Walking Dead: Heads Up

"You honor the dead by going on. Even when you're scared. You live because they don't get to."

- Glenn Rhee

"Heads Up" is the seventh episode of season six of the critically acclaimed survival horror television series The Walking Dead and the seventy-fourth episode of the series overall. It was directed by David Boyd with a script written by Channing Powell. The episode first aired on AMC on Sunday, November 22nd, 2015 at 9:00 pm.

Notes & Trivia

 * The Walking Dead was created by writer/executive producer Robert Kirkman and developed for TV by Frank Darabont.


 * "WD: Heads Up" and "The Walking Dead: Heads Up" both redirect to this page.


 * This episode is rated TV-MA. It contains strong language and acts of extreme violence.


 * Co-executive producer Denise M. Huth is credited as Denise Huth in this episode.


 * Associate producer Amy Barnes is credited as Amy Beth Barnes in this episode.


 * This episode had a viewership of 13.324 million people, which is up by .353 from the previous episode. It scored 6.65% in the 18-49 viewing demographic.


 * This is the sixth episode of The Walking Dead directed by David Boyd. It is his first and only episode from season six of the series. He previously directed the season five episode, "Forget".


 * This is the fifth episode of The Walking Dead written by Channing Powell. It is the first of three episodes she writes for season six. She previously wrote "Remember" in season five. Her next episode is "Knots Untie".


 * Actor Steven Yeun is claustrophobic, which doesn't help much considering he had to spend seven hours in sweltering heat trapped underneath the dumpster to film his scenes.


 * This is Michael Traynor's final appearance on The Walking Dead.

Allusions

 * The title of this episode is a common phrase used to indicate to someone that should remain alert. Enid says it to Glenn Rhee in this episode when she tosses him a bottle of water. The phrase could also refer to the decapitation of walkers in the series, which is a very common occurrence.


 * The episode opens with a flashback to events from "Thank You". In that episode, it appeared as if Glenn Rhee had fallen off the dumpster and was being torn apart by walkers. This episode clarifies that Nicholas' body had fallen on top of him, and it was his bloody remains that were being torn apart, not Glenn's. Glenn evaded the walkers by scrambling under the dumpster.

Quotes

 * Rick Grimes: When we go out there, it's never easy, it's never simple. It's always a fight. But we've come back from harder things. From further away. Glenn, Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha, they will, too. Maybe we don't wait for them to be back. We should start figuring out how to draw the walkers away. We have some food and water to last us a while and the walls are holding. We can take our time. Really think this through. Do it right. Clear it so they can - They can walk right in.
 * Maggie Greene: I saw Judith in the house the other day. She's starting to... she's starting to look like Lori.
 * Rick Grimes: Yeah.
 * Maggie Greene: It made me happy.
 * Rick Grimes: Me, too.

....
 * Glenn Rhee: What happened in Alexandria? We heard the sound. The gunfire. Enid
 * Enid: What happened is what always happens. People died.

....
 * Eugene Porter: I'm a weapons novice, and there are people in my immediate proximity with open-toed shoes.
 * Rosita Espinosa: That's right. So get a grip. What are you so scared of?
 * Eugene Porter: That would be dying.
 * Rosita Espinosa: Dying is simple. It all just stops. You're dead. The people around you dying, that's the hard part. Okay? 'Cause you keep living knowing that they're gone and you're still here. What you should be scared of is living knowing that you didn't do everything you could to keep them here. Too upset to keep going? Are the noises scaring you or can I get back to my lesson?

....
 * Sam Anderson: The people who came, were they the monsters? Did my dad turn into one?
 * Carol Peletier: What?
 * Sam Anderson: If you kill people, do you turn into one of the monsters?
 * Carol Peletier: The only thing that keeps you from becoming a monster is killing.

....
 * Morgan Jones: Do you think I don't belong here?
 * Rick Grimes: Making it now, do you really think you can do that without getting blood on your hands?
 * Morgan Jones: I don't know.

....
 * Glenn Rhee: You honor the dead by going on. Even when you're scared. You live because they don't get to.

....
 * Morgan Jones: Why didn't you kill me, Rick, back in King County? Pulled a knife on you. I stabbed you. So why didn't you kill me? Was it 'cause I saved you after the hospital?
 * Rick Grimes: 'Cause I knew who you were.
 * Morgan Jones: Back there I would have killed you as soon as look at you. And I tried. But you, you let me live and then I was there to help Aaron and Daryl. See, if I... if I wasn't there, if they died... maybe those Wolves wouldn't have been able to come back here. I don't know what's right anymore. 'Cause I did want to kill those men. I seen what they did, what they would keep doing. I knew I could end it. But I also know that people can change. 'Cause everyone sitting here has. All life is precious. And that idea - that idea changed me. It brought me back and keeps me living.
 * Michonne: I just don't think it can be that easy.
 * Morgan Jones: It's not easy.
 * Michonne: I wasn't saying...
 * Morgan Jones: I - I know. And I've thought about letting that idea go. But I don't want to.
 * Michonne: You may have to. Things aren't as simple as four words. I don't think they ever were.