Margaux and I talk about how great Melissa McBride is, which honestly is half the reason we even write for this stupid site.
Trevor: Season two of The Walking Dead was problematic as hell, in that the group spent the entire first half on Hershel’s farm, looking for a girl who was there the whole time. But if I could pick the best thing to come out of those slow, frustrating episodes, it would be Daryl and Carol (I think Tumblr refers to them as “Caryl”). Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride have maybe the best chemistry on the show. I enjoy them more than pretty much any other pairing, and in a show with no real weak links, acting-wise (at least since Chandler Riggs hit puberty), that’s saying a lot. If you told me in seasons one or two that fuckin Carol would become my favorite character, I’d ask you if we were watching the same show.
Margaux: Melissa McBride is truly the MVP of The Walking Dead, all of her solo scenes in “Consume” were haunting and emotional, the way she conveys feelings without words – I’m sorry Daryl but this was 100% Carol’s time to shine.
What I loved the most about last night’s episode was how desperately Carol wanted to come Daryl clean about all things she’s down in the time they spent apart and his sort of denial of that, trying to show her that he loves her no matter version of herself Carol is being that day. I know everyone (aka the internet) wants them to bang but I’ve always gotten a Mother/Son vibe from them, I hope they keep that up.
Trevor: When they laid down on that bed together, I thought “Tumblr must be exploding right now.” I hope they don’t bang. I feel like they’re some weird version of soul mates, but in a nonsexual way.
“Consumed” was such a somber, melancholy episode. I’m kind of a Scott Gimple fanboy at this point, so I want to give him credit for everything about TWD that I like, but honestly it’s hard to imagine the show having the patience or confidence to pull off an episode like this in the Frank Darabont or Glen Mazzara eras. Aside from McBride, though, last night’s MVP might have been director of photography Michael E. Satrazemis. “Consumed” was a fucking gorgeous episode.
Margaux: A lot of this episode did sort of remind me of previous, slower seasons but I appreciate that The Walking Dead has learned from their past and can put together a somewhat meditative episode that still has a lot of action. Maybe keeping the focus on the shows character who’s had the most significant arc over the five seasons doesn’t hurt.
What I really liked about “Consumed” was the way Caryl would trade off on who gets to be the badass in any given situation. Like when Caryl get jacked by Noah and Carol aims to shoot him down so they can get back their weapons but Daryl stops her. Not sure if it would have been helpful (at that point) for Daryl to have known how Carol straight murdered a teenager already, she was only aiming for Noah’s leg…
“Come on Daryl, I’m not going to kill two kids, I’m only gonna Herschel this one…”
Trevor: Haha, well I have to admit I’m so protective of these two that when Carol shot at Noah, my bloodlust was through the roof. “Yeah, get him Carol! Fuck that guy!” Even though in “Slabtown” I was rooting for Noah to escape the hospital. That’s how to lose audience sympathy: have someone be a dick to Daryl and/or Carol.
Also, speaking of shitty segues, was I the only one totally heartbroken by the fact that the place Carol “knew about” was a battered women’s shelter? Jesus.
Margaux: I wrote in my notes, “whoa that’s dark – and this is the fucking apocalypse.” I had completely forgotten all about Ed, her abusive shitheel husband, until she mentioned him to Daryl. It’s actually really hard to remember what first season Carol was like.
Trevor: Yeah, when I was looking up pictures for this review, Google showed me some Daryl and Carol season one action. All short-haired and young-looking. So weird. I can’t say this enough: Carol’s character arc is the best thing this show has done, period.
I also appreciate that five seasons in, we’re still finding new, creepy ways to get attacked by walkers. In “Consumed” it was the world’s worst Boy Scout camping trip, with the walkers trapped in sleeping bags, gnashing at Daryl and Carol like fucked-up earthworms. Very cool visual.
Margaux: Or the world’s worst roller coaster ride? The van being attacked by walkers, spilling over the bridge and still somehow landing rightside up – with Carol and Daryl safely buckled up inside, made my stomach lurch. And isn’t it worse to tightly grip onto something when you sustain that sort of impact? No wonder Carol fucked up her shoulder.
Visually though, the rain-down of zombies was pretty sweet.
Trevor: Especially because we only saw it from inside the van. Another great shot. “Consumed” had some great “show, don’t tell” moments, and for a show about a zombie apocalypse, it was surprisingly lyrical at times. Minutes would pass without any dialogue, and there was only a moment or two of levity (speaking about the scene with the painting here). And frankly, even those moments seemed forced – not by the show, but by the characters. Like I said, a somber, melancholy episode.
Margaux: Definitely felt forced at times from Caryl’s perspective, especially that painting scene. It felt strange to hear them talk about art when they are generally of the, “get shit done” mentality. It felt like stalling and very sad, tiny grasp at normalcy.
But I can’t say I’m surprised they kept running into Noah but I was totally shocked to see Carol get hit by one of Grady Memorial’s cars. I audibly gasped – I just had a hard time believing usually cautious Carol just bounded out onto the street. Look both ways, regardless of zombie apocalypse.
Trevor: It happened so out of nowhere that I half expected J. Walter Weatherman to pop up with a lesson for the Bluth children. At least we know how she ends up at Rapetown Memorial, and we get a clearer picture of what these final two episodes will look like: Rick & Co. going HAM on the hospital to rescue the RNC. And Beth, I guess. Those Tom Waits songs ain’t gonna sing themselves.
Margaux: Hahaha. I wonder if they’ll pick up Maggie and Glenn along the way – it’s hard to tell what that group will do in light of Mullet Man’s confession. Either way, Daryl’s response to Noah telling him the hospital has “guns and people,” “so do we.” Shit is going downnnnn.
Trevor: I can’t wait. This season had some calculated digressions – first with “Slabtown,” then last week’s “Self-Help” – so it’ll be nice to close out the first half of the season with the whole group.
I’m thinking four and a half stars for this one. Obviously, being on the Internet, I’m predisposed to like a Daryl and Carol-centric episode, but “Consumed” was so much better than fan service.
Margaux: “Consumed” really worked because it wasn’t fan service – I mean, in a way it was, Caryl Hour. But Melissa McBride is too talented for fanfic and her character arc is really one of the best things about The Walking Dead. I’d agree with your four and half stars – I think TWD is building towards one hell of a mid-season finale.
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