"Audition makes it sound like we're some kind of a dance troupe. That's only on Friday nights."
To say Rick and his crew have been through some messed up stuff would be a pretty big understatement. From trying to survive shortly after the outbreak occurred to Woodbury to Terminus, it's understandable this group is going to be pretty harsh, short and all kinds of mistrusting if someone follows them and then says, "hello, I'd like to make you an offer." I mean, you could show up with a bunch of adorable puppies and Rick would probably think the cute animals are trained to kill or something. So, when Aaron promises something that seems too good to be true, it's understandable Rick refuses to believe it and the way it's presented throughout the episode was handled really well. Sure, there are some points where you want to scream at the guy because he's acting like a total jerk ("this is ours now!"), but we at least get where that mentality is coming from. And one of the final sequences with him -- which I won't go into detail about because we keep things spoiler-free here -- had some major payoff. It was great use of a close-up. That's all I'll say about that!
Rick's arc is the highlight here, but Michonne gets a good amount of attention and it's great seeing her do more than occasionally drop some wisdom between slicing and dicing zombies. Obviously, I love watching her put that sword to use, but we're so used to seeing Rick call the shots, so to witness Michonne finally be more forward with her opinions was terrific. She hasn't been a passive character, but seeing someone stand up like this was totally engrossing and I'm glad she was the one to do it. Team Michonne, y'all. They also did a fine job making Aaron come across as sincere as possible, but despite that, you can still understand Rick's concern.
I'm guessing some viewers won't be a fan of this episode's pacing -- it's character-driven for a good amount of time and rightfully so -- but hopefully, they'll at least enjoy the action because there were some seriously awesome sequences. The bird's-eye view of the car craziness and Glenn brutally smashing a walker's head were very, very, cool scenes, but there's one scene that's unforgettable: the flare kill. It seems like the show is frequently trying to top itself when it comes to gore, but this proved you can have a real jaw-dropper that doesn't need to involve a few buckets worth of blood and guts. Whoever came up with that kill deserves a pat on the back, as does the visual team who brought it to life.
Okay, spoiler time. If you haven't read the comics and you don't want potential spoilers for upcoming episodes, skip to the next paragraph, okay? I don't know about you, but I'm feeling very optimistic about Alexandria. Assuming they stay remotely close to the source material, having no real "bad guy" is a risky move that could have some major payoff. Instead of jumping around between different locations, it'll focus purely on the characters we've come to know and they'll be the ones who cause the trouble. Although, with the Wolves teaser we recently saw, I'm guessing they'll play a big part in the story. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
As much as I enjoy the Abraham/Rosita relationship, the focus on it seemed like the weak point here. It wasn't bad, but it didn't' really add anything compelling or all that interesting to the episode, either. It was just kind of there and left me wondering when we'd get more material with Aaron, Rick, or Michonne. Don't worry, I still love you, Abrita.
Some may view "The Distance" as filler ("it took an entire episode just to say "okay" and go to Alexandria!"), but I think the episode did an excellent job focusing on Rick and Michonne while also giving us a better connection to Aaron. Plus, it ends with one hell of a strong teaser for what's to come. Whether you've read the comics or stick to just the show, it's going to leave you wondering what'll happen next. It's a character-driven ride that takes a solid look at just how much this world has impacted who these people are and how far they'll go to obtain a more secure future. And hey, even if some of you think the episode's a bit boring, at least there's some jaw-dropping action thrown in there! The flare is mightier than the pistol.