Season three was a magnificent season of The Walking Dead. It was a perfect example of the show firing on all cylinders. But something happened in the last couple of episodes; the show stumbled and limped its way to an anticlimactic finale. We waited and waited for an all-out war with The Governer, and we didn’t get one… until now.
Truth be told, Too Far Gone wasn’t the most impressive hour until the Governor savagely sliced Hershel’s neck with Michonne’s katana. What followed was a tense and enormously riveting twenty minutes that completely flipped the show’s status quo on its head. I have absolutely no idea where the show is going next, and trust me when I say that’s a good thing.
Scott Wilson has been a pivotal part of The Walking Dead since Hershel’s introduction in season two, and it was undoubtedly hard to see him suffer a gruesome death. But ultimately, it was the right move from a storytelling perspective; his death certainly elevated the stakes for the final face-off with The Governor, and once again reminded us that absolutely no one on the show is safe. Thankfully, the character got one heck of a sendoff. I absolutely loved The Governor’s response to Rick’s groan-worthy speech; he merely hissed “liar” and proceeded to sadistically take out the camp’s most lovable survivor. The brutal act gained even further impact with the slow-mo (and muted) screams of Maggie and Beth as all hell broke loose. All in all, the sequence was immaculately executed and tremendously heartbreaking.
I’m not usually a fan of characters being scattered in different places, but it might be good for the show to not settle on one location for a while (God knows I got sick of that darn prison). However, the show needs a new Big Bad going forward. The Governor was a reliable antagonistic force (in season three at least), and The Walking Dead needs the focus such a villain brings to the table.
Zombie Bites
– Rich and The Governor’s all-out brawl was pretty awesome.
– How amazing was little Lizzie saving Tyrese and shooting Alicia point-blank in the head? Seriously my jaw dropped.
– Darryl was an utter badass this week, dumping the grenade in the tank and shooting sleazy Mitch with an arrow.
– So who was feeding those rats? Will we ever find out?
– Little Meghan getting bitten by the mud Walker was pretty horrifying, as was The Governor shooting her in the head in front of her mother. Thankfully, Lilly later got her revenge by finishing off The Governor after he was (quite satisfyingly) stabbed by Michonne.
– Does anyone actually think Judith is dead? Somehow I don’t think the show would ever do something so heinous. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
– Carl is still as formidable as ever, capably saving his dad when he needs him most.
– Rick really broke my heart this week with all his sobbing. This was Andrew Lincoln’s best performance yet. Major kudos.
Conclusion
A harrowing and powerful hour of television. Too Far Gone singlehandedly restored my love for The Walking Dead.
Nad Rating
A+