The Walking Dead New Episode Review: 'Crossed' Sets Up Midseason Finale Showdown

The Walking Dead approached the end of the first half of Season 5 with "Crossed," a new episode on Sunday that set the table for what should be an epic midseason finale showdown between Rick's team and the group at the hospital where Beth and Carol are captives.

The first six episodes of Season 5 have bounced back and forth between action-heavy episodes and more character-focused installments. "Crossed" was a hybrid of the two, as the show took the time to check in with its various characters but also delivered plenty of action to keep fans excited. This show works best when it figures out how to balance the two. We can't have a nonstop marathon of blood and guts and "OH SH*T" moments, but we also can't sit around for hours at a time listening to Carol or Rick or anyone else ponder the meaning of life in the post-apocalyptic world for episodes in a row.

So "Crossed" worked very well in this regard, as we now have a much better understanding of the mental and emotional states of Sasha, Abraham and Father Gabriel, just to name a few. Sasha is upset with herself because she couldn't bring herself to put Bob out of his misery and had to have Tyreese do it. Abraham was basically in a trance until Eugene woke up from the savage beating the military man laid on him a few episodes ago. And Father Gabriel appears terrified of Rick's group after the cannibal slaughter to the point where he, with no training and no self-defense skills of any kind, decided to take his chances on the road.

But if you wanted action, then you got some. Daryl's fight with the police officer from the hospital was tense, if only because of his proximity to the biting corpses who were stuck in the road. And just when you think this show has run out of ways to make you gasp or recoil in disgust, Daryl sticks his fingers into the eyes of a zombie, rips its head off and uses it to smash his attacker in the head.

It had been a while since we'd seen Rick Grimes, but he was back in this episode and ready to lead the assault on the hospital. Thanks to Noah's intel, Rick formulated a plan to get in and out quickly to rescue their people. And Rick's plan involved dropping a lot of bodies. Tyreese, ever the pacifist, came up with the more peaceful plan of a prisoner exchange.

Rick has been a ruthless character for much of this season, and that aggressive streak has not stopped since he killed Gareth and his people. As he correctly pointed out to Tyreese, the big man's plan might work, but Rick's plan will definitely work. And in this world (and in Rick's mind), "definitely" beats "might" every time no matter the cost.

The midseason finale will show the clash between the hospital group and Rick's group, and one can only imagine the numerous ways this plan could go wrong now that the cop Sasha was guarding turned on her, smashed her head into a window and ran away. Rick's plan was all about stealth. If Dawn finds out they're coming, then this rescue mission just got a whole lot messier.

Notes:

- Tara continues to provide the light-hearted moments on The Walking Dead, and I'm all for the name "Team GREATM" just because I can't come up with a better one. But she also maintained her optimism in the face of Eugene's lie. She's ready to just keep surviving and move onto the next phase rather than dwell on the crushing disappointment that just hit the group. Plus, she points out that Eugene used the one tool in his arsenal to survive, just as they have all done. So how can they be mad at him?

- I want an entire training montage of Carl showing Father Gabriel how to fight.

- Speaking of Father Gabriel, the man needs some serious help. The people in this world who have yet to come to grips with it are the ones who don't survive, yet Gabriel has clung to his old ways and managed to live. How much will he have to change to keep going?

What did you think of "Crossed"? Let us know in the comments section.