Paris Sera Toujours Paris has Team Daryl in Paris. They stop by a possible ally’s place only to find out the guy has completely lost his mind. We do get a nice Zombie Kill out of it though. Even if Daryl’s hunt for a working radio turned out to be a bust.
Daryl Takes Down A Walker
With the first stop not yielding much in return, the group continues until they are picked up by a much larger group of survivors. The group acknowledges they have a radio to Daryl, but it turns out just to be homing pigeons.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
Paris Sera Toujours Paris Scoring
Paris Sera Toujours Paris scores 70/100. There is a lot of dialogue and plot components, but not enough Zombie action. There were also too many things that just lined up in this episode. We learn the fate of the little girl that Isabella left behind. We bump into Isabella’s white knight – and find out who Laurent’s father was. There was a lot packed into this episode. Maybe a bit too much.
Spoilers Below:
The episode’s main goal appears to be letting Daryl and Isabelle spend time together. We learn a lot about Isabelle’s history and how rough she had it. We also learn who Laurent’s father is.
The Good
I loved the visual of the horde coming out after Daryl shoots.
When Isabelle goes back to her apartment to get stuff to trade and Daryl sees her stash of drugs and jewelry. Her response was perfect. “I wasn’t always a nun.”
Daryl improvises, using a burner walker to melt his way through a locked door.
The brief glimpses of the ossuary. I have visiting them on my bucket list. I hope I am so lucky.
The Bad
While I always enjoy watching Daryl take a Zombie’s head off with a rifle, it felt like a waste of gunpowder. A knife would saved them a round, and saved them from alerting every nearby walker around them.
We see the little girl that Isabelle left behind when they head back to her apartment to grab her stash. The kid didn’t make it. The guild in Isabella’s face was horrible to watch.
When they go into the smuggler stronghold via the ossuary, why did the music remind me of the Star Wars cantina?
Of course Isabelle’s savior from when the outbreak started just happens to be the leader of the smugglers.
When the para military group is hunting Daryl they just open up – even though their leader is right there as well. Huge waste of ammo and very dangerous to their commander!
Long Long Time is the 3rd episode of the The Last of Us. The first two episodes both scored a 100/100. That is the first time that’s ever happened since The Walking Dead Season 1. If you aren’t watching, you really need to fix that. The only part that sucks is that if you are on the East Coast you have to wait until 9pm to get your fix!
The Last of Us: Long Long Time
Spoilers Below
I give detailed, blow by blow details as I review. If you want to skip the spoilers jump down to the Scoring!
If you have watched Long Long Time let me know what scene you thought was the most powerful.
Opening Scene
Joel and Ellie have made it out of Boston. They are out in the wilderness, alive, but clearly affected by the loss of Tess. Joel is pissed. Ellie is more more and emotionally intelligent than any fourteen year old should be. She knows that Joel is pissed and that he might be angry at her for Tess’s death.
Cumberland Farms
Joel and Ellie come across a gas station as they move through the woods. Joel stashed supplies in the past but seems to have forgotten exactly where. While Joel searches, Ellie finds a hatch in the floor. Because she apparently has no survival instinct she decides to go into the dark basement under the convenience store. As Ellie explores she finds an infected man crushed beneath a fallen section of wall.
Ellie Comes Face to Face With A Zombie
Ellie’s eyes are hard and cold as she slowly drags her blade across the Zombie’s face. What is she thinking? Is she wondering what is inside her? She isn’t infected like others, but that doesn’t mean the Cordyceps isn’t changing her somehow right?
When Joel calls for her she simply tells him the store wasn’t as picked over as he thought. Ellie found a box of tampons. She doesn’t tell Joel she just made her first kill.
Walking
Joel and Ellie are hiking. They are also bonding. We get a bit of back story as they chat. The tainted food carried the fungus. The world ended quickly as everyone who ate the infected food turned into Zombies. Ellie has a Right Angle Flashlight on her backpack which I absolutely just ordered.
Joel warns Ellie that they may want to cut across open ground. There are things ahead she may not want to see. The ground is littered with the skeletal remains of survivors who were gunned down to make sure they didn’t turn.
September 30th 2003 (Flashback)
Survivors are being loaded onto trucks as police and military forces try to keep them organized.
A man is sitting in his basement, watching what is going above him on his video cameras. Bill, played by Nick Offerman, has entered the scene. Bill has a plan. He gets gas and supplies. He’s been planning for the end of the world and is ready to deal with it.
Fences go up. Defenses are set. Firewood is cut. The garden is planted.
Bill is enjoying his dinner when his security system warns him of movement. A Zombie walks directly into a trap and gets blown away. Bill – “It doesn’t get old.”
This statement is important. It clearly shows that Bill has seen multiple Zombies fall to his defenses. He knows what dangers this new world has in store for him.
Bill – Four Years Later, 2007 (Flashback)
Bill’s preparations have clearly served him well. He’s survived years while others have died in droves.
The security system beeps. Bill has captured a man in a trap. Bill has a tester. The man is not infected. Bill wants the man to keep moving on but the man is hungry. Frank is hungry. Bill is worried that if he feeds Frank others will show up.
Something passes between Bill and Frank. Bill might be safe but just like anyone he needs companionship. There is a human need to be near others.
Are Bill and Frank gay? I am not sure at this point but feel like they might be. (Good for them.)
Maybe what saved Frank was Bill’s gaydar?
Frank prepares dinner. Rabbit and Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages. Bill is more refined than he might appear. Frank is enjoying his dinner as Bill struggles to come to grips with the newcomer. Frank knows that he is supposed to dine and dash but he sees the piano and can’t help but sit down and tickle the ivories.
The first song Frank picks hits a nerve with Bill. Bill sits down to take his turn at the keyboard. Neither Bill or Frank have a good singing voice but somehow it is still a very touching scene.
Frank bends over to kiss Bill. It is a touching scene. It is also the first scene that maybe could have been done better. There wasn’t enough passion in the kiss. For two men, starved of life, I would have thought there first kiss would have been more ravenous.
Two seconds later the reason why becomes clear. Bill has never been true to himself. Frank is is first gay love, and gay lover.
Bill & Frank – Three Years Later (Flashback)
Frank is pissed. Bill does not want to give Frank supplies to fix up the house.
Why? Because Bill and Frank are going to have friends.
In the next cut scene we see Bill, Frank, Tess, and Joel having lunch. Bill is up tight and worried about security. Frank is just happy to have people over.
Bill doesn’t want Joel and Tess to ruin their lives. Joel helps bring Frank to their side by promising to bring him new fencing. Joel also warns Frank that scavengers will be coming. Bill’s defenses may not be as solid as he thinks.
Bill & Rank 2013 (Flashback)
Bill has updated his fence. What was wire is now stacks of crushed cars. Frank surprises Bill with a small strawberry patch. It is a sweet and emotional moment. Now I’m scared for the “crash”.
Bill tells Frank he was never afraid before he showed up. The meaning is clear. Before Frank Bill wasn’t afraid to die because he had nothing to die for.
Frank is sleeping. The scavengers have arrived.
Bill’s traps go off. Some of the scavengers are killed but there are too many of them. Frank drags Bill inside after he is wounded. Bill, like a moron, was standing out in the open.
Bill is bleeding out. His last words to Frank before he passes out are, “Call Joel, he’ll take care of ya.”
Bill & Frank – Older
Time has passed. Frank is frail and no longer able to walk. Bill pushes him around in his wheelchair and tends to their homestead. It appears that Frank has had a stroke? He appears weak and can only move with Bill’s help.
Bill wakes up to find Frank in his chair. Frank declares it is his last day. He doesn’t want to live as a burden on Bill. Frank asks for one more good day. Frank has a plan. One more good day. Marriage. And finally a glass of wine full of enough drugs to end his life.
Bill cries but follows Frank’s instructions.
Frank prepares the same rabbit and Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages meal they had on the day they first met. Bill dutifully mixes Frank’s drink with the medications as requested. Frank downs the glass after confirming the dosage is enough.
Frank notices there were already pills in the bottle. Bill plans on going with Frank into the next world. They laugh about how romantic the gesture is.
Welcome to Lincoln (Current Timeline)
Joel and Ellie have arrived at Bill’s homestead. Things look deserted. Joel calls out to his friends. The medicated meal on the table doesn’t look too old. Joel and Ellie have arrived not too long after the fateful dinner. Bill and Frank are dead.
Bill’s letter to whomever, but probably Joel, is heart wrenching.
Joel and Ellie now have a truck, weapons, and supplies. Joel is grumpy as hell, but the two of them are in much better straits than they were.
The two of them ransack Bill’s supplies. Not only do they have hot water for showers but also toilet paper, guns, ammo, and food. Joel tells Ellie no when she asks about a gun but she finds one in Bill’s desk and takes in anyway.
Joel and Ellie get into Bill’s Chevy S10 and head out. Ellie is amazed. She has never been in a car. Joel is more realistic. It’s an old budget truck. Hopefully it will get him to his brother.
Long Long Time Scoring
First thing. Both Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal are amazing. They are incredible actors. Bill, played by Nick Offerman, and Frank, played by Murray Bartlett are also great – their story just doesn’t have the same weight as Joel and Ellie’s. Still, the episode was amazing. How could it hold up to the first two episodes? That is an unfair expectation isn’t it?
Still, Long Long Time was a gripping and emotional episode and scores a 95/100, making it Worth Your Time.
Resident Evil The Light has Jade attempting a dangerous escape through the Chunnel. She is leading a small group of survivors in an attempt to escape Umbrella’s wrath.
Resident Evil
The story telling continues to jump back and forth between the current timeline and the backstory. They should have just concentrated on the current timeline with Jade running from Richard Baxter, played by Turlough Convery. Yes, I kind of recognized him but couldn’t place it until I looked at his IMDB page and realized I knew him from Killing Eve.
With Baxter hot on her heels, Jade is forced to make a risky escape through the Chunnel, only to have Baxter follow her there anyway. Of course Umbrella isn’t the only dangerous thing in the Chunnel and there are some nice action scenes as everyone ends up fighting for their survival.
I Hate Spiders
Compared to The Devil You Know, The Light picked up and felt much faster paced. There are multiple combat scenes and a few good moments of suspense. I still don’t like jumping back and forth between timelines. It seems overused and I think I’d actually like the episode more if I could just watch the “current timeline” version. Yes, I love Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker. Actually, I love almost every role he’s ever had. From The Wire to John Wick, how can you not appreciate the subtle intensity that Lance brings to every role he plays?
But…I just want to see the story progression when Jade is surviving in the Zombie infested wastelands. I would even be happy if they just limited the flashbacks to a very short clip explaining why something is the way it is. I don’t need a whole other storyline to explain the past.
Scoring Resident Evil The Light
Okay, rant over. I’m giving The Light a 77/100 as I felt like it was back on track after a slower Episode 2. There was more and better action and I happily watched it twice to make sure I didn’t miss any small details.
Card Game opens with a bit of strange childhood competitive ranting as Freddie’s mom discusses her two sons. This is just before Rose and Anna show up and Freddie lets them in. I can’t help but think as Rose enters of the bloody house we saw in Episode 1.
Episode 1 Body In The Manor
I’m hoping and guessing we are going to get to see how that body got there. Freddie’s mom seems like a complete trainwreck. There seems to be multiple groups inside the house. Freddie’s mom and her two sons are one group, then we have the group who has a radio and can talk to the plane, and of course Rose and Anna as the third.
Black Summer, Season 2
The Radio Group says there are crates out there – which I think is why that group ends up in the gunfight. Did I mention I hate the reversal chronology crap? Just let simple folks like me watch it in the order it happened in.
As Anna hits the head, I think we see Spears hiding upstairs? Would he know their voices from across floors? Freddie’s brother wants Rose to go with the crate retrieval group, but Rose basically shuts that down. I completely understand. There is no way I’d leave my kid in the Zombie Apocalypse.
Freddie asks to play the Card Game that Rose and Anna are playing, but he can’t quite get the hang of it, which is when we get to hear his creepy line about Rose smelling good.
How Do You Smell So Good?
I was glad the scene didn’t get rapey.
Shortly after, we see our Crate Retrieval expert race away on his snowmobile, barely dodging the lone Zombie living around the house. Why wouldn’t they just lure it to a door and stab it in the head or shoot it?
As night falls those inside the house get jumpy, resulting in a short standoff.
Just A Bit Jumpy
Freddie’s brother is a paranoid prick. He’s acting erraticaly, convinced that our Crate Retriever’s girl is lying to him. When they hear the plane again overhead he forces the young woman to radio, even though she isn’t supposed to.
When they give up on the radio our lady friend finds her axe is missing. never touch a ladies axe unless she invites you!
Shortly after we see Freddie go out to grab some wood – which is when his brother screws him over, forcing him to stay outside until he brings wood back – which is exactly how Freddie ends up in a tree.
Inside Freddie’s brother is paranoid as ever. He wants to know where the Crate Retriever went as well as where the axe went, all while attacking his brother to their mother, and Freddie’s mom is just a pure sweetheart:
When Freddie’s brother hears the radio he rushes upstairs, convinced the young woman was talking to someone, which gets her shot, which unleashes a Zombie inside the house. This turns into a mad fight as no one seems to have a gun on them. At least until Rose takes care of business, taking out our Zombie, and then the Old Lady who was bitten before she can turn as well. It’s not 100% who did the shooting either. I think Rose took out the first Zombie and then Anna maybe did the second? Unfortunately Freddie’s mom and a-hole brother are still alive at this point.
Rose, ever the good mom, gives Anna the little bit of food they have left. The survivors all look like they are emotionally done, and the only thing that gets Freddie’s brother off the couch is the sound of the radio on the second floor. He rushes upstairs and can hear someone talking, but he trashes the radio when the garbled speaker doesn’t respond to him. I’d say long term planning isn’t his strength.
When Freddie’s brother goes downstairs Rose and Mom are in a fight that quickly turns deadly:
I love how calm and collected Anna is after she’s just murdered someone. Is that strange? I think that to survive in that world you’d need to be prepared to kill in a heartbeat, and kids adapt quicker than adults. I just hope they don’t ruin Anna like the writers did with Carl in TWD.
Upstairs we see Spears, walking slowly, eyes wide, the axe in his hands. He walks down the hall until we Rose and Anna’s lower bodies, sleeping in bed, just before the episode ends.
Card Game Scoring
Card Game is a hard episode to score. On one level I hate that the Zombies didn’t play a more important part. On another I was kinda holding my breath all episode. I guess that says something about how well it was done, which is why Card Game is getting a 91/100, making it Worth Your Time.
Real Dead Housewife of Seattle as the name implies, centers around a group of catty women in a “friend” group. Our victim is telling a friend on the phone how she told someone off. As she’s chatting a man shows up at the door with a huge offer. He’s willing to pay ten million dollars cash for the beautiful waterside home. Which of course gets him in the door.
Our victim takes the realtor out to the deck only to get attacked. In the struggle they both go crashing through the glass guardrail to fall to their deaths. Well, she dies, but the realtor ends up in a coma in the hospital.
We then cut to the morgue where Ravi is working on the victim. He is explaining how the fall had a lot of energy because it exploded one of the woman’s breast implants.
Implans vs. Zombies
Clive finds the victims schedule on a printed stash of papers is his murder suspect’s pocket. The murderer isn’t a realtor. He’s a petty criminal. Because his suspect has the woman’s schedule, Clive is convinced this is a murder for hire. That puts the husband squarely in Clive’s scope as the most likely suspect.
For her meal, Liv makes some nice Tuna and Brain salad, delicious.
Tuna & Brains
We then cut over to Major getting squeezed. Almost literally. Vaughn Du Clark has sent his red headed assistant to remind Major they want results. In this case results mean dead Zombies.
Red Headed Be-Otch
While Liv and Clive discover a link between the murdered woman and Vaughn Du Clark, Major has taken his next Zombie target, and gained a dog in the process.
The next day Live and Clive go to visit Vaughn Du Clark, and Liv gets a flash of Vaughn and her lunches brain having sex. Clearly they knew each other – biblically. Liv and Clive are leaving when two worlds come crashing together. Liv and Major came face to face at Vaughn Du Clark’s door.
Major Rajor
Clive and Liv aren’t being to discrete, and talk about Liv’s vision right there in Vaughn Du Clark’s office. They think they are alone, but the Red Headed assistant has heard every word.
When Clive and Liv get the chance to interview the victims husband, he doesn’t help his rankings on the suspect list at all. Liv asks him if he was aware that Vaughn Du Clark was banging his wife, and the husband punches his hand through a glass table top – so I’m guessing he didn’t?
We then get to see Vaughn Du Clark confronted about his indiscretions as well, by his Red Headed Assistant, and we also find out in the process that she’s his daughter, and the product of one of the previous indiscretions to boot.
For some reason, Red Headed Assistant decides to set her sights on Major, and proceeded to seduce him in the gym. The why isn’t clear. Is it to get even with Daddy? To piss Liv off? Is it just a ploy to get more information?
Liv then goes on a Birthday shopping spree, which lines up perfectly with Clive discovering that the very same personal shopper that Liv is hanging out with, is Clive’s new top suspect. When the suspect tries to run, Liv goes full Zombie, and smacks her around a bit.
Liv is having a sad birthday, at least until she discovers the cake in the fridge. Peyton dropped by while Liv was out, and the fact that Peyton still cares, makes Liv smile.
Real Dead Housewife of Seattle ends with Vaughn Du Clark facing off with the husband of the woman he was sleeping with – who also just happens to be on the board of Max Rager. Vaughn doesn’t react well when he’s told the board is about to vote him out, and he reacts by introducing his opponent to a Zombie.
Real Dead Housewife of Seattle Scoring
Real Dead Housewife of Seattle scored an 85/100. There were a lot of great twists and turns, including Peyton coming back as the DA to go after the Utopium trade.
Murphy’s Miracle picks up right where A New Mission left off. Team Murphy is on the road, and get stuck behind the only other car in a thousand miles. Murphy is ticked at first, at least until he sees why the other vehicle is moving so slow. There is a sick kid who is about to turn in the other car. What does Murphy do? I guess he saves her? Is it really saving her if she ends up like Cassandra?
Miracle Or Murder
While Murphy is playing god, Team Warren thinks they are hot on his tracks. At least until they realize that Murphy outsmarted them. Murphy was lead them on a wild goose chase by hiding Warren’s tracker on a Zombie. As Team Warren is looking for a vehicle they come across a food truck that is surrounded by Zombies. Oddly, the town’s mailman is inside and doesn’t want the Zombies hurt.
Surrounded
The Artic
Up in the arctic Kaya is pepping Citizen Z up, trying to get him to understand how important he is. His transmitter is dead, and without it he’s just Simon, but Kaya doesn’t buy it. People need to hear the voice of hope, to know that everything isn’t lost. I love Kaya’s attitude! A little bit later Kaya reveals her softer side. Shes breaks down when Citizen Z tells her there is no one left to hear him anyway. They are just about to smooch when the radio distracts them. A little bit later at dinner Citizen Z discovers that Kaya and her family are almost out of food. Lucky for them, Citizen Z knows where there is more food.
While Team Murphy is exploring Spokane, Team Warren is helping the Postman in exchange for gas and supplies. As they are helping him they realize something is very odd in town. The Zombies in town are very focused on the Postman, and it doesn’t seem natural. They corner the Postman, thinking maybe he’s been bit by Murphy or has some other power. They go so far as to make sure he’s not doing, well, other things, with the undead.
Sexual Contact
The Postman
With the heat on, The Postman just wants Team Warren gone, so he agrees to take them into the basement shelter to get supplies. There are multiple dead mail carriers who’ve been shot in the head. That is just about when the Postman opens a door, leaving Team Warren to fight for their lives in the near dark. This leads to what I think is the Best Zombie Kill of the episode. Hector goes to town with a Cancelled stamp.
Cancelled
When the fighting is done Team Warren finds the real Postmaster among the dead zombies, confirming their suspicions that something wasn’t right.
While Warren, Doc, Addy, and Hector are locked in the basement the Postman goes back upstairs and takes Dr. Sun Mei prisoner at gunpoint, leading her to his torture dungeon.
Torture Dungeon
Once in the Dungeon, the Postman reveals his true nature. He killed his townsfolk because he was angry at how they treated him, and was jealous of their lives. The townspeople aren’t following him because he feeds them, or love him. They are following him because he was the last thing they say before dying.
Dr. Sun Mei is able to save herself long enough to open the dungeon door so the Zombie townspeople can take their revenge.
Murphy’s Miracle ends with Murphy sitting on his self proclaimed throne as 10K struggles with being under Murphy’s influence when the family from the opening scenes shows up, wanting to thank Murphy for saving their daughter, who is not longer scared.
It’s Good To Be King
Not only do they want to thank him, but the husband wants Murphy to bite his wife. Murphy is smiling as Murphy’s Miracle comes to an end.
Murphy’s Miracle Score
Murphy’s Miracle scored an 80/100. I really liked the twist with the postman and loved the progression of Citizen Z’s story, which is why this episode is Worth Your Time.
The Exterminator opens with a kid exploring an old building, using his cell phone to record and light the way.
What Could Possibly Go WRong
The kid finds what he thinks is a hobo in a well. Which leads to the kid posting a picture of what he thinks is a Zombie.
This triggers Ravi’s internet search bot, making him aware that someone thinks there is a Zombie in town. Liv isn’t quite as interested. She’s hungry, and the only thing she can think about is putting some brains in her belly.
Brains On Wheat Drowned In Siracha
Peyton’s Problem
When she gets home Peyton is celebrating a professional win. She’s about to prosecute a murder case and feels like she’s got a win. Unfortunately, Liv sees that the man Peyton is prosecuting, isn’t the guilty party.
Liv just ate the brains of a killer for hire, and the brains are affecting her. She’s spouting strange facts while emotionally flat.
Triggered by Ravi’s internet alerts, they head to the waterfront. Once there they find a hungry Zombie at the bottom of a well.
Marcy The Party Girl
Old Friends
Not only have they found another Zombie, but Liv knows the girl. Marcy was a fellow medical resident, the one who invited Liv to boat party in the first place. Ravi decides that Marcy is a great opportunity to perform an experiment. He pours a cooler of brains into the hole so Marcy can have a snack. Ravi wants to see if the brains will turn Marcy into something more similar to what Liv is.
While Ravi is thinking about what will happen to Marcy, Liv is worried about Peyton’s Case. She knows the Seattle PD has the wrong man fingered for the murder. Liv convinces Clive to go talk to the dead man’s bookie. The bookie, Smitty, just happens to be a retired cop.
Smitty is not so happy about being questioned about a murder, and he knows Clive’s Lieutenant, Suzuki. As Clive and Liv are leaving the bar, they see a picture of their murderer on the trivia wall. Clive now believes that maybe Liv isn’t off the mark.
Liv and Clive end up at the murderers house, and not only does Liv have another vision, but Clive finds a Glock with a suppressor. The same kind of weapon that killed the victim.
Peyton’s Angry
Back at home Peyton is a little pissed. Her prime suspect is set free, and she’s blaming Liv.
In the midst of the murder investigation Major comes to Liv. One of the shelter kids he works with has disappeared. Major needs Liv’s help.
After Liv and Clive work on tracking down who killed the killer, Ravi and Liv end up back at the pit. Marcy hasn’t improved. Liv, being controlled by her killer for hire brains onboard, wants to take care of Marcy. Ravi wants to get a biopsy, which leads to him falling in the pit and nearly getting turned, or killed by Zombie Marcy.
The Exterminator ends with Clive, Liv, and Peyton bluffing to get their murderer to take a plea deal.
Sadly, Liv is enjoying having a killer for hire controlling her emotions. Not because she likes the memories, but because the killer has no feelings. Liv doesn’t want to feel. Doesn’t want to be in pain.
The Exterminator ends with Major’s halfway house kid showing pictures of his missing friend, trying to find anyone who’s seen him.
Missing Person
Unfortunately for the kid, he runs into Blaine. Blaine tells him he knows where his friend is. They wander off into the dark as the credits roll.
The Exterminator Scoring
The Exterminator scored a 71/100, making it Worth Your Time. It is a fun episode with lots of twists and turns.
Tell It to the Frogs opens with Merle on the roof, rambling, nearly delirious, remembering time he spent in the stockade. The reality of his situation has set in. All the noise Merle is making brings the walkers up to the doorway. The only thing holding them back is the chain T-Dog secured the door with.
Merge, Abandoned On The Roof
The more noise Merle makes, the harder the walkers push to get get through, but as Merle climbs under the pipes, trying to hide, he sees the tools that T-Dog dropped as he fled. Merle takes off his belt to try to reach the tool which is just out of his reach.
Back in the box van Morales tells Rick not to feel bad. No one is going to miss Merle, except for maybe his brother Daryl. This is the first time we get introduced to Daryl. Daryl is one of the all time best characters in the series. Comment below if you disagree!
The Introduction of Daryl
As Rick steers the box van back to camp Glenn flies by, the alarm still going off, whooping in joy as he drives the Charger.
Camp
Back in camp Lori, Carl, and Shane are sitting in a circle. Lori is cutting Carl’s hair as Shane cleans a firearm, telling Carl he’s going to teach him how to catch frogs.
Glenn shows up first, the car alarm still going off. Shane is angry. Glenn just rang the dinner bell all the way back to their camp!
Andrea is the first one out of the truck. Her sister Amy runs and gives her a hug, relieved her sister made it out alive.
Andrea & Amy Reunite
Morales and his family are next and there are hugs all around as the scavengers celebrate making it back to camp. Shane asks how they got out, the last thing he heard on the radio was that they were surrounded and in trouble. Glenn tells Shane the new guy got them out. Morales call out to “Hey, helicopter boy!” and Rick comes walking into frame. I think the look on Shane’s face says just about everything we need to know.
Shane’s Reaction When He Sees Rick
Rick Is Back
Rick and Shane stare at each other but then Rick sees Lori and Carl just behind him and the world narrows down. For Rick, all he sees is his family. The other survivors are in shock, not expecting the newcomer to have ties to their band. Rick clutches Carl to his chest, both of them crying as he carries his son towards Lori.
Lori’s Suprised? And Scared? Reaction To Ricks Return
Lori’s initial reaction appears to be fear? Or maybe guilt? Guilt that she’s already jumped into bed with her not long dead husbands patrol partner? Rick and Lori were having issues before the apocalypse started. Maybe it started before the walkers started biting?
Lori recovers and hugs Rick, but her face is still more shock than joy. She looks over at Shane who just nods quietly, not knowing what to say or do. Is Lori crying tears of relief? Or are they guilt and surprise?
Campfire
In the next scene its night and Rick is sitting around the fire with his family and the other survivors, telling them what it was like to wake up in their new world.
Grimes Family By The Fire
The worst part is when Rick is thanking Shane for taking care of his family while he wasn’t there. Clearly Rick doesn’t realize just how much “taking care” of his wife Shane was doing.
We are then introduced to Ed, Carol, and Sophia Peletier. Ed built the fire up too high, and Shane makes him pull some wood off the fire so they can’t be seen. Or more correctly, Shane tells him to do it, and Ed makes his wife Carol do it.
Back at the fire the scavengers are discussing what to do about Daryl. Who is going to tell Daryl they left Merle behind? Dale warns them that when Daryl gets back its going to be a rough conversation. This is when T-Dog tells them he chained the door shut and Merle is probably still alive.
Rick puts Carl to bed before going to Lori, kissing her before lying down behind her.
Rick And Lori Spooning
Shook
Lori still looks more shocked than happy that Rick survived. This really annoys me. As they lay there Rick tells her he knew he’d find her. That he knew she was alive the moment he went to their house and saw that pictures and family albums were gone. Lori tells him she really didn’t think she’d ever see him again, and apologizes, telling him she wants to take back the anger and the mistakes. Rick tells her its okay, they got a second chance, which not many people get. We then find out the ring on her necklace is Rick’s wedding band, and she asks if he wants it back. Lori turns out the lantern, leading Rick to look over at Carl. Lori tell him Carl won’t wake up, which really creeped me out even further. How many times has she banged Shane with her son a few feet away? How else could she be so sure? It’s not like Rick was gone for year! How long could Rick possibly have been gone at this point? Two weeks? Three weeks? And she’s already jumped right into bed with Shane?
Outside, Shane is standing watch, but he’s really just watching Lori’s tent, knowing what’s likely going on.
Morning
When Rick gets up the camp is already in full gear. Carol has washed Rick’s clothing while Dale and team are stripping the Charger for parts, much to Glen’s dismay. Rick and Lori are discussing if it makes sense to go back for Merle when Carl starts screaming. There is a walker just outside camp, eating a deer that had been wounded by a hunter.
Walker Chowing Down On Deer
Rick and the others then go to town on the walker, beating it to death before Dale takes its head off with an axe.
We then get introduced to Daryl Dixon in the flesh for the first time!
Daryl Dixon’s Entrance Into The Walking Dead
Daryl is pissed that the walker got his deer and proceeds to kick the walker a few times. He is raw and hot headed, but he’s brought back some squirrel to eat, so he does put food on the table.
Where Is Merle?
As Daryl is calling for Merle to help him process his game, Shane tells him he needs to tell him something, which is when Rick steps up and just lays it out. Merle was a danger to them all and he handcuffed him to a roof. Daryl is not happy to say the least. He goes to take a swing at Rick but Shane stops him, putting him in a headlock which Daryl reminds him is illegal.
After Daryl calms down Rick agrees to go back to help Daryl save his brother. Shane doesn’t understand why Rick would go back for Merle. Rick twists Glenn’s arm to help. Glenn knows the way and has been in and out in the past. Shane is against anyone going, but Rick convinces Shane it’s worth it if they can get the guns Rick left behind.
Things get more emotional as Lori and Carl beg him not to, but Rick needs the bag not just for the guns, but for the walkie talkie he promised Morgan he’d connect on. Rick wants to warn Morgan that Atlanta isn’t safe.
Rick’s last stop is Dale’s RV where he bargains for a set of bolt cutters before heading out. As Rick is leaving Shane gives Rick his last 4 four rounds for Rick’s Colt Python.
Rescue Team
As Merle’s rescue team decides on their best course of action Andrea, Amy, Carol and Jacqui are scrubbing clothes, discussing the things they miss from the old days. Jacqui misses her coffee maker while Andrea and Carol miss their vibrators, which makes them all start laughing. Not far away the laughter draws Ed’s attention. Ed tells Carol to do her work and basically shut up, they aren’t in a comedy club. Andrea confronts Ed and things start to get ugly. Ed is completely willing to hit Andrea. Shane stops him. Violently. Shane is taking out his anger on the abusive husband.
Back in the main camp Lori is looking for Carl, which brings her down to the water to confront Shane.
Lori Confronts Shane
Lori is pissed and tells Shane to stay away from her, Carl, and her family. Shane is the one who told her that Rick was dead, and that somehow makes it all Shane’s fault that she started to bang her dead husband’s partner before the body was even cold? I get it, she thought Rick was dead and she needed emotional support, but still, she has to take some responsibility right?
As the drama is unfolding in the quarry Merle’s rescue team is making it to the roof of the department store in Atlanta which leads to one of the huge cliffhangers that won’t be resoled for multiple seasons.
Merle is gone, or at least most of Merle is gone. The only thing left on the roof is the hacksaw and his hand.
Merle’s Hand
Tell It to the Frogs Scoring
Tell It to the Frogs scored a 95/100, making it Worth Your Time. It was a strong, emotional filled episode with lots of revelations, but it only had a few scenes with walkers in it, which cost it a few points. Still, what other series is averaging a 98.3 in its first three episodes?
Zombie Road feels like Z Nation’s tribute to the Mad Max franchise., and they did a great job. Zombie Road opens with two marauders who have run a vehicle off the road and assassinate the passengers. This leads to one of the best one liners of the episode. Marauder 1 gets mad at Marauder 2 for using his firearm.
Marauder 1:Every Blaster within 5 miles heard that!!!
Marauder 2: Don’t be so negative, worry is poison. That’s why you don’t crap right.
It was silly and dumb, but it made me laugh. Then both Marauders got violently eaten by radiation mutated zombies. We just got introduced to Blasters, the new, very fast, and very deadly zombies that the fallout has created.
Marauder Eaten Alive
On The Road
Team Murphy is on the road. They are trying to get further away from the nuclear fall out when they encounter another group of survivors. The other group is being ambushed. Team Murphy watches from afar before deciding to act. Warren and the team tell their new member that they are going to help, because they are still good people.
Ambush
Warren and team help defend the small convoy from the bandits, but its not long before more bandits lead to a series of action packed gun battles.
We also get introduced to Z Weed, which on top of being relaxing and giving you the munchies, seems to make Cassandra remember a little bit of who she was before Murphy bit her.
Life post zombie apocalypse has been made significantly worse by the zombies being exposed to fallout. These “Blasters” are fast, can take a ton of damage and keep going, and worst of fall, they are immune to whatever power Murphy has over the normal undead.
For me, the Best Zombie Kill was when one of the Blasters fell off the semi and got sucked under the tires.
Zombie Road ends with Murphy, Cassandra, and Wrecking Ball have slipped away in one of the convoys cars, and thanks to Wrecking Ball and his tales of Z Weed and a potential strain of Z Weed as a cure, Murphy is all in on making his way to the source of the Z Weed in Minneapolis.
This sets us up for the next episode for Warren and team to chase after Murphy, and for us to find out more about Z Weed.
Zombie Road Scoring
Zombie Road had lots of action, gore, and violence, and scored a 90/100. What cost it a few points? The first is the same thing that cost last episode some points. People are shooting at other people in the open, who are not far off, and keep missing. The second was the “sick bus”. Everyone knows that when you die you turn, so it seems silly to keep a bunch of nearly dead, sick people, where they can get to you. Still, there was a ton of action in Zombie Road, and that is worth every other point this episode got.
Summer School finds Team Rose hiding inside a school, lead inside by a creepy figure wearing a hoodie.
Creepy Dude
The school looks empty, but they don’t take any risks. They grab some supplies and hole up in the band room. Spears clears the space, but is stressed and anxious.
The team tries to rest, but its not long before they are woken by someone or something on the roof. For some reason, they think going to find the cause of the noise is a good idea, but are just lead on a chase after seeing a little kid at the end of the hall.
Creepy Kid
After a brief chase they stop and we get a dose of sanity from Spears.
Spears: “Enough of this sh*t. Let’s get out of here.”
Bearded Guy: “What about the kid?”
Spears: “F*ck the kid. We’re not alone. We should go.
This is the part that drives me crazy in shows and movies. Its an apocalypse, and weird little kids are running around, taunting you. Why would you chase after them? Wait, how could Team Rose make the decision to look for the kid even worse? They could split up!
Nobody but Spears has a weapon? Why would you split up? The moment Rose and her mute friend find the bodies in the shower, they should have backtracked to Spears and bolted.
Shower Slaughter
What could be worse after splitting into two groups? Brian, the mute, runs from Rose, so now there are three groups. Spears and Beard explore the basement until Beard walks through a door and sets off at trap. I’m guessing he’s dead.
Spears and Rose group back up just in time to be introduced to the kids who have taken over the school.
The kids have taken Brian, but don’t realize he’s deaf, so when they take his hood off and he starts to walk, one of the kids shoots him, which turns him into a biter. Apparently this is a world similar to The Walking Dead and if you die, you turn. This leads to an interesting lunchroom table fight while the kids cheer on the violence.
Four survivors entered. Two made it back out.
I’m giving Summer School a 70/100 because I hate it when characters do the worst possible thing when it comes to survival. They should have called the episode “Lord of the Flies” because that is what all the kids with spears reminded me of.
