Episode 3: The Cell
Norman Reedus fans were undoubtedly happy this week, with the show practically opening on a side shot of a naked and dirty Daryl, alone in "The Cell". Our episode follows Daryl's experience back at The Sanctuary following "The Lucilling", captive of The Saviors but more specifically, Dwight. As much as this episode was about Daryl, it served even more as character development for our favorite (or not so favorite depending on your perspective) forest dwelling motorcycle stealing crotch sammich.
Dwight is shown demonstrating his higher position in the camp by scavenging sandwich supplies from other survivors for his own use. He gets first dibs because he is apparently one of Negan's top ranking henchmen and everyone else gets their supplies by earning them in trade. His fried egg masterpiece is just a bit more appetizing than the dog food sandwiches he serves up to Daryl, who is being kept in a dark, empty gray room with loud, obnoxious music playing to keep him awake. It is clear we are to understand that this is The Saviors' attempt at breaking Daryl down and assimilating him into the "Negan Collective".
Past that, we begin to understand what happened to Dwight and his wife, Sherry, after they stole Daryl's bike & crossbow, leaving him for dead in the burnt forest last season. After their "escape gone wrong" during which they attempted to take Daryl hostage, they had decided to return to The Sanctuary and beg for forgiveness. Once back at The Sanctuary, now without Tina (who was killed along the way if you remember, and was apparently promised to Negan as a wife), Dwight and Sherry were punished by a) the ironing of Dwight's face and b) the forfeiture of Sherry into Negan's "harem". Toward the end of the episode, Dwight is shown to have begun to realize that living in the hierarchy of The Sanctuary may actually be worse than death when he puts down another Sanctuary escapee in what appears to be a mercy killing.
Daryl on the other hand is left to deal with the guilt of causing Glenn's death (due to having taken a swing at Negan). He tries to escape, he's given an ultimatum, he's beaten, but still won't back down. At the end of the night we leave him back where he started; in that cell to await more torture... but not before laying a profound line on Dwight to hopefully shake him back into the reality that he's still human. "I get why you did it... you were thinking of someone else," he says. In a world completely absent of sentimentality such as The Sanctuary, perhaps that's all the prodding Dwight needs to come around to Daryl's side. Or not.
All in all it wasn't the most compelling episode ever, but Norman did a wonderful job conveying Daryl's inner struggle and Austin Amelio (Dwight) was sufficiently emotionally vague to keep us guessing at what he's really thinking. If Dwight is to become the major player he is in the comic, this episode was necessary to establish some of his back story and provide the embers of a change of heart toward favoring Team Family. It was always going to be an uphill battle to convert Dwight from last season's jerk into someone we can sympathize with, so this was an entirely necessary episode whether you liked it or not.
Next week is the long awaited return to Alexandria to catch back up with Rick and crew. It's an extended episode (unheard of for episode four). Don't get too excited; they may have just needed more time to cover that story... it may not be that something particularly riveting happens. It does look like Rick and crew will get their first look at Daryl since he was taken at least, so it won't be a Reedus-drought episode for those of you worried about that.
In the meantime, we have two big events this week... Election Day (GET OUT AND VOTE FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, LEST WE END UP WITH A NEGAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE), and a long holiday weekend. Stay safe, folks!!
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