"Nobody has to die today."
And with those hilariously futile words, we are back! After six seemingly short months the world has been reunited with its favourite zombra (zombie-drama), and the festivities were anything but dull. Aside from the promised helpings of gratuitous violence and stomach-churning gore, many of the questions raised by fans at the end of last season were given answers, and we were treated to a number of great moments from some fan-favourite characters. Is this a sign that the show runners took the complaints of their more vocal viewers on board? Perhaps, but either way, No Sanctuary delivered up a masterful amount of action, tension, story and character development for a season premiere, crafting one of the most fast-paced, exciting episodes yet.
First up, we got our narrative bearings with a reintroduction to Rick and the gang, still trapped in that train car. In a first for the series, we weren't seeing the characters emerge from a long, surely uninteresting winter, but were instead catching up with them seemingly minutes after last season, as they hastily share unpleasant travel stories and craft makeshift weapons. Moments later, Rick, Daryl, Bob and Glenn found themselves literally on the chopping block, in a well-crafted scene that had the audience I was with legitimately in fear for Glenn's livelihood. Yes, the three nameless victims (and Sam, poor Sam) effectively served as a buffer to the protagonists, but their deaths still made for one of the most unsettling scenes in a show full of unsettling scenes, especially with the way the Terminus crew had such a 'business as usual' approach to the whole thing. And yes, the Terminus crew are officially cannibals, which should really surprise no one at this point.
Following their daring escape, the focus shifted to Rick, who quite rightly continues with his 'take no prisoners' approach from the latter half of season four. Despite the brief flashbacks, it remained impossible for me to feel sympathy for Mary, Alex and Gareth, in the same way that I felt little pity for the Hunters in the comic series. Much like the Hunters, or even the survivors at St John's Dairy Farm from the Telltale Series, these people are not your average blood lusting psychopaths. They aren't Joe, Shane, the Governor, nor the pillaging Marauders seen in the flashbacks; they are the victims of those people, the ones that have been pushed too far to retain their humanity. Their introduction here is a timely one; they act as a foil to the new Rick "AK's for everyone" Grimes, demonstrating the precarious wire on which he must now walk. Put too much faith in humanity, and you end up like Tyreese, forced out into a horde of walkers by a weedy little coward with his hands around Judith's neck. Become completely removed from humanity, and you soon find yourself seeing humans as little more than 'cattle'. It was a fantastic thread that the show runners worked into the episode, and while Rick's vengeful thoughts (uncomfortably reminiscent of the Governor's 'kill them all' approach) were erased by his heartwarming reunion with Judith, it's anyone's guess as to where the story will take him from here.
As for the other survivors, Carol and Tyreese got some much needed screen time in this episode, as they each came face to face with a walking moral dilemma, giving insight into their current states of mind. For Carol, the lesson was pretty clear; there's a difference between being 'tough' in the name of survival, and simply being merciless because you had a few too many bad days. At the moment of her death, Mary came to regret what she had done, and her pitiful speech to Carol uncovered the cowardly victim that always sought the easy way out. It is hard to blame her for being 'too trusting' of humanity in establishing Terminus, but it was her reaction to the worst of humanity that Carol (and the audience) found unforgivable.
Coming from a radically different viewpoint, Tyreese learnt an equally simple lesson; always tie a prisoner's hands behind their back. Having a baby around in a zombie apocalypse would likely have a very sobering impact on most people, so I find it hard to accuse Tyreese of being naive for simply refusing to kill another human being. That being said, I couldn't help but cheer as he finally gave the little shit what was coming to him, especially as he defiantly refused to give the guy a quick death. Despite this outburst, I imagine that Tyreese will remain one of the more morally 'proper' members of the group. I also imagine that this will create more tension in the episodes to come.
So there you have it; The Walking Dead is back on our screens for the next six weeks or so. As far as season five premieres go, the show runners did a fantastic job reminding their audience why they tune in every year with a fast-paced, action-filled episode that kept everyone on their toes. With such a strong start, the promise of a season that is more faithful to the comics than ever before, and last season's primary storyline seemingly closed, I am genuinely excited to see where the next six months will take Rick and his crew.