Tag Archives: Sasha

Herculean Hershel: Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 5

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Scott Wilson as Hershel Greene in The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 5

Scott Wilson as Hershel Greene in The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 5

With the prison’s fences caving in and walkers swarming through, somehow Rick and Carl manage to mow them all down near the end of The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 5 (Internment). Their father-son heroics are impressive, however they aren’t nearly as remarkable as Hershel’s Herculean determination in the face of intense adversity.

Many people believe that Hershel is fighting a doomed battle against the super flu, which is picking people off one by one at the prison. Even Dr. S has lost hope, so he smuggles some shotguns and shells into his cell. Although Hershel refuses to give up on anyone or to let go of his hope that the group will pull through. You might call it sheer stubbornness or arrogance, but either way you have to respect his incredible strength of character and ability to keep everyone going.

During a horrific moment in The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 5 opening, Hershel, Glenn, and Sasha are trying to shove a tube down some convulsing guy’s throat to help him breathe. During the commotion, Hershel bravely tries to lighten the mood with jokes like “Some council meeting, huh?” and silly suggestions such as starting “Spaghetti Tuesday.” As if that wasn’t enough, he also insists on dealing with dead patients outside the cell block. By killing those walkers out of sight, Hershel smartly preserves a sense of order and stability among the people still combating the illness. Kudos to him for shouldering that emotional burden.

Unfortunately Hershel can’t be everywhere at once. Everything finally spirals out of control for him once a walker get loose and start biting people. Hershel risks life and limb, almost getting bit himself, to kill the zombies and to save Glenn from the brink of death. Thank god Maggie ignores Hershel’s command to stay away from the area. If she didn’t break in to help her dad, poor Glenn would be a goner.

What’s amazing about Hershel is that he gives selflessly without expecting anything in return. That’s what easily makes him the most admirable character on The Walking Dead. You can really sympathize with him, so when he bursts into tears toward the end of the episode, you’re right there too. He gets a good cry in for all of us. Here’s to hoping the show’s writers keep him alive through this season.

Another crazy part of The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 5, is that Rick and Carl manage to kill all those zombies swarming in. Not only is it huge that Rick let Carl assist in such a dangerous situation, but it’s a big deal that they survive. When the fences started falling, I thought for sure the whole group would be forced to leave the prison. I was impressed when the episode cut back to them mopping up the corpses. Rick and Carl must have used their ammo efficiently with some well-placed head shots.

Did you think that the prison would fall in this episode? Also, were you shocked to see The Governor lurking outside at the very end? Is he coming in war or in peace? And finally, this week’s poll: Were you worried that Glenn might get killed off?

Walking Dead Season 4 Trailer and EW Cover Story

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Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

Good

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

Better

 

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

Best

My excitement about The Walking Dead Season 4 went from a 5 to an 11 last Friday. It was a great day to be a fan of the show because not only was The Walking Dead Season 4 trailer unveiled at the San Diego Comic-Con, but the issue of Entertainment Weekly that was released had a Walking Dead story and three different collectible covers. A cover features Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), another has Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs), and the third, most badass one features my favorite character Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) on his motorcycle. Sadly I didn’t get the Daryl edition like I had hoped, although I was still pretty happy with Rick.

Based on The Walking Dead Season 4 trailer and EW’s article, the new season, which starts in October 2013, seems like it will be a great mixture of character driven episodes and tense action. Here are my thoughts on the trailer and the article. Be sure to watch the trailer below and let me know what you think about this teaser for Season 4.

When we pick up with the people at the prison, it seems like times are getting extremely tough. With more humans at the prison, resources are probably going much faster. There are multiple shots of Daryl and company risking their necks on dangerous supply runs like the one in the trailer’s opening at a Walmart-type store. It’s definitely unsettling to hear screams of pain without knowing the source. Plus, the conversation that Carol has with Daryl about the increasing number of walkers and the shots of zombies piling up against the prison only add to my anticipation about how the survivors will deal with the growing threat.

Speaking of Carol, I was glad to see her talking more with Daryl. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a total shipper hoping that those two get together. I also thought it was funny that she was teaching a class on knife safety. I’m intrigued to see how that particular portion fits into the coming episodes. Other things that made me curious: the new character played by Lawrence Gilliard Jr., all the emotional reaction shots, the talk about leaving the prison, the scene where everyone is fighting their way from a car through a swarm of zombies, and the final moments when they hear something on the radio.

Lawrence Gilliard Jr.’s character clearly has something dark going on beneath the surface, especially based on the shot where he’s looking in the mirror with his hand shaking. I wonder what potentially dastardly deeds he will perpetrate. Hopefully he isn’t linked to Hershel’s line about two of their own being killed in cold blood or to the shot of dead rats someone has been feeding the walkers on the fence. The emotional reaction shots could be to anything, although to me they signal a lot more character-rich episodes.

The scene where everyone is fighting near the car and Tyreese is battling a cluster of zombies by himself, reminds me of a part of the comic where he similarly fends off a ton of walkers. I cross my fingers that the fight goes in his favor since I like Tyreese. I’m going to guess that his busted eye in the trailer comes from a fight with Rick. I can’t wait to see how their relationship is built up in the show and what will eventually bring them to the same blows that they famously exchanged in the comic.

The Entertainment Weekly Article

The cast of The Walking Dead in Entertainment Weekly

Wicked creepy right? This isn’t a position I’d want to be in.

The main photo for EW’s Walking Dead Season 4 article is amazing. It’s cool toward the beginning of the issue that you see how the photographer was on his back to take the shot of everyone creepily standing over him.

Behind the scenes with the cast of The Walking Dead

Cool to see how it’s done huh?

I enjoyed the piece’s anecdotes about Chandler Riggs (Carl) finally getting to fire a real gun on set after celebrating his 14th birthday. Admittedly I was concerned too about the season would be with its new showrunner Scott Gimble, however the interviews with cast members and reminders of the superb episodes that he wrote in Seasons 2 and 3, assuaged my fears.

EW got me wondering how The Governor will crop up in Season 4 and hooked me with teases about an impending threat scarier than the walkers. It made me laugh though to hear viewers were confused about the Tyreese/Sasha relationship. Even if you didn’t read the comic, I thought it was fairly obvious that they were family. Like the EW writers, I’m speculating nervously on how many characters might get killed off this season.

I say if Daryl dies we riot. Anyone else agree?

Just kidding…or am I? Haha.

Philip Waxes Poetic: Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16 (Welcome to the Tombs)

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Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes in The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16

Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes in The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16

Warning: This Walking Dead Season 3 post contains spoilers. Please wait until after watching, before reading further. SERIOUSLY, there are some mega spoilers here, so don’t read ahead unless you’ve seen the episode or you absolutely don’t care about learning major plot points.

Summary: The Governor tortures Andrea and leaves her for dead, so that he can storm the prison with his army. However he quickly discovers that his troops don’t have what it takes to kill the prisonfolk, because they’re chased out. Afterward Rick, Daryl, and Michonne travel to Woodbury to finish the fight, although they’re surprised to find that that the people of Woodbury are anxious to switch allegiances.

Just as Season 3 opens with a closeup on a zombie eyeball, its finale, The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16 (Welcome to the Tombs) starts by focusing on a human’s. It slowly pulls back to reveal The Governor’s one good eye as he’s face-punching the crap out of…dun…dun….dun…Milton, for torching the walkers! Guess Milton finally grew a conscience (pair). Too bad it wasn’t Morgan who did it like some of us suspected.

Milton tries to reason with his captor, however The Governor is beyond saving. Philip issues Milton a scumbag ultimatum: kill Andrea or die. Milton tries to kill Philip instead, but sadly he gets crazy stabbed and left in the room to become a walker with a chained up Andrea. That’s sadistic Phil! During this scene he delivers a scary insightful comment akin to Jule’s Ezekiel 25:17 from Pulp Fiction, “You kill or you die. Or you die and you kill.” I think Jules would agree; that’s some cold-blooded shit to say.

Back at the prison everyone is making plans seemingly to flee. Carl is acting like a big baby giving Rick the silent treatment while they pack. The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16, is actually the first episode Carl has annoyed me all season long. Unbelievable after all the “Get Out of Here Carl” memes from Season 2. Michonne and Rick then have a heartwarming moment where she thanks him for taking her in. I really like her now.

Speaking of other characters I love, Tyreese politely declines The Governor’s invitation to fight, while offering to keep guard over the remaining folks. I was shocked The Governor tossed him a gun and said “Thanks.” Once The Woodbury troops arrive at the prison, they’re hooting, hollering, and blowing stuff up like they have unlimited ammo. Kudos to the writers and director for creating a massive amount of escalating tension as the Woodburyians comb the cellblocks looking for trouble. The highlighted bible passage sitting out was brilliant.

I was fairly disappointed however by what I felt like was an anticlimactic end to that fight. A few grenades plus Glenn and Maggie shooting and yelling scatters everyone to the wind. Then the pissed off Governor kills his troops for punking out, while his lackeys Martinez and the other dude just sit there in silence. Plus The Governor lives to see another day. UGH! I was hoping he’d get a huge satisfying death during the prison siege like he did in the comics. I was fascinated though by the whole piece about Carl shooting an innocent kid and trying to deny he did anything wrong.

I dug that Rick, Michonne, and Daryl found the one survivor of The Governor’s wrath and they went to Woodbury together where they got Tyreese and Sasha to switch teams. There was some good suspense leading up to Andrea’s bite. I loved the shot of Milton’s reanimated fingers just before the commercial, as well as the one of a closed door with screaming on the other side. It was touching when everyone came together to wish Andrea goodbye. Michonne even got misty!

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16 ends on a happy-go-lucky note with the Woodburyians joining Rick’s group. Rick has regains his humanity (which I’m happy about) and he no longer sees Lori (thank god). But it’s not an ending that feels right to me. Not many characters die (at least important ones) and that closing seems uncharacteristically upbeat for the show. I didn’t have any significant attachment to Milton, Andrea, or Allen so none of their deaths got to me. Plus Andrea’s death was completely avoidable if she just tried to escape faster instead of wasting time. I was hoping for a huge throw down with lots of death and drama like in the comic. Sadly I didn’t get it.

Click here to take this week’s poll: Were you satisfied by the Season 3 finale?

Any predictions for what will happen in Season 4?

Thoughts on AMC’s Interview with Chad L. Coleman (Tyreese)

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This week’s feature in “Dead Alert,” The Walking Dead newsletter, was an interview with Chad L. Coleman who plays Tyreese on the show. I was surprised that Tyreese was introduced as a character this season considering that he shows up much earlier in The Walking Dead comics. Because he is already a member of Rick’s group in the comics before the prison even happens, I just assumed that he wouldn’t be used at all in the television show. Needless to say I was shocked and quite excited to see him make an appearance in Season 3.

So far I like Tyreese as a character on the show and I’m enjoying Coleman, the actor who is playing him. Tyreese has a kindhearted personality, and an eagerness to help which I really like. He also doesn’t blindly follow orders, and he thinks for himself, an admirable quality.

Reading AMC’s interview with Chad L. Coleman it was interesting to find out that he and Danai Gurira (Michonne) had worked together before and already were familiar with each other before the show. Sadly I didn’t watch The Wire, so I don’t really get the question comparing Coleman’s character Cutty on that show to Tyreese. I did find it fascinating that Coleman was in the army and has real-world survival skills that he could use if he needed them.

The most mind-blowing aspect of the interview with Chad L. Coleman however was finding out that Sasha on the show is Tyreese’s younger sister. This entire time I assumed the younger woman with him was his daughter just like in the comics! I feel dumb for not knowing that, but the other hand, the show hasn’t dropped me any hints that they were siblings. It makes their relationship a little more fascinating to me now knowing that.

Learning that Coleman ran track instead of playing football like Tyreese didn’t impress me, but hearing that he’s good at bringing people together did. His natural nice-guy qualities shine through in his role so far as Tyreese. I’m looking forward to seeing where the writers take his character, especially as Season 3 draws to a close.

What do you think about Tyreese as a character?