It’s The Walking Dead season finale, so expect death, deception, and graphic violence.
Title: “Welcome to the Tombs”
Cast and Crew
Directed by Ernest Dickerson
Written by Glenn Mazzara
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes
David Morrissey as the Governor
Julie Sommars as J.J.
Danai Gurira as Michonne
Laurie Holden as Andrea
Norman Reedus as Darryl Dixon
Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes
Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee
Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene
Scott Wilson as Herschel Greene
Dallas Roberts as Milton
Chad Coleman as Chase Tyreese
Jose Pablo Cantillo as Martinez
Sonequa Martin-Green as Sasha
Melissa Suzanne McBride as Carol Peletier
Emily Kinney as Beth Greene
Vincent Ward as Oscar
Additional cast and crew information may be found here.
Premise
High Point
The show handled the suspense brilliantly, both in the prison and that locked room.
In the last two weeks, the show has killed off characters whose heads much of the audience has demanded. When these deaths finally come to pass, we cared about those people, and saw their potential to continue as characters.
Low Point
The Governor’s psychotic incident, while not exactly out of character, seems terribly convenient from the point of view of resolving the current conflict and creating a new one.
The Scores
Originality: 4/6
Effects: 6/6 Zombies and explosions!
Story: 5/6 The story works, though we have to accept a number of events. For example, we have a quick retreat by people– who, I concede haven’t been trained as soldiers.
You’d think that one of the Governor’s lieutenants would just shoot him around now.
Acting: 6/6 Chandler Riggs rises to the challenges the writers have given his character. His story was never likely to end well. Now we see how twisted his life may become, and yet, we can still understand all of his motives.
Dallas Roberts makes a strong exit.
Emotional Response: 5/6
Production: 6/6
Overall: 5/6
In total, “Welcome to the Tombs” receives 37/42
The questioning of Carl’s motives in this episode kinda bothered me.
In the episode where Rick shot the people they met in the bar, Rick used the same kind of rationalizations that Carl did here. And what about Rick leaving that backpacker on the side of the road to die to zombies earlier this season?
Rick’s made many questionable decisions, and has worked past them and through them to get to where he is now.
Carl should be spared the searing judgement from the “grown-ups”, that they so rarely impose on themselves.
There’s no question this was a grey area, especially given that the other guy didn’t drop the gun immediately. In a war zone, if someone says “drop the gun or I’ll shoot,” you should assume that person means it. As I said, I understood Carl’s motives.
However, this doesn’t detract from the fact that Carl risks becoming a dangerously warped adult.
Actually JD, I believe there IS a question about this being a grey area… It seems pretty clear to me.
1) some armed guy running through the woods comes into an area guarded by Carl…
2) Carl tells the armed guy to drop his weapon…
3) the guy DOES NOT drop his weapon, and then APPROACHES Carl with the weapon pointed away, but still in his hand….
4) the guy gets shot.
Clear cut example of Carl acting correctly.
Hershel is being unreasonable.
Graphic violence!
LOL.