Let's talk about our merry band of prisoners first. One of my concerns going into tonight's episode was that we were simply going to rehash a lot of the conflict material that we already burned through when Rick, Shane and company first landed on Hershel's farm at the beginning of Season 2… and even more so, that the show was going to linger on this conflict for quite some time. Boy, was I wrong on that count… but we'll get to that. But for most of the episode, you had to wonder who was going to win out: Rick or Tomas. It's a magnificent power struggle: At first, you think, "Well, it's the prisoners' prison; Rick doesn't stand a chance."… especially during the courtyard negotiations that quickly grow stale. But then, we find that not only do the prisoners have no idea what's been going outside the walls of the cafeteria - which they've been locked in for TEN MONTHS - but also that they have no idea how to successfully take walkers down (even after receiving an excellent crash course from Rick and Daryl). But then Tomas and company set aside their prison riot violence and truly get the hang of the head kills… destroying our gang's tactical advantage. And then, when Big Tiny gets scratched, Tomas takes him OUT and gets it done. (That wide shot of Big Tiny's corpse… sheesh, AMC is getting pretty permissive on the gore this year!)
And then comes the mass slaughter by the laundromat to repossess the second cell block for the prisoners. Tomas "accidentally" trying to take Rick out in the process is one thing, but Rick's response - immediately killing Tomas by way of a machete to the head - was nothing short of brutal, in one of those "Holy [bleep]!" moments that has you jumping off your couch and shouting at the TV. Those are the kinds of moments a TV fan lives for. If that wasn't enough, Rick manages to lock out another prisoner to his certain death before that final commercial break… effectively whittling down our 5-prisoner group to just 2 by episode's end. That's swift justice! But then again, when your wife gives us full permission to do what's necessary, why not? After all, in Lori's eyes, Rick isn't a killer… but given what we've seen in episodes past, is he?
This leaves Hershel's fight for life as the B-plot, but it still manages to explore some intriguing territory, as the female members of the group struggle with what to do. Last week showed us the efficiency of the group after months of banding together, and if anything, this week shows us exactly what life sacrifices our group is willing to make… and how rash and easy it is to make said decisions. Maggie's fine with letting Hershel go; Beth isn't ready (after all, Hershel saved her life last year); Carol feels responsible to take on Hershel's responsibilities in bringing Lori's baby into the world (as shown by her desire to practice on a walker corpse); and Carl… well, that final shot before the commercial break of him pointing his gun at Hershel says it all. (I've gotta admit, the way they're handling Carl and his accelerated maturity this season is one of the more tantalizing character bits this season. Killing two walkers with ease to break into the infirmary and get supplies… that's dang impressive.) Nonetheless, I did appreciate the show's restraint in *not* killing Hershel off just yet… but all those practical and visual effects to hide Scott Wilson's leg are going to break the bank eventually, so we'll have to see how long the show holds off on the kill.
But what I loved the most about this episode - and what inspires the most hope about this season - is just how swift the storytelling is, and how quickly it burns through material that could easily have been stretched out for several episodes. I almost think that this is the writing staff's way of saying to us, "You think we're gonna stretch this stuff out, like we did with Sophia and the farm? Nuh-uh! We're getting down to business!" If that's the case - and if the show can reasonably sustain this pace - then we're in for a roller coaster ride. And considering what we're due for in next week's show, I'm somewhat optimistic that they'll be able to pull it off.
Random notes:
- Let's get the big news out of the way first: AMC is no longer "not available on Dish"!!! Our long national nightmare is over… at least I won't be inundated any longer while watching one of AMC's shows.
- Tonight's director is Billy Gierhart, a longtime TV camera operator who's transitioned into directing. He's helmed episodes of The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, and Breakout Kings, among others. This is his third Walking Dead episode to date… and if IMDB is correct, he'll be directing the mid-season finale in December.
- This week's kill tallies: 3 humans, 30+ walkers. Rick and Tomas both notched 1 human and 5 walkers a piece.
- What are we having to eat today, T-Dog? "Canned beef, canned corn… canned cans!"
- I was kind of disappointed that Lori didn't head down to the infirmary herself… if only because she already knows the lay of the land.
- Walker of the week: The handcuff zombie, who's more than willing to rip his arm apart to get rid of those pesky cuffs, as we see at the 0:47 mark of this clip:
- Next week: Looks like we're getting a Michonne-centric hour… and more! Here's a very brief peek from the cold opening:
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