‘The Walking Dead’ Retro Recap: ‘Crossed’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Over the course of the past few days, we’ve talked at length about the fascinating concepts that the AMC series, The Walking Dead opted to explore in the first half of season five. Simply because there has been so much to cover and reflect upon because season five did indeed go hard into the human condition and our follies and our beauty. A feat made possible by challenging the Grimes gang like never before by putting them back out into the open. But what has always made this series so incredibly fascinating and so incredibly intelligent, is that it always knows exactly when back off of the analysis it is working on to give the audience a chance to breathe. Something it tends to accomplish by way of stories that set the stage for the future, especially when we are near the midseason or season finale.
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Because that really is the perfect time to break and process the lessons at hand and that kind of break is precisely what the next episode in this saga offered us. For ‘Crossed’ is a story that simply worked on follow up and tension building for the epic season five midseason finale, courtesy of three separate storylines. One of which, revolved around the fallout of Eugene’s big lie. Because Abraham wasn’t himself after that, and Eugene wasn’t in any shape to talk. And that stalemate gave everyone a chance to process the lie and figure out how to move forward without a cure on the horizon. Plus, it also allowed for Abraham to forgive himself for his temper and also figure out a way forward and this was… quite a gentle sequence, one that ended happy with Eugene coming to after all.

If anything, it was probably the perkiest and most uplifting sequence in this story. Since Beth was dealing with Dawn’s special brand of madness back at Grady Memorial. For she had in Noah’s absence become Dawn’s new ward, and she was expected to handle all of Dawn’s dirty work, starting with putting Carol out of her misery. Something she wasn’t good with in the slightest for obvious reasons, prompting her… to fight back in a bold manner. By working to find out what drugs would save Carol’s life and getting her hands on them and administering them to her old friend. All of which reminded us of the bonds this group shares and what they’re made of. But what made this dark, was the sheer fact that Dawn is clearly eager to play God with lives in an effort to exert power, making her more dangerous than ever.

However, while Beth was working on saving an old friend, Rick and his team had arrived in Atlanta and opened fire in the hopes of getting the attention of some of Dawn’s lackeys. Which they did, and they worked hard to take them hostage. Mainly because trouble arose in the form of some supremely gross walkers that were melted to asphalt from the Operation Cobalt napalm strikes. But once the madness was done, a plan was formulated. One where the senior officer on scene would help Rick’s group get Beth and Carol back through smooth negotiation and inside knowledge, making it appear as though Rick and his friends would finally get an easy break without a major fight. That is until that very officer, wounded Sasha to escape, setting the stage for a collapse of the plan.

Which was, the perfect way to build tension for the midseason finale since it was left hanging up in the air, back in the day, as to whether or not the plan would fall to pieces. But what matters more, is that this really was a perfect breather episode. Because we were able to let the lessons soak in and still be wildly entertained by important scenes and character growth, especially from Abraham and Beth since the former stopped acting like a giant man-child and the latter… came into her own as a badass hero and well, now that we’ve reached the end of this refreshing tale, the time has come to brace ourselves. For the midseason finale awaits and this is one that absolutely lives in infamy, courtesy of the dark places it went and how badly it broke all of our hearts. Until next time.

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