The group began blocking out the locations of the Walker traps. John and June are separated from the others and make a very surprising new acquaintance; Dwight.

This is lovely. Which is a strange thing to say about an episode which includes several loving close ups of characters cutting through what I am pretty sure is intestine repurposed as rope, but there you go. By dropping the focus onto John, June and Dwight (with occasional appearances from other folks), the show re-focuses on its central tenet; that these characters are here to help.

For John and June, that’s also helping themselves and the location is used to drive plot and reveal character in a very smart way here. Humbug’s Gulch is a show town like the ones John used to work as a sharpshooter. It’s the Old West at the end of the world and what John and June find there is something far purer and sweeter than you’d expect. June good-naturedly needling John about his work is a welcome light side for a character who was a drama magnet all the way through last year, albeit for good reason. John in the meantime is sweetly uncomfortable about his past, and that’s tempered with the sadness Garret Dillahunt excels at. He’s a good guy but he’s not got to where he is unscathed and this episode we see a little of that.

Best of all though, the arrival of Dwight means the pair have a clear goal (redeem the possible bad guy!) and the unluckiest character in the show who isn’t black finally catches a break. Austin Amelio’s tortured former Negan henchman is always good fun and he’s given some interesting plot to carry here. It seems Sherry, his wife, is on the run from someone other than Negan and the new found urgency that gives Dwight is very welcome. Plus with the nuclear plant, whoever’s setting the traps, the folks who took Rick and now the mystery men pursuing Sherry the group certainly have their work cut out for them.

Best of all though is the moment where Team Plane are reunited. Morgan (who has MacGyver-ed a new staff I’m delighted to report) takes about ten seconds to hug Dwight and forgive him and your heart just melts. This group of survivors are fundamentally decent people and that’s their biggest strength as well as the show’s.

Verdict: Great stuff, once again. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart