Since the beginning of the extraordinary 5th season of The Walking Dead, I’ve been missing Beth (Emily Kinney) so much and I have started to grow quite anxious over her absence (and those rumors and talks about her death didn’t help either). Well, finally, Beth will make her return in the next episode, titled “Slabtown”, airing next Monday on FOX UK and this Sunday on AMC. Yay !
I’m very fond of Beth, especially since the excellent “Still” last season but I've always appreciated her. At first, I must admit I didn’t think she would survive very long and I wouldn’t have mind actually. I even wish she died, especially after her suicide attempt. I didn’t understand her. Thanks to Gimple’s amazing work since last season, we finally got to understand Beth better and we watched her evolved so much.
She reminds of Carol in a way, both being useless at first and then changed and proved they were true survivors. Of course, Carol is way more badass than Beth, but Beth is slowly changing. She is like a younger version of Carol. She hasn’t gone through life with an abusive husband, she is still young and inexperienced. Beth never really lived actually, she was overprotected back at her farm. Since the zombie apocalypse and the arrival of Rick’s group, her life has been turned upside down. She has lost her family and friends; and for the first time, she has to take care of herself.
Since her stay at the prison, Beth has grown stronger, and colder. She has accepted the reality she lives in, the deaths, the horror, the loneliness, the lack of comfort and safety. Last year in “Still”, Beth proved she was a real survivor, despite of everything, all the attacks, she managed to survive.
I’m very fond of her character for that, and of Carol too, because they were weak people, clearly not the kind of people you’d bet they’d survive a zombie apocalypse. But, they did survive, because they made the right choices. I can identify myself more with them than with Rick or Michonne. And they even both have Daryl as a protector friend.
Anyway, I really hope you like Beth as much as I do because she will be the main character of next episode, “Slabtown”. The whole episode is about her and what’s happening to her since she was taken by the people in the white crossed car. Here’s a list of what you can expect from ‘Slabtown” :
- Beth will wake up in a new place : a hospital facility. It looks like a great place to survive, the better place I’ve seen since Hershel’s farm I think. But like back at Woodsbury or in Terminus, there is always a price to pay for safety. The new place is run on a special concept, I can understand it but I totally disagree with it. They’re not cannibals, but they’re not far from Terminus’s ideology in a way.
- A disgusting amputation, done without anesthetic, and not in the dark like Rick did on the boy with Hershel. It's very bloody.
- If you think Beth would be mentioning her sister, well you’re wrong. She won't talk about Maggie, and there won't be any signs she's thinking about her. What's wrong between them ? Is there something between them ? It’s like they’re forget they were sisters.
- Tyler James Williams will make his first appearance in that episode, playing Noah. His character is very interesting and looks promising. He will become Beth’s friend in that place, the girl needs at least one ally in there. Their dynamic is very enjoyable, - Among Noah, new characters of that place will be introduced : a female officer, a male officer, another "patient" as Beth and a male doctor. One of them is very, very creepy and dangerous.
- The very first scene is disturbing, but not in a horror way. It’s just so weird, it’s so different from what we usually see on The Walking Dead, I didn’t think it was real at first
- The people in that place have found a funny way to deal with corpses, IMO.
- One of the last scenes of the episode will become my (and yours too I’m sure) favorite Beth moment ever on The Walking Dead.
- Another main character will appear at the very end of the episode !
I must admit, even if I appreciate Emily Kinney’s work as Beth, I was a bit afraid when I heard about a Beth centric episode. I didn’t think she could carry the whole episode on her shoulders, and I thought it would be boring after 15 minutes. I couldn’t have been more wrong, Emily Kinney is truly amazing in “Slabtown”. She will show all the diversity of Beth. She really surprised me. And the episode is so well written and very surprising, it'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
And of course finally, the quotes game. This week it’s different, as the episode is focused on Beth, I’ll give the list of characters. So, guess which quotes are from Beth, Noah, Dawn (the female officer), Joan (the other "patient") and Steven (the male doctor) :
2- "I guess it's easy to make a deal with the devil when you're not the one paying the price"
3- "They don't know shit about me, about what I am, about what you are"
4- "As bad as it gets, it's still better than down there"
5- "Every sacrifice we make needs to be for the greater good"
6- " I'm giving you food, clothes, protection. When have those things ever been free ?"
7- "Nobody’s yours"
8- "You’re lucky if you’re safe enough to be bored"
Are you excited about the episode ? I know Beth isn’t a fan favorite, but I’m certain after this episode, she will have a larger fan base. Let’s discuss "Slabtown" and don’t miss it next Monday on FOX UK, and this Sunday on AMC. Hit the comments !
