The Walking Dead: Every Season 8 Episode Ranked Worst To Best

The mid-season finale that ends with the shock reveal that Carl has been bitten, How It's Gotta Be has gone down as one of the show's most controversial and hated episodes because of its last-minute twist, which is a big shame because everything before that is actually very strong.

With staggering set pieces and explosive action, it follows Negan as he lays siege to Alexandria and a wounded, heavily outnumbered Carl works to keep his family and friends alive. Chandler Riggs (never a great actor on the show, unfortunately) is on top form throughout, and the scale of the action is fantastic.

Aside from the action and strong visual flare of the episode, How It's Gotta Be is briefly derailed by Aaron and Enid's meet-up with Oceanside, but overall it's great stuff, even if it's severely dampened by Carl's impending death.