Is anyone out there worried that the Walking Dead will end anytime soon? Well forget all of that because much like the Robert Kirkman comic series the show is based on, don’t expect to see the series going anywhere anytime soon. Especially since Breaking Bad will be ending with this next season. Most importantly this is according to a very reliable source, namely the CEO of AMC Josh Sapan. Check out the quote below from him via Superhero Hype:d
“We hope that zombies live forever and we’ve just begun to find out what the post-apocalyptic world is like,” said AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan (via The Hollywood Reporter), “so that we’ll be sitting here at the Barclays conference in 2022 discussing the fact that Walking Dead is not over.”
Honestly, like the comic book this show could go on forever. The comic book has very few characters left from the start of the series but keeps on introducing new and compelling characters and situations. The show has killed off almost as many characters so far as the comic, yet has remained fresh without following the comics page for page. At first I was Walking Dead purist, getting angered whenever a character was missing or a new one appeared that wasn’t in the comics. The first season followed the comic pretty well, but after a writer shake-up it’s pretty much had its own momentum. I then started to ask myself –“Why do I need it to be the same?”
I’ve finally come to grips that the show can be good on its own merit without having to mirror Kirkman’s comic world and it’s done just that by creating a rabid fan base of viewers who just can’t get enough of the show. It’s spawned its own fan favorite characters (Daryl) and made comic fan favorites (Andrea) effectively fan hated.
So don’t worry fans, if you keep on watching, AMC will keep on making them because let’s face it: All of the characters are expendable save for Rick Grimes, but even in the comics that may one day not be true anymore. You can get your next dose of the dead this October with 16 all new episodes.
In the beginning of this, the mother of all finales, the Governor is beating the living hell out of Milton. They go into the room where Andrea is being kept and when the Governor tells Milton he isn’t leaving the room until he kills Andrea, he tries to kill the Governor. Obviously, because the Governor is a pro at evading death, he immediately turns the knife over onto Milton and explains that now he is going to die, and he is going to turn, and then he will tear the flesh from Andrea’s bones. Either he kills her or he dies, or he dies and then kills her.
Back at the prison everyone is seemingly packing up to go. When the Woodbury crew invades the prison, they notice that no one is immediately around. Tyreese and Sasha stayed back at the town to protect the children and citizens. When they began going deeper into the prison, the emergency alarm is set off and there are flash bombs everywhere, forcing them outside. Once outside, Glenn and Maggie, in full body armor, start shooting out the Governor’s men.
They immediately retreat, but leave behind the kid with asthma, who should not have been on their defense crew in the first place. The kid stumbles across Carl and Hershel hiding out in the woods, and while the kid is handing over his weapon, Carl shoots him in the head. Hershel brings this concern up to Rick.
Once on the road, the Governor makes his crew pull over. Some of his people try to explain that they believe they aren’t soldiers, and that they walked into a slaughter. The Governor turns on his own people and opens fire, sparing only his two most trusted men, and unknowingly, one of the women.
Back at Woodbury, Milton passed and started to turn. The door is closed, and last we see in this scene, Milton as a walker starts going toward Andrea, who is armed with only a wrench, and is still tied up.
Rick, Michonne and Daryl go after the Governor, but stumble across the pile of dead/undead Woodbury men he left behind. The one woman who was then locked in a car, got out and lead the group to Woodbury. Rick explained to Tyreese and Sasha, who were guarding the wall, that they initially went there to end everything, but then came across what the Governor did to his own people. They then began looking for Andrea, and find her in the corner of a room with Milton dead. Andrea then reveals her shoulder, which was torn apart by Milton. She asks to be the one to shoot herself while she still can.
Rick, Michonne and Daryl head back to the prison. When they arrive, they being a little surprise. They bring a bus full of Woodbury citizens with them to come stay at the prison.
For the last 12 minutes of this finale, I had tears either in my eyes, or running down my face. I would like to think that I have become more desensitized to the thought of characters on this show dying off, but it just isn’t true. Andrea has been with us since the very beginning. She has been through a lot since the beginning; having to put her sister down, going on runs, helping protect the group, being stuck in a group of two on the run all winter, and then acting folly under the Governor’s spell. I complained a lot about Andrea this season, mostly because of how she seemed dizzy with unmerited optimism, and blinded by the charms of a man who she knew was shady. She was a strong character in this show for so long. I am really going to miss Andrea.
This was a very strong season for The Walking Dead. We have lost some great characters, but we have also gained some. We lost Lori, but we gained Judith. We lost Andrea, but we got some Woodbury citizens. We lost Merle, but to be fair we had just gotten him back this season. We lost T-Dog, but we gained Tyreese and Sasha. Overall, season 3 has been extremely emotional, very frustrating, shocking, devastating and perfect. I have to say that this has been my favorite season so far. I award the finale a 4.5/5
Prey was an interesting episode. Andrea has become quite an annoying character this season. She has put blinders on and changed before our eyes from total badass to ignorant hussie. In this episode, Andrea begins to redeem herself. When Milton explains the plan that the Governor has to eliminate Rick and his group and shows her his torture chamber, Andrea says that she has to kill him. I didn’t like the transition to wide-eyes Governor groupie to professing murderous intentions. It was very abrupt… like a light bulb went off in her head, like “OH! That must be what everyone kept trying to tell me.” Moron.
Anyway, she’s back in my good graces after this episode. Almost the entire thing was shown from the eyes of Andrea, following her through her escape from Woodbury and over to the prison. The cat and mouse game between the Governor and Andrea was pretty suspenseful. First, through that abandoned warehouse or factory, and then on the path to the prison. Andrea leaves the Governor for dead in a swarm of walkers coming towards him, and yet he gets out scratch-free. Just as Andrea pulls up to the prison and begins waving to Rick, who only catches something moving out of his peripherals, the Governor tackles her to the ground so that no one can see it is her. He takes her back and straps her into a chair in his little torture dungeon.
I hate that the Governor is still alive. Not because he’s a douchebag… because he truly is… but because he is always in situations where logically he should be killed. It is unrealistic that so many times, he can stand in the crossfire of a battle smirking and not be hit. Overall, I really liked this episode. It was hard to keep my focus on it at first because I was sure Andrea would find a way to be obnoxious again, but she held it together. I really loved the excitement of the chase!
3.15 – “This Sorrowful Life”
I feel it necessary to begin this with the fact that I believe both Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker should have piles of awards for their perfect performances as the Dixon brothers. They are two incredible actors. Moving forward… this episode begins with Rick having a discussion with Hershel and Daryl about giving Michonne to the Governor. When Rick goes to talk to Merle about doing some of the dirty work, Merle explains to Rick that the Governor is not going to kill the katana-swinging hard ass, he is going to “do things to her”.
Rick decides that they cannot go through with giving Michonne over to the Governor, and has a very heartwarming group discussion about how they are all the greater good, and they need to protect each other. It was sweet. Preceding this talk, Glenn proposed to Maggie, who of course said yes. This was one of the sweeter moments of the show. It is rare that you get a love story in a situation such as this one, even if the ring came from the finger of a lady walker.
While clearing out a part of the prison, Merle knocks out Michonne and puts a bag over her head, then takes her away from the prison. Of course Rick and the crew thought he was taking her to the Governor, so Daryl went to find them. Of course, Merle had bigger plans. You know… when he was coming back for season 3, I knew there’d be some big reason, I just wasn’t sure whether it would be positive or negative. He lets Michonne out of the car and says there’s something he needs to do on his own.
After this, the eldest Dixon brother has himself some liquor and blares the stereo in a vehicle, attracting a large hoard of walkers. He continues this until the dozens of undead arrive with him at meeting place.
Merle ducks into a building and through the window, begins shooting our some of the guards protecting the walls of the town. He has the Governor in his sights, and right at the last second, a guard steps in front of him, getting immediately killed, but protecting the Governor from harm.
When the Governor attacks Merle, he bites off two of his fingers from his good hand! The Governor is such a charming man [Ed. – *shakes head*] that it is just incredible to get little reminders of what he is capable of… like biting fingers off of another human being. He shoots Merle, but of course not in the head. Daryl arrives to Woodbury and who is there to greet him but his big brother feasting on the deceased. Daryl, either viciously or mercifully, stabs zombie Merle in the head several times.
Next week is the season 3 finale of The Walking Dead. I cannot stress enough how excited I am to see that episode. These last two episodes are clearly leading up to something huge. I have loved this show since episode one, but this season has brought so much depth to the characters we thought we knew already, it might just be my favorite season so far.
I imagine if I were to create a “bucket list” it would include items such as finding a way to convince Julie Andrews to adopt me (sorry Mom) and Gladys Knight to follow me around narrating my life in song. Also on that list would be to attend PaleyFest.
Named for William Paley, the man who took a small Columbia Broadcasting System and turned it into the CBS we know today (one would hope minus the dearth of crappy sitcoms), setting the standard for all modern television networks along the way, PaleyFest bills itself as “The Ultimate TV Fan Festival”. With two weeks filled with panels and autographs and things of that nature, it just might be. Luckily for those of us TV fans who do not live in Los Angeles, the folks over at the Paley Center for Media have teamed up with Hulu to bring the panels to the masses. The day after a panel, it’s been put up on Hulu in both clips and an entire session.
There have been some good shows like The Newsroom, Revolution and Once Upon a Time and even some shows we here at Grizzly Bomb watch and review such as The Walking Dead and Arrow. Panels like this are always fun because you get a chance to see the actors behind the characters and often get some behind the scenes/story info much like this clip for the Arrow panel.
Lest we ever doubt that writers and producers are listening to the fans’ reactions, we played a part in bringing Felicity Smoak up as a series regular! If you were looking for an example of social media having a direct impact on something, that would be it. Had Arrow aired even fifteen years ago, there’s a good chance Felicity would still have been this small character until enough people sent in letters and some email to the studio asking for more of “that blond IT girl”.
Another clip that I found to be interesting is to see Stephen Amell talk about how he approaches “island Oliver”.
These two clips are non-spoilers but there are a few in the rest of the panel session, which you can watch right here, so be warned. If you did not recognize the moderator for the panel, that would be none other than Geoff Johns himself, rocking the Aquaman hat.
The other show of note was The Walking Dead.
Now, I do not watch The Walking Dead (there is no need to tell me how awesome it is and how I’m missing out – I’m a big ol’ wuss and damn near pissed myself watching one episode and I’d rather not repeat that experience) so there is a chance these clips might have spoilers and if they do, I apologize.
However, I did watch the majority of this panel and if I’m honest, it’s because I’ve got a wee bit of a crush on Chris Hardwick. The man is just adorable, I can’t help it.
**Possible Spoilers**
I thought this was really interesting because in a show about the ‘zombie apocalypse’ and when pretty much everyone is on the chopping block at any moment (of course one would assume major characters would be safe, but stranger things have happened), I imagine the thought that they could be killed off is in the forefront of their minds.
Of course once this topic came up, there was no way I couldn’t include it. Living south of Atlanta, I can commiserate fully. Summer down here is awful. You step outside and you immediately start sweating and I can only imagine what kind of hell the makeup people deal with. It’s a good thing the characters are usually sweaty and gross because man alive, if they had to look fresh and clean? Those makeup people would be winning an Emmy each year and rightfully so.
Again, here is the whole panel, there may be spoilers so be warned.
So now that we all know what PaleyFest can include, who wants to go with me? I’m taking names for next year’s carpool, we can split the gas and all share a bag of beef jerky.
Clear was one of the best episodes of The Walking Dead I have seen in a long time. Can we say character development? This entire episode focused solely on Rick, Carl and Michonne. The unlikely trio head back to where the Grimes family used to live; where Rick was a sheriff and Carl was a child. The idea behind risking their lives was to gather guns, ammo and supplies from places that Rick remembers.
Almost immediately, they all realized that someone else had made a home out of the place, this is where we run into Morgan. Morgan, in case you don’t remember, was in season one and saved Rick’s life. Rick hid out with Morgan and his son and nursed to health before meeting up with the rest of the group. Morgan has gone a little bit crazy since then, which of course pulls at Rick’s heart strings, considering his own recent hallucinations. We learn that because Morgan could not kill his walker wife, she eventually attacked his son. Rick explains that Morgan has to come back from this… this horror of what he’s seen, what has changed, and what he has been through. He may be too far gone, though, there’s really no way of telling.
Carl and Michonne went to get a crib for little Judith, and made a stop in a tavern that contained a photo of his mom, dad, and himself back in the world. In this episode, we saw Michonne’s human side. Unlike her usual robotic demeanor, Michonne is buddy-buddy with Carl, and even saves his life. Carl says to his dad that she might be one of them, which indicates that she has gained his trust.
Clear was an episode that looked like it was right out of season 1. Not only was it very focused, but it showed how small the world really is. Morgan was still around, and was the only human they ran into. It wasn’t shown so that we could see the group take guns from Rick’s old stomping grounds; it was made to show the humanity left in humans.
3.13 – “Arrow on the Doorpost”
It’s finally time for the face off! Rick and the Governor sit across from one another at a table to discuss what to do about their precarious situation. Philip seemed, once again, quite charming and relatable. He divulged information about his wife’s tragic death; the car accident after she’d called him at work, and he explained to Rick that he’s always wondered what she called for. It was a very thought-provoking story, because you always consider what the characters have been through since the apocalypse, but rarely think about who they were before hand. Philip was a broken man before zombies started taking over his land.
While Rick and the Governor were swapping stories and sipping whiskey, the rest of the group keeping watch decided to pair up. Oh, except for Andrea, who I could not possibly want to strangle any more than I already do. Daryl and Martinez kill through a line of walkers together, which was very impressive to watch. Daryl with his circus-like knife throwing skills, and Martinez with his baseball bat baton twirling act, was the coolest killing streak this episode. Hershel and Milton discuss the amputation of Hershel’s leg when he was bitten. When Milton asked to see his stump, Hershel replied by saying he should at least buy him a drink first. Laughter… something we hear very little of in this show. It was refreshing.
Over at the prison, sure the Governor would kill them all. Merle tried to go help defend his brother and the rest, but it was Glenn and Maggie that put their foot (feet?) down and stopped him, followed by a gunshot from sweet little Beth to break up the fight.
Glenn and Maggie have a sweet discussion where they make up from the tension surrounding their visit from Woodbury. This is followed directly by one of the sexiest… no…. THE sexiest scene in the history of The Walking Dead. Maggie and Glenn got their freak on… and it was HOT. Glenn has been one of my favorite characters this season. Much of what takes up our daily lives, being it love, sex, lust, like, and romanticism, are lost in the post-apocalyptic world. It is so sweet to see a couple actually making it in such harsh conditions. In fact, it is a regular American love story.
In the end, the Governor gives Rick an ultimatum; Rick can hand over Michonne and he will agree to leave their whole group and the prison alone. Rick is given two days to come up with an answer. The way both groups reacted to the meeting in the end was an amazing way to finish off the episode. The Governor explains to Milton that they are still going to kill Rick’s group, which Milton explains will be a slaughter – but Rick is no fool. He tells the group that the Governor wants them all dead and wants to take over the prison and that they are going to war. Rick and Hershel have a heart to heart during which Hershel explains that Michonne has earned her keep and saved some of their lives by this point because Rick seems to be considering giving up Michonne.
This episode was absolutely brilliant! The face off had to happen sooner or later, and I am overjoyed that it happened this way. I love the double-sided betrayal. I honestly cannot say much more than I am way too excited to see what the final three episodes of the season bring.
I would rate these two episodes as one, because the first of the two was a focused episode involving only three members of the group. 5/5 is something I am encouraged to rarely, if ever, give. However, in light of Arrow on the Doorpost being the best episode of the show this season, 5/5 it is.
Security is on lock down and the group is on edge after the attack by the Governor and his crew last week. Carl even told his father to take a rest and let Daryl and Hershel take over as leaders of the group. The prison is full of tension. I’m still not clear on how some things have settled. Merle is now just totally welcome by everyone but Glenn, pretty much. Michonne is also now completely welcome. Not just welcome… but participating and talking! In fact, Rick says that he is going to go to Woodbury to take care of the Governor, and is not only taking Carl with him because “he’s ready”, but also Michonne! Yes, the same Michonne who was going to be sent on her way after the group made it back to the prison after losing Daryl. I guess those two proved their worth when Phillip and his friends unleashed a truck full of walkers on to their property.
With Woodbury asking for citizens of the small town to join in an army to fight against Rick’s group, even teenagers with asthma, Andrea sees that her old buddies are in clear danger. She asked for Milton’s help covering for her so that she can make a trip out to the prison. When Milton tells the Governor what her plans are, he asks Milton to help her as she asked. Andrea makes a pet walker like Michonne had when she met her, by chopping his arms off kicking his teeth in. Tyreese and his group came across Andrea and Milton in the woods and Milton took them back to Woodbury where the Governor gave his sociopath welcome to the town. Tyreese and the group explained that they’d gone to the prison and encountered crazy Rick who kicked them out, and that they would join in their Woodbury army to earn their keep.
When Andrea gets to the prison, Rick does the coolest thing he’s done in episodes…. he throws her against the fence, frisks her, makes her get on the ground, takes her stuff from her, and treats her exactly how he should! Like a total outsider… because that is exactly what she has become.Carol is excited to see Andrea, but she seemed to be the only one. It was actually really cool because Andrea hadn’t been there for so many of the big events that defined the end of season 2 and the first half of season 3. She had no idea Shane was gone or how it happened, had no idea about Lori or little asskicker, and was shocked to see Hershel is now an amputee. I loved the reminder of those big events. This season has been so focused on Woodbury and the prison that I forgot how insanely dangerous it was for the group in older episodes, traveling from place to place, especially when the kids never stayed put! Now, both groups are in large secure places. They have come very far!
Andrea tries to explain to Rick and the group that they need to make peace with the Governor, and that there is more than enough room for them at Woodbury. Michonne gives her a reality check when she explains that the Governor sent Merle to kill her. Also, that he would have sent him to kill Andrea, had she gone with her. Andrea is sent with a car and a gun and one of the coolest things Carol has ever said; she tells Andrea to sleep with the Governor… to give him the best night of his life, and when his guard is down to kill him. Well, she says end this, but she means kill him.
Merle tries to bury the hatchet with Michonne. He tells her that the whole hunting her down thing was just business, and to let bygones be bygones. I have not made up my mind about whether or not I like Merle being in the group. What he did to Glenn was unforgivable, yet he really didn’t have a choice, or at least not a good one. The episode ends with Andrea arriving back to Woodbury to seduce the Governor. When he falls asleep, she stands up, grabs a knife, and goes to kill him… and then backs off.
PUSSY OUT! Like a boss.
Overall, I have mixed feelings about this ‘I Ain’t a Judas’. I love the introduction of Andrea to her old group. I hope it makes her remember how awesome she used to be, and I hope she feels terrible for being nothing more than the Governor’s little trollop. I think that Carol’s character is finally proving worthy of the show. These past few episodes, she has made herself useful. Carl is ready for the outside world, I agree with that. However, I am concerned for Rick being ready for the outside world. He left the gates of the prison because he saw a ghost…. and then admitted that he knew it wasn’t real and that it was a ghost. What happens if he ghost of Lori shows up while they are fighting a herd of walkers, and Rick just wanders off? I can only imagine that Andrea doesn’t kill her psychotic, tyrant boyfriend, or we wouldn’t have the remarkable battle that is sure to come!
I am excited to see what happens. I really enjoyed this episode, but I feel like too many things aren’t being talked about. How is it suddenly okay with Hershel and the rest to see Rick leading a group out into the open? How is it alright with Rick that Michonne not only stick around, but has his back? And how the hell do they go from letting Daryl go so that they can stay away from Merle, to giving Merle a key to the gate and a gun?! They are clearly setting a lot up, but they’re also letting a lot go.
Grizzly Bomb 
