TV Review: The Walking Dead (Season 5, Episode 3, October 26, 2014)

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

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EPISODE 3: Four Walls and a Roof

THE HOOK: Rick’s Terminus reunion didn’t go as planned. Now, prisoners of this malicious new group of survivors, Rick and crew must plot their next move carefully if they hope to survive.

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

THE LOWDOWN: I found tonight’s opening especially entertaining, and quite sly. Gareth’s monologue amidst the walkers in the window felt very reminiscent of the Governor and his fish tank, and the way he goes on and on about getting revenge on Carol and Rick (I liked his bear pitch) further promised some good confrontations down the road—you sly dogs, you. Of course the real icing here is the fact that Bob was bit (totally assumed that last week), and the fools were all eating tainted meat. It would have been quite the clever twist if they had all turned because of it, but either way, it made for one of better prologues I’ve seen in a while.

The group isn’t long for realizing they’re three people short, and I don’t blame them for thinking Gabriel had something to do with it. I don’t remember him being such a sniveling bitch in the comics, but not everyone can take charge and put foot to ass like Rick. I especially liked how Gareth and his hunters drew an “A” on the church when they dropped Bob off, it was a nice touch. Abraham’s blowout with Rick was unexpected. Again, it’s been a long time since I read the comics so I don’t remember if the Glenn and Maggie arrangement happened or not, but for some reason I don’t think everyone split up in the comics. Part of me wants to re-read them, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy a surprise or two. I hate seeing Abraham leave though, he’s still one of my all-time favorite characters.

I’m still not sure how I feel about the Church plan/confrontation, the whole thing seemed a little foolish. Gareth sending Bob back was the first mistake, it made no sense whatsoever. You steal Bob away, eat him, beat the shit out of him, or talk to him to death, I don’t care, but why give up the element of surprise? Rick and his group didn’t know it was Gareth, they didn’t know how many people he had with him, or where they were hiding out, so why tell them? He goes on about all this “hunting” they’re going to do, but instead they waltz right into a trap and get smoked like the fools they are. So much for Gareth being this season’s big villain. I knew he’d die, but I had no idea it would be this quick. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they’re dead (and man, did they ever get slaughtered), but the way it went down was not only anticlimactic, but again, a little dumb for people who are supposed to be smarter than that.

THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 5’s third episode is all over the place, mostly because it feels like we’re saying goodbye to Bob two or three times. It’s a touch ironic considering nobody really liked him until recently. I did like how he was ever the optimist, even facing death—his heart to heart with Rick was great. I almost thought Tyreese was going to spill the beans about the girls when Rick was helping dig those graves. He’s the one character that makes me wince every time he’s on screen, I feel the guy’s suffering. Another thing I’m loving this season are the insane cliff-hanger endings—granted, the endings are usually awesome anyway, but lately they really pack a punch. I was surprised to see Daryl come creeping out of the woods, but I’m still perplexed by how the scene unfolded. Where was Carol? Who was he saying could come out? Is it Carol escorting a prisoner for interrogation? That would seem like the right guess, but who knows with this show. We’ll find out in a week.

ZOMBIE KILL OF THE WEEK: There was lots of killing, but the walkers weren’t the real enemy tonight. Still, we got some taken out when Bob was dropped off, nothing too memorable about it though.

BLOOD AND GORE: Aside from dispatching a couple walkers, Gareth and his crew get massacred in the church. It was brutal, but felt oh, so, rewarding. That said, I think Gareth should have suffered more.

COOLEST SCENE: Rick slicing and dicing Gareth’s ass into dog meat. Nothing overly poetic, just good, clean revenge.

FINAL VERDICT:

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