"Some Guy" | |
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The Walking Dead episode | |
Episode no. | Season 8 Episode 4 |
Directed by | Dan Liu |
Written by | David Leslie Johnson |
Original air date | November 12, 2017 |
Running time | 42 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
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"Some Guy" is the fourth episode of the eighth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead , which aired on AMC on November 12, 2017. The episode was written by David Leslie Johnson and directed by Dan Liu.
This episode is mainly centered on the character of King Ezekiel (Khary Payton). It also features the final appearances of Shiva (Ezekiel's pet Bengal tiger), Daniel (Daniel Newman) and Alvaro (Carlos Navarro). Shiva's death was adapted from Issue #118 of the comic book series. [1]
In a flashback, King Ezekiel prepares himself and his troops from the Kingdom to go to war alongside the Alexandria and Hilltop communities against the Saviors. He gives a rousing speech to boost morale before they depart.
In the present, Ezekiel crawls out from the pile of dead bodies of the Kingdom soldiers. His troops had sacrificed themselves to protect Ezekiel from a Savior assault; the enemy had used the machine guns Rick and Daryl had been searching for. With one leg wounded and the dead starting to re-animate, Ezekiel is rescued by a surviving Kingdom soldier, Alvaro. Ezekiel and Alvaro attempt to get to safety, but Alvaro is killed with a fatal gunshot through the chest by a Savior, Gunther (Whitmer Thomas). The Savior takes the King hostage and tells him that he plans to turn Ezekiel to Negan for a handsome reward. He forces Ezekiel forward at gunpoint, toward a fenced complex to escape the turned Kingdom walkers following them. Throughout, Gunther taunts Ezekiel, mocking that "even in death, [his men] still follow [him]". Reaching the complex's gate, they discover that it is locked. With Ezekiel unable to climb, Gunther prepares to decapitate him and carry the head. However, Jerry suddenly appears and uses his axe to bisect Gunther's body with one swing, killing him and saving his leader. Jerry then helps Ezekiel up, and the two defend themselves while trying to break the lock.
In the nearby outpost, Carol surprises the Saviors moving the machine guns, killing several. The remaining Saviors rush to transport the guns away by Humvee, resulting in a firefight outside the building, near where Ezekiel and Jerry are fighting. Carol is able to trick the Saviors into letting their guard down, killing all but two of them, but she then spots Ezekiel and Jerry close to being overrun by walkers. She goes to help them, allowing the Saviors to escape in the Humvee. Rescued, Ezekiel laments that Carol let the guns get away, but they then hear the roar of a nearby motorcycle. Outside the complex, Rick and Daryl show up, giving chase. The two force the Humvee off the road.
Back at the outpost, Carol and Jerry help escort Ezekiel through the growing walker horde with their ammo running low. They come to a shallow creek milling with walkers, which is difficult for Ezekiel to cross with his injury. Carol and Jerry insist Ezekiel continue walking, but decides he rather stay behind and sacrifice himself to fight off the walkers for them. He breaks down and says to Jerry that he is just "some guy" and not worthy of being a leader. Suddenly Shiva, Ezekiel's pet Bengal tiger, unexpectedly arrives and tears into the walkers. The tiger ultimately sacrifices herself in the process, much to Ezekiel's heartbreak and outrage. Carol and Jerry are then forced to take a tearful Ezekiel away. Eventually, the three make it back to the Kingdom gates. Families of the soldiers that Ezekiel spoke to at the start of the day rush in to hear the news. However, Ezekiel cannot bring himself to say anything and quietly walks away.
"Some Guy" received positive reviews from critics, with many describing it as the best episode of the season. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 89% with an average rating of 7.77 out of 10, based on 28 reviews. The site's consensus reads: By keeping its focus on a fan favorite, "Some Guy" delivers a compelling – though ultimately heartbreaking – episode. [2]
Laura Bradley of Vanity Fair called it “the best episode this season has seen yet;” applauding the prosthetics and makeup saying “Nicotero’s best work to date;” and Khary Payton’s portrayal of Ezekiel’s breakdown. [3] Noel Murray of Rolling Stone said that the episode “gets back to one of the series' core strengths: reducing a sprawling post-apocalyptic epic to a few pivotal moments in the lives of ordinary people.” [4] Kelly Lawler of USA Today noted “Khary Payton does great work for the whole hour and is especially affecting at the moment Ezekiel has given up his Shakespearean dialect for slang out of pure terror and guilt. [5]
The episode averaged a 3.9 rating among adults 18-49, and had a viewership of 8.69 million viewers, which was an improvement from the previous week. [6]
Khary Payton is an American actor. He is known for his roles as King Ezekiel on the AMC horror drama series The Walking Dead and Dr. Terrell Jackson on the soap opera General Hospital, as well as voicing Cyborg across various DC media and Kaldur'ahm / Aqualad in the animated series Young Justice.
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.
Carol 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 Melissa McBride. Carol is introduced in the third issue of the comic's first volume, "Days Gone Bye", and the third episode of the first season of the television series, as a meek housewife and mother of Sophia at the survival camp in Atlanta, Georgia. Her arc in the television series was described as a "hero's journey" by executive producer Scott M. Gimple, having made many difficult decisions in order to survive.
Morgan Jones is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead, portrayed by Lennie James in the American television series of the same name and its companion series Fear the Walking Dead. In both the comics and television series, he is a devoted father struggling to get over the recent death of his wife. He and his son, Duane, seek refuge in Rick's hometown after the outbreak occurs and are the first survivors that Rick encounters after awakening from his coma. Morgan is characterized by his catchphrase "you know what it is", which he repeats regularly throughout the television series.
The seventh season of The Walking Dead, an American post-apocalyptic horror television series on AMC, premiered on October 23, 2016, and concluded on April 2, 2017, 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, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Gimple as showrunner for the fourth consecutive season. The seventh season received mixed reviews from critics. It was nominated for multiple awards and won three, including Best Horror Television Series for the second consecutive year, at the 43rd Saturn Awards.
The eighth season of The Walking Dead, an American post-apocalyptic horror television series on AMC, premiered on October 22, 2017, and concluded on April 15, 2018, 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, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Gimple as showrunner for his fifth and final season. The eighth season received mixed reviews from critics. It was nominated for multiple awards and won two, including Best Horror Television Series for the third consecutive year, at the 44th Saturn Awards.
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.
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