‘The Walking Dead’ Recap: ‘New Haunts’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1110 of ‘The Walking Dead’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say that the AMC series, The Walking Dead, has asked a great deal of questions about humanity over the course of its eleven-year run. For it has pondered upon whether or not people can be decent in indecent times, and it has also asked what it is that can corrupt everyday people. But its most important questions of all, have come about in later years, since it has asked the audience and its characters… if we are a species that is worth saving and it has also asked, would we truly be able to rebuild civilization in a new image and start over fresh in doing so and well, while one of those questions has yet to be answered… the one regarding what a second start for modern man would look like, continues to be answered with a resounding no.
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Because despite being faced with an opportunity to leave old haunts behind, humanity in this world and in this storytelling universe, seemingly cannot let them go. If anything, they’ve grown worse in the land of the dead since we’ve seen despots like Negan rise to power and monsters such as the Whisperers come to fruition and even the Alexandria Alliance ran into its own issues for a time. Since the survivors of The Sanctuary were viewed as a second class of citizens in this new fellowship, and of course… bad blood between old friends brought about big divisions. But we are creatures that understand that failure breeds ingenuity and growth and that’s why we’ve seen our heroes keep trying to forge and find a world free from the trappings of the past and well, it just so happens that this question and the potential for a new start served as the focus of last night’s episode of the show.

For when we catch up with our heroes in ‘New Haunts’, they’re working to adjust to life in the Commonwealth and well, it seems as though the decision to leave hunger and strife behind… has paid off in spades. For everyone has settled in and found roles in this community, that give them familiarity and comfort. For instance, Carol is baking cookies left and right and Ezekiel is back to tending to animals in need. Not to mention, Rosita and Daryl Dixon are working to become members of the Commonwealth’s guard and use their fighting skills for a better cause than just survival, and the group is even finding joy as well. Since they are taking part in a Halloween celebration first thing in this tale and the wonder of the Commonwealth doesn’t end there.

Because there’s medical care to be found here, newspapers and social gatherings and at first… it appears as though Governor Pamela Milton has genuinely figured out how to rebuild the world for the better and answer that long standing question with a yes instead of a no, since there are no signs of trouble to be found here. In fact, things are so comfortable and familiar that it seems as though some are making peace with what comes next, since Ezekiel is oddly comfortable with his medical troubles, as though he can now bravely begin his farewell tour, before the cancer in his body takes his life, and close his eyes with the peace of knowing that he will go in a good place, where his reanimated flesh can cause no harm to anyone outside of the forgotten art of grieving. 

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But as this episode progressed and we dug deeper into the ‘wonder’ of the Commonwealth, the answer to that age-old question took on quite the different turn. After all, Pamela’s idiot son continued to antagonize anyone that simply glanced at him and unfortunately Rosita and Daryl were forced to help indulge his ego, giving rise to hints of a touch of class disparity in this reformed part of the world and to make matters worse, this vaunted army brought about concerns as well. Since Daryl came to realize it was a desperate attempt to provide an echo of the past, and project the sense of strength that the United States military once did and nothing more. For what they demanded of their soldiers just didn’t make sense in a world where walking death ruled the day and the concerns about this place… didn’t end there.
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For the big gala masquerade event back in town, confirmed one of those concerns. Because the young man that Princess tuned up as part of her escape attempt back in season ten, was at this party and serving appetizers and drinks. For it turned out that he lost everything for his mistake and was utterly shattered and broken by being cast out into poverty, and for being turned into a pariah for a mistake that could have happened to anyone. In fact, he was in such a dark place, that he attempted to bring harm to the Governor and others at the party. And while that ended peacefully courtesy of Daryl, who also let Sebastian Milton take the credit for the stop… that young man’s speech about inequality in the Commonwealth, and what Rosita uncovered in his apartment… outright gives the audience pause and grave concern when it comes to this ‘wonderful’ place, and those moments brought forth the confirmation in question.

Since all of those elements made it inherently clear that the Commonwealth suffers from a great deal of problems from the old world. In that, there is wealth inequality since the majority of folks in attendance at the gala were clearly well-to-do (mostly white) folks that transitioned back to their old life quickly. Plus, the age-old problems that accompany that kind of inequality, wherein simple mistakes or the color of one’s skin or their class heritage determines a future and a standing for them, has followed humanity to the Commonwealth. Making it clear that while Milton has indeed saved lives and given safety to so many, the trappings of the past remain and there appears to be no desire to let them go in the slightest. Since the thought of interrupting a status quo or genuinely bringing about change, would be terrifying to a person like Milton. 

For the old ways are all that they know and that sadly means… that once again, the answer to that question is no. Since it would require genuine change and bravery to make the alterations necessary to bring about a new world, and in the middle of the end of it, that might not be possible, or we might not be able to ever change. Which in turn relates back to the season’s big theme about our worthiness of salvation. But all pondering upon humanity’s nature and future aside, this was still quite the episode. One that leaves the viewer uncomfortable simply because we are not used to seeing our heroes back in the world, we left behind… nor do we (or them) trust this place courtesy of past encounters and oddly enough, this does leave one to wonder… is the inequality present here the reason that Daryl is at Maggie’s doorstep six months from now, to fight for a better tomorrow from within? Time will tell of course and the only way to truly know… is to wait patiently for next week’s journey. Until next time.

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