The Walking Dead: First half of Season 3

(This review features spoilers to the third season of the show)

After what I considered to be a so-so premiere, The Walking Dead kicked it up pretty good in its upcoming episodes. Sparked by some pretty intense episodes ("Sick"), and some shocking plot twists ("Killer Within"), the first half succeeded in delivering good drama, thrills, and gore right to the last episode.

As our group of survivors, led by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), settles in the prison as their new refuge, they must face the threats of walkers still roaming the dark hallways, and the possibility of an external attack from another group of survivors. Meanwhile, Andrea (Laurie Holden) who is being protected by Michonne (Danai Gurira), find what they think could be a safe haven in a barricaded town called Woodbury, led by a man that calls himself The Governor (David Morrissey).

Overall, I was satisfied with what I've seen so far. The second episode ("Sick") featured some very intense moments as Rick and Company clashed with the surviving prisoners led by Tomas (Nick Gomez). The tension between the two groups was excellent, and the payoff was perfect. I also thought the suspense about Hershel, and the possibility that he might turn into a "walker" was handled pretty well.

The third episode ("Walk With Me") expanded on the whereabouts of Andrea and Michonne, as well as introducing The Governor and the town of Woodbury. The episode wasn't as intense as the previous one, taking a more relaxed pace, probably to evoke the feeling of apparent safety in Woodbury. The plot is mostly carried by the enigmatic Governor, played perfectly by Morrisey. As the season progresses, he adds so many dimensions and layers to his character that it's a joy to watch. We also find out that Daryl's brother, Merle, is alive and well serving as The Governor's lieutenant in Woodbury.

The big revelation in this episode comes from the way The Governor handles the military group that he was allegedly going to help in the end. I didn't particularly like the way the scene was directed (slow motion), but I was surprised nonetheless by it. Add to that the final scene with The Governor looking at the fish tanks, and we have a pretty interesting episode.

The fourth episode ("Killer Within") probably marks the peak of the season, at least in terms of surprising twists and shocks. Rick and Company have to deal with a horde of walkers that infiltrated the prison, helped by one of the prisoners that was left alive by Rick. The moment of the attack is very intense, and the action and gore is pretty good. Moreover, the departure of two original cast members came as a real surprise to me. I thought that final act was handled perfectly, particularly with Carl's big decision. Another effective moment of directing for me was how at that moment, they flashed back to the moment when Rick gave Carl his gun and told him:

"No more kid stuff. I wish you could have the childhood I had, but that's not gonna happen. People are gonna die. I'm gonna die. Mom."

The resonance of those words, in light of what happens in the episode, gives such an emotional impact. I really loved that moment. And Andrew Lincoln's performance in the end, when he realizes what has happened to Lori was excellent.

Like with "Walk With Me", the fifth episode ("Say the Word") feels a bit more relaxed and slow-paced after the intensity of the previous episode. Still, there are a few good tense moments, particularly between Michonne and The Governor, as they square off each other in mistrust. I wasn't that crazy about the way Rick's emotional debacle was handled, but I wasn't that bothered by it either. His frail state of mind continues to be an issue in the next episode ("Hounded") where he begins getting strange phone calls while isolated in one of the prison rooms. The best parts here are the ones with Michonne running away from Merle. All the stuff with Merle's soldier, Gargulio, was pretty funny too. Merle's eventual kidnapping of Glenn and Maggie was another highlight that set up what would happen in the next episodes.

The seventh episode ("When the Dead Come Knocking") have Merle and The Governor interrogating and torturing both Glenn and Maggie, as they try to find out the location of their group. Meanwhile, Andrea collaborates with Milton in one of his experiments on the walker's psyche, or lack of. The interrogations, and Glenn's fight with a walker, were the best moments. The scene when The Governor questions first Glenn, and then Maggie, was so good that I wanted to punch the man in the face.

The eight episode ("Made to Suffer") was the last one of this stretch, and it delivered in most aspects. First, we are introduced to a new group of survivors led by Tyreese. I really loved the way Carl handled the situation and I'm looking forward to what they will do with his character in the future. The action scenes when Rick and Company raid Woodbury were a bit clunky at times, but they still worked. The peak of the episode was the fight between Michonne and The Governor, which was nothing short of great. My jaw hit the floor when she actually killed Penny. I just couldn't believe they would go that way, and the fight that ensued was perfect. In the end, we see how The Governor betrays Merle as he reveals they have captured Daryl, and teases the crowd into lynching them.

Like I've said, I thought the first half really delivered and I was pleased with the outcome. Sure, there were some awkward moments (Carol's disappearance, how Rick handles Lori's death, T-Dog? Oscar?), but the good/great moments outweigh the ones that were not so good. I have to underline how surprised I was at Lori's death. I wouldn't have thought the show would go that route. With Dale's death last season, and now T-Dog and Lori, it almost feels as if showrunner Glen Mazzara was cleansing the show from everything that had to do with Frank Darabont. And even though I didn't have as much problems with Season 2 as most people had, Season 3 already feels with a more assured pace and a more focused story.

Kudos to Andrew Lincoln, David Morrissey, and Michael Rooker, who I think give out the best performances from the season. Looking forward to February, to see where they take the show. But for now, I give this first half an A- 

(All pictures belong to AMC and its affiliates)

Seed: The Walking Dead Season 3 premiere

Last weekend, AMC premiered the third season of The Walking Dead. Coming on the heels of a troubled second season, there is much expectation on how the show can maintain its footing. For those unaware, last season, original developer and screenwriter Frank Darabont stepped down as showrunner in the middle of an alleged conflict with writers and producers. Although the show has continued to enjoy solid ratings, some critics and fans have criticized the pace and narrative of the second season. So season 3 is the time for Glen Mazzara, the new showrunner, to prove that whatever problems were a result of the past administration, and that he can handle the job.

The episode, titled "Seed", picks up several months after season two, with our band of zombie-fighters on the run, looking for food and shelter in every other place. The group is still led by noble-sheriff-turned-dictator Rick (Andrew Lincoln) who seems to be at odds with his pregnant wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) probably because there's no way to make a paternity test for the baby in the middle of the zombie infested country. As they look for a place to settle, they stumble upon a prison that seems like the perfect place to hole up for some time, give some rest to the group, and welcome Lori's baby. But first, they have to get rid of the zombies around and inside the facility.But after a seemingly "easy" cleanup of the prison courtyards, they stumble upon bunches of "walkers" inside the labyrinth-like corridors of the prison. Their attempt to escape leaves one of them without a limb, and the rest of the group looking at a group of residents that aren't precisely zombies.

There was also a brief moment with Andrea, who was saved on last season's finale by Michonne, a sword-wielding woman that carries two armless and jawless zombies in chains. There's not much to say about this, cause the scene was quite brief, but I've been having my reservations about this character since the finale. But I suppose it's too soon to speak, so I won't.

Let me begin my review, by saying that I didn't have as much of a problem with the past season as most people. Sure, it had some ups and downs, but overall, it was a pretty solid show with some excellent moments. That said, I have to say that I wasn't that impressed with this episode. I liked it, but if I were to compare the first episodes of all three seasons, this one would easily be the weakest. During the first half hour, the show features three different instances of our group blitzing groups of zombies (first at the house, then at the prison patio, and finally at the inner courtyard). IMO, all of them felt somewhat stale and repetitive. There was no tension at all. It just felt like formulaic, by-the-numbers hacking to get the characters from Point A to Point B.

As for the drama between the characters, I didn't care that much for the conflict between Rick and Lori. But I do think that Lori's moment at the cell, where he wonders what will be of her and her baby, was pretty good. I think the last act picked up the pace a bit, and that last walkout through the dark prison corridors was pretty good and tense. I thought that someone getting bit was a bit dumb, but it might be cool where this takes us. I, for one, would've been stabbing and hacking at all those corpses heads like a madman to avoid that. And speaking of hacking, that last scene had me cringing a bit, but it's cool to have gore. It's a zombie show! Finally, the revelation that they weren't alone comes as no surprise. I think it was pretty obvious that there would be somebody else inside.

So, like I said, not the best season premiere of the show, but it was still a decent episode. I do hope that things heat up as the season continues. Grade: B-

(All pictures belong to AMC and its affiliates)