The Walking Dead season 8 episode 7 review: Eugene and Dwight are Time For After’s saving grace

The Walking Dead season 8 episode 7 review: Eugene and Dwight are Time For After’s saving grace

Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter was the standout in this episode (Picture: Gene Page/AMC) Warnin..

The Walking Dead season 8 episode 7 review: Time For After is Eugene's moment
Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter was the standout in this episode (Picture: Gene Page/AMC)

Warning: Contains spoilers for The Walking Dead season eight.

The Walking Dead redirected focus onto the Saviors’ base in Time For After, which saw the dynamic between Eugene and Dwight become this season’s diamond in the rough.

And it started with some significant rough. Picking up directly after last week’s climax, Rick’s stripped capture by Jadis weirdly transformed into a trash heap photoshoot. While presumably an elaborate excuse for an obligatory topless Andrew Lincoln shot, plot-wise it was apparently a ploy to ‘sculpt’ Rick after his death via armoured-clad walker.

Rick manages to turn the tide and forcibly convince Jadis to fight for their cause, but everything leading up to this turnaround felt like accelerated nonsense to force these two on the same side. It’s still unclear whether the Scavengers will betray them and switch to Negan again, but aside from Pollyanna McIntosh’s admirable performance, we’re struggling to care about Jadis’ role in events with each ridiculous passing scene.

The Walking Dead season 8 episode 7 review: Time For After is Eugene's moment
How did we get to this? (Picture: Gene Page/AMC)

The crux of the episode thankfully centred around Eugene’s swaying loyalty to Negan. He’s a character in an interestingly tight spot; having helped Sasha poison herself as a ploy to work against Negan, being aware Dwight is a mole within the Saviors, yet also pledging loyalty to the baseball bat wielder as someone who seemingly respects his skills and contributions.

This conflict of interests delivered some of the best moments of the season so far, with Eugene and Dwight’s showdown atop the base possessing personal dramatic heft which goes beyond the mindless All Out War seen elsewhere. Sure, it was over an mp3 player (with incredible battery life) distracting walkers strapped to a glider, but it felt like a distinctly ‘Eugene’ dilemma which nicely doubled as a callback to season seven.

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This tension over distracting the walkers also worked well alongside outside events. After Dwight shoots down Eugene’s DIY flying speaker, Daryl, Tara and Morgan all jumped the gun by barrelling a truck into Negan’s stronghold allowing the walkers a path inside. It was one of the most effective zombie sequences the show’s executed in a while; all smoke and haunting screams as innocent Savior workers became victim to the swarming herd.

Considering Rosita and Michonne both abandoned the plan, it feels like a death to hang over their decision is surely imminent. Unless the show pulls the ultimate shocker with Daryl’s demise, we’re not liking the chances of Tara’s survival in the coming episodes.

The Walking Dead season 8 episode 7 review: Time For After is Eugene's moment
Morgan was a sniper look-out (Picture: Gene Page/AMC)

It isn’t the only possible death either, with Father Gabriel’s situation looking increasingly dire as he suffers from multiple infections after dressing in walker entrails. Gabriel’s bed-bound situation also served as a vehicle for Eugene’s meltdown as outright Team Negan, with the former attempting to console him on religious values in a brief heart-to-heart.

Eugene’s newly affirmed allegiance to Negan looked set for him to grass up Dwight, but his cowardice won out once again. The power politics underneath Negan’s command has arguably become the show’s most interesting facet, which we’re not sure is entirely a compliment in a season which was supposed to be a satisfying All Out War clash.

Ending as Rick looks in horror at the Savior destruction with his Scavenger allies, Time For After was a promising setup for the mid-season finale. While it wasn’t enough to forget the myriad of terrible decisions in season eight, at least we feel comfortable in anticipating a blockbuster finish to this half of the season. We just hope a large part of the focus is on Eugene and Dwight.

The Walking Dead continues on AMC on Sundays, and airs in the UK on Mondays Fox at 9pm.

Questions we have after episode 7

Will Eugene tell Negan about Dwight’s plan?

Is Father Gabriel set to die in the mid-season finale?

Will Jadis betray Rick AGAIN?

MORE: The Walking Dead season 8: Katelyn Nacon teases how Enid’s journey with Aaron will ‘change her perceptions’

MORE: The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead crossover confirmed as Morgan is finally revealed as character

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