TV Review: The Walking Dead (Season 4, Episode 5, November 9, 2013)

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

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EPISODE 5: Internment

THE HOOK: In the wake of war with Woodbury, Rick and his group have turned the prison into a working community, but danger continues to stir on the outside as well as from within.

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS, so I don’t recommend reading this if you haven’t watched this episode

THE LOWDOWN: Before I get down to specifics I’d like to bring up a point I’ve made before about how this show likes to drag certain things out over the span of three or four episodes, when it could and really should only take half that time. The search for Sophia was one example, and last season we had a ‘leading up to war’ thing, and so far this season we have things at the prison. I like this epidemic scenario, don’t get me wrong, but tonight makes me feel like it went on an episode too long (barely, but the thought crossed my mind). It seems to be over now, but the prison in general is feeling played out and I’d like to see them move on. I’m assuming they’ll do just that by season’s end, but I decided to throw it out there now in case some of you have been feeling the same way.

The spotlight’s on Hershel again tonight, and damn if he doesn’t make this show work this season. From jokes like ‘spaghetti Tuesdays’, to talking everyone down and never giving up hope. I loved his speech about sad soul syndrome, it makes sense, but he’s got to get past the idea of their situation being a test from up high because that’s the wrong way to see it. Once you start weighing in with God, your moral compass may end up taking a hit or two which could end up costing you your ass. Hershel’s compass was very much on display tonight, and I appreciate the little things like how he hesitated before knifing that dude in the back room. Hershel’s still very much attached to his humanity, and as much as he’s been an inspiration this entire time, he’s never really had to be in the shit. Tonight changed all that, and he handled it like a champ, but I feel like his soul was tarnished in the process.

With Hershel’s praise out of the way, I do have some thoughts. Mainly, you have to wonder why these guys still haven’t learned a damn thing about walkers in closed quarters. That setup in there just screams ‘bloody massacre’. You just know all hell’s going to break loose, but there’s Hershel casually making his rounds like people aren’t on the verge of turning, which they are, and do. I loved Lizzie leading the walker away from Glen like a dog, obviously something was going to go wrong, but it was still pretty damn cool. I’m glad Glen and Sasha made it (god knows Tyreese needed some good news), but other than the kids, it doesn’t look like there’s many mouths left to feed. The toll it takes on Hershel is monumental. Rick asks him if things will be the same, and for Hershel, it’s obvious they won’t be. Even before then, when they were strapping bodies to the beds and wheeling them into the other room. It was rough on him, and I can’t even begin to imagine how the rest of them felt as they watched helplessly from their cells. It was a tough situation and for what it’s worth, it was handled beautifully, down to the cool tune they played at the end.

THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 4’s fifth episode was all about emotion and adrenaline as the crew held the line until Daryl and them got back. The other interesting factor was with the bonding between Rick and Carl. Sure, it had to come over mowing down wave after wave of walkers after they got through the fence, but the father and son dynamic we’ve all been longing to see come back finally did. I liked seeing that very much. But what I was really hoping to see tonight, was the aftermath of Rick’s decision to toss Carol. I’ll have to wait until next week for the full disclosure. Hershel didn’t seem to take the news well, but at least Maggie helped ease Rick’s conscience by agreeing with his decision, even if she was unsure about being able to do it had she been in his place. I want to see what Daryl says. But of course, the craziest thing about tonight’s episode came in the final scene when the camera panned back to reveal the Governor lurking in the shadows. And does he ever look pissed. Next Sunday should be one for the books. At least I hope it will be. They owe us at least one cool Governor battle. At least one.

ZOMBIE KILL OF THE WEEK: Maggie’s headshot was impressive.

BLOOD AND GORE: Rick and Carl go kamikaze on a small army of walkers, shit goes bad in the prison which gets a few mofos eaten, and there was some more fence killing.

WTF CHARACTER MOMENT: Hershel. I love the guy, and I dug everything he did tonight, but damn if I don’t think he could have prepared himself a bit better for what was obviously going to happen. It just felt a little sloppy, and after what happened in the other cellblock a couple episodes ago, I expected more from these guys.

COOLEST SCENE: Sure, nothing really happened, but seeing the Governor alive and itching for payback was hella cool.

FINAL VERDICT:

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