Maggie refuses, pointing out that they have no fuel for their tractor, and with Earl, their blacksmith, being held in custody, they cannot repair the plow they took from the museum, and thus must conserve their food supply. Michonne urges Maggie to reconsider, but Maggie remains steadfast that Earl must be punished. Maggie does allow Tammy to see Earl under her watch, and learns that Earl's actions were a result of Gregory giving him his first drink of alcohol in years. After some time, Maggie relents; she allows Earl to return to his blacksmith work under guard, and agrees to provide the food to Michonne, as well as being open to discuss a code of laws between the communities, as long as she retains some authority at Hilltop. That night, Rick's conversation continues, revealed to be with Negan, who is held in a cell within Alexandria. Negan cares little for how Rick is rebuilding the communities, believing that Rick is just helping to repair the world for him. Anne keeps watch at night and spots a helicopter flying overhead. Justin, walking alone back to Sanctuary, appears to see someone he recognizes before the figure jumps and attacks him. On Rotten Tomatoes, the episode has an approval rating of 100% with an average score of 7.35 out of 10 based on 21 reviews. The critical consensus reads: "A slower burn than the premiere, "The Bridge" is a compelling character study that lays necessary foundations for future installments." "The Bridge" was praised for the direction, writing, and Marquand's emotional performance. "The Bridge" received a total viewership of 4.95 million with a 2.0 rating in adults aged 18–49. Although it was the highest-rated cable program of the night, the episode marked a decrease in viewership from the season premiere and is the lowest rated episode of "The Walking Dead" since season one's "Vatos" which had 4.7 million viewers.