The Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 9 Review: Being Sentimental During The ZA Will Get You Killed

"The Walking Dead" returned for it's mid season premiere with an outstanding episode entitled "What Happened And What's Going On". When we last caught up with the survivors Team Rick was devastated by the loss of Beth (I still dont understand that one) and Noah from Grady Memorial Hospital was in tow. Team DC was also back after finding out that Eugene lied.

As a way to honor Beth, they travel from Georgia to Richmond, Virginia in search of Noah's mother and twin brothers. While driving Tyreese tells Noah about his father saying to always listen to the news in order to prepare for what's going on in the world. This is never a good sign. Usually when a character has a long monologue, he/she is dead within the hour.

Rick, Mich, Glenn, and Tyreese enter the gated community of Shirewilt. Unfortunately there are no survivors. Zombies are wandering the neighborhood. Noah collapses to the ground. Ty tells him how he wanted to quit after Karen died. But he had to keep going and, as a result, saved Baby Judith. Another monologue. Things are not looking good for Tyreese.

Noah runs to his house (well he actually hobbles since he has a bum leg). Tyreese enters first to make sure it's safe. We see Noah's mom dead on the living room floor. Tyreese goes into a bedroom and notices pictures of Noah and the twins on the wall. He's deep in thought when one twin sneaks up behind him and chomps Tyreese on the arm. Noah runs for help.

Dead People Sing Along

As Tyreese lies bleeding on the floor he hallucinates about Beth, Lizzie, Mika and Bob. They keep saying it's better to be dead and to not be afraid. Then the Governor and Martin the Termite show up. They're still jerks even in death. This is intercut with news footage from the radio. It's something about rebels committing atrocities... and I'm not sure what else. More zombies attack. Tyreese cant fend one off so he gives him the same arm to nibble that was already bitten. Ouch!

Noah finally returns with the team. Where were they-- across the county? How big is this neighborhood? They hold Tyreese down while Mich chops off his arm. Good idea! That's what I've been screaming at the TV for 20 minutes. They cant find a car to put Ty in so they carry him through the woods (in slow motion) to the truck they left nearby. Super intense scene. We see the car drive off and think he will survive. Remember Hershel lost a leg and he was OK. But the car stops in the distance. They put Tyrees in the road and try to resuscitate him but it's too late. He's gone.

It's Your Fault I'm Dead Noah!

And now we know what the scene was at the beginning of the episode with Maggie and Sasha crying. It was not the funeral of Beth I had suspected. It was the burial of Tyreese. We see his hat on the cross. RIP Tyreese you were one of the good guys and gone far too soon.

Michonne Is Seriously Tired Of Georgia and Virginia

The group vows to head to DC in order to find a safer place (since they're already in Virginia anyway). To recount the survivors now consist of:

Rick
Carl
Baby Judth
Sasha
Michonne
Carol
Daryl
Glenn
Maggie
Abe
Rosita
Tara
Eugene
Father Gabriel
Noah

Some Of The Survivors

Grade: 5 Monsters (out of 5). One of the best episodes I've seen in years. Heartbreaking but beautifully shot. You really faked us out TWD. I didnt think anyone would be killed so soon after Beth's death. We all knew Tyreese would bite it sooner or later though (since he lost his will to kill). If you cant kill zombies (or evil humans), you wont last long in this world.

I fear poor Sasha is going to become unhinged after losing both Bob and Tyreese in such a short period of time. I'm also confused as to why so many walkers were chopped in half. Wouldnt it have been easier to just stab them in the head? And next week there appears to be... wolves.