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Dead or Alive Or
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| "Dead or Alive Or" | |
|---|---|
| The Walking Dead episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 8 Episode 11 |
| Directed by | Michael E. Satrazemis |
| Written by | Eddie Guzelian |
| Cinematography by | Stephen Campbell |
| Editing by | Evan Schrodek |
| Original air date | March 11, 2018 |
| Running time | 46 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Dead or Alive Or" is the eleventh episode of the eighth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 11, 2018. It was written by Eddie Guzelian and directed by Michael E. Satrazemis.
Plot
[edit]Daryl, aided by Rosita, Tara, and Siddiq, leads the survivors from the destroyed Alexandria Safe-Zone toward the Hilltop while avoiding Savior patrols who are under orders to seek them out by Negan. Dwight, a former Savior that has helped the Alexandrians, guides them using his knowledge of the area, but most remain cautious of his advice, since he was previously a member of the Saviors.
Elsewhere, Dr. Harlan Carson helps the ill Gabriel to escape the Saviors' Sanctuary, but Gabriel's fever, which affects his eyesight, makes them lose their way. Gabriel relies on his faith in God against Dr. Carson's advice, leading them to an abandoned house where they happen to find antibiotics to treat Gabriel's fever. But he will still likely go blind without additional help. After accidentally breaking open a piggy bank, they discover car keys and a map to Hilltop (when it was a museum).
Daryl's group come to find the safest route is to cross through a swamp, and Daryl puts Tara in charge of protecting the survivors while he, Rosita, and Siddiq kill the many walkers half-submerged in the swamp. Tara sees some walkers a distance away, and convinces Dwight to help, but this is a ruse to get him away from the group and kill him. Dwight pleads for her to let him go, apologizing for killing her girlfriend, Denise, but she fires a shot and he runs off. However, as she catches up to him, they see a group of Saviors approaching. As the Saviors come closer to where they are hiding, and with Tara's gun pointed at Dwight, he quickly walks out of the brush and approaches the group, acting as if he managed to escape and reunite with the Saviors. He then draws the patrol away from the Alexandria group, telling them that no Alexandrians could be in the swamp area, since he'd just come from there. When Tara returns to the group, Daryl scolds her, fearing Dwight could tell Negan everything, but Tara explains that she now trusts Dwight, and that he would not do so.
At the Hilltop, Morgan and Carol deal with Henry's lack of remorse after murdering Gavin, while Maggie reviews the state of their resources, knowing that with their Savior prisoners along with Gregory, they do not have enough supplies to last, and so she considers cutting them off. Daryl's group then makes it to the Hilltop, where news of Carl's death wracks the community, particularly Enid. Maggie decides to allow the Saviors to have limited rations and supervised time outside of their cage. Siddiq offers his services as a doctor to Maggie.
As he follows Dr. Carson outside, Gabriel notices signs that the place is trapped just before Dr. Carson steps into a bear trap, drawing walkers. Despite his dim eyesight, Gabriel manages to safely avoid the traps and walkers, and rescues Dr. Carson in time. However, the commotion leads a group of Saviors to find them. As they are being escorted away, Dr. Carson notices one of their guard's guns in close reach and grabs for it, but another Savior reacts and shoots and kills him first. Gabriel's faith is shaken, and he begins to cry as he is driven off by the Saviors.
Back at the Sanctuary, Gabriel is put to work under Eugene to help the Saviors' ammunition manufacturing process at Eugene's new outpost, the industrial machine shop, in advance of Negan's next offensive. When Eugene reports to Negan that their ammo will not be at full supply for several more days and suggests they build catapults instead, Negan comes up with a second plan, to infect some of the Saviors' weapons with walker blood, so that in the pending attack, they merely have to harm their foes to cause them to turn, rather than kill.
Reception
[edit]Critical reception
[edit]The episode received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 60% with an average rating of 6.27 out of 10, based on 20 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Focusing on different characters and presenting a new walker threat, "Dead Or Alive Or" is an entertaining episode—though one that struggles to build suspense."[1]
Ratings
[edit]The episode drew a total viewership of 6.60 million with a 2.8 rating in adults aged 18-49. This was a decrease from the previous week, which had 6.82 million viewers. It is also the show's lowest total viewership since the season two episode "Secrets", which aired in 2011.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Dead or Alive Or". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Porter, Rick (March 13, 2018). "Sunday cable ratings: 'The Walking Dead' goes even lower". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
External links
[edit]Dead or Alive Or
View on GrokipediaProduction
Development
"Dead or Alive Or," the eleventh episode of The Walking Dead's eighth season, was written by Eddie Guzelian, a newcomer to the series' writing team who contributed to four episodes during his tenure as an executive story editor from 2018 to 2019. The script advances the season's "All Out War" narrative by interweaving multiple character arcs, including the survivors' perilous journey to Hilltop, Father Gabriel's escape with Dr. Harlan Carson, and Negan's mobilization of the Saviors for an assault on their enemies. Guzelian's dialogue underscores themes of faith, survival, and moral ambiguity, particularly in the tense exchanges between Gabriel and Harlan as they navigate the wilderness.[7] Directed by Michael E. Satrazemis, who helmed 14 episodes of the series including prior season 8 installments, the episode employs atmospheric cinematography to heighten suspense in outdoor sequences and intimate close-ups to capture emotional vulnerability inside the Sanctuary.[1] Satrazemis, known for his steady pacing in action-heavy episodes, balances the episode's ensemble focus by shifting between locations, culminating in high-stakes confrontations that propel the war storyline forward. The episode adapts elements from Robert Kirkman's comic book series, specifically the "All Out War" arc spanning issues 111 to 126. It incorporates the Saviors' gruesome tactic of coating weapons in walker entrails to infect victims upon contact—a television-original plan Negan outlines in a rallying speech that enhances the horror elements while setting up the impending battle at Hilltop, blending comic fidelity with series-specific developments.[8][3]Filming
Principal photography for "Dead or Alive Or" took place in Georgia, USA, consistent with the overall production of The Walking Dead's eighth season. The episode was directed by Michael E. Satrazemis, a former director of photography on the series who transitioned to directing for this installment.[9] Filming occurred over an eight-day schedule, a compressed timeline that required meticulous pre-production planning to accommodate five concurrent storylines spanning diverse settings, including forested paths, swamps, and interiors. Satrazemis emphasized the challenge of balancing emotional depth across these narratives without exceeding the allotted time, noting, "How to keep the emotional content and get what you want out of each of these little stories fit within an eight-day schedule."[9] Key sequences were shot in Griffin, Georgia, including the opening where Daryl's group navigates railroad tracks and hides in a house after deviating from their route to Hilltop. The tense chase involving Tara and Dwight through the woods utilized a Steadicam rig and a golf cart for mobility, with actress Alanna Masterson running at full speed to capture authentic urgency; Satrazemis recalled, "We let them rip and luckily nobody bounced off a tree."[9][10] The swamp walker attack was filmed on a constructed freshwater lake set, enclosed with safety netting and augmented with foul-smelling water effects by special effects supervisor Greg Nicotero, under challenging freezing conditions to heighten the scene's peril.[9] For the emotional climax between Gabriel and Carson, Satrazemis focused on close-up cinematography to convey Gabriel's crisis of faith following Carson's demise, prioritizing subtle performances over action.[9]Cast
Main cast
The main cast of "Dead or Alive Or," the eleventh episode of the eighth season of The Walking Dead, features the series' core ensemble portraying key survivors in the post-apocalyptic world. Norman Reedus portrays Daryl Dixon, a skilled tracker navigating tense alliances on the road to Hilltop. Melissa McBride plays Carol Peletier, a strategic survivor contributing to group dynamics amid ongoing conflicts. Lauren Cohan embodies Maggie Rhee, the determined leader at Hilltop managing resources and defenses. Josh McDermitt is Eugene Porter, the inventive engineer grappling with loyalty and technical challenges. Christian Serratos depicts Rosita Espinosa, a tough combatant involved in reconnaissance and combat sequences. Seth Gilliam stars as Gabriel Stokes, the faith-driven priest facing moral dilemmas in captivity. Ross Marquand plays Aaron, the recruiter from Alexandria aiding in recruitment and escapes. Jeffrey Dean Morgan leads as Negan, the charismatic yet ruthless Savior overlord orchestrating control from the Sanctuary. Austin Amelio portrays Dwight, a conflicted former Savior lieutenant torn between factions. Tom Payne is Paul "Jesus" Rovia, the agile Hilltop scout facilitating communications and stealth operations. Xander Berkeley rounds out the principals as Gregory, the self-serving Hilltop leader whose decisions impact community stability.[11]| Actor | Character | Role Description |
|---|---|---|
| Norman Reedus | Daryl Dixon | Tracker managing prisoner convoy |
| Melissa McBride | Carol Peletier | Survivor supporting Hilltop security |
| Lauren Cohan | Maggie Rhee | Hilltop leader overseeing defenses |
| Josh McDermitt | Eugene Porter | Engineer facing loyalty tests |
| Christian Serratos | Rosita Espinosa | Combatant on scouting missions |
| Seth Gilliam | Gabriel Stokes | Priest in perilous escape attempt |
| Ross Marquand | Aaron | Recruiter aiding group movements |
| Jeffrey Dean Morgan | Negan | Savior leader enforcing dominance |
| Austin Amelio | Dwight | Defector navigating internal conflicts |
| Tom Payne | Paul "Jesus" Rovia | Scout bridging communities |
| Xander Berkeley | Gregory | Hilltop administrator with dubious motives |
