Sunday 10pm AMC
I really can't wait for this show to find its footing. It's so close, and yet, every other episode seems weaker than the previous. A sophomore slump was to be expected after the amazing premire, but the fantastic third episode had me hoping that the show was ready to take off and never look back. This fourth episode, while by no means bad, spent most of its time on a not particularly interesting diversion that will probably have no bearing on the long term plot of the series. Which is not to say it was without its moments. Holy crap, that ending. And beginning for that matter. (There's going to be lots of spoilers for this episode by the way, and some foreshadowing of what's coming in the comic. You've been warned).
This episode was mostly strange in that what should have been the A-plot ended up being the B-plot and vice versa. While Rick, Glenn, Daryl and (sigh) T-Dog continued their search for Merle and the bag of guns in Atlanta and provided most of the action, the subplot at the camp, in which everyone becomes unnerved by Jim's new-found hobby of digging graves on the hillside and not telling anyone why, was much more unsettling and interesting. But more on that later.
The episode opens with a beautifully shot and wonderfully acted scene between sisters Andrea (Laurie Holden) and Amy (Emma Bell) regarding fishing and their father. The serenity of the setting (they're in a boat on a perfectly still lake) and their meandering conversation are light-years removed from what is ostensibly the major appeal of the show, which is a testament to how necessary scenes like this are in keeping the characters from being only cannon fodder (as the ending demonstrates in a horrifying fashion). Combined with the grueling sequence in which Jim's backstory is revealed, I had no trouble saying that my favorite parts of this episode were happening back at the camp, not in Atlanta.
Speaking of Atlanta. While trying to retrieve the guns (via a well-thought-out plan by Glenn in another of those great "this is what we're doing and how we're doing it scene" from producer Frank Darabont), Glenn is kidnapped by a gang of Latino survivors (the 'vatos' of the title) and taken back to a fortress-like warehouse. Prepared to recover him by force, Rick and the others discover that the gangsters are actually protecting a nursing home that had been abandoned during the evacuation. While it was satisfying to not have the show go with the obvious schtick of them actually being barbarian gangsters or whatever-the-fuck, the whole thing did end up coming off as pretty cheesy. The entire plot is absent in the comic book and I'm reasonably certain we'll never hear from these characters again. While none of this was offensively bad, I'd much rather have spent more time with Rick and Glenn and even Daryl, who's really growing on me (I especially loved that he had no problem admitting Glenn's plan was a good one while still referring to him as a 'Chinaman").
I was also hoping for some resolution with Merle, but not only does that not happen this week, but we are told that Merle somehow stole the truck they used to return to Atlanta and that he's mostly likely headed to the camp for revenge. Assuming this is true, Rick and company were still able to make it back to the camp on foot just in time to fend off a zombie attack that nearly overwhelms the survivors. This was a excellent action sequence, frightening and well-shot with plenty of gore and headshots to appease the people who're only watching the show for the action. A couple of redshirts were knocked off as well as Carol's douchebag husband and (sadly) Amy. Laurie Holden completely killed me with her performance as she cradled her dying sister and completely confirmed my hopes that one of my favorite characters is in the hands of an extremely competent actress. It was a strong ending for an uneven episode and will hopefully set the stage for some harrowing drama in the final two episodes.
Stray Observations:
- Assuming they stick with the pacing of the comic (which has pretty much been like clockwork so far), there shouldn't be any more trips to Atlanta. Hopefully that'll keep the budget down and allow them to focus on the characters instead of the zombies.
- The scene between Andrea and Dale in the RV was nice to see for a bunch of reasons. I'll keep my mouth shut for now.
- I don't usually notice sound mixing in things, but this show deserves an Emmy for it (if there is one). The sounds of crickets and stuff are almost oppressive in the scenes set at the camp. Rather than being annoying, it actually creates a really nice sense of atmosphere.
- As much as I wanted them to use this badass fanmade credit sequence for the opening titles, Bear McCreary's opening theme gives me chills every time it fades in over the end of the cold open. Great way to set the tone each episode.
- Was anybody else expecting Amy to just pop back up in the last scene? The comic was never super consistent about the amount of time there is between someone dying and them coming back as a zombie; hopefully the show will fix that.
- This is the first and only episode of the season to be written by the creator of the comic, Robert Kirkman. It is nice to see him go back and fill out some stuff that could have been in the early issues of the comic. It's not so nice to be reminded how clunky some of his dialogue is, even when filtered through actors.
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