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Review: The Walking Dead “Pretty Much Dead Already”

  • By

  • November 27, 2011

  • 6 mins to read

Air Date: Sunday, November 27, 2011 9/8c on AMC

★★★★★★

“Hershel thinks of things as people; sick people.” – Dale

A very emotional scene as the group fires on the Walkers in the barn

If you think arguing near a barn full of Walkers is smart, you best think again. I keep waiting for the light bulb to go off over someone’s head. Don’t they realize standing so close with beating hearts, rushing blood and life thrumming through their veins isn’t that great an idea with a bunch of flesh-eating zombies about two feet away? Breaking into the barn seems like the way to go about taking care of the major problem of the day, but as Rick (Andrew Lincoln) says, “It’s not our land.” So, okay it’s not your land but considering you are staying there, shouldn’t your safety and the safety of your people come first? I have to agree with Shane (Jon Bernthal) on this one. They need to do something about it or leave, and standing around arguing doesn’t help matters either way.

Observations and thoughts:

Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) is quite the father figure. He takes to the young ones of the group, issuing advice and butting in where he probably should mind his own business. He doesn’t have anything else to do though. He looks after everyone, making sure they choose wisely in whatever decisions they make. But who’s looking out for him?

The farmhouse seems completely untouched. No broken furniture, trashed walls or anything out of place. Just how and when did the Walkers attack and how did Hershel (Scott Wilson) manage to wrangle them all into the barn in the first place? Very carefully, indeed. “I need you and your group gone by the end of the week.” He says his “conscious is clear” but I’m not so sure about that.

Ricks pleads for the life of his unborn child and the lives of the group

I don’t like the fact Rick begs Hershel for asylum. Screw begging. You already have your camp set up and there’s not much he can do about the group spreading out further on the land if they wanted to. With Shane in charge—which you know he kind of is anyway—there won’t be much more talking about any of the issues they have. Shane’s all action. Rick barely has a leash on him and I doubt he’ll be able to do anything to keep him rational. Rick tells Shane, “We can make it safe here,” but I wonder if Rick really believes that himself.

“Is this about you and the Asian boy?” Can Hershel not say Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) name? It’s getting annoying that he calls him “the Asian boy.” I get the feeling there may be some underlying bigotry there we don’t know about just yet. They are in the South after all.

“Even if it’s yours it’s never gonna be yours and there’s nothing you can do to change that.” Damn! Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) is cold but I think sometimes you have to be with Shane. He doesn’t always get things through his thick skull and needs to be dealt with a certain way. Now, while I think Shane is a selfish prick, he’s more complicated than that. He has feelings; he cares about others, just in a screwed up way. Shane says, “Rick isn’t built for this world” and I find myself wondering if that’s because he and Rick are so different. Shane is ruthless and you have to be to go about as he does. He does things without honor but he’s useful and when it comes to it, gets the job done others can’t.

Bernthal rocks this episode. He takes Shane and does things with him I don’t think any other actor could. Shane is a wildcard and Bernthal plays him to a tee; his presence is outstanding and he invokes a fearful respect which is the epitome of Shane’s character. He does a hell of a job getting the group riled up and he does it to perfection. I have to admit, I was going right along with him for a minute there.

Rick steps up to get closure for what he deems his fault

At least now we know why Hershel is so against there being guns on the farm. The shots would alert the Walkers in the barn. Well, now there are no more Walkers to worry about, right?

I’m speechless. The ending of “Pretty Much Dead Already” is so shocking I can’t even put my feelings into words. The emotions coming across the characters’ faces as they watch Sophia (Madison Lintz) emerge from the barn just kills me. I have to admit, I kept expecting someone to question Hershel about her being there. You can’t tell me he didn’t know the group was looking for her. The better question is, now that Rick’s stepped up and done what no one else could do, how will that affect his standing with the group? Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait three months to find out.

The Walking Dead returns from its mid-season hiatus Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 9/8c on AMC. For more on the show, visit http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead.

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Photos courtesy of Gene Page/AMC © 2010-2011 American Movie Classics Company LLC. All rights reserved.

 

Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle

Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle