‘The Walking Dead’ Episode 6.3 “Here’s Not Here” (8.5 out of 10) Created by Frank Darabont; Starring Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Danai Gurira, Chandler Riggs, Lennie James, Lauren Cohan; Sundays on AMC.
While the Glenn controversy is still blowing up online—didja notice that Steven Yeun wasn’t part of the opening credits tonight?—we get no closure during this episode. I’m with most of the world when I say that I’d like to know whether to grieve Glenn’s demise or celebrate his narrow escape from the rotting jaws of death, but tonight’s episode was awesome enough to warrant waiting another week for any news. As usual, spoilers abound.
Clear
Tonight’s episode was essentially an explanation for how Morgan (Lennie James) went from raving maniac to peaceful warrior, although summarizing what we saw tonight in such coarse terminology would be an injustice. Lennie James delivered a hell of a performance tonight, making me wonder just how much longer the Emmy’s can ignore the acting chops of TWD. From his solo scenes in which he is a one-man force of destruction, burning walker and human alike, to his slow transformation into the Morgan that we’ve now come to know, James completely owns this episode. Additionally, John Carroll Lynch’s performance as the sagacious hermit Eastman was a perfect foil to Morgan’s unhinged aggression.
See, Eastman has been living in relative harmony with his hostile environment—even the sight of an assault rifle-wielding Morgan doesn’t affect him. Instead, Eastman takes Morgan in and teaches him the art of Aikido, a martial art that is dedicated to self-defense. This, coupled with Eastman’s philosophy that “all life is precious”—he buries each walker that he kills, digging through their manky clothes for ID so he can mark their graves—become a powerful healing force for Morgan, and pave the way for his current zen state of mind.
Despite the fact that his lifespan on the show doesn’t last for too long, Eastman is a prime example of TWD’s writing prowess. In a handful of scenes, we grow to love this mysterious philosopher only to witness the final moments of his life. He also brought a small dose of humor to the perpetually bleak show. When he asks Morgan his name, Morgan shouts, “Kill me!” to which Eastman replies, “That’s a stupid name.” Lynch, who has done some great supporting work in films like “Zodiac” and “Fargo” always brings an emotional gravity to his work, and it was perfect for tonight’s episode.
Oddly enough, this episode made me more okay with the idea that Glenn is dead. Last week, I said that Glenn was the sole proprietor of the moral high ground, but seeing Morgan’s transformation this week has made me think that he could be the one to pick up where Glenn left off.
Verdict
As much as I liked this episode, I found myself questioning the decision to make it 90 minutes long. I’ll take as much TWD as AMC will give me, but tonight’s episode felt a teensy bit indulgent. I’ve also found that this whole Glenn thing is starting to distract from the storyline, which is why I want my official closure. We’ll see what happens, but right now it’s starting to feel like they’re teasing the audience with Glenn’s currently uncertain fate, which feels gimmicky and cheap. I’m starting to think that we’re like Ann Perkins from “Parks and Recreation,” who is unaware that Chris Traeger has dumped her.