At this point in The Walking Dead: Dead City, the board is set and the pieces are moving. Maggie and the New Babylon group are scouting Manhattan with the aim of taking control of methane production, thus controlling the city. Meanwhile, Negan, the Croat and the Dama head to the art museum in an attempt to broker an unlikely alliance.
The newest episode, "Feisty Friendly," is a mixed bag. It has slow, thought-provoking scenes and more than a few epic moments. We are properly introduced to Bruegel (Kim Coates), one of the most eccentric gang leaders in Manhattan. Upon heading to his gang's base inside an art museum, Negan, the Croat, the Dama, and their team attempt to strike a deal with him, trying to safeguard Manhattan against the oncoming New Babylon Federation. Coates is fantastic as Bruegel; his artsy, unhinged character is eccentric and unpredictable. Pitted alongside Negan, they're a pretty firery duo, both burdened with inflated egos.
I love the cultishness of these Manhattan groups; it makes them easily distinguishable. No other gang has a headquarters inside an art museum. While Bruegel may work to preserve the iconic creations of the old world, he also brings back former pastimes like gambling; he suits walkers up in armor, makes them fight, and has people bet on the winner. This isn't a new concept for The Walking Dead Universe; the Governor was doing it way back in the show's early years.
While the Manhattan communities attempt to get along, we've still got Maggie, Perlie, Hershel, and the others looking to infiltrate the museum. Of course, Maggie knows Negan owes her one, so she seeks him out to learn where the methane is held. The meeting between Maggie and Negan is really the highlight of this episode. These two characters, as different as they are, find themselves in similar positions. They're both where they are because they've been blackmailed. All either of them want is to save their families: Negan wants to save Annie and Joshua while Maggie wants to protect Hershel. There's an intrinsic connection between them. When they're together, my eyes are glued to the screen.
This episode dwells heavily on the 'old world.' With Hershel, who was born in the apocalypse and grew up in it, as a focal point, there's a lot of comparisons between old and new. There's one poignant scene between Maggie, Perlie and Hershel where the latter comments on the state of the world, viewing it as better than how it was previously. It's moments like this that add a certain weight to things, because his reasoning is not inherently wrong.
It seems that during Hershel's time under the care of the Dama, his viewpoint has been swayed; the city has got a hold on him. He still sees her as a figurehead and motivator to recreate Manhattan, so much so that there's a definite tension between him and Maggie. I can't wait to see how it develops.
I did enjoy this installment a lot. The reunion between Maggie and Negan was thoughtfully done, rather than just another fight. Kim Coates was a standout performer as Bruegel and I'm super excited to see how his story develops in the coming episodes. You can see exactly where the story is headed, but I remain hyped nonetheless.
Episode Grade: B-
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