The fate of Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is revealed early in this episode as Michonne (Danai Gurira), Maggie, Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh), and other residents of Alexandria hear him screaming, “Open the gate!” as tries to outrun hungry walkers following right behind him. Apparently he was able to get out of the RV just ahead of the zombies, staying ahead of them as he attempts to make it back to Alexandria alive. Unfortunately, almost of the original herd of walkers are hot on his heels and approaching the town’s walls. The gate opens, Rick is let in, and then the gates are able to close behind him before any walkers can get in. Now the undead are right outside the gate, clawing, pushing, and biting at it, trying to find a way in. Rick tells the townspeople that for now the walls will hold but some are wondering if they will even survive the night. They now have death right outside their town and begin to blame Rick for it until Aaron steps forward and defends Rick’s plan to lead the herd of zombies away. He even admits it’s his fault that the killers known as the Wolves showed up here because he dropped photos of their town which the Wolves obviously found and tracked back to Alexandria.
Still believing that this is the beginning of the end, some townspeople decide to raid the storage shed for all the supplies. It’s Deanna’s son, Spencer (Austin Nichols), who rises to the occasion and stops them with a very strong speech about how if they do this, then it really will be the beginning of the end of everything they have built and who they are. The other residents, feeling ashamed of their behavior, decide to stop and only take what they need for the night. However, Spencer returns later and raids the food and alcohol himself. He feels he deserves it and no one will know it was him, but when his mother finds out she’s both surprised and disappointed by his actions. The two argue and Spencer finally tells his mother that it’s really her fault the townspeople aren’t ready to face the walkers and deal with the nightmare that is this world because she sheltered them from it. He leaves the room, telling her in a drunken stupor that the townspeople’s deaths, including her husband’s, is on her.
Having heard from Michonne that Glenn said he would send off a signal flare if he got into trouble or stuck and that he never did, Maggie decides she’s going to go out and look for her husband. Aaron notices her getting supplies but instead of trying to stop her – like he could – he tells her he’s going with her and that he knows another way out so they don’t have to exit from the gate and fight off all the walkers. Aaron takes Maggie to a sewer opening, telling her it will take them out underneath the walls and it should be far enough away from the walkers outside. While traveling through the sewer system and arguing about whether Aaron should go back or not, the two are attacked by two disgusting, decaying walkers who are so horrid it makes the scene almost unbearable to watch. Aaron proves his worth and not only stops the sewer zombie trying to chow down on him but saves Maggie who’s losing the struggle with the other walker. They travel on and come to a final gate but there are walkers on the other side. Maggie realizes she’s on a fool’s errand and decides not to continue. Aaron says he’ll go but Maggie becomes adamant and yells, “No!” which draws the walkers right to the gate making it impossible to continue on. This is when she reveals to Aaron that she’s pregnant with Glenn’s baby and that she doesn’t get to know what happened to Glenn. She continues to tell Aaron that she burned the last and only photo she had of Glenn telling him she would never let him be out of her sight and she just wants to see his face again.
Back at Alexandria, Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) is checking on one of her neighbors when the walker version of her neighbor comes to the window trying to attack her. Some other townspeople show up to watch as Jessie takes her knife and opens the door to put down the zombie neighbor. Jessie then turns to them and says this is the way life is now and that they need to accept it or die.
Deanna, who’s not been much more than a walking space cadet for most of the episode, finally shakes off the shock when a zombie who used to be a Wolf (he’d crawled off to die under a house after losing a battle with Carol) attacks. Deanna fights back and stabs the zombie with some broken glass multiple times but still has to be saved by Rick who comes racing up and stabs the undead in the head. Deanna admits to Rick that the town needs him to lead them.
Rick hears about Jessie’s encounter with the walker and pays her a visit to see how she’s holding up. Jessie’s still hoping there is more in this world than just surviving and killing walkers, and she asks Rick to tell her there’s some sort of future for them. Instead of answering, Rick kisses her and this time she passionately responds to his kiss.
The episode ends with Maggie and Aaron washing off Glenn’s and Nicholas’ names from the memorial wall some of the others created to show respect. The erasing of the two names is because they truly don’t know if they are dead or not – like US, the viewers – and Aaron takes the time to mention to Maggie that “when” Glenn comes back she might mention that his name, Aaron, works equally well for either a baby boy or a girl.
The Walking Dead Episode 5 “Now” Review:
Slow, at times disgusting, and surprisingly boring, season six episode five titled “Now” is easily the least eventful episode of the season. The episode served to further stretch out the unknown fate of fan favorite Glenn and revealed just one new plot point with Maggie being pregnant, something which most viewers probably saw coming a mile away.
This is easily the most forgettable episode as almost nothing important happens except for Maggie’s revelation. In fact, the only reason to watch this episode is for Lauren Cohan and Ross Marquand’s performances. Both actors shine and play wonderfully off each other. Cohan as Maggie captures perfectly the determination, heartbreak and eventual breakdown of Maggie who realizes she must put herself and her baby first over trying to find out what happened to her true love. It’s a powerful scene played beautifully by Cohan as she talks about destroying the only photograph she had of Glenn and having to live with the fact her baby may never know his/her father. When you think of how many loved ones Maggie has lost in this world, her mother, brother, father, sister and now most likely her husband, it’s a wonder she’s not half mentally and emotionally gone. Marquand is solid as Aaron, still carrying and feeling the weight of his mistakes that led to the town being attacked by the Wolves and seeing looking out for Maggie as part of his penance. He proves his strength and worth by saving her and staying with her on the journey through the sewer and back again.
One of the few other memorable scenes was the tender moment between Rick and Jessie when they finally give into the attraction they feel towards each other.
Unfortunately, the rest of the episode is tedious with the local Alexandrians STILL coming to terms with having to learn how to fight and survive in a zombie apocalypse (SNORE). C’mon, people! Rick has been telling you this since arriving in Alexandria back in season five. When are they going to wake up and get a clue?!
With the fate of Glenn still unknown and Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham still out on the road leading the other half of the herd of walkers away from Alexandria, here’s hoping that The Walking Dead season six episode six answers a few questions about their fates and about the future of the town’s safety.
GRADE: C-
