On this week’s episode of The Walking Dead, “Remember,” the group enters the mysterious community of Alexandria. Since nothing can ever just go right for our favorite band of survivors, only time will tell what nefarious secrets and surprises await them in Alexandria’s closets.

They take a leap of faith and walk through the gates. Daryl shoots an opossum as a gift and Aaron and a new dude officially welcome them to the neighborhood. New guy demands that the group hand over their weapons, an idea Rick is none-too-thrilled about. They’re told that if they want to stay, they must relinquish them, to which Rick responds that they may NOT be staying. Aaron tells new dude to let them meet Deanna first (I imagine their leader), and then Sasha kills an incoming walker, promptly ending the debate.

Deanna is a middle-aged woman who is meeting with Rick. She asks if she can film his “audition” in order to preserve “transparency.” The audition consists of her basically shrinking him. We find out that she was an Ohio Congresswoman (which means that I immediately don’t trust her) and asks what Rick did. He tells her that he doesn’t believe that matters anymore, and she tells him that she knows it does.

Now they’re talking about what has happened during zombie apocalypse, how they came to be with their respective groups that the point of Alexandria was sustainability. A place to call home. Rick’s mind is blown that this group has been there since the start, and Deanna tells him that’s exactly why they  need people that have lived  “out there.”

Rick tells her that it’s not smart to trust anyone from out there, because the only thing any of them are concerned about is surviving, and what they can take from you in order to survive. He tells her he’s lost count of how many people he’s killed and she admits to doing some things she’s not proud of as well. Rick wants her to get to the point, and she tells him that they need his help in order to maintain the sustainability, and protect them.

At this point, I actually kind of like her, despite her political background. She doesn’t give me the immediate creepy vibe every other newbie has. I’m not saying we can trust her quite yet, those are bold words. But it may be worth looking into.

We come back to the group relinquishing their guns. Deanna assures them that they’re still their guns and that they may reclaim them whenever they leave. Aaron takes them to a couple of houses and tells them that they have their pick. The houses are quite lovely, very cozy and homey. And holy crap they have running water. Rick is taking his first real shower in like, a decade. I truly can’t even begin to fathom just how divine that must feel. Oh but now he’s shaving his beard and I’m sad. Clean-shaven Rick is just not something I’m on board with.

Oh and now Alexandra Breckinridge is here! She’s Jesse from the pantry and brings Rick soom food. And he’s looking hot and shirtless and she offers to cut his hair. They’re going to end up in bed together, I’m calling it now.

Now Daryl is meeting with Congresswoman Deanna. She asks if he wants to be there, and he says that Carl and Judith deserve a roof, and that’s pretty much all we get. Mkay. Carol is clearly suspicious of this place and Rick and Daryl mirror that sentiment. Oh, now Carl is going upstairs and the music changes so we know something is about to go down. He hears some thumping, but maybe it’s the girl he saw in the window when they came in? Oh, never mind. Just an empty room with some comic books. Maybe she’s a squatter.

They all decide to stay in the same house, despite the fact that there is another empty house at their disposal. Michonne tells Rick that she’s got a good feeling about this place and he tells her that he hopes she’s right.

Congresswoman Deanna comes to see if they’re settling in and the creepy feeling that didn’t strike me before strikes me now. Not sure why, will explore more later.

Now it’s dark and they’re all sleeping on the floor together when Rick shoots up and goes to the kitchen to grab a knife. Perhaps he just cannot feel safe without a weapon in his hands.

Rick and the group go to explore, but Daryl insists on staying behind. Rick starts reminiscing about Lori and Daryl is clearly not at all interested. Carl and Judith  took off before him and when Rick hits the street, they’re nowhere to be found. Rick runs into Jesse and she leads him to the resident grandparents. Nobody has seen a baby in a long time so people are clamoring to get their hands on Judith.

Carl goes to hang out with Jesse’s kid and some of his friends. Enid, the long girl in the group, is clearly in a snit, and we learn that she’s also from the outside. Carl is not sure about having friends and a life outside of straight up survival, but he is all kinds of excited about playing some video games.

Carl and Rick are chatting and Carl tells Rick that, even though he likes this place and its people, they’re weak, and he doesn’t want them to get weak, too. Rick grunts in agreeance.

It’s a full moon now and the music started getting scary again so of course Rick is going for a walk in the middle of the night. He’s walking down the street when a disembodied voice says, “You’re Rick.” He grunts again and we learn that this guy is Jesse’s husband, and he’s creepy and ominously says, “Welcome to Alexandria.” Many, many bad vibes with this one. Maybe Jesse and Rick won’t be boning after all. I’m getting sexual tension vibes between him and Michonne again, so maybe they’re sticking with that route.

Carol is now meeting with Congresswoman Deanna. She’s saying that she missed Ed (her very abusive, very dead husband( and that she’s some sort of domestic goddess and that she didn’t have anything to offer the group when she came on. So I suppose she’s trying to hustle everyone, or something? She’s going out to work and Daryl tells her he won’t take a shower and keep up appearances and that she looks ridiculous. He’s clearly not sold like everyone is on this whole idea of community.

Rick goes exploring outside of the walls and he does have his gun back. Carl is in his house and sees Enid walking up from the window. She’s keeping a close watch on her surroundings to ensure she’s not being followed, and proceeds to climb the wall out of Alexandria while Carl watches on.

Glenn, Tara and Noah meet a new dude named Aiden outside and it looks like he may be their new commander. They are all given guns and prepare to go on their first run.

Carl has followed Enid into the woods and all I can think of is, “I hope he wasn’t babysitting Judith,” before he decided to aimlessly wander after this girl. But he loses her in the forest and we shoot to Rick coming upon a couple of walkers from some sort of covered bridge. He goes back to the yard where he stowed a gun in a blender only to find that the weapon is gone. Carl finds his way to his dad and they go into stealth mode to take on the dead. It’s a real father/son bonding experience.

Aiden, Glenn, Tara, Noah and the other guy are walking through the woods. Aiden is explaining the policies and procedures of what they’re doing. Aiden tells them that he knows he’s a hardass and a douche bag but that it’s only because they must obey him in all things, and that the last time people went against his orders, they ended up dead. Then he tells them about a walker they strung up because it killed their friends, but when they go to show the rest of the group, it’s gone. So Aiden and dude literally start whistling to try and lure it out. Glenn tells them that’s a bad idea then they all almost die because Aiden is a fucking idiot.

Aiden starts talking all kinds of shit and Glenn tells him it’s in his best interest to back away. Glenn talks shit back and Aiden tries to punch him. Glenn deftly dodges the blow and instead lands one right in Aiden’s face. Deanna shuts everything down, and tells the group, in no uncertain terms, that Rick and his people are a part of this community now and that they all need to just get on board with that. Oh, and Aiden is Deanna’s son, but she still told him to shut the fuck up.

Michonne and Rick accept the offer to be constables and Daryl grunts his displeasure. He is not buying this shit. Deanna thanks Glenn for knocking Aiden on his ass. Seriously, sometimes that’s all it takes: just literally knocking some sense into someone.

Rick and Daryl are having a convo now and Daryl asks if he’s a cop again. Rick tells him he’s trying it on for size. Carol comes out and asks if they’re staying, and Rick says yes and that he thinks they can each sleep in their own, respective houses now. Carol tells him that she’s afraid they’ll let their guard down and become weak here. Rick tells them that it’s not in their blood to be weak anymore, and they’ll make it work.

But he ends it with, “And if they can’t make it, then we’ll just take this place.” And, end scene.

Okay, not a lot of action, but I’m willing to forgive that since they’re introducing new, interesting characters and the dynamic of this community is one that has definitely piqued my interest. Though we know that this place can’t REALLY be utopia. The series is still going so they can’t find utopia yet; that would make for some seriously boring television. I imagine that the series will end with either everyone dead, or them having finally and truly finding utopia.

Stick with me, Deadheads. I’m here all season!

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