The Walking Dead | Season 9 | Episode 15 | The Calm Before [AMC] [SPOILERS]

NUTZZ · 23-03-2019 11:27AM #1

The Walking Dead - Season 9

Episode 15 - "The Calm Before"

Airdate - March 23th on AMC at 9/8c | March 24th on FOX UK at 9PM

A celebration at the Kingdom brings all the communities together, but danger lurks on the horizon.

The fair at the Kingdom is underway, with all four communities coming together in celebration for the first time in years; while some pacts are renewed, other deals will come at a much steeper price

Promo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYdmGNZzd0M

Sneak Peek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOBsTLpeVfw

BillyKilkenny · 25-03-2019 04:49AM

8

Jesus christ that scene was genuinely disturbing.

Unearthly · 25-03-2019 10:21AM

Good episode. Think they could have had more peripheral characters killed but a much needed purge nonetheless

Sudden Valley · 25-03-2019 06:57PM

yes the whispers are quietly effective at going about their work. Really couldn't care less about the characters they purged.

DoozerT6 · 25-03-2019 07:02PM

Well having spoilered the hell out of it for myself ( I haven't actually seen it yet) , I don't understand how everyone was so surprised

that Henry was piked. He was the whole reason that Alpha was on the warpath in the first place, the reason Lydia is no longer with the Whisperers. If I were Alpha, he'd be the first to go!

There seemed to be quite a number of random peripheral characters on the lineup - I wonder what the writer's strategy was behind those people in particular. I mean, I hardly knew who some of them were, apart from the Big ones. I'm presuming nothing is done/written randomly and there will be fallout from each death. Maybe if they added someone like

Laura the Saviour, someone from Magna's group, Nabila,

you know, recognisable faces that aren't quite main characters - I think it would have been more impactful that a lineup of "who? who? who? oh, her!!..who?...." etc.

Anyway, I'll shut up now as I haven't seen it yet

fritzelly · 25-03-2019 07:47PM

7

BillyKilkenny wrote: »

Jesus christ that scene was genuinely disturbing.

Yep, the music and Carol got me

fritzelly · 25-03-2019 09:04PM

7

Just read up on the comics equivalent - they really were teasing the

Ezekial death which happens in the comics

, I thought it was gonna happen (not having read the comics)

Recliner · 25-03-2019 09:11PM

fritzelly wrote: »

Yep, the music and Carol got me

I was expecting it to be Henry, but only him, but not as many as it was. And yes, my heart broke for Carol.

helimachoptor · 25-03-2019 10:14PM

9

Best ep in a loooooong time

GSPfan · 25-03-2019 10:27PM

8

Aw lads that was brilliant. If I had to kill off anyone it would of been that sap Henry. Enid was a surprise but Tara was a complete shock for me. Delighted she is dead purely because I assumed she was safe and the Maggie stand in. I’m not up to date on the comics so I’m genuinely surprised and delighted.

CiaranW · 25-03-2019 10:29PM

6

Apologies, deleted my earlier post for spoilers, but that was a satisfying episode.

h0neybadger · 25-03-2019 10:31PM

9

right in the feels

DoozerT6 · 25-03-2019 10:32PM

Yeah, great episode actually. There's been a real tonal (??not sure if that's the best word) shift this season. It seems to be harking back to earlier seasons in mood and action. I thought it stagnated somewhat once the gang got to Alexandria initially (with Aaron and Eric in S5), and they dragged the Negan arc out for way too long. But this season has been different. It's just been....better.

I really felt for our gang in the barn at the end. It must have been a genuinely desperate feeling for them all. I didn't need to see how Alpha and the Whisperers took them from the Kingdom - I guess it didn't matter. I was a little confused time-wise when Alpha met with Daryl etc in the woods - how long were they tracking the Hilltop crew? It was light, it was dark, it was light again...

Side note, I just noticed that Samantha Morton is listed in the opening credits with the main characters, not as "also starring...".

geotrig · 25-03-2019 11:14PM

9

Great episode.... Really enjoying this season so far.

Spook_ie · 25-03-2019 11:19PM

8

Fully expect Carol to have a short haircut next week as she goes ballistic on whisperers.

fritzelly · 25-03-2019 11:44PM

7

Wondering if this is where they bring Negan out to do the dirty stuff, everyone else is all a bit too hippy/flower loving at the mo bar Carol having a psychotic breakdown and going all Fallen Down

expectationlost · 26-03-2019 12:03AM

they needed to travel in bigger groups

MarkR · 26-03-2019 07:17AM

The mulleted wonder is going to have to dust off his herding algorithms. This will be a doozy.

Off camera death for some big characters, although I did like the flashback part, with the doomed heroes coming to the rescue.

They really kept us guessing on who would be on the pikes.

Enjoyed the episode.

bazz26 · 26-03-2019 10:02AM

Great episode and long overdue. One or two shockers in there but overall a good and necessary character cull.

stargazer 68 · 26-03-2019 12:46PM

DoozerT6 wrote: »

I really felt for our gang in the barn at the end. It must have been a genuinely desperate feeling for them all. I didn't need to see how Alpha and the Whisperers took them from the Kingdom - I guess it didn't matter. I was a little confused time-wise when Alpha met with Daryl etc in the woods - how long were they tracking the Hilltop crew? It was light, it was dark, it was light again...

...".

I thought I had missed the bit where they got them - obviously didn't! Great episode though IMO.

Dontfadeaway · 26-03-2019 03:40PM

fritzelly wrote: »

Just read up on the comics equivalent - they really were teasing the
Ezekial death which happens in the comics
, I thought it was gonna happen (not having read the comics)

Shame it wasn't him, his character is like a parody.

The last 10 min was really good.

DoozerT6 · 26-03-2019 07:00PM

I wonder what will become of the Highwaymen? Will they feature as a group in future episodes, now that Ozzy and Alek are dead?

It seemed unnecessary to introduce them at all unless the rest of them become a part of the story from here on. They only featured in two episodes, without being integral to the story - I mean, anybody could have cleared the roads and attempted to rescue the piked group. Introducing them with such a fanfare only to kill off the leader a handful of scenes later seems kinda silly.

Anybody got any insights/theories on this?

Recliner · 26-03-2019 09:03PM

DoozerT6 wrote: »

I wonder what will become of the Highwaymen? Will they feature as a group in future episodes, now that Ozzy and Alek are dead?

It seemed unnecessary to introduce them at all unless the rest of them become a part of the story from here on. They only featured in two episodes, without being integral to the story - I mean, anybody could have cleared the roads and attempted to rescue the piked group. Introducing them with such a fanfare only to kill off the leader a handful of scenes later seems kinda silly.

Anybody got any insights/theories on this?

Actually really disappointed that Ozzy's gone, really thought his group would have a much bigger part to play. Thought he had great potential.

TerrorFirmer · 26-03-2019 10:41PM

8

Those last 5 minutes.....10/10, absolutely where the show needs to be, and where it needs to go.

Ll31 · 27-03-2019 12:03AM

9

I wonder did Carol have a flashback over what she said to the kid in Alexandria, Sam I think.. if u tell you'll wake up miles away and the monsters will get you etc... Thought it was great episode. Weird, or maybe not, how the whisperers killed the younger ones, maybe more devastating for survivors? Easier to get them, as more naive...?

DubOnHoliday · 27-03-2019 08:04AM

Great episode. But one question, towards the end Alpha called one of her own over and knifed them... who and or why?

gooch2k9 · 27-03-2019 08:06AM

DubOnHoliday wrote: »

Great episode. But one question, towards the end Alpha called one of her own over and knifed them... who and or why?

They saw her crying. Alpha can't be seen to look weak.

nannerby · 27-03-2019 02:05PM

7

Delighted Tara is dead pity it took so long to kill her off totally useless character.

thegreengoblin · 27-03-2019 05:49PM

One of the great WD episodes, no doubt about that. The way the heads scene was handled was so good. Daryl turning Carol away from watching it as he did when Sophia came walking out of the barn on Herschel's farm. I loved that shot of Alpha in disguise at the fair. You knew something awful was going to happen but the sense of dread from that point on was something else.

My only gripe, as a comic reader, is that we didn't get the same characters killed off here. Had they followed the comics the impact on viewers would have been in a different league. But maybe it's a good thing that they had a different take on it, similar to the Glenn and Abraham episode.

ebbsy · 27-03-2019 05:54PM

On a different note I see some really big names have pulled out of the WD convention in London this weekend, including Jeffrey DM and Lauren Cohen. They were charging eye watering prices for entry and autographs as well.

thegreengoblin · 27-03-2019 06:19PM

nannerby wrote: »

Delighted Tara is dead pity it took so long to kill her off totally useless character.

Would have been more enjoyable when she was properly annoying, acting all goofy and stuff. Now it's just meh. But yeah glad she's gone.

The Walking Dead | Season 9 | Episode 15 | The Calm Before [AMC] [SPOILERS]

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