TWD S7 Ep5 9 Deuce – Management By Example Edition
After an incredibly hectic weekend, we are here right before tonight’s episode. I am terribly sorry for the delay. I figure that most people have been busy anyway and wouldn’t have had a chance to read this, but by now, things have calmed down for most of you, unless you work in retail, at which point you hate life. This week provided us some great insight as to what is going on the Hilltop and gave us a lot to think about as Carl and Jesus are hiding in one of Negan’s trucks. I am joined by Jess, Bits, Bob, Kristi, Teddy, Cece, and Raylene this week. I asked questions, they answered. It’s a good time. Please leave some comments below, or share this on social media. Every little bit helps. Thank you and enjoy.
No additional comments from me this week. Next week, they return.
- Is Gregory doing, or at least trying to do what’s best for his community? If you were Gregory, would you have given up Sasha and Maggie?
Jess: I think Gregory is being fair. He doesn’t want to risk his community by having them around but he also hid Maggie and Sasha instead of giving them up.
Bits: Gregory thinks he is doing what is best. However he has no clue, he is the history buff that happened upon a secure location that had little change necessary to survive. If I was Gregory i’d like to hang on to Sasha and Maggie. He’s clueless.
Bob: Gregory is ONLY looking out for himself. They could take his community and as long as he was left alone he would agree. He would give up anyone, period. If I were Gregory, and being Gregory, just smarter, I would have reached out to Negan to report Maggie and Sasha.
Kristi: I think Gregory is just scared. I do not believe what he is doing is for the community its only for himself. I would not give up Maggie and Sasha. I wouldn’t be all about me. Maggie is a mess right now but she is a bit of a warrior.
Teddy: Gregory is a prick and he is gonna get his. Cowards always do
Cece: Meh. He’s kind of an ass. He’s also a coward. Maggie and Sasha know what they’re doing. And no, they’re resourceful.
Raylene: I think that he thinks that he is. If I was him, I wouldn’t have given them up.
Kent: Yes, he is trying to do what’s best from his very odd perspective. He obviously sees himself as important and influential, and the guy that keeps the place running smoothly and peacefully. He’s a tad delusional, but the Hilltop is actually doing well, so it’s hard to argue with that success given what, or rather, who he is working with. I don’t think he should have given up Maggie and Sasha. He is already a wanted man in some aspects, so why screw over others?
- Do you think that Maggie is smart staying at the Hilltop all things considered?
Jess: It’s technically the best place she can be right now given her situation with the pregnancy.
Bits: Maggie is brilliant. She knows exactly what she is doing. Stay.
Bob: Considering her pregnancy, yes – she needs a Dr.
Kristi : Yes, I think Maggie is best at the hilltop. If she goes to Ricks crew, there will be hell to pay. (Im sure chaos is coming from this but for now it works)
Teddy: She is pregnant so unless she wants to end up like Lori (dead….not a whore) then she should stay with a doctor
Cece: Yeah, definitely. She needs a safe place for her child.
Raylene: Yes, because they have the doctor there.
Kent: I am going to say no. She should be with people who can protect her. As bad ass as Jesus and Sasha are, there aren’t always going to be tractors to save her ass. It’s not a terribly long ride, so until she is like 7 months, I’d say no. Just go for her visits. Both colonies are working with the Saviors, so they are safe from attack at this point.
- Did you feel that Enid was the right person to receive Herschel/Glenn’s watch? Also, what would you have preferred: The pocket watch or the cigar?
Jess: I think Maggie should’ve kept it but let’s just be honest here. Everyone who’s owned that watch has died a horrible death so far. I would’ve preferred the cigar.
Bits: It doesn’t matter to me who received the pocket watch. Jesus said we only need us to remember and he is so right. Material items are useless now. I’m glad Enid has the watch, she’s part of the group and thats what matters. Pocket Watch.
Bob: I think she is one of the right choices. She has been emotionally and socially detached from the group and that watch helps pull everything together for her as a symbol… I would take the pocket watch – it is worth more.
Kristi: I think the watch should have retired. Should have been buried with Glen. There is a point that shit needs to end. I would have liked the cigar. A good smoke in honor of the fallen would have been awesome!
Teddy: I mean I don’t see how it was wrong for her to receive the watch. Glenn did bring her back to Alexandria when she ran away, plus maggie hasn’t had the kid nor is it old enough to receive a family heirloom. I also think that it may ground her in one place and start to chip away at her me v the world mentality.
Cece: Sure. I mean, Enid would like to have something to remember the fallen by.
Raylene: Yeah because it’s kinda like she’s part of Glenn and Maggie’s family, almost daughter like. I would have preferred the cigar as I’m an Abe fan.
Kent: I get why Enid got it. Enid is in a similar situation as Sophia in the comic, yet very different. I wish they would have established a little more connection with Glenn and Maggie to Enid to make this feel more natural. Instead, I probably would have given it to Carl as he was close to Herschel. With Enid, at least she will pass the pocket watch on to Herschel Jr I suspect, plus she finds ways to survive. I love cigars, and while that seems like the obvious choice for me, I’d go with the pocket watch. How many people can tell the time nowadays? It would be something to keep my connection with the old world.
- Was Sasha being unfair to Jesus?
Jess: I’m not sure in what sense.
Bits: Again Sasha shows her true colors. She has always been the protective “sister” figure. She stands up for those she loves and wants to do the right thing by any means necessary.
Bob: Yes, she is just lashing out though. Jesus is doing his best.
Teddy: I don’t think it’s unfair to tell a leader that they’re really the leader and they need to stand up and take charge
Cece: I don’t believe so. I think he would be a great leader.
Kent: No, not at all. She really should be grateful for what he has done by even allowing them into the Hilltop to begin with. He has risked far more than anything, so she should slow her roll.
- Was it a smart move for Maggie to run the car over?
Jess: Was there any other choice?! I knew the farmer’s daughter would shine through eventually
Bits: OF COURSE! Maggie will lead whoever will follow. You have to wonder if the Saviors know something is up. When they return to the Hilltop the day after they were ready to clean up/kill the dead for them as an example. But the dead were gone and there were no signs of bloodshed. They must be wondering how things were handled so quickly and easily if the Hilltop wasn’t able to do that before.
Bob: It is better than her fighting zombies in her state. And it will establish her as a future leader independent of Rick.
Teddy: Crushing the car is one way to stop the music from playing, albeit a rather weird way lol
Cece: Yes. It was badass.
Raylene: No, they could have used the car. They could have explored other options.
Kent: Terrible idea. Do you mean to tell me that they had zero options with a blacksmith living at the Hilltop. They had to clear the area, and close the gate. Then they could have had a bad ass reinforced car. Gotta think long term people.
- What was worse: Carl’s dart game or his driving skills?
Jess: That dart game is weak!
Bits: Poor Carl. I felt bad for him with the darts, and his driving was even worse. However the kids can skate up a storm. Loved the moment of innocence when Carl and Enid were skating and holding hangs. “couples skate only, clear the floor”
Bob: LOL! The darts were TERRIFIC! Carl just didn’t give two craps how bad he was. He seems to be functionally blind for now.
Kristi: Carls driving game wasnt horrible. He did some good zombie killing. It was sloppy but he got the job done.
Teddy: Well I mean having one eye tends to make your depth perception not so good lmao
Cece: both. But can you blame him? He only has one eye!!
Raylene: I gotta say his dart game since he didn’t hit anything.
Kent: While his dart game was bad, if he simply turned slightly, he would be accurate. Meanwhile, a car is a full force killing machine in the wrong hands, plus harder to come by as days go by. Most cars are kinda messed up now.
- Who should lead the Hilltop currently? I’m not talking about 5 years down the road, I mean at this current point in time.
Jess: Ninja Jesus
Bits: Its time for a younger generation to lead. The obvious answer would be Maggie but what about Carl, Enid and Maggie? The young minds have grown up with the Walkers as the norm, they almost know no different. They are the new.
Bob: Gregory, he was “elected.”
Kristi: crazy as it sounds, I think Maggie should run this shit. She gives zero fucks now. I want to see some shit go down. Perhaps we could see Sasha as the leader but Maggie as the teue leader, as she is dead as far as Negan knows.
Teddy: I feel like Jesus could be the leader if he rose to it, but he seems to like to run from leadership.
Cece: Jesus with Sasha & Maggie by his side.
Raylene: Jesus
Kent: Gregory seems obvious to me, but judging by the responses, apparently not so obvious. It’s better to deal with the devil that you know rather than the devil that you don’t know. Jesus could be too stubborn and cause a Rick situation. Maggie is a female….I mean is pregnant. Gregory is who he is, and in the present, you don’t want to upset things with Negan until you have a full-fledged plan. You guys picking Jesus, I think you are basically killing the Hilltop, so congrats. Everybody seems to want a gung ho Al for a leader at a time when planning and strategy is key. Keeping somebody so oblivious as your leader while you can plot behind his back is the absolute best case scenario as it presents a fake façade.
- Who’s a bigger dick: Gregory or Simon? Pick one or the other, no neutrality here.
Jess: Obviously Simon.
Bits: They have them?
Bob: Simon is a bigger jerk – but that is his purpose. He is a Negan wannabe. You can tell he has been around Negan quite a bit since is mannerisms copy Negan’s.
Teddy: Well Gregory wanted to turn over a pregnant chick as well as kick them out into what are lots of zombies. Simon just tries too hard to be Negan. I will say it was fun to watch Simon fuck over Gregory (that kneeling part was funny to me since I feel like he deserved it)
Cece: Simon. But he’s a blunt dick. Gregory is just a coward who takes his shit out on everyone.
Raylene: Gregory. He never knows anybody’s way, nor does he put himself in harm’s way, and he wanted to rat out Sasha and Maggie.
Kent: Gregory. Both are doing their job. Here’s the thing, Simon acts professionally. Gregory is a spiteful prick. He doesn’t call people by their proper names, sometimes clearly intentionally. He knows that there are people who want his head, and instead of acting professionally, he just tries to give up the girls. Had he tried bartering them, I could see that, but he didn’t even try to strike a deal first. Bu t most important, the burial of Glenn and Abe and him being super pissed. That was really the deciding factor.
- Did you enjoy the big walker massacre? More importantly, did you know that was Beethoven’s 9th Symphony 2nd Movement? Yes, we have confirmation that the Walking Dead is clearly a fan of the 9 Deuce.
Jess: I enjoyed watching Jesus ninja kick some zombies. He’s currently in the running for my new favorite character.
Bits: LOVED this moment. The angles of filming, the obscure sideways shots and the fast-paced shots! We haven’t seen this in a while and I loved it. Every time walkers get killed it looks easier and easier. It’s interesting to see how crusty they are getting. Also, LOVED when Jesus did some old-school Chuck Norris Round Houses and took off walkers’ heads.
Bob: I didn’t realize that. That was a fun scene though.
Teddy: I’m pretty sure I recognize it but wouldn’t have guessed it was the 2nd movement.
Cece: It was legit. And yes, the music was awesome. Grats to a 9 deuce!
Raylene: I like how they got ran over by the tractor tires.
Kent: It was fun, and provided some much needed levity to this season. Obviously, I had a mark out moment for the 9th. It was a very proud moment for me.
Bonus Deuce
- What is your preferred alcohol of choice? Hopefully it doesn’t taste like ashtrays and window cleaner.
Jess: Guinness
Bits: Always been a beer girl. And for liquor, always clear.
Bob: Crystal Head Vodka
Kristi: Jack Daniels Tennessee is awesome!!! It would make my time in the apocalypse much better!
Teddy: I prefer Jaeger.
Cece: whiskey.
Raylene: Red wine
Kent: Man, that’s a toss-up between a Killians or some Fireball.
- Looking on IMDB’s page, the preview for next week’s episode states “Away from all the tragedy caused by Negan and his Saviors, Tara and Heath run into trouble after crossing paths with a mysterious new group.” Then there is this picture. Do you think this is the big introduction to the other big threat, or a red herring for things to come. No need to spoil it for everybody, if you know the group’s name, just say the W’s. Is this a sign of having an end game for the TV series? Try to keep spoilers to a minimum and be aware that I will edit stuff as I see fit.
Bits: What? I’m lost- I try not to snoop and spoil it for myself, but i’m waiting for a giant “civil war”. Saviors vs. The Kingdom, Alexandria and the Hilltop… It will happen i’m sure.
Bob: I really don’t know to be frank.
Teddy: I don’t see this show ending till the comics fully end so it may just be a red herring.
Cece: It’s probably just a red herring, considering there’s much more that needs to be resolved.
Raylene: I do think it is the W’s because we see a mother and daughter in a preview that was on Talking Dead, so that could be Alpha and her daughter.
Kent: I think this is to show that there is another group, but they will not be a main focal point. I can see it being a red herring, but Morgan may have also spoke of them. This feels like Glenn and all the times that there was a baseball bat near him. This will be a nice nod to the fans and nothing more, I think. We do know that they have settled into an area that is close by. I am going to say that this group may talk very quietly. I think they may try to wedge the W’s into this sooner than they should as this show can’t go on forever. Will it really go to ten seasons to get caught up to present? I am going to say 10 is the maximum.
Here are some fun pictures that have been sent to me this week. Thank you for sending them and keep it up. I enjoy these.
All of the pictures are the property of AMC, the producers, Robert Kirkman, and all of the other people who helped make this. I am simply using the images for review purposes.