I thought last night's episode was good, but not great. With the mid season break, I think most people's expectations (at least mine) are higher thinking we will see something worth the 2+ month wait. It was really just an average episode in the course of the whole season.
I really like how they picked up right where the last episode left off. I thought the rescue attempt went relatively smoothly (except Maggie accidentally shooting Haley...ooops). Loved how Daryl "stole" his crossbow back from the black guy with the dreds as they were escaping.
As much I don't like seeing Daryl removed from the canvas, I do like how the writers kept the characters true to themselves with Rick refusing to let Merle in the prison and Daryl unable to leave his brother. Obviously, Daryl will be back with the prison group at some point, either with or without Merle, and I think Daryl will grow to realize that both he and his brother are very different people from when they were together last (Daryl is his own man now and no longer submissive to Merle) and he will ultimately choose to go back to Rick's group.
If the writer's aren't careful, they are going to end up destroying Andrea's character. She finds out all the Governor's secrets (Penny, heads in the tank,etc.) and then he admits he lied to her about Daryl, Maggie and Glen being in Woodbury and all she does is say to him, "don't drive me out". Apparently, she doesn't mind being lied to and having things kept from her. Then she gives a really cheesy rallying speech that instantly appeases everyone in Woodbury. Seriously? She has been in Woodbury all of a week or two and now she is looked at as a leader? Is it just me or does anyone else think those Woodbury residents are annoying? First, they are screaming for blood with Daryl and Merle's fight and next they are demanding to leave Woodbury because it isn't safe and whining and complaining about everything. I agree with the Governor...let 'em go...they have had it too easy and they seem like a bunch of ungrateful pr!cks.
I found Carol's reaction to Daryl's leaving interesting. I am glad they didn't go the soap opera route and have her all upset at him for leaving. Clearly, she is upset, but she also understood why he choose to stay with Merle. I think it is going to be inevitable that they hook up once Daryl returns.
Beth kissing Rick on the cheek? Is she moving in on him already? What about Carl?
I get why people are a little annoyed with Rick's recent recurrence of madness. It is annoying, but I don't think it ever went away after the phone scenes. I think it has been there all along and it bubbles to the surface under times of emotional stress like it did with him seeing Shane during the Woodbury shootout. Lori popped up at the end there just as he was about to let Tyrese and his group stay with them. Subconsciously, he blames himself for Lori's death because he let the prisoner's into his group which ended badly for Lori and T-Dog. So his subconscious (in the form of ghost Lori) bubbled to the surface again to remind him that the last time he let people into the group people died. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and Rick is having great difficulty keeping his head up.
It will be interesting to see where they take the Glenn/Maggie dynamic this season. Glenn is clearly not over the events that happened at Woodbury. He has become more vocal and confrontational, but I wonder at what cost? I guess he thinks that maybe Maggie was physically raped? Not to downplay what happened to Maggie because the emotional torture was brutal but I get the impression that Glenn is making it worse in his mind than it really was.
All in all, it was an average episode which still puts it above most anything else on tv, IMO.
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