Production
This episode features a cameo of Tom Payne as Paul "Jesus" Rovia, who appears in a flashback; his character was killed in the mid-season finale episode "Evolution". [1]
| "Bounty" | |
|---|---|
| The Walking Dead episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 9 Episode 11 |
| Directed by | Meera Menon |
| Written by | Matthew Negrete |
| Original air date | February 24, 2019 |
| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Bounty" is the eleventh episode of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead , which aired on AMC on February 24, 2019.
This episode marks the final appearance of Paul "Jesus" Rovia (Tom Payne), who died in the mid-season finale episode "Evolution".
In a flashback, Carol, Ezekiel, and Jerry wait for representatives from the Hilltop and Alexandria to arrive to trade goods in a clearing in the woods. Jerry reveals that he and his wife Nabila are expecting a child. Eventually, Jesus and Tara arrive with the trade goods, and Jesus hands Ezekiel the charter of rights that Michonne had been developing for the Kingdom to hold onto; Ezekiel becomes enamored by the document and promises Carol that someday the community leaders will all sign it together. In the present, Ezekiel looks longingly at the charter in the Kingdom.
At the Hilltop, Alpha demands that the community residents turn over her daughter Lydia. She explains that she has removed her walker mask to show them that she comes in peace and willing to overlook their trespass of her lands. Daryl is initially dismissive of her demands as she and her human allies are few compared to the Hilltop forces. However, there are several more of Alpha's allies in wait beyond the tree lines, as well as a horde of walkers. He decides to walk outside to talk to Alpha face to face. Daryl tells her that she can't have Lydia and informs her that he's ready to fight her people to ensure she doesn't get Lydia back, until he spots one of the Whisperers with a baby. Suddenly, a couple of Whisperers bring up a tied up Alden and Luke. Alpha then offers to trade both of them for her daughter; Daryl accepts.
At the Kingdom, with the fair approaching, Ezekiel leads a scouting party to a nearby town. His goal is to obtain a projection bulb from a movie theater to replace the one that is broken, but the theater is packed with walkers. Carol is initially against the plan, but is convinced by Ezekiel, who explains how this will be a positive improvement for the Kingdom. With minimal incident, they recover the bulb as well as one of the poster display cases, which Ezekiel wants to use so that he can frame the charter of rights once it is signed.
Inside the Hilltop, Daryl discovers that Henry and Lydia escaped. Addy tells him that she knows where they went; she and Enid head out to find them. As the standoff continues, the baby belonging to one of disguised women starts to cry, drawing the walkers. Alpha shrugs at the mother, indicating that she should leave the baby to die. Fearing for her life, the baby's mother decides to abandon him as he continues to cry. Alden and Luke beg for Alpha to have the baby be spared, but Alpha refuses. The Hilltop guards bang the fence to attract the walkers away from the baby, but it doesn't work. Luke then signs Connie, still hiding in the cornfield, to grab the baby. Connie then runs out of the cornfield and rushes to save the child. The Whisperers around her unsheathe blades as Connie escapes back into the cornfield and is helped back into the Hilltop by Daryl, Kelly, Tammy, and Earl.
Soon after, Enid and Addy are able to track down Henry and Lydia to an abandoned house near the Hilltop, where Henry has provided Lydia a new set of clothes. Enid tries to convince Henry not to let the bad things change him, and she urges him to allow them to turn over Lydia, recalling how much death she herself has seen and the advice Carl had given her before he died. Lydia opts to leave on her own accord and is traded for Alden and Luke. Reunited, Lydia apologizes to her mother, but is slapped by Alpha across the face, ordering her to address her as "Alpha" like everyone else. She then smiles at Daryl as they leave.
The child recovered by Connie is turned over to Earl and Tammy to raise. That night, Henry leaves a note and sneaks out of the Hilltop to find Lydia. His departure is soon learned by Daryl, who finds out that Henry couldn't live with letting Lydia go. Daryl then decides to chase him down, but is stopped by Connie, who insists to let her join him as she feels the same way as Henry; they both depart together.
This episode features a cameo of Tom Payne as Paul "Jesus" Rovia, who appears in a flashback; his character was killed in the mid-season finale episode "Evolution". [1]
"Bounty" received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the episode has an approval rating of 79% with an average score of 7.10 out of 10, based on 19 reviews. The critical consensus reads: "'Bounty' rekindles The Walking Dead's knack for a lighthearted shaggy dog story and hair-raising horror set-piece, but some viewers may come away dissatisfied with the installment's teasing of a clash that never materializes." [2]
"Bounty" received a total viewership of 4.39 million with a 1.7 rating in adults aged 18–49. It was the highest-rated cable program of the night, however, it marked a series low in both viewership and its 18-49 rating. [3]
Daryl Dixon is a fictional character from AMC's horror drama series The Walking Dead, and the protagonist of its last three seasons, replacing Rick Grimes. The character was created for the television series by writers Frank Darabont, Charles H. Eglee and Jack LoGiudice specifically for Norman Reedus, and does not have a counterpart in the comics on which the series is based. The character was introduced in the first season as a southerner, expert tracker, living in the shadow of his older brother, Merle. Despite his bad temper and volatility, he is tolerated by the core group of survivors due to his skills in hunting animals and fearless efficiency in killing walkers.
King Ezekiel is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, on which he is portrayed by Khary Payton.
The ninth season of The Walking Dead, an American post-apocalyptic horror television series on AMC premiered on October 7, 2018, and concluded on March 31, 2019, consisting of 16 episodes. Developed for television by Frank Darabont, the series is based on the eponymous series of comic books by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The executive producers are Kirkman, David Alpert, Scott M. Gimple, Angela Kang, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, Denise Huth, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Kang taking over the role of showrunner from Gimple after his promotion to chief content officer for the franchise.
Alpha is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, where she was portrayed by Samantha Morton. In both universes, Alpha is the leader of a group of survivors called the Whisperers, a mysterious group that wears the skins of walkers (zombies) to mask their presence. In the television series, she first appeared in the ninth mid-season premiere.
Beta is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, where he was portrayed by Ryan Hurst. In both universes, Beta is the second-in-command of the Whisperers, a group of survivors who wear walker (zombie) skin to hide their presence from actual walkers. He serves as Alpha's right-hand man and after her death, becomes de facto leader of the Whisperers.
Lydia is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, where she is portrayed by Cassady McClincy.
Magna is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, where she is portrayed by Nadia Hilker. In both universes, Magna is the feisty leader of a small group of roaming survivors and, as in the comic books, she is an LGBT character.
Connie is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and on the television series of the same name, where she is portrayed by Lauren Ridloff. In both universes, Connie is part of a small group of roaming survivors who are led by Magna. She is the first deaf character in the Walking Dead universe, and the actress who plays her on the television series, Lauren Ridloff, is also deaf.
Yumiko is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and the television series of the same name, where she is portrayed by Eleanor Matsuura. In both universes, Yumiko is part of a small group of roaming survivors that is led by her girlfriend, Magna, and as in the comic books, she is an LGBT character like Tara Chambler, Aaron, and Jesus.
"Evolution" is the eighth episode and mid-season finale of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on November 25, 2018.
Jerry is a fictional character from AMC's horror drama series The Walking Dead, who first appeared in the seventh season as a recurring character. The character was created for the television series by Scott M. Gimple and is portrayed by Cooper Andrews. Jerry is a former resident of the Kingdom, where he served as King Ezekiel's steward, bodyguard and advisor. After the war against Negan and the Saviors, he married Nabila and several years after Rick Grimes' assumed death, they conceived three children. Much like Daryl Dixon, Simon, and Sasha Williams, Jerry is an original character that does not have a counterpart in the comic book series of the same name.
"Adaptation" is the ninth episode and mid-season premiere of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on February 10, 2019. The episode was made available a week earlier on February 3 via AMC Premiere, the network's on-demand service.
"Omega" is the tenth episode of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on February 17, 2019.
"Guardians" is the twelfth episode of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 3, 2019.
"Chokepoint" is the thirteenth episode of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 10, 2019. The episode was written by Eddie Guzelian and David Leslie-Johnson McGoldrick, and directed by Liesl Tommy.
"The Calm Before" is the fifteenth and penultimate episode of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 24, 2019.
"The Storm" is the sixteenth and final episode of the ninth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 31, 2019.
"Silence the Whisperers" is the fourth episode of the tenth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on October 27, 2019.
"A Certain Doom" is the sixteenth episode and second-part finale of the tenth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on October 4, 2020. The episode's teleplay was written by Corey Reed, from a story by Jim Barnes, Eli Jorné and Reed, and directed by Greg Nicotero.
