The Walking Dead – No Sanctuary (Season 5 Premiere Review)

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October 17, 2014

After six long months of anticipation, AMC’s The Walking Dead premiered season five on Sunday, October 12th, after having sent viewers on a roller coaster ride of emotions through season four with losing key characters, and the destruction of the prison. Like the ravenous zombies themselves, fans were left starving for more The Walking Dead. The season four finale left many hanging with the questions: what exactly is Terminus? What is going to happen to the beloved group? Will everyone eventually reunite or are they doomed to walk the Georgian wasteland alone? All came together during the premiere episode, No Sanctuary.

: Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Bob Stookey, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee and Andrew J. West as Gareth – The Walking Dead _ Season 5, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Picking up right where season four left off, the audience finds Rick and some of his people reunited but trapped in the train car. We also get flashbacks of where these people of Terminus came from, forcing them to become cannibalistic monsters. It seems as though the place actually was a Sanctuary at one point, and the residents let in the wrong group. Back to present time, a few favorite characters, as well as Fruit Hippie Sam from last season (Robin Lord Taylor, currently playing Penguin on Fox’s Gotham), are brought into a room to be slaughtered like cattle. As unsettling as it was inhumane, this scene was later mentioned on The Talking Dead as so intense that the actors’ real reactions to the massacre were kept in the final cut. Just when one of the main characters is about to expire, a loud explosion shakes the building, bringing viewers to another fan-favorite. Continuing her rough and tough streak, Carol (along with Tyreese and baby Judith) approach closer to Terminus and immediately sense something is wrong. Finding one of what are currently labeled “termites,” they quickly take him hostage. Leaving him tied up in a shed with Tyreese and the baby, Carol takes it upon herself to be the fulcrum of her friends escape.

: Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier – The Walking Dead _ Season 5, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Using old and smart tactics, she makes her way through the vicinity and fans applauded the entire way as she does what she does best, kicking ass and taking names, all the while barely breaking a sweat and covered in zombie guts. Meanwhile, back in the slaughter room, Rick, Daryl, Bob and Glenn manage to escape, taking out a few more of the Terminus army, as well as the undead. After freeing the rest in the trailer, they hack, slice, and beat their way through the flood of walkers, where they recoup with Carol in the woods, learning soon after more family members are very much alive as well. Fans all over the globe squealed when Carol and Daryl finally found each other again, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Rick finally laid eyes on his beautiful baby daughter once more.

: Danai Gurira as Michonne, Michael Cudlitz as Abraham, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes and Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 5, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Writer Scott M. Gimple, Director Greg Nicotero and their crew have certainly raised the bar, continuing to disturb and excite the audience, bringing them this triumphant season premiere. The full delivery was there, with gore, brutality, revenge, action and reunions. After being separated for an entire season, it was a great sight to see everyone’s reactions towards one another, as they join back up and embark on a new adventure. Only one episode in, the fans are left strangely satisfied, and yet eager to see what else is in store for these individuals. The previews including a sneak peek of a returning character. Did you catch it? CrypticRock gives No Sanctuary” 5 out of 5 stars.