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"Start to Finish"
The Walking Dead episode
Deanna faces the herd before letting out one last defiant scream.
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 8
Directed byMichael E. Satrazemis
Written byMatthew Negrete
Featured music"Tiptoe Through the Tulips" by Nick Lucas
Cinematography byStephen Campbell
Editing byDan Liu
Original air dateNovember 29, 2015 (2015-11-29)
Running time43 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Heads Up" 		Next →
"No Way Out"
The Walking Dead season 6
List of episodes

"Start to Finish" is the eighth episode and mid-season finale of the sixth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on November 29, 2015. The episode was written by Matthew Negrete and directed by Michael E. Satrazemis.

The episode focuses on the survivors fleeing and finding shelter from the gargantuan swarm of walkers that have invaded the Alexandria Safe-Zone.

Plot

[edit]

The church tower smashes three panels of the wall, and everyone scrambles for whatever shelter they can find as hundreds of walkers pour inside Alexandria. Maggie is forced up the ladder to a lookout post and lies back on the platform, trapped but out of sight from the walkers that surround the lookout post. Eugene finds a walkie-talkie on the ground but only mutters "help" before being rescued by Tara and Rosita and taking shelter in a garage. The group of Rick, Carl, Judith, Michonne, Gabriel, Deanna, and her sons Ron and Sam take shelter in the home of Jessie. Outside the wall, Glenn convinces Enid to enter Alexandria and help the others. They climb the wall opposite the breach and spot Maggie trapped atop a lookout post.

At Jessie's house, Deanna is discovered to be bitten. Later, Carl checks on a distressed Ron who blames Rick for what's happening and lashes out at Carl, breaking a garage window and drawing the attention of walkers. Rick breaks down the interior garage door to extract the boys as the walkers enter; Carl covers for Ron while confiscating his handgun.

Meanwhile, Carol takes shelter with Morgan in his house. She feigns a concussion to have Morgan drop his guard, attacks him, and breaks into the basement. Denise has been locked down there treating the captured Wolf. Carol threatens the Wolf with a knife, but Morgan interposes himself between them. They fight and Morgan defeats her but he is then blindsided by the Wolf.

Eugene picks the interior door lock of a garage to gain entry to the attached home. He, Tara, and Rosita end up walking in on the Wolf who holds Carol's knife to Denise's throat, taking her hostage. They surrender their weapons to him, and the Wolf escapes with Denise.

The damage Ron caused in the garage allows the walkers to break into Jessie's house, forcing everyone to retreat to the second floor. Knowing they will soon be overrun, Rick decides to make a desperate attempt at escape: he kills and guts two walkers, hoping they can camouflage themselves with their insides and pass through the herd. They slowly reach the porch while Deanna, left behind, kills several walkers before letting them kill her. Holding hands to stay together, the group enters the walker-infested street quiet but for a frightened Sam who repeatedly calls out for his mother.

In a post-credits scene, Daryl, Abraham and Sasha are still headed back to Alexandria, but are stopped by a group of bikers blocking the road. One biker tells them to give up their supplies and truck, to which, Daryl asks, "Why should we?". The biker then claims, "Your property, now belongs to Negan".

Reception

[edit]
The episode marks the death of Deanna Monroe played by Tovah Feldshuh.

Critical reception

[edit]

"Start to Finish" received poor reviews from critics. The episode received a 36% rating with an average score of 6.23 out of 10 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus reads: ""Start to Finish" fails to live up to The Walking Dead's potential with a midseason finale that is both dull and frustrating."[1] According to Rotten Tomatoes, "Start to Finish" was the worst reviewed episode of the series until it was surpassed by the eight season episode "The King, the Widow, and Rick".[2]

Matt Fowler of IGN gave it a 7.3 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict: ""Start to Finish" gets points for keeping Alexandria around and in the mix, but loses a bunch for dropping us right as things started to get exciting. Especially since the rest of the episode was filled with conflicts we hoped we wouldn't have to see in the midst of a giant walker invasion (Carl/Ron, Carol/Morgan)."[3]

Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club gave it a C+ grade and wrote, "a bunch of cliffhangers sounds like a smart way to close things out for the year, but none of this is promising us the sight of anything new." He also wrote "the only scene tonight that sets up a new storyline happened after the credits—happened, in fact, ten minutes after “Start To Finish” (sic) had actually ended. But judging this hour on its own terms, it’s full of clumsy, stupid people doing clumsy, stupid things."[4]

Ratings

[edit]

The episode received 13.98 million viewers,[5] an increase from the previous episode, which had 13.22 million viewers overall.[6]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Start to Finish

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"Start to Finish" is the eighth episode and mid-season finale of the sixth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. The episode was directed by Michael E. Satrazemis and written by Matthew Negrete. It originally aired on AMC on November 29, 2015. In the episode, with the walls down, Alexandria finds itself swarmed by walkers. Meanwhile, Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha come face-to-face with a new threat.

Production

Development

The episode "Start to Finish," the eighth installment and mid-season finale of The Walking Dead's sixth season, was written by Matthew Negrete. Negrete's script contributed to the buildup of the season's central walker herd storyline, drawing on his earlier co-writing of the season premiere "First Time Again," which established the group's plan to divert a massive herd away from Alexandria. Directed by Michael E. Satrazemis in his first outing for season 6, the episode emphasized escalating tension through sequences set in confined environments, such as homes and underground tunnels overrun by walkers. Development of the episode tied closely to the ongoing invasion arc, with production decisions focused on pacing the narrative to amplify suspense leading into the second half of the season, including a post-episode teaser hinting at the introduction of the antagonist . Pre-production efforts highlighted the integration of practical effects for the walker herd sequences, paying homage to classic zombie films like through crowds of on-set extras enhanced minimally with visual effects. This approach built on the season's earlier herd depictions, prioritizing tangible, large-scale walker movements to convey the overwhelming threat to the community. The series itself adapts Robert Kirkman's comic book series, incorporating elements like the settlement while expanding on interpersonal dynamics.

Filming

Principal photography for "Start to Finish" took place in Georgia, , primarily utilizing the sets at Riverwood International Productions' facilities in Senoia. These sets, constructed to replicate the community's fortified environment, allowed for efficient filming of interior and exterior invasion sequences within a controlled studio . A major challenge during production was coordinating the walker herd's breach of the walls, which involved over 100 extras transformed through practical makeup applied by Greg Nicotero's effects team at KNB EFX Group. Nicotero's crew streamlined the process by using spray-tan bases and quick-application prosthetics to outfit the large group, ensuring realistic crowd dynamics while managing the physical demands of extended scenes in humid conditions. This approach emphasized practical effects to heighten the episode's tension, avoiding heavy reliance on CGI for the initial swarm. The episode runs 43 minutes, with cinematography handled by Stephen Campbell, who employed dynamic camera movements and wide-angle lenses to capture the chaotic herd dynamics overwhelming Alexandria. Campbell's lighting choices, blending natural daylight with strategic shadows, underscored the disorientation and peril faced by characters amid the breach. In , editor Dan Liu focused on pacing the shelter scenes to sustain , intercutting between isolated character moments and the encroaching to build escalating dread. Liu's cuts preserved the episode's rhythmic tension, drawing from the script by Matthew Negrete and direction by Michael E. Satrazemis to emphasize the community's unraveling.

Cast

Main Cast

The main cast of the mid-season finale "Start to Finish" features the core ensemble of season 6 regulars, whose performances center on the immediate aftermath of the walker herd breaching Alexandria's defenses, individual survival struggles, and interpersonal tensions within the community.
ActorCharacterEpisode-Specific Role
Andrew LincolnRick GrimesLeads a group of survivors, including his children and others, in barricading at a house and devising an escape plan through the herd using walker camouflage.
Norman ReedusDaryl DixonTravels back toward Alexandria with companions in the post-credits scene, intercepted by a group of armed bikers who demand they halt their vehicle.
Steven YeunGlenn RheeNavigates through the dense walker herd outside the walls with Enid, evading detection while attempting to return to the community and spotting Maggie.
Lauren CohanMaggie GreeneStranded on an elevated platform amid the invasion, contends with physical strain from her pregnancy while fending off approaching walkers.
Chandler RiggsCarl GrimesEscapes a dangerous altercation inside a home with Ron during the chaos and joins the camouflaged escape effort through the herd.
Danai GuriraMichonneStays close to Rick's group for protection, receives guidance from a dying leader, and prepares to assume greater responsibility in Alexandria's defense.
Melissa McBrideCarol PeletierTeams up temporarily with Morgan but clashes violently over handling a captive, leading to both being incapacitated during the attack.
Michael CudlitzAbraham FordAccompanies Daryl on the return journey in the post-credits scene, facing the sudden threat from the biker group blocking their path.
Lennie JamesMorgan JonesAttempts to adhere to his non-lethal philosophy by protecting a prisoner, resulting in a physical confrontation with Carol and the prisoner's escape.
Sonequa Martin-GreenSasha WilliamsTravels with Daryl and Abraham in the post-credits scene, confronting the armed bikers who warn them against proceeding further.
Alanna MastersonTara ChamblerTakes shelter in a garage with allies during the herd's incursion, later aiding in accessing a safer location.
Josh McDermittEugene PorterHides out with a small group in a secure spot, contributing technical skills like lock-picking to facilitate their movement amid the invasion.
Christian SerratosRosita EspinosaShelters in the garage with Tara and Eugene, supporting the group's evasion tactics as walkers overrun the area.
Seth GilliamFather Gabriel StokesAssists in fortifying a home against walkers and expresses reservations about the high-risk escape strategy involving the herd.
Tovah FeldshuhDeanna MonroeIn her final appearance, suffers a walker bite while injured and entrusts leadership insights to Michonne before her demise.

Guest Stars

Alexandra Breckenridge portrayed Jessie Anderson, an Alexandrian resident whose home serves as a critical shelter for Rick, Carl, , and others during the walker invasion, amplifying the episode's tension as the group navigates the breached walls. played Owen, the leader of the Wolves, who, while held captive by Morgan, engages in a volatile standoff with Carol that culminates in his escape alongside Dr. Denise Cloyd, underscoring the persistent human threats amid the chaos. In the post-credits teaser, appeared as , a Savior biker who leads the group confronting , Abraham, and Sasha on the road, declaring their possessions now belong to and heightening anticipation for the antagonists' arrival. portrayed , a young survivor who reluctantly joins Glenn in sneaking back into through the herd, providing emotional support and spotting on the platform. Austin Abrams played Ron Anderson, Jessie's son who harbors resentment toward Rick, leading to a tense confrontation with Carl inside the house that endangers the group by attracting walkers. Major Dodson appeared as Sam Anderson, Ron's younger brother who becomes overwhelmed by fear during the herd invasion while sheltered in Jessie's home, clinging to Carol for reassurance. Merritt Wever portrayed Denise Cloyd, the community's doctor who attempts to reason with the captive (Owen) but is taken hostage by him during his escape from Morgan's house. Numerous uncredited extras filled minor roles as walkers swarming and background residents fleeing the herd, with stunt performers executing the demanding invasion sequences to convey the scale of the breach.

Plot

Synopsis

The episode opens with Sam Anderson waking up in his room in , where he notices crawling over a on his windowsill, symbolically foreshadowing the incoming walker . In , the sounding of distant horns from the previous episode causes a church watchtower to collapse, breaching the community's protective walls and allowing a massive of walkers to flood inside, creating widespread panic among the residents as they scramble for safety. urges everyone to barricade themselves in their homes while he fights off the incoming threats; Deanna Monroe joins him in the fray, saving his life but getting bitten in the process. Meanwhile, climbs to a precarious lookout platform to evade the herd, spotting and who are observing and attempting to reach her from afar; and Morgan Jones seek refuge in a house containing the imprisoned Wolf, Owen, where a confrontation ensues—Carol attempts to kill him, but Morgan intervenes, leading to her being knocked unconscious. Tara Chambler, , and hide in a garage, with Eugene demonstrating unexpected resourcefulness by picking the lock to facilitate their escape. At Jessie Anderson's house, Rick's group—including , , Ron Anderson, , , and the bitten Deanna—takes shelter, but Deanna soon reveals her bite and shares poignant final words with Rick and , affirming that the Alexandrians are now his people and entrusting him with letters for her sons. Tensions escalate when Ron, resentful of Rick, pulls a , sparking a fight with Carl that attracts walkers to the door; Rick intervenes, killing Ron and proposing a plan to themselves by smearing their bodies with walker entrails to slip through the herd undetected. The group begins applying the gore, but young , overwhelmed by fear, cries out, drawing the walkers' attention and endangering the entire plan. Separately, the regains consciousness, overpowers Morgan, and escapes the house while taking Denise Cloyd hostage at , heightening the internal threats amid the external chaos. rallies the group by emphasizing their unity and resolve to survive, as the herd engulfs the streets. In the episode's , , Abraham, and Sasha are ambushed and fully surrounded by the Savior bikers while driving back to , who confiscate their weapons and supplies, declaring that everything belongs to and issuing a warning about the Saviors' dominance, underscoring the impending larger conflict as the mid-season break looms with the survivors trapped in Alexandria.

Comic Book Connections

The episode "Start to Finish" primarily adapts elements of the "No Way Out" storyline from issues #79–84 of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic series, in which the Safe-Zone is overwhelmed by a massive walker herd, forcing residents into desperate survival measures within their own community. In the , the herd is attracted by gunfire during a confrontation between Alexandrians and a group of hostile from , resulting in the walls being breached and inhabitants hiding in homes, sewers, and other structures while attempting to thin the invading walkers. The television adaptation preserves this central tension of internal chaos and communal peril, depicting families barricaded in houses and groups navigating the sewers amid the invasion, emphasizing themes of fear, sacrifice, and makeshift defense. A notable adaptation in the subsequent episode of the arc involves the blinding of ; in the , Alexandria's leader Douglas Monroe fires his gun erratically while being overwhelmed by walkers, striking Carl in the eye and causing permanent damage, underscoring the arc's exploration of failures and unintended consequences in crisis. However, significant deviations alter the narrative dynamics. The herd's approach in the episode is triggered by the collapse of a church tower, sounded by a horn from early Savior scouts, rather than direct combat noise from scavengers. Deanna Monroe, the show's gender-swapped counterpart to Douglas, meets a heroic end by being bitten and choosing , explicitly passing to —a poignant transition absent in the , where assumes control following Douglas's chaotic demise without such a ceremonial handover. The subplot involving a surviving encountered by characters like Glenn and represents a television-exclusive element, as the Wolves are an original antagonist faction created for the series, not present in the source material at this stage. Similarly, Glenn Rhee's ongoing survival through the episode diverges from his comic fate, where he endures the siege but is later executed by in issue #100. The episode foreshadows the comic's "All Out War" arc (issues #100–126) by revealing the Saviors' presence through their marked vehicles and symbols, signaling the escalating threat from Negan's group that follows the recovery in both mediums.

Reception

Critical Response

The midseason finale "Start to Finish" received mixed reviews from critics, who praised certain character performances and emotional moments but largely criticized its slow pacing, lack of narrative progression, and frustrating . On , the episode holds a 35% approval rating based on 26 reviews, with the critics' consensus describing it as a "dull and frustrating" entry that fails to meet the series' potential. IGN's Matt Fowler awarded the episode a 7.3 out of 10, commending the character-focused scenes in and standout moments like the confrontation between Carol and Morgan, but faulting it for building tension only to abruptly end just as the action intensified, leaving viewers with unresolved buildup around the walker herd invasion. Similarly, The A.V. Club's review highlighted the episode's visual and auditory strengths, such as impressive scene framing, but deemed it an "empty, calorie-free hour" that stalled the story without meaningful thrills or development, ultimately shuffling through familiar tropes without payoff. Critics frequently lauded Tovah Feldshuh's performance as Deanna Monroe, noting her poignant portrayal of the character's deterioration and acceptance of her fate as one of the episode's emotional highlights. Overall, the consensus positioned "Start to Finish" as a middling midseason closer with strong acting anchors amid a filler-like structure that prioritized setup over resolution, contributing to broader frustrations with Season 6's pacing.

Viewership

The U.S. premiere of "Start to Finish" on AMC on November 29, 2015, drew 14 million viewers in live-plus-same-day Nielsen measurements, marking an increase of approximately 6% from the previous episode's viewership. The episode achieved a 7.0 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic, sustaining the series' robust performance during its mid-season run. Internationally, airings varied by region, with the episode maintaining strong audience interest; for example, episodes from season 6 on averaged around 650,000 to 800,000 viewers, reflecting high engagement similar to the U.S. broadcast. The was included in the home media release of The Walking Dead: The Complete Sixth Season on Blu-ray and DVD, distributed by on August 23, 2016. Following its initial airing, "Start to Finish" became available for streaming on platforms such as and AMC+, contributing to ongoing accessibility for audiences post-2015. As of 2025, no significant updates to the episode's original broadcast metrics have emerged, underscoring its place in the series' stable legacy viewership amid the franchise's expanded streaming presence.

References

  1. https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Start_to_Finish
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/episodes?season=6
  3. https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/the-walking-dead-season-6-premiere-postmortem-greg-nicotero-1201614902/
  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4589566/fullcredits/
  5. https://deadline.com/2015/11/the-walking-dead-spoilers-season-6-jeffrey-dean-morgan-negan-norman-reedus-1201646695/
  6. https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-walking-dead-10th-anniversary-greg-nicotero-talks-history-and-future/
  7. https://www.georgiaentertainment.com/2017/08/amc-buys-the-walking-dead-studio-for-8-25-million/
  8. https://exploregeorgia.org/things-to-do/list/see-where-the-walking-dead-was-filmed-in-georgia
  9. https://www.vulture.com/2015/10/walking-dead-greg-nicotero-season-six-premiere.html
  10. https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2016/mar/22/monsters-horror-makeup-artist-walking-dead-greg-nicotera
  11. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4589566/
  12. https://theasc.com/articles/walking-dead-and-loving-it-part-i-of-ii
  13. https://shotonwhat.com/the-walking-dead-start-to-finish-2015
  14. https://ew.com/recap/the-walking-dead-season-6-episode-8/
  15. https://variety.com/2015/tv/opinion/walking-dead-deanna-dead-midseason-finale-negan-start-to-finish-1201649808/
  16. https://www.businessinsider.com/walking-dead-teases-negan-2015-11
  17. https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Bud_(TV_Series)
  18. https://collider.com/the-walking-dead-recap-start-to-finish-season-6-episode-8/
  19. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/nov/30/the-walking-dead-season-six-episode-eight-start-to-finish
  20. https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/the-walking-dead-vol-14-no-way-out-tp
  21. https://ew.com/article/2015/09/14/walking-dead-robert-kirkman-season-6-comic/
  22. https://ew.com/article/2015/07/31/walking-dead-negan-season-6-comic-showrunner/
  23. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_walking_dead/s06/e08
  24. https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/30/the-walking-dead-start-to-finish-review
  25. https://www.avclub.com/the-walking-dead-shuffles-through-its-midseason-finale-1798185831
  26. https://screencrush.com/the-walking-dead-start-to-finish-review/
  27. https://www.spoilertv.com/2016/02/the-walking-dead-start-to-finish-review.html
  28. https://uproxx.com/sepinwall/review-a-walking-dead-zombie-invasion-turns-dull-from-start-to-finish/
  29. https://deadline.com/2015/12/the-walking-dead-ratings-midseason-finale-sunday-night-football-into-the-badlands-1201647608/
  30. https://www.cbr.com/the-walking-dead-the-complete-sixth-season-lands-august-home-release-date/
  31. https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/the-walking-dead/season-6
  32. https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/watch-stream-the-walking-dead-shows-spinoffs-in-order-netflix-amc-plus/
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