The Walking Dead S10E06 Review: Bonds – Best episode of the season so far!

“Bonds” opens with Carol getting ready for her day. Any episode promising to be Carol-heavy from the cold open is one I can’t help but be a little excited for. The episode did not disappoint and Carol proves herself to be main character worthy, but there’s so much to celebrate than just lots of Carol screen time. The secondary plots may not be about the most interesting characters, but they’re incredibly well done. The sixth episode of the season was reminiscent of the graphic novels in a way that puts this episode head and shoulders above the rest.

Before I gush more about this episode, I want to quickly get through what didn’t go well:

Eugene continues to lack any compelling characteristics. Listening to him talk has me flashing back to Gilmore Girls, but it’s not 2003 anymore and talking quickly with an off-kilter lexicon isn’t charming.
The stories themselves aren’t especially unique. The beats are predictable and nothing in “Bonds” felt fresh or shocking.
Siddiq is draining and while the characters at Alexandria are forgiving of his constant outbursts, it’s getting harder and harder to forgive as a viewer.

That’s all true. That’s all in there. That’s all worthy of discussion. Normally I’d spend the next few paragraphs on a passive-aggressive diatribe about lazy writer rooms and easy nostalgia hits.

Instead, “Bonds” is by far my favorite episode of the season. The slow-mo kill shots and the army of secondary characters are gone. We get walkers that are actually intimidating, pinches with immediate consequences, and some genuinely funny moments. The humor of the episode isn’t all irony. The Walking Dead felt like The Walking Dead tonight. It’s been a really long time since the show leaned into its source material for tone and it paid off. Somewhere between the campy dick-measuring scenes and the long shots on Eugene’s mouth, the episode has a clear theme and followed through.

Content-wise, the episode isn’t lacking despite utilizing a more limited cast. There are two B plots and a C plot trailing after Daryl and Carol’s foray across the border. If you’ve been following my reviews so far this season, you know I’m working really hard right now to not spend the next thousand words gushing over those two. Instead, let’s tackle what worked and what didn’t in these storylines.

Essentially, Alexandria is sick. Everyone’s got flu-like symptoms. We know that’s because The Whisperers are dumping Walker corpses in the stream and dead bodies in your water tend to result in massive casualties. I really do enjoy the irony of how The Whisperers have decided to take down the survivors; the title card’s imagery is carrying through the season. The silent hand of nature and its tendency to spiral toward entropy will be what strangles Alexandria. It isn’t the horde of monsters they can see that kills them – it’s their own, fundamental weakness.

Siddiq is increasingly one of those characters that I dread seeing on screen. His storyline is boring and now that he’s having hallucinations/visions of the future, I’m even more annoyed by his presence. The writers have settled on Alexandria’s plots being a metaphor for the downfalls of organized society. The collaborative effort of humans to compensate for one another’s shortcomings is what makes society worthwhile. However, collaboration does not erase our weaknesses. Siddiq’s mental illness combined with his role as a physician makes for a nice metaphor – the doctor unable to treat himself – and it would be a lot more compelling if he wasn’t such a whiny character. His every interaction in every episode can be summed up as “Siddiq lashes out at someone trying to help. That person helps anyway. Siddiq apologizes and brushes off the concern others have for his condition”. Ok. Cool. Why are we still wasting time on this? More importantly, why is he seeing the future?

Eugene’s C plot follows the same metaphor as Siddiq’s. Isolated up in his tower, the thesaurus-armed Quasimodo has amplified the radio. After getting some attention from the sick-at-home Rosita, Eugene mopes when she doesn’t call him back later. While Siddiq is the doctor who can’t heal himself, Eugene is the engineer without a solution. His internal insecurities lead to further isolation and this stranger on the radio he comes across seems like an obvious spy. If it isn’t by Alpha’s doing, I fully expect some third party to show up and take advantage of things in Alexandria. It’s too perfectly setup. The lonely idiot-savant lets the enemy through, blinded by the basic human desire to connect. If they don’t go that way and he has a long-distance girlfriend, cool. A lot less interesting, but Eugene hasn’t been interesting in so long I’m not surprised.

The last subplot is Negan’s joining up with the Whisperers. Morgan absolutely kills every second he’s on screen as Negan. Beta and Negan’s infighting, the scampy music playing while Negan skins walkers, and even the “no food for you” moment are perfect! The whole plot felt like it lept straight out from the comic panels. The rules of reality there are already suspended simply because it’s drawn or animated. Live-action doesn’t get that luxury. The editing, the actors’ performances, and the way this plot is slotted into the episode overall have to recreate that vibe. “Bonds” manages to successfully bring some of that suspended disbelief back into the show. It’s been stifling to ignore some of the absolute insanity of this world.

What do the Whisperers do? How do The Whisperers live? What’s going on in their society? We finally get some answers and it’s thanks almost entirely to that returning goofiness. While Negan and Beta are having skin measuring contests with a Benny Hill homage overlay, we get a glimpse at life behind the scenes. The Whisperers aren’t inherently anarchistic. They cooperate and have a clear sense of community. Beta repeats several times his dedication to their people. If nothing else, “Bonds” shows us the possibility that The Whisperers are truly revolutionaries. Whether or not what they’re trying to bring about is good is certainly worthy of contemplation, but they aren’t mindlessly trying to destroy Alexandria. They are engaged in ideological warfare.

On that note, I am increasingly convinced I overlooked the USSR satellite/cold war metaphor from the season’s opening episode.

Alpha’s philosophy, and by extension, the Whisperers’, is one of the most extreme “bootstrap” mentalities out there. Negan calls The Whisperers “a survivalist’s dream” and so they are – the way they hunt, live, and carry on is brutish, but at peace with nature. Their structures lack permanence and the tools they use can be easily recreated. It’s labor-intensive and requires a lot of cooperation, but is robust and enduring. The Whisperers do not worship death mindlessly as a source of chaos or entropy, but instead, recognize it as the inevitable product of nature. Our survivors pursue life and creation; our villains respect death and survival.

I am incredibly excited for Negan vs Beta and wonder how Alpha and Beta’s relationship will mend itself after Negan inevitably betrays them. There’s a possibility he kills Beta instead and takes his place before his treachery. I won’t pretend there’s no chance that he actually buys into The Whisperers’ shit, but that seems least likely of all. Maybe I just like Negan.

The characters I definitely like are Carol and Daryl, this episode’s central focus. Carol’s cold open is perfect: a fluid scene of shot after shot of daily life as she gets ready in the morning. Warm, thick socks, screaming tea kettles, and a mid-century design aesthetic feel familiar. The jarring stop on a decorated pistol set us up for something dark amid the slice-of-life piece. Carol’s ongoing conflict with the darkness inside herself remains the series’ most compelling narrative. It’s impossible to not root for Carol’s vigilantism, even when we know she’s risking everyone else. She’s like a kill-happy Batman and Daryl is somewhere between southern Alfred and better marksman Robin. Here again, The Walking Dead remembers where it comes from and when its narrative benefits.

The long and short of their plot comes down to Carol convincing Daryl to help her sneak across the border and track down the Whisperer’s horde. Daryl is suspicious and right to be. Carol appears to have staged it all in order to catch a Whisperer. Their hostage in hand, the pair cross back over the border and we have an incredible setup for the next episode. The preview has me heartbroken, but let’s stay hopeful!

If nothing else, “Bonds” was a necessary reminder that embracing the silliness of The Walking Dead means allowing it to exist next to the gore, horror, and brutality. It shouldn’t be a contrast. They’re partners in this series. We got more from four, tight stories told with varying tones, personalities, and narrative function than from episodes buzzing with characters, twists, and action. Every scene, even the ones I thought boring or unimpressive, did something in THAT episode. Instead of setting up for something that would never actually matter before the episode’s end, “Bonds” answered old questions, gave some neat story beats, and left us with enough questions to make next week’s episode genuinely worth waiting for.

9/10 – This is my favorite episode in recent memory. It is everything an episode of well-written TV should be with all the extras that make it The Walking Dead. In a season of half-this and half-that, “Bonds” finally gets the campiness and the shocking gore working together again. If the rest of the season manages to keep this going, the 10th season might truly outshine any in recent memory.

COMMENTS

Please read our Commenting Policy before you join in with the discussion.

Note: If you have email notifications enabled, please check your email spam folders to ensure emails are not missed.

6 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Rick

10 months ago

It’s not a coincidence that the most praised episodes are the ones that focus on the small handful of original cast members that we actually care about. For some reason, the producers don’t seem to realize this, and continue to introduce more and more new characters who are boring and cliched. Does anyone care if Rosita lives or dies? If Siddiq is a nut-job? If Eugene “Tater-Bug” is lonely? If the obligatory lesbians are fighting? It’s all so tedious….

Silver

9 months ago

Reply to Rick

I never noticed it, but I guess you’re right about which episodes are the most enjoyable. It isn’t the action, but the people (or lack of abundance) that make for a compelling episode. Interesting.

Silverking

I enjoyed the episode but not as much as the reviewer 🙂 One scene that really bugged me was when Beta and Negan were walking with a group of what I thought were Whisperers however they turned out to be walkers! With Negan talking normally and not covered in any blood and guts, what stopped them from going after him before Beta set them on him?

Reply to Silverking

Nothing at all, especially with Negan talking constantly….

Kkelie

What an episode! I can’t wait to see the Negan/Beta faceoff either. I laughed several times at the way Negan acted. Seriously, he kneeled to Alpha – so unlike him. I can’t wait to see how this unravels!

Drewsi

8 months ago

Reply to Kkelie

I can’t wait to see what the whole Negan/Whisperers drama turns out to be. I hope Negan turns bad again and kills them.. not all of them, but Alpha and Beta!

Cookie	Description
_pxvid	This cookie is used for detection of the browser and distinguishing whether it is a real user or malicious bot.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	This cookies is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin. The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-non-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Non Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	This cookie is used to keep track of which cookies the user have approved for this site.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-preferences	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Preferences".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-uncategorized	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Uncategorized".
CraftSessionId	This cookie name is associated with the Craft web content management system, where is functions as an anonymous session identifier.
csrftoken	This cookie is associated with Django web development platform for python. Used to help protect the website against Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks
DSID	To note specific user identity. Contains hashed/encrypted unique ID.
JSESSIONID	Used by sites written in JSP. General purpose platform session cookies that are used to maintain users' state across page requests.
PHPSESSID	This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Description
b30msc
btc
CMST
cref
d
gpl
i
icts
ig_did
mdata
na_rn
na_sc_e
na_sr
na_srp
session_depth
visitor-id

Cookie	Description
__gads	This cookie is set by Google and stored under the name dounleclick.com. This cookie is used to track how many times users see a particular advert which helps in measuring the success of the campaign and calculate the revenue generated by the campaign. These cookies can only be read from the domain that it is set on so it will not track any data while browsing through another sites.
__stid	The cookie is set by ShareThis. The cookie is used for site analytics to determine the pages visited, the amount of time spent, etc.
_ga	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, camapign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randoly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_60765351_1	Google uses this cookie to distinguish users.
_gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
ad-id	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content
demdex	This cookie is set under the domain demdex.net and is used by Adobe Audience Manager to help identify a unique visitor across domains.
DigiTrust.v1.identity	Registers data on visitors’ website-behaviour. This is used for internal analysis and website optimization.
dmvk	This cookie is set by DailyMotion who display videos, it registers statistical data of visitors' behaviour on the website.
gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
GPS	This cookie is set by Youtube and registers a unique ID for tracking users based on their geographical location
is_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
sc_is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
v1st	This is set by DailyMotion to display videos.

Cookie	Description
__asc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__auc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__qca	This cookie is associated with Quantcast and is used for collecting anonymized data to analyze log data from different websites to create reports that enables the website owners and advertisers provide ads for the appropriate audience segments.
_cc_aud	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_cc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_dc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_id	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_kuid_	The cookie is set by Krux Digital under the domain krxd.net. The cookie stores a unique ID to identify a returning user for the purpose of targeted advertising.
_px2	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxff_tm	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxhd	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
ab	This cookie is generally provided by agkn.com and is used for advertising purposes.
ad-privacy	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content to the users.
ayl_visitor	This cookie registers data on the visitor. The information is used to optimize advertisement relevance.
bafp	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bafp_t	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_pl	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rf_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rt_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_t_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_td_2d31c94105a0aa6d1ceaea0c86c6b656	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bito	This cookie is generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bitoIsSecure	This cookies are generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bsc	The cookies is set by ownerIQ for the purpose of providing relevant advertisement
CMID	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPRO	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPS	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
dc_id	This cookie is used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator's permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers.
did	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
didts	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
dpm	The cookie is set by demdex.net. This cookie assigns a unique ID to each visiting user that allows third-party advertisers target that users with relevant ads.
eud	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
euds	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
everest_g_v2	The cookie is set under eversttech.net domain. The purpose of the cookie is to map clicks to other events on the client's website.
evo5_popin_instance	Prevents an interaction from reoccurring for visitors not accepting 3rd party cookies.
id	This cookie is set by DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites.
IDE	Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
io.narrative.guid.v2	This cookie is generally provided by io.narrative.io and is used for advertising purposes.
KADUSERCOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
KTPCACOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
matchliveramp	This cookie is provided by w55c.net and is used for advertising purposes.
mc	This cookie is associated with Quantserve to track anonymously how a user interact with the website.
mxpim	This cookie is generally provided by mxptint.net for advertising purposes.
na_tc	This is a Social Media sharing tracking cookie.
NID	This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.
nnls	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxrc	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxvid	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
rlas3	The cookie is set by rlcdn.com. The cookie is used to serve relevant ads to the visitor as well as limit the time the visitor sees an and also measure the effectiveness of the campaign.

Cookie	Description
__jid	Cookies set on the website by the third-party commenting platform Disqus.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
disqus_unique	These cookies are set by Disqus so that users can comment on website/platform.
G_ENABLED_IDPS	The cookie is used by Google and is used for Google Single Sign On.
mid	The cookie is set by Instagram. The cookie is used to distinguish users and to show relevant content, for better user experience and security.
na_id	This cookie is set by Addthis.com to enable sharing of links on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter
ouid	The cookie is set by Addthis which enables the content of the website to be shared across different networking and social sharing websites.
ov	This is a generic functional cookie that provides enhanced functionality and personalisation.
ts	This cookie is generally provided by PayPal and supports payment services in the website.
vuid	These cookies are used by the Vimeo video player on websites.

The Walking Dead S10E06 Review: Bonds – Best episode of the season so far!

You might also like

FIND THE TOPICS YOU WANT...

Recommended for you