Ah yes, I've missed you guys. I won't be reviewing weekly comics for a while now, but it's time to get back into trade reviewing! And tv. And movies. And yes, I am working through Batman: Arkham Origins right now, so expect a review of that in about... 2 months.
So, as a little something to entertain you guys, I've decided to give you guys a review of quite possibly the most talked about episode of the Walking Dead since "CARL'S NOT IN THE HOUSE!", so keep in mind, if you haven't seen the episode yet, and have not kept up with the series, STAY THE HELL OUT! Got that? Now that we got all the hipsters out of the way, let me get this out of my lungs.
OH MY GOD THANK YOU SCOTT GIMPLE! Ever since Scott Gimple to over the Walking Dead, the series has began to regain its traction, but it never really lived up to the standard set by season 1. Yes, the characters were definitely more tolerable, and the pacing was better, but there was never that impending sense of dread and fear we got from the opening scene of the pilot. Until now. Seriously, Season 4 has definitely had potential, but for the first time since season 1, it actually feels like it's living up to its potential! Throughout the entire episode, I was on the edge of my seat, speculating who was going to live or die. I am not going to lie, there was actually a moment where I thought the "untouchable" Daryl was going to kick the bucket (then again, he's Daryl for crying out loud). Despite being a loud and chaotic episode, there was a huge amount of intensity to it, actually akin to the comics!
Speaking of the comics, this episode was the closest the series has ever been to the books. From the final shot of Rick and Carl running away from the unlivable prison, or the Governor's Tyrese-esque decapitation of Herschel (which was actually the most brutal thing the show has ever done since the well walker from season 2), I was grateful to see Gimple actually give me the showdown at the prison I wanted from Season 3 (DAMN YOU MAZARRA!). Yes, the body count was significantly lower (Tyrese is still alive, so is Carol who's out there doing God knows what), but the outcome was practically the same. And even better, the show actually surprised me, by KILLING OFF JUDITH. I had no idea Gimple had the guts to go for killing off Judith, (though there was no body, so we know what that means in the Walking Dead), so props to them for doing that.
As usual, I think Andrew Lincoln is one of the show's most underrated stars (despite his accent sometimes breaking when he tries to pull off the more emotional scenes, case in point "DUHRL, HAVE YOU SEEN COOOORL"), and then, we have Morrisey's Brian. Seriously, David Morrisey is the most intimidating villain I've seen on any screen since Waltz's Hans Landa from Inglorious Basterds (which is one of my favorite performances of all time). Morrisey's delivery is cold, brutal, jarring, and just as he convinces his own new new group of survivors that they can take prison without killing anyone, he tricks the audience occasionally into thinking he's willing to show the prison mercy... Which can just make the emotionally charged deaths all the more unexpected and painful. I'm grateful to Gimple and Morrisey for bringing back the sadistic, evil, insane bastard from the books that readers know and hate. Especially after Marazza (GODDAMN YOU) pretty much neutered him last season.
I really only have a few complaints about the episode, however, they are still too big to be ignored and passed off. Firstly, I still can not stand some of the child actors. I'm not talking about Chandler Riggs (an actor who I think has actually greatly improved since season 1), but the other two girls who Carol had taken in. Their acting definitely needs improvement, especially if they're going to play a larger role in the coming next half of the season. And the other one, is still some of the unbelievable stupidy of some of the characters, again, the little girls who just abandoned Judith just so they could shoot people. Seriously, there is no way little kids would do that.
All in all, I was hugely impressed by the Season 4 midseason finale. I'm glad to see the show is once again in capable hands, and that we're FINALLY going to be able to get into my favorite arc from the books soon: The cannibals. You go Dimple, don't fail me like Marazza did with the second half of season 3!
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