In prison, Daniel recounts the events of a disastrous day to an unseen interviewer.

It’s interesting watching this episode after ‘Splinter’, the core show’s superb Princess spotlight earlier in the year. Both focus on individuals, and both discuss mental health and what day to day life in the apocalypse does to it. But where ‘Splinter’ is concerned with Princess dialoguing with her wounds, ‘Handle with Care’ is all about whether Daniel is strong enough to be aware of his. It’s, typically for this show, a very kind hour of TV and that interrogative opening is very much the exception that proves the rule.

In fact, most of the episode is hopeful. We see the various members of Morgan’s group, splintered but still united in affection for one another meet and discuss how best to proceed. There’s a sense of all these characters becoming protagonists of their own stories, a sense of the sort of crossover Marvel would spread across two movies. This isn’t a family anymore, it’s a collection of families, a miniature society trying to work out how to make it in the world. It’s difficult, and we see that, but it’s hopeful and working and we see that too.

Until an explosion attracts Walkers.

Until someone empties the gun locker.

And suddenly the old suspicions arise again.

There’s a moment here where Colman Domingo turns to Reuben Blades and says ‘Daniel, are we back here again?’ and there’s such fatigue in his voice. These two ruthless older men have battled for dominance up and down the end of the world and here, at last, there’s what seems to be an ending to that. One that does not favour Daniel in traditional terms, but rather in the compassionate terms the world now requires.

He’s not well, the long term stress of the last few years coupling with his dark past to create something close to a breakdown. It would have been so easy for this to be crass or tawdry. Daniel could so easily have become an operatic villain, horrified at what he’s done and unable to face it. Strand too could have gone all Cask of Amontillado and taken vengeance. He still might, but I doubt it.

I doubt it because ultimately this is an episode of a show about zombies which isn’t about them at all. This is a character losing a step, everyone else noticing and stopping to help. Not just to save themselves next time, but to save him.

Verdict: Kind, sad, perceptive and very gently handled, this is one of the show’s best episodes to date. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart