First a shave, now a smooch? Rick Grimes sure is taking to the Alexandria Safe-Zone. On Sunday night's episode of The Walking Dead, Rick kissed Jessie on the cheek while attending a dinner party. I love that, after all the group has been through, making them go to a party would be the strangest thing to happen to them. It reminds me of Lost, when the survivors found that The Others had their own town on an old Dharma Initiative facility and were living quite comfortably. Back to Walking Dead — is Rick really about to pursue this married woman? That's not exactly honorable, Constable.
At the end of the episode, Rick saw Jessie walking with her husband Pete, Alexandria's surgeon, down the road. His hand twitched towards his gun as though he was picturing how well he would fare in a duel against the doctor. Rick then ran behind a building to commune with a walker that was scratching on the other side of the wall. I agree that Pete seems suspicious, but from what we've seen on the show so far (excluding what you may know from the comics), there's not a reason to shoot just yet. However if you do take into account the comics, Rick and Jessie eventually hook up. However if the relationship between Jessie and Rick is coming to the TV show, does that mean Pete's abuse towards Jessie and their children will also also be adapted from the comics?
I should repeat: the kiss at the cocktail party was, for all intents and purposes, innocent and it was initiated by Rick. Jessie walked away afterwards. On Talking Dead, actress Alexandra Breckinridge said that in that moment at the party, her character realized that she may have feelings for this stranger. There has been no real physical relationship yet by either party. It would be considered a totally normal, friendly kiss in the real world. However, this is television, and we should know better than to totally dismiss it.
Image: Gene Page/AMC
