I did not see this coming. Not at all. This has to go down as one of the weakest episodes yet. And THAT, I did not see coming.
I could describe this episode 9 of season 2 like this:
Aftermath lingering of the final scene of episode 8 right before we went through an almost three month break. And oh, did they linger. They even had a skyview shot that hopefully didn't dig too much in the finances of the series.
They had characters arguing about the moral implications of what they did. They had Dale speaking for no one when he mentioned that Shane was more than a hothead but that he may killed Otis. Now, what bugs me about this is that this is Dale guessing. As if the writers had to find a way to have Dale be against Shane and move the plotline towards the inevitable scene of Shane going crazy and getting shot dead.
They showed Carol, grieving over her daughter in a flower and weed destroying scene that made her look like a little girl having a tantrum. They showed Shane washing her hands and forearms of dirt and grime just to make sure you remember he's not a full on bad guy. Guess the writers were keeping Daryl away from water so he could look dirtier and meaner.
They showed Lori having a conversation with her boy Carl. Then being shocked that he speaks of having to shoot someone dead too. That part is fine but then she sends him off to "rest". Rest? What has he done? Just sit next to his mom in the middle of the day and she sends him to rest.
They did have a scene between Daryl and Lori which was highlighted by him calling her Olive Oyl. That works for me on two levels. One because Sarah Wayne Callies is looking really stick thin and also because Olive always had two men after her. And then what? She makes one of those really dumb decisions that the characters on this show continue to make. Go search for Rick on her own. Then get into an accident with a walker and have her car overturn putting her in mortal peril. Not just her but the baby. I am sure the writers are trying to find different ways for us to worry about these characters but not when you make them this dumb.
Herschel is out in the town having a drink or twenty at some bar while his family needs him, including one that goes into some type of shock. See, I didn't have as much a problem with this one. Except for the fact that he has his back turned away from the door. This brings me to what I found to be the most interesting part of the episode. Two stray outsiders walk in and have a quiet type of menace to them. They chitchat and mention destinations in passing. And the discussion turns a bit philosophical when the smaller of the two strays mentions the stuff that they have had to do and that he's sure even Rick has had to also to survive. It's a shame too, when it ends so quickly. Because in a world with no rules that's the type of thing we would see happening more often.
I'm also sorry because it showed a hint of something that happens in "The Walking Dead" comic book series and it's a danger from other humans. Also, the actor with the most dialogue in that scene was Michael Raymond-James who is small in stature but has always acted with a quiet menace to him. He guested in one scene and that was it. Is that why he isn't even listed on the IMDB page credits?
This series has really run out of any momentum it had earlier this season.
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