Monday, October 28, 2013

The Walking Dead, Season Four: Episode Three: Isolation


Glenn is digging a grave in the yard with Maggie looking on.  Inside the prison, the doctor is listening to the chest of one of the residents and shakes his head no.  Rick, Tyreee, Darryl and Carol are standing over the burnt bodies; Tyreese says that someone dragged them there and set them on fire. Tyreese demands that Rick find out who is guilty and bring them to him. When Darryl tries to pull Tyreese away, he gets aggressive and so Rick tries to tell Tyreese that they know what he is going through.  Tyreese  punches Rick twice in a rage, forcing Darryl to pull him off. Rick starts swinging and this time, Darryl has to pull Rick off Tyreese.

Later, Hershel is cleaning up the wounds on Rick's hands and asks if he is okay. Hershel says that they just went through something terrible and everything they have worked hard to keep out has found its way in. Rick replies that it was always there.  Hershel says that they could be facing an outbreak and have lost 12 people already.

In the yard, Tyreese is almost frantically digging a grave when he is joined by Bob, who tries to convince him to get checked out with Hershel or the doctor. Tyreese is determined to keep going until they are in the ground - Bob helps him.

Hershel and Glenn are chatting and Glenn wonders if they are going to be okay because they haven't gotten sick yet. Glenn adds if it's walkers, or people, they can do something but this, they're just digging graves. Sasha comes over coughing badly and says that she is going to see Dr. S.  Sasha makes her way into the prison and she is clearly struggling to put one foot in front of the other.  All around her people are coughing up blood.  In one cell, a person has been turned into a walker. Dr. S tells Sasha that it's starting.

A council meeting is held and Hershel says that the infection has spread and they talk about separating people.  Hershel says that they need antibiotics and brings up an animal clinic, since people may not have thought to raid it for medication. Darryl volunteers to go and so does Michonne, Hershel wants to come but Darryl reminds him that, out there, with the Walkers you have to run - and Hershel is missing a foot.  Hershel points out that it's a risk because Darryl has been exposed but Michonne jokes about it. Hershel recommends separating the most vulnerable as well.

The water pump is clogging up and Carol worries about the fact that five more people have gotten sick. They discuss Carl who is upset about being put in quarantine.  Rick says that it's better to be safe.   Tyreese has finished burying the bodies and stands over top of the grave when Rick approaches.  Rick says sorry for what he did and what happened but Tyreese believes it's on both of them. Tyreese again asks Rick to find out who did this. Rick suggests that the person who did this might have been trying to stop the infection from spreading and he promises to find the person who did this but Tyreese says that he is not feeling the urgency. Tyreese believes that murder is okay in this place now.

Carl is going into quarantine and Rick tells him not to fire his gun unless he absolutely has too, though Carl makes him acknowledge that he may have to. Rick tells Carl that he needs him there to protect Judith. Maggie heads into her cell and finds Glenn doubled over and very sick.

Darryl is getting the car ready when Michonne walks up. Darryl tells Michonne that he is glad she is there and she wonders where else she would be. They begin to talk about having a fourth person and Darryl says that they can't ask Rick who wants to be with Judith and Carl.  Darryl finds Tyreese in the prison watching the quarantine section and tells him that standing guard isn't going to do any good without the medicine and walks away.

Hershel  is still in the meeting room and clearly thinking hard. When he leaves, he runs into Carl and tells him to keep his distance. It seems that Hershel had planned to go out the woods and Carl says that he shouldn't go by himself. Carl then says he is going to tell Rick and Hershel tells him to go because he will be done by the time Carl finds Rick. Carl then tells Hershel that he is going with him.


Carl lets two sick people in the quarantine area when Lizzie reports that she doesn't feel well. When Lizzie asks to be tucked in, Carol advises that she have Glenn do it.  Lizzie goes through the door but runs back out and hugs Carol.  Carol reassures her and she heads into quarantine.

Beth is isolated with Judith and Maggie is visiting.  Maggie starts to cry when she says who is sick and Beth tells her to focus and deal with what she has to.  Beth makes it clear that Maggie doesn't have time to be sad.

Hershel is digging in the woods and Carl, who is back wearing his hat, is standing guard.  Hershel suggests that it was good for Carl to step back for awhile but Carl says that it cannot be like that all of the time.  Hershel suggests that during these last couple of days, they might have been safer outside of the wall.  Carl sees a group of tents set up and says no we're not.  They come across a well decomposed walker to weak to walk to them.  Another appears with a leg caught in a bear trap and Carl raises his gun to shoot but Hershel stops him and adds that it was so peaceful.

Hershel is visiting with Sasha, who swears that it's not so bad.  When Sash brings up Karen, Hershel tells her not to think about that.  Tyreese tells Sasha about the vet clinic and this gives her back some hope.

Bob asks Darryl if he really wants him coming along and Darryl hands him a list with the name of the medicine.  When Bob reads it off, Darryl says that they need him. Tyreese comes out and says that he just needs to get his gear and that he plans to join them. Tyreese then sees Carol and asks her to look in on Sasha and Carol promises to.  Carol adds that she is sorry about what happened to Karen. When Tyreese walks away in a fit of rage, Carol kicks over the drum holding water.

Maggie charges up to see Hershel and demands to know why he isn't in quarantine. Hershel says that Caleb is too sick to help but he can.  Hershel is going to make a tea out of berries he found in the woods.  Rick argues that if Hershel goes in there, he is going to get sick.  Hershel points out that every moment of life one is risking their life, and the only thing you can choose, is what you're risking it for.  Hershel makes it clear that he can save lives.  Maggie finally opens the door for Hershel.

Maggie then sits down with Beth and they talk about Hershel helping the sick.  Beth again says that they all have jobs to do and that they don't get to get upset, as she fights back tears.

Rick is examining the area where the bodies were burned.  He follows the trail of blood to the doorway and finds what looks to be a palm print.

Carol grabs the water hose which is full of muck.  The walkers are lined up by the fence but when she makes a noise, they start to head towards her.  Carol isn't pay attention as she gets surrounded.  Rick comes running screaming at her to run but Carol continues to work on the hose.  Rick tries to get out of the prison, as Carol kills zombie after zombie.  Rick gets through the fence and shoots zombies, as Carol runs and they both make it back inside the gate.

In the car, Darryl tells Michonne that he knows she wasn't running off but the trail got cold.  He promises that if things were different, he would have been out there with her.  Darryl turns on the radio and when he thinks he hears a voice, all of his attention goes to the radio and he nearly misses a zombie and goes off the road.  When he stops the car, it is quickly surrounded by zombies.  Darryl puts the car in reverse, only to have the tires get jammed in a group of zombies.  They decide to get out of the car and make a run for the woods. Tyreese is frozen in the car and Darryl, Michonne and Bob fight their way through.  Bob calls out repeatedly for Tyreese, which finally gets him out of the car but too late, because he is quickly surrounded by zombies. Tyreese yells for Darryl, Michonne and Bob to leave him there.

Bob, Michonne and Darryl make their way into the woods.  When they get to a clearing, they stop when they hear a sound.  Two walkers and Tyreese show up, so Darryl grabs Tyreese and kills the walkers.

In the prison, Hershel is with the doctor who accidentally coughs blood into his face.  Hershel tells Caleb that if he weren't in there already, he would be in there to comfort everyone.  Hershel wipes the blood off of his face and heads to Glenn to give him some tea. Glenn says that it would suck to get taken out this way and Hershel tells him not to say it and adds that they all have jobs there.

Carol is carrying water through the yard and Rick tells her that it was a stupid thing she did. Carol agrees that it was.  Rick tells Carol that she does a lot for them and sacrifices a lot. Rick asks if there is anything Carol wouldn't do for the people there.  Carol says no and walks away but Rick stops her and asks if she killed Karen and David.  Carol admits that she did and walks away.

Shit has clearly hit the fan on The Walking Dead.  The infection has spread largely through the prison and at an alarming rate.  It's obviously the one thing that they didn't think about.  Walkers were clearly their only concern. While people can you keep safe from the dead, they also represent a threat in other ways.

One of the things that struck me in this episode is exactly how much Carol and Beth who had previously taken to her bed have changed.  They exude absolute strength and a calm acceptance of their situation.  We have seen before that Beth no longer believes in grieving but this dedication to task is new to her.  In many ways, it is a vast improvement. In season two, it was Maggie comforting Beth but what we saw last night, was a complete role reversal for the sisters. Similarly, we have seen the same shift from Carol.  She has gone from an abused wife to a woman who is a realist, while gaining confidence and strength.  Could anyone imagine that she would ever be putting herself in dangerous situations and killing zombies.