THE WALKING DEAD - "Four Walls and a Roof" Review

Article first published as THE WALKING DEAD Review Season 5 Episode 3 Four Walls and a Roof on Seat42F.

This week’s installment of AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD is an emotional rollercoaster. Much of the series deals with finding morality in a much-changed world, debating what values can be held onto and which must be dropped to survive. What defines a good person in this new age? It’s surely not the same as what modern viewers are used to. This most recent hour, “Four Walls and a Roof,” finds many characters struggling to find that line.

First, a quick recap of events: Bob (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) delights in telling his kidnapper-cannibals that they have eaten tainted meat, revealing he has been bitten by a walker. Gareth (Andrew J. West) and the others are disgusted, but have a new plan. They drop Bob back at the church to enrage Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the group, luring a strike force away from the main contingent. As soon as Rick et al. leave, Gareth and his men sneak in to finish off those left behind. But Rick is smarter than that and doubles back, brutally ending the Terminus survivors once and for all.

The scene in which Rick, Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), Michonne (Danai Gurira), and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) savagely beat several of the Terminus guys to death, including Gareth, is stomach-turning. Fans might expect a triumphant moment of enemies being defeated, but that’s not what “Four Walls and a Roof” delivers. Instead, it’s an ugly side to these characters. Yes, Gareth and his followers are bad people and cannot be trusted to be set free again, so no one is arguing they don’t deserve to die. But the method of execution seems more cruel than necessary even if Rick’s excuse of not wanting to spend bullets makes sense, and there’s poetic justice in Rick fulfilling his promise to Gareth involving the red-handled machete.

Of course, this leaves hanging the question of if it’s safe to eat someone who has been bitten, with the diners dead before digestion completes.

Does this mean Rick and the others are bad people now? Even some of their friends look away in disgust, uncomfortable with what they are seeing. Yet, no one defects from Rick because of this. Everyone agrees it is necessary. This is where the line between right and wrong gets blurry, and one wonders if humanity can be held onto.

Bob provides that string of hope for the audience to keep liking our group. He tells Rick how awesome it is that Rick takes him in, making him a part of the family. Some other marauders are only looking out for themselves and would not allow anyone new to join them. Rick and his friends rescue Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) as recently as last week, proving they haven’t completely gone to the dark side. They only murder those who deserve it. Rick should keep looking for others to save.

One cannot say Gareth is redeemable. There is a certain charm to him, and his chilling oratory makes much more sense than it should. He is wronged in the past, and much of his killing is done to keep his people alive. The difference is, he slaughters those who have done nothing to him. And he is fine with using people and creeping them out in a sadistic manner, drawing an A on the church like the one on the train car in which he imprisoned the group. Gareth crosses the line of decency, and that’s why he must die.

In fact, we actually look down on the characters whom cannot kill someone like Gareth. Father Gabriel reveals his cowardice, hiding in the church as his parishioners are devoured, and that makes him pathetic and detested, not a man to look up to as he cannot kill even a walker. Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) leaves a Terminus guy alive in a cabin, and that paints him in a poor light, even if he is able to spare Sasha the pain of taking Bob out, only proving he can kill walkers, not humans. Those who cannot step up the plate the way Rick does seem doomed to perish, sooner rather than later. Brutality, as hard to stomach as it is, is a necessary part of this world.

Still, without that scene in “Four Walls and a Roof” in which Bob tells Rick what a good man Rick is, Rick balancing his baby daughter on his hip, it would be hard for the heroes of THE WALKING DEAD to come back from this. There has to be good mixed in with the bad. Rick has to have a moral line about who is judged worthy of being put down, and we have to know he won’t do the same to whoever they meet next. Justified or not as killing Gareth’s band is, it’s hard to watch a good man do it, and that is part of why this series is the best drama on television.

The only thing that bothers me about this episode is when Abraham takes Eugene (Josh McDermitt) and Rosita (Christian Serratos), along with Glenn (Steven Yeun), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and Tara (Alanna Masterson), off on their own. His goodbye to Rick is great. Glenn and Maggie’s decision to join up makes sense. But why can’t Abraham wait? It’s clear that Eugene wants to. The immediate threat of Gareth is gone, so there’s no rush to move on, right?

I guess Abraham is a man on a mission who suddenly feels his mission has been delayed too long. I get it; I really do. He is out to save the world. But the group would be so much stronger if he’d just give Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) a day to get back. The fact that Daryl shows up soon after the others leave makes it all the more groan-worthy. It’s true that Abraham has no way of knowing the wait would be so short, but still…!

Speaking of Daryl, who is behind him in that final scene? If it’s Carol, why doesn’t she come out? Is it Beth (Emily Kinney) and a group of other captives Daryl has rescued? I want to know more about this right now!

“Four Walls and a Roof” is a fantastic episode, made all the better by setting it inside of a church, which is, as one character says, just “Four Walls and a Roof.” It really plays to the strengths of the series, and both significant deaths are affecting, in different ways. Seven days is a long wait for the next installment.

THE WALKING DEAD airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

New "Strangers" Among THE WALKING DEAD

Article first published as THE WALKING DEAD Review Season 5 Episode 2 Strangers on Seat42F.

AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD has conditioned us to be wary of any new face, as the group has been burned so often by “Strangers” in this post-apocalyptic landscape. That’s why, even as our group comes together more solidly, viewers are likely be nervous around the new cast member introduced this week, Father Gabriel Stokes (Seth Gilliam, The Wire, Teen Wolf).

Fans of the comic book already know who Father Gabriel is, but that may not help them. While never yet introducing a comic villain as a hero or vice versa on TV, it’s bound to happen sooner or later, given the huge license the television writers take with the source material. Last night’s episode, “Strangers,” does a fine job of both introducing Father Gabriel, and making fans and characters alike suspicious of his intentions and back story. Could he really survive alone in the woods all this time? Why are there strange words written on the wall of the building? The car with the cross that kidnapped Beth (Emily Kinney) seems like it could easily be connected to him. These questions are not answered fully this week, but Gilliam already makes a strong impression with his memorable take on the character.

It’s pretty neat that our heroes still rescue Father Gabriel, despite what they’ve been through. Rick ignores a man Carl (Chandler Riggs) wants to help at the end of last season. Granted, that man is already being torn to bits and they likely couldn’t save him. But even after recently being badly betrayed by Terminus, they take a chance on this new guy, which is a sign their humanity remains intact, if skewed.

Rick’s “three question” test is usually a pretty good way to judge a person’s character, checking their attitude towards others. It doesn’t work on Father Gabriel. If he’s telling the truth, he hasn’t killed anyone, human or Walker. This makes him a very, very rare exception in a world where everyone kills to survive. Thus, he remains an enigma, which is an interesting new take for the story.

As Father Gabriel helps our people find food, the episode spends a lot of time smoothing out the dynamics of the group. The cast has spent quite awhile splintered, and only at the end of last week’s premiere, have they come back together again. This means no one knows that Carol (Melissa McBride) killed a girl. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) banished Carol previously; is that still a factor between them? Some may wonder why Tara (Alanna Masterson), who is seen with the Governor’s people, has joined them. Some characters have motivations that could pull them away from the rest. These are all burning questions that demand an answer.

“Strangers” starts giving us those answers, thankfully not making us wait weeks to deal with them. Rick and Carol have a lovely scene where Rick asks if they can all join Carol on the road. He doesn’t exactly apologize, but that is in the subtext of his words, and it’s obvious that he bears no grudge towards her. Can she get over the past and say the same? Well, the episode doesn’t tell us if Carol is mad or just no longer feels like part of the ensemble (it hints the latter), but she does try to sneak off on her own, so she isn’t fully integrated back in, at least not yet. Hopefully she will be soon.

Carol could be worried about what the others will think if they learn that she murdered a child. The only one that knows is Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman), who seems to have forgiven her, and has no desire to remember it, nor tell anyone. Carol’s guilt would be the only thing blocking her here, but that just might be enough to do her in, as she’s, at heart, a good person.

So Carol tries to flee, and of course it’s Daryl (Norman Reedus) that goes after her. They are besties, if not more, and it would suck to see them separated again. Daryl won’t be willing to leave the others behind, even for her, but he also isn’t going to let her go without a fight. Their side trip to rescue Beth when they see the cross car only forestalls this confrontation, but whether Carol chooses to stay or go, at least we can look forward to at least one more adventure together for the two of them.

Tara’s path is smoothed by the fact that she saves Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) life and he vouches for her. Everyone likes Glenn, so if he says she’s good people, they’ll accept her. End of story.

What’s weird is the love triangle that seems to be brewing between Tara, Glenn, and Maggie (Lauren Cohan), considering Tara likes girls but she’s eyeing Glenn. I guess maybe sexuality gets a little more fluid when the choices are so limited, and saving one’s life creates a bond that defies gender? Still, I can’t help but feel that this dynamic may end up like the version of Carol in the comics – a young woman who wants to insert herself into a couple (it was Rick and Lori on the page) just so she isn’t alone in the scary reality, which is an understandable emotion, but not one Maggie and Glenn are likely to be willing to help Tara satisfy (as Rick and Lori refused Carol).

Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) has a different problem than the others. He is accepted well enough, but he has a mission to complete: get Eugene (Josh McDermitt) to Washington D.C. to save the world. Most of the group is sympathetic, but now that they have in Rick the leader they’d always hoped for, they all defer to him and will stand by him. Thus, Abraham only has to convince one man, albeit a man who isn’t very optimistic about their outlook, making it a hard sell. Abraham is right to bide his time, waiting for a moment where Rick will be willing to consider it, and by doing so, Abraham gets what he wants. He’s a smart cookie.

Bob (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) is the one with the cheery outlook on life in “Strangers.” He keeps spinning things positively, and always wants one more kiss from Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green). As a fan of THE WALKING DEAD, this signals his demise to me. He isn’t killed this week, but when he’s captured and his leg is amputated by The Hunters (Gareth (Andrew J. West) and his fellow Terminus survivors finally being confirmed to be this group), it’s not a surprise. No one is allowed to be so happy on this show. Bob’s cheeriness is his undoing.

There is a twist hinted at in “Strangers” concerning Bob. Remember, he leaves the church on his own volition and is crying when they find him. I think he was bitten in the basement, which I kept expecting to be revealed, but never was. What happens to people who eat the flesh of a man turning into a Walker? I think we’ll soon find out.

So much unfolds in one short hour, and so much of it is rich, character-driven stuff. THE WALKING DEAD is an excellent show because it can balance these dramatic moments with the action scenes, and by doing this well, “Strangers” is an excellent entry for the series.

THE WALKING DEAD airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

"No" More Waiting for THE WALKING DEAD

Article first published as THE WALKING DEAD Review Season 5 Episode 1 No Sanctuary on Seat42F.

AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD spoiled much in their previously released trailers (too much if you ask me), but that did not detract from the excitement of last night’s season five premiere, “No Sanctuary.” When last we leave Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the gang, they are trapped in a train car at the mercy of some wicked cannibals. To no one’s surprise, “No Sanctuary” is the story of how they escape from confinement and how Sanctuary falls. But there are a few unexpected things along the way.

The most surprising element of the episode to me are the flashbacks to Mary (Denise Crosby), Gareth (Andrew J. West), and the others trapped in their own train car. We learn from Mary, just before she becomes zombie chow, that Sanctuary’s mission used to be straight forward and as promised. Then, some jerks took over and raped and murdered the peaceful people. We don’t yet see how the group took back their home, but we now know what has hardened them.

West is a main character this season, which means there’s more story to tell here. Considering the glimpses THE WALKING DEAD gives us of Gareth’s past this week, it’s likely there will be more of these before he (SPOILER!) catches up with our heroes in the present timeline. I can’t say that I’m excited Gareth is sticking around, at least for now, but this is an arc I didn’t expect to see told, and so am intrigued by where it might go.

Is this along the same line the heroes struggle with, finding what is acceptable to survive and what one can live with doing? Gareth is logical and cold, but not overly cruel, unlike The Governor. He’s dispassionate about what he does to his prisoners, and so perhaps can eventually be forgiven, as he’s probably just trying to keep those he cares about safe and fed. Maybe he’s not as much of a monster as he first appears to be.

At the start of the episode, Rick and the others prepare to escape their car, making homemade weapons. This is the confrontation many have been waiting for all summer, a brutal, hand-to-hand scuffle with crude tools. But it doesn’t come. Gareth is too smart for that and drops a gas canister in from the ceiling, taking only four of them out to the slaughter house and not giving the others a chance to fight back.

This leads to a very tense scene in which one or more of our core people could die. There is a moment where it looks like Glenn (Steven Yeun), at least, will bite it, and I found myself racking my brain for memories of the trailer. Is Glenn shown in it? I thought so, but I started to have doubts. THE WALKING DEAD expertly puts our people in these situations where one wonders how it can possibly work out, and many times, it doesn’t, so the suspense is real and it’s hard to trust that the writers will keep our favorites alive.

In fact, there are no casualties among the group in the escape from Terminus. This is acceptable because of the way everything plays out. Rick is able to cut his bonds and free his friends. Carol (Melissa McBride) causes chaos from the outside. Many of Gareth’s people are taken by surprise and slaughtered by Rick and company or by the Walkers that invade. Only in a frantic situation such as this, could our people, single-mindedly focused on fleeing, survive without losing anyone.

“No Sanctuary” also takes time for a bit of character development. Rick really wants to go back and wipe out any remnants of Terminus out of revenge. Everyone else disagrees, but he is adamant. That is, until he sees baby Judith. Then, his human side comes out again. Rick has to turn himself into a monster to protect everyone, but his reaction at being reunited with his infant proves there’s still a compassionate side to him, as does the way he hugs Carol, whom he once banished.

Carol has definitely earned her place back with everyone else. At the start of “No Sanctuary,” she tells Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) she won’t be staying when they catch up to the group. Yet, there is no sense that she’s leaving at the end. I think Rick’s warm welcome and Daryl’s (Norman Reedus) sweet excitement have changed her mind and let her know she belongs with them. It would be hard to lose her again, one of the best characters on the show, resourceful, caring, and a realist.

Tyreese is the anti-Rick this week. While Rick is seemingly monster until he’s not, Tyreese looks like a wimp. He doesn’t want to kill anyone and allows himself to be baited by the Terminus man he and Carol capture in the woods. This is a beaten Tyreese, one who regrets past actions. But like the captive says, if Tyreese can’t tap into his inner killer, he’s doomed to die. In the end, Tyreese finds the tough side of himself, which comes out so he can protect Judith, the most noble of causes. Thank goodness Tyreese has not been permanently neutered.

Now, everyone is off to the next place. Will it be to D.C., where Eugene (Josh McDermitt) certainly seems prepared to wipe out the Walkers? (Fans of the comic book have reason to doubt him, but the show sometimes chooses its own path, so who knows?) Or will they go somewhere else? And what is Abraham (Michale Cudlitz) hesitant to talk to Rick about?

But wait! If you sit through the entire ending credits, so it appears the episode is done, we get one more surprise: Morgan (Lennie James) is following the group! In the comics, he rejoins Rick and the others after the prison and stays. Might THE WALKING DEAD finally be bringing this fan-favorite, who appears in the pilot and a single season three episode, back in a big way? Show runner Scott Gimple promises the brief glimpse is the start of something, but Morgan’s return is a well-kept secret and no one seems in a hurry to tell us what it might mean going forward.

My only complaint about this is that it’s likely many viewers missed it entirely. We’re used to sitting through the end credits of Marvel movies and such for a stinger, but not so for a television show. It’s a cool precedent, and one THE WALKING DEAD probably won’t use often, as seldom is the payoff worth it like it is in “No Sanctuary.” Hopefully, those that missed it will hear and catch it online. It gives us yet another reason to stick around and watch TALKING DEAD, to ensure we don’t miss anything.

“No Sanctuary” is a terrific return. It’s action-packed, full of great character moments, and contains a number of surprises that even the most ardent fans won’t see coming. The show delivers this sort of installment consistently, and that is why THE WALKING DEAD is my favorite series currently on television, despite much stiff competition.

THE WALKING DEAD airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

"A" Great Cliffhanger for THE WALKING DEAD

Article originally written for Seat42F.com

The season finale of AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD, while not featuring very many main characters for most of the run time, still manages to be both satisfying and intense. Simply titled “A,” it tells a revealing, character-focused tale of a small group, while introducing us to the menace of Terminus at large, and bowing out on a heck of a cliffhanger, something this series has never really done before.

“A” begins with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) looking pretty bad, bloody and sitting alone outside a vehicle. Over the next twenty or so minutes, we see flashbacks of Hershel (Scott Wilson) teaching Rick how to lie down his weapons and become a farmer at the prison, a glimpse of happier times, and also see why Rick becomes determined to save Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) soul, a boy more interested in guns than Legos. It provides a missing chapter that not only feels appropriate to examine now, but allows a glimpse of the whole cast together, including those that are no longer living.

We soon find out why Rick is ruminating on this as he, Carl, and Michonne (Danai Gurira) are attacked by Harley (J.D. Evermore) and his gang, a scene taking place prior to messed-up-Rick. All looks hopeless for our heroes in this confrontation as Daryl’s (Norman Reedus) attempt to talk Harley down gets him beat up, a gross, fat man intends to rape Carl, and Rick and Michonne are disarmed and on their knees. Then Rick head butts Harley, tussles for a moment, and rips Harley’s neck open with his teeth, providing the distraction Michonne and Daryl need to take care of the rest of the group.

In this moment, Rick becomes a monster. Getting his hands on the fat man, he not only executes him, but keeps brutally stabbing long after the guy is dead. I can’t say it’s animalistic, as animals are not that cruel, but it goes far beyond what we would think someone with humanity would be capable of. And because Rick worries Carl will see him in a poor light, and that Rick is setting a bad example for Carl, Rick sits outside the truck and thinks back to how he’s raised his son in the past. Has he done enough to protect and nurture Carl’s moral compass?

The thing is, though, Carl doesn’t see Rick as a monster. It appears he does at first, especially when Rick lets a random stranger be torn apart by a pack of walkers without interference. So Michonne tells Carl the full truth, finally, about her rage and the terrible things she did when creating her ‘pets,’ showing why she gets Rick and still has confidence in him, no matter what she witnesses. Carl understands this, as it soon becomes clear, and is just worried that he won’t live up to his father’s example.

This section of “A” is one about holding onto humanity. Michonne did it, having been saved by Andrea and the group. Rick does it, telling Daryl they are brothers as they sit outside the truck, reunited. And now Carl shows that he’s a whole person, too, acknowledging that Rick did what had to be done and that Harley and his men deserve what they get, but also being a vulnerable, caring individual.

In this murky world, sometimes the line between good and bad gets blurred. I think what the first half of “A” does is present a type of person that can survive, but can still be looked up to. The brutality shown is only done in protection of loved ones, not gratuitously. So, at the end of the day, Rick remains the hero everyone, including Carl, can admire.

The back half of the hour finds the four reaching Terminus. Scouting the perimeter, they can’t see anyone, so aren’t able to judge the settlement. Sneaking in the back door, they find Gareth (Andrew J. West) and rest engaged in harmless activities. Allowing themselves to be searched, Rick and company are permitted to keep their weapons, further reinforcing that Terminus is the sanctuary it promises to be, its inhabitants offering welcome.

However, it takes very little time at all for Rick to notice something’s up. No sooner does Mary (Denise Crosby) hand him a plate of food than Rick sees Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) watch, Maggie’s (Lauren Cohan) poncho, and other clues that his friends are present. Rick reacts, grabbing one of the residents, who is soon killed, and then Rick and the others are herded through some creepy spaces and, ultimately, into a rail car where they find everyone in the cast who arrived here last week.

As seemed obvious last week when the others reached Terminus, it’s all a trap. It seems too good to be true, and it is. The happy façade is presented to lure people in, where they are captured and locked up. From glimpses during the herding sequence, it appears the people of Terminus are cannibals, eating those they can catch. Rick and his friends will be livestock for them, and there isn’t a shortage of such, given the voices heard coming from shipping containers. It’s frustrating that Rick follows the path their bullets encourage him to go down, but there isn’t an easy escape option presented at this time.

The thing is, despite losing their weapons and being in a cage, Rick doesn’t lose heart, nor should the viewers. We have seen in “A” what Rick is capable of, even without weapons. And now he’s in a place with most of his comrades. They’re a pretty large group, and the Terminus guys have to enter that car some time to make them come out. Rick will be ready for them. His final line, the ending of the episode, exudes inspiring confidence and determination.

It seems odd that this bleak situation makes for an uplifting cliffhanger, but it’s true. At least everyone is together, and united, they can succeed. It will be a long summer while we wait to see this happen, and there could very well be casualties among our main contingent. At least for now, though, they are locked up among friends.

There remains some questions and wild cards in the scenario. Is Beth (Emily Kinney) in Terminus, a victim or intended meal? What will Carol (Melissa McBride) and Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) see when they get there? Even if they find Rick’s buried guns, they have a baby with them, making any type of assault difficult, should they see enough clues to attempt attack. Still, “A” is a good place to end things, and a great season finale.

THE WALKING DEAD will return next fall on AMC.