This is no better example of the gap between what The Walking Dead could be and what it actually is than “Knots Untie.” In it, we are introduced to Jesus’ settlement of peaceful survivors, The Hilltop at Barrington House. Outside of early Woodbury Hilltop is the first settlement that isn’t hell bent on destruction and pillaging. Now Rick and co. can finally get down to the business of living a more normal life with a trade partner and a settlement of generally decent human beings. But then The Walking Dead happens and the audience is quickly reminded that the show isn’t really interested in any of that normal, living stuff.
To say finding Hilltop isn’t an exciting development, especially since Rick and co. have their own established settlement, would be a lie. The only time Rick and co. have ever found a thriving settlement of seemingly peaceful individuals while not looking for a new place to settle was Woodbury – and I think we all remember how that turned out. But now that Alexandria has expanded and is currently making itself into a viable place to settle down, the introduction of Hilltop offers up a completely new set of possibilities. Now there is someone to trade with, someone to learn from, someone to ally with. (They’ve even got an obstetrician with an ultrasound to help with Maggie’s baby!) Couple that with the fact that Jesus resides on Hilltop and TWD are doing things like time jumps and comedy, the immediate future for the show and the possibility for changes in the types of stories being told are now wide open.
So even when Gregory – the misogynist leader of Hilltop who seemingly wants to make Rick and co. indentured servants (at best) in exchange for some supplies for Alexandria – is introduced, his lack of decency can be quickly forgiven because of the new possibilities. At least he didn’t try to kidnap Rick and co., eat them, or blow them up within the first fives minutes of meeting them. Jesus being the mediator between the two negotiating parties only serves as a big reminder of these possibilities. But even though Gregory can be forgiven, his actions pushed “Knots Untie” precariously close to the precipice of all too familiar territory. Sure, Jesus and the baby doctor are vouching for Rick and co., but if we’ve learned anything over the years it’s that the settlement leader can do almost anything he wants and his people will still follow him as long as the settlement remains safe. As we teeter on cliff’s edge all that’s needed is a light push and we’ll be falling back into the violent abyss that is TWD. And that push comes all too quickly.
Thank goodness Rick and co. are at Hilltop in the small window of time that some Hilltoppers return back from a botched trade. What would Hilltop have done as these three returners want to stab and decapitate Gregory in order to get back one hostage from Negan’s boys? But no worries, Rick and his cadre of veteran killers are there to save the day and have a nice stand off with the Hilltoppers. And we are completely back into TWD territory. Everything teased in the past episode and a half – Alexandria living a “normal” life, Rick and Michonne settling down, diplomatic negotiations between two “peaceful” settlements – all are forgotten as Rick’s face becomes drenched with a Hilltoppers' blood.
This instance in itself isn’t disappointing. It’s just derivative. Given this whole new world of possibilities, TWD decides to eschew them all and go back to what it does best – wanton killing. At this point of “Knots Untie,” the rest is just a formality. Rick and co. have just shown Gregory how adept they’ve become at killing and, hey look, Negan’s boys are extorting Hilltop. Gregory wanted them to trade work for supplies and now they have some common ground. Sure, it all makes logical sense within the context of the story being told, it’s just the decision to tell this same story with minor tweaks that is disappointing. The narrative for the remainder of the season (would you be surprised if this storyline went all the way to next season’s midseason finale?) is set, and in the process TWD has given up creativity for ho-hum narrative drive. It is a disappointing development, but to say it’s unexpected would be just as big a lie as the not being excited for the introduction of Hilltop.
The one saving grace of “Knots Untie” is the natural mirroring of the main plot – TWD deciding to go back to familiar, violent ground – and Abraham’s subplot in which he must decide what the “new world” holds for him. After his adventures with Sasha, it seems Abraham has developed some pretty strong feelings for her. Those feelings were short-lived, however, as Sasha distances herself from him by taking on a new watchpost shift for either her or Eugene’s benefit since Eugene will be Abraham’s new partner.
This causes Abraham to question which path to take in this new world. Can he see himself trying to settle down, trying to create a semblance of quality of life for himself and, possibly, his love(s)? (Abraham quickly returns to Rosita once the apparent spurn from Sasha). Or is the world too screwed up to attempt anything more than joy from combat? Abraham’s possibilities are completely open at the beginning of the episode but his decision is made for him after the fight with the Hilltoppers – he will continue on as he always has, leaving the necklace Rosita made for him behind. Often TWD does not do a good job at masking its plot and subplot mirroring, which results in a very unnatural and heavy handed attempt, but “Knots Untie” did it very well and should be congratulated for it.
Unfortunately, TWD and Abraham decided to take the familiar road instead of even offering an attempt at something novel for the show. I am more than aware the show is based on a comic book and at the heart of every comic book is conflict between the same heroes and the same villains, but that does not excuse TWD for not even offering an attempt to go down a different path even if it was for just a few episodes. TWD knows exactly what it is; at this point, that is more of a weakness than a strength.