The Walking Dead - "I Ain't a Judas" - Review

The Walking Dead has never been a great series. It’s a good series with occasional glimpses of a show that could be great; a show that would take its zombie façade to create gleeful horror setpieces and penetrating morally grey questions in equal measure. That is to say, it’s a version of the show that’s always been just out of reach from the writers’ grasps.

There’s so much potential here. For my money, there’s not another series on par in unused potential. Even episodes like the first three episodes of the backhalf (which have been mostly a letdown)  have all the makings of something that leaves you in awe and wanting more. 

For starters, there’s the obvious but potentially interesting parallel between Rick and the Governor’s descents into madness. It’s an instance where the show never makes the point explicit enough. The show could ask the question, one it keeps dancing around, about why Rick and co. are better than the people of Woodbury. Andrea’s decision of choosing between both camps could be deeply exciting and complex, but instead the show keeps returning to moral reductivism: Rick and the rest of our protagonists are the good guys because… they’re the protagonists. 

Another frustrating problem is that the show finds it near impossible to let the characters take seriously the leadership of anyone besides Rick. This logical fallacy makes no sense though; the way Rick’s been acting lately, Glen, Darryl, or a number of other characters could step up, and it would create new dynamics that would keep the show fresh. Rick going crazy isn’t idiotic because it’s bizarre; it’s idiotic because it hasn’t led anywhere (besides getting Tyrese to go to Woodbury). 

The show finds itself content to always return back to basics every time it opens up the possibility for new, captivating directions. Darryl off with Merle away from the rest of the group was a story that could have gone on for a few episodes more if the writers wanted, but, nope, Darryl has to plow through a character arc to make sure the status quo is maintained. Rick doesn’t trust Michonne and wants to send her packing; oh wait, Michonne is part of the group now. 

If the series had conviction in the stories it was telling, if it acted as if everything I was watching mattered and merited my attention, than it would be very entertaining. Such a plot treatment would mean characters are developing, alliances shifting, and dynamics changing. However, the only sense I’m getting here is that Woodbury and the prison will soon be at war with one another; a fact we’ve known since the beginning of this season.

This was a conflict the show made me look forward to at the start of this season, but, in the wake of the mid-season finale, the show is failing to make the aftermath of the first skirmish weigh heavily, consequentially enough on the characters and how they act. In terms of theme and character, it just isn’t working, and the plot just keeps chugging along with no real purpose other than “Oh, hey look zombie splattering”.  

Stray Observations:

-Andrea’s return felt very stilted. The reactions from everyone were in-character, but Andrea’s “I’m in the dark” act always strained just a little bit. Plus Andrea is the most poorly defined character.    

-Why are they so deadset on fighting the people from Woodbury? Yes, people have died, but they are outnumbered; it just doesn’t seem like a sound decision unless they can find some way to get the upper hand.

-The scene between Andrea and Michonne was great. I believe that’s the most expressive Michonne’s ever gotten.
-Merle is uneasily accepted as part of the group, although probably a bit too quickly. 

Grade: B-