The Walking Dead Season 3 Finale 

Episode 16: Welcome to the Tombs

In Depth Synopsis and Episode Review

This is the moment we have been anticipating since the mid-season premier. This attack has been gradually and tensely building up to the climax we find ourselves today at. Andrea is still locked up in the Gov’s workshop, Daryl is getting over the loss of his brother and Rick awaiting an imminent attack.

For just the quick short review and overview click here

On last week’s installment we saw the sad departure of Merle, the infamous character that we saw briefly in season one and properly uncovered his true colors in the conclusion of last week’s episode. Michonne was never handed in and the Gov lost eight men including one of the two survivors that entered in with Tyreese and Sasha.

Click Here for last weeks overview and in-depth Episode 15 review

We begin looking at a bloodied Governor starring down the camera and beating a poor victim to near death. Is it Andrea? Has he caught Rick?

No its Milton. He has found out about Milton’s loyalty to Woodbury’s people by putting their concerns above those of Rick’s so called and made up threat to Woodbury.

The Gov is pinning the blame for the eight lives lost in last week’s solo attack from Merle on Milton’s actions. Milton asks what the Gov’s daughter would think but all he gets in a sinister tone, “she would be afraid.” The Gov throws him into the same room as Andrea and tells him to collect some tools behind her (one of which he knocks on the floor behind her). The Gov says that he isn’t leaving this room until he kills Andrea.

Milton’s loyalties have been tested over the past few weeks and he then in that split second chose to fight against the thing that has been repressing him for a long time. He turns around and attempts to stab the Gov but his weakness is Milton’s downfall and the Gov responds by stabbing him in the chest. He says I told you will kill her and now you are going to rip her apart once you turn. A brutal start to the episode sets the bar to what looks to be an action packed episode.

Rick and the others are preparing for an attack, moving their things into the cars to look like they are moving out (really they are just moving there things away and out of any of the fighting). And yes ghost Lauri makes another appearance in front of Rick. Rick still isn’t out of the woods with the whole crazy lark yet but he is on the road to recovery. He is helped by a confrontation with Michonne as she tells him that she basically forgives him for considering the Gov’s proposition.

It’s very hectic at Woodbury and the Gov gives another falsified speech about how Rick is a danger to Woodbury’s life style. He puts off the interests of Tyreese and Sasha as they opt to stay put and protect Woodbury, they have no intention of killing anyone. Then they head out to siege the prison.

The Woodbury army charge into the prison with clearly planned out tactics but yet like a bull in a china shop when it comes to stealth, blowing up both watch towers and firing exploding ammunition to alert anyone in the vicinity. They pull up and take out the Walkers in the area before using a car to knock down the gate. There isn’t any resistance and we are made to think that perhaps Rick and everyone has retreated.

They enter the prison still unchallenged and into the living quarters (cell blocks) that they have recently called home. The Gov finds only a highlighted section of the Bible reading: “And shall come forth; they that have done well, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation”. But as you can imagine and giving the Gov’s recent state of mind, arguably more crazy than Rick as of late, that this quote files straight past him with no impact whatsoever.

Meanwhile Andrea is still locked and strapped to the Gov’s chair. Milton is still alive but not for much longer. You can hear the pain he is in after every word he speaks to Andrea. He gives her an escape route with the tools he dropped behind her but tells her to hurry, he knows his fate is already decided and now a waiting game. His last question is to ask why Andrea stayed at Woodbury. Her reply is subtle and you really understand the tug of war Andrea has been experiencing. She wanted to save everyone including the Gov and she didn’t want anyone to die.

The Woodbury intruders wander around the dark unsafe side of the prison and spilt into groups. A flash bang gets thrown into the wanderers and panic breaks out. An alarm goes off and Walkers appear. You clearly see the manipulation of the Gov. These aren’t soldiers, they are everyday citizens in a dark new world. They flee and once outside undergo fire from Maggie and Glen from the catwalk above.

The retreat begins and one lone teenage boy runs into the concealed Hershall, Carl and Beth. The boy obviously scared begins to put his weapon down until the unexpected action of Carl opening fire takes place. Carl has definitely been hit hard since his mother’s death. He vulnerability died with his mother and since then has grown more into his dad’s footsteps. But he is still young and his actions are more to prove a point to his dad than anything else.

After the rest of the Govs men retreat out of sight the prison settlers regroup and Rick learns of his son’s actions, reluctant at first to believe them but he has learnt to listen Hershall’s judgement.

We then witness the definition of brutality and how evil the Gov has become. He catches up with his fleeing Woodbury crew and halts their retreat. He orders them to go back and he gets an unresponsive reply from his people. They say Rick can have the prison and to just leave them but the Gov drowns out all excuses and you see anger and the crazy click wash over his face. He opens fire on everyone in front of him. He turns around to find Allen nervously point his weapon at him. The Gov without hesitating shoots him in the head and makes use of his nerves as his weakness. He departs the slaughter vicinity with the only survivors to his knowledge, Martinez and Bowman. There is though one other survivor.

Rick is about to go after the Gov to finally end this chapter, with Michonne and Daryl. He confronts Carl and I think his reasoning to why he killed that boy shocks even Rick. Rick is sort of blamed by Carl for the death of him mom and some others due to his lack of being able to react to decisions in the correct manor in Carl’s eyes. Carl says he couldn’t take the chance and reacted correctly. This could be the wakeup call Rick has needed in order for him to begin his correct parenting again and to look after his young boy.

Rick and Michonne, accompanied by Daryl and his signature motorcycle, pull up to the slaughter and neutralise the remaining Walkers that have turned in the after math of the slaughter. They find one survivor and thus are informed of the brutal turn in the Gov’s mood.

But there is trouble elsewhere as Andrea is still trapped and Milton is now deceased, about to turn any second. I was sad to see Milton depart and I think he could have been a valuable member to Rick’s group. But his attributes are too similar to Hershall in my opinion apart from his medical attributes. Andre is clawing at the pliers with her feet and is just able to get them up to her hands Milton turns and begins to walk towards her. She releases one strap and before she can release the second we go blind and are out casted behind the big metal door to play with our imaginations as a result of the brutal sounds we hear. Is Andrea okay? Did she escape in time?

Rick soon arrives at Woodbury with the survivor form the onslaught on the road and gains access to Woodbury after a brief firefight and discussion with Tyreese and Sasha. The survivor’s confession is their ticket inside. Rick says that he heard about Andrea heading to the prison and that she never made it. He believes she is where the Gov locked up Maggie and Glen.

They approach the door silently and tension builds up as you can see a flow of blood underneath the door. They open the door and find the deceased Milton and a burning up Andrea lay out on the floor. Andrea escaped but just a little too late. Her fate is sealed, as was Milton’s, when a bite mark is made clear on her neck. For the first time we see Michonne open up her emotions and cry. Her friend says she wants to kill herself why she still can. Michonne replies that she isn’t going anywhere. Her final words were “I tried”, referring to the fact she didn’t want anyone to die. The emotional end to the second episode in a row wasn’t as effective as the first but still very sad to lose another character with use from the beginning. You here the echo of the gunshot rattle through the corridor to tie up another departure of one of the original cast members from season one.

In the final scene we see Rick pull up to the prison with the remaining Woodbury settlers including Tyreese and Sasha. He announces to his son that they are going to live here now as he storms off in a huff. He takes one final look up at the catwalk, where he has been haunted by his dead wife for a very long time now, and sees nothing. Hopefully this means the end to crazy Rick.

Overall it was a great episode but no it didn’t live up to the expectation as a result of the tension building up over the weeks. The events make up a great episode but not in my opinion of a season finale. It felt very anti-climactic, especially for the attack on the Prison which has been the center of the plot for almost eight episodes now.  The loss of Andrea was unexpected and I was convinced we would lose Beth due to her absence from the majority of episode. I was also surprised we didn’t lose one of Rick’s friends at the prison during the attack.

You could argue that this was going to happen and as soon as these amateur solders, (as the Gov sees them), witness gunfire that they would retreat. I think though this should have been explored earlier leaving the final war, we was almost was promised from the build-up, to unfold in front of us.

I was hoping for a new challenge next season as well, this isn’t yet clear but we could have another battle with the Gov when we return. I would like to see Rick and his group thrown out of the safety of the prison as well when we return and back to traveling around again. I would love to see a season set in the city, I know this isn’t very convenient due to the higher expense this will create but I would love to sacrifice the number of episodes for a different setting. A motive I can’t yet think of would obviously be needed in order to enter the heavily infested city’s though. We could perhaps see a break from the Gov, which I think will be best. By his absence from a season we can witness a new challenge and also give time for the Gov to regroup and rearm with a proper army of troops and not just a group of everyday citizens. 8.5/10

The Walking Dead Season 3 Spoilers - Episode 15 This Sorrowful Life - Synopsis, Review

The Walking Dead Season 3 Spoilers - Episode 15 This Sorrowful Life - Synopsis, Review

It’s a little like last week’s episode in the fact that we are focused on the occupants of the prison. Okay yes the Gov and his crew does make an appearance for a short five minuet period but the main focus is on the preparations for Rick and his group. Only one more episode to go until the big finale and yet again, like last season’s second from last episode, where we lost Sean, we lose another one of the main characters. But who is it?

Last week we witnessed a massive cat and mouse chase between Andrea and the Gov as she head back to the prison to warn Rick. Apart from that we saw that the Gov’s preparations for the attack were well under way with him already planning what he will do to Michonne. At the end the Gov caught Andrea just before she reached the prison and took her back to Woodburn, strapping her up in his workshop chair.

At the start of this episode we see Rick contemplating the cards he has been dealt, whether or not to hand over Michonne. Rick seems at this point to be panicking and ignored his previous thoughts that the deal was never going to go his way. Rick decides that they will hand over to Michonne whilst talking to Daryl and asks for help of Merle with him seeming reluctant.

Michonne is definitely someone the Prison needs, she is a threat to the enemy (though I don’t think I’ve seen her fire a gun as of yet) and is pulling her weight by preparing defences around the prison.

Whilst this takes place Merle is on the hunt for some spirits, mainly whiskey or vodka, and stumbles upon Carol. They begin speaking and Carol again proves why she is a capable leader with her words “it’s time to pick a damn side” to Merle. He has even seen the changes she has undergone, by calling her a late bloomer, since he first saw her; the death of her child in season two has hardened her shell in this new brutal world.

This episode is the calm before the storm at the prison, they know what is coming. Hershall has some alone time with his daughters; I think this may possibly be the last chance he does. We always see a cast departure on the season finale and with how little Beth has featured in season three I feel that she is the most likely to exit the show.

We are reminded that there is still a sense of craziness living inside Rick when he sees Lori standing above him again. I hope this isn’t something that carries on into the next season, I hope this ghost Lori and crazy Rick saga ends this season. But it does look like it is near its end when Rick says to her that she isn’t really there.

Merle also seems to have made up his mind. He has taken Carol’s words in and I think he is trying to do the right thing and pick Rick’s side. He takes into his own hands what Rick asked him to do earlier by trading in Michonne for the Prisons safety. He knocks Michonne unconscious and ties her up when they are alone.

We then skip forward to where Merle and Michonne are outside, Michonne still tied up, but conscious heading towards the meeting point the Gov gave. But with Merle begin unaware Rick has changed his mind and decided not to trade in Micchonne, this then leads to Daryl going after his brother, alone.

The calm before the storm is emphasised again when Glen asks for Hershalls blessing for marrying his daughter. This also got me thinking, why now? Does this mean either Maggie or Glen could soon be leaving us? It’s definitely a possibility.

Meanwhile Merle is messing around hot wiring a car just outside a motel. The car alarm goes off and yes Walkers are attracted whilst Michonne is tied to a wooden column and Merle is still messing around with the car. This is a brilliant scene and we see the cleverness of Michonne come into action as she takes out a few Walkers whilst still tied up. They both then soon exit the scene in a car. After this, inside the car, Merle tells Michonne about the bargaining chip she is being used for but then lets her out the car. He tells her to head back and there is something he needs to do on his own.

Daryl bumps into Michonne on her way back and asks where his brother is and heads off without Michonne. Merle meanwhile, who has come into contact with some spirits, turns up the radio full with the window slightly open. We think he has gone insane at this point. This would be correct but he is attracting the Walkers for a reason. He drives the car slowly towards the meeting point, slow enough that the Walkers are just behind. Merle then jumps out of the car as it continues to roll down the hill towards where the Gov’s men are waiting.

Then we witness possibly the most exciting fight scene of this season. The Walkers come around the corner and begin their attack on the Gov’s men and they proceed to fire back. Merle sneaks off into a building and fires upon some of the Gov’s men. He shoots four of the Gov’s men including Ben (one of the two people that entered in with Tyreese and Sasha). Merle gets caught out by Martinez and Ben’s father. The Gov enters and beats Merle up whilst he is down. The Gov bites two of Merles fingers off and then we get a camera shot of the Gov pointing the gun barrel towards Merle and fires. We don’t know where the Gov shot Merle or what state he is in.

Back at the prison Glen uses his improvisation to acquire a wedding ring off the finger of a Walker and proceeds to proposing to Maggie almost telepathically. He doesn’t even need to ask the question or get down on one knee for Maggie to say yes.

Rick, after that, gathers the prison occupants and tells the group about the real outcome from the Gov and Ricks meeting. He says that at one point he was going to trade Michonne in but changed his mind. But he also says that Merle has gone out there and is about to trade her in without knowing Rick’s change of heart. He then gives this emotional speech about the reason for their survival this long being down to them and not any decision he has made. He says it’s up to everyone and not one man, we can stay here and fight or we can leave.

We then undergo probably one of the most emotional encounters off The Walking Dead; it’s up there with Lori’s death. Daryl arrives at the place where the fighting broke out earlier. He comes across a Walker eating the remains of Ben. As the Walkers head rises up and looks at Daryl we see its none other than Merle.  You can see the emotion running through Daryl and his heart looks as though it breaks when he sees the body of his dead brother walking towards him.

He pushes Merle away twice as his sadness is still his main emotion. Then you see the anger wash over him as he stabs his brother in the head. He breaks down and now more than ever Daryl is the one character who looks strong enough to kill the Gov due to him wanting revenge.

I thought this was a very good episode. One of the emotional scenes, two great fight scenes and this can only get better next week. I’m a little worried that some areas may not be ended like Rick’s craziness as I’d like to see the end of this. I haven’t seen any previews to next week’s finale as I don’t want anything to be given away. I want to be surprised as this moment has been building up since the second half of this season begun. It will be sad to see the end of The Walking Dead until next season, but with one great season ending another begins with Game of Thrones season 3 on Monday 1^st April.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Spoilers - Episode 14 Prey - Synopsis, Review

The Walking Dead Season 3 Spoilers - Episode 14 Prey - Synopsis, Review

This episode we are focused on a certain group, a little like two weeks ago. But instead of looking at Rick we are homed in on Woodbury and the Gov’s revenge. For me this is all getting a bit drawn out and tedious now.  The episodes are being merely stretched out till the attack on the prison that will finally take place on the last episode. I honestly can’t wait till it’s over and a new challenge emerges next season. For me the writers knew this attack would be the season finally and since episode 8 and the mid-season premier they have been filling the episodes up with anything not really with much backing or meaning so they can just to get to the finale. Yes Rick’s craziness has been explored and some potholes have been filled that was left uncovered in the past, like what happened to Morgan? It’s more of a countdown now and just a waiting game for two weeks’ time. But now let’s get into some depth about what happened this week.

Okay, so on the last episode we left the Governor plotting a betrayal once he gets his goal, revenge on Michonne. He told Rick that if he hands over Michonne then they will be left alone. Rick, getting back to the leadership qualities he once presented, is to clever to fall for the Gov’s tricks and almost mind reads exactly what is going on, his final say on the matter is that “We’re going to war”.

We start this episode with a flash back to when Andrea was all alone with her best friend Michonne, well and her two armless Walkers to scare of any trouble. This then flashes to the Gov testing the strength of two sets of chains, attaching shackles, to where he hopes Michonne will soon be attached to.

Woodbury is preparing for war and despite guns being loaded up everywhere the eye can see Andre is still fed lies once she questions the reason for this. Milton replies in a very depressed tone and almost sarcastic like that “I’m sure it’s just for precautions”.

We are seeing a new side to Milton. He resolve is being tested and you can tell he is fed up with the situation he is in. He confronts the Gov and is worried that his best interests aren’t Woodbury’s anymore as he hunts for his revenge. Milton is a true leader, looking after his people with their intentions coming first. The Gov has forgotten that they are in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and instead is trying to eliminate another group of survivors.  With Milton’s voice not getting heard by the Gov’s in the slightest his frustration leads him to tell Andrea about the real talk the Gov had with Rick and Michonne being used as a bargaining chip.

She is taken to the Gov’s workshop, or a torture chamber for his prey (Michonne). Andrea tells Milton that she must kill the Gov whilst above the workshop looking into it from a window. As the Gov is alone in there she points a gun at him and Milton pulls it away. He still is with the Gov and wants to get him back to the person he used to know. When asked to come back to the prison with Andrea, he replies that he “belongs to Woodbury”. Milton isn’t a man of violence and loyal to the Gov, but I feel his title of being the Gov’s servant is soon going to be broke though.

Andrea decides that she needs to head back to the Prison and warn the rest, not knowing that Rick is already aware. She has her gun taken of her by Martinez when walking in the street. That leaves her only with her small pocket knife.

Whilst this takes place Tyreese and Sasha are put to work guarding one of the back entrances to Woodbury. Tyreese is practicing his shooting and needing it. A Walker is outside the gate and it takes Tyreese a full four attempts before he is able to take down the Walker. It’s easy to see he hasn’t come to close into contact with fire arms before.

Andrea approaches them and convinces them to let her leave, well with a little help by pulling her knife on them. Before she leaves she tells them the Gov isn’t what he seems and it isn’t safe in Woodbury.  As she runs off into the distance it isn’t long before the Gov and Martinez are quizzing Sasha and Tyreese over what happened. Tyreese, being too good person he is, says he isn’t here to keep people in, “this isn’t a prison camp is it” says Tyreese to the Gov. The Gov doesn’t act bothered in the slightest and lets the two new citizens of Woodbury leave.

The Gov walks outside and after confronting Milton he learns that Andrea knows about the Michonne deal and betrayal that will take place. He still doesn’t think Rick isn’t clever enough to have already figured this out, but can’t let a warning siren to get announced in the Prison and heads after Andrea.  

As the Gov sets out, Martinez, Tyreese, Sasha and some others including the other two members of Tyreese’s group, head out to where they have trapped a group of Walkers in a hole. Tyreese doesn’t agree with the fact that they are going to be used during the meeting tomorrow and brings up the fact there are women and children amongst the Prison settlers. With some previous tension with his fellow survivor Alan (who entered Woodbury with him), they have a little disagreement. Alan doesn’t care about right or wrong and just wants to follow the crowd and survive. Tyreese and Alan end up fighting and Alan finishes up overhanging the hole with the Walkers in, with then Tyreese (being a person not for violence) pulls him back to safety.   

Meanwhile Andrea is running down the road and hears a truck coming behind her. She knows it’s the Gov and runs into the tree line. At this point I knew exactly what was going to happen as soon as she lent her back up against the tree, yes a Walker grabs her. Two more approach her from the front as she is pinned to this tree by the Walker hand from behind. It’s a close call but she stabs the two in the head in front of her and disposes of the Walker grabbing her from behind her. A short time after as she is running through an open field the same van drives past, spots her and then catches up with her just as she runs into another tree line.

Andrea comes across some old factory buildings and with the Gov hot on her tracks she enters moments before the Gov pulls up. Now is the most tedious chase I’ve ever seen. It’s a big cat and mouse game that drags far longer than it should. They both wander around hear a noise, hide in Andrea’s case or go towards the noise in the Gov’s case. They kill a Walker; make more noise, the Gov smashes a window. The only real important part is that the Gov basically tells Andrea Woodbury is her home and with her not responding he says suit yourself. Towards the end of the factory scene once they finally bump into each other Andrea opens a door and then goes behind another to unleash a small pack of Walkers on the Gov. She escapes and hopes she has left the Gov for dead.

Later that night a car pulls up to the hole full of Walkers and a figure that we don’t see pours gasoline on the Walkers before setting them alight. You ameediently think this is Tyrees after his comments earlier on in the day but once the Gov talks to him later on he is clueless about what he is talking about. I believe the culprit was Milton who is starting to rebel against the Gov and instead think of the interest of the people of Woodbury.

Andrea finally makes it to the prison and just as she is about to signal to Rick on watch, that doesn’t see her. The Gov appears from nowhere and pins her to the ground.

On return the Gov says he didn’t find Andrea, I was wondering what he did with her as she couldn’t have been inside Woodburn as someone would have seen her enter the town. He then learns about the Walkers being burnt and quizzes Sasha and Tyreese. He tells Tyreese the Walkers was only a scare tactic in order for him to act all innocent to Tyreese. As he leaves he asks where he got the gasoline from and only gets a clueless response. At this point he knows it’s Milton so it will be interesting to see their relationship evolve before the end of this season.

The final scene then shows that Andrea is locked up in the Gov’s workshop and strapped to a chair. I don’t understand how she got there without being seen but I imagine she will escape next week, though next week’s preview looks as though it’s focused on the Prisoners and not looking at Woodbury.

All in all another good episode but not anything with that X-Factor or something special. This is mainly due to very little happening apart from a few Walkers being dealt with here and there in the last few episodes. 

The Walking Dead Season 3: Episode 13: Arrow on the Doorpost 

Synopsis, Review, Spoliers

After a vacation away from the Woodbury drama last week, we return back to the realisation that the two separate parties are on the brink of war. Last week we saw Rick slightly edge back over the sanity line with his confrontation with Morgan.  That trip was well needed in order for Rick to finally come face to face with the Governor.

The silent treatment is once again used in the opening sequences as Hershall, Rick and Daryl wander tensely around an abandoned facility, weapons nervously aimed at every corner.  As Rick enters a building alone, he confronts the Governor who walks out of the darkness and states, “We have a lot to talk about”.

Andrea organised this confrontation with her Martinez and Milton arriving shortly after the Prison settlers. Everyone was tense, Hershall had strapped a gun to his leg with the Gov (up to his old tricks again) having a gun pointed at Rick the whole time, strapped underneath the table.

Andrea (surprised about the Gov’s arrival before herself) attempts to knock Rick’s and the Gov’s heads together when she storms in. The two hardly notice her entrance and don’t take an eye of each other. With Andre completely being ignored she leaves the two to have their long awaited talk, but having listened to Ricks comment about Maggie to the Gov, that Andrea was unaware of, could this be the last straw to her loyalty to Woodbury.

With the two leaders in isolation the others are left to enjoy each other’s company. I say enjoy, but Daryl soon makes a comment about Milton being the Governor’s servant.  They soon pair of with Milton and Hershall making the first group and Daryl and Martinez wandering of after hearing a Walker near by. They very much have on their minds that they will soon be at war with each other.

Meanwhile the rest of Rick’s party, currently with Glen giving the orders, are preparing for an attack by sorting through the weapons, thanks to Morgan’s armoury.  But Glen has a lot more to contend with later. Merle is planning a solo attack with his brother’s safety the only thing on his mind. Glen’s authority isn’t that as Rick’s and it can be clearly seen when Merle pulls a knife on Glen and the two wrestle around on the floor. They end their scuffle once Beth, (she seems to disappear into the background a lot this series, at one point I forgot she was still a cast member), fires a warning shot into the air.

With Both Rick and the Gov alone in a small confined space, assassinating one another is clearly something that will be running through their heads. But once they ignore Andrea for a second time they finally get down to business when Rick slams a map onto the table. He attempts to mark out a two territories which neither party shall pass but the Gov is clearly here for only one thing, “I’m here for one thing only - your surrender.”

With Andrea then exiting the room, the Gov cleverly deflects everything Rick fires towards him. Rick wants an answer to his kidnap of Glen and Maggie but the Gov isn’t letting anything slip, all he wants is surrender. The two continue to take digs at each other. “You’re the town drunk who tripped over my fence and ripped my yard. Nothing more”, says Rick. So as of this moment the confrontation does seem to have accomplished too much yet.

As this takes place Hershall politely repels Milton’s advances at looking at his leg (that has a gun still strapped to it) for ‘medical reasons’. Milton’s true scientist comes out as he wants to see how far the bite was away from where his leg was cut off and Hershall does his best to deny the advances. With the Walker separating the ‘Henchmen’ from the rest, it gives them the chance to show off to the other. Martinez whips out his shiny baseball bat with Daryl’s fancy crossbow and accurate knife throwing skills coming into use to take out a Walker. The two who earlier was digging into each other, then share a cigarette. This proves how they both are just obeying orders and the Gov’s and Rick’s views aren't necessarily theirs. Well there not at war yet I suppose. But it’s not really a good idea bonding for a moment when, sooner rather than later, they will be at war on two different sides.

Inside the Governor reveals his first attempt at negotiation, and no it’s not just both getting on with their own lives. He wants revenge and this whole war is merely in his own intentions and not of his people. His revenge is on Michonne, who blinded the Gov in one eye after her brawl with him during the Woodbury attack and took his undead daughter from him.  

Andrea makes it clear outside she is still firmly sitting on the fence, everyone has told her how sick he is on her friend’s side but yet she is still keeping his bed warm on the other. Her position is very frustrating because she seems incapable of jumping to one side or the other and requires a push. Hershall does his best to pull her back to her friends by bluntly telling her about Maggie, which could be the final thing shed needed.

Back at the prison Merle attempts to still go off and help his brother by trying to persuade Michonne, who is unaware that her life is being bargained for, but she clearly is sticking with Rick and tells him, he is on his own.

Maggie and Glen finally get back to being a couple in love. Their relationship has been under a lot of pressure since their kidnap. The two finally talk it out during their watch outside and after a short and brief conversation they begin kissing. Before you know it the two are behind a shutter, away from their watch point, getting up to their private business.

The final stages are coming together back at negotiations table. Rick is smart and he knows that the Gov wants more than revenge against Michonne, after all he kidnapped Glen and Maggie before this took place anyway. The Gov tells him he won’t attack the prison and will be rid of him after he brings Michonne to him. He gives another meeting date at the same location in two days’ time for when to bring her to him.

They both exit the cabin and quickly get into their vehicles. The people outside, surprised a fight hasn’t occurred, jump into their transport also, with Andre still heading back to Woodburn, and return home.

The Gov on return and up to his old tricks orders Martinez to fire on anyone other than Michonne and gives the order to prepare for an attack. Milton, who after speaking to Hershall realises that the people they are fighting arnt in fact the enemy, may now be closer to jumping into Andrea’s boat. He goes on to tell the Gov “But what about the deal? That is a slaughter”. The Gov takes no notice and then gives a bent version of the truth to Andrea about their ‘friendly meeting in two days’ time’, forgetting to mention the fact that the bargaining chip is Michonne.

Rick almost psychically rallies the prison settlers on his return and bluntly says, after seeing straight through the Gov’s intentions, “We’re going to war”.

The Walking Dead: Season 3 

Episode 11: I Ain’t A Judas

Review, Plot and Synopsis. 

After the first face to face meeting last week between Rick and the Governor we are left to simmer down in a quiet, less eventful episode of The Walking Dead. Last week saw an action packed finale by where a small attack force tested the inmate’s reserve (with Axel departing from the show).

(SPOLIERS)

With Rick still living in crazy land where he can see the dead walking the earth…. Oh wait, zombie apocalypse, the group are finally having their reserve tested and are divide whether to leave the prison or not. They actually confront Rick and start conversations to tell him he needs to rest. Carl approaches his farther early on in the episode and expresses to Rick that he should step down as leader for a while. Hard hearing it from your son, but perhaps he is the only person who can break through this barrier Rick seems to have built around him, repelling any offer of help, with Carl experienced the same loss as his father.

Rick definitely needs to get a grip because he is the only person with all the qualities to lead the group. Hershel has the right attitude and can talk to people, having been in charge of the farm before Rick showed up, but is weak (having only one leg). Merle for obvious reasons isn’t trusted and his brother, Daryl's, ability to make quick decisive decisions is what lets him down. Glen seems too hot headed and is currently enraged with anger and Carl, though he does seem likely to be a better leader than Rick when he is older, is too young at the moment. Carol is the perfect replacement for Rick though; she needs to learn some of Hershel’s dictating skills and learn not to be talked down. She doesn’t seem confident enough when confronting the group, but she clearly knows what she is talking about and express smart, quick ideas in the interest of the group. But one things for certain, there is no way the prison can sustain an attack without a leader and Rick is currently more of a hindrance than a help in his current state of mind.

Andrea learns of the attack on the prison but an altered version from the Governor. He tells her that they fired first when obviously we know that never was the case. Andrea elects to go back to the prison to try and reason with her old friends after seeing that the Governor is building an army (the word army could be questioned as normal vulnerable citizens are filling the boots as what he will probably soon class as solders) as she is torn between her mad boyfriend and the group currently run by crazy Rick.

We also see Milton’s true loyalty to the Governor when he snitches on Andrea as she asks him to help her escape the town so she can create a truce between the two groups. Milton seems no hero and buries his head under the sand on the slightest sign of danger. The Governor tells him to help her and report back to him and so Milton and Andrea head off into the woods to use one of Michonne’s Zombie survival tips (to have your own pet Walker). In doing so another Walker comes up from behind them and as in typical fashion as of late the two are saved from a figure emerging out of the woods. I hope this isn’t a feature that is recycled as we saw last week when Daryl and Merle came out of the woods to save Rick.

The saviours were Tyreese, Sasha and the other two survivors that Rick scared away from the prison. They soon learn about the town and as Andrea heads alone back to the prison Milton offers and takes the small group back to the Governor. The later confrontation seems slightly unrealistic where after talking, the Governor learns that Tyreese and crew have been inside the prison; know the state of the settlers and the layout. It seems slightly weird how this friendly looking character (Tyreese) and worthy looking leader, despite only knowing the character briefly, would give the Governor a prison layout and some insightful tactics on how weak the group is. It's clear what the Governor is planning, why else would he ask for a layout to the prison. It’s hard to see why he would do this especially as Carl saved their lives by leading them through the prison to safety.

When Andre returns to the prison, wading off interest from the Walkers by her pet zombie, Carl spots her and alerts the rest. The group move out of the prison, almost army like in a formation as they are scared that it’s a trap and are being watched through the scopes of others. Rick’s madness is personified when he throws Merle the keys to the gate and he has a gun. Trust is certainly an issue with Rick and for someone who they don’t trust to live in the same part of the prison it seems madness for Rick to give the keys to him. You then hear Rick shouting “are you alone” to Andrea and then secures her like she is a prisoner they have captured.

Andre is taken inside and the atmosphere seems very hostile. Andrea’s absence from the group has been quite some time now and she learns about the loss of Shane, T-Dog and Lori. The group are very reluctant to trust her with the only exception being Carol who has a normal conversation with her and fills her in on what she missed. Even her friend Michonne isn’t as friendly as she had hoped. Michonne tells Andrea the Governor sent Merle to kill her and would of sent him after her as well if she had left. She goes on to tell Andrea that she “picked a warm bed over a friend”.

Andrea is clearly divided between her friends and her new boyfriend. She knows the Governor isn’t what he makes out to be and with all the deceit and lies she knows he has this mad crazy side to him. The confrontation seems very awkward and she isn’t seen as the friend she left as. She has become very distant and more of an outsider showing pity for the rest of the groups loses.

During the only real confrontational conversation between Carol and Andrea she is given the idea to kill the Governor in his sleep. She then is cast out of the prison to return to the town as she came in, more of a stranger than a friend.  But with Andrea being torn between the two and having a foot in either door you see her, on return, waking up in the middle on the night next to the Governor, getting up and retrieve a knife. Despite knowing his plans and his madness she can’t carry out the task and instead stand cowering above the vulnerable looking Governor.

I didn’t expect there to be a great deal of action after last week’s episode. The Walking Dead seems to follow a formula as of late where by once a character leaves the show they are soon replaced and when one episode has action the next tends to be a more chilled episode. The only thing is that it’s so late into the series that the finale looks likely to be the attack on the prison and until then are we just going to be waiting around with more chilled episodes as it builds up for another five weeks until episode 16. Well next week’s episode seems more action packed with the action coming from what looks to be a Walker attack.

Episode Rating:- 7/10

  

The Walking Dead: Season 3 

Episode 10: Home

Review and Plot

At the end of the last episode we saw Rick scaring off the prisons newest guests, led by Tyreese, due to his reaction from seeing a ghostly figure standing on the catwalk above him.

The group is beginning to look very thin and the last thing they need is for Rick to wander off and go all crazy again. Near the start of the episode the ghostly figure (that only Rick can see) appears standing over three graves with her back to Rick wearing a white dress. She draws Rick outside the prison perimeter and she reveals herself to be the ghost of his recently deceased wife Lori. The whole of this opening is used without dialogue and Rick gets close enough to touch his wife (when all in fact he is doing is stroking thin air as Michonne watches from inside the prison).

Whilst this is taking place the Governor reiterates to Andrea that he won’t attack the prison. Though her trust for the Governor is dwindling in the balance as of late, she is sticking around but I’m sure this will soon come to an end once she learns about the events later on in this episode.

Daryl and Merle are still alone in the woods after they left the group in last week’s episode. The two brothers who can’t seem to get on are a nightmare parting especially as they are left alone together. They can’t agree what to do; Merle wants to continue on whereas Daryl wants to go back to the safe haven of the secure prison to strengthen the slim numbers at the prison. They come across a family trapped by Walkers on a bridge (a child, what looks to be a mother and two men). Whilst Daryl wants to help the family, and does, Merle seems more reluctant. He only really helps towards the end of the Walker attack before turning his gun upon the people the brothers rescued and attempt to rob them. Daryl steps in and pulls his brother out of the vehicle points his crossbow at him and allows the victims a chance to escape. This shows the very unloving relationship they have as of now.

With Rick’s absence Glenn tries to step up to the task of leader but ultimately the boots are too big fill. Hershal sees this and begins to worry that Glenn will get them killed as he is undergoing a craziness of his own after his recent capture and treatment of Maggie. Hershal ventures down to the fence to confront Rick and try to get him to come back to the prison to regain command.

As this takes place we see two very different relationships. We see Glenn and Maggie arguing and finally confronting each other about Maggie’s traumatic experience with the Governor only for it to result in an argument. We then see a very positive and quickly building relationship between Carol and Axel. Axel opens up to Carol and we finally learn something about this character for the first time. We learn that in fact he was innocent and his arrest was ultimately due to being in possession of a water pistol when caught by the police. Just as we start to learn more about this character BANG, DEAD. A bullet comes whizzing through the air straight into the final original inmates head as he is standing right next to Carol in the courtyard.

Then this marks the start of the attack by the Governor. Yes big surprise, he went on his word made to Andrea and him and a fairly small group of four others begin their attack. Chaos is everywhere, bullets hitting cover left right and centre and even Carol has to use Axel as a human shield before she can move to a safer position. The attack is very chaotic but very amateur when it comes down to actual accuracy. For Axel to take a hit to the head from a fair distance away it must have been a fluke because every bullet misses for a good few minutes of non-stop firing unit one of the Governors men is finally gunned down on top of the tower (how he got there without begin spotted I will never know). An armoured van then drives straight through the first two fences in the prison and unleashes a small attack force from the back of the truck of Walkers before the driver retreats out of the premises. Rick looks certainly doomed, no ammo and two Walkers pinning him up a fence. This is the closest Rick has come to the Walkers and then Daryl and Merle come to the rescue and literally save Rick’s life. The Governors men retreat from this chaotic battle and I’m sure this was only a scouting mission compared to the full blow attack that is sure to come.

This is a very exciting episode compared to last week’s slower approach. We lose Axel and in true Walking Dead fashion it looks like a new character will soon enter the prison. Once the cast loses a member they almost seem to replace them imminently, either that or its likely we will see another death before Tyreese and his men are brought back into the story. With the attack we only saw a small attack force as well that acted as more of a taster for the actual thing to come in the next few weeks.  The prisons defences are also down; with the perimeter broken the prison isn’t looking as safe as it once did.

Episode Rating 8.5/10- A lot more explosive than the last episode and the only thing you could ask for was a bigger flight than the attack force than what the Governor brought. Apart from that you had everything, a cast death, a bullet flying battle and even a way to add in the Walkers to the battle between the two forces.

The Walking Dead: Season 3 

Episode 9: The Suicide King

Review and Plot

On the last episode of the mid-season 3 finale we were introduced to a new group of survivors, led by Tyreese (Chad Coleman), they retreated from a group of Walkers into the occupied prison via a collapsed wall. Carl finds them and leads the group of four (after the new group suffers one casualty) into a safer place nearer to where Rick’s group are currently calling home. Meanwhile the long awaited confrontation between Rick and the Governor takes place in a bloody battle which sees the Governor losing an eye, Daryl being taken prisoner and the latest cast member to exit the series after Oscar suffers a gunshot wound to the head. Ricks effort to rescue Glenn and Maggie is a success but at a cost as we see the Governor pitting brothers Daryl and Merle in a battle to the death at the end of the mid-season finale.

SPOILERS: The Walking Dead's mid-season premièred last Friday on FOX in the UK and begins what looks set to be a very eventful and explosive end to season 3. The anticipated return I think was well worth the absence over the busy Christmas TV period and now after the peak our excitement was reached at the end of the last episode, the second half of season three can again begin to build up to what looks to be a more explosive series finale than the farm house slaughter of season 2. 

After Daryl and Merle are pinned in a Gladiatorial battle to the death Rick and his crew raid the battle area to save Daryl and Merle, escape the barrage of gunfire and flee the camp. Both camps suffer from this attack that leaves nine settles of the Governors camp dead and many more injured with Ricks crew suffering a collapse in their numbers.

The cracks in Ricks begin to get bigger when their numbers decrease even further after the loss of Oscar. Rick's madness has worsened and his ability to give people chances hasn't got any better and Merle isn’t made welcome. Daryl is forced with a choice of who to follow, his brother or Rick. Daryl's quest to find his brother in series three led to his capture on the last episode and now they are properly equated the two brothers depart from Rick to fend for themselves.

Meanwhile the new group of four led by Tyreese make themselves at home and learn more about the prison's current occupants by talking to Hershel, Beth and the rest that are left at the prison. As this is taking place the Governors camp is in turmoil as the settlers request to flee after the current attack and two Walkers breaking the barrier and getting into the town. The Governor isn’t one bit phased by this panic and his own madness grows as he only has one goal in his sight, to track down Rick and bring a war to the prison. 

Rick, Glen, Maggie and Michonne return to the prison and on return Rick eventually confronts their guests and forces them to leave after seeing a ghostly figure standing on the catwalk above that drives his insanity to dangerous levels.

I think that we can look forward to an explosive end to the season and between now and then I expect there to be a gradual build-up of tension and excitement as the Governor plots his attack on the prison. 

Episode Rating 7/10- Not as explosive as the last episode but still very exciting episode and very promising to the events that lay ahead.