Jesus leads Rick and the group to the Kingdom, to convince King Ezekiel in joining Alexandria and the Hilltop in the incoming fight against Negan.Jesus leads Rick and the group to the Kingdom, to convince King Ezekiel in joining Alexandria and the Hilltop in the incoming fight against Negan.Jesus leads Rick and the group to the Kingdom, to convince King Ezekiel in joining Alexandria and the Hilltop in the incoming fight against Negan.
- Eugene Porter
- (credit only)
- Negan
- (voice)
- Dwight
- (credit only)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe produce grown in the gardens at the Kingdom set doesn't go to waste. Anything that isn't used is donated to local food drives and churches.
- GoofsDeus ex machina: Rosita reveals to the others that she has training in explosives. There was never any indication that she had any special skills, and this is something that would have been invaluable for the rest of the group to know, long ago. Still, Rick and the others don't ask what other skills she may have, or what else in her past she may have been hiding from them all along.
- Quotes
Negan: [Over Radio] For anyone out there who loved the obese bastard as much as I did, I just want to say a few words. Fat Joey was not the most badass sonuvabitch, but he was loyal. He had a great sense of humor. In fact, we were just joking about oral sex with Lucille the other day! Things will not be the same now that he's dead. Without Fat Joey, Skinny Joey is just
[sighs]
Negan: Joey. So it's a goddamn tragedy. So, let's have a moment of silence.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Talking Dead: Hearts Still Beating (2016)
With "Rock in the Road" however, to me there was a glimmer of hope in the season's first very good episode. Personally don't quite agree with it being a return to form for 'The Walking Dead', but if there was a prize for the best episode of Season 7 "Rock in the Road" is a very strong contender. It wasn't perfect or a show high point, but by Season 7 standards it was pretty darn impressive and it is a shame that more episodes from the season were like this.
"Rock in the Road" isn't perfect. It doesn't start off promisingly in my view, it is a slow starter and will agree that the script is weak early on. Daryl is not well written here, uncharacteristic for him at this point of the show, and his dialogue doesn't make sense.
Perhaps it would have benefitted from having a little less going on, though it may have been trying to make up for how aimless the first half of Season 7 was, as parts were a little rushed and disjointed.
A vast majority of the time the storytelling is fine. There is tension but actually after so much uncompromising intensity and darkness the lighter, sometimes more amusing and more hopeful tone was appreciated and refreshing. It goes at an energised clip, it is great that the season two episodes go and especially so here started to forward the plotting and will agree that the action sequence midway through was thrilling. Although the writing is flawed, it is a lot tighter, more thought-provoking and much more natural than all the previous Season 7 episodes and much of what came after. The direction has tautness and sensitivity.
Characterisation is well done, with Ezekiel being a refreshing joy and the limited use of Negan was appreciated after him dominating so much in the first half of the season (well most of the season overall actually). Characters that had not been interesting for a long time have time to shine in their own way. The episode is stylishly photographed without being gimmicky and the music is haunting. The acting is very good from all.
Summing up, very good and refreshing. 8/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 22, 2021
Details
- Runtime51 minutes