Much to some people’s chagrin, I was not a fan of the midseason premiere of The Walking Dead. That’s going to happen, but I can’t help it: to me, it was not a good episode. Was the second episode a return to form? Find out below.
Also, as a note, I’ll intermittently talk things from the comic and definitely get into detail with the happenings of this week’s episode.
1. What an ending
Man, that ending was sorely needed after a pretty lackluster open. The Governor coming in an raining hell down upon the prison was very badass, especially when he dropped the zombomb in the delivery truck. His little laugh as it goes through the gates was pure evil, and David Morrisey nailed it. It makes the good side lose one character, but that’s okay.
Here’s a question though: does a fantastic last ten minutes make up for a really mediocre first 30? In this case, yes, but I hope that isn’t a general rule going forward.
2. Daryl gets the point
After roughly 3/4 of an episode hanging out with his brother Merle, Daryl realizes he is an absolutely horrible person and not someone he should be hanging out with. By the end, he shows up at the nick of time as he and Merle manage to save Rick. Also, Daryl’s parts are pretty much the only good part of the open of the episode. Basically, Daryl Dixon rules, and that is the rule.
3. Rick has a 50/50 episode
The opening scene with Rick frustrated me greatly. It was just a slow push further into his insanity, and due to where the last episode ended, it was annoying to me to drive us more in that direction. That said, by the time Rick and Hershel had the conversation through the fence, Andrew Lincoln and Scott Wilson pulled us back in. Kudos to both of them for crushing that scene, and these two characters actually being scripted to communicate as human beings as opposed to drama engines.
4. Where the hell is Tyreese?
The last episode established Tyreese and his crew as possible important parts of the cast going forward, and it showed Tyreese as a character of fierce conviction. Yet, in this episode NONE OF THEM APPEAR ONCE. With the pandemonium going on in and out of the prison, how do they not even show up? Complete nonsense.
Note: according to Alan Sepinwall, Tyreese and his crew left the prison. Wow. Really great work conveying that, show.
5. Looking at the plot + comparing to the comic
As a quick aside from what happened in this episode, I do want to note a few things about what I’m trying to do. First off, I’m not trying to compare this show directly to the comic. To me, it’s fine that the show diverges away from the path of the comic. It’s another interpretation of the general baseline story of the comic. Whatever they want to do is totally fine, and if it differs, so be it.
As for the way I look at each episode, in episodic television, it’s hard not to look at things with a certain level of focus on the happenings in each. Especially with something like The Walking Dead, which is very, very plot driven. If it seems like I focus on that, it’s because I often do and so many of the problems in the show fall from a script and general decision making front. That’s plot related, but it’s fundamental issues tied to very crux of the show. If you don’t like that, that’s the way it is! Alas.
