The answer in short is... probably? Although it didn't have the same build up of a season finale, the Hershel/Prison Survivor cliff-hanger left a lot to be desired, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. As with last week, it makes the most sense to me to divide the review into pro's and con's. So, let's get going!
Watch out! You about to get Machete'd in the face, bro.
Ricks Got his Shit Together: Dude machete'd a dude. How sick is that? The entire episode I was watching each of the prisoners thinking "hmm, where is this going FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON?" No part of me expected three out of five of them to be cast off less than a full episode from when they appeared. Structurally, this is great. The first episode of the season highlighted the groups (and primarily Rick's) ability to handle Walkers, and the second episode shows how he's finally learned how to handle other people. Rick has, mostly, adapted to the new world, well still not giving up his morality completely. Not only did he wait to cast the first strike, but you can totally tell that Rick felt guilty when the one guy was being mauled alive. Let's see how long that will last, especially with the Governor in town.Ladies got their Shit Together (except Lori): In between the action scene's with the gang clearing out a new cell block, two circumstances arose where a male was defying the group, and their lady forced them into submission. This is both funny to me, and seems to balance out the overt patriarch known as the Ricktatorship. The first scene is when Carl returns with the medical supplies for Hershel, and his mom calls him crazy and whatnot, and Carl yells back at her. The only thing that gets him to stop is when Beth yells at him to stop. She looked at him with those fierce angry eyes, and Carl ran off to do "whatever it is Carl does these days" (hint Lori: It's probably wank, or just sit furiously awaiting puberty).
(Boom, pow, action, machete to the face!)
The next scene involving the non-fighters is when they're all huddled around a dying Hershel and Carol looks to Glenn and says "I need your help with something." Glenn refuses to leave all while everyone tells him to go, but the only thing that gets him to leave is the one and only Maggie. When she gives an order, he listens. Also, we don't find out what Carol needed help for until the end of the episode. Probably because Glenn needed a bathroom break on his way. You know, to wank. Shouldn't these guys have learned the mistakes that come with listening to woman? You end up killing your rash and psychotic best friend. Whatever. I guess chivalry isn't dead after the apocalypse.
Never how I wanted to see Santa.
Maggie, I love you, but you're an idiot: I know she's all like "Glenn, my dad's about to die, get over here and console me and my tight pants" but seriously, if a mans on the brink of death in a post apocalyptic world, DON'T SIT RIGHT NEXT TO HIM AND HOLD HIS HAND. I was about 98% sure that Hershel wasn't going to turn into a walker, and that there was no way they would in an instant kill off two major characters, but something about that scene was so tense and done so well, I was second guessing it. I don't easily get too tense or scared at movies, but that entire time I struggling to pick up my phone as an excuse to look away. Sometimes a great scene is just a great scene.T-Dog can give advice!: I'm sure I couldn't have been the only one to notice, but these first two episodes have given T-Dog more lines and screen time then probably all of season two combined. His presence is finally being known. He is contributing, and even given acting direction! His look of discontent was easily the most hysterical when the prisoners went all riot-like on the walkers. But still, they're giving him nothing, no direction, no room for growth. I'm sure everyone else has called it, but he's definitely going to die soon. Part of me really hopes he doesn't, though. I just feel bad.
And now, things I didn't like so much:
Michonne and Andrea were so... absent: One of the things I was most excited to see in season three was the Andrea and Michonne story, and where exactly it was going, what it was going to be like. Right now we're two episodes in, and all I know is that Andrea's sick and Michonne is keeping her alive. Two episodes! No explanation about the walkers, no character reveal about Michonne, other than that she can use a Katana pretty damn well, what are they waiting for? Now, I'm not saying they needed to do the episode half and half or something, but they could have made room for one scene of dialog or something. Really, did we need to see Carol giving necrophiliacs the closest thing they'll ever get to nationally broadcasted porn? Or how about that explanation of where the prisoners took a dump? Maybe I'm just impatient, but it doesn't seem like it's too much to ask. The preview of next week, however, suggests I'll get my fill.
A picture of Glen and Maggie, just coz'.
The Prisoners Speech: Okay, so it's obvious that the writers have never been to a prison, and are entirely out of touch with the lingo of delinquents these days. That's coming from me: a 21 year old what guy blogger born and raised in comfy-middle class suburbia. But really, everyone who commits a crime is in the racial minority and says pussy. But in the walking dead universe, they don't just say pussy, they use terms like "this Robin Hood Cat." Seriously, Robin Hood? Let's get a little more contemporary, how about "Legolas" or something? Also, I don't think anyone's been referred to as a "cat" since circa February 18th,1947. Although, I shouldn't be so quick to judge. Maybe The Walking Dead is just being progressive! The term "Cat" should totally be brought back. Hey Maggie, you're one cool cat! (Think it works?)
Anyway, there were smaller things that bugged me, like, why did Carol have to kill that walker herself? Why can't the goatee prisoner articulate a complete sentence? Where did the gun on Carl's silencer go? But whatever, all in all, still a good episode, just not as "WOW" exciting. Ultimately, I give it a 3.5/5. Now onto starting American Horror Story.