The Walking Dead Copyright 2012 AMC TV
Warning: This Walking Dead Season 3 post contains spoilers. Please wait until after watching, before reading further. Similarities and differences between the show and the comic are also discussed, but whenever possible, details of the comic are left ambiguous in case you decide to start it later on.
Summary: Rick’s team frantically attempts to save the Hershel’s life, while trying to work out a truce with the prison’s other newly discovered inhabitants.
Thankfully, Episode 2 (Sick) of The Walking Dead Season 3, picks up immediately where where Episode 1 left off, so you don’t miss a minute of action. After amputating Hershel’s leg and the encountering the prison’s survivors, Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog desperately try to stop the bleeding. They manage to rush Hershel back to their cell block, where Carol, Lori, and his daughters provide care, but without medical supplies his fate is uncertain.
Next, Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog regroup and explain to the cooped up prisoners exactly what has been happening on the outside. I find the prisoners’ inability to digest the situation comical; one of them is so dumb, that he asks to borrow a cellphone. Once everything sinks in, everyone quickly realizes, that an agreement must be formed about sharing resources, since the convicts insist on staying.
Unlike the comic, which gradually builds up tension between these two factions, I dig that the show just drops you right into it. Rick and the long-haired leader of the cons are instantly at odds over their arrangement. Rick continues to be a commanding leader, telling the prisoners how it’s going to be rather than haggling. In exchange for half the food, Rick and his friends offer to help clear out a cell block for the other men.
Again, the prisoners’ stupidity hilariously abounds when they fail to comply with simple zombie killing instructions. Instead of going for the head and staying in formation like they’re supposed to, the idiots scatter and start shanking the undead in the guts. My favorite part of the episode is when the long-haired dude takes a swing at Rick. The punk gets a badass machete to the head in the most satisfying kill of the episode, maybe even of the season so far. Unfortunately another prisoner crosses Rick and ends up becoming zombie chow. I understand why Rick feeds the second prisoner to them, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I like that he lets the two gentle-seeming cons live, however I’m curious to see how they get along with everyone in the long run.
Faster than in the comic, Rick is becoming a darker character who makes hard decisions to ensure everyone’s survival. As the leader, he also appears to be emotionally distancing himself from the group, especially from Lori and Carl. It’s a joy to see Lori eating more humble pie in this episode, when she admits to being a lousy mom and wife on multiple occasions, though it’s kind of sad that Rick still wants nothing to do with her.
I still appreciate that this show keeps me guessing even though I’ve read the Walking Dead comics. Hershel’s situation literally kept me on the edge of my seat and when they showed a mysterious party spying on Carol from the woods, I legitimately had no idea who it was.
Who do you think it was spying on Carol? Are you happy Hershel appears to be okay for now? Do you agree with Rick’s decision to feed the second prisoner to zombies? Do you think Rick and Lori will patch things up at some point?