After (409)

[GateWorld]

THE WALKING DEAD - SEASON FOUR AFTER EPISODE NUMBER - 409 Now on their own, Carl and a wounded Rick bicker over how best to survive in a world without the security they had built up around themselves. Elsewhere, Michonne struggles with her solitude as she dreams of the life she lost. VISIT THE EPISODE GUIDE >>

[fems]

Well, that was an underwhelming episode after such a long wait. Why can't they edit it more like GoT and give several characters screen time per episode, rather than focus the majority of the ep on a whiny, bratty teenage boy (who chooses to eat pudding over searching for medicine for his injured/dying father) and a handful of scenes for Michonne?

[rkgardner2003]

I actually liked the episode,(but I had read that there would be more focus on a couple characters at a time as they came back so I was prepared.)

I think Carl needed to go through what he did this episode. I think it's part needing to feel like he can take care of himself as the future is so uncertain and part feeling like Rick has let them down by trying to keep the kids sheltered and not being more of a leader. When Rick was still out and he got all his feelings off his chest and ended with, "I'd be ok if you died", I think he was trying to talk himself into being ok if he ends up alone. Of course we saw him realize he really wouldn't be ok alone, I really felt for him crying over Rick and saying he was scared. He is only a kid after all, and one that's been through unimaginable things.

I also liked seeing some background on Michonne. I think it was obvious after her reaction to the baby last season that she had lost a child, also her connection with Carl. It was good to see her go from walker like seeming to have given up to a@# kicker and going back to the road and follow the path to the land of the living.

Did NOT like seeing The remains of Hershel!

[VampyreWraith]

It would have been nice to see some of the other characters, but I thought it was a good episode. I enjoyed watching it.

[mr_kennedy]

I also liked seeing some background on Michonne. I think it was obvious after her reaction to the baby last season that she had lost a child, also her connection with Carl. It was good to see her go from walker like seeming to have given up to a@# kicker and going back to the road and follow the path to the land of the living.

i got the impression either she was having a hissy fit after not being able to protect herschel and losing the prison and all her friends, or that she recognised the walker

Did NOT like seeing The remains of Hershel!

I didn't like that either, however i liked that Michone felt that she had to kill umm Walker? Herschel out of respect

It would have been nice to see some of the other characters, but I thought it was a good episode. I enjoyed watching it.

I have a feeling that it will be awhile before they reunite all the characters again, i do however hope we get a carol centric episode, she has became a favorite of mine this season

[fems]

I read elsewhere that the actress apparently explained (on the Talking Dead) that Michonne was sort of living like a zombie while following the herd because of losing everyone - again - but that she sort of snapped out of it upon seeing the Walker girl with the dreads because she looked like her. Something about Michonne deciding she wanted to live instead of hanging with the Walkers (and effectively being like them, aside from the eating of people, I suppose) and that's why she suddenly killed them all and went to follow the trail of footsteps.

I just think it's a shame something like that needs to be explained off-screen, like many TV shows nowadays do either via social media or a program (?) like the Talking Dead. Whatever happened to good writing which doesn't need further explanation by an actor/actress/PTB?!

[mr_kennedy]

I read elsewhere that the actress apparently explained (on the Talking Dead) that Michonne was sort of living like a zombie while following the herd because of losing everyone - again - but that she sort of snapped out of it upon seeing the Walker girl with the dreads because she looked like her. Something about Michonne deciding she wanted to live instead of hanging with the Walkers (and effectively being like them, aside from the eating of people, I suppose) and that's why she suddenly killed them all and went to follow the trail of footsteps.

I just think it's a shame something like that needs to be explained off-screen, like many TV shows nowadays do either via social media or a program (?) like the Talking Dead. Whatever happened to good writing which doesn't need further explanation by an actor/actress/PTB?!

I assumed it was just Michone having a hissy fit lol, but then seeing someone that resembles herself that makes her snap out of her zombie coma, kinda makes sense i guess

[LoneStar1836]

I thoroughly enjoyed the episode! It was drawn almost directly from the comics and was a great character episode for each involved.

I'm glad they only focused on the these three characters. I would rather get more time devoted to them in the episode than having to split that time up between more characters thus forcing them to constantly jump around in the episode. I actually enjoyed this one more than the following episode which focused on the remaining survivors.

I read elsewhere that the actress apparently explained (on the Talking Dead) that Michonne was sort of living like a zombie while following the herd because of losing everyone - again - but that she sort of snapped out of it upon seeing the Walker girl with the dreads because she looked like her. Something about Michonne deciding she wanted to live instead of hanging with the Walkers (and effectively being like them, aside from the eating of people, I suppose) and that's why she suddenly killed them all and went to follow the trail of footsteps.

I just think it's a shame something like that needs to be explained off-screen, like many TV shows nowadays do either via social media or a program (?) like the Talking Dead. Whatever happened to good writing which doesn't need further explanation by an actor/actress/PTB?!

I picked up on what they were conveying in her scenes. I enjoyed listening to the actress on The Talking Dead afterwards go more in depth about the thought process of her character, but I thought the writing was good and the actress conveyed enough in her actions/emotions to get across the point being made. *shrug*

She went back to the prison. Saw the destruction. She regressed back to her old self of being a loner with the pets...thus no emotional attachments. When she discovered the human footprints, she decided not to follow them, having just lost everything she had built with this group of people...so why subject herself to that kind of emotional loss/pain again. She aimlessly wandered with the walkers, one of whom resembled her. She eventually comes to the decision that she wants to "live" and have a reason to persevere in the face of hopelessness. (The dream plays into this as the boyfriend was questioning the reason why anyone should/would choose to go on living in this new world.) She snaps out of her despair and chooses to "live" and goes back to seek out the humans who left the footprints.

My only question is at the time she first saw them, did she know whose they were? It was clearly two sets of prints...Rick's boots and Carl's shoes with the tread patterns.

So happy the show is back.

[squirrely1]

I am happy the show is back too. But have been rather disappointed in it I think it's lost something...not sure what but it just feels off. I liked the Rick/Carl episode but it all seems like our characters are doing really stupid things or stuff is just too coincidental to be believable. I get that Carl is at that bratty teenage stage but he is all over the map. I think he did feel safe while he had the gun but as soon as he ran out of bullets reality set in that maybe he's not the stuff and may need Rick after all I do think that was important but in a way I feel like we're being spoon fed here. I don't really need to see that in such detail. I would've liked to see all our main players after being gone for so long. It's sort of a let down that we have to following these players in such excruciating detail....eating pudding, searching houses.....I mean come on we've been there....done that. And I'm finding it hard that they showed Hershel's head....I thought that was cruelly unnecessary
And the fact that Michonne could actually follow tracks that far to get right to Rick and Carl .. just seemed a tad far fetched to me. And if they are even going to try and hook Michonne up with Rick I'll probably jump shark at that point.

Sorry to be such a downer on this...but it's like I'm watching another show all of a sudden....granted everyone is scattered and we're trying to pick up the pieces but it just seemed like a real boring episode to me.

[Mrja84]

Why can't a kid be upset and make good points about the failure of adults and not be labeled as "bratty"?

He's growing up and he told Rick he should have killed the Governor. Then all of this would not have happened. He is a firm believer in Shane's methods of not letting your enemies have another chance to attack you.

So I understand his anger at Rick. He's perfectly within his character. Of course, he realizes he doesn't want to be alone, to be the only survivor and that he doesn't hate his dad.

I got everything. The zombie Michonne was looking at didn't look like her. She was imagining another zombie had her features. She of course did not just want to be another "survivor" just alone. She wants that human connection regardless of the cost.

This is great. After such a big and massive shake-up we need to slowly see these changes and how it affects them and what they go through.

[VampyreWraith]

I like Carl, and I liked him in this episode. I love how the relationship between Rick and Carl has been developed this season. I don't watch The Talking Dead and I understood what was going on with Michonne, I thought that those scenes were well done.

[Halfifrit]

I liked this episode, I certainly thought that Carl acted stupid a couple of times, but who doesn't act without thinking every now and then, especially teens. (It bothers me that I don't remember how old he is, either way four years older gotta make him a teenager right.)

Now, next episode better let me know what happened to the bus.

[Mrja84]

I liked this episode, I certainly thought that Carl acted stupid a couple of times, but who doesn't act without thinking every now and then, especially teens. (It bothers me that I don't remember how old he is, either way four years older gotta make him a teenager right.)

I think they stopped caring how long it has been since the breakdown of society. That way, they don't have to worry about how old a character is. Though, since they don't have calendars at the ready, I doubt they even know anymore.

[Halfifrit]

Seeing how characters/actors/people age is kind of fascinating though, so I hope they don't completely ignore that element, the seasons gotta give them some idea, unless they wander too south/north, and that doesn't seem likely just yet. And if Riggs (Carl) have a noticeable vocal, height etc. change some characters would be forced to comment on it. And or the other kids, if they make it so far, wander what they'll do with Judith for sure.