The Walking Dead
Episode 6.8 “Start to Finish”
Directed by Michael E. Satrazemis
Written by Matthew Negrete
Starring Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohen, Steven Yeun, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs, Michael Cudlitz, Lennie James
AMC
Air date: Sunday, November 29, 2015, 9pm

Warning – SPOILERS for The Walking Dead Season 6″¦

Seriously”¦”¦”¦ SPOILERS”¦”¦

Episode 6.8, “Start To Finish,” is the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead, which means we’ll have to wait till February to find out what happened to the residents of the Alexandria Safe Zone after the latest Walker attack. Because AMC loves to torture us.

The Alexandria Safe Zone was supposed to be a piece of paradise inside the hell on earth that exists in the post-apocalyptic Walking Dead universe. But, as Tara and Rosita say in this episode, a place like this comes with a price. Many have died already, and now, it seems that their existence at the Safe Zone might, in fact, be “over.”

Rick and his group have gone from place to place trying to find a real home to settle in: First, it was their crude encampment with the RV. Then there was Hershel’s idyllic farm, but it wasn’t a stronghold. The Governor infiltrated the confines of the Prison, and the too-good-to-be-true Terminus turned out to be a cannibal holocaust. The Alexandria Safe Zone was supposed to be their final destination, a true safe haven that was protected against the walkers, as well as a throwback to life before the dead began rising. But, that throwback proved to be a little too much comfort. Without a common enemy to fight (i.e., the Walkers), the Alexandrians got caught up in too much drama. It seems as though the residents let their human squabbles blind them to the point where they forgot that the end of the world had come, and the time for such trivialities was long passed.

The Walking Dead
Episode 6.2 “JSS”
Directed by Jennifer Lynch
Written by Seth Hoffman
Starring Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohen, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Chandler Riggs, Michael Cudlitz, Lennie James
AMC
Air date: Sunday, October 18, 2015, 9pm

Warning – SPOILERS for The Walking Dead Episode 6.2 “JSS.”

Last week’s Season 6 premiere of The Walking Dead, Episode 6.1 “Last Time Again” filled in the gaps of what happened right after the events of the Season 5 finale, and what’s happening now with Rick Grimes and the residents Alexandria Safe Zone. While outside the community walls, Rick and Morgan discovered how it is that the Safe Zone has yet to invaded by Walkers — the undead in the surrounding area have become trapped at the bottom of nearby granite quarry.

While anyone else would be thrilled to know that the Walkers are contained, Rick isn’t, because he’s practical. He knows that it’s only a matter of time before the quarry barricade is breached, and the Walkers come knocking at the walls of the Safe Zone. It took some convincing, but eventually everyone came on board with Rick’s new plan to be proactive and corral the Walkers to an area 20 miles away. The plan was, Miraculously, working… until it wasn’t anymore when a blaring horn began sounding, leading the Walkers away and back towards the Safe Zone.

The Walking Dead
Episode 6.1 “First Time Again”
Directed by Greg Nicotero
Written by Scott M. Gimple & Matthew Negrete
Starring Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohen, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Chandler Riggs, Michael Cudlitz, Lennie James
AMC
Air date: Sunday, October 11, 2015, 9pm

Warning – SPOILERS for The Walking Dead Episode 6.1 “First Time Again.”

The end of Season 5 of The Walking Dead taught us that even after all the horrors people have faced in this post-apocalyptic world, that not only is redemption possible, but so is the ability to trust. In the premiere of Season 6, these themes are continued. Plus, it’s confirmed that, more than ever, Rick Grimes is always right.

The second part of Season 5 was centered on Rick and his conflict with the residents of the Alexandria Safe Zone. The residents had been hold up in the community since the beginning of the zombie outbreak, so they have no experience actually combatting the Walkers, and they find Rick’s survival tactics to be overly aggressive. Meanwhile, Rick thinks the Zonies are too complacent, and that is what will eventually get them all killed.

The 90-minute Season 6 premiere, “First Time Again,” is broken up between black and white flashbacks to the events starting from the minutes right after the Season 5 finale, and present-day Safe Zone, where, thankfully, everyone is finally on the same page.