The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale Non-Spoiler Review, Highlights

The walkers are finally back to being a fearsome centerpiece in The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale. Despite fantastic acting work from Ryan Hurst however, Beta’s showdown brawl feels anti-climatic compared to Season 9’s tussle with Daryl Dixon. Needed more rounds with the gloves off. A remarkable scene between Lydia and Carol almost makes you forget about its rapid, over in a flash nature.

Ryan Hurst as Beta – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

When you bring in a monster like Beta, an actor like Ryan Hurst who’s physically imposing, knows how to work a fight, and make it look like a million bucks, you give him every minute he wants.

One herd united by Beta’s hegemony marches forward, muscles tense, heart beats skip, as Daryl’s group walks the opposite direction in what feels like 20 pound snow boots with 30 pound anchors.

Suspended in motion, lifting each leg ever so carefully, one misplaced noise away from turning land into quicksand. The walkers, the zombies, are in the spotlight once again The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale as an intimidating entity instead of easily disposed of singular-brained automations.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

No longer do we see the show’s heroes run roughshod through entire walker populations with video game-like cheats on. These walkers are horror film grade, bringing back the open air claustrophobia not seen since Rick Grimes and Jessie Anderson’s last walk in Alexandria together.

The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Mark Hill/AMC

Beta’s spiraling mask of sanity is one of the top highlights of the episode, Ryan Hurst truly pushed this character to the next level. The ‘glitched’ reality seen through Beta’s eyes enhances the mood. After all the pyramid like build up to a final battle, block by block, stone by stone, grain by grain… It ends before you know it, almost like a teaser, an appetizer without the full main course.

After all the hype for Beta’s ultimate melee, you expect a clash that exceeds his grand battle with Daryl Dixon in Season 9 Episode 13. The skirmish here starts off with fire. But the volcanic rage, the embers don’t go the distance before interruption. While the last move of this round hits hard it could have been delayed.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

Frankly, this reviewer would have preferred seeing a full-on Season 9 free-for-all style megabout pushed to an 11… Rather, then seeing Eugene’s group kind of standing around motivating each other. There’s enough stand-still motivation cliches and feel-good drama on The Walking Dead. When you bring in a monster like Beta, an actor like Ryan Hurst who’s physically imposing, knows how to work a fight, and make it look like a million bucks, you give him every minute he wants.

No bells to stop a round, no halt to the action, no comedy interlude breaks. Beta was delivering as expected, tossing people out of the way effortlessly like a freight train. You can’t replicate that with anyone else except Ryan Hurst.

Cassady McClincy’s growth as an actress is tremendous

Cassady McClincy as Lydia – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale, features an excellent, emotional scene between Lydia and Carol. While The Natural Aristocrat® obviously isn’t going to spoil anything for you, let it be known that Cassady McClincy’s acting is stellar once again. McClincy is seemingly getting better not gradually but by leaps every episode. Her work with Melissa McBride in The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale is top notch. She also once again has great on-screen chemistry with Negan as some type of unofficially adopted daughter. Give Lydia more screen-time next season.

BTS, Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

Maggie Greene’s return feels by the books, doesn’t ruffle any feathers

As you know from the official preview trailer for The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale below, Maggie Greene [Lauren Cohan] makes her long awaited return to the series this episode. However, it was pretty much a neutral return. Hugs all around, not much in the way of character or plot advancement as of yet. Have to mention that Maggie wears a fashionable hat channeling Rick Grimes but with a feminine energy to it.

Kudos to the costume designer because it was a great choice to bring the character back with a cool looking fresh prop. Some of Cohan’s best work was opposite Rick Grimes [Andrew Lincoln] so it’ll be interesting to see the direction for Maggie without him. In that regard, the other cast members have had the opportunity to adjust to being Grimes-less gradually instead of thrown in to the timeline so-to-speak.

Overall Non-Spoiler Review for The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale:

Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Mark Hill/AMC

For the Caryl ‘shippers, you’ll likely be pleased. But it’s still a slow burn! Overall however, The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale is not about relationships, it’s about a dance with the dead. Much like Nick Clark on Fear the Walking Dead, coming to terms with having to choose one side of the equation. One world. This one or the next.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

– Be sure to test your Carol Peletier knowledge with Who wants to be a Carollionaire? – Carol Peletier Quiz and your Melissa McBride knowledge with How well do you know Melissa McBride? Trivia Quiz!

– Wonder what certain Walking Dead characters’ sons and daughters would look like? The Natural Aristocrat® has you covered with full blown advanced, tech based fictional photos!

Check out more TWD coverage on The Natural Aristocrat® in The Walking Dead Articles section.