Here we go. All times central.
8:02-I don’t buy that the Governor could, in a matter of minutes, convince a whole bunch of people to compromise their morals, even in such a dire situation. I suppose it’s easier for the storyline, but come on, he isn’t that convincing.
8:07-Well, here’s one–ONE–person experiencing some uncertainty. That’s a start.
8:10-“You’re a better man…a better man than Rick.” Yeah, not very high standards there.
8:12-So Hershel’s still trying to reason with the man, and the Governor’s justification for his lack of remorse over daughter murder is “They aren’t mine.” It’s a a fundamental aspect of his character, albeit a bit frustrating; it’s kind of hard to sympathize with him when we’ve seen he can grow attached to someone he doesn’t know. He’s a kind of person that has the ability to compartmentalize, and that makes him dangerous.
8:17-To be honest, it’s nice being back in the prison. Two episodes of the Governor is more than enough; even given the attempt to humanize him, he just isn’t an interesting enough character to sustain a show. Morrissey is a fine actor, but he can’t do anything with flimsy writing.
8:19-Yeah, this conversation should’ve been had right after Rick’s banishment of Carol; again, the Governor episodes lessen the impact of the fallout over anything that happened beforehand.
8:23-Random tank. Nice.
8:24-Oh, we have a council now. It’s about time, Rick; you were never a good leader, and you always came off as a hypocrite.
8:25-“I don’t make decisions anymore!” I don’t know why, but this is the most hilarious line ever.
8:27-I, Frankenstein looks mind-numbingly stupid.
8:31-“There are children here.” *A few people look kind of sad* “I HAVE A TANK.” Oh, jeez, this dialogue is awful.
8:34-So if I was Lily, I wouldn’t be sitting on top of a trailer while Meghan played off to the side with NO ONE ELSE AROUND during a ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Look, once of the virtues of this show is the tension milked out of the action sequences, but when you forgo character work completely, everything just descends into silliness.
8:39-“We could shoot you all, and you’d shoot back.” Yes, I kind of want that right now.
8:40-“We should protect ourselves. They have guns. We should have guns, too!” Oh, make it stop.
8:42-Does Rick really believe in what he’s saying? I think the Governor’s too far gone, and Rick hasn’t had the opportunity to see his recent journey, so that was just wishful thinking there. I mean, I guess that’s beneficial at times, but what makes him different from Hershel is that Hershel has at least some sense of reality amidst his hopeful speeches. Rick seems empty behind it all. I dislike how the show’s trying to put everything on Rick Grimes; build up the supporting cast a bit in this department, guys.
8:44-RIP Hershel. Your head was nice.
8:48-Alright, so it takes the Governor decapitating someone to get some people to realize what he’s doing. In addition, I can’t help but lament the fact that Meghan turned out to be yet another plot device to fuel the Governor’s rage. Still, I think the emotional aspect of it definitely works here, and going back, given the Governor is killed off, it works better.
8:54-Pretty cool, Daryl. Also, he killed a tank. Pretty awesome.
8:55-They’re coming at Tyreese with a vengeance! I’m surprised he’s not dead yet. Oh, and okay, the kids shoot some people now. Good riddance, person who got shot.
8:57-Well, it looks like the Governor’s dead, and how fitting that Michonne and Lily are the ones to kill him. He’s been corrupted by his own quest for revenge, and it makes perfect sense that he’d be the one to blame for everything. Ultimately, I do think it’s a great decision; it serves as a fine coda to his storyline, and I’m not sure how much more of him I could tolerate.
8:58-So, is Judith dead? It might be up for interpretation, but nevertheless, the fact that she isn’t there is just emblematic of what’s transpired; innocence has been lost, and although the Governor is dead, all that’s left is just soul-crushing despair. Blood has been spilled, and now they truly are too far gone.
8:59-So, this is a fantastic action sequence, I’ll give them that. I mean, I wasn’t big on everything prior, but man, these final 15 minutes are heart-pounding and fantastically shot. This show’s strength is crafting intense (albeit nonsensical) action sequences, and my, do they go all out here. It’s one of the absolute best things I’ve seen from this show. Oh, and we get Zombie Lori; strangely fitting, isn’t it? It’s just father and son now, and with one baby’s (presumed) death comes the shell of a mother.
I’m impressed, The Walking Dead. This is actually a poignant ending, and it doesn’t come across as tacky like the season 3 finale did. Bravo.
GRADE: B+? (Kind of hard to grade this one, considering the huge quality difference between the first and second halves)
Credit to AMC and The Walking Dead for all pictures. I own nothing.
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