Film: The Walking Dead Season 6

NB: NO SPOILERS

So as promised a review of the latest season that came out on DVD in the UK a couple of weeks ago. Funnily enough, I had a conversation with my dentist of 29 years who regards my mouth as boring (full head of teeth, no caps, crowns or fillings, nothing for him to do) about this and we both agreed we were geeks who like it. I joked given my full head of teeth, come the zombie apocalypse, people will either have to protect me, or avoid me as if I got turned into a zombie my bite would be ferocious.

Morgan is now back as a regular cast member, Lenny James is a great actor, and I liked his work in Jericho.

Morgan has gone all Kendo Master on us, and wields an awesome stick to kill zombies efficiently and quietly.

Other characters get their back stories filled in, even annoying kids.

A couple of new Alexandrian characters turn up and are even useful.

However, the settlement is threatened when they find a nearby quarry fun of walkers who are slowly breaking out, and this is a massive herd. So via a series of flashbacks, the story is told of how most of the herd are taken off course. In the process, Daryl, Abraham and Sasha have a side adventure, involving RPGs and meet up with members of the Saviours group with varying success.

Yup, Daryl after trying out the 3 questions on some escapees he encounters is double crossed after walking ahead of them (bad move). This however sets up an interesting arc that leads to the man he tries to help hunting for him.

Now aside from recapping all the plots, which are done elsewhere, the key theme of this series if the link to Hilltop, a seeimingly civilised nearby settlement that has problem with the aforementioned Saviours.

Rick and co wade in to the conflict between these groups in order to prop up Alexandria which is running low of food and brains it seems.

Alexandria is falling apart, literally as the zombie herd that broke off and besieges the settlement pushes over the church tower that everyone neglected to remove from high next to the walls, and in the ensuing mayhem, many of the Alexandrians get munched including Deanna and Rick’s putative love interest Jessie, whose son then goes on to shoot Carl in the eye.

Despite all these problems at home, Rick and co variously hare off to take on the Saviours, all without understanding the true scale of the Saviours’ greater numbers and logistics. As a result, they are caught out time and time again and end up on their knees in front of the Savious’ leader, Negan.

And we all know how that scene ends – the big cliffhanger as to who gets splatted.

Meanwhile…

…Carol in a new relationship can’t cope with everything working out and goes AWOL, on her own, underarmed. DOH !

And we all know what happens in the post apocalypse zombie world, she gets into trouble both with walkers, and one of the Saviours. Luckily Morgan has been tracking her and saves her in the nick of time, when some more strangers turn up and may turn out to be allies.

Well that’s a very potted over view.

Key question : Did I enjoy the series ?

Well yes.

Somewhat qualified.

I watched it the first time round, and found the starting few episodes somewhat patchy and difficult to follow.

The total failure of the Alexandria group to clear the area around their walls was another clear failure (I talked about this on Season 2), allowing people to creep up and infiltrate, break down the walls and so on.

The group entering in to a deal, when clearly unaware of the strength of their enemies.

Various characters haring off on their own vendettas and all distracting others to save them from the inevitable and predictable problems.

That said, on watching the entire season a second time, there is a lot more nuance and background material that can be easily missed on the first viewing and that makes this season a bit of a slow burner that will reward over repeated watches.

I’m looking forward to Season 7.

PS: Carl needs a haircut, badly !