The Walking Dead Review: How It’s Gotta Be (Season 8 Episode 8)

Rick Grimes says it perfectly on The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 8, “How It’s Gotta Be,” as he fights with Negan:

Rick: Do you ever shut the hell up?

No, Rick, he doesn’t. None of the Saviors do and that is why they are more annoying than threatening.

“How It’s Gotta Be” is a decent mid-season finale and probably the best episode of the season. That being said, it is utterly ridiculous.

Rick and the Alexandrians, The Hilltop, and the Kingdom have been in an endless battle all season and it all takes place within two days.

Within those two days, Negan and the Saviors are attacked. Many die. The Sanctuary is nearly destroyed. They have used a ton of bullets, bullets which they don’t have a massive amount of. That’s why Eugene was going to make some.

But within like, a few hours, Negan and the Saviors have coordinated a counter-attack on Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom. Our survivors are worse-off than when they began.

I’m okay with these developments—we knew Negan was going to stick around for a while. It is the timing that I’m having the most trouble with.

Rick and the others carefully planned the takedown of the Saviors for quite a while. Things were meticulously arranged and executed. But the Saviors can cut down trees, stop Maggie and most of Hilltop on the road, come for Ezekiel, give long, painful monologues, and basically destroy everything we’ve seen on the past seven episodes, in less than half a day.

R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S.

Even with the absurdity of the Saviors comeback/takedown, The Walking Dead manages to stir up emotion, place characters in sticky situations for Season 8B, and raise tension. Although the survivors are back in dire straits, it looks like they’re not going to sit back and let the Saviors win again.

I just hope we’re not subjected to Season 8A all over again.

It would have been better if Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom had an episode or two (even half a season) where the Saviors seemed defeated, weakened, and Negan was nowhere to be seen. They would have had a false sense of security and then BAM! The Saviors would strike.

The battle against the Saviors was drawn out all season long only to have the Saviors retaliate within two days of it. Seriously, what was the point?

Despite all the gunfire, it seems like Rick and Co. barely made a dent.

The best two scenes of the episode surprisingly revolve around Carl. As annoying and brooding Carl may be sometimes, he really is the MVP of the episode.

First of all, he completely takes control when Negan gives everyone in Alexandria three minutes to open the gate. He gets all of them to escape while he distracts Negan. The Walking Dead love their speeches, but Carl gives one of the best ones.

He even shuts up Negan.

It seems like Carl may have a death wish even though he tells Negan he doesn’t want to die.

But Carl will die.

The big mid-season finale shocker is that Carl has been bitten by a walker when he went to help a random stranger, Siddiq. Carl isn’t dead yet, so there may be a last-minute attempt to save him. But if The Walking Dead wants to hold onto any credibility, Carl will have to die.

The look on Rick Grimes’ face as Carl reveals his walker bite is absolutely devastating and makes the whole episode worth watching.

It’s shocking, but I’m not too sure I like that this is the way Carl will go. I barely remember the episode where Carl helps Siddiq and I’m not racing to re-watch it. Carl is an excellent walker-killer, so I’m surprised that a walker bite is the thing that will kill him.

Perhaps it is to show us that walkers are still a huge threat and that they can kill original cast members. Or, maybe it’s to show that death is what happens when you try to help people.

Overall, “How It’s Gotta Be” is a good episode and a somewhat thrilling mid-season finale. However, a decent finale does not make up for the boring seven episodes prior.

I really hope that Season 8B of The Walking Dead steps up its game and gets back to basics. We don’t need grand and theatrical speeches or endless gun battles. Just put our survivors out on the road, strip what possessions they have, and throw in some walker hordes.

Simple. Oh, and kill Negan.

What did you think of this episode of The Walking Dead? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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The Walking Dead returns in February 2018 on AMC.

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