The Walking Dead Mid-Season Finale: 4 Ups & 4 Downs From 'Hearts Still Beating'

3. It Can't Atone For The Season's Mistakes

This week has a lot going on, which is in part because of it being a finale, but also because of one of Season 7's major faults. For weeks on end we've had to endure single location storylines, so much so that the show - before it heads off on a break - has to try and bring a lot of them together here.

So while we've had whole episodes centred on Tara or the Hilltop, here we've got Negan's torment, Spencer's failed rebellion, Aaron and Rick's boat trip, Daryl's escape, a catch-up with Carol, Richard's attempt to hit the Saviours first, Sasha and Maggie being beloved by Hilltop, a couple of deaths, Father Gabriel still being creepy as sh*t, and a mysterious newcomer (presumably, though it could be someone we already know).

It's a lot to pack in, and the episode doesn't quite juggle it well enough. It's baffling that they've put everything here, given the way they've ignored so many of these storylines previously. Michonne's journey, Daryl's escape, and Carol's story all could've been fleshed out more, despite a couple of those being highlights regardless, and it makes the single location decisions look even worse in hindsight (and they were pretty poor at the time).