Masterherald News

Norman Reedus, left, and Andrew Lincoln in “The Walking Dead.” CreditGene Page/AMC

Season 6, Episode 10, ‘The Next World’

That noise you heard Sunday night was the sound of “Walking Dead”nation rejoicing — or the romantically obsessed quadrant, at least. For that was when “Richonne” moved from fan fiction sites and Tumblrs into the actual world of the show, as Rick and Michonne’s friendly joshing about hard days and dental health finally escalated into considerably more. (Cough called it cough… )

Whether you swoon or sneer or couldn’t care less one way or the other,‘shipping is a fundamental aspect of contemporary TV fandom, the classic will-they-or-won’t-they fascination now intensified both by online advocacy and the elevated emotional investment modern TV serials inspire and demand. With the possible exception of Carol and Daryl — which has always seemed pretty platonic, pleasing rhyme scheme aside — Rick and Michonne has been the most desperately desired coupling in the “Walking Dead” universe.

For one thing, as the archetypal hero of “The Walking Dead,” Rick’s romantic prospects have always been central to the show. So far this base has been covered first by his wife Lori, who shacked up with his best friend and was also one of the series’s most loathed characters, and then by Jessie, the courting of whom involved killing her husband (#baggage). For another, not only does Michonne not come with an awkward (and narratively tedious) love triangle, she’s arguably the most purely appealing “Walking Dead” character — a loyal, reliable comrade and warrior with both the coolest signature weapon and a slightly wounded quality, making her all the more relatable. She can slice and dice with the best of them but, unlike nearly everyone else on the show — Rick, specifically — she never loses sight of the big existential picture. She gets both what is required in any situation as well as the emotional toll of her actions.

Her involvement with Rick recasts him as a leader comfortable in a coalition of equals, signaling that his current pivot away from the tyrannical impulses the show rolls out whenever it wants to complicate things might actually stick this time. For Michonne, the relationship with Rick as well as Carl and Judith, last seen rolling over on a baby monitor, to Michonne’s delight, brings the stability and sense of home she’s long craved, perhaps the thing she wants “for my whole life,” as she put it to Spencer.

So even for the cynical among us, it’s a notable union. The fact that the whole thing was topped off with one of the series’s most memorable shots — the two of them naked, weapons drawn on a mysterious visitor — was just frosting. Of course, the fact that the show has raised the emotional stakes for these battle-tested warriors and consolidated leadership of Alexandria within their capable hands probably means that pretty profound challenges lie ahead. (The Negan threat remains a shadow over the season.) Here’s hoping things work out better for Michonne than for Rick’s previous love interests.

The new lovers’ pairing was the culmination of a relatively quiet episode that, set a few weeks after last Sunday’s installment, finally stepped back from the frenetic action of, well, the entire season so far. (Until Sunday, we’d only moved forward a few days from the Great Zombie Drive of theSeason 6 premiere.) It was one of the periodic reset installments, as the characters rebuild or search for supplies as the show prepares for the next big clash by reminding us what everyone is fighting for.

The answer: One another, per usual. But Sunday’s generally leisurely hour was more enjoyable than other ‘values episodes,’ mainly because it largely avoided the show’s tendency toward didactic explication. Sure, there was Michonne and Spencer talking meaningfully about Home and Family when they weren’t putting down Zombie Deanna. (How about that walker act from Tovah Feldshuh? The woman’s range knows no bounds, mortal or otherwise.)

But there was also Enid and Carl sharing authentically prickly adolescent company in the woods. There was the unforced rapport of Rick and Daryl, using chicken-fried pop songs and unconscious interlopers to mess with each other during an ill-fated supply run. (Get it together, guys, or get used to punching new holes in your belts.)

In some ways this was almost a throwback episode, not to previous periods of this series but to an earlier era of television. Not just the will-they-or-won’t-they aspect, but also the easygoing emphasis on just spending time in the company of people we enjoy.

We even met a wacky new neighbor. The other main point of the episode was to introduce Paul “Jesus” Rovia, a key character from the comics named Paul Monroe — it’s unclear if the name has been changed for the series or if he was being cagey. (Google away if you like, though you might stumble across comics spoilers.)

Played by Tom Payne (“Luck”), Jesus arrived in the guise of terrified walker prey but was quickly revealed to be a crafty survivor, as he picked Rick’s pocket, distracted him and Daryl and then made off with their supply-laden truck. Robert Kirkman, the “Walking Dead” creator, has said that as the story goes on, the main group’s adversaries will be increasingly formidable, as they’d need to be in order to last this long in a post-apocalyptic zombiescape. Jesus’s gifts would seem to include prodigious reserves of guile and resourcefulness along with elite hand-to-hand combat skills, though it remains to be seen whether or how he will bring those to bear in aide of the main group.

He spent much of Sunday night unconscious, thanks to a tussle in a field that helped no one — parking brakes, people — and the rest of it acting like the world’s worst roommate. He stole their food, borrowed their truck without asking, tagged along when he wasn’t wanted and finally, in barging in on Rick and Michonne, displayed zero respect for the concept of personal space.

“Rick, wake up. We should talk.”

No, man. You should knock…

A Few Thoughts While We Try to Get Over the Hat Thing

• Cliffs Notes Recap: People need people, and don’t sleep on sorghum.

• Sorry, armchair architects. It looks like they’re going with the wall supports on the outside again.

• So that dangling walker by the gate: A mascot? Community greeter? Ghoulish lawn ornament? A scarecrow for Eugene’s future sorghum patch? We just gonna leave that guy out there?

• Carl played it off in the moment but he was clearly stung by Enid’s plan to end their special kid times together in the woods. “You don’t want to be out here, you said it,” he sniped later, during his clumsy hissy fit over undead Deanna. It’s not you, Rooster, it’s the hat.

• Episode playlist: “More Than a Feeling” by Boston; “Action Packed” by Ronnie Lee Dawson; “If My Heart Was a Car” by the Old 97’s. Not sure if there’s any symbolism to be found therein but there you go.

• So will domestic bliss dull Rick or Michonne’s edge? What does Jesus so desperately need to get off his chest? Any predictions what Judith’s first word will be? What’s your favorite underrated grain? Please weigh in on this or anything else in the comments.

After an absolute stunner of a mid-season opener last week, there were few things The Walking Dead could do to up the ante on fans’ excitement – but gird your loins, y’all, because they did it.

And by “they,” we mean one of the series’ most avidly shipped couples. (And by “did it,” we mean … well, you know what we mean.)

The Sunday, February 21, episode painted a pretty picture of an Alexandria at rest, as Rick (Andrew Lincoln) worked to create the new world he promised to Carl (Chandler Riggs) last week. But don’t get too comfortable: The new world still contains all the same old threats, plus some mysterious wild cards. Here’s what went down on this week’s episode.

A Walk in the Woods

Despite having battled roughly one million zombies in the streets of Alexandria just a couple weeks ago, not all the community’s residents were content to stay inside the walls. Carl and Enid (Katelyn Nacon) were still goofing off in the woods just like old times (minus the part where Carl is now officially missing an eye, though it doesn’t seem to be slowing him down any.) And Spencer (Austin Nichols), the last surviving member of the Monroe family, was spotted and joined by Michonne (Danai Gurira) as he made his way into the forest with a shovel, for secret reasons.

All became clear when Carl and Enid encountered a zombie who neither one of them wanted to kill – because it wasn’t just a zombie, of course, but someone they knew. Cue one more cameo for Tovah Feldshuh, as the freshly undead Deanna, who had been wandering the woods since the walls fell. Spencer gave his zombie mom the clean death she deserved, while Michonne reminded him that he still had a family and a home in Alexandria. And she’s not wrong! That is, as long as Spencer doesn’t mind redefining the word “family” to mean “people you’re not actually related to and only met a month ago.”

The Second Coming of Jesus

Meanwhile, Rick and Daryl (Norman Reedus) set out on a supply run, hoping to find food. Instead, they found Jesus. Literally. They met a man, and Jesus was his name. Unfortunately, the Jesus of Zombie America (Tom Payne) wasn’t so keen on the whole “Thou shalt not steal” thing, making off with Rick and Daryl’s supply truck and leading them on a merry slapstick chase through the countryside. But when the chase ended, with Jesus unconscious in a hayfield (and the supply truck at the bottom of a lake), Rick and Daryl took a chance and brought the sleeping stranger back with them to Alexandria.

The First Coming of Richonne

Let’s just get right to it: Rick and Michonne made out. At last! The tension between these two had been simmering somewhere between “professional respect” and “red-hot sex love” for ages, but it finally reached boiling point when an end-of-day chat on the couch took a sharp turn into intimacy, and another sharp turn into smooching. Lots and lots of smooching. And then, y’know, other stuff.

The Third Coming of Jesus

The final scene this week lasted less than a minute, but it was a doozy. In it, Rick and Michonne were rudely forced to leave room for Jesus in the bedroom — again, literally. The no-longer-unconscious-and-trussed man barged in on them right in the middle of an intimate moment (cue a rare The Walking Dead dual butt shot), catching them both at their most vulnerable.

“Rick,” said Jesus. “We should talk.”

We’ll have to wait until next week to find out about what. But just a guess: He’s not there to sell Bibles.

The Walking Dead airs on AMC on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST.

It’s the match up The Walking Dead fans have longed for since season two.

Rick and Michonne finally got it on in Sunday Night’s episode of The Walking Dead.

The Next World appeared to be set some months after last week’s episode, with Judith aged, Alexandria repaired and Carl – who got shot in the face in the mid season premiere – back on his feet, albeit with one eye.

+35

Let’s get it onne! Rick and Michonne finally got it on in Sunday Night’s episode of The Walking Dead

With things back to some semblance of normal, Rick and Daryl head out on a supply run, discussing how they haven’t seen another person in weeks.

After arguing about Rick’s selection of country music in the car, the duo find a supply-stuffed truck hiding in a barn.

After driving to a gas station, they use the truck and a tow chain to flip over a toppled vending machine, when a man suddenly barges into Rick.

+35

Flash forward: With things back to some semblance of normal, Rick and Daryl head out on a supply run, discussing how they haven’t seen another person in weeks

+35

Jackpot: After arguing about Rick’s selection of country music in the car, the duo find a supply-stuffed truck hiding in a barn

+35

More stuff: After driving to a gas station, they use the truck and a tow chain to flip over a toppled vending machine, when a man suddenly barges into Rick

They draw their weapons on him, but he assures them he is just running from the dead.

 ‘Double digits,’ he pants, ‘Best not to take any chances.’

He introduces himself as Jesus – a name he clearly got from his beard and long hair – an then continues running on before Rick can even ask him his famous questions.

A sudden noise behind the station draws Rick and Daryl, but when they only find lit firecrackers it suddenly dawns on Daryl what just happened.

+35

New guy: They draw their weapons on him, but he assures them he is just running from the dead.

+35

‘Double digits,’ he pants, ‘Best not to take any chances.’

+35

Suspicious: Daryle clearly doesn’t trust him

‘Your keys are gone,’ he growls at Rick, running back to see Jesus driving off in their new found truck, vending machine still dragging behind.

After sprinting after it, they finally find the detached vending machine, and Daryl smashes it open to retrieve the few items left, including a cans of soda specifically requested by Denise for Tara.

‘She saved Carl’s life; we didn’t know her and she turned out to be alright,’ Rick points out, explaining his reluctance to judge Jesus originally.

+35

He introduces himself as Jesus – a name he clearly got from his beard and long hair – an then continues running on before Rick can even ask him his famous questions

+35

Duped: After distracting them with firecrackers, they  run back to see Jesus driving off in their new found truck, vending machine still dragging behind.

They continue to track the truck, and spot the thief up ahead, changing a tyre.

They sneak up on him but once again he gets the better of them, displaying lightning quick reflexes and martial arts skills to take out both men before attempting to flee.

But Rick manages to tackle him to the ground before the duo pull their weapons on him once again.

‘Do you even have ammo? he scoffs. Without a word they both aim at an approaching walker and blow its head off before turning their guns back on him.

+35

Gotcha: They continue to track the truck, and spot the thief up ahead, changing a tyre, before attempting to apprehend him

+35

Quick: They sneak up on him but once again he gets the better of them, displaying lightning quick reflexes and martial arts skills to take out both men before attempting to flee

+35

Fool me once: But Rick manages to tackle him to the ground before the duo pull their weapons on him

‘You gonna shoot me over a truck? he asks. ‘I think you can tell I’m not a bad guy.’

Nevertheless, they decide to tie him up, leaving him on the road as Daryl flips him the bird in the mirror, leaving him with a ‘so long, you pr*ck!’

But again, the mysterious new character shows how resourceful he is when after the truck enters a field, and Daryl hears a banging on the roof.

Rick slams on the brakes, and off rolls Jesus before fleeing towards the woods.

+35

That answers that: ‘Do you even have ammo? he scoffs. Without a word they both aim at an approaching walker and blow its head off before turning their guns back on him

+35

Good guy? ‘You gonna shoot me over a truck? he asks. ‘I think you can tell I’m not a bad guy.’

+35

Solution: Nevertheless, they decide to tie him up, leaving him on the road

+35

So long: Daryl flips him the bird in the mirror, leaving him a ‘so long, you pr*ck!’

The two men give chase as Jesus manages to give them the runaround and jump back into the cab.

Daryl catches up with him but Jesus pulls his gun from him and points in directly in his face.

‘Duck!’ he yells, and shoots the walker that had snuck up behind Daryl.

‘Thanks,’ Daryl replies before punching him in the face. ‘That’s my gun.’

As they continue to struggle, they fall out of the cab and accidentally knock the handbrake off, sending the supply filled-truck rolling into the bottom of a lake, and exposing Rick’s terrible parking job.

+35

He’s back: But again, the mysterious new character shows how resourceful he is when after the truck enters a field, Daryl hears a banging on the roof. Rick Brakes and Jesus tumbles off

+35

You’re it: The two men give chase as Jesus manages to give them the runaround and jump back into the cab

+35

Uh-oh: Daryl catches up with him but Jesus pulls his gun from him and points in directly in his face

+35

Duck! He shoots the walker that had snuck up behind Daryl

Standing over the unconscious Jesus – who had been struck in the head by the freewheeling truck’s door, Daryl argues tying him up in a tree, but Rick insists they take him back to Alexandria in the car.

Elsewhere in the episode, Michonne spots Spencer sneaking into the woods with a shovel, follows him to ask what he’s doing, and tell him to come home.

‘That’s not my home… it’s just where i live,’ he replies.

+35

But no thanks: ‘Thanks,’ Daryl replies before punching him in the face. ‘That’s my gun.’

+35

Red zone: As they continue to struggle, they fall out of the cab and accidentally knock the handbrake off, sending the supply filled-truck rolling into the bottom of a lake, and exposing Rick’s terrible parking job

After spotting Carl leading a walker through the woods, Michonne discovers the reason Spencer is out there as she identifies the zombie: his mother Deeana.

Holding her still between them, Spencer softly pushes his knife into the back of her head, and they bury her.

‘I’ve been out here chasing you all over the woods… you still have a family. And you still have a home,’ Michonne reassures him.

+35

Meanwhile: Elsewhere in the episode, Michonne spots Spencer sneaking into the woods with a shovel, follows him to ask what he’s doing, and tell him to come home

+35

Mommy dearest: Michonne discovers the reason Spencer is out there as she identifies the zombie: his mother Deeana

+35

Goodbye: Holding her still between them, Spencer softly pushes his knife into the back of her head, and they bury her

+35

New family: ‘I’ve been out here chasing you all over the woods… you still have a family. And you still have a home,’ Michonne reassures him

The final scenes of the episode sees Rick back at Alexandria late at night, and imprisoning the unconscious Jesus in a bare room in one of the houses.

He returns home exhausted, only to be joined on the couch by Michonne.

After revealing he almost had a crate of the toothpaste she requested before his run, he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a pack of mints, and they both giggle as he presses it into her hands.

+35

Let’s try that again: The final scenes of the episode sees Rick back at Alexandria late at night, and imprisoning the unconscious Jesus in a bare room in one of the houses

+35

Cosy: He returns home exhausted, only to be joined on the couch by Michonne

+35

The freshmaker: After revealing he almost had a crate of the toothpaste she requested before his run, he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a pack of mints, and they both giggle as he presses it into her hands

+35

Swit-swoo! But when he doesn’t remove his hand, her fingers claps around his, and one thing leads to another

But when he doesn’t remove his hand, her fingers clap around his, and one thing leads to another.

The last scene sees them both naked and asleep in bed, before a noise in the room wakes them, with Rick grabbing his gun and Michonne her sword.

They find Jesus standing unarmed at the end of their bed, who tells Rick ‘We need to talk’.

+35

Richonne: It’s the match up The Walking Dead fans have longed for since season two

+35

Nekked: The last scene sees them both naked and asleep in bed, before a noise in the room wakes them, with Rick grabbing his gun and Michonne her sword

+35

Creeper: They find Jesus standing unarmed at the end of their bed, who tells Rick ‘We need to talk’

Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne, told Variety that she had an idea the two would eventually hook up.

‘I had a pretty good inkling something was coming soon between the characters, but when I read it I was still kind of surprised,’ she said. ‘There was something surprising seeing those names on the page doing that. Seeing it in writing was like, “Whoaaaa!” I was kind of thrown.’

And she wasn’t the only one – she revealed that she couldn’t not get through any panel, interview or even meeting with her friends without somebody asking when Rick and Michonne would get together.

• SHARE PICTURE


• 
  
• 
  
• 
  


• 
  









+35

Called it! Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne, told Variety that she had an idea the two would eventually hook up

She rejected the suggestion some fans would oppose it, insisting it is an organic storyline for the two characters, and the Rick’s son in the scene before essentially confirmed her as a mother figure.

‘They’re living in the same house for God’s sake. They have so much in common and they’re so connected that it just makes sense they find each other this way. And it would be strange if Michonne never explored this part of herself. She is a full woman,’ she said.

‘It is something I wanted Michonne to explore for herself. She’s a vibrant, living woman, why not explore that part of her humanity? She’s been through it all.’

She described shooting the post-sex scene as ‘interesting’.

A closed set on The Walking Dead means about ten men in the room, but we’re very much family,’ she added. ‘It was ultimately fun.’

• SHARE PICTURE


• 
  
• 
  
• 
  


• 
  









+35

Bound to happen: The 38-year-old said it ‘would be strange if Michonne never explored this part of herself. She is a full woman’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3457837/Two-Walking-Dead-favourites-hook-Daryl-Rick-meet-match-Jesus.html#ixzz40sP7RnKT

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

SPOILER ALERT! Let"s get it onne! Two Walking Dead favourites hook up... while Daryl and Rick meet their match in Jesus

A man was shot multiple times around 2:45pm this afternoon in the driveway of the McDonald’s at Fillmore and Golden Gate Ave.

According to SFGate, the victim may have been sitting in the passenger seat of a white Dodge sedan when the shooting occurred:

The attacker fired multiple shots and then immediately fled the scene, according to SFGate, though it is unclear if the getaway was by car or on foot.

A witness at the scene said that the victim may have not immediately realized that he had been shot, as the car began to pull out of the McDonald’s driveway. However, once it became clear that he was wounded, the car stopped. The witness then ran up to the victim to offer help.

We don’t have any additional details about the victim or suspect(s), nor the victim’s condition, at this time. Fillmore Street is currently closed to traffic between Golden Gate and McAllister.

We’ll update this story with additional information as we receive it.

Update 4:35pm: According to SFPD Officer Carlos Manfredi, police were alerted to the shooting after the ShotSpotter system detected gunfire in the area just after 3pm. When officers arrived, they found the victim, a male in his 20s, lying face-down. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital.

Though Manfredi says the victim’s condition is listed as critical, Supervisor London Breed has just informed us that the victim has passed away. We are awaiting confirmation, and will update this story with more details as we get them.

Update 5pm: Officer Manfredi confirms that the victim has died, and the case is now being treated as a homicide.

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift is giving some financial assistance to fellow pop star Kesha as she battles to get out of a contract with Dr. Luke, whom she has accused of sexually assaulting her.

A representative for Swift confirmed on Sunday night that Swift had donated $250,000 to Kesha in what she called a “show of support” to help her in her legal battle with Dr. Luke, the megahit producer. On Friday, Kesha sobbed in court as a judge denied her bid to get out of her contract with Dr. Luke, who has worked with artists ranging from Britney Spears to Katy Perry to Nicki Minaj. Dr. Luke has denied Kesha’s allegations, accusing the “Tik Tok” singer of fabricating the charges to get out of the contract.

While the court decision is not the final judgment in the case, the decision has led to an outpouring of support for Kesha on social media from other celebrities, including Kelly Clarkson, who once worked with Dr. Luke.

+1

Pop star Kesha leaves Supreme court in New York, Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. Kesha is fighting to wrest her career away from a hitmaker she says drugged, sexually abused and psychologically tormented her _ and still has exclusive rights to make records with her. Producer Dr. Luke says the singer is slinging falsehoods and ruining his reputation to try to weasel out of her recording contract and strike a new deal. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

A rep for Kesha did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Swift’s donation.

___

The headline of this story has been corrected to say that Taylor Swift has donated $250,000 to pop star Kesha, not $259,000

Taylor Swift is giving some financial assistance to fellow pop star Kesha as she battles to get out of a contract with Dr Luke, whom she has accused of sexually assaulting her.

A representative for Swift confirmed on Sunday night that Swift had donated $250,000 (Dh918,237) to Kesha in what she called a “show of support” to help her in her legal battle with Dr Luke, the megahit producer. On Friday, Kesha sobbed in court as a judge denied her bid to get out of her contract with Dr Luke, who has worked with artists ranging from Britney Spears to Katy Perry to Nicki Minaj.

Dr Luke has denied Kesha’s allegations, accusing the Tik Tok singer of fabricating the charges to get out of the contract.

While the court decision is not the final judgement in the case, the decision has led to an outpouring of support for Kesha on social media from other celebrities, including Kelly Clarkson, who once worked with Dr Luke.

A rep for Kesha did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Swift’s donation.