Gilbert Speaks on “The Walking Dead”: Hostiles and Calamities

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This season of “The Walking Dead” is like a game of poker. You may have your full house (Jadis, Ezekiel, Maggie, Rick and Michonne) but you know damn well that someone is holding the four Aces: Daryl protected Carol from the truth; Rick met a new ally; Maggie has friends inside Hilltop who are willing to fight; Ezekiel’s people will eventually join the fray. But Negan has Eugene! And Dwight is in big trouble! Who will win the big pot for tonight? Meet me after the jump.

Eugene

Holy Screw Up! Eugene, who is expecting to be fed to the Kraken, is instead given a nice apartment with a fridge full of food. Eugene asks for lobster. You’ve got to hand it to Eugene. He’s always reaching for the stars. Without cracking a smile, Laura tells “Haircut” that lunch is fresh made kettle chips and canned spaghetti. Oh yummy!

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Laura not only gives Eugene a tour of the facilities, but even his very own jug of pickles. Eugene is his normal chicken-shit self and this is when you really appreciate how very talented Josh McDermitt truly is. I have to hand it to McDermitt for making us laugh during what was really a very scary scene for his character. Eugene has witnessed what Lucille can do, and he will do everything he can to avoid Negan’s weapon of choice. Eugene may be a coward, but he is proficient is landing on his feet.

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Negan wants to see just how smart Eugene is and, Eugene doesn’t disappoint him. I mean, really, Negan has no way to check on Eugene’s credentials. How can Negan dispute Eugene’s claim to be a master of everything especially when Eugene tells him how to keep the fence walkers from falling apart. Negan is happy and Dr. Smarty Pants gets some cool benefits, including jiving to East Street.

Dwight

While Eugene is treated as royalty, Dwight gets his ass handed to him and is thrown in the very cell that held Daryl. Not only is Fat Joey deader than a doorknob, but two people have escaped from Negan; Daryl, then later, Sherry. Negan tells Dwight to find Sherry. Did Sherry help Daryl and…is Dwight really going to hunt down his own wife?

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What Austin Amelio accomplished in this episode with his character, Dwight, was to show us a more gentle side of a man we came to hate as much as that damn song. Dwight and Sherry had a life before the apocalypse. They had a home and they were most likely a happy, loving couple. The apocalypse itself didn’t make Dwight a monster, but running into Negan did. We seem to forget that Dwight and Sherry were trying to escape from Negan, when we first met them, because they did not want to become monsters. Dwight compares the handwriting on the note found in the cell to a note that his wife wrote long ago. He knows the truth now. Sherry did help Daryl escape, but it was because she loved Dwight. At least he still has their wedding rings…and maybe…Sherry makes it safely to a better home.

Conclusion

Except for the unexpected death of Dr. Carson, this show was pretty cool in a geeky kind of way. We got to see what type of person Eugene was in his pre-apocalypse life. Eugene was a NERD! Eugene might still be a virgin who spent all his free time playing video games in his old life. It was good to see Eugene find his mojo when he pushed his way to the front of the line, but what the hell is he going to do with a bedpan and a fly swatter? Too funny!

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Eugene knows his high school science alright and he entertains a few of Negan’s wives with some hydrogen peroxide and soap. When Frankie and Tanya ask Eugene to help Amber commit suicide, I thought it was a trap; a test from Negan.

Thanks to Dwight, Dr. Carson becomes toast, and Eugene is now the camp doctor. After Eugene refuses to give Frankie and Tanya the pills, Negan stops by to chat. In a scene where we are left to wonder about Eugene’s loyalty to Team Rick, Negan tells Eugene he doesn’t have to be scared anymore. Eugene’s reply to Negan’s “Who are you?” is a quick “I’m Negan.”

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I’m pretty sure that Negan lost this poker game because two people lied to him and he believed them. Dwight and Eugene were holding all the Aces. “We are Negan!”

See you next week on Easy Street, my little walker snacks.