S05.E01: No Sanctuary

[CletusMusashi]

Couldn't you,maybe... stop broadcasting? And, if you don't have time to take all the signs down, Just add some ominous graffiti over the nearest ones.

I mean, come on. Even Rick thought of that. 

Weirdest question, of course, is: what the hell was Gareth hoarding all those teddy bears for?

I guess maybe too many manwiches right before bedtime can give you nightmares.

[Pete Martell]

Over the course of the last season, I'd grown tired of The Walking Dead. It was just boring. I had thought about not watching this season at all, until it was finished. Hoping that watching it one go might make it more enjoyable.

(I had stopped watching during season 2, when they got to the farm, because it was boring as hell to me then, too. Then, went back and caught up on everything up until mid-season 4, before watching live again.)

The only issue with stopping watching is that everyone I know (plus, the internet) watches 'live', I didn't want to end up being spoiled on people living or dying.

I'm glad I watched this episode, Carol was and is a bad-ass. Seeing characters like her make me dislike Rick even more. The reunion between her and Rick was too happy. I wouldn't have forgiven him for what he did. Fuck Rick. ha. The reunion between her and Daryl made me smile way too much. Aw.

It was a strong opener, but now I'm worried that it'll just go downhill again. With such a large group, all together.

 

I don't think Carol is necessarily interested in forgiving. She knows they need to stick together, I think she knows she made some mistakes, as did he, and she may just want to move on.

 

I think they are more alike than they may realize. I hope we will see exploration of this instead of distance, or some leadership struggle. This group has had enough of those.

[CletusMusashi]

Rick is trying to be more like Carol, but he's not smart enough. "Terminus bad! Rick smash now!" Um, you do know that many of them are no longer there? And the ones that are may well be spaced out on building tops with gas grenades? And the people at ground level? Might be innocent escapees? Or clueless Woodbury-style redshirts? Or Woodbury-style objecters, like Tyreese was? Maybe you should have finished the job after Woodbury by killing Tyreese?I don't know. Ask Judith. I do know one thing. Any surviving leaders of Terminus are not standing in the middle of the street waiting to give Rick Grimes a fair fight. They're a little busy right now.

Look on the bright side, though, Ricky. If they do need to die, your babysitter will be happy to sneak back and take care of it for you.

Edited October 13, 2014 by CletusMusashi

[GreyBunny]

I was hoping that someone would sneak back and get Michonne's katana but her new double-ended stabby thing will work in a pinch.

[Pete Martell]

Rick is trying to be more like Carol, but he's not smart enough. "Terminus bad! Rick smash now!" Um, you do know that many of them are no longer there? And the ones that are may well be spaced out on building tops with gas grenades? And the people at ground level? Might be innocent escapees? Or clueless Woodbury-style redshirts? Or Woodbury-style objecters, like Tyreese was? Maybe youn should have finished the job after Woodbury by killing Tyreese?I don't know. Ask Judith. I do know one thing. Any surviving leaders of Terminus are not standing in the middle of the street waiting to give Rick Grimes a fair fight. They're a little busy right now.

Look on the bright side, though, Ricky. If they do need to die, your babysitter will be happy to sneak back and take care of it for you.

 

Rick agreed to this thought process when he listened to Glenn's pleas to open the crate...only to have the guy inside be a psycho.

 

I think he's just through with ambiguity. He's regretted every attempt at moral ambiguity over the years.

 

Carol probably would have wanted the same thing as he did if they were under different circumstances.

[Richness]

Carol just opened the biggest can of whoop ass Raid on those Termites. You go, girl! She gets major props for bringing back the zombie guts camouflage from season one. And the big boom that resulted in flaming zombies. And smacking down Tasha Yar. And... just everything.

 

I just thought my heart melted when Carol stopped to get her pookie's crossbow. It actually did melt into tears when Daryl and Carol actually hugged. Then again when Rick hugged and thanked her. The Grimes family reunion was also touching, but previous baby mama drama has me less invested in the baby.

 

Especially if the baby is going to be their fatal flaw. It nearly was for Tyreese. I just don't get his character. One moment he's a wimp; the next he's a BAMF on level with Samuel L. Jackson. I'm getting whip lash from his bi-polar nature. Suffice to say, that would have been the cruelest thing ever if the Termite had killed Judith, after Carol had psyched Rick up to be reunited with her.

 

Eugene continues to annoy with his ridiculous story and buffoonery (LOL at Sasquatch comparison.). I know you need a laugh in the ZA, but he just annoys me. If that lame non-answer is what created such loyalty in his two cohorts (LOL at Three Stooges comparison.), they're approaching too stupid to live levels of dumb and gullible.

 

The Then flashbacks could have been left out for all I cared. I didn't need to know why the Termites were the way they were. If it was to make me sympathize with them, it didn't work at all. I can see turning a cold shoulder to actively helping others in the ZA, but not actively luring innocent people in to eat them. However, I was surprised how quickly the Terminous story was wrapped up after previous stories have dragged on for half seasons or longer.

 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It's one of my favorites. There are others that are better written and pack more emotional punch, but none that are this fun.

[lirust]

Was Terminus formerly a candle factory?  I had to wonder how they got so many - you'd think they'd go through them pretty fast if they lit so many at once!

 

I guess they could have made candles out of human fat, but you'd think they'd want to eat any potential food, not make stuff with it.

[joelene]

Just saw it. Wow. Edge of my seat. I was terrified Carol would end up dead in the crossfire or by being mistaken for a walker. She was fucking epic here! May she live long and prosper.

Edited October 13, 2014 by joelene

[Anela]

Sam was the blonde guy whose throat was slit first. Rick and Carol met with Sam and his girlfriend in the episode where Rick banished Carol. The girlfriend had a bad leg and was eaten by walkers. Rick gave Sam his watch and then he never returned. 

 

Oh, I wondered why Rick was looking at him in particular. I didn't watch the marathon, and have only just started re-watching season 3 on Netflix.

 

I almost didn't catch Morgan at the end there. ♥

I love Carol - she's so clever - and when Rick saw his baby? Finally!!!

I also loved Tyreese just lumbering back in there, and throwing himself at that guy.

 

I wasn't sure if they really killed Gareth, if they really shot him, or if he faked it.

 

That brief scene where Carol is in that storage room and finds Daryl's crossbow got to me.  All that stuff, all those people (especially the teddy bears). :(  Sorry, Tasha Yar, but Carol was being kind in letting the Walkers come in and eat you.  I would have cut off bits and pieces and tossed it at them.

 

I didn't see the crossbow (I did later, when a repeat was on), but I couldn't stop thinking about the teddy bears, and what you just said: all of those people. :(

 

[nodorothyparker]

That was easily the best season premier since the very first "Days Gone Bye."   It does my own not 20-year-old heart so much good to see the hero of it all be a 40-something year old woman who had to overcome her fear and demons to become the coolly smart and efficient killing machine we got last night.  I've always loved Carol even when she really really didn't make it easy, so this felt almost like a reward for hanging in with her character for so long.   I'm also not really what I'd call a shipper, but damn if the Carol-Daryl reunion didn't absolutely get me right in the feels.  Him falling into her like he couldn't bear to let her go just yet completely put it over.

 

I must thank you also; when the ad came out this past week--the one with the U2 song----I kept thinking Is it just me or does Maggie look like she got her hair waved and a new top with some decolletage,  surrounded by walkers and looking like she's going to a club.

 

Seriously.  Everybody is trying to scramble up some homemade weapons to try to save themselves and Maggie was apparently out getting her hair done and shopping for a better pushup bra.  I know that the actress has been showing up in magazines in the standard girly pictures (which is her right), but it took me right out of the scene and reminded me that she's an actress only pretending to be in mortal peril.  Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if Abraham, Eugene, and Rosita didn't continue to spout dialogue like comic book characters that belong in another show.  The two things together were highly distracting from an otherwise fantastic episode.

[lulee]

I was hoping that someone would sneak back and get Michonne's katana but her new double-ended stabby thing will work in a pinch.

that was one reunion I was hoping. When I rewstched, I hoped she'd find it on the ground but no such luck.

[Joan van Snark]

Few random thoughts--

 

Back in Season 1 I really didn't have any feelings for Carol either way.  The way she just sat at the farm cowering while everyone else looked for Sophia annoyed me.  But ever since then I have been loving her more and more.  She is far and away my absolute favorite now!  I loved how she basically became Ripley from Aliens in this episode, but I do have a question--would her fireworks trick really have worked like that?  I have shot those bottle rockets every 4th and New Years since I was a kid and rarely do they fly straight in the direction you point like that.  Was there enough propane in the air to ignite like that?  I was also kind of annoyed by the way all the redshirts died at the trough, but of course Glen is conveniently saved every time at the last second.  Little too clunky for me.  I do enjoy this show but I find I have to just overlook the 'convenience' of how things happen.  Of course Tyreese and Carol just happen to walk up on the guy in the cabin right as he's mentioning the 'chick with the sword and the kid with the hat'.  

 

Is anyone else beside me over Glenn and Maggie?  I don't find either of them interesting at all and I hope they are next on the list of those to go.  Scottish Lauren Cohan has never been convincing as a Southern girl to me, and Glenn lost all of his Season 1 charm.  

[Anela]

 

Is anyone else beside me over Glenn and Maggie?  I don't find either of them interesting at all and I hope they are next on the list of those to go.  Scottish Lauren Cohan has never been convincing as a Southern girl to me, and Glenn lost all of his Season 1 charm.  

I still like them both, but they annoyed me last season, when they were so focused on each other, that they practically forgot about everyone else. Maybe that's just normal when you've experienced that much loss, but it just bugged. I was glad to finally hear Maggie ask about her sister, at the beginning of this episode.

 

I was also going to comment on Maggie's looking like a supermodel. It's silly and distracting.

[kikismom]

 

 

Is anyone else beside me over Glenn and Maggie?  I don't find either of them interesting at all and I hope they are next on the list of those to go.  Scottish Lauren Cohan has never been convincing as a Southern girl to me, and Glenn lost all of his Season 1 charm.  

I was just thinking this morning that same thought. Glenn has just turned into lunchroom-monitor guy, and when I thought it over...Maggie never has really done much interesting. Just being the one girl who goes with the SWAT team to clear courtyards and shit. If she wasn't in a love connection with Glenn, people would have noticed before this that Maggie has no other reason to be there.

I would have liked her character better back when she was in high school and "only wanted to smoke  and shoplift"; at least she'd have some complexity. She gets props for crying better than anyone else...but that wore thin when it seemed to me that she blows it off 3 minutes later.

Got sexually assaulted by the Gov? Boohoohooo--and we're back to car maintenance. Sister missing? Dad decapitated? Waaahwa...so, okay let's keep walking people!

[myname2use4now]

Is it just me, or can the baby-actress playing Judith really act? LOL...I swear her eyes and expressions matched the scenes really well. Give her a baby-emmy. I loved Carol's walking around the warehouse/church place with relative calm when all this stuff was going on around her. She's pretty confident of her abilities at this point, but not too confident, I hope. I'm so glad they're all together (except for Beth, hopefully soon, though) again. This show needed something good to happen. And that "Doctor" doesn't know shit.

[nodorothyparker]

I've always been pretty neutral on Glenn and Maggie.  I know their amazing love is supposed to represent "hope" on the show, according to some interviews I've seen.  They've never really done it for me though, which is okay, but the combination of her apparently becoming the glamor girl of the show without developing much as a character and him becoming Herschel lite without the gravitas is veering very close into outright grating. 

 

I mean really, Glenn?  These people had you bent over a trough ready to slit your throat for food.  You're only alive because your would-be executioner's two half-swings of contrivance didn't connect because of paperwork issues and Carol blowing up the place.  And you still don't think maybe you should make sure they're all dead?  Did you really learn nothing from the Governor fiasco?

[sigmaforce86]

Was Terminus formerly a candle factory?  I had to wonder how they got so many - you'd think they'd go through them pretty fast if they lit so many at once!

 

I guess they could have made candles out of human fat, but you'd think they'd want to eat any potential food, not make stuff with it.

 

Easy fan fiction answer - a large train car was filled with shipments of those flameless candles they sell (non-stop it seems) on QVC; a second car was full of batteries.....and the Terminus eternal flame memory room was born.

 

I hate to say that I don't think the show, especially the much touted "first six minutes" was as intense or scary as it was said to be.  But I blame that on the pre-views.  Even staying spoiler free, avoiding videos that let you see the first two or four minutes and such the regular commericals and pre-view just gave away too much.  That Glen would survive because we saw him in what's obviously future forest scenes, that they'd all get out because of endless shots of Rick with his gun and the explosion plus some scenes in a church.  This is the one show where you don't say well there's no suspense because they're not going to kill <insert lead actor/actress name>......they'll kill anyone so too much in the previews that are different locations takes something away.

But I won't say that means the episode was bad at all - it was awesome and fun and, my favorite, not dragged out with the group stuck in that boxcar for weeks on end.  And, of course, the Daryl/Carol reunion is going to get major re-wind treatment for awhile.  Even after when she was hugging Rick you realize Daryl's in the background crying, I don't think it's marry me let's have sex love, I can't really pin down what he sees her as, sister, mother figure or what - but I love their relationship anyway.

[ghoulina]

Michonne needs to be reunited with her katana. Honestly, the best weapon in the zombie apocalypse, hands down.

 

I agree. And I love how she used to sheath for her katana to form what was basically a make-shift, wooden katana. You know Michonne can't have any weapon that is under 3 ft. long.

 

The hero of this episode is a 49 year old woman.  This is why I love and adore this show.

 

Amen to that. Carol is so relatable to me. I don't mind seeing Rick and Daryl kick ass - heck, I love it. But it's nice to balance it out with some of the women really kicking ass as well. And she's not some hot, young thing, running around with her boobs bouncing in your face. Of course, Michonne isn't like that either. But she is SUCH a badass, it's hard for me to relate. Carol stabs a walker and falls down on top of it, but she's fierce and fearless and acts quickly to save the people who have become her family. I heart Carol big time. 

[The Mighty Peanut]

I loved it top to bottom, back to front, and inside out with walker guts but have a dumb question: was Tara in this episode? Did she die?

[bosawks]

I'm of two minds over the Eugene virus/cure explanation.

 

A part of me thinks it sounded like a Key and Peele sketch and the other part of me thought it sounded like Paget Brewster explaining science on Drunk History.

 

I'm really torn.

[ghoulina]

The timeline's been fuzzy and hard to pin down with the splintered group and overlapping timelines post-prison-fall. My guess is in the neighborhood of 2 weeks, 3 weeks tops.

 

http://www.thewalkingdead.com/charting-the-groups-through-season-4/

 

According to this, it was roughly a week from the fall of the prison to Rick's arrival at Terminus. As to how long they were in that boxcar, I'm thinking only a day or two. 

 

Maggie didn't do much in this episode, but I certainly noticed how low-cut her top apparently got in captivity.

 

Haha, the first thing I said when I saw her was, "Maggie, button your blouse!"

 

I've been waiting for Carl and Rick to be reunited with Judith again that I was afraid I wouldn't care anymore, but I teared up when they ran to her.

 

You know, with everything going on, I actually forgot that Rick and Carl didn't know she was alive. When Carol was all, "Come with me...", I shrieked, "Oh! They don't know!" and got so excited anticipating them seeing that baby girl. I was not disappointing. It was the best reunion ever. 

 

Question about the "THEN" flashbacks - do you think Gareth killed the rapists or they moved on?

 

Well, one of them was in the train car that Glenn insisted they open, so my guess is that they kept them, but apparently they didn't kill them all?

 

How to spot a bad person: he honestly likes Carl's hat.

 

Yikes! I guess I'm a bad person then. 

 

Did anyone else get a bit skeptical when Tyrese told Carol he killed the guy who threatened Judith, and he stopped her from going inside a little too quickly?  I think he may have left him alive, and it will come back and haunt them later. I'm especially suspicious because he told the guy Judith's name. I'm worried that somehow, it's going to cause problems at some point.

 

No. I think he literally beat the dude to death. He clearly had a lot of pent up emotions after everything that happened at The Grove, and the gum-chomping Termite had to bear the brunt of it. 

[Lyra Angelica]

Is it just me, or can the baby-actress playing Judith really act? LOL...I swear her eyes and expressions matched the scenes really well. Give her a baby-emmy.

 

On TD, they said the baby who plays Judith didn't want to be in the cooler and was crying for about 20 minutes.  When she calmed down a bit, they shot the scene with the Terminite's hands (the actor baby's real father's hands btw) near her face very quickly.

[kelnic86]

So this episode confirmed that the Termites are cannibals? I know it was heavily implied with the suspicious meat and all, but they never explicitly showed them eat human flesh and they never said that they did (I was watching through a live stream and annoying ads would pop up every now and then, so I could've missed it).  I was waiting for something like that to be shown or get some kind of explanation about why they decided to eat humans. But I guess it was for the best that they didn't because I didn't think I could handle that anyway. When I saw all those teddy bears...*shudders* 

 

Did Gareth survive? I know he got shot, but it didn't look fatal to me and they didn't show him dying. I wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up again at some point if he did. Maybe we'll get some flashbacks and more backstory about him.

 

I hope Michonne get's her sword back. I don't know how, but I hope it makes it's way back to her.

Edited October 13, 2014 by kelnic86

[JackONeill]

Great show, start to finish.

I can't help but note that whenever our band comes around, it usually doesn't end well (for the others).  First, it was Herschel's farm.  Then it was Woodbury.  (And in a way, it was even the prison.  The remaining prisoners were getting by . . . until our team shows up.)  Now it's Terminus.  We show up and instead of just changing the drapes and wallpaper, we level the place.  Then we move on.  My, we're picky.

The exception would be Morgan.  Rick -- twice -- let him be.  But damned if Morgan hasn't now picked up and started following our team.

(I'm, of course, being facetious.)

[ghoulina]

but have a dumb question: was Tara in this episode? Did she die?

 

LOL! I saw a glimpse of her at the end, by the cabin. And I was all, "Oh yea, Tara. Totally forgot about her". Poor Tara. 

[MartinKSmith]

Amen to that. Carol is so relatable to me. I don't mind seeing Rick and Daryl kick ass - heck, I love it. But it's nice to balance it out with some of the women really kicking ass as well. And she's not some hot, young thing, running around with her boobs bouncing in your face. Of course, Michonne isn't like that either. But she is SUCH a badass, it's hard for me to relate. Carol stabs a walker and falls down on top of it, but she's fierce and fearless and acts quickly to save the people who have become her family. I heart Carol big time. 

 

It still amazes me how much they turned the Carol character around from the first season and a half (or so). 

 

She went from a character who I would have happily seen torn to shreds by walkers, to possibly my favourite character on the show. I, too, heart Carol 'big time'

[Caisson]

That was such an awesome season 5 opener. Eveything I was hoping for and more. I'm a fan of the show and the comic. I paid particular attention to as much detail as was presented. The baseball bat and how they were getting wacked at the blood basin made me cringe thinking "oh no not yet"! Then there was this post:

 

They constantly tortured the people of Terminus, including Gareth and his family, and raped the women. This went on for weeks or maybe more, and made them snap. They were able to take Terminus back (I'm guessing they killed all the attackers), but  basically became evil, crazy people. They adopted the mentality of "you're either the butcher or the cattle", and decided to become the butcher.

Scarey Mary specifically said "People came and took this place, and they raped, and they killed, and they laughed over weeks, and we got out. And we fought and we got it back." She doesn't say if they killed the aggressors. It made me wonder if the aggressors simply moved on and when Gareth, Scarey Mary and Company got out they took back Terminus from the Z's. What realy got me out of my chair was that last "Then" flashback. Who exactly was the buff asshole dude with back hair, the one that was picking the next victim as if he was saying "ennie meenie miney mo" while grinning like a deviant?  Hmmmm (Holy Shit) .. I'll save that for a different thread...

[AngelKitty]

I loved when Carol said to Tyreese, "I'm going to kill people."

 

And I can understand why they didn't go back to kill the rest of the Termites even though they should have.  They were tired, stressed out, emotional so I can see even Rick thinking "Let's just move on."

[bosawks]

I have got to stop flipping to football while watching.  When Victor Cruz went down for a brief moment I thought “Damn, now Rick or Carol will have to put him down."

 

I realize, at times, the Eagles secondary resembles zombies and the NFL might not be unduly concerned with the health and well-being of their players but euthanasia for a leg injury is probably a bit extreme.

[nachomama]

So many things! I echo so many things not worth repeating. I don't think I believe Eugene either.

 

But I loved at the end Rick just used mud to write "No Sanctuary" no need for dramatic zombie killing and writing in blood. But woot for everybody getting their mojo back. 

[lulee]

I agree. And I love how she used to sheath for her katana to form what was basically a make-shift, wooden katana. You know Michonne can't have any weapon that is under 3 ft. long.

Amen to that. Carol is so relatable to me. I don't mind seeing Rick and Daryl kick ass - heck, I love it. But it's nice to balance it out with some of the women really kicking ass as well. And she's not some hot, young thing, running around with her boobs bouncing in your face. Of course, Michonne isn't like that either. But she is SUCH a badass, it's hard for me to relate. Carol stabs a walker and falls down on top of it, but she's fierce and fearless and acts quickly to save the people who have become her family. I heart Carol big time.

Last night was the realization of Carol's potential: focused, mission oriented, skilled, strategic, but not unbelievably good at it. She missed shots, she found herself in danger and was saved by her own quick thinking and a dash of luck.

I liked that, iirc, when she was scoping out the situation, she only spotted Rick and maybe Glenn, rather than Daryl. It was about saving her group even if she still intended to walk away from them as she'd told Tyrese early in the episode.

I'm very curious to see her upcoming interactions with Rick.

Edited October 13, 2014 by lulee

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Really hope Tyrese killed Randall 2.0

[lulee]

Really hope Tyrese killed Randall 2.0

i think he did. I think he finally released himself to do it. Randall 2.0 helped him along by taunting him. I think the moment with Carol was just his final owning of his beating the guy to death. Edited October 13, 2014 by lulee

[GodsBeloved]

I kind of loved that Glenn is the new morality guy, and he wanted to let the other people out of the train car...."that's still who we are. It has to be". But then....oooops! It was one of the bad guys that was part of the catalyst for turning Terminus into Cannibal City. 

I liked that too. Its a slippery slope and Rick and the gang could end up like the Termites. Other than being malicious, I don't get why Rick said let the butcher guy turn. He was neutralized so why not give him a head shot? Why let him turn and have one more walker to fight?

 

I have similiar feelings about Carol letting the walkers get Mary instead of just giving her a head shot. Why intentionally inflict that on someone? Whether they deserve it or not, it says something about Carol that she would do that when there was another, more humane option. Slippery slope, slippery slope.

 

I didn't realize though that the tatoo guy was one of the bad guys.

 

I loved Rick telling Gareth that he was going to kill him while he(Rick) was tied up. Rick is ALL THAT. LOL

 

As much as I appreciate what Carol did, I'm still indifferent to her. I wish I wasn't because I would have enjoyed her as much as I enjoyed Rick "I'm Going To Kill You" Grimes.

 

I too was excited to see Morgan back.

Edited October 13, 2014 by GodsBeloved

[lulee]

I loved Rick telling Gareth that he was going to kill him while he(Rick) was tied up. Rick is ALL THAT. LOL

Something tells me we haven't see the last of Gareth - or the red-handled machete Rick vowed to kill him with.

[paigow]

Rick must have been remembering True Lies when talking to Gareth...

 

Samir: Is there anything you'd like to tell me before we start?
Harry: Yeah. I'm going to kill you pretty soon.
Samir: I see. How, exactly?
Harry: First I'm going to use you as a human shield. Then I'm going to kill this guard over here with the Patterson trocar on the table. And then I was thinking about breaking your neck.
Samir: And what makes you think you can do all that?
Harry: You know my handcuffs?
Samir: Mmm-hmm.
Harry: I picked them.

[GodsBeloved]

But I like the implications for our people.  How far will they fall, and what, if anything, will keep them from falling over the edge?

This is why I am concerned about Rick and Carol's actions. Edited October 13, 2014 by GodsBeloved

[Portia]

Is it just me, or can the baby-actress playing Judith really act? LOL...I swear her eyes and expressions matched the scenes really well. Give her a baby-emmy.

 

On TD, they said the baby who plays Judith didn't want to be in the cooler and was crying for about 20 minutes.  When she calmed down a bit, they shot the scene with the Terminite's hands (the actor baby's real father's hands btw) near her face very quickly.

I was really troubled by how obviously distressed the baby was in the cooler scene. That's not a baby acting; that's a genuinely upset baby.  I really don't get how parents can allow that.  I am relieved to hear that the bit with the hands was very brief and was done by the baby's father.

 

On the other hand, during the Grimes family reunion at the end, I couldn't help laughing at how bored Judith looked!

Edited October 13, 2014 by Portia

[The Mighty Peanut]

 

On the other hand, during the Grimes family reunion at the end, I couldn't help laughing at how bored Judith looked!

 

I know! Her expression was priceless. "The fuzzy man and the hat nerd are getting on my nerves." 

[Whimsy]

That episode was so gory. I watched it right before bed and I had the MOST disturbing dream. It wasn't about The Walking Dead in any way, but it was really gruesome, involved my daughter as a potential victim and freaked me the fuck out. I'm still having a hard time shaking it!

Wait...what? Eugene says it would kill every last dead one...why didn't Sasha say that's not a cure? They can kill dead ones right now...they need to cure the infection in live people.

  

There's no way that mullet's story has any credibility. Last season, I was sure but for no reason...this episode I'm sure because his "explanation" sounded like a plot from a video game...he even references "red rings" as in a prevalent Xbox 360 flaw...he's totally some couch junkie video game geek using people to stay alive for as long as possible.

I'm sure this has a lot to do with my job because I read research papers from scientists every day, and even though none of them are about how to cure a ZA, none of what he said made sense. They don't want to just kill the current walkers, they need to cure everyone from the disease so there are no more and they can rebuild humanity. Also, I could KIND of understand him holding on to the science in his head (if that is even true) if they were threatening to kill him unless he cured them, or whatever. He has no real leverage. Write it down so that if he is zombie chow another scientist could replicate the science!

  

They exhibited the sins of cannibalism and gluttony. They were going to slice and dice eight full grown men (that's including the already dead Alex). There is no way they'd need that much meat for as many people as they had. Plus, they had all those torsos still hanging in what I assume was their "cold" room.

 

That's just wasteful.

Is it really terrible that this was my first thought too? Why would they need so much meat?

  

I hate to say that I don't think the show, especially the much touted "first six minutes" was as intense or scary as it was said to be.  But I blame that on the pre-views.  Even staying spoiler free, avoiding videos that let you see the first two or four minutes and such the regular commericals and pre-view just gave away too much.  That Glen would survive because we saw him in what's obviously future forest scenes, that they'd all get out because of endless shots of Rick with his gun and the explosion plus some scenes in a church.  This is the one show where you don't say well there's no suspense because they're not going to kill <insert lead actor/actress name>......they'll kill anyone so too much in the previews that are different locations takes something away.

But I won't say that means the episode was bad at all - it was awesome and fun and, my favorite, not dragged out with the group stuck in that boxcar for weeks on end.  And, of course, the Daryl/Carol reunion is going to get major re-wind treatment for awhile.  Even after when she was hugging Rick you realize Daryl's in the background crying, I don't think it's marry me let's have sex love, I can't really pin down what he sees her as, sister, mother figure or what - but I love their relationship anyway.

I managed to avoid absolutely all references to the show for this season and it was so intense and crazy to me (see crazy ass dream above). I loved it. It was so intense. I haven't been this excited about TWD since season 1. I plan to stay 1000% spoiler free to keep the anticipation up.

[kelnic86]

 

Something tells me we haven't see the last of Gareth 

I don't think we have either. I think the group talking Rick out of going back to kill the rest of Termites is going to come back to bite them.

 

 

I have similiar feelings about Carol letting the walkers get Mary instead of just giving her a head shot. Why intentionally inflict that on someone? Whether they deserve it or not, it says something about Carol that she would do that when there was another, more humane option. Slippery slope, slippery slope.

I completely understand what you're saying, but I still liked when Carol just let the walkers have her instead shooting her in the head. It may not have been the more humane option, but considering all the horrible things that they've done, I don't think they should've been shown any mercy. But yes, I do share your concerns about Carol going off the edge. She does really toe the line. Rick too. Hopefully, now that she's reunited with the rest of the group, she can maintain her morality - however moral you can be in this messed up zombie apocalyptic world.

[tv echo]

My first impression after watching this episode should have been "what a great episode".  Instead, my overall impression was "too many damn commercial interruptions".  It was like 2 minutes of show, 5 minutes of commercials, 2 minutes of show, 5 minutes of commercials, etc.  I know that AMC must be making a mint off of TWD, but can they please try to reduce the number of commercials and promos!

 

That said, what a great episode.  All of the reunion scenes were touching (the actors knocked them out of the park).  Carol and Team Rick kicked ass and put the Termites down.  I liked that Carol recognized and picked up Rick's watch (the one he had given Sam) and Darryl's crossbow.  Although Carol saved the day in this episode, I still wouldn't trust her completely.  I'd still take Rick as a leader over Carol.  Did Michonne get her katana back?  If not, it better not magically appear next week without an explanation.  I still like Glenn and Maggie.

 

The Termites took 4 men from car A (Rick, Glen, Darryl and Bob) and 4 men from car D (including Sam).  The way the men were lined up at the trough - the show came up with a logical reason why the extras were killed but our guys were spared.

 

Alex on the butcher block - now we know why, last season, when Alex was being held by Rick, he was pleading with Gareth.  He knew that he was going to be sacrificed and eaten.

 

Although the show wanted us to feel sympathy for the Termites and how they ended up this way, I didn't.  There's a vast gulf between welcoming all visitors and luring them in to eat them.  After their horrific experience, the Termites could have just killed visitors who posed a threat.  I'm with those who think Gareth isn't dead and will show up later to take revenge on Rick's group.

 

I also agree with  others here who think that, most likely, Eugene just wants to get to Washington. D.C., for a personal reason and he's lying to everyone in order to use their protection to get himself there since he can't protect himself.  His explanation of how he can 'cure' the zombie outbreak made no sense whatsover, and I still can't believe the others are letting him get away with skating on this BS.  It just makes the others look incredibly stupid.  I also find Eugene, Abraham and Rosita to be annoying additions to the cast and hope they're walker fodder.  I like the originals and don't want them all killed off and replaced with newbies.

 

Morgan returns - who carved the sign on the tree?  I bet his storyline leads him to the group that has Beth.

 

Question: the promos had shown a scene of Rick saying something like "These people are my family.  If you hurt any of then, I'll kill you".  But I didn't see that scene in this episode.  Editing casualty or future episode?

 

Pet peeve:  In postapocalyptic TV shows, the men all wear comfortably loose clothes, but the women all have skintight pants.  Given they're existing on starvation rations and walking all the time, the women's pants should be hanging on them by now.

[raven]

 

Is it really terrible that this was my first thought too? Why would they need so much meat?

Plus no way to keep it fresh.  We didn't get actual confirmation of cannibalism (though it could be part of it), it could be that they dump body parts in the woods to keep the zombies in check, and/or maintain a perimeter of them?

 

They would assume most people would use the tracks to get to Terminus and would want to keep that reasonably clear and easier to manage from a surveillance POV while keeping enough zombies in the woods to deter anyone sneaking up on them.  

[Primetimer]

Four or five episodes' worth of story are compressed into one explosive premiere.

Read the story

[panthergirl13]

OK, I have read through all five pages of posts here and I'm fairly convinced that I'm alone but I just don't get all the love for this show. I marathoned it last year because I hate being out of the pop culture loop in any way, and while I thought some episodes were pretty good, all in all I think it's really uneven and worse yet, boring a lot of the time.

 

For me, last night's episode was .... fine? Michonne is really the only character I like, because I think she thinks the rest of these people are assholes so we have a common bond there. I find all of the ridiculous things like the haircuts (CAROL? Hello??) and even makeup on the women super-distracting. Hell, even the 'look at the flowers' kid was wearing mascara last season.

 

I'll keep watching because again, I like to know what people are talking about, but even reading through this thread I kept thinking "who?" because aside from the main characters ("Coral!") I don't remember anyone's name.

 

In general I find the tension between the surviving humans to be much more interesting than the zombie stuff now. Hell, the show is sponsored by Sprint because let's face it... that's all you really need to do to get away from them.

[morgankobi]

Something tells me we haven't see the last of Gareth - or the red-handled machete Rick vowed to kill him with.

I fully expect that Rick is not lying and this, too, will come to pass before the season is done.

[LuciaMia]

The baby cried for 20 minutes in the cooler?  I thought the restrictions for babies on the set were pretty strict. Like, they can only be on camera for five minutes at a time, like...

*********

Well, if Carl doesn't lose that hat, it looks like it's about ready to disentigrate. 

[Ohwell]

I really don't care if she dies or not, but I think they went over the top to redeem Carol's character.  It was just too much for one person to be able to accomplish.  I still don't like her because she's creepy and I'd be scared to close my eyes if she were anywhere near me.

I'm just glad they didn't stretch out the whole Terminus thingy.  And how convenient that the butchers started at the other end so that it was the nameless poor bastards that got their throats slit first?

[Bad Example]

Morgan returns - who carved the sign on the tree?  I bet his storyline leads him to the group that has Beth.

 

 

I like this idea a lot, tv echo.

[Boofish]

Random thoughts:

 

Next time Liam Neeson's daughter is missing, perhaps he should call Carol

 

I loved Carl telling them to sit tight because "my dad will be back"

 

Baby Judith's zombie apocalypse cardigan and uggs was too cute!

 

Tyrese busting thru that door like the Kool-Aid man was almost as good as when the prison went up in flames but he had managed to save Judith

 

Eugene and Rosita can die anytime now please and thank you