La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady) picks up just were Paris Sera Toujours Paris left us in a cliffhanger. At the end of Paris Sera Toujours Paris we saw Daryl fall through a roof. Where did he fall? Apparently into the catacombs under the city. La Dame de Fer picks up with Daryl at a gate. Who is on the other side? No one other than Laurent! How did the kid get into the catacombs with Daryl? Don’t worry about silly plot and continuity issues like that!
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
The good news is that Daryl kicks a lot of Zombie Ass in this episode. That is always a good thing.
The episode’s main goal is to show that Laurent is special. Daryl needed to see that to give him a reason to continue on as Laurent’s guardian right? The lack of any explanation of how Daryl ends up in the water cost this episode some points. On the other hand, the Zombie horde at the Eiffel Tower made up for a lot.
The Good
Daryl has the moves when he wants to kill something. Always good to see him go full Badass.
Daryl Takes Revenge
Daryl know how to use a flail. It might just be the perfect weapon for the ZA. It has reach and can easily crush skulls.
Flail Action
I loved how Daryl delt with their prisoner. In the real world I can’t see anyone being nice to a prisoner standing between you and your objective.
The Bad
Not a lot of continuity between Episode 3’s ending and where Episode 4 picks up.
Laurents plot armor when he is surrounded by the undead.
How did Daryll and Laurent end up in the catacombs? Don’t worry about that.
How did Daryl end up in the water? Don’t worry about that either.
If Laurent can stand in a horde in the catacombs and not get bit, why do the zombies at the Eiffel Tower not ignore him in the same way?
Episode four is titled, Please Hold on to My Hand. So far the series has been amazing. Screw the a-holes who review bombed Episode 3 because they are so insecure about themselves. Let’s see how the fourth episode holds up.
Spoilers Below
I give detailed, blow by blow details as I review. If you want to skip the spoilers jump down to the Scoring!
Ellie is fascinated by her new toy. Cough, I mean firearm. Bella Ramsay really shines here. You can feel Ellie’s excitement at holding the small pistol.
Outside, Joel is scavenging gas. Ellie tries to cheer him up but Joel resists.
I love the road scenes. The run down highway and the remnants of a society that is dead. Just so well done.
The Open Road
When they pull off to rest for the night Ellie begs for a fire. It’s cold. Joel doesn’t care, there are people about who aren’t friendly. The two eat canned food and settle down in sleeping bags for the night.
There is a cute scene as Ellie tries to make Joel laugh. It is a very sweet father daughter moment.
Just before Ellie falls asleep she asks Joel nervously if they are safe. He promises her they are – but you can see he’s nervous. A short time later we see him standing watch as Ellie sleeps.
The Car Ride – Next Day
Joel makes some coffee before the two of them head back out. Ellie is not a fan of the way coffee smells. As they drive Ellie gets Joel talking. Joel gives Ellie his and Tommy’s story. Ellie asks Joel why he continues, and he says for family. This leads to a brutal reality check for Ellie.
Family
The road becomes clogged with vehicles. Joel weaves his way through before they come to a block in the road. Joel gets out to investigate. The road on the other side of the overpass is clear. They just need to find a way around.
Ambush
It’s not long before Joel and Ellie are lost in the city. As they search for the highway they are ambushed by survivors. The truck looses its tires to nail strips before it swerves into a laundromat. The scavengers open fire on the truck before Joel picks them apart. At least until the last one gets the drop on Joel and Ellie gets to use her new gun – saving Joel.
The kid is still alive. Ellie shot him in his spine. The kid begs for his life as Ellie hides. There is a brutal thump and the begging stops. Joel and Ellie are on the run.
Scavenger Base
An old man is being held captive. He is being interrogated by a young woman who is not happy with the old man. The old man betrayed her family. She wants information on where Henry is. Who is Henry? We don’t know yet. After she see’s the bodies of the men Joel killed she gives a simple speech. Find and kill who did it.
Joel and Ellie watch from inside an abandoned building, watching as the scavenger search parties search building to building. They share a moment as Joel feels bad for forcing Ellie to have to shoot someone to save him. Ellie admits it wasn’t her first time. Joel clears the small pistol and gives Ellie a brief handgun training session. Afterwards he hands her the weapon and tells her to put it in her pack. Of course Ellie ignores this order and puts the gun in her jacket pocket.
Ellie is now packing heat.
Scavenger Queen
The female lead of the bandits looks over an attic hideaway. Henry was there. More importantly we learn a bit about who Henry is and why the Scavenger Queen is interested in Henry. Henry has Sam with him. Sam is clearly this woman’s son.
They are in the basement when the Queen and her soldier find a broken floor. Whatever it is – its bad. They both exit the room in a panic. Her soldier wants to tell the rest of the scavengers but she forbids it.
Breaking And Entering
Joel lifts Ellie up to squeeze through an air vent. They have entered what looks like an apartment building. Joel wants to get up high so he can see the city around them and figure out how to escape. As they work their way up endless stairs Joel admits that he’s been one of the Ambushers in the past. Ellie asks him if he’s killed innocent people and he ignores her.
They climb as high as they can before Joel calls it. He spreads broken glass out on the floor as an impromptu alarm system. Joel asks her who else she’d shot but Ellie doesn’t want to talk about it. He tries to tell her he feels bad for her growing up in their world but it creates some friction. It’s all okay though. Ellie tells a joke about diarrhea and they are both shortly laughing and giggling.
The episode ends on a cliffhanger. Ellie has a gun pointed at her head as she calls for Joel who starts awake just before the episode ends.
Please Hold on to My Hand Scoring
Please Hold on to My Hand had a lot to live up to. The first three episodes were off the charts amazing. Episode 4 is a great episode. There was some action, but it was all people versus people. It needed a few more Zombies in my opinion. Still, it carried the story forward and the bond between Joel and Ellie is very nicely matured. They share jokes as they learn to care about each other. It was very touching.
It just didn’t have quite the weight of the first three episodes. Or at least on Sunday night this was how I felt. After rewatching it I have to give Pedro and Bella more credit. The interaction is just so on point. I can feel Joel’s walls slowly falling as Ellie continues to be a light his life. I’ve updated my original score from a 80 to a 94/100.
This episode is Worth Your Time no matter how you rank it.
Resident Evil The Turn has some really awesome fight scenes. The Brotherhood has Jade and Baxter. Worse, The Brotherhood has them captive in a very creepy stronghold.
Resident Evil
The Brotherhood has captured a higher level “Mother Zombie” who can control the other Zombies, or Zeroes as the show calls them. This is one of those areas that I know is cannon in the Resident Evil world, there are Zombies who can think. It is a difficult line to walk. The hordes still need to be hordes. The more the Zombies show intelligence the less survival becomes about facing undead hordes. It just becomes any other war movie or survival movie.
Because this is canon in the game however, the series had to include it. The good news is that the directors did a good job of using Zombies with higher level thought processes.
My favorite parts of The Turn are definitely when Baxter goes full Bad Ass. I guess there is just some part of me that likes seeing slightly overweight people kick butt? I’ll have to see what my psychiatrist says about it.
Richard Baxter Goes Bad Ass
Jade of course finds herself face to face with the “Mother Zombie” but luckily she has a chainsaw for the fight which proves pivotal. Unfortunately for Jade she still finds herself cornered by the Zombies. Of course there is a box of grenades that just happen to be in the dead end room as well though. Wipes brow, not sure how she was getting out of that one otherwise.
Richard ends up finding Jade a minute later and they attempt to flee. This is where the slightly overweight guy ends up biting it (get it) because Jade can’t pull him up to safety. Richard ends up getting torn to pieces as Jade flees.
Throughout this we area also getting snippets of the “Old” timeline where Jade and her sister are dealing with Billie’s bite as well as the revelations that their father may not be the nicest guy in the world.
The Turn ends with Jade being captured by Umbrella. It ends with Jade looking up as an Umbrella soldiers pulls off their helmet. Based on Jade’s face, I’m guessing she just got reunited with her sister Billie.
Scoring Resident Evil The Turn
Resident Evil The Turn was really hard to score. If I cut out all the “Old” timeline scenes this was a 90. But that is like saying dinner was great if you ate around the roaches in the food right? I really am not a fan of the “Old” timeline scenes and would give them a 30. Because I’m trying to be fair I’m going to average the two scores. This leaves The Turn with a score of 60/100.
Cold War begins with a warning. Life can be stressful, if you need help, please get help. Visit https://www.wannatalkaboutit.com/ to find support. Take the first step.
Cold War opens with the band of well armed men closing in on the house. They start out in stealth mode but that doesn’t last long. The Zombie circling the house charges, drawing a ton of fire. The occupants of the house now know they are under attack. The brave attackers use Sun as a distraction, telling her to wave a bit of cloth.
Inside, Rose sends Anna upstairs while she plans on defending the 1st floor. Freddie desperately wants a gun, and then to surrender. Thankfully Rose isn’t taking any chances with a grouped of armed men around Anna. After Anna takes a shot the well armed group lights up the house, hitting Freddie in the process. This is when Rose does something cruel, gut genius. What do you do with someone who is likely do die and turn into a Zombie?
It’s not nice, but Rose just put a deadly guard in the basement.
Black Summer, Season 2
Lucky for Rose and Anna the second group of survivors shows up while they are being attacked. This results in a three way shootout. This makes it much easier to survive. Everyone is shooting at each other, instead of them all shooting at you.
Which brings one unfortunate soul into the basement where Freddie gets a little too close and personal.
Outside the main group of well armed men have made it to the house and breached through a window. The combat scenes are just so well done, and I like how there isn’t much hesitation about what needs to happen after someone is bit.
Poor Sun is caught in the crossfire, here hands cuffed together as she just tries to avoid getting shot or bit. Even after she saves one of the militia, they still treat her like a prisoner.
Breach takes us back to the initial attack and Anna taking the shot that ends up getting the house lit up. Then Rose comes up, already having dumped Freddie down the stairs.
The militia comes in and begins to sweep the house as Rose and Anna hide in the tub. Mother and daughter are found by the guy whom I thought was going to be Spears – but wasn’t. For some reason the militia let him leave and give him a chance to offer Rose and Anna a guide to the airstrip. He says he knows the pilot, and can get them there. Why? It’s not really clear, but he does seem as if he is a bit delayed. I do like his mittens though.
Near the end of Cold War we hear the plane overhead again, which I guess draws everyone else off to try and follow it? Why else would the house that was just swarming with gunmen be empty as Rose and Anna leave?
I’m giving Cold War an 83/100. The violence and story are great, but I hate how the timeline keeps switching back and forth. The sparse dialogue is also a pro and a con. It focuses you on the story and the stark visuals, but it also leaves a bit of a gap as to why and how everyone keeps navigating to the same locations. Finding out who is airdropping supplies seems like a good idea, but why are the survivors just immediately opening fire on each other? It seems like a bad strategy when the majority of the population are dead and trying to eat you.
Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues opens with a bunch of underage kids drinking. They are enjoying what appears to be beer while bragging about their exploits with girls. At least until a car pulls up and throws a gun out the window. Boys being boys, what are they to do but play with a very dangerous weapon? They throw a bottle in the air and try to shoot it.
Weapon Of Glass Destruction
We then get to see Peyton at Dance Class with Liv. The two of them make up, trying to put the past behind them. We then jump over to Major’s hotel room where he and the Red Headed Assistant are in bed together.
Clive and Team then catch a body. A woman has been found in a bungalow. Liv decides that Brain Fritters are the perfect way to eat her lunch.
Brain Fritters
As soon as Liv eats the brains, the deceased starts to take effect. The victim was very into country.
Clive and Liv focus on the dead woman’s ex boyfriend who just got out of jail. He tells the detectives that they should may visit his ex best friend who was also banging the deceased.
Liv’s first vision comes shortly after. She sees the bar manager, trying to get her to exchange sex for an advance on her paycheck. Clive now has a new top suspect.
Meanwhile on the Blaine front, he’s tracked down the dealer who cut the original Utopium that created Zombies – because Blaine wants to make more.
The bar manager has decided to spin his own tail, but Liv knows details that no one should. This leads the bar owner’s pregnant fiancé to take back her alibi claim. She was lying to protect the man she thought was being faithful to her.
Cheaters Always Get Caught
Clive thinks he might have his killer, but the pregnant fiancé is just out for revenge.
While Clive is refocusing on the original ex boyfriend Liv is letting her meal take her onto stage at the country music bar. With country music singer/waitress flowing through her, Liv decides she needs to go talk to Major and tell him that while she knows it can never be, she will always love him. Major basically shuts the door in her face, which should let her know that he agrees. Instead she crashes through the door and Major tells her again that he just wants space, for like the 100th time.
Back in Blaine’s basement he still can’t get the Zombie Utopium recipe from the dealer, and falls back on making him into a Zombie in the hopes that being a Zombie will make him talk.
We then switch over to Peyton, who has been striking out on her search to go after the Utopium dealer Mr. Boss. At least until Blaine comes in and gives her the breakdown of how Mr. Boss moves the drugs. Of course Blaine turns on all his charm, and Peyton is smitten.
Sadly, Major is struggling with his reality, using Utopium to suppress the guilt of being Vaughn Du Clark’s Zombie hitman.
The episode’s conclusion comes down to bad luck. Our victim was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues ends with Major showing up at Liv’s door, asking for help. When in need, we always go back to the people who truly love us.
Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues Scoring
Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues scored a 70/100. This might have had an emotionally satisfying ending, but there wasn’t a lot of action or a huge twist on who did the killing, costing it some points.
Cherokee Rose opens with Carl waking up. He’s survived the surgery and his fever has gone down. Sadly, his first question when he wakes up is about Sophia. Just after Carl falls back asleep the rest of Team Rick pulls up on Hershel’s front lawn.
Shortly after, Hershel holds a service for Otis, and they ask Shane to say a few words. Otis’s wife twists the knife, begging Shane to tell her what happened, that Otis’s death had meaning.
In the next scene Maggie provides maps, and the team is figuring out how to search for Sophia when Hershel asks Rick and his people not to carry guns. Hershel doesn’t think they are necessary. Come on! Its the Zombie Apocalypse!
When then get to see Rick playing matchmaker when Maggie says she wants to make a supply run. Glen should go with her – to keep her safe. I love how Glen can barely talk to Maggie. He then watches her coming down the road, clearly appreciating what he’s seeing.
Farmer’s Daughter
Glen’s interrupted by Lori, coming over to ask him to get something discreetly, something form the feminine hygiene section.
Just before Maggie and Glenn head into town Dale and T-Dog find a bloated Zombie in the well. They have no choice but to try and get it out so it doesn’t contaminate the water supply.
Blob Zombie In The Well
Glen almost gets bit on their first attempt to get the Zombie out of the well before they are able to use a horse to get it out of the well, or at least halfway out of the well.
Blob Zombie With Split Personality
With the well taken care of, Maggie and Glen head into town.
Maggie And Glen Head To The Pharmacy
This leads to an awesome interaction between Maggie and Glen. Glen is trying to get Lori her secret pregnancy test when Maggie comes over and Glen fumbles to hide it. He’s standing there holding a box of condoms when she asks him what’s going on.
Glen Is About To Get Lucky
I love how Glen is so shook by Maggie. He’s clearly infatuated, and is about to be shocked at how forward Maggie can be. I also loved his reaction when she takes her shirt off and he’s just like “Wow”.
On the way back to town Glen is glowing, at least until Maggie tells him not to spoil it, it was a one time thing. Except we all know that now that she’s enjoyed some time with Glen she’s not going to be able to resist.
When Daryl gets back from searching for Sophia, we hear the story of the Cherokee Rose, and we get to see Daryl’s emotional side as he gives Carol just what she needed.
Cherokee Rose
Back inside the house Rick and Carl bond over both having survived gunshots, which spurs Rick to give Carl his cowboy hat.
Cherokee Rose ends with Lori and Rick having a quiet moment before Lori heads outside to use the pregnancy test that Glen retrieved for her.
Urinating
I also appreciate how thorough the closed captions are.
Cherokee Rose ends with Lori looking down at the positive pregnancy test with a sob, crouching in the dark.
Cherokee Rose scored a 94/100. It was a powerful episode and is Worth Your Time.
Escorpion and the Red Hand finds themselves greeted by disemboweled Zombies, their bodies hanging off an overpass in warning.
Shocked
The ropes holding the Zombies up are cut just as Team Warren is staring up at the Zombies. Don’t worry, it gave us an awesome Zombie Kill.
Zombie Slice – O – Matic
With the Zombies taken care of Team Warren is ambushed. The attackers mistake Team Warren for the “Red Hand” gang who came into town and murdered people. The newcomers are going to get get revenge on the “Red Hand” and their leader Escorpion. Only Hector is right there with Warren, so who is pretending to be him?
Back in Spokane Murphy has expanded his compound and his followers, but at a cost. Murphy is weak from giving blood so his doctor can try and find a cure, and he’s impatient. As Murphy is leaving in a huff his doctor gives 10K the cure. 10k immediately drops, foaming at the mouth.
10K With A Minor Reaction To The “Cure”
Lucky for 10K, the doctor was just breaking Murphy’s hold over him, and wants 10K to help her escape.
While 10K is suffering, Team Warren is on the hunt for the “Red Hand”. While Warren and Hector are being threated that Escorpion is going to kill them by a wounded “Red Hand” soldier, Addy is in pain, an infected tooth poisoning her blood. Dr. Sun Mei wants to pull her teeth, but Addy isn’t happy about potentially having a gap in her smile.
After questioning their wounded “Red Hand” soldier Warren realizes that the “Red Hand” is overly motivated to kill the other group of survivors and we find out from the prisoner that the other group of survivors killed members of the “Red Hand” in order to steal food.
While Warren & Hector are fighting in the front of the warehouse, Dr. Sun Mei and Doc are playing emergency dentist, holding Addy down to pull her infected tooth.
Emergency Dental Extraction
I have to be honest, this is one of my worst fears in the Apocalypse. I can take a lot of pain, but I hate having dental issues, and the thought of having to do novice dentistry just sends s chill down my spine.
While Addy is being worked on, the “Red Hand” is sending bomb Zombies at the front door. Warren is able to distract one, but the second puts a huge hole in the building and sends Warren flying to the floor, knocked unconscious as a small horde comes rolling in. Warren and Hector barely survive the fight, but in the process one of the other survivors sees the tattoo on Hector’s arm and realizes who he is.
Back at Murphy’s compound 10K is ready to make his escape but when he goes back for the doctor, he finds that Murphy has found them out. 10K does the only thing he can do, which is jump out a window and run. 10K escapes as Murphy and his doctor vaccinate Murphy’s people.
With the survivors thinking that Hector is the acting leader of the “Red Hand” they attack, and lose. For some reason the “Red Hand” then decides to move on, leaving Team Warren to leave.
Escorpion and the Red Hand ends with Dr. Merch ignoring Murphy’s commands and escaping the only way she has left, by walking into the Zombie moat and putting a scalpel in her neck.
Dr. Merch Bites It (Or Vice Versa)
Escorpion and the Red Hand Score
Escorpion and the Red Hand was an interesting episode but it had some plot holes with the way the “Red Hand” just up and leaves after they have essentially won. Why do that? Which is why Escorpion and the Red Hand scored a 70/100.
Liv and Let Clive opens with Blaine and his first rich woman turned “Zombie Brains” client having a spicy chat.
When Jackie asks if being Blaine’s bootie call gets her a rebate, he doesn’t pull any punches.
Blaine The Business Man
It’s just a not so subtle reminder that Blaine is not a nice guy.
We then see a montage of Blaine and Jackie enjoying Jackie’s wealth. There is time at the pool followed up with spray tans before Blaine ends up in the kitchen. He makes Red Chili Pepper Brain Smoothies for him and Jackie to sip in privilege.
Red Chili & Brain Smoothies
Major Problems
After Liv showed up at Major’s place last episode she’s felt nothing but guilt. She gets another gut punch when she visits his place first thing in the morning with coffee. Major has a girl over. Corinne, played by the lovely Elise Gatien, is wearing a “U Dub” shirt. It’s not Corinne’s though, she’s wearing Major’s clothes.
Liv leaves with as much dignity as she can, and I’m amazed how “adult” she was over the interaction. My personal experience is very different. In my world there would have been hair pulling and screaming if a recent ex finds their ex with a new hottie.
Back at the ME’s office there is a new victim. The moment Clive sees the body, he recognizes the victim. This leads to Clive telling Liv to stay out of it. He’s telling her this just as she’s seeing Clive screaming and beating Sammy up.
With Sammy’s brains coloring Liv’s mood she’s turned emotional, suspicious, and possessive. This leads to Liv pushing Ravi to fill Major’s roommate need. Liv thinks that if she can get Ravi into Major’s lease space, it will mean Corinne won’t be able to be there. Obviously Liv is acting a bit crazy. Major isn’t just seeing Corinne because he sees someone to pay the rent, she also has a great personality.
Brain Chef
Out on the streets Blaine takes us to where he runs his business from. He’s expanded and not only has a Brain Chef, but underlings to deliver it.
Brains Door Dash
While Blaine is running his business Liv’s paranoia drives her to follow up on Clive’s background. This makes Liv even more sure that Clive is a dirty cop. As Liv and Ravi follow up on the leads her visions are feeding her, they end up at an Asian comic book/porn store. While there Liv get’s more Sammy visions of Clive not being the nicest guy.
As Liv and Ravi are leaving they see Clive pulling up and going into the very same store.
Clive Showing Up At the Asian Comic Book/Porn Store
Later that night Liv ends up back at home, and her brother has settled in. She reminds Evan not to go into Peyton’s room. Evan is wondering out loud if there might be snacks in Peyton’s sports bra drawer. Does Evan have a harmless crush or is he a stalker? Can’t wait to see how this shakes out.
When Liv comes back from her shower to talk to Evan she finds Clive in her living room. He’s not happy that Liv has been following up on his past. Clive explains that Sammy was in witness protection. Sammy got himself killed when he came back to see his dying mother. Sammy gave Clive an ominous, stay out of it or you could get hurt message the last time they communicated.
Brains Delivery
Out on the Brains Delivery service Blaine’s delivery guys make a pitch to Jackie. They offer her brains for cheaper if she’ll buy from them instead. I’m sure this is going to end up just great for them. Blaine doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’s going to get pissed off by underlying defying him…right?
Meanwhile Major and Ravi have figured out that Liv is trying to set them up as roommates. At first Ravi isn’t so thrilled with the idea. At least until the two of them realize they have the same Diablo III fetish.
As Liv is walking home she sees a final Sammy vision. It reveals that the Asian gang knows that there is still an undercover agent in their midst. If Liv and Clive don’t do something, the undercover agent is a goner.
As Liv and Clive race to save the undercover cop Blaine is putting an end to his competitions small business start up. We also find out that Blaine is a decent shot, he puts a bullet cleanly into both their foreheads.
Blaine Cleaning Up The Competition
Liv Versus Gangster
Once home Liv calls Clive and he confirms that they got to the airstrip in time, and arrested everyone except for the gang leader, who wasn’t at the air strip. When Liv goes to investigate a noise in the other room guess who’s waiting for her? Yep, the gang boss followed her home after she visited the Asian comic book/porn store.
Liv takes the gangster down just in time to save brother, but he saw her face when she was Zombie Raging, but Liv shuts him up as the cops are leading him out of her apartment.
Just A Girl!!!
With all the bad guys under wraps Clive and Liv have a heart to heart. He’s hurt that she could ever think he was a dirty cop, and Liv explains that the visions she gets are very real to her, very powerful. Clive tells her that when your undercover you have to pretend to be something else, and if your their long enough, its hard for others, and even yourself not to remember the darkness you cloaked yourself in for the good of all.
Liv and Let Clive ends with Blaine thanking Jackie for tipping him off about his underlings about to turn on him. Meanwhile Liv, Ravi, and Major enjoy some “friend” time watching TV. At least until Ravi tells Liv that Major thinks there is still a chance to save their relationship. Liv doesn’t want to admit it either, but clearly they both want it. Even if it can’t be.
Liv and Let Clive Scoring
Liv and Let Clive scored a 75/100, making it Worth Your Time. The acting and story were top notch.
Vatos opens with Amy and Andrea in a canoe, talking about their father and how he taught them to fish. Amy and Andrea have a twelve year age gap and as they chat they realize that their father taught them each differently. He gave them each what they needed though. This leads them to another of their Dad’s rules, “No crying in the boat.”
Andrea & Amy Fishing
Up at camp Dale is on over watch, keeping an eye on everyone from atop his RV. As Dale sees Jim in the distance digging the camera zooms in for just a moment. Jim is digging what looks like graves. Dale goes over to check on him but Jim isn’t in a talkative mood and just keeps digging.
Jim Digging
Merle’s Rescue
Meanwhile Merle’s rescue team is coming to grips with what happened on the roof. Daryl has a brief moment of murderous rage before he switches back to tracker mode. It is time to follow his brother’s blood trail. The trail leads them to two dead walkers, one with a bloody wrench near it. Daryl comments that his brother is the toughest *sshole he ever met.
Merle’s Wrench Kill
Rick reminds Daryl that anyone can pass out from blood lose, no matter how tough they are. They continue the search until they come to a kitchen area where they find lit sterno candles and burnt skin. Merle cauterized his stump.
Merle’s Cauterization Station
Daryl wants to keep searching, but Atlanta is huge. They agree to look around a few blocks, but only after they get the guns that Rick dropped by the tank.
Camp
Back at the camp Amy and Andrea have returned from their fishing trip as victorious heroes. Because of their fishing skills the camp gets to have a real meal. The survivors are celebrating their good fortune when Dale comes back and lets them know they have a problem. Dale points up to the hill where Jim is still digging.
Dale leads the camp group up to talk to Jim, but Jim doesn’t want to hear any feedback. He refuses to stop until Shane takes the shovel from him and handcuffs him. Shane tells him he’s going to be okay but Jim says he doesn’t believe it. It’s the same thing Jim told his family right before they were torn out of his grasp and eaten. The survivors tie Jim to a tree. After some rest he tries to bargain for his freedom. He tries to sound normal, but there is still crazy in his eyes.
Get The Guns
In Atlanta Glenn is laying out his plan to grab the guns. He wants the team to split up on either side of the bag so once he grabs it he’s go someplace to run in either direction. Daryl asks Glenn what he did before the apocalypse. I think Daryl was expecting something more than “Pizza Delivery” as Glenn’s old profession.
While Glenn is grabbing the bag of guns (and Rick’s hat) Daryl finds himself face to face with another survivor. The kid Daryl finds is screaming for someone, which leads to a brief scuffle before two others show up. Daryl is outnumbered and gets a beat down. As Daryl is getting the snot kicked out of him Glenn comes around the corner, which leads the newcomers to focus on Glenn.
Charge
Glenn gets beat but Daryl saves the bags of guns with a well placed crossbow shot. They aren’t able to save Glenn though. The newcomers show up in a car and kidnap Glenn before speeding away, leaving one of their own behind in the rush.
Rick, T-Dog and Daryl interrogate their prisoner. Daryl wants to know if they also took Merle like they took Glenn, which leads to Daryl trying to kick the kids face in. I love this Daryl. It is the angry, impulsive, raw metal that the apocalypse hammers into a smart, deadly survivor in coming years. Going back and re-watching these old episodes really makes me appreciate the character development of my favorite survivors.
The Prisoner
The kids not speaking, which forces Daryl to use psychological warfare. He throws Merle’s hand at the kid and tell him it was from the last person who didn’t speak when told to. The kid freaks out and falls off his chair as Daryl bears down on him. Daryl tells him they are going to start with the feet this time. Not surprisingly, the kid breaks, and leads the group back to where his friends took Glenn.
Rick and team approach the Vatos and we are introduced to Guillermo, the leader of the gang. Guillermo drops some truth, calling out Rick for saying they just want to talk. From Guillermo’s perspective his guys were jumped and defended themselves. Guillermo wants the bag of guns in exchange for the damage done to his people. Then he’ll agree to the prisoner exchange.
Things are about to get very ugly. Guillermo tells Rick that if he doesn’t do what he wants Glenn is getting fed to his three man eating dogs. Rick and the Vatos are about to thrown down when the violence is interrupted by an old lady. It’s hard to understand what she’s saying, but someone needs their medicine.
Guillermo’s Charge
The old lady takes Rick by the hand and leads him to “the Asian boy”. On the way Rick realizes that the Vatos aren’t bad people. They’ve been protecting an old folks home. Better still, we get to see Guillermo’s three, man eating dogs.
Guillermo’s Man Eaters
Compromise
Rick pulls Guillermo aside, angry that they almost came to blows. Rick does the right thing and splits the gun stash with Guillermo. When Team Rick heads back to the van, it has been stolen, presumably by Merle, who is going to want revenge.
Back at the camp Andrea is looking for something to wrap Amy’s birthday present in. Meanwhile Shane checks on Jim before cutting him loose.
As the camp enjoys their fish fry, Rick, Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn are running back. They are afraid that Merle is going to hurt their friends and loved ones.
Running Back To Camp
As the camp is enjoying there fish fry Morales asks Dale why he still winds his watch every day. Dale quotes Faulkner about time.
I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire, which will fit your individual needs no better than it did mine or my father’s before me; I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you may forget it for a moment now and then and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it.
― William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury
As Amy goes to the restroom Ed hears noises just outside his tent. When he gets up to punish whomever is there comes face to face with a walker. Ed is swarmed in his tent as Amy steps out of the RV to complain about toilette paper. She steps directly into the grasp of a walker. Andrea looks up just in time to see her sister get bitten.
Amy Gets Bit
The camp is swarming with walkers as Shane tries to rally the survivors, yelling for everyone to make for the high ground by the RV. Rick’s small group shows up with their new firepower just in time to save the camp from being completely overwhelmed.
We then get the first of many punches to the balls that is to come as Andrea holds Amy in her arms as her sister dies.
The episode ends with Jim saying he now remembers the dream, and why he dug the graves as the camera scans the bodies on the ground around camp.
Vatos Scoring
Vatos was an excellent episode with good character development, tension and action. It is what every Zombies Series should strive to be! Vatos is Worth Your Time and scored a 94/100.
Batch 47 finds the Team at a Zombie pot farm. Literally. Zombies have merged with the pot plants, and thus we have Z Weed. The only problem is that the Zombies have fused with the pot, and harvesting Z weed makes them angry.
I love Z Nation’s mix of frenetic violence, fun characters, and the way it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Usually, this is great. Batch 47 takes it just a little bit too out there. Obviously you have to watch it because who just skips an episode in the middle of a series. But, my suggestion is that you have a few drinks to help you through it.
Or, better yet, if you live in a state where its legal. Light up a little bit bit of the green and pren
After the last few powerhouse episodes Batch 47 just doesn’t cut it. It was fun at times, but also silly, and I’m giving it a 60/100, putting it in Rainy Day Territory.
Batch 47 Scoring
The big news doesn’t happen until almost at the very end of the episode when Murphy’s Baby Momma shows up, and she is about to pop!
