Before I forget, check out the good write-up The A.V. Club did on this episode: discussing how badly this show breaks down when it turns from action to dialogue. Also they talk about how Darryl is awesome, which can't be said enough.
Woodbury. The Governor has arranged for a party - complete with cold drinks, such a luxury - for the town. Michonne, of course, is glowering at everyone. More importantly, the Governor goes to his house where we see him brushing the hair of his zombified daughter Penny. I think the graphic novel did a better job of showing just how OMFG creepy this is, but man, even here it is so clear that this man is effed in the head, keeping the little girl-zombie alive, locked in his secret room and safely wrapped in a straitjacket. Interestingly, like a horse, zombie Penny calms right down when you put a bag over her head.
Prison. Darryl and Maggie go on a scavenging run to fetch formula for the new baby, Darryl pausing to ask Beth to keep an eye on Carl. Rick is nearly catatonic for a bit, then grabs up an ax and heads back into the prison tunnels. His eyes are wild, he's feral, more terrifying even than the walkers he brings down, one after another, blood and brains and bone flying everywhere.
Woodbury. While the Governor speechifies to the townsfolk, Michonne takes the opportunity to break into his house to take back her samurai sword. She finds a notebook on his desk, a journal with lists of names that devolves into pages and pages of The Shining-esque hashmarks. When she hears a noise coming from the Governor's locked back room, she tries to break in but has to run when the Governor, Merle and Milton show up to pick up more beer. Milton thinks they're wasting resources with this party and should be focusing on his experiment instead (whatever that is) but the Governor says no, the people need this and the show must go on. Meanwhile, Michonne has escaped out the window and wanders around to Milton's warehouse/lab. She hears a noise coming from a metal cage: a bunch of live walkers are locked inside. She busts open the lock and as the walkers lurch towards her, she takes them out methodically. There's an especially nasty kill where she stomps on a fallen zombie's skull - she and Rick should totally team up. As she finishes killing the last one, she is discovered by one of the Governor's lackeys who has just arrived with a bucket of offal to feed the caged zombies.
After the commercial break, Michonne gets a talking-to from the Governor. He thinks that she killed his zombies on purpose so he'd kick her and Andrea out of Woodbury. He says he doesn't want her to go, although her breaking his rules will have to be dealt with, lest other folk get the same idea. He's in the middle of outlining the possibilities of punishment for her - nothing too grim - when she grabs her sword away from him and holds it to his throat. He's smart enough to STFU and she leaves. When Merle checks in on his boss later, the Governor says that there's no trouble with Michonne but could he please send Andrea to him? He also tells Merle to head out with the "research team" to pick up "more grist for the mill."
Prison. Axel and Oscar help Glen dig three graves out in the field. He's pretty brusque with them and goes to vent to Herschel. Blah blah blah sadness / lost three of our own today / wish we'd just killed all the prisoners right away / T-Dog was "the best." The dialogue is bad and the acting's not much better.
Woodbury. The Governor tells Andrea that Michonne has to play by the rules if she's going to stay. Andrea goes back to their room to find Michonne packing their stuff. Andrea thinks they've got a good thing going in this town but Michonne is all, this place is not what they say it is.
Prison. Glen tracks Rick down in the tunnels by following the trail of zombie carnage. Rick is still acting pretty insane and looks like he smells REALLY bad, all covered in gore. When Glen tries to convince him to rejoin the others, Rick grabs him and throws him against the wall, then shoves him away. Without saying a word, he turns from Glen and walks deeper into the tunnels.
Woodbury. The "research team" drives out to a tap and collects a net full of zombies. They kill some of them but others that look more promising are laid down and their teeth pulled out. Later, bags packed, Michonne and Andrea head for the front gate where Merle heads them off. Michonne is sure that they won't be allowed to leave but Merle surprises her and opens the gates. She looks at Andrea, giving her one last chance, but Andrea can't bring herself to leave the comfort and safety of the town. Snarling that she'll move faster on her own anyway, Michonne strides out into the world. Merle slams the gate closed behind her and Andrea watches her go.
Supply run. Darryl and Maggie have struck out at the Piggly Wiggly but find a daycare center. Maggie loads up on diapers, bottles and cans of powdered formula. As they search the place, they hear a noise in a closet. Maggie pulls the door open ... to reveal a hissing opossum, which Darryl promptly shoots. "Hello, dinner!" he exclaims, pleased. Maggie: "You're not putting that thing in my bag." They make it back to the prison just after dark. In the cellblock, the baby is crying and crying but when Darryl takes her from Carl, she quiets down immediately. Beth prepares a bottle of formula and Darryl feeds her as everyone looks on, grinning at the unexpected soft side to this tough guy. Darryl asks Carl if they've picked a name yet. Poignantly, Carl gives a list he's considering: Sophia, Amy, Jackie, Patricia ... Carol, Lori - every woman of theirs who's been lost. To lighten the mood a little, Darryl suggests "Ass-kicker" as a possibility: "You like that, sweetheart? Little Ass-kicker?" And everyone watching their televisions goes AWWWWWWW!
Down in the tunnels, Rick has made his way to the room where Lori died. He finds a nasty ol' zombie in there, a male with a big pooched out belly. Crazy Rick shoots the zombie in the head, then draws his knife and stabs it in the belly over and over again. We get the symbolism: he's killing what killed his wife. Also: Rick is a goddamn mess.
Woodbury. After dark, the party's main event starts. To the blaring of "Saturday Night Special," the townsfolk gather to watch a gladiator fight: Merle vs. some other guy. The trick is that the ring they're going to fight in is encircled by chained zombies. The crowd goes wild, chanting Merle's name. Everyone's way into it as the two men pummel each other, trying to stay out of reach of the zombies. Andrea is freaked out and horrified by the spectacle. The Governor tells her to relax - everyone's just blowing off steam, plus the fight is rigged since the zombies have been de-toothed. She still thinks it's sick.
Prison. After he's sliced and diced the dead zombie's belly, Rick sits in a corner. The baby's cries echo through his head ... and then turn into a telephone ringing. He gets up and answers the phone on the wall. Damn, I read the comics but I don't remember who's calling!
Previously on The Walking Dead / next time on The Walking Dead
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