I feel like every character in this show must have that mantra running through their heads, at least at the subconscious level. As with Jim, things are not okay, and no amount of self-talk is going to make it that way.
Our group is much smaller now. So many people died in the attack last week (last night), and the losses continued with Jim being bitten and the Morales family leaving for Birmingham. I couldn’t blame them. I would want to be with my family. The camp was really in just a holding pattern. The zombie attack made it abundantly clear that everyone needed to look for other options.
It was interesting that Rick, who had just warned Morgan that Atlanta was off-limits, decided that the CDC was the place to go. He may have great instincts, but he hasn’t really been out in the new world for very long. I don’t think he’s really grasped the reality of it all. Still, Rick’s gut seems to have been right. Jenner let them in and it looks like he has a safe place with food, water, even electricity. I’m just wondering why he’s all alone. I hope he’s not a homicidal maniac.
We hadn’t really gotten to know the people of the camp, but it was still hard to watch it break up. It seemed to offer some safety and sense of normalcy. Watching Andrea with Amy was heartbreaking. You never know how long you have with the ones you love. Carol, on the other hand, had to deal with the mixed emotions of losing her abusive husband. I didn’t know whether to cringe or cheer while I watched her take the pick axe to Ed’s head.
It felt like everyone was just a little more broken (or in some cases a lot more broken) by the end of the episode. The difficulties between Shane and Rick persist. Shane loves Rick but is struggling with his loss of Lori and Carl, the rivalry for leadership of the group, and the fact that he thinks Rick is making the wrong decisions. I was not surprised that he had Rick in his rifle sights. It must have been very tempting. Did the fact that Dale saw him influence his decision to back Rick on going to the CDC? I’m not sure I would have backed Rick.
There is at least one person at the CDC, but he seems to be a little mad and not particularly effective. The code word Wildfire seems appropriate. He said it was 194 days since Wildfire and 63 days since it had gone global. The zombie thing has moved very quickly. enner seems to feel pretty hopeless, and it didn’t help that the most useful samples were destroyed by automatic protocol. It seems a bit of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped. Whoever he is, he’s offered our desperate little group a bit of respite, at least. They had little other choice since they were out of food and fuel. Rick’s desperation was evident. If he had been wrong and there was nothing at the CDC, what were they going to do next?
Bits and Pieces
It was not fun watching Jim die. Turning into a zombie is painful and frightening. I think I would have just shot myself. I wonder if anyone has a natural immunity to the zombie bites?
I am starting to like Dale more and more. The comfort he gave to Andrea was lovely. I’m also starting to like Daryl. Everyone else is trying to hold onto their middle-class selves. He is eminently practical.
The scene where Amy came back as a zombie was very well done. You can see how family would easily be fooled and want to believe that their loved ones were reviving. It was awful that Andrea had to then shoot Amy in the head. She is tougher than I thought.
Quotes:
Rick: “Do not enter the city. It belongs to the dead now.”
Glenn: “Our people go in that row over there. We don’t burn them. We bury them. Understand!”
Rick: “We don’t kill the living.”
Daryl: “That’s funny coming from a man who just put a gun to my head.”
Dale: “Things are hard enough for ya without adding guilt into the mix.”
Andrea: “I’m sorry for never being there. I always thought there would be more time.”
Daryl: “These people need to know who the hell's in charge here. What the rules are.”
Rick: “There are no rules.”
Lori: “Well, that’s a problem. We haven’t had one minute to hold onto anything of our old selves. We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. That’s what people do.”
Jim: “That sound you hear. That’s God laughing while you make plans.”
Jenner: “I don’t even know why I’m still talking to you. I bet there isn’t a single son of a bitch out there still listening. Fine, saves me the embarrassment. I think tomorrow I’m going to blow my brains out. I haven’t decided. But tonight I’m getting drunk.”
Rick: “We’re at the ragged edge here. We need relief."
This was a really strong episode. Lots of emotional moments and horrible, post-apocalyptic choices. Andrea finally killing Amy certainly left me teary. As soon as she pulled the gun on Rick, I knew that's what she was waiting for, but that didn't make the moment any less powerful. So heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteAnd the group leaving Jim by the side of the road was brutal. I kept hoping that Darryl would circle back and put an arrow in his head. I know it was Jim's choice, but how could they leave him there to die and resurrect? They should have just put him down with some finality, when it was clear he was a lost cause.
I'm kind of digging the rivalry between Rick and Shane, at least when it comes to group leadership. Both have valid perspectives, and I like having multiple positions represented. However, I don't like having Lori in the middle. And I kind of hate that her decisions on whose play to back seem to have more to do with appearances than actual belief. Even putting aside the secret about her relationship with Shane (which I don't really blame her for), it just strikes me that she's not being emotionally honest with Rick and I feel like he deserves better.
I'm liking Dale a lot, too, and his moment offering support to Andrea was really lovely. Glenn's need to keep "their" people separate from the walkers was also rather touching. I like Glenn, too.
Credit where Credit is Due: Even though I've been spoiled on all the major developments in the series to date --- especially in terms of who lives and dies and when --- they still manage to wring a good deal of tension out of all dangerous situations. I was actually yelling at Andrea to stay away from Amy's mouth and fingernails, even though I knew Zombie Amy wasn't going to physically hurt her sister!
Loved the CDC doctor. This episode reminded me of my favorite sci fi films- Running Silent, Andromeda Strain, 2001 Space Odesssey,
ReplyDeleteone question, I thought the Winnebego was broken down. How did it magically start when they left Jim?