After only seeing Rick, Carl, and Michonne last episode, the expectation was that they would show the rest of the groups this week. That held true, and we were treated to a solid episode with some intriguing character development, tense sequences, and a reveal at the episode so awesome I nearly soiled myself. While it wasn't as riveting of a character study as last week's episode, and it wasn't without a few notable issues, The Walking Dead delivered another good episode this week as it continues to inch towards its goal of a complete season of excellence, and gave us a clear indication of where they are going next.......
Out of all the groups this week, Tyreese's was my favorite. However, I had one problem with what was done. It may be a little too early to judge this, and it sounds bad, but I wish Judith had died. Her death would have had a huge effect on the group, particularly Rick and Carl. Traumatic events like that are perfect for producing phenomenal character development, just look at Game of Thrones, or even Hershel's death in "Too Far Gone". Leaving her alive takes quite a bit of the punch away from the mid-season finale. I was convinced that she was dead, and the emotional damage that caused was one of the biggest reasons for giving the episode a "10". It feels like they didn't have the guts to fully kill her off, so they are attempting to get the character effects by leaving her fate in question. However, it just doesn't have the same impact. However, keeping her alive did contribute to the most intense moment of the episode, though that turned out to be a missed opportunity to make the death of Judith even more shocking. I was shaking in my seat as the show cut back and forth between Tyreese's walker killing and Lizzie suffocating Judith as walkers approached. It was one of the most gripping moments of the season, and it was masterfully done. That sequence was strong enough on its own to make this a good episode. Still though, imagine how shocking it would have been for Lizzie to kill Judith! I still think that could happen, and I hope it does when they reunite with Carl. I would love to see what that does to his mental state. One thing that this episode did do was convince me almost 100% that Lizzie was the killer, and that Carol covered for her. That would be a huge twist! A lot of people have not been talking about it (which is unfortunate), but what the writers have done with Lizzie has been absolutely spectacular. Every time I see her, I get creeped out: she's a freakin' psychopath! I haven't seen many post-apocalyptic stories create a kid who is basically a serial killer in the making (if she isn't already). Scott Gimple and the gang are really exploring the messed up things that young children might believe are acceptable in a world like the one in Walking Dead. Even more unexpected that the character arc of Lizzie is Brighton Sharbino, the actress who plays her. I am one of those guys that often finds child actors annoying, but she has been stupendous. How many ADULTS can play a crazy person this well, let alone child actors. I really think that she is going places. On the opposite end of the spectrum from Lizzie was her sister Mika, who was afraid of just about everything. Trying to keep these two nut-jobs in line was Tyreese, and Chad Coleman gave a top-notch performance once again.....
"Inmates" is a tough episode to score. While not without its problems, "Inmates" was packed with solid material, important reveals, and gripping moments. However, a few of those issues really bugged me, and some will impact the show moving forward. Still, they don't even come close to spoiling the reveal of Abraham, Eugene, Rosetta, and "The Sanctuary". Scott Gimple has a clear vision for the show, and that vision includes a lot of comic material with a unique spin. The Walking Dead's best and darkest content appears to be on its way, and I can't wait! FULL REVIEW AT http://www.ign.com/blogs/ao66 OVERALL SCORE: 8.2 out of 10
Out of all the groups this week, Tyreese's was my favorite. However, I had one problem with what was done. It may be a little too early to judge this, and it sounds bad, but I wish Judith had died. Her death would have had a huge effect on the group, particularly Rick and Carl. Traumatic events like that are perfect for producing phenomenal character development, just look at Game of Thrones, or even Hershel's death in "Too Far Gone". Leaving her alive takes quite a bit of the punch away from the mid-season finale. I was convinced that she was dead, and the emotional damage that caused was one of the biggest reasons for giving the episode a "10". It feels like they didn't have the guts to fully kill her off, so they are attempting to get the character effects by leaving her fate in question. However, it just doesn't have the same impact. However, keeping her alive did contribute to the most intense moment of the episode, though that turned out to be a missed opportunity to make the death of Judith even more shocking. I was shaking in my seat as the show cut back and forth between Tyreese's walker killing and Lizzie suffocating Judith as walkers approached. It was one of the most gripping moments of the season, and it was masterfully done. That sequence was strong enough on its own to make this a good episode. Still though, imagine how shocking it would have been for Lizzie to kill Judith! I still think that could happen, and I hope it does when they reunite with Carl. I would love to see what that does to his mental state. One thing that this episode did do was convince me almost 100% that Lizzie was the killer, and that Carol covered for her. That would be a huge twist! A lot of people have not been talking about it (which is unfortunate), but what the writers have done with Lizzie has been absolutely spectacular. Every time I see her, I get creeped out: she's a freakin' psychopath! I haven't seen many post-apocalyptic stories create a kid who is basically a serial killer in the making (if she isn't already). Scott Gimple and the gang are really exploring the messed up things that young children might believe are acceptable in a world like the one in Walking Dead. Even more unexpected that the character arc of Lizzie is Brighton Sharbino, the actress who plays her. I am one of those guys that often finds child actors annoying, but she has been stupendous. How many ADULTS can play a crazy person this well, let alone child actors. I really think that she is going places. On the opposite end of the spectrum from Lizzie was her sister Mika, who was afraid of just about everything. Trying to keep these two nut-jobs in line was Tyreese, and Chad Coleman gave a top-notch performance once again.....
"Inmates" is a tough episode to score. While not without its problems, "Inmates" was packed with solid material, important reveals, and gripping moments. However, a few of those issues really bugged me, and some will impact the show moving forward. Still, they don't even come close to spoiling the reveal of Abraham, Eugene, Rosetta, and "The Sanctuary". Scott Gimple has a clear vision for the show, and that vision includes a lot of comic material with a unique spin. The Walking Dead's best and darkest content appears to be on its way, and I can't wait! FULL REVIEW AT http://www.ign.com/blogs/ao66 OVERALL SCORE: 8.2 out of 10