The Walking Dead – “The Suicide King”

Major spoilers!

It’s back! Well, it’s been back for a week now but it’s taken me a while to get round to reviewing it. The series returns with perhaps a slower episode than usual but still a great one.

A lot has happened between now and the last episode before Christmas, in a TV sense anyway. The Walking Dead was my favourite TV show before Christmas, but that was before Breaking Bad. This episode had a lot riding on it.
And I can safely say, it’s still my favourite. Or possibly they’re both my favourite. Yeah, they’re both great. Either way I was excited for the return of Rick and the gang. The episode begins where the last ended, with Merle and Daryl pitted against each other. But the group has a plan, Rick and the guys come storming back in with assault rifles and smoke grenades and save Daryl. To Glen’s anger, they also save Merle. Honestly though, Merle doesn’t even try to seem likable  As soon as he gets back to the group after being rescued he makes fun of Michonne but also reveals that Andrea is still alive AND is boinking the Governor. The group is shocked Andrea is OK  but they still want Merle out. Daryl, being the good brother he is, decides to stick with Merle instead. I could practically hear the fan girls scream when Daryl left, but I’m sure he and Merle can hold there own.

Back at the prison Hershel is tending to Tyrese and his group. He explains how he isn’t the leader and that they shouldn’t be getting too comfortable. Tyrese’s friends Ben and Allen want to take the prison, after all Rick isn’t around to stop them.  On the road Glen has a
breakdown and curb-stomps a zombie Ryan Gosling style. It’s pretty epic, but it seems like Maggie and Glen may have some relationship problems down the line.
In Woodbury the Governor is busy sulking. He is finding it difficult to handle being in charge and has become (somehow) more cold and ruthless, in one scene putting a poor Woodbury resident out of his misery in front of the rest of the town.

When Rick gets back to the prison he lets Tyrese know he’s not staying. Then something weird happens. He sees Lori, stood up on a walkway, in (presumably) her white wedding dress with her face covered in shadow. It’s a really great scene and reminds us that Rick isn’t quite over the deaths of his wife and in a similar way his best friend; Shane. The episode ends with Rick screaming and going just the teeniest bit insane.

 

Overall this was a strong episode to begin the second half of the season. It was a slower episode than usual but the ending shock with Lori was awesome and it’s nice to have a protagonist who is batshit insane. My addiction is back and it’s as good as ever.