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| It never ends well, does it? (Credit AMC) |
Ever see those commercials talking about all the elements in innovation, but it's the "Human" element that matters most? I think that's very appropriate for this episode. But while all these roiling human emotions are bubbling and frothing over the surface, there's a hellova lot of great action too. I'd really like to know WHAT exactly the Walker-actors are chowing down on when they are seen eating bits of flesh, too. Some sort of fake-blood covered rubber? Chicken bits? Polycarbinate silicate?
"I think he killed Otis..." [Lori to Rick about Shane]
Lori has been dubbed "Lady McBeth" and I think we see no greater evidence of this than in the end, when she's planting the seeds of discourse and suspicion in dear husband Rick's head. And that whole scene is just chillingly creepy, as she cuddles him close and breaths her "game" into play. Because of course she knows that in doing so, she's setting up both Rick and Shane for an epic, bloody showdown. Like Glen Mazzara stated in TV Guide, the woman "makes bad decisions." In that way, she's not unlike Shane. They both think what they're doing is necessary, but the way they go about it sucks so completely.
That said, she does prove to be a pretty efficient Walker killer. I felt really sorry for the Walker-extra who had to smash his face through that car windshield. But oh, how awesome did it look!
"I think we all know this is not going to end well!" [Rick states the obvious during the bar fight]
No truer words have been spoken, Rick. And yet, it *did* end well - well, at least for our group. We saw an interesting transformation in Hershel again, as he's forced to take up arms and shoot the living to protect himself. I loved the look of shock and horror as he watched the Walkers (whom he'd been professing were just as dangerous as schizophrenics just a day earlier) tearing into the poor schmuck he'd shot.
And Rick, who is now more Dirty Harry than diplomatic civil servant, goes from killing two men to saving another in the 11th hour. I freely admit to yelling "Just shoot him and put him down!" at the TV when they were standing there debating on how to get the skewered Randal off that spike while Walkers closed in. But again, even amidst the gore and action, this Show has the moral dilemma of whether or not to risk it all to save a human life. Rick seems to rationalize that had Randal not been so young, he might have just considered humanly putting him out of his misery before he became a buffet for the Dead Heads.
"I was thinking about having Rick here to protect us." "I protect you." [Lori and Shane have issues...a whole subscription to them, in fact.]
There isn't much to add on the whole Shane and Lori "airing out of feelings" scene, other than the fact that you can plainly tell that Shane got to her. She realizes, deep down, that he's right. Their tryst did mean something to her and that's scary. Also scary is Shane's declaration that nothing else matters but her and the baby and... oh yes. Obsession is love twisted by fear and jealousy, and it's a deadly combination.
Do we feel sorry for Shane? Oh yes. But pitying him doesn't mean we should forgive or forget that he's capable of stabbing us in the back when we turn around.
There are other scenes, which, upon second viewing, I think could have been removed in favor of other interactions. Maggie and Hershel's little hissy fit scene didn't really add anything to the story. Also, as much as I liked Andrea pulling her big sister jeans back on, I think her scene with Maggie and Bet could have been cut too, and it wouldn't have cost us anything, story wise.
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| Oh Daryl. You've broken my heart...(Credit AMC) |
Saved the best for last. Apparently, according to The Talking Dead show afterward, Paget Brewster thought Carol and Daryl were about to start making out during their "boiling point" blow-out. Oh Paget, I sorta love you right now for that.
But in reality, this was Carol and Daryl's tipping point. He's doing exactly as expected, throwing out every hurtful thing he can think of to push her away, because Carol and his white knight quest for Sophia has made Daryl *feel* again. And now it's all turned to ash and he doesn't know how to deal with it.
Daryl's complexities are pretty damn profound.
I never expected Daryl to admit so much while he's slinging insults at her, but oh, how I adore Carol's show of inner strength and giving nature to stand there and let him vent. We haven't seen Daryl this angry since Merle disappeared and that tells you how deep his feelings run. The climax, however is when Daryl is very close to actually hitting Carol - shocking and yet not, when you consider his upbringing - and the way she flinches back away from him. But its the silent communication going on between them afterward that speaks volumes.
Is Daryl ashamed that he was about to be another "Ed" and beat this woman who has come to mean a lot to him? And will he allow Carol to keep trying to reach out to the side of him that reached out to her earlier this season?
Daryl's got a choice to make in episodes to come. He's going to have to pick what means the most to him and claim it, and the question will be, will his choice change him in a way that Carol can't get behind?
Props to Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus for reaching into my chest and twisting my poor heart into a Gordian knot.
"Triggerfinger" certainly upped the ante and as expected, we are starting the last leg of this marathon with a jolt of speed. The action was intense, the emotions spot-on and painfully deep and I cannot wait to run the rest of the way with these characters.
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