The Walking Dead Season 11 Review: 4 Ups & 6 Downs From "Hunted"
2. The Cold Open Is Phenomenal
The best part of the episode comes right at the beginning, when Daryl, Maggie, Negan and their outnumbered scavenger group are viciously attacked by the Reapers in the dead of night and forced to flee from the scene alone and beaten.
In the first seconds of the episode, Maggie's friends Duncan, Cole and possibly Elijah are killed, Gabriel has his leg and neck cut, Negan is stabbed in the leg, and Daryl is forced to retreat.
It's an urgent, tense burst of violence, promising big things that the episode unfortunately doesn't act on. But even in isolation, ignoring what came after, the fight is brilliantly realised, playing with its night-time setting and the Reapers elusive nature beautifully.
The only issue, really, is that it's over way too quick, and once it is the next scene reveals its daytime and the group is scattered without enough explanation. In the moment, though, it's bliss. More of this, please.