3081

I would agree with you except for the whole “Merle lied and said Michonne was dead, then Michonne showed up and killed his precious little daughter zombie and stabbed him in the eye with a shard of glass before escaping again” part.

Seriously, setting up Merle as an inside guy makes sense if you ignore the whole Michonne story line, and at this point I’m not betting against the show runner to do just that. You may be right in the end Monkey, but everyone will fling internet poo at the writers if they ignore what they did a few episodes ago.

3082

I think if they were going to kill off Merle it would have happened in this episode if not sooner, but it’s pretty clear he’s no longer welcome in Woodberry. My guess is that the brothers will escape alive with the help of Andrea and/or Rick’s gang, and that Merle will either have some kind of redemption in his future parallel to Darryl’s growth, or that the writers will invest in him for one more big scene or subplot and then kill him off.

Season 1 > Season 3 > Season 2. Hopefully the writing will improve next season. Honestly, all the writers have to do is make the character dramas less boring and linger at places like the farm for fewer episodes.

3083

Andrea is just a wtf to me. At this point I think the Governor could say that he only keeps zombie heads floating in aquariums because he doesn’t have television anymore, and Andrea would just nod her head knowingly and say yes sir, you are good man, it was so sweet how you loved your zombie daughter, a better man I could never hope for.

I can’t imagine Merle being a big plan to infiltrate Ricks crew, for all the reasons said above. He lied, he is the reason the Gov saw his daughter killed(again), and had a piece of glass shove into his brain, through his eye socket.

A good and frustrating ending:) I’m gonna be so mad if Daryl is killed.

3084

At the end of last night’s episode I thought the Governor was going to call out Andrea as being the trader.

Gotta admit, didn’t think it would be Merle. Caught me by surprise. Seriously thought it would be Andrea and then Rick would swing in to save the day and rescue her.

3085

I can conceive of it pretty effortlessly, actually. Andrea has proven herself to be entirely untrustworthy to Michonne. She’s betrayed her and started shacking up with a man Michonne knows to be nothing but capital “E” evil.

And now Andrea’s pointing a gun in her face because Michonne nearly killed that man. You really think at that moment Michonne is gonna suddenly get all discursive concerning shit she barely knows anything about?

Besides, the main thing she does know about Andrea’s group is that Merle was a part of it. And Andrea has demonstrated that she’s willing to be friendly with Merle now. I thought it was enough (and pretty damn dramatic) that Michonne lowered her sword and allowed Andrea to decide her fate. But you gotta know Michonne was taking a gamble 'cause Andrea is about as untrustworthy a person as this show has who’s still alive (and I say “untrustworthy” 'cause she’s not one of the bad guys but she has a singular difficulty with discerning who the bad guys are at any given moment and that makes her…dangerous).

3086

I think the episode ended just a short time after the zombie head reveal to Andrea. Her actions over the next few episodes will show whether she sticks with the Guv or not. I’m betting on not, but it’s definitely in the air.

3087

Guys, enough with the Andrea hate.

I think her actions are defensible and reasonable considering the circumstances.

Sister gets zombified and then killed. Spend summer/fall on a farm, spend winter scrounging for food, safety issues as a woman in the wilderness (cough rape *cough), hunger, cold, etc.

You come across an oasis (Woodbury) and want to shack up with the Alpha Male.

Now she is emotionally invested in this man so if love has made her a little blind it isn’t the first time it has happened to a human being.

I don’t think her actions are that far off.

3088

Honestly, I thought Michonne’s initial reaction to Woodbury was overtly and unjustifiably hostile. Yes, she was eventually proven right, but she was kind of a dick right out of the gate.

3089

Yup. But being unreasonably paranoid and hostile is likely a good survival trait in the post-ZA world.

3090

It shows she has good intuition. Her instincts keep her alive.

Michonne is the snake eyes of the group.

Yo joe!

3091

I loved this episode because everyone’s motivations made sense to me.

The time to complain about Michonne not telling Rick(about Merle) and Andrea(about Rick’s group) was before, which I did. At this point, this is the way it is so we might as well just go with it. Even in the episode, it was Glen who told everyone about Merle!

Andrea is invested in Woodbury and the Governor. She saw the town attacked. She has previous experience with people keeping zombie family members around. She has no knowledge of the sweet setup, in terms of defensible positions, that Rick’s group has now. Woodbury is her best play, she’s actually a badass in Woodbury.

I’m sure Michonne realizes there’s nothing to say to Andrea now that will matter. “Your old group, Rick and everyone, are the ones at the prison, let’s go!”? Leave Woodbury for an awkward reunion with the people who left her behind, people who now live in a prison?!?! I don’t think so.

edit: About the hole in the wall, that’s a huge prison facility. Unless someone did a walk around, which we never saw or even heard suggested, there could be any number of holes in the walls and fences. The important thing was THEIR area was cleared and secured. Then, even if you did a walk around and found that huge hole, so what? It’s not like they can patch it up. What they can do is what they did, clear and secure their own small area.

3092

Michonne: Remember how I told you that no one leaves this place alive? The Governor here sent Merle and an assassination squad after me, then kidnapped Glenn and Maggie and tortured them. Just saying. Rick’s leaving with them right now. Bye.

Andrea: I soooo think so on leaving! [kicks Governor in balls] Wait for me!

3093

I actually liked the way this episode progressed the story and relating it to Lost is unfair. The story is progressing and there isn’t any stupid magic or time travel to explain ridiculous events, just super powerful smoke grenades (comparable to Company of Heroes in their power) and people that don’t trust other people they don’t know.

The creepy guy hitting on the 17 year old hottie, then getting called out by Carol. That scene was awesome. At first I thought he was going to take advantage of his dominant position but then I realized he’s just a crazy guy that’s been locked in a prison his whole life so he probably doesn’t understand social norms or even ZA-acceptable norms.

3094

By the way, was that Shane (Jon Bernthal) that Rick saw (hallucinated) in the shoot-out scene?

If so, they brought they actor in for that 5-second scene?!

3095

Yes and yes. I guess in real life the actors that play Shane and Rick have become pretty good friends, so I imagine it was a favor.

3096

I didn’t even notice that because the way that was edited I thought that guy was coming for Rick, then he shoots someone else. So I was sitting there wondering what the hell that was all about. Now I know.

Not to beat a dead horse regarding Michonne and Andrea, but I really don’t think Andrea would have left with her. The time for Michonne to lay it on the table was episodes ago, before she left. I do think Andrea was receptive to the concept of leaving then, provided Michonne could articulate why they should leave and what they were going to do instead of make an attempt at living in Woodbury.

I think even if Michonne was to go into great detail about how Rick and the group have it set up at the prison, why would Andrea drop all she has at Woodbury to go there? She has it made at Woodbury, there is nothing of importance to her at the prison. It’s not like she was especially close to any of the current survivors there.

3097

Michonne doesn’t really seem like the talkitive type. I think that was their justification for not having her tell anyone about Meryl or Andrea. Although I think it was kind of strange, she said that someone shot her and captured Glenn and Maggie, but she didn’t say his name. I thought that was a little poorly done.

I’ve noticed a lot of little plot holes over the course of the show. For instance, how did Rick not get evacuated when the infection broke out? Seems kind of strange they just left him there… Once they knew an infection was coming, wouldn’t they have evacuated everyone? Couldn’t have taken a lot of time.

With the CDC, the scientist said that the doors were super secure and they were made so that nothing can evr get out. And that topside was already locked down. But they blow up one window with a grenade and they are out? Seems a little fishy to me…

In the season 2 finale, Hershal was standing outside the house with that shotgun, and it seemed like he had some kind of magical 50 round shotgun. I practically know nothing about guns, but I don’t think that they have that much ammo capacity… seemed fishy as well…

But as per the super effetive smoke grenades, a lot of TV shows have hollywood special effects done to them. If you are looking for a show that is 100% realistic and factual, I think you will be sorely disappointed. :D

3098

If you are looking for a show that is 100% realistic and factual, you shouldn’t be watching a TV series about zombies based on a graphic novel.

FTFY.

3099

The scene where Shane blockades him in shows that there definitely wasn’t enough time. Remember, zombies aren’t an invading army. People on staff and patients were turning. Hell, a hospital is basically a zombie breeding ground, what with all the dying going on.

I saw now problem with that piece, from a plot perspective.

As to the CDC, and Hershel’s gun, I don’t remember the scenes (e.g., did they cut away from Herschel or show him shooting 50 rounds in a continuous scene). But, I would call those technical nitpicks (e.g., how strong is a hand grenade?) rather than “plot holes”, which imply poorly thought out or written plots rather than technical issues. If anything, those line up more with your comment on smoke grenades.

3100

EDIT: Apparently the internet thinks that the Governor is sympathetic and Michonne is an evil bitch. People are so strange.