The Walking Dead Review: “Gone Too Far”

I had a great time at SFContario, but did not take video. It’s the first time (I think) that Writers of Note joined the improve session. I missed Sunday due to a severe cold, but made it home in time for The Walking Dead’s mid-season finale…

…which cannot be reviewed without SPOILERS. Do not read (or watch the embedded video) if you want to see the episode without spoilers.

Title: “Too Far Gone”

Cast and Crew

Directed by Ernest Dickerson
Written by Seth Hoffman

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes
Scott Wilson as Herschel Greene
Danai Gurira as Michonne
David Morrissey as The Governor
Norman Reedus as Darryl Dixon
Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes
Audrey Marie Anderson as Lilly Chalmers
Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene
Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee
Chad Coleman as Chase Tyreese
Kurt Acevedo as Mitch Dolgen
Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler
Meyrick Murphy as Megan
Juliana Harkavy as Alisha
Larry Gilliard, Jr. as Bob Stookey
Emily Kinney as Beth Greene
Sonnequa Martin as Sasha Tyreese
Sunkrish Bala as Dr. Caleb Subramanian
Brighton Sharbino as Lizzie Samuels
Kyla Kennedy White as Mika Samuels

Additional cast and crew information may be found here.

Premise

The Governor’s new people take on the prison, Rick offers a reasonable compromise, and people die.
Important people.

High Points

Those wanting another violent battle amidst a ghoul-infested apocalyptic world certainly get one where the stakes are high and the outcome uncertain– though the circumstances were forced. “Gone Too Far” interrupts the suspense at the prison to give us one of the better zombie attacks in recent weeks.

Low Point

I’m glad that Michonne got to finish off the Governor, but why didn’t she finish off the Governor? Surely she would have cut off his head, especially as she had time? Instead, he stumbles around, mortally wounded, until Lilly delivers the head shot, and we don’t actually see the result (although even she shouldn’t have been able to miss). Michonne should have been the final killer, given her past with the man. Worse, the staging opens the small possibility that he could survive. Not only would this be implausible, it would not be desirable. David Morrissey has done an exemplary job in this role, and the writers made the character interesting again by holding out the possibility of redemption—which did not, in the end, happen. He has run his course, and we really shouldn’t see him again.

The Scores

Originality: 3/6

Effects: 6/6 Pop-up Walker!

Story: 4/6 The Governor’s plot seems a little odd. He and his people assume Rick and group will surrender. When they don’t, were left with the options of (1) the Governor showing what a bloodthirsty man he is and (2) the group taking the prison by destroying everything that makes it desirable.

It’s a little surprising this group of people, who have had but little time to accept the Governor as the new leader, would ride into this particular battle.

Still, “Too Far Gone” gets the story going somewhere else.

Acting: 5/6 Scott Wilson gives a fine final performance in the show.

Emotional Response: 4/6

Production: 6/6

Overall: 5/6 This episode leaves the society in a grim situation, once again without their gray-haired moral compass, on the run, separated, sick, and with unresolved personal issues. Rick seems more up to the task of leadership than he’s been in awhile, and Michonne and Daryl remain as badass as ever.
Will the show’s answer to Hit Girl turn out to be an asset, or a nascent Governess? The mystery of the rat lingers…

In total, “Too Far Gone” receives 33/42

One reply

  1. I didn’t even consider the possibility that he could survive, and I’m going to do my best to forget about it.

    I agree on the low point but also want to point out where neither Herschel and Michonne, when they had the whole group as an audience, thought to point out that the Governor had not only got his entire last war party killed, but he killed most of them himself.

    People on this show just have a tendency of making really stupid nonsensical decisions.

Comments are closed.