S05.E04: Slabtown

[BrokenRemote]

Beth had gun training in season 2. I also imagine she spent a lot of time learning in season 3, waiting for The Governor/Woodbury army to attack.

I thought she asked Shane to train her, but Hershel put a stop to it. Will have to re-watch. Still, with her turning out to be as good a shot as Carl, Rick and Glenn it's been a terrible waste having her hang inside watching Judith. She should have been going on runs and killing at the fence since she was so badass all this time.

[Rosiejuliemom]

Now I want to see this episode remade with Judith in Beth's place. Not grown up Judith, either. I want to see that baby scooting her way around that hospital being the Little Asskicker she is.

 

 

Except for the Officer Creepy subplot. That can be reworked as Judith's revenge for having her lollipop stolen.

[kikismom]

 

 

Razor or pianio wire to cut off limbs? Necessity is the mother of invention, I suppose.

 

That was a Swedish saw. You can get them at outdoor/hunting stores. It is a long cable, usually contained in some metal case as a builder's tape measure is. It has a ring on one end to pull, the long thin cable is sharp as a razor and you can cut a lot all by yourself. Very small and handy in a backpack. Mine came in a case with a piezoelectric lighter/firestarter, a compass, jackknives, and fieldglasses. ( I'm expecting some trouble.)

[Guest]

I think some of it was conditioning. The doctor didn't want to leave because he was probably scared and at least had some type of purpose there.

 

I couldn't help thinking that if Eugene is lying, these guys are a darker version of Abraham and his crew.  The Doctor that is willing to have someone die so that he's not made less useful.  Dawn is letting and encouraging horrible abuse until they are saved.

 

We are seeing a lot of people this season that have not adjusted to the new world.

[Iguessnot]

Emily is still a lousy actress. Every scene, stand/stare, stand/stare. For example when Officer Friendly comes in with the lollipop, I had no idea why Beth was staring wide eyed at the wall. When the HBIC says "Beth" she stops dead for a very long time with that bug eyed stare and finally says Officer Friendly and Joan were looking for you. Great line but no nuance in her acting. She just stands and stares because that's all she can do.

 

Did anyone else notice how weirdly she delivered the line "no one's coming, no one's coming"? Like Hal's chips were being pulled.

[ghoulina]

This episode could not keep my attention. Any snark aside, honestly, it felt like they tried to cram 2 hours of backstory into 15 minutes, and I really didn't feel that any of the actors--aside from the guy playing Noah--sold it.

 

I agree. I felt like all of the acting was pretty blah. If you're going to bring in a whole new crew of characters, they're going to have to have some real charisma in order to make me care about them or find them interesting. And you're going to have to do it quickly. Because back at that church is a whole bunch of compelling characters that I'm going to start wishing I was watching instead if you can't hook me. And nobody hooked me.  For instance, Gareth hooked me right away. I was like - "Ooooh, you're creepy. But there's something about you. I want to know more".

 

I just didn't get the point. Why were they saving people? Just to put them to work? Is it really that hard to iron nurse uniforms? I was just expecting more - experiments, trying to impregnate women and repopulate the earth, something. I wasn't getting a clear motivation behind this group of people and their setup. Nothing that was interesting anyway. 

Edited November 3, 2014 by ghoulina

[Lila82]

The actress playing Beth is so annoying, after only a few minutes with new characters like Joan (RIP) and Noah I already prefer them to her. Unfortunately I think they are trying to make her into a new heroine.

 

 

I think Beth is the right choice for an everywoman heroine, but EK's precious eyes stare is frustrating.  It's not like we're seeing wheels turning in her head, or machinations being schemed, or plans laid out.  They're just these wide, dead, blue pools of nothingness.  I like the character-type; wish the actress made better choices. 

 

That said, I really like where they took Beth's story, particularly her discussion with Dr Death about the artwork.  She knows the truth about their world, all the truths Dawn refuses to see, but she still has hope.  She sees beauty in the world but she does it while seeing the reality for what it really is.

 

Also: really looking to her reunion with Daryl.  He needs to know just how far she's come and how much he contributed to her growth.

[Boofish]

When she mentioned she sings and was humming, I thought even Father Pee Pants would have said "hand me something sharp; I got this one"

[kikismom]

I'm still curious about the fully stocked and dust free funeral home where Beth got deparated from Daryl last year; I was sure it was a lure set up by whomever had taken Beth. Did they say anything about it?

 

Scott Gimple said that the writer's just had it that some guy was living there and went out for a supply run and it went sideways and he never came back. We all read a lot of possibilities into it, but it was just random.

[Pete Martell]

I thought she asked Shane to train her, but Hershel put a stop to it. Will have to re-watch. Still, with her turning out to be as good a shot as Carl, Rick and Glenn it's been a terrible waste having her hang inside watching Judith. She should have been going on runs and killing at the fence since she was so badass all this time.

 

Everyone on TV tends to be a magical badass in moments like this. I don't think it was entirely realistic that Carol, even with more gun training than Beth, got so many perfect headshots and kills, from a great distance, at Terminus, but it's better TV. Not to mention that if they have women like Beth or Carol not being able to shoot it would just reinforce some of the ugly gender stereotypes of the first two seasons.

[nodorothyparker]

I just didn't get the point. Why were they saving people? Just to put them to work? Is it really that hard to iron nurse uniforms? I was just expecting more - experiments, trying to impregnate women and repopulate the earth, something. I wasn't getting a clear motivation behind this group of people and their setup. Nothing that was interesting anyway.

 

This exactly.  I figured no matter how terrible the acting might be at least we might get something new to ponder.  But nope.  Just more and more bad acting and a premise that didn't make any sense.  So we're all going to sit around this hospital in police uniforms for some reason why?  Oh I don't know.  Why are we saving these people?  Somebody's got to iron the scrubs, I guess.

[Elais]

 

Other than pandering to a fan base, what was the point of that?

Judging by how many people hate Beth, what fanbase does she have worth pandering to?

[Pete Martell]

 

I just didn't get the point. Why were they saving people? Just to put them to work? Is it really that hard to iron nurse uniforms? I was just expecting more - experiments, trying to impregnate women and repopulate the earth, something. I wasn't getting a clear motivation behind this group of people and their setup. Nothing that was interesting anyway. 

 

The point, I think, was that Dawn had to believe they needed to maintain order until help arrived. She couldn't truly adapt to the real world, so she wouldn't let them adapt either. Everything was under her control - those she couldn't hurt physically she still had trapped via control or not being able to leave the hospital.

[Guest]

I just didn't get the point. Why were they saving people? Just to put them to work? Is it really that hard to iron nurse uniforms? I was just expecting more - experiments, trying to impregnate women and repopulate the earth, something. I wasn't getting a clear motivation behind this group of people and their setup. Nothing that was interesting anyway. 

 

If anything beyond these men are going to guard against zombies until we are saved so the women must service them sexually to keep them happy was going on, it completely escaped me.

Edited November 3, 2014 by ParadoxLost

[The Mighty Peanut]

FATHER PEEPANTS! Marry me, Boofish.

I can't get over Beth suddenly being a qualified ER nurse. Hershel must have hired her as a vet tech when she was 8. Her skills would have been useful with Lori but she didn't menti....I now like Beth.

Edited November 3, 2014 by The Mighty Peanut

[Ellaria]

If you're going to bring in a whole new crew of characters, they're going to have to have some real charisma in order to make me care about them or find them interesting. And you're going to have to do it quickly. Because back at that church is a whole bunch of compelling characters that I'm going to start wishing I was watching instead if you can't hook me. And nobody hooked me. 

Agree. This show doesn't need a few more poorly developed characters. The compelling ones are in the church...not the hospital...and, sad to say, not on that bus.

 

I just didn't get the point. Why were they saving people? Just to put them to work? Is it really that hard to iron nurse uniforms? I was just expecting more - experiments, trying to impregnate women and repopulate the earth, something. I wasn't getting a clear motivation behind this group of people and their setup. Nothing that was interesting anyway.

I didn't get the motivation either and I don't know why it had to be so mysterious. I assumed that it was repopulation, too.

Is Keisha Castle-Hughes the first Oscar nominee on TWD? We barely saw her.

[Lillith]

 

The casting for all the supporting roles was terrific, especially the "good" doctor whose mask slips at the end. Yet in some ways I still felt for many of these people - the doctor, and sometimes, just a little, for control freak slap-happy Dawn. I also have to praise the woman who played Joan (?), the woman whose arm got sawed off.

Joan was played be Keisha Castle-Hughes who was nominated for a best actress Oscar at like 11 or 12 for Whale Rider, which as amazing.

 

I also don't think EK is strong enough to carry a whole episode and I wasn't bored exactly but it was an off episode to me. 

Edited November 3, 2014 by Lillith

[Dodginblue]

I assume there are various groups all over the place holed up and trying to eke out some kind of existence.  At least I think it would be that way in a real ZA.  In this show there are groups like that, and I actually like it when we're introduced to characters other than the main ones, but of course here they're always under the control of some deluded loon or homicidal psycho.   Which at least helps to make the Rick group seem relatively sane by comparison.

 

Interesting to see that the hospital has enough running water for showering and shaving and laundry.  Wonder how that works.   Also interesting that a character who seems normal is really just another one of those "I had no choice, I did it to survive" killer types.  (Shades of Walter White having Jesse take out Gale on BB.) Kudos to Beth for figuring him out.

 

I'm thinking maybe Carol got herself "rescued" so she could infiltrate the hospital and rescue Beth.  Can't wait to see how that works out.

[ghoulina]

The point, I think, was that Dawn had to believe they needed to maintain order until help arrived. She couldn't truly adapt to the real world, so she wouldn't let them adapt either. Everything was under her control - those she couldn't hurt physically she still had trapped via control or not being able to leave the hospital.

 

Yea, I can get that in an already setup society. I get the idea of someone who just can't cope, setting up a system that resembles the old way and lets them keep control....but it seems like they are working very hard to actually bring people in. Why drive ALL the way out to rural Georgia to get someone to come iron your scrubs? That seems like a situation where the risk outweighs the reward. I would think if you are wanting that badly to round people up and bring them into your community, it would be for a more interesting reason.

[Boofish]

The Mighty Peanut I will marry you but Im afraid I can't take credit for Father Pee Pants. I wish I was that clever!

[Elais]

I'm wondering if it was kind of a variation of the Termites.  The Termites were actively attracting people to Terminus, not only for food but probably to replace their own numbers.  

 

The group at Grady may have operated the same way, but they may have reached a point where there wasn't any more people they could save to keep their own society going, so they resorted to kidnapping, like the Termites resorted to radio calls and signs.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Elais

[leisawoo]

FATHER PEEPANTS! Marry me, Boofish.

I can't get over Beth suddenly being a qualified ER nurse. Hershel must have hired her as a vet tech when she was 8. Her skills would have been useful with Lori but she didn't menti....I now like Beth.

I love you for this!! I agree, wholeheartedly.

[JenMcSnark]

I'm still curious about the fully stocked and dust free funeral home where Beth got deparated from Daryl last year; I was sure it was a lure set up by whomever had taken Beth. Did they say anything about it?

 

I don't think they did and this is something else I don't like.  It's either related or it's completely boneheaded by the showrunners.  I guess it goes along with the kudzu, but now we've had how many places that are sparkly clean?  

 

The funeral home and the church with Father PeePants (which I thought were going to be related last week) and even the hospital looked pretty shiny considering how long it's been since there has been electricity and running water.  And they're on what floor?  And where are they bringing the water from with all the zombies down at the bottom. Nope. 

Edited November 3, 2014 by JenMcSnark

[Pete Martell]

Yea, I can get that in an already setup society. I get the idea of someone who just can't cope, setting up a system that resembles the old way and lets them keep control....but it seems like they are working very hard to actually bring people in. Why drive ALL the way out to rural Georgia to get someone to come iron your scrubs? That seems like a situation where the risk outweighs the reward. I would think if you are wanting that badly to round people up and bring them into your community, it would be for a more interesting reason.

 

I think Dawn needed more new people to keep herself going. More people to kill, to deem worthy or unworthy, to replace those she was tired of, etc.

[Texasmom1970]

Can we adopt Noah in the group and just leave Beth. Ten minutes into the episode and I loved his character already. Beth is so always so meh. Emily may be the nicest person in the world but her acting skills are seriously lacking. Even baby Judith does a better job.

I am looking forward to Carol waking up and putting some hurt on their asses!

[BrokenRemote]

Everyone on TV tends to be a magical badass in moments like this. I don't think it was entirely realistic that Carol, even with more gun training than Beth, got so many perfect headshots and kills, from a great distance, at Terminus, but it's better TV. Not to mention that if they have women like Beth or Carol not being able to shoot it would just reinforce some of the ugly gender stereotypes of the first two seasons.

I don't think, with Maggie, Carol and Sasha being so good at the combat that people would be crying foul about gender stereotypes. Not everyone HAS to be a badass. I don't think people are calling the show out for their handling of Tara, who is not the best of fighters. On the Woodbury wall Tyrese couldn't hit a walker. Eugene isn't a master warrior. I think the show has gotten far better at gender and not using stereotypes.

I just feel like not everyone had to be a 'badass' and it doesn't make sense that Beth is suddenly one. With Carol there was a progression (yes, she learned a lot in the 6 months between seasons but at least there was a time gap to help explain it). This felt shoehorned. Beth is the one who always said 'everyone has a job'. Her job may not be 'killing machine' and I would be more than ok with that.

[Irishmaple]

And so that Dawn could continue to tell herself she was doing the right thing, that she was saving people. 

Edited November 3, 2014 by Irishmaple

[peach]

I liked it.  I also thought Beth might pull a Shane, too, in the parking lot.  Or die.  That was kind of dicey.  Loved how she got rid of Gorman.  Loved the cliffhanger with Carol arriving.  My husband thought it was all totally boring.  lol

Completely bummed that we have to join the Abraham crew next week instead of seeing the rest of this story.

[dohe]

Judging by how many people hate Beth, what fanbase does she have worth pandering to?

Good point.  I do think the writers probably find her more fascinating.  If female characters on the show seemed designed with the intent to pander I would say, while enjoying the character, Carol is that person. 

 

That said, I am extremely wary of hatred of a female character on a show on the net being representative of the majority of a viewing audience.  This doesn't mean I think Beth is a super popular character.  However for hatred to happen when it comes to a character it takes a bit more than a rather predictable kneejerk reaction.  I had friends that began hating Andrea after she slept with the Governor but there was an actual action there. 

Edited November 3, 2014 by dohe

[Boofish]

You just wait until Carol finds out that OCD bitch and centerfold for Tight Hair Buns Weekly stole her iron from CDC!

[ghoulina]

I think Dawn needed more new people to keep herself going. More people to kill, to deem worthy or unworthy, to replace those she was tired of, etc.

 

Perhaps you're right. I'll have to try and rewatch when I'm not so tired (Why don't kids understand DST???), because I was literally nodding off several times. 

[BrokenRemote]

Wow, back to Grady! I actually got into the show because I related to Rick's first scene, having spent a month in a coma at Grady! It IS a potentially scary place, zombies or no.

Wait--was Rick in this same hospital? I thought he was in the hospital in his hometown. Didn't he wander out into a kind of small town and down some quiet streets to his house?

[TexasChic]

I thought the best part of this episode was Noah. I spent the whole episode thinking, "If Noah dies I'm gonna riot!" 

[nodorothyparker]

Perhaps you're right. I'll have to try and rewatch when I'm not so tired (Why don't kids understand DST???), because I was literally nodding off several times.

 

This is one I won't be rewatching.  Once was more than enough.

[ghoulina]

Wait--was Rick in this same hospital? I thought he was in the hospital in his hometown. Didn't he wander out into a kind of small town and down some quiet streets to his house?

 

Yea, Rick definitely wasn't at the same hospital. But there were some parallels to his waking up and Beth's, which is one of the things I actually enjoyed in this episode.

[kikismom]

I think the reviews are going to be deadly; merciless. I wonder if the showrunners thought people would like this after the first three, or if they will be surprised at the backlash.

[Portia]

Ugh. Boring as hell.

I see EK's still completely dropping every. single. G. "He was seizin'!"

[TV Anonymous]

This episode is too surreal for my liking.

 

However, some technical question, how does the hospital survive? What about supplies, energy, clean water, even food? Surely the hospital did not store a year's worth supply of guinea pigs, did it?

 

For Beth, what is her problem exactly? Why can she not just enjoy her stay there for a while, keeps her head down and relax? She has been on the road in high-stress high-alert condition for a while. If she escapes, then what?

[nodorothyparker]

I can't tell what the showrunners are thinking half the time.  The fact that they thought this actress is capable of carrying an episode ... I just don't know.

[candall]

Maybe it's just because I'm not worried she's about to burst out in song.

 

 

When she mentioned she sings and was humming, I thought even Father Pee Pants would have said "hand me something sharp; I got this one"

LOL!  When Beth said "I sing," I immediately imagined all of PTV collectively gasping "Nooooooooooooooooooooooo."

[tomsmom]

When Beth was humming and Joan said "that's nice" I wanted to rip off her other arm and smack her with it!! Don't encourage her to sing!!!

[mustbekarma]

Officer Dawn really just annoyed the hell out of me. She seemed so damn surprised that Beth would actually defend herself from being raped. If Dawn wanted to keep the menfolk so happy, why wasn't she taking her turn showing "appreciation" for their contributions? I mean, I know Dawn had no grasp on reality.

 

But, really? Joan killed herself. Beth fed Gorman to Joan. Dawn doesn't see a pattern there. She must have been a lousy cop.

Edited November 3, 2014 by mustbekarma

[dohe]

I think the reviews are going to be deadly; merciless. I wonder if the showrunners thought people would like this after the first three, or if they will be surprised at the backlash.

It may be.  I think too many bloggers and critics have a tendency to go to twitter and forums and not think for themselves.  It is as if they are intimidated by others on the net and unable to come to their own conclusions.  However the episode's brilliance was so far beyond what we have seen this season that this episode will probably be loved by those usually disappointed in the show or people who rarely watch the show. 

 

The show is stuck in a difficult spot.  It can continue to plow along in it's rather lame, uninvolving and pandering way or it can push itself.  The latter could affect ratings in a negative way but I think audiences, sooner or later, want to be challenged.  It doesn't mean they want Rectify every week.  I can see the writers going thank God I get to write something worthwhile.  Because frankly it has felt like they are bored out of their mind for awhile now.  For the first time in awhile it felt like there was some engagement in the show and the focus wasn't playing down to what they think fans expect. 

Edited November 3, 2014 by dohe

[Zima]

Because I do not care about Beth, I thought I would hate this episode. However, there was a lot to like. I always like the focus on the twisted human condition that the Zombpocalypse brings about, and this episode was certainly heavy on that. The Dr. being fucked up was a nice touch, as well as the rapey police officer, the wannabe-powerful-but-scared-of-the-unknown-and-of-losing-control Dawn, and poor Noah. As others have said, this episode was about Beth, but she wasn't necessarily the focus, and that was very smart. 

 

OMG, Carol! Shit's about to go down! I can't wait. 

[Pete Martell]

I don't think, with Maggie, Carol and Sasha being so good at the combat that people would be crying foul about gender stereotypes. Not everyone HAS to be a badass. I don't think people are calling the show out for their handling of Tara, who is not the best of fighters. On the Woodbury wall Tyrese couldn't hit a walker. Eugene isn't a master warrior. I think the show has gotten far better at gender and not using stereotypes.

I just feel like not everyone had to be a 'badass' and it doesn't make sense that Beth is suddenly one. With Carol there was a progression (yes, she learned a lot in the 6 months between seasons but at least there was a time gap to help explain it). This felt shoehorned. Beth is the one who always said 'everyone has a job'. Her job may not be 'killing machine' and I would be more than ok with that.

 

There was a progression with Carol, yes, but enough to magically blow up propane tanks and singlehandedly take down Terminus? I struggle to believe any character could have done that. I wrote it off, because I like Carol, and it's a TV show.

 

Beth was able to get some close shots, but even then she was still captured. She still would have been raped, or raped and murdered, if Walker Joan hadn't been there in the room. She's still being beaten and can't do anything but take it. I think they managed to avoid making her too much of a bad-ass.

I think the reviews are going to be deadly; merciless. I wonder if the showrunners thought people would like this after the first three, or if they will be surprised at the backlash.

 

TWD has never really lived or died based on critics. Some insist the show has been terrible since Frank Darabont left (I don't agree - I think he was a mixed bag at best). Some just say the show only gets by because of zombies and because America is depressed. 

 

I think fans tend to be tougher than critics with TWD. To some fans, this will be the worst episode ever, because it was about Beth. And the show knew that going in. They made the choice, so I don't know if they care about the backlash.

[Racj82]

For some reason, I just wanted to see Carol wink at Beth while she was being wheeled into the room.

[bosawks]

Is Abraham going to yell the entire episode next week?

[NorthstarATL]

Wait--was Rick in this same hospital? I thought he was in the hospital in his hometown. Didn't he wander out into a kind of small town and down some quiet streets to his house?

You're right. I related to Rick's scene because of the coma, but he didn't arrive at the Grady area until he rode the horse into Atlanta (the street scene was roughly two blocks away from Grady, which covers some space). Beth, of course, mirrored Rick's scene and my experience in Grady itself, which felt like a return to me.

[candall]

For Beth, what is her problem exactly? Why can she not just enjoy her stay there for a while, keeps her head down and relax? She has been on the road in high-stress high-alert condition for a while. If she escapes, then what?

While I wouldn't want my job on the chore chart to be "Man Candy," I agree that Beth had a lot of nerve saying to the doctor: "You call this living??" 

 

Who would want to be holed up high over the city, wearing freshly pressed scrubs and eating tiny guinea pig T-bones, when you could be out there enjoying the open zombie-filled road?

[Enero]

For Beth, what is her problem exactly? Why can she not just enjoy her stay there for a while, keeps her head down and relax? She has been on the road in high-stress high-alert condition for a while. If she escapes, then what?

I agree to a point. The escape plan was idiotic and obviously was not well thought out. They had no weapons and no where to go once they reached the streets of Atlanta, which is overrun by zombies.

That said, I think Beth would've kept her head down and just "did her time" if the cop wasn't leering at her every chance he got.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Enero