WARNING….spoilers ahead!!!
Those clamoring for more of the comic book continuity in The Walking Dead will be ecstatic with this week’s episode, it’s packed full of it!
We find our group dealing with an unknown outbreak and a mysterious killer that’s obviously trying to keep it from spreading to the group. The sick have been quarantined, the elderly and children have been quarantined because they’re the most susceptible, and a whole lot of questions still need answers. Who killed and burned those two people? Will Daryl, Michonne, and their group get back with the meds the people need in time? What’s going on with Carol? All of this, I’m afraid, is just the tip of the iceberg in what’s sure to be a great season!
I’m so happy that they decided to take their foot off of the gas in this episode. This season has started out with a lot more action than in previous ones, so I found it really refreshing for them to take a step back and deliver a more dialogue-heavy, emotionally packed episode. (Hershel’s speech to Maggie and Rick ranks among my favorites in TV this year!)
Not to say that there was no action at all though. Rick and Tyrese’s fight SCREAMED comic book continuity, though they were fighting for totally different reasons in the two. I think it’s safe to say that Rick hasn’t regained his sanity as much as we’ve been led to believe. I’m expecting big things out of him this season. (I’m so glad Farmer Rick only lasted two episodes!) He’s definitely on the cusp of regaining a leadership position with the group after his sabbatical.
Tyrese is definitely primed to become a much more prominent character this season after spending last year as a bonafide extra on the show. He’s involved emotionally and physically in the whodunit storyline in the murder/burning of the two residents of the prison. This week we ALSO got to see him go into his BADASS berserker mode on a large herd of walkers. (Again in a totally different instance from the comic book, but it totally SCREAMED continuity!)
The show has strayed so far away from the comics, but that’s not a bad thing. The shows creative team is definitely making an effort to prove they haven’t forgotten where they come from by peppering in events from the comic series though. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed this season so far, and while I didn’t enjoy this particular episode as much as last weeks, it was still fantastic. It was awesome to see them slow down the pace a bit to draw people into what’s going on emotionally and not just by hitting us in the face with tons of action. It’ll definitely be a long week waiting for next Sunday to roll around so we can get some answers!
4 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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