The Walking Dead Review: Chokepoint (Season 9 Episode 13)
On The Walking Dead Season 9 Episode 13, “Chokepoint,” some threats are easier to deal with than others.
The episode takes on a do-it-yourself attitude in the main plot, with Daryl’s group making do with what they have at their disposal. There is a desperation to their standoff with Beta looming. It turns out, he is certainly a threat.
Daryl and Connie teaming up continues to be a solid combination, Reedus and Ridloff working well together. Their quick thinking and strategic way of looking at the Whisperer threat in the apartment building has me hoping they stick together.
Connie’s forcefulness on keeping Lydia around even though she is the source of the threat shows the compassion difference between herself and Daryl, even if Daryl has certainly softened some.
The apartment complex, as a place of confrontation, is a spot we don’t always see on the flagship series (though it did remind me of the hotel resort from Fear the Walking Dead). It’s a somewhat simple set, especially the still-in-construction top floor, but it serves its purpose.
The highlight of “Chokepoint” comes in the fight between Daryl and Beta. Ryan Hurst’s size compared to Norman Reedus makes the odds fairly daunting, bringing us an incredibly energetic and tense one-on-one battle.
The way Beta just smashes through walls, shrugs off blows, and uses his surroundings makes him a really exciting threat for The Walking Dead. His visceral anger, waking up on the elevator beaten, is sure to leave a blood feud with Daryl and another epic fight to come.
The Henry and Lydia side romance continues to be a little underdeveloped, but more believable on this episode. The quiet moment they share together before Beta’s attack feels genuine, and the smile they share on the balcony helps make the budding romance more convincing than before.
The Highwaymen threat the Kingdom faces falls into well-trodden ground, but resolves in a way the show normally does not go down. Simple acts of neighborly friendliness, like access to the fair, trade, and a movie, goes a long way now.
Carol’s enthusiasm in introducing the movie into the aggressive negotiations is a strong, if a little silly, moment. Melissa McBride sells it with her brimming joy in being able to offer something so small, but in times like these, so powerful. It’s a far cry from the no-deal-at-all Carol of times past.
It’s also such a fast resolution, with how quickly the Highwaymen join forces and come to Hilltop’s rescue on the road, that it becomes a rather moot issue in terms of repeating old story pieces.
Much like the previous episode, The Walking Dead Season 9 Episode 12, “Guardians,” “Chokepoint” finds a duality in how two different groups of people deal with a threat. One chooses kindness and generosity, while another chooses brute force.
This kind of storytelling structure goes a long way in delivering meaningful looks at how each character tackles a situation. The fair appears to be the major culmination of the season, and with the Whisperers now more rabid than ever, it will be fascinating to see what comes next.
Some stray thoughts on the episode:
- The aftermath of the Daryl and Connie rescue mission reveals one of the Whisperers is bitten. Instead of putting him out of his misery, there appears to be a choice to allow yourself to be turned into a walker, or, in their terminology, a Guardian. That’s a really interesting difference to what we’ve seen up to now.
- When Daryl looks down the elevator shaft, I expected a James Bond-like quip. In true Daryl fashion, though, we get him spitting instead. It works!
- Dog continues to be one of the very best cast members. He follows Connie like he knows her plan is better than Daryl’s, he defends Lydia in the closet, and he takes down a Whisperer when he is about to kill Henry. Dog proves himself every episode.
What did you think of this episode of The Walking Dead? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.