POLL/DISCUSSION: THE WALKING DEAD Season 5, Episode 1 "No Sanctuary"

The Walking Dead usually opens each season with a very strong episode, and last night's instalment kept up the trend. In what could be one of the most brutal, nail-biting scenes in the show's history, we pick up immediately where we left off at the end of season 4, with Rick, Glen, Daryl and Bob facing a particularly nasty end at the hands (and blades..and baseball bats) of the Terminus folk, who are now all-but confirmed to be cannibals. Fortunately for them, Carol steps up her badassery to 11 and gives them the opportunity to escape. After that all hell breaks lose, as Terminus struggles to keep the walkers out, and Rick and co. focus on killing everything that crosses their path as they try to make it back into the woods. There's gruesome zombies, gruesome flaming zombies, gruesome flaming zombies eating people's faces off -- it's disgustingly awesome. When his group are clear of Terminus, Rick is adamant that they should go back and finish the job, but when Carol shows up with baby Judith he decides moving on is the best option. Why do I get the feeling that's gonna come back to bite him (or more likely someone he cares about) in the ass? The ep ended with a flashback to Gareth and his people at the mercy or a man who looked a lot like comic book baddie Negan...but I reckon that was an intentional bit of misdirection. Then we actually get a little Walking Dead post credits scene, as Morgan returns and sets out after the group.

So an episode that had it all, and should please fans who've become a little jaded with the show -- but can it maintain this quality? Guess we'll find out next week. For now vote in the poll below, and then sound off in the usual place.