The Walking Dead, season 8, episode 3, Monsters recap: action, laughs and twists

Warning: spoilers follow

The promise that The Walking Dead would return to its action-packed best has been only partly fulfilled so far this season. Gunfight has followed gunfight as the Survivors take their war of rebellion literally to evil Negan’s front door. But the battle scenes have been screamingly incoherent, with bonus helpings of unearned portentousness adding to the disappointment (e.g. Ezekiel and Carol staring into that slow motion dust storm last week for no apparent reason). 

So a big, hearty Negan grin for “Monsters” – the first episode of the latest run to hang together dramatically while packing in several bonus twists for good measure. Rick was genuinely speechless as Daryl gunned down the surrendered Saviour. A fight between Morgan and Jesus, for its part, had real edge. Walking Dead was unlikely to kill off one of its major second-tier characters so early into the new series – but for an instant it seemed the show might actually go there. 

It was a neat trick, too, to dispatch season one survivor Morales seconds after he'd delivered his big monologue about how much he hated Rick. Nobody would accuse AMC’s ratings monster of possessing a sense of humour. But this was a bleakly comic moment executed with the perfect straight face. Pulse-raising action AND dark chuckles. Oh how you spoil us, Walking Dead. 

There was confirmation, also, that the overarching theme this year will be the degree to which the Survivors are brutalised by their existential slug-out with the Saviours. The camp has already split, with Rick, Jesus and Maggie holding on (just about) to their humanity. On the other side are Daryl, Morgan and Tara – who have concluded that, in order to beat the Saviours they must become as ruthless as Negan and his crew. Which faction will gain the upper hand – and what fate awaits the losers? It’s a bit early for predictions – though rest assured the outcome will be grisly. 

1. Who saw Morales’s death coming? 

"I know who that was – didn't matter, not one little bit," said Daryl (Norman Reedus), after felling the team’s former travelling companion with a nifty crossbow bolt. This was a happy turn of events for Rick (Andrew Lincoln) whom Morales (Juan Gabriel Pareja) was seemingly about to shoot dead – and for the audience too, as the embittered traitor’s monologuing had outlasted its welcome with bells on. 

2. Did you get misty-eyed as Eric and Aaron said their farewells?

Amid the gunfire and the over-the-top speeches, there was a rare moment of human tenderness as Aaron (Ross Marquand) cradled his mortally wounded boyfriend (Jordan Woods-Robinson). They sobbed and pressed their heads together melodramatically, the way people do on television when they are super sad. Then, at Eric’s urging Aaron returned to the fight – leaving his lover to bleed out under a tree. Yes, that was lump in your throat. Further fuel was thrown on this poignancy bonfire as Aaron returned to apparently see the love of his life transformed into a walker and staggering towards a tree line. One of his team assured him that it wasn’t Eric (we all know it was Eric). 

3. Tara and Morgan really want to kill all the Saviours

With the Saviour prisoners force marching behind, Tara (Alanna Masterson) had fun cocking her gun and taking aim at the captives– but never going go so far as pull the trigger. From sweet and cuddly to damaged and sociopathic, she is following the traditional Walking Dead character arc – and it seems not even Jesus (Tom Payne) and his controversial policy of not killing everyone at first sight is going to put her off course.

Also up for some recreational mass slaughter is Morgan (Lennie James). He was all set to execute the Saviours who had fled the walker raid when he was rudely interrupted by Jesus. "We're the same, we're the same, we're the same," said Morgan, whipped into a state of demonic lunacy by his cravings for revenge. 

Walking Dead: Most Shocking Deaths

4. Daryl and Rick running around blasting bad guys, first-person shooter style was obviously fantastic 

The Gruff 'n Gruffer of post-apocalyptic survival-horror were back to their bromantic best taking out an entire compound of Saviours. Lincoln and Reedus visibly enjoyed the overkill while the sight of the pair locking and loading with extreme prejudice tickled all our Walking Dead pleasures zones. The sequence also cleared the air following the hackneyed action scenes of the previous two weeks. We would happily sit through a season of the Walking Dead consisting entirely of Rick and Daryl firing semi-automatic weapons in confined spaces.

5. They should also make a TV show in which Jesus and Morgan fight the entire time

Having gone mad and tried to execute the Saviour prisoners, for his next trick tree hugger-turned-killing machine Morgan tangled with Jesus. Morgan had an unfair advantage in the form of a huge stick – but Jesus hung on until the rest of the crew arrived to break up the fight. “I’m not right, I'm not right – but I'm not wrong," said Morgan – a statement which appeared to confuse even him. He was last seen disappearing into the woods, presumably to get his head together/find more people to kill. 

6. Gregory is back – and now we feel almost sorry for him

In a world crawling with killers, cowards and lunatics, Gregory (Xander Berkeley) is a special category of snivelling wretch. He wriggled back to the Hilltop pleading ignorance regarding the whereabouts of Father Gabriel (the abandoned priest is currently spending quality time in Negan’s walker-proof trailer). "I was scared… I didn't think you could be win," said Gregory, begging Maggie (Lauren Cohan) to let him in. It was a heartfelt speech – but why didn't he simply squeeze through the gate the Hilltoppers had mystifyingly left semi-ajar?

7. Daryl, how could you? 

A split is opening between the Survivors prepared to sink to the Saviours’s level of cruelty in order to defeat Negan and those who understand the importance of retaining the high moral ground. Rick, for all his tough talk, is a founder-member of Club Peacenik while it is now absolutely clear that Daryl has both feet in Camp Kill ‘Em All. He put a bullet between the eyes of the surrendered Saviour without a thought – earning a look of genuine shock from Rick (Rick is never shocked). Negan will be toppled eventually. By then might the rift among the Survivors be incalculably wide?  

8. Not even the Walking Dead can make 'rolling' zombies scary 

Navigating steep inclines is a tall order if you are a member of the shambling undead. The solution the Walking Dead presented was to have the walkers throw themselves down the hill, much like those villagers in Gloucester who race a giant tumbling cheese wheel every year. If you think giant tumbling cheese wheels are silly – wait until you see a dozen zombies rolling downhill together.

Season 8 of The Walking Dead airs on FOX, the global entertainment channel, at 9pm on Mondays. You can also catch it on NOW TV with a 14 day free trial  of their Entertainment Pass.