The Walking Dead continues to kick ass, and Margaux and I continue to make shitty jokes about it.
Trevor: I guess these first three episodes were kind of a “prologue” to the actual season five, but that’s okay because they were all so well done. Loose ends were tied up, and it opened the way for the field trip to DC (and apparently a Beth-centric episode next week). Plus “Four Walls and a Roof” was shot, for the most part, like an actual horror movie – the home-invasion kind, like You’re Next – and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Margaux: I’ve been really impressed with the writing on The Walking Dead so far this season, “Four Wall and A Roof” moved quickly and didn’t retread too much already known information. I do agree though that the The Walking Dead have really embraced the horror movie look, the opening scene, where we pick up where we left off last week, and we can’t tell the difference between the cannibals and the zombies. It was really well done and super terrifying. And for all the adrenaline, it was well tempered with real emotional moments that had a sad but satisfying scenes for Bob, Sasha, and Tyreese.
Trevor: I was impressed by director Jeffrey F. January – this episode is his sole directing credit, but he’s worked as an assistant director on numerous other Walking Dead episodes. Although to be fair, you probably have to try to get a bad performance out of this ensemble. They mesh so well together. Speaking of great performances and terrible segues, how great is (was) Andrew J. West as Gareth? I loved his almost casual approach to villainy.
Margaux: Up until last nights episode, I didn’t really find Gareth to be a “scary” villain – totally nuts? Sure but there was something about him that came across as “embittered Starbucks barista.” I think it’s because Gareth had spent so much of TWD giving long speeches on why he’s an evil person, instead of seeing it but Gareth stopped talking to finally turn up the creep factor. His obsession with baby Judith and his theory that women-meat tastes better made me wanna dry heave.
Trevor: I liked him as a counterpoint to the Governor; sure, the Governor’s voice sounded like honey in your ears, but the man was obviously a villain from day one. Gareth, on the other hand, looks like a keyholder at American Apparel , and the thought of an unassuming, handsome dude like that becoming the leader of a group of vicious cannibals shows you just how absolutely your humanity can leave you (and yes, this is a point that The Walking Dead has illustrated numerous times, but it doesn’t change the fact).
Margaux: I’ve actually enjoyed the various ways and characters they’ve introduced to continue drilling that point home. And to speak to the Governor, I’m glad they didn’t repeat the mistake of dragging out the drama between Gareth and Rick. When Rick, Sasha, Michonne and Abraham kill the shit out Gareth and his cannibals, it was a truly brutal scene – like, straight up traumatizing. And Rick ripped a guy’s throat out with his teeth.
Trevor: When Rick and his group killed Gareth and his group with such bloody efficiency, I started thinking, holy shit, these are probably the scariest motherfuckers in the zombie apocalypse. People, like Father Gabriel for instance, are going to have stories about how they survived their encounter with the boy in the hat and the woman with the sword.
Margaux: Ultimately, I believe Father Gabriel will end up joining Rick and Co, if anything his confession of locking out his congregation and leaving them to be zombie food paints a pretty clear picture that this man cannot fend for himself. Especially with Bob’s parting words to Rick, “let people in”, I have a feeling Rick will be feeling a little charitable towards Father Gabriel.
Umm, can we talk about Bob? I am so happy he devolved into a manic laugh and started shouting “TAINTED MEAT!” at Gareth as they all continued to chomp down on his roasted leg. It was pretty much perfect.
Trevor: Yeah, that was a good fuck you to the fine young cannibals. I also enjoyed seeing Martin (whom Tyreese failed to kill) immediately puke it up. I was really hoping Rick would just shoot Martin in the church when he refused to kneel, but whatever, I’m glad he’s dead. That guy was like the apocalyptic Shia LaBeouf (not sure what I mean by that, but I know it’s an insult).
Margaux: Hahaha is being a “Shia LaBeouf” now shorthand for “total fucking asshole”?
The stand off in the church was so goddamn tense, I thought I was gonna barf everywhere. I wasn’t sure who was going to shoot first or if Father Gabriel was gonna crack and walk out, hands up with Baby Judith.
Trevor: He looked like he was about to crack, and it says a lot about Seth Gilliam’s performance that I’m already thinking of him as Father Gabriel and not Ellis Carver, so good job Seth. I just love how damn clever Rick and his group are. I’m glad the show keeps making a point of showcasing that, otherwise how would they still be alive? You know how in The Office, everyone sucks at their job, and you wonder why they don’t get fired? Yeah, TWD isn’t like that; it’s more like Parks and Recreation, where pretty much everyone is actually good at their job (sorry, I got off track here).
Margaux: Not at all, I too was impressed with the stealth of the group now. At first, I was like, what a dumb fuckin’ idea to go try and ambush them in the middle of the night. But when it’s revealed that was their design, to entrap Gareth and his group in the church and pick them off, I was like “damn, that’s long con, I would’ve just bounced.”
Trevor: So would the old Rick, which is why I’m so gag about the new Rick. Remember, after they escaped Terminus, he wanted to go back to the exploded compound full of flaming zombies just to make sure that all those pricks were dead. AND he killed Gareth with the red-handled machete, just like he promised! Oh, those Southern gentlemen really are men of their words. /fans self/ /gets vapors/
Margaux: You forgot, /pops massively small boner/
Yep, Rick is a Man of his sword and word. RIP Gareth.
I honestly didn’t think I’d be as upset as I ended up being when Bob finally died. And he didn’t just “bit” at the Food Bank last week, homey was missing a CHUNK of his shoulder. How did he keep that under wraps?!
Trevor: That stylish Army jacket, duh (I also liked that Sasha is wearing that now).
I’m glad the group split up, even if I will miss Glenn and Maggie, although I’m sure we’ll check in with them. I want to see what happened with Daryl and Carol, and honestly hearing Abraham and Eugene talk in their tough-guy Army patois was getting grating. And it’s a shame that on a show with such a big ensemble where pretty much everyone has a well-defined backstory (not to mention a show with so many strong female characters) that Rosita is still pretty much a cipher. It seems like she’s there to look tough and sexy. In one of my reviews from last season I said it looked like she picked up her costume from the “sexy soldier” bin at a Halloween store. Hopefully by splitting the group up like this, we’ll get some more definition and depth to her.
Margaux: I would agree that Rosita is pretty much a throwaway character, like they got burnt out investing time and energy in giving the other female characters backstory and stopped short with her. Either way, I do like Abraham, I think he’s the dose of reality that Rick sometimes has a hard time facing. To that end, it was also nice to see Glenn step up and have a real claim in the group and put Rick in his place – not like he hasn’t before but a lot of arc last season was reuniting with Maggie and like love and shit.
Trevor: Yeah, that’s a good point. Abraham has total tunnel vision, and if nothing else that will keep the season itself focused (even if Eugene’s cure does sound a little sci-fi for this show, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it). One thing we can both agree on is that Michael Cudlitz and his mustache are doing a hell of a job.
Margaux: That was never even in question. So, do think Daryl comes back to the church with Beth in tow? Do you think Carol came back too? WHERE IS CAROL?!?!
Trevor: If she’s not back keeping it real next week, I…I don’t know what I’m going to do. YOU’RE ON NOTICE, AMC.
Margaux: I think Kirkman and Gimple know they’d have a riot on their hands if they even thought about killing Carol off but if Carol returns immediately to the group, remains to be seen. AND I DON’T LIKE THAT.
Trevor: I’m mad now! I wanna give this episode one star for no Carol, but I suppose I should at least try to be objective. I was leaning towards four, how about you?
Margaux: “Four Walls and A Roof” was a solidly four star episode, I’m ready for the whole group to get back on the road again.
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