Monday, March 10, 2014

To the Sanctuary: A Walking Dead Review


Well walker fans, it’s that time again as we check in with this week’s instalment of The Walking Dead entitled “Alone.”  We all remember last week’s awkward moments between Daryl and Beth.  Just about everyone I know was demanding a sex scene, except me who was looking for way more walker blood from an episode devoted to Daryl.  This leads me to believe one fact, Beth is a total buzz kill.  Still, looking back on the preview of this week on last week’s episode, I am a little let down.

Now, last week we were promised so really creepy and exciting images, so when you open with Bob the ex-medic just tromping through the back woods of Georgia looking sad and empty I have to say I was a little confused.  Bob, who has disclosed a drinking problem, caused his share of shit for everyone around him and a lack of real useful inclination to be useful has earned him moment of “how I got here.”  This shell of Bob stumbles upon a less battle scared version of Daryl and Glenn, yeah remember when Glenn didn’t look like death a degree warmer?  Me too.  Bob reveals he’s bad luck; he’s already lost two groups.  Daryl isn’t fazed or too impressed with Bob; still he asks him the questions, “how many walkers?” and “how many humans?”  Bob’s answers impressed me; of course he had lost count of the walkers but the humans: “only one.”  When asked why he did it, I felt an actual bit of respect for Bob, “Because she asked me to…”  Bam right there, in that sentence Bob was the man, if it weren’t for the next exchange that elevated him to rock star status.  Daryl asks if Bob has any questions for them.  Bob explains that to him, it doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter who they are or where the camp is, and I think I understand why.  After being with two groups and losing them all over again, a new group is just the same story on repeat.  See the man is stone cold bad ass.  I take back half the mean stuff I said.

Fast forward to the present-ish, Bob, Sasha and Maggie are battling Zombies in the fog.  Now when I say fog, I mean shit so thick that you couldn’t see how many fingers you were holding up if they weren’t right in front of your face.  Bob is almost taken out in the wave of walkers but is saved by a thick gauze bandage, still there’s a huge problem, the trio is down to 6 bullets.

Back to Daryl and Beth, we’ve come upon Daryl attempting to give a tracking lesson and the atmosphere is thick with awkward.  It feels more like an outing that adventurous couples do.  Ya know, “hey babe why don’t we go spend some time together and you can teach me something…”  Until they find the walker they were tracking, and in an attempt to creep up on it Beth steps on, I want to say some kind of animal trap, whatever it is she’s injured.  Daryl, once again has got to clean up the mess and take care of Beth.  I’m starting to believe that she’s supposed to be this forever damsel in distress… I liked her better when she was just a juke box.  I have to believe many women feel this way this week, as it is Beth who gets a piggy back ride from Daryl through a cemetery.  Now, choice of venue might not be the best, you cannot tell me that Norman Reedus giving you a piggy back ride isn’t a fantasy.  The fun ride is short lived as the two stop to remember Hershel a grave marked “beloved father.”    It’s a sweet scene and you see the humanity in it, but it can be convoluted if you don’t know what’s going on.

Back in the fog, Maggie is still determined to go out and find Glenn and has found a supporter in Bob, who is torn between believing in Maggie’s cause and his feelings for Sasha.  I have to say, Sasha’s idea to build a new camp, would probably be right up my alley if it weren’t for finding the sign advertising a “sanctuary.”  Sasha warns that it seems way too good to be true.  Now, I’m with Sasha’s paranoia but, when everywhere is danger, paranoia is hesitation and that is certain death.  Bob agrees with Maggie that trying to find this place, that’s probably the only shot they have left and with a 2 to 1 vote they all head to the sanctuary.

Daryl and Beth have secured themselves in a funeral home and there appears to be signs of life, everything seems neat including freshly prepared cadavers, creepy!  Beth decides that the cadavers aren’t disgusting or weird but, beautiful.  Beth, stop looking for signs of humanity in the crazy.  A search of the house reveals stacks of food in the cupboard without a speck of dust; this is obviously someone’s strong hold.  Now they have to decide if they are going to stay and wait or not.  While they wait, the musical styling’s of Beth on the piano while Daryl takes a nap in a coffin, and I cringe a tiny bit.  Till they pull the shot out and all over again my heart breaks, there is something terrible and sad and hauntingly beautiful all at the same time to this image.

Bob and Sasha have a debate about the plan to go to the sanctuary; Sasha pleads him to rethink the idea of creating a strong hold.  Bob seems firm in the idea that they are going through with the plan, but it doesn’t stop Maggie from over hearing the plea and coming up with a plan to head out on her own in search of Glenn.  Bob isn’t going to let her go it alone and tries to make Sasha come with him.  The last thing he wants for any of them is to be alone.

Maggie is hot on the trail and decides that just in case Glenn doesn’t get long distance brainwave, decides to write out a message in walker blood.  Also a good way for Bob to catch up to her, thank goodness for bloody bread crumbs right?

Daryl and Beth are still playing house, and it’s reading like newlyweds till they are rang to the door by a mangy looking dog.  I’m sorry I could not be that calm in that kind of place, this is all reading to me like a freaking death trap.  I think this is a kind of hunting ground.  Like someone is watching.  How do you not see that?!

Sasha’s still bitching away in the forest and trying to get Bob to stop with her, in any other universe it could be one of those, “baby don’t leave me” movies.  Bob explains that he’s not going to let Maggie do this search alone, that they have to keep moving because, maybe there is a chance at hope.  Bob goes so far as to call Sasha out on her fear of not wanting to know what became of Tyrese, and I have to wonder what the hell is going on with them and the post-apocalyptic cleavers anyway?  I guess it was too much for one episode… Anyway, Bob might want to step that back, calling a woman out can be strenuous for your health man. 

Back at the white trash brunch of PB&J, soda and pickled pigs feet, Daryl and Beth start to discuss how there just may be good people left in the world and are giving some serious thought to staying for the owners of the strong hold.  The moment gets really intense emotionally when walkers start pouring into the house.  Daryl is left to fight through an entire room of walkers only to find Beth thrown in a car and the car speed off into the night, so what does our tracker do?  Run after it of course.  Too bad the car loses its tracks on pavement and he crumples to the ground at a cross road.

Still on a mission, Sasha has found a building that she thinks could make a good strong hold for her and Bob.  Bob, isn’t stopping, he won’t stop till he finds Maggie and another group.  He’s no longer afraid.  In a passionate moment he kisses Sasha, hoping this will make her see that she doesn’t want to be alone either.  Sasha is still ruled by fear as she enters the building, it looks like a part of her is aching with the silence, until she looks out a window to see Maggie.

Maggie apparently can read Sasha’s mind or something, cause after an epic battle scene (Maggie uses a traffic sign as an axe, how awesome is that?!) she explains she’s been waiting for them.  She knows that it’s asking a lot but she needs Sasha and Bob to help her, and deep down she knows they need her too.  This finally gets through to Sasha, really?  Bob’s emotional plea gets a whole lot of nothing but Maggie says please and it’s fine.

Still a pile at the cross a road, Daryl is surrounded by a pack of ruffians and knocks the leader, Joe square on his ass.  Now, who are these ruffians?  Remember the invaders from the house Rick was recovering in?  Yep same assholes, including “dibs” guy, and they are certainly a bunch of rowdy mother truckers.  I’m sorry these guys are a horrible cliché, still outnumbered and without sufficient ammunition, Daryl makes a kind of deal with the devil.

In the fleeting end of the episode, the trio of Bob, Sasha, and Maggie are reunited and are heading on the tracks to the sanctuary and in the last shot, so is Glenn.  


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