Warning: This article contains spoilers about Sundays midseason premiere ofThe Walking Deadtitled Squeeze.
The Walking Deads midseason premiere was certainly not for the claustrophobic.
The episodes title, Squeeze, probably should have been a warning.
Jace Downs/AMC
That delay proved costly when the roof collapsed… before Connie and Magna had to chance to get out.
What is the fate of the missing pair?
And what does the calamity mean for Carol and Daryl moving forward?
Norman Reedus on ‘The Walking Dead’.Jace Downs/AMC
Does the zombie mask action really turn Negan on?
Read on to find out.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Okay, we end with Connie and Magna buried in that cave.
Chuck Zlotnick/AMC
But its a pretty bad situation because they very well could be dead.
That is part of the story in some episodes to come.
Then, obviously, Kelly is Connies sister, and Yumiko with Magna and that complicated relationship.
Theres a lot of people who are affected by the events of this episode.
Lets drill down a little more on a few of them, especially Carol.
Weve been thinking of this moment like this is her rock bottom.
So thats part of the story that were telling with Carol.
And yet she knows that she has things that she needs to repair.
She knows that shes going to want to redeem herself at the same time.
I think Melissa does a beautiful job playing all these complicated layers of the character throughout the season.
So we will see Carol pursuing multiple things for the rest of the season.
Lots to come for Carol.
Lets go out West.
Now you cut to this episode and hes saying, I cant even turn my back on you.
I dont even know what to do anymore.
Its a long relationship.
Theyve been through so much together.
Shes got to be honest with him at moments going like, Heres what Im feeling.
She killed my boy.
And then its like she wants him to punish her.
Theres so much complication between them, but I think thats what true friendship is.
Theyre going to have to work their way through that in whatever way that they do.
Thats definitely part of the emotional story that continues on through the season.
Lets move over to a very different duo.
I want to ask about a few of these Negan-Alpha scenes.
The first one is where he tells her theres a spy in the camp and it could be Gamma.
Then she pulls a knife on his crotch and pushes him into a pile of feces.
Theres a lot of twisted stuff between the two of them.
For Alpha, she doesnt respect weak people either.
She thought that her husband was weak.
She doesnt respect the person who shows weakness, and yet shes got to show her alpha-ness too.
Youve got the two of them sort of feeling each other out.
The funny thing is I think both of them really do have this respect for each other.
He likes strong women and she likes strong, powerful men.
Theres a bit of a courtship going on obviously.
Theres something going on between them.
But Negan also likes the fact that he was able to be valuable to her.
Lets talk about that super disturbing naked soon-to-be sex scene with the mask on.
And I was like, This is so weird.
I dont know if I can air this.
We kind of have to do this.
I think it really tracks with who Alpha is.
Shes very survival of the fittest and natures way is the right way.
To her, I dont know, animals have sex.
He was very helpful to her at a time when she feels a little bit under siege.
And then for Negan, she has him pinned, hes a crass man.
He says himself, Its been a long time.
Their weirdness is something that we really have enjoyed exploring.
Do you think he actually is turned on by the mask?I do think so!
I think Negans into some funky stuff.
So well see in the season going forward where that takes us.
The following episode is one that I think is really cool.
We have a horror movie in Alexandria, which I think is really pretty fun.
That takes him on a different route though.
Also confirm to read ourpremiere Q&A with Norman Reedus.
And for moreWalking Deadintel, follow Dalton on Twitter@DaltonRoss.
