TV Korner: The Walking Dead 3.7 – “When The Dead Come Knocking”

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness…” “It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Nothing can describe the current state of the characters in The Walking Dead more so than the quote above.

The start of Season Three has seen both the light (Woodbury) and the dark (the Prison) in the dual settings of the show. This episode brings to light the comparison between the two groups more so than any other episode. It is Michonne’s arrival at the prison gates that allows the audience to compare the two groups of survivors. She is taken in and treated in both cases, but it is Rick’s reactions that highlight the difference between the two leaders.The series shows how this world brings out what is in a person’s heart and mind. I don’t think Rick could ever become the Governor– even the loss of Lori did not turn him into a brutal tyrant. This episode also clears up why the creators wanted to make the Governor look so much more civilized than his comic book counterpart… he is a mirror for Rick right down to his cross draw gun holster.

The Governor puts on a good public face, but behind closed doors he is savage, but does not have the power he appears to wield, unlike Rick whose mind and compassion have kept him in his role of leader. When the Governor learns that ten people cleared the prison on their own there is a slight hint of fear in his eyes. I don’t think that the people of Woodbury are capable of holding their own if the town was ever overrun. If the girl they were going to let train Andrea was any indication I think Carl and Hershel could take out most of Woodbury on their own.

The whole episode was filled with suspense from the Rick’s team making their way to Woodbury, to Milton’s experiment, but the real stand out moment in the show was Glen’s interrogation. Glen has been the sidekick the whole show, but tonight he became a force in the group. He was able to stand up to Merle’s beatings, Maggie’s violation, and fought off a walker while being tied to a chair and still was standing when the credits rolled. It seems like the younger generation is kicking a lot of ass this season and we are only half way to the end.

Check out a look at next week’s midseason finale: