The Walking Dead Season 11 Review: 7 Ups & 2 Downs From "Rendition"

The show's latest offering is a compelling thriller that tests Daryl like never before.

The Walking Dead
AMC

After last week's shambolic and mostly disappointing episode, The Walking Dead has finally returned to form with its latest instalment, Rendition, which sheds some light on the Survivors' latest adversaries whilst forcing its central characters to confront some ugly and inescapable truths.

Taking centre stage, Daryl finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place, captured by the Reapers and forced to come face-to-face with an old friend, as well as a new, frightening enemy with a strong code.

Both horribly sinister and expertly twisting, Rendition is an episode that shows off many of The Walking Dead's best strengths, proving that even eleven seasons in the zombie drama still has the ability to shock and enthral.

It may still have some minor issues to work out, but even so the show's latest episode is nothing short of a masterstroke in terms of its worldbuilding, writing, character development and well-placed ambiguity.

With that in mind - and a final warning about major spoilers - here are 7 Ups and 2 Downs from The Walking Dead's latest episode, starting with the Downs...

9. DOWN: There Are Some Issues With Lighting

The Walking Dead
AMC

There really are very few issues with this latest episode, but even so this is a flaw that needs a quick reference.

The last couple of Walking Dead seasons have been dark; not just in its themes and tone, but in its aesthetic. It came under fire in season ten's dimly lit episode Squeeze, and in season eleven has really doubled down on its darkness.

Rendition picks up where the previous episode, Hunted, started, watching the Reaper attack from Daryl's perspective. Like before, the scene is black as night and difficult to make-out, though given the situation this was probably more of a stylistic choice above all else.

Once the Reapers are properly introduced later on, though, the scenes set in their compound feel occasionally unfocussed and unclear, with the lighting becoming distractingly inconsistent.

It's a small issue, and an easy one to get past, but even so the episode would have benefitted from some improved visibility in the big moments.

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