In this week’s episode of The Walking Dead, viewers get a real in-depth look at the Commonwealth’s social structure. Spoiler alert — It sucks.
Also, so does this episode.
Also, if you wanted to find out why Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohan) are on opposite sides, as hinted about at the end of last week’s episode, Episode 10 (titled New Haunts) doesn’t give anything away.
Halloween at the Commonwealth
Episode 10 opens with a Haunted House at the Commonwealth to celebrate Halloween. Because nothing brings back trauma from the zombie apocalypse as actual walkers in a house just for s**ts and giggles.
Poor RJ (Antony Azor) is definitely not loving the activity, but he loves the other stuff on offer in the new community and wants to stay. So does Judith (Cailey Fleming), even if Daryl doesn’t earn enough for her to have an allowance.
He’s working on it, though.
Daryl is in training
However, we all know Daryl, and now that he is training to become a Commonwealth guard, he is still no better at getting along with people or working in a team.
Also, he has come under the radar of Sebastian Milton (Teo Rapp-Olsson) and not in a good way.
Honestly, though, it sucks to see everyone trying to make their way in this horrible community that lines everyone up according to class.
I have never wanted to see actors in dirt so much in all my life. And, if the remainder of Season 11 of The Walking Dead focuses entirely on time spent at the Commonwealth, I think I will tune out.
I started watching the show for zombies and character development while walking the fine line between death and survival. Not to see them dressed up all pretty as they try to climb social ladders.
Carol goes snooping
Carol (Melissa McBride) is working the baked goods stand and must have been something okay in her previous life as she seems to have a nice apartment. On the other hand, Daryl lives in a sh**ty apartment because of his social stature.
While life may be easier for her now, she doesn’t trust a thing and goes snooping to find out more about Ezekiel’s (Khary Payton) illness and how long it will be before he gets surgery to remove his thyroid cancer.
Unfortunately, it will be a while. So, for all of us that thought Ezekiel would be cured thanks to the Commonwealth, we can now add that to our growing list of why the Commonwealth is the worst.
That’s right, the health care system in the US still sucks — even after the zombie apocalypse. Carol finds out Ezekiel probably won’t live to make his surgery and, honestly, the Commonwealth can go to hell for being such d**ks about who gets to live and die when they have the actual facilities there.
Carol is busted snooping by Yumiko’s (Eleanor Matsuura) brother, and he lets on that the surgery order is top secret. Still, Ezekiel must know he’s not on the winning list because he gives away his personal stuff, which breaks my heart.
Carol, though, is determined to get him moved up the list and starts doing underhanded stuff for Lance Hornsby (Josh Hamilton) to get him pushed up the list.
Because this is how the Commonwealth works, it is the world’s suckiest “scratch my back” scheme.
It’s party time!
Here, viewers get their first real look at the sh**ty existence of those in the lower class.
Magna (Nadia Hilker) is working as a waitress at a huge masquerade ball, and there are plenty of others from her group that has been invited to be among the honored guests there. It’s super awkward when she has to hand out wine to Yumiko as she is one of those honored guests.
Most of the honored guests are there because of their importance. Although, Princess (Paola Lazaro) manages to get a look inside thanks to a little flirting with Mercer (Michael James Shaw), and one woman won a lottery to get in.
One of the servers called Tyler is p**sed and wants the Commonwealth leader, Pamela Milton (Laila Robins), to listen to him rather than brush him off, making a big scene in the process.
Tyler is the guy Princess beat up back in Episode 20 of The Walking Dead Season 10. Because of this, he has been demoted from being a guard to a lowly server.
That’s right, that one mistake cost him a bunch of fancy stuff like a decent apartment and more pay.
Because of this, he shouldn’t even be speaking to Pamela. And, he should most certainly not be taking her assistant, Max (Margot Bingham, hostage at knifepoint.
Eventually, Tyler lets Max go and runs off. Daryl chases him and finally catches him in the Haunted House.
Daryl talks the guy down and arrests him just as Sebastian strolls in. Daryl decides he can’t be bothered with Sebastian’s s**t and hands Tyler over to him, letting him claim all the glory for himself.
If Tyler turns up alive after this, I will be completely surprised.
Surprise, putting people into classes doesn’t work
Who would ever have guessed that enacting a strict class system would create unrest among those who have nothing?
I know, it’s a shock to me too.
But, seriously, it does seem to be a surprise to Pamela, and she wants the place searched to make sure that people like Tyler are not ganging up on her behind her back.
Spoiler alert — they totally are, and Rosita (Christian Serratos) finds their little hidey-hole.
How this will all play out remains to be seen, and viewers will just have to tune in to next week’s episode of The Walking Dead to find out more.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.