- Air Date: 2/17/2013
- Directed By: Seith Mann
- Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Norman Reedus, Laurie Holden, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Melissa McBride, Scott Wilson, Emily Kinney, David Morrissey, Michael Rooker
- Guest Stars: Lew Temple, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Dallas Roberts
Last week, Andrea took a leadership role within Woodbury while the Governor licked his wounds, Daryl left Rick’s crew to go off with his brother Merle, Glenn got angry, and Rick went nuts and kicked out Tyreese and his people. It was a doozy of an episode, jam-packed yet so frustrating and uncomfortable, but without many flaws.
Rick’s still seeing Lori around the prison, and outside its gates, so he basically goes on a crazy walkabout, somehow avoiding the presence of zombies while he hallucinates. With Rick out of commission, Daryl no longer in the picture, and Herschel just too damn nice, Glenn takes over as leader. But Glenn isn’t thinking straight either; he’s angry, mortified at what the Governor did to Maggie, and wants payback. He aims to go into Woodbury with Michonne and kill him, ending the whole conflict. Herschel talks him down, advocating retreat, but Glenn refuses to leave. This is their home. And so they work to shore up its defenses and ready for the Governor’s retribution, which they know is coming.
At Woodbury, the Governor pays a visit to Andrea, complimenting her speech that rallied the citizens in last week’s “The Suicide King.” He also wants to put her in a leadership role, taking his place while he finds his way. Andrea wants to go see her friends at the prison, but she is semi-flummoxed (and most likely flattered) by the offer, in spite of herself (ugh). It’s clear from the start that the Governor’s “break” has a nefarious purpose, especially for Rick and his group. He goes to Milton to tell him to keep an eye on her, while he and Martinez disappear. Uh oh.
Herschel continues to take on the sage, Dale-like role (with one less leg, he’s essentially an amalgamation of the two characters), bouncing between Glenn and Rick, trying to make them see reason. He’s just so wonderful that it’s probably time for him to die. We also get a spotlight on Axel (Lew Temple), the last remaining prisoner standing, as he chats it up with Carol, helping her deal with the departure of Daryl.
In the forest, Daryl and Merle bicker as usual. Daryl wants to go back to the prison, but Merle knows he’s not welcome and wouldn’t get the same treatment as Daryl. It’s the same old story, with Merle miffed that Daryl likes and respects Rick and the group more than his own big brother, and Merle showing how simpleminded and crass that he is. When the cries of a baby, gunshots, and walkers enter the picture, Daryl and Merle each have to make a choice. While it probably had to be done, this thankfully helped to put a quick end to this subplot.
The first 30-40 minutes of this episode were a slow, lingering build up, but that all drastically changes in the final act when it all comes together. Of course, this means bad things happen to our favorite characters, as per usual. It makes you wish the whole episode had that kind of action, but definitely keeps you begging for more, as AMC’s zombie confection continues to do week in and week out.
