Superb. The Walking Dead is finally out of its post-hiatus rut.
This episode greatly benefited from focusing on a handful of characters (Rick, Michonne and Carl) and their adventures with Morgan, instead of hopping back and forth between the prison and Woodbury. The past few episodes have felt a tad too much like the show was treading water, so this hour rightfully returned us to some much needed character development.
Who would have thought that Carl would become one of my favorite characters on the show? The brat started out as an insanely annoying presence, but slowly evolved into a fascinating member of the team in his own right. Of course, Lori’s brutal and traumatizing death had a lot to do that. The fact that he shot Morgan himself (when Rick and Michonne couldn’t handle it), really showcased just how deadly the boy had become. His relationship with Michonne was also a welcome development, and I’m looking forward to seeing the duo’s partnership further evolve.
Speaking of Michonne, this episode provided us with a lot of insight into our favorite Katana-wielding badass. When the season started, I was sure the character would be one of my favorites, but the writers stumbled and didn’t really know what to do with her. Her actions scenes were admittedly always awesome, but we never really learned much about the character besides the fact that she liked to glare and mumble a lot. Thankfully, this episode went a long way into rectifying that. We now know that she’s lost a boyfriend, that she cares for Carl, and above everything else – she’s FUNNY! Seriously the girl cracked me up quite a few times this week with her sarcastic one-liners. Not bad at all.
How brilliant was it to see Morgan again? Honestly I’ve been waiting for this guy to return ever since the pilot (his encounters with Rick in that episode were quite memorable) but I never really expected the writers to bring him back. It was a stroke of genius really, particularly as we came to discover that the guy had really gone over the deep end. His family tale was harrowing, and I enjoyed watching our team discover his various traps and quotes sprinkled all over town. His stabbing of Rick however? Not cool.
Zombie Bites
– That was one of my favorite teasers ever: first Michonne, Rick and Carl coldly drive by a man screaming for help on the street. Then their car gets surrounded by Walkers in an insanely creepy sequence. And finally, they free their car and drive off as the man starts running behind them yet again. It’s revelatory to see how apprehensive and wary of strangers they’ve all become.
– The way Carl casually ordered Michonne to slice a Walker (as if she were his guard-dog) greatly amused me.
– Very sweet moment when w realize Carl wanted a picture of his mom for Judith. And Michonne grabbing the rainbow cat? Too funny.
– Loved Carl apologizing to Morgan for shooting him (he’s still a kid after all) and the latter ordering him never to be sorry.
– Great bonding moment between Michonne and Rick who both see lost loved ones. Guess Rick ain’t so crazy after all.
– Marvelous ending with the gang driving by the backpacker’s bloody remains and stealing his bag. And that’s how it is in a post-apocalyptic world ladies and gents.
Must Download Tune
Lead Me Home by Jamie N. Commons
Conclusion
Extremely insightful, this was a standout hour of The Walking Dead.
Nad Rating
A-