*Contains some spoilers*
"Cards on the table, I was watching them."
You know how you can tell it's a good episode of The Walking Dead? When it drops a plot twist that fans of the comics have seen coming for months and the reveal still gives you goosebumps. Last week's episode was all about Beth, but this week's episode, "Self Help," focuses on Abraham's mission to protect Eugene. Those two get a brilliant insight, and while there are other characters present, they're all pretty much just there to compliment Eugene and Abraham's journey.
"Self Help" really drives home the point that Eugene and Abraham are polar opposites. Abraham's brutal and driven to help others (likely because it keeps his mind occupied on the present and not the past), while Eugene clearly isn't meant for this world and will do anything to make it through alive. As Abraham's constant fight and hope to save humanity makes him slowly lose his mind, Eugene's new friends make him find a little bit of courage that he never knew he had in him. They begin as polar opposites and their development continues to make them even more different. There's a shot or two which drags on a wee bit too long, but Michael Cudlitz (Abraham) and Josh McDermitt (Eugene) both do a great job with their performances. You can feel Abraham's inner turmoil and the way the flashbacks play out really compliment his story. It adds a ton of heart to his tale and when the big moment comes, he makes us feel just how much he's struck by it.
McDermitt continues to do an awesome job as the creepy and odd character. They took a really weird scene from Robert Kirkman's comic and expanded it by having Eugene elaborate about what he was doing. It doesn't feel forced or like it's just spelling it out for viewers -- it feels like an organic reaction from him as he's... well, "caught in the act." This episode gave him and Cudlitz the chance to handle a whole lot of different emotions and neither disappointed at all. This episode really relies on their performances and they delivered and then some.
While the episode focuses on Abraham and Eugene's arcs, the story does a good job reminding us of how this situation has changed everyone. Abraham and Glenn have a bit of a heart to heart and it feels like a natural chat about morals. They're now well into the zombie apocalypse and if someone's made it this far, odds are it's because they've become strong or have been protected by strong people. It's something we continue to see more and more from Rick's group. It was a nice way to compliment the overall theme, too.
This one is all about character but that doesn't mean it doesn't have any action (no, I'm not talking about the scene between Rosita and Abraham. Mind out of the gutter, reader)! However, what's really cool is these action sequences once again enhanced the bigger picture. It wasn't just, "Oh, there's some zombies! Murder the undead!" The opening sequence with the knives and having Eugene observe was shot very well and was totally gripping. Yes, you knew everyone was more than likely going to make it out of the conflict just fine, but it was still loaded with intensity and kept us thinking about what's going on in Eugene's head. And the scene with the fire hose? Hilariously vicious and showed how Eugene is slowly changing and thinks differently than the others. That sequence also gave Abraham some much-needed time to vent and man, it was harsh. "Self Help" wasn't all serious, emotional and bloody, either. Surprisingly, there was some pretty good comedy thrown in there. Abraham saying he "really needs some ass first" was blunt and Glenn's reaction was very funny. The mullet talk was also pretty funny, as was Tara taking a quick peek after confronting Eugene about doing the very same thing.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Okay, let's talk about the big twist.
My problems with this episode are pretty minor and countered by how excellent the other elements are. It's minor stuff like a few shots lingered for a little too long and it's a bit silly seeing how useless many zombies are when a character rushes into a group of them without giving a damn. Also, I get the water hose bit showed Eugene building courage and saving the day, but no one was a little upset that a lot of water was used? I mean, they were just drinking toilet water, so that should illustrate how desperate they are for it.
Season 5 has produced some jaw-dropping action and emotion, but "Self Help" kept a tight grip on my focus the entire time. Sure, there was some gruesome and savage zombie killing, but what made this episode really leave an impact was the handling of Eugene and Abraham's story. The combination of absorbing conversations and strong performances turned this into a great episode and, if you read the comics, you can really feel everything building up to the big reveal. And when it drops, it still manages to stun. "Self Help" is powerful, emotional, and has just the right amount of action. Yeah, it's an awesome episode. It's exciting to think about where the show will go next with this group, isn't it?