The Walking Dead Viewers Split on Carol’s Dangerous Decision in Midseason Premiere

A poll aired on Talking Dead revealed viewers are split on Carol’s (Melissa McBride) actions in The Walking Dead‘s midseason 10 premiere, “Squeeze,” which ended explosively when Carol single-handedly attempted to take out half of the walker horde amassed by Alpha (Samantha Morton). Daryl (Norman Reedus), Connie (Lauren Ridloff), Kelly (Angel Theory), Magna (Nadia Hilker), Aaron (Ross Marquand), and Jerry (Cooper Andrews) were nearly freed from Alpha’s trap when Carol fumbled a stick of dynamite that caused the cave to collapse, bringing it down around Connie and Magna. Whether the two heroes are buried alive or dead, it was a disastrous outcome for the group.

“Would you have tried to blow up the horde like Carol did?” asked a poll aired live on aftershow Talking Dead. Results showed 49% of viewers voted “yes,” while 51% voted “no.”

In an episode of Talking Dead that aired after the midseason finale in November, a poll revealed 90% of voters were against Carol’s actions when she gave chase to Alpha, ultimately resulting in the group falling victim to a Whisperer trap.

“I would have made sure everyone was out. I would have made sure we knew where the exit was, so that we can use the exit. I watched LOST, okay? I know how TNT works,” Andrews quipped, referencing Daniel Roebuck’s Dr. Leslie Arzt, who was blown up after fumbling with dynamite. “So I would have remembered that, and then I’d be like, ‘Guys, this is sweaty. Who’s the smallest? You go back in.”

Ridloff defended Carol, saying in response to the poll, “Are you kidding me? I’m a mom. And if Alpha had touched one hair on the head of either of my boys, you bet I would have blown it up. No question. No question.”

Showrunner Angela Kang said the show is handling the cave-in as Carol’s “rock bottom.”

“It’s almost like she’s addicted to the idea of revenge against Alpha, and she’s been spiraling and going kind of darker. The thing with a story about vengeance is of course it’s really satisfying to think, ‘Yeah, get revenge against the people who’ve wronged you and who’ve killed those you love’ and all of that,” she told EW. “But vengeance is complicated and there’s got to be consequences to it because you can have blinders on. So that’s part of the story that we’re telling with Carol.”

Kang continued, “Now in some ways, she’s motivated more than ever to try to finish this mission, because otherwise it was all for nothing. And yet she knows that she has things that she needs to repair. She knows that she’s going to want to redeem herself at the same time.”

New episodes of TWD Season 10 premiere Sundays on AMC. For all things TWD, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.