The Walking Dead - Slabtown - Review and Discussion

I’m starting think of the latest phase of The Walking Dead series as the “tourism period.” Starting with Joe’s group, continuing with Terminus, Gabriel, and now the hospital, for a few weeks at a time, we’ve been visiting with different groups of survivors who have made alternative choices.

By being offered glimpses into the lives of different groups of survivors, we’re being given the opportunity to peek into a window into the into dark, base corners of human nature – at acts such as cannibalism, rape, and this week sex slavery – while our heroes stay heroic (for the most part). We visit the dark themes for a short period of time, and then go home. In fairness they warned us this would turn dark. For example, last season Daryl and Beth had a debate on whether there were any good people left.

In Slabtown, we caught up with Beth who was last seen by Daryl being abducted by someone in a car with a white cross on the back. In what was a great opener – a nod back to Rick waking up from his coma in Days Gone Bye – we see Beth open her eyes, take in the clock (this one ticking) and the room, and then get up and look out the window to the bombed out city of Atlanta – a city the was featured prominently in season one but has been neglected since.

Daryl, in telling Rick that Beth had been abducted, had said she was “just gone.” We heard these words again – this time used by Dr. Steven Edwards to refer to patients they thought they were saving by evacuating prior to Atlanta's bombing, who were presumably killed in the napalm attack.  We also hear a number of other phrases that had been associated with Beth’s story parroted back and twisted from their original intent.

Despite the intro with numerous Rick associations – including Beth’s walk down a long shadowy hospital corridor (this one with a janitor rather than walkers at the end) - this was definitely Beth’s episode, with numerous call backs to Hershel and her time on the run with Daryl. For example, Dawn Lerner, a former Altanta police who now serves as leader of this group, reminds Beth that she must contribute to pay back what she owes. Dawn’s version amounts to something akin to indentured servitude – and even degenerates into a form of sex slavery – but the message is a warped version of Hershel’s reminders to his daughters of community and responsibility. He used to preach that they all had jobs to do.

Other reminders of Hershel include the rooftop garden and Beth’s assisting in medical procedures – something she was likely called in often to do with Hershel’s veterinary practice. We also hear comments echoed from her time with Daryl. Beth had told Daryl that she thinks he sees her as just another dead girl. This week Beth was reminded by Dawn that she’s weak, and that out in the open she’s just “dead or someone’s burden.”

But while Dawn’s words were meant to weaken Beth, we see a new side to Beth when she chooses to fight back. The episode closes with Beth, who after a breakout attempt with Noah was recaptured, now armed with something sharp and shocked to see an unconscious Carol being wheeled in. I’m looking forward to seeing these two paired up. They’re both women who have come to gradually find their strength over the course of the series – opposites in personality in some ways but with common ground in that neither will be victims and both have a tendency to be underestimated.

Horror Flick Feel

One of the things I most appreciated about this episode was the break from the weight of the previous week – particularly Bob’s death and his words of caution about not losing too much of yourself while members of the group participated in a violent bashing of the Termites’ heads. While there was seriousness and tension to Slabtown, it was more of the type of a horror flick rather than emotional weightiness that the series often wallows in.

Five seasons into this series, it must be a challenge to make zombies look scary. We’ve seen them being taken down easily so many times. Yet through the harrowing descent into the claustrophobic elevator shaft, the landing on bouncy dead bodies, followed by an emersion into a destroyed city with oversaturated lighting and sound effects that shut out the ordinary and focused on the danger, the show succeeded in creating a scene of fear and suspense. Was this timed to correspond with Halloween? I’d like to think so.

Other Thoughts:

- I thought Emily Kinney (Beth) did a very good job with this episode. I haven't considered her one of the stronger actresses on the show, and up to last season she’s had little opportunity to show much range, but she had a chance to shine this week and held up this episode that was focused almost exclusively on her character.

- Dawn staying in uniform contrasted with Rick, who donned his uniform for the first season, but changed to civilian clothes and gave his hat to Carl as he started to adapt to his new world. Dawn is still holding onto the hope of regaining their old world, and unlike Rick, hasn’t been able to let go of that illusion. This is driving her to desperation and causing her to sanction acts such as the rape of Joan or Beth, that she likely would have had no part of in her previous life.

- In the season premiere, No Sanctuary, we watched as Carol used walkers as weapons. In this episode, we hear the mantra repeated that they have to work with what they have, and Beth uses Joan as a walker (or “rotter” in those parts) to take down Gorman.

- We saw lollipops go from sweet (loved Noah’s line about being of the “Lollipop Guild” from “The Wizard of Oz”) to being sexual harassment tools in a rapey scene between Gorman and Beth. I don’t think I’ll ever look at a lollipop the same way again. Thanks for that.

- So far I like Noah.  We haven't seen much of him yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing more from him in the future. I’m also intrigued by his mention of a walled home.

So what did you think of the episode? Sound off in the comments!

About the Author - Chris684

Chris is a New Englander with a background in print and digital media, who currently earns a living by making web and technology products easier to use. She has a weakness for TV characters who are 'dark and twisty' (to quote Meredith Grey) and reviews The Walking Dead, Legends, Halt and Catch Fire, and Dig for SpoilerTV.

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