'The Walking Dead' Season 8 Premiere 'Mercy' Review: Wasting Time and Bullets

“The Walking Dead” is back and it came in with literally a full clip. But is the season 8 premiere really that awesome to begin with? We’ve all been teased with a lot of action and more blood, but by the end of episode 1, there’s nothing that came close to what was teased. Now I might be sounding like a cynical dick here, but whatever happened to the great TV suspense that made the show famous in the first place?
This is the 100th episode of “The Walking Dead,” and after all the hoo-ha surrounding the season premiere, questions are finally answered albeit providing more. It was an intense hour filled with preparation and pep talk, guns, and more Walkers than we’ve seen since the pilot episode back in 2010. But of course, as with every Walking Dead episode, there will also come a time where you’d be confused, frustrated and just outright baffled.

What’s up with the first episode parallels?

For one thing, there’s a homage to the first episode that only made things weird. It might be too much of a fan-service, but was it really necessary for Carl (Chandler Riggs) to echo what his dad Rick (Andrew Lincoln) did in the pilot? We see Carl stop by an abandoned gas station, which is also what Rick did in the opening of “The Walking Dead’s” first episode. It’s like a frame-by-frame copy of it, and I couldn’t help but do the white man blinking GIF while watching the entire thing.
Doing something like this scene only made me furious, as it doesn’t really contribute to the episode’s narrative (which was, by the way, teased by Greg Nicotero himself as “the most propulsive season premiere they’ve ever done). Instead, it only goes as far as being a thank you-scene to fans. And need I remind you that these fans are in it for more than just an echo of the show’s history, but to actually see some actual progress when it comes to the “all-out war.”

There’s nothing like Old Man Rick to add more confusion

Ever since the “Old Man Rick” scene was introduced in “The Walking Dead” trailer back in SDCC this year, we’ve all been going crazy over its ramifications for the show. It’s obviously a dream sequence, and the showrunners promised answers—at least, at some point in the season.
But what greeted us during the premiere episode of season 8 did little to even show us the context of where the timeline of Old Man Rick fits. It’s shown in full now, with him waking up and moving to the living room to meet his “now-wife” Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Carl. And then it progresses into introducing a much older Judith (probably around 5-6 years old here) and a view of a more organized and tranquil Alexandria.

At first, I thought this was a dream sequence because right at the start of the premiere episode we saw Rick looking on with red eyes, presumably in a trance-like state. But it was sooner revealed at the end that it’s actually him remembering a quote about his mercy prevailing over his wrath (uh-oh… Negan might just emerge alive in the end).
Now, this scene might just be our preview of what’s to come, or it might not even be real after all.

War came—eventually

And now came the best (and at least tasteful) part of the episode: Pre-war. Yep, it’s not really the war that we’ve been promised. The 100th episode of “The Walking Dead” not only served as a commemorating episode, but it also does what it’s known for ever since it went downhill—a slow-building climax.
The rest of the episode zeroed in on Rick’s preliminary assault on Negan and the Saviors. Dwight was instrumental in getting things in order here, with him sending out a couple of Negan’s soldiers only for them to be killed swiftly by Rick’s men. And as the episode started, a pep talk between Rick, King Ezekial (Khary Payton) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) was also shown. It was interspersed throughout the duration of the show, and it did more than it should’ve. Extending those scenes only made the wait for the big gun to blow a long and dragging one.
I mean, I thought we were over the “boring and dull” TWD phase? I guess not. Sure, it was an awesome sight to see as Rick rained bullets on Negan’s camp, but nobody was really affected (at least on-cam). What the hell was Rick’s plan?

Among the “casualties” of this episode are Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam). Though it’s unclear if Father Gabriel died, we do know that s**t is about to go down between him and Negan. Towards the last few moments of the episode, Father Gabriel was about to leave when he saw the traitorous Gregory (former Hilltop leader) struggling. Being the good person that he is (which I hoped he just ignored), Father Gabriel went in to save Gregory, and he ended up being the one left behind as Gregory ran off in Father Gabriel’s armed car. And as he struggled to find a way out, he locked himself in a trailer where—surprise!—Negan is also hiding. And so the s**ting pants monologue began. Negan is armed with a bat, while Father Gabriel has a freaking rifle with him. Now tell me who’s odds are you siding with here? Because I’m too frustrated to choose my side at this point.

‘The Walking Dead: Mercy’ Overall Verdict

I can’t say that this is one of the best episodes of “The Walking Dead.” But the season premiere did just fine, despite being more distasteful than the harrowing Season 7 premiere. It sported the same themes that I’ve been fearing to see—gradual buildups and unnecessary situations. Maybe I’m just being too harsh, maybe I’m just being truthful. But no matter what the show decides to be this season, I’d still welcome it with open arms, seeing how war and bloodshed seem to be the central theme of the eighth season.
Yep, that’s right, not even boredom and it’s dragging element would tear my eyes away from it. At least for me, hope still means something.
“The Walking Dead” continues next Sunday with “The Damned” at 9/8C on AMC.