The Strolling Useless: Useless Metropolis continues to inform the story of pressure between the Croat’s forces and The New Babylon Federation. This week’s episode, “Another S*** Lesson,” serves as a grim reminder that stubbornness, desperation, and misplaced belief are far deadlier than the encompassing walkers. Whereas the present has had some highs throughout its run, this installment struggles to inject freshness into the method—counting on drawn-out conflicts, irritating decision-making, and inevitable betrayals to drive the story ahead. The issue is that they didn’t get very far. Let’s evaluate.
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| “Another S*** Lesson” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Anthony Molinari as Lt. Houseman, Keir Gilchrist as Pierce, Jasmin Walker because the Governor Charlie Byrd, Dascha Polanco as Narvaez. Photograph: Robert Clark/AMC© 2025 AMC Networks Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
Governor Charlie Byrd (Jasmin Walker) and Main Lucia Narvaez (Dascha Polano) are on the coronary heart of this week’s chaos. Each ladies are blinded by their ambition, which makes them unwilling to heed the warnings of extra seasoned voices, like Maggie Rhee’s (Lauren Cohen).
For instance, Maggie discovers that the burning tire hearth is a sign to the Croat that New Babylon is ready to assault. Humorous sufficient, Herschel (Logan Kim), is found close to this fireplace. He informed his mother he couldn’t sit house whereas she put herself in peril. Nevertheless, we all know Herschel was held captive by The Dama (Lisa Emery), all through the primary season. He refused to reply Maggie when she requested him what the drawing of the Dama meant to him. Did Herschel begin the warning hearth? Is he a turncoat spy?
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| “Another S*** Lesson”– THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured, Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee, Gaius Charles as Armstrong. Photograph: Robert Clark/AMC © 2025 AMC Networks Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Gathering up Herschel, Maggie warns Colonel Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles) that the Croat is aware of they’re coming. Sadly, Armstrong, launched final season as an unstoppable warrior, is now a ‘sure man‘ to Governor Byrd and Narvaez. He is aware of that the governor’s flawed technique—months within the making—is inadequate, however he refuses to induce a course-correction, leaving the group susceptible to a brutal assault.
Overcome with frustration at being ignored, Maggie punches Narvaez squarely within the face. As punishment for her defiance, she and Herschel are thrown into the hull of the boat meant to hold them into Manhattan, branded as insubordinate. In the meantime, Armstrong has lied his manner into cowardice about killing Negan. His deception has paralyzed him, and he suggests they assault early. Though the Croat is aware of they’re planning an assault, he believes they are going to have the ingredient of shock.
Maggie in handcuffs tries to speak to a virtually catatonic Herschel. She explains how he can get freed from the pole he’s chained to, however he simply stares blankly on the ground. Because the New Babylon Federation drifts straight into peril, Ginny (Mahina Napoleon) seizes the second, speeding to rescue Maggie and Herschel simply as sodium bombs strapped to buoys start detonating, and walker guts rain down from cannon hearth. It’s an actual ‘s*** present’, one may say.
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| “Another S*** Lesson” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured: Gaius Charles as Armstrong. Photograph: Robert Clark/AMC © 2025 AMC Networks Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and the Croat (Zekjko Ivanek), finishing up the Dama’s orders, are liable for Maggie’s ‘s*** day‘. Whereas Negan is a reluctant participant, he—like Maggie—has been compelled into servitude beneath the ruthless command of the Dama and the Croat, two psychopaths who thrive on management and brutality.
Earlier than the preventing begins, Negan listens because the Croat nostalgically recollects the Saviors’ previous conquests, glorifying their ruthless, misleading ways. He urges Negan to recount a very twisted victory—one the place the Saviors initially suffered defeat, solely to lull their enemies right into a false sense of safety, secretly feeding them walker meat earlier than in the end conquering them. The Croat’s admiration for brutality is plain, however for Negan, the story is a haunting echo of a previous he’s attempting to flee.
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“Another S*** Lesson” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured: Jeffrey |
Negan loathes being compelled again into the position of the ‘Big Bad’. He’s trapped—compelled to play the position of a warlord beneath the command of the Dama and the Croat but nonetheless denied the prospect to turn out to be the individual he hopes to be. His hesitation in the course of the assault that allowed Maggie, Herschel, Ginny and some others to flee, made it clear that Negan’s battle is way from over. He’s teetering between his previous and the long run he hasn’t but been allowed to assert.
After preventing ends, Benjamin Pierce (Keir Gilchrist) is in custody of the Dama. Armstrong and Narvaez survived with Maggie, and poor Governor Byrd acquired taken out with the primary explosion.
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“Another S*** Lesson” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured: Dascha |
The Dama needed to know who Negan was defending. He wouldn’t say. So, she summons his guard Victor (Logan Shumucker) whom Negan had shaped a sort of friendship with. Victor is a unprecedented violinist who discovered solace within the music of a selected composer, Bach. He defined to Negan that Bach was his inspiration that acquired him by way of ‘another s*** lesson’ taking part in the violin his father compelled him to study.
The Dama asks Victor to play. He performs Bach. Victor stands in vibrant distinction to the darkness surrounding them, which is why, in retaliation, the Dama executes him in chilly blood, making Victor ‘one other s*** lesson‘ for Negan.
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| “Another S*** Lesson” – THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY, Pictured: Lisa Emery as The Dama. Photograph: Robert Clark/AMC © 2025 AMC Networks Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
The episode delivers on pressure and emotional stakes, however its pacing falters. The acquainted beats—the smug management, the ignored warnings, the violent fallout—at this level within the franchise really feel recycled. Nonetheless, the tragic conclusion, notably Victor’s execution, supplies a placing lesson: kindness is a legal responsibility in a world that rewards brutality.
If this episode proves something, it’s that the nightmare by no means ends—and typically, it’s the smallest acts of humanity that value probably the most.
Did you discover Herschel’s habits suspicious? Let me know within the feedback.
Total Score:
6:10
Lynette Jones
