Sunday night’s episode of ‘The Walking Dead’ was the show’s “fall finale.” It won’t be back with new episodes until February. In the meantime, this episode leaves us with a lot to think about before the series finishes out its season.
Brief Synopsis: Hershel won’t budge on his insistence that Rick and company leave as soon as possible. Glenn informs the rest of the group that the barn is full of bloodthirsty zombies. Dale continues to think that everything can be solved peacefully. Shane reaches Evil Overload.
Episode Thoughts: This episode starts out slowly, but quickly ramps up to a skull-shattering final scene. I’ve got to say that I’m getting really sick of Dale’s unrealistic view on the world. How he thinks that hiding all the guns is going to make everyone safer is a complete mystery to me. I understand that he’s trying to hold onto a way of life that sustained him all these years, but in this world of flesh-eating Walkers, that outlook just isn’t feasible.
Until now, the show has kind of shied away from the fact that a post-apocalyptic world will, at some point, turn people against each other. It’s time for survival of the fittest to kick in, and I’m with Shane. Singing “Kumbaya” around a campfire just isn’t going to cut it anymore. I’m surprised that Shane has kept his rage in check until now, but this episode is his boiling point for sure.
I’m not sure why Rick never told Hershel that the CDC scientist explained exactly what happens to people that get turned. Wouldn’t that be enough to convince him that there isn’t a cure? The rose-colored glasses that Dale and Hershel have on are going to get people killed. They like to think that they’re doing the right thing, but in the end, they’re dead wrong.
Shane has been vilified during this season, with his shooting of Otis and his angry stomping around camp with an evil grimace, but much of that villainy is unearned. Shane has simply come to his senses that pretending that everything is fine won’t work forever.
To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect the last scene to be so intense, but I’m glad that it was. It’s finally time for rage and self-preservation to kick in. I have to admit that I got a little giddy when Shane started shooting up the Walker that Hershel had on his rope. That headshot solidifies Shane’s transition. After that, it turns to all out war on the barn Walkers. Shane lets them out, and a shooting gallery commences. All Hershel and Dale can do is sit back and watch.
I didn’t see the ending coming at all â partly because I’d all but forgotten about Sophia in the first place. That storyline had run its course, and it seemed like a sorry excuse for the show-runners to cut costs by keeping the series stuck at the farm. Then Sophia emerged from the barn. This raises quite a few concerns. Chief among them is that Hershel and his people had found Sophia but didn’t bother telling the group or her mother. Low blow, Hershel.
[Ed.: Robert Kirkman explained in the ‘Talking Dead’ interview after the episode that Hershel didn’t know Sophia was in the barn. Otis had been the one rounding up Walkers to put in the barn, and he died without knowing that anyone was looking for a little girl. By killing Otis, Shane prevented the group from finding Sophia. âJZ]
The Sophia ending, which directly mirrors the very first episode of the series where Rick had to shoot a little girl in the head, is a perfect way to end this part of the season. It shows that even though the season has been plodding along, it still has some excitement left. It also raises new plot points, specifically the fact that Shane has gone batshit crazy, and has a bag of guns. I’m just counting down until he ends up killing Hershel and taking his farm by force. Something like that is bound to happen.
Aaron Peck
AuthorI don’t watch ‘The Talking Dead,’ but I am growing a little weary of their extended explanations of key plot points.
Anyway, I’m on Team Shane.
Josh Zyber
This was more of a clarification. Hershel does say to Rick in the episode that Otis used to do all the Walker wrangling.
The idea that it’s really Shane’s fault that they didn’t find Sophia makes for some interesting dramatic irony, I think.
Aaron Peck
AuthorHave a hard time believing Otis died without knowing they were looking for a little girl. He was around for three episodes in which looking for a little girl was ALL Rick and company talked about.
Also, the irony only works if you explain it in the show, not in a cursory clarification show afterwards. If they had waited until the next part of the season to make that all clear that would’ve made more sense and would have left something to the imagination of the viewer.
Josh Zyber
When Otis was alive, the only thing anyone talked about was Carl.
In any case, if you prefer to think that Hershel was just being a dick, I’m cool with that too. đ
Luke Hickman
The mid-season finale finally delivered the goods. I especially loved the ending because it was similar to the “ahhhh, shit” ending of Frank Darabont’s ‘The Mist.’
Was this Darabont’s last episode, or did that already pass?
Josh Zyber
It isn’t clear exactly when Darabont was fired. His name is still in the credits, but that’s probably a contractual thing. I was under the impression that AMC canned him very early in the season.
Ted S.
I’m on Shane’s team too, he’s the only that seems to know what’s going in that world, while everyone else is still living in la la land. I don’t understand why so many people hate him, go to any message board on imdb and you’ll see tons of Shane haters.
I do hope the second half of the season will pick up some steam, so far this season has been sort of a let down.
Josh Zyber
Shane didn’t exactly handle the situation well, but he’s not wrong. That barn full of Walkers was dangerous, and these people need to wake up to the reality of the world they’re living in. He’s absolutely right about that. Still, there were smarter ways to go about it.
Lahrs
I thought this episode was one of the better ones this season. Thankfully the Sophia arc is over with as it had dragged on for too long.
I do not think Hershel would have bought Rick’s explanation of the CDC even if it were brought up. Even without the shots from Shane making his point, Hershel has to have seen the damage already caused by the zombification. As a veterinarian and farmer, he has been around to see animals die from disease, injuries and slaughter for food. I just think he is someone who will not admit they are dead because then he would have to admit the loss of his wife and son. If Rick brought up the CDC, I can just picture Hershel’s response with “they have been wrong before” and then dismissing it. I do not think this is going to turn out well, however, Maggie now understands so she may help him see the light. She even gave Glenn the nod of approval to shoot the zombies coming out of the barn, so at least she knows the danger.
I think the show has made it easy to hate Shane, and while he has done some bad things and shows his evil side from time to time, I do think he has the best of intentions in trying to keep everyone alive. On the other hand, so has Rick, and it was apparent the farm has been the safest and best place they could possibly have hoped for, and Shane may have ruined that for everyone, despite all of Rick’s progress with Hershel.
As far as the hiatus, a show normally runs 22 – 24 episodes a season. This season has 13 and then the hiatus is about 11 weeks long. Is this AMC’s way to prolong the episodes over a full seasons worth of time? Season 3 has already been given the green light and clearly the show is a hit, so I am a bit surprised with a shortened second season. Just curious.
Josh Zyber
TV series on the major networks run 22-24 episodes, but 12-13 is a typical season length for cable.
The hiatus? I’m not sure if that’s just a promotional tactic in this case (other shows have tried it, most recently Covert Affairs and Burn Notice), or just a consequence of production issues due to Frank Darabont being fired partway through the season.
Lahrs
Thanks for the information. I guess my hopes for a 22 episode season 3 will most likely not be a reality.
Aaron Peck
AuthorCable channels don’t have the money that the big networks do. That’s why you always see 12 – 13 episode seasons from Showtime, HBO, AMC, ect.
Dail Whiteley
the hiatus is a good thing rating wise. you put the first 6-7 episodes on around Halloween then quit around thanksgiving. take December off people are out shopping for the holidays , Christmas falls on a Sunday new years falls on a Sunday. then take January off football playoffs on Sunday in january goes into prime time. come back in after the superbowl. right move.
i like Shane but his act is getting thin. the pro Shane fans love his wipe them out attitude which is fine but he couldn’t shoot Sophia. shes this bad evil monster. shoot her. don’t be a pussy. and if its this “bad we need to wipe them out” mentality that he has , then move on Shane. you don’t have to be there , you can go and move on. he isn’t a leader. and my feeling is that someone in the group will shoot Shane and it wont be rick. cant wait for febuary. đ
Tim
I got the impression that Shane didn’t shoot Sophia because he wanted to make a point by waiting for Rick to do it. The whole Sophia scenario was due to Rick’s decisions, and waiting to see if Rick would shoot her was his way of confirming that Rick was now in agreement with him. As soon as she came out of the barn started shambling towards them, the thought in my head was, “You have to do it, Rick. You’re the only one that SHOULD do it.”
Josh Zyber
In the moment, I actually thought that Daryl would have to be the one to do it. After his dedication and obsession with finding Sophia, he’d have to make that cold-hearted decision to put her down. But Rick certainly makes sense as well, and it’s a nice bookend with the series premiere.
Shannon Nutt
I’m on Team Shane as well…most viewers see him as “evil”, but actually he’s the only one with any common sense. Dale was right when he said “Shane was in the world he deserves”. But he’s also one of the few in the group that can handle such a world. Plus, I keep hoping for Michael Rooker to come back so they can team up. đ
Luke Hickman
This “team Shane” business needs to stop for two reasons: one, the whole “team” thing is big because of ‘Twilight’ and anyone watching ‘The Walking Dead’ is above that sort of garbage. Two, Shane is douchebag. He deserves to die. There is no redemption for him, which is why he dies in the near future. Honestly, he’s not fun to watch on screen. Every time he enters the frame, I considering skipping ahead. Just like the lame pregnancy sub-plot, the Evil Shane one is generic and unnecessary.
Aaron Peck
AuthorIf there was no Shane, then there would be no one questioning the actions of the group as a whole, therefore no conflict. What you’re asking for is ‘Lost’ without Locke. Imagine what ‘Lost’ would’ve been like had Jack had no conflict with anyone whatsoever. Snooze-fest. Shane gives the group a much needed antagonist who has a different point of view about how to handle the situation they’re in.
What gets me is everyone hates on Shane, but Shane’s character is Tallahassee without the snide remarks. And everyone loves Tallahassee.