The Walking Dead Mid-Season 7 Premiere: 6 Ups & 3 Downs From 'Rock In The Road'

4. Simon Coming To Alexandria

The Walking Dead Rick Simon
Gene Page/AMC

Negan doesn't appear in the episode, save for his kind (by his standards) words overheard on the comms system, but his presence isn't really missed.

Partly that's because we had so much of Negan in the first half of Season 7 we're still stuffed, partly it's because he isn't really necessary to the plot here, and also it's because his deputy Simon once again shows himself to be an excellent stand-in.

Steven Ogg's moustachioed maniac adds a great manic presence to the proceedings here, which juxtaposes well with the more downbeat and cautious nature of the Alexandrians. We know Daryl isn't there, but the scene still carries an air of tension, and a lot of that is down to Simon. He's a dangerous character, but doesn't need to carry the same threat as Negan, meaning there's a bit more fun to him as well.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.