, damn. Now it's just going to look like I'm ripped it off. So that's a good sign, Greg. Like,

Starting point is 00:04:42 oh, shit. So this is kind of, but I really feel like, I appreciate everyone like sticks around for these discussions. I've noticed like we kind of get a lot of comments that are more about the discussions and oftentimes the reaction itself,

Starting point is 00:04:54 which makes me really happy. Because, yeah, it is like the characters in it of themselves that I find to be the most absorbing element of it. And I thought this was a very touching, moving episode. And I think what this show has done brilliantly is play on the debate of, you know, where does Rick really stand and why? And, you know, you might have seen Michael and I even kind of go back and forth. And I've always leaned more into the emotionality of it. And you were right. I can say it.

Starting point is 00:05:25 You were right. I mean, yeah, to me, it did seem that, okay, from the first couple episodes that Rick is broken and he's lost side of himself and has shown would be the one, just from like storytelling, it seems like that would be the path it would go. But it's not about the destination. It is about the process. It is about how do we get there? And I feel like this episode really makes you earn it because. I think the combination of the writing of this episode demonstrating the strength of really knowing these characters internally,

Starting point is 00:06:00 even getting like a little bit more hints towards the backstory of Michone. And when you chip away of what they're really talking about underneath it all, like you start off on the surface with the argument, but underneath that argument is the sense of loss, is a cry for help from both of them in their own regards. And a lot of times, that's what communication really ends up coming down to.

Starting point is 00:06:22 is something along those lines, right? It's either like loving or some type of cry for help. Usually it kind of comes into one of those forms. And it's just about trying to get to the truth. And a lot of times like justification, anger is really a disguise for hurt. Is a disguise for loss. And I think the way they demonstrated that with Rick has been so excellent and so rewarding as an audience member because I'm here holding out hope that like I think he's

Starting point is 00:06:57 lying to himself and a lot of times when you lie to yourself you're able to use it with words that's a thing about trauma and denial is you can often find words that make your brain sound like that is that you find things that are logical quote unquote and they sound true you know and then it manipulates your brain and and he has been brainwashed but I didn't even think about that extra later that they were talking about that he was lamenting at the end there with he's losing his he's not just losing side of himself and it's not just the fear facing these emotions he's losing memories you know and i think in grief that is one of the things that we try to hold on to the most because that's all we have to preserve the sometimes we feel like that's the only thing that

Starting point is 00:07:40 preserves our love and i thought that was so profound and deep and uh i love just how this show demonstrated at first with they're arguing they're debating that they're having but then they're like they're kind of going through the grief process in this one episode you know together yeah they're going through like stages of grief together and you see how things come out of them via through their actions as well and and i love the zigzagging the the roller coaster they go on that and then you know sometimes you have to to get to the real the real thing yeah and even in the making scene that they had I love how that was just visual yeah of even in then because because you know in a situation like that in real life that can be one of the most

Starting point is 00:08:29 intimate experiences one could have and especially if you're in the form of making a lot of eye contact right that close and even there he's like the emotion of him breaking is she's literally like trying to break down this wall that has been built around him yeah to just build that vulnerability I think it's very strong stuff you really first off I get

Starting point is 00:08:55 why people listen to you Greg you're really good at talking that was really was it I could listen to your breakdown of this I'm gonna watch this afterwards if it's world building that's you

Starting point is 00:09:04 if it's characters I come in when it comes to personalities I am incapable I thought you were absolutely excellent well I appreciate that I thought you were

Starting point is 00:09:13 exquisite at it Michael I love you Greg uh i really appreciate this idea of presence of how especially in a show like this or just in any medium how like a character even if they're out of the picture can still inform so much and i feel like that is you know every once in a while like art actually does a beautiful job reflecting on reality And I feel like so much of the world that we live in and so much of our experiences are driven by these shadows of people that we've lost. And not just lost to death, but lost to time and distance.

Starting point is 00:10:01 And, you know, it's hard not to, when consuming something like this, not like have some realizations of your own. You know, I mean, so much of what life is, they encapsulated in this. And I think to be able to take these characters who are so badass and visceral and just, you know, the fact that they could be in any one of these situations surrounded by the dead and they can just get through it to see the thing. that really, really breaks them to be this internalized experience, the hurt in her eyes as she had to admit to herself that her being down for that year was a year away from her kids was just a level of pain and just, it's such a testament to both of these actors.

Starting point is 00:11:12 and to her as a writer. But beyond that, it also just shows the power of long-form storytelling. Like, this can only pay off because we've been on this journey with them for so long. And I think that is just like one of the most beautiful things in the world where a piece of IP like this can get stale and tired. And we've seen it do exactly that. And then to get back to the heart of it, like what made the original. show so great was this intense personal drama and you know talk about getting back to basics

Starting point is 00:11:51 and realizing that like there is no negon-esque character or any kind of big bad that will ever be as profoundly painful as a father mourning the loss of a child or a mother being kept away from her children or two people in love who know, who know that they just can't reach the other person. And I'm just, I'm like blown away. And I really hope the internet feels the same way and that this gets some nominations because it genuinely, I think, is like some of the best television I've seen. I think full stop. I think sometimes Walking Dead obviously will tend more to it's it's fan-based and it will like reel someone in but i think even if you're not a big walking dead fan this is one that is very much accessible and the backdrops that they use like

Starting point is 00:12:50 there's such great illustrations i think with using the the crumbling of the building as the breaking down the walls are literally within ricket itself like they use that as a foundation yeah it's brilliant it's like it was smart you know and and uh i loved even like the little things when they're having to survive together when he's pulling toward like it's not just words and picking up on subtext this a lot of times they would do things via just through their actions you know when they're he runs out to her at the last second or when they're fighting when they're fighting walkers off together in the hallways and they're bickering with each other like two cops or like he's saying go away she's saying go away and he refuses to go and paying attention to the actions

Starting point is 00:13:34 not even thinking about how he hasn't pushed that budding yet for a reason So I think there's a phenomenal attention to detail here with a really great direction, too, because this was like a big budget play. It was a big budget play. And there are elements that I think that the writing team, it's usually, even though it says I'm going to assume like any other television shows, like a main writer for that episode and then everyone kind of works together to do whatever they got to do to make it happen, right? So, uh, but she's the main credit writer.

Starting point is 00:14:10 So, like credit to the writers, but also I think the directing because we've seen with this, this particular spinoff, we're going through a lot of locations, but their strongest episode is just these two stuck together in this environment of a crumbling building. I thought it was genius. I thought it was genius for an audience standpoint to put them in what in essence is like a modern home. Yeah. it's almost easy to forget the backdrop of everything else and to just like remember like oh these are just two people who have just become so disconnected despite the fact there is still so much love that exist and neither of them are in a place where they can authentically communicate and you know i i think it's beautiful because rick is obviously at first you're the way it's It's easy to think he's the only one that has a problem in the situation, only to realize that Michone is just as broken and has been through just as much. And her not being able to let go is her way of coping in the same way that Rick thinking he has to let go.

Starting point is 00:15:27 It's his way of coping. And it's just, God damn, it was so freaking good. I want to watch that a thousand times. Citizens of the Reject Nation, or should I say Royal Reject Nation, or should I say Royal, rejects because that is who we call those who check out our RR apparel at Rejectnationshop.com. We come out with new designs every month or every two months. It is personally my favorite way you can support the channel. Reason being is because we are involved with every one of the exclusive RR designs that are up at the shop.

Starting point is 00:15:57 We got a bunch of designs already, such as our Super Marvel bro shirt. My sister actually designed this one. Deadpool Wolverine inspired, my personal favorite one. But then we also got our number one bestseller. last daddy t-shirt, which has Pedro Pascal from the Last of Us inspired carrying baby Grogu. We have Loki's Glorious Balloon. We also have our Doctor Who shirt, which is full of a bunch of classic Doctor Who quotes on the Tartis. We have space babies of the galaxy. We got ourselves some Star Wars inspired shirts. We got a boys inspired shirt. And we have a house of the

Starting point is 00:16:30 dragon one as well, pointing those out because obviously we have new seasons of those shows coming up and then of course you got a bunch of other designs as well like our bat first one who influences the influencers another last of us inspired t-shirt and of course you know the classic reject symbolism t-shirts as well either one is an amazing way to support the channel and like i said you get a look good while doing it so thank you guys so much do consider going to reject nation shop.com and also tag us on social media if you end up buying a shirt please tag us we'd love to see it when people do end up buying the shirts thank you royal rejects see you guys And now for a tiny bit of theories of what's to happen,

Starting point is 00:17:09 because we've still got two episodes left, I really think it is great to let the, to let it end on a hopeful note. I just think it's so, the other one thing, I've been crediting the show a lot for throwing you into Michone's perspective for this journey. Because the first episode,

Starting point is 00:17:27 there's no Michone, right? And so you think you're watching this from Rick's perspective, but you're not. Most of this you're really experiencing and Vian through Michone's perspective. And I love how it captures it through that lens. Even here, as someone who's been

Starting point is 00:17:41 every episode being like, nah, we don't, I know Rick's who really underneath the ice broken now, but I was like, like, man, you were getting on my fucking nerves right now because we all know who you really are. But so I thought that was so,

Starting point is 00:17:54 I love a show that challenges its audience to have this guy who was our ultimate leader, the ultimate, even when he was broken, you knew he would come back in, He would rise back up. And I'm glad they waited. They literally let you earn your time back to getting a Rick you're more familiar with by the end of this episode.

Starting point is 00:18:14 And I love a show that's willing to challenge his audience. Yeah. Literally that moment when she like pushed him the way that I reacted in the same exact way that she did. It just says they did such a perfect job at putting us in that POV. And having Michaud be our vessel to reconnect with this character was genius. And I think as like action characters, you don't look at them as like action heroes, but they are in a lot of ways. To have them be so emotionally compelling is a rarity in the genre of characters who are this badass, but man, do they bring the emotional weight with multiple nuance moments of like the best kind of crying to me is when you're fighting the tears, you know, and a scene work. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:19:01 Yeah. And, uh, whew. Denai Guerrera, I think they're both excellent here. Yeah. Uh, but it seems like Jadis is probably going to know,

Starting point is 00:19:11 suspects that he's not really, you know, I think Jadis will be hunting them. I think that the universe that they have set into motion, which is becoming a lot clearer to me, um, I, I love what it's building towards.

Starting point is 00:19:28 And I'm hoping that because of the, the air that they've given each of these respective characters to go on these individual journeys that when they inevitably have to come back and confront the CRM, it is going to be a brilliant, somehow, despite the fact it's this big, no longer it's an individual,

Starting point is 00:19:52 it's an institution that they're fighting against. And all of these characters who will have gone through this evolution finally being brought back together after all these years is going to be something extraordinary. For me, I think where this all needs to end, logically, is Alexandria and the folks back home need to be put into a intense, precarious situation.

Starting point is 00:20:23 I am seven episodes away from finally finishing the original. serious. You're so close. I'm so close. My goal is like, if I can have it, like, I finish it and then I finish this at the same time. And I'm so sorry for any spoiler. So you've, do I want to hear this? No, I think you're fine. I know where I commonwealth. Commonwealth, cool. That's literally all I was going to ask about. Yeah. Yeah. And you've met like Mercer. Yeah. Cool. Yeah. So like, it's very clear to me there is a

Starting point is 00:20:52 formidable opportunity. Okay. Yeah. Or you know what I mean? Like, there's a. a bigger world situation going on where I think a lot of our characters can all I literally is going to form the Avengers I literally just got to the time when Negan got back at that that building where he's camped out with all those that's great great great great last episode I saw yeah so perfect that's a good I'm not going to spoil anything but all I'm going to say is we're ripe for a I'm curious how they're going to do it though like obviously the Daryl show is getting a second season I'm so worried that this show is going to tie back

Starting point is 00:21:30 to the end of the walking test. I'm like, I'm trying to finish it. I need to finish walking dead so that way. Well, I mean, part of me is wondering, are we going to see Judith and RJ? Right. I kind of don't want to yet. Well, if I'm not mistaken,

Starting point is 00:21:46 I think the original plan for the Rick stuff was like a trilogy. I think it was like a trilogy of movies, so maybe they want to do three seasons. Well, I think that this particular show, If they want to keep calling it, what they're calling it, they can. But ultimately, it strikes me as all of these different shows are going to then tie in together for a reunited Walking Dead series. That would be cool, which is our main ones.

Starting point is 00:22:14 Well, yeah, but I mean, like, you know, I think a lot of fans are itching. Even if I'm not finished walking down, I'm even like, man, how fascinating it would be to see like Rick and Negan reunite. Well, that's Rick and Negan. Even, God, you have to watch the Daryl series. You see, that's the part that I'm concerned about with this experience. This show has been so damn good. Yeah. And I still, I love the original Walking Dead.

Starting point is 00:22:38 I do. And the internet, like, feel free to, like, totally disagree with me. I thought the Daryl series was so well done. I think it was like a level of, like, nuance, the way the writing elevated. I thought the show that didn't do that was. Dead City? The Dead City just really Yeah, I'm probably never going to get around

Starting point is 00:22:58 Fear the Walking Dead, but I want to get Dead City in And I want to get Darrell Dixon in And then I know the Carol show is coming out No comment, but no comment I saw the AMC Plus ruined it with the trailers I have zero comments about that But all I will say is they're setting cool things up Yeah

Starting point is 00:23:17 I really want to see Rick and Morgan together again Which I know he's a big part of Fear of the Walking Dead Yeah, I mean I just think that combo of characters particularly i think about you know every time we meet them it's been a couple years since they've like really engaged with each other and i feel like both of them always go in these tumultuous journeys and have such an interesting perspective to share yeah um part of me hopes that that's how the series all of it ends um although frankly it's becoming hard to imagine um because it seems like the shows are performing really well um i've got a feeling they're

Starting point is 00:23:50 going to try to keep this going for a long time, which is great. Just when you thought they might kill off the walk you did. Just when you thought I was out, they pull me back here. They revitalize. I love staying in it, man. I do love staying in the, it's, it is a world that you get to stay in. And even for some episodes, as I say a lot of people have been like, yeah, season 11, whatever, I'm like, I don't know.

Starting point is 00:24:11 I really like it still. I had, even on the episodes I hate, I have fun. You know, I think what was wonderful about this is we saw. the potential of what it can be. And I think that's always been the thing that stressed me out, not stress me out, but disappointed me about The Walking Dead, is that it has all the right ingredients. And I honestly think all the right talent. Like, when you get to the heart of, like, how talented the cast, like, the original cast

Starting point is 00:24:37 and the leads that you've had throughout the years, these are like some of the best actors of our time who are in this world. Right. They just need to be given the material and, you know, frankly, I think the trying to step it up with the AMC plus and creating a more premium feel was like

Starting point is 00:24:57 really, really essential and giving all these characters the individual platform to breathe and develop. But listen, if you're on the Walking Dead staff in the writer's room directing hell if you were

Starting point is 00:25:13 on set, just like doing production, thank you. The Walking Dead social media follows me. Do they? I was like, no. that's crazy like we should seriously like thank you this was really magic and I think uh at a time when our industry the television world is in all sorts of ups and downs I think this is proof that like good storytelling is possible you know even an IP that's been around forever a decade and um uh what did y'all think though like what are what are your opinions where do you think this is going what was your favorite part did you cry I I mean I'm so glad

Starting point is 00:25:50 glad that I had like a tier. It was like, man, I needed to get that. I didn't know how much I was holding on to it. I think some people, my, because I'm a very comfortable crier. And I did not cry, but I was wowed the whole time. And I think, I hope that what I expressed shows that. I think you and I were both like, like our body language was like, we were.

Starting point is 00:26:13 I was just in this massive admiration of what it's doing. I'm like, wow, this is exceptionally impressive what they're doing. Yeah. yeah all righty guys all right well thank you and if you're at wonder con come say hi to our paddle yes please do i'll cry there too see you guys adelia chamberlain adelia chamberlain adelia my friend i am sorry so much so so so sorry uh i got your twitter message late that you were actually in california and it was just a few days before

Starting point is 00:26:43 we had our dune two event i really wanted you to come to our dune two event so you know what It's spring break time, and you know what that means. It's the season of sand. That is what everyone calls this season as. And John and I are going to write a sandworm right to your house. Now, admittedly, it's probably going to be a very, very nice gesture. It's an act of love, really. But I think your family, they're going to end up getting so upset with us because once we show up,

Starting point is 00:27:13 we're going to be destroying your town by accident. We are not going to intend it. But it's the natural consequences. You want it destroyed by a sandworm. Natural consequences. When you have a sandworm, you just start demolishing everything out and you're bulldozing your way through. And then, you know, we don't destroy your house, but it does get drenched in sand, putting your house beneath the surface ultimately. Useless house.

Starting point is 00:27:34 But what really matters is not the consequences. It is the action of our love that we have for you. So, Adelia, we got to make this up to you somehow. and it is going to be drenching your house and a bunch of spice. Reject out.

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The Reel Rejects - THE WALKING DEAD: The Ones Who Live 1x4 Breakdown & Review

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