Walking Dead: Them

"Them" is the tenth episode of season five of the critically acclaimed survival horror television series The Walking Dead and the sixty-first episode of the series overall. It was directed by Julius Ramsay with a script written by Heather Bellson. The episode first aired on AMC on Sunday, February 15th, 2015 at 9:00 pm.

Synopsis
No lights. No phone. No motorcar. Not a single luxury. Like Robinson Crusoe (if he were a zombie), its at primitive as can be. Add to that: no food, no water and no hope! Our weary travelers shamble down a highway in Virginia, looking not altogether different than that walkers that are shuffling along some yards behind them. They are weak and they are died and the calamity of recent events has nearly broken them all. Maggie is despondent and Sasha just wants to let loose some righteous anger. Abraham just wants to drink and even Rick is desperately clinging to hope. Daryl needs some "me time" and keeps wandering off into the woods scouting for food. He digs up an earthworm and (because its Daryl) naturally eats it.

As they near a bridge, they decide this would be a good time to do away with those pesky walkers. They allow them to approach and begin pushing them off the bridge, taking measure to expend as little energy as possible. Sasha's subdued rage gets the better of her and she begins lashing out. Abraham notes that the "plan just got dicked", and they now have to fight the walkers. While lashing out, Sasha accidentally slices Abraham across the harm with her knife. Michonne finally has to bring her to heel. The others manage to finish off the walkers. Daryl goes off again. Carol wants to go with him, but he wants to be alone. He has his own little emotional breakdown, but takes note of a nearby barn and horse stable. When he comes back to the road he finds that the others have discovered several jugs of water that has been left in the middle of the street with a sign that reads, "From a friend". Eugene Porter wants to test the water for "quality assurance", but the others don't trust it.

Then there's the business with the dogs. A pack of ferocious dogs emerge from the woods, snapping and snarling. Whereas most people might see this as a threat, this group of survivors only see little Happy Meals on legs. They kill the dogs and barbecue them up. A fun time was had by all.

Suddenly it starts raining... like really hard. At first the group are ecstatic, but when the storm becomes too intense, they realize that they might be in for some trouble. Daryl tells them about the barn and they take up shelter.

The group rests for a while and get dry. Rick gives them all a pep talk and tells them a story from his childhood. They try to get some sleep, but through through the course of the night, walkers begin pounding against the doors of the barn, and they all have to press up against it to hold them off. Fortunately for them, the rain storm grew so intense that it began knocking down trees, which crushed and/or impaled the walkers.

The next day they go out, only to come upon an impeccably clean-cut looking individual named Aaron who wants to be their friend. Maggie and Michonne know full-well the lesson of "stranger danger" and draw their guns upon him.

Notes & Trivia

 * "WD: Them" redirects to this page.


 * This episode is production code number 510.


 * This episode is rated TV-14.


 * This episode had a viewership of 12.30 million people.


 * This is the first episode from season five where Chad L. Coleman is not listed in the opening credits.


 * This is the second episode of The Walking Dead directed by Julius Ramsay. It is also his second episode from season five. Julius also works as an editor on the series.


 * This is the second episode of The Walking Dead written by Heather Bellson. It is also her second episode from season five.


 * This episode introduces the character of Aaron, played by Ross Marquand.


 * This episode is the first time that the title of the show, "The Walking Dead", is actually used in an episode. It is spoken by Rick Grimes when he compares their current state to that of the walkers.


 * This is the first episode of the series that does not take place in Georgia.


 * As of this episode, the group are approximately sixty miles away from Washington.


 * Tyreese Williams appears in a recap scene from "What Happened and What's Going On" only.


 * Maggie Greene is the first character to appear in this episode.


 * Other than Judith Grimes, Tara Chambler has the least amount of dialogue of any character from this episode.

Allusions

 * The close relationship between Carol Peletier and Daryl Dixon began back in season two with the episode, "Cherokee Rose".


 * Maggie Greene's admonishment of Gabriel Stokes' actions wherein he abandoned his congregation was first brought to light in "Four Walls and a Roof".


 * Beth Greene died at the end of "Coda'. The recap from this episode shows the final scene from "Coda" with Daryl Dixon carrying Beth's body and Maggie Greene falling down in tears.


 * Tyreese Williams died at the end of the previous episode, "What Happened and What's Going On".


 * Maggie Greene makes reference to her father, Hershel Greene, claiming that he was a very religious man. Hershel was a central character in seasons two and three before meeting his untimely end at the hands of the Governor in "Too Far Gone".