THE WALKING DEAD: Mr. Harvey and Mr. Adair get INFECTED

Season 4, Episode 2 “Infected”

[photos: AMC]

Dustin: So I promise not to use pants again this week.

Timothy: Good, because I know a lucky shot when I see one.

Dustin: No, I have powers.

Timothy: Suuuurree you do. For the folks at home, one of Dustin’s predictions last week was pants, and his so-called “evidence” for it being a successful prediction is… questionable at best.

Dustin: Powers!

Mmmm hmmm. Go on then. Dazzle me with your “powers”.

OK. I will.

Tonight’s predictions:

1. Rick will see a moral quandary where there is none.

2. Carol will make me love her more than I thought was possible.

3. Daryl will kill a number of walkers/infected people.

4. Someone will recognize the bleeding eye walkers.

5. Maggie will consider doing something new with her hair.

Huh. Most of those sound… somewhat grounded in reality. Are you feeling ill?

I’m fine! I take it seriously!

Right. Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to Mr. Adair and my weekly recap and analysis of AMC’s The Walking Dead. As always, we are joined by our Studio Audience of One, Miss Anne-Marie, who will provide the occasional bit of color commentary and pointed looks… kind of like the one she’s giving me now, actually. Huh. Anyway, as always, much silliness and inappropriate behavior is likely to follow, with the probability of something of an adult nature, like the show itself, pretty high on the list of things that could happen here. Oh and there be SPOILERS.

ON TO THE RECAP!!

Full moon.

Quiet prison.

Flashlight.

Some jerk feeding rats to the walkers. Hey jerk, that’s not nice. PETA will be calling.

Anne-Marie thinks it’s Carl. LOL Anne-Marie.

And there’s that look again. Luckily, not pointed at me, well, now it is. Right. I don’t think it is Carl, actually. What we’ve seen so far this season is Carl the Human Child, and this new version, who curiously does what he’s told, seems to be a long shot for this sort of thing. My money is on the weird girl who thinks walkers are “just different”. She’s clearly not well, and I could see her feeding these things like pets. ‘Cause she’s crazy.

Melissa and Tyreese are kissing and Tyreese starts talking about how much life in Zombieland sucks. Grow a pair, Tyreese.

He sings at her and she laughs and they are pretty cute. I feel like something terrible is about to happen.

Yeah, the foreboding is strong here.

Melissa gets up and they begin to leave the library…

Melissa’s flashlight isn’t working; it’s the Attack of the Horror Movie Tropes!! She heads into the bathroom… be careful Melissa! I love you… Poindexter is in there … oh the horror drama that is happening right now!!!

This is good, old-fashioned alone in the dark stuff… nice!

Melissa makes it out of the bathroom without Poindexter getting her. But he follows her to her cell block but goes after some random red shirt instead!!

Farewell unknown extra. Your sacrifice has been noted.

Apparently he was snoring and Anne-Marie thinks this is good and just. I hope I never have to sleep in a room with her. Sleep with one snoring eye open I will be.

Having shared a motel room with Dustin while we were working on a film a few years ago, let me just point out that it would, in fact, be best if he and Anne-Marie sleep in separate rooms. And that Anne-Marie prepares an ironclad alibi.

Wow. Getting a look from both of them. What?

Hush you. Poindexter is enjoying his barbecue dinner and CUT TO Carl and Lil’ Ass-Kicker and everyone is waking up… including the walkers DUN DUN DUUUNN!!

Glen has a camera… it’s an Instamatic, so all our “who is developing the film” jokes are moot.

He and Maggie were on watch all night, and they did a GREAT JOB I’ll tell ya, being that they stopped the person from feeding the walkers rats and all. Glen tells her he is going to get breakfast and heads down the tower.

Michonne is about to head off on her search for The Governor with her horse. I love you Michonne. She asks about the hat. Carl says it’s not a farming hat, it’s a killing hat.

The Hat waits. It knows Its time will come.

Carl notices the fence is having trouble and offers to help clear out the walkers but Rick puts the kibosh on that.

No one has noticed the walkers yet…

Think we need to see a map of the interior of the prison. Obviously this is a separate cell block, but where are they in relation to each other?

Carl apologizes about wanting to murder things. He wants his gun and his hat and to go on a walker killing spree.

Oh noes!! There is a ‘splosion!! Up at the prison!! Run everybody!!

Michonne turns the horse around and heads back to the prison, but when she gets there, there is no one there to open the gate!! Carl gets to the gate just in time to open it for her, but several walkers get in. Michonne is attacked by 2 walkers! Maggie is able to get one, but Carl has to shoot the other one.

Somewhere, the Hat smiles.

They get Michonne back to the prison, but she is hurt.

But not bit, so, what? Sprained ankle? Yep, looks like it.

In D Block, the new walkers are attacking the survivors. Rick, Carol, Daryl, Glenn and Hershel get in and get to getting with the walkers. They are able to make short work of them. Carol takes a man who has been bitten into his cell so she can amputate his arm, but discovers that he has been bitten on the back of the neck too… oops.

Rick stabs a walker with bleeding eyes. Daryl, Rick, Hershel, The Medic, and some… guy… with medical expertise discuss the possibility that this is some sort of illness.

OK, this I like a lot. It makes sense. Shortage of medicines, lots of rotting things around, it’s not surprising that some sort of flu could be a real problem. This is scarier than the walkers or the Governor, because you fight those things. A nasty flu or some new super-bug? How do you fight that in this world?

Carol brings the bitten guy’s daughter in to say goodbye. They cry and he tells them to take care of each other and then he dies. Come on Carol get those girls out of there!

Yikes. She’s trying to teach them a lesson about doing what needs to be done. Love you Carol, but not sure this is the right time for that.

She sends the girls away, but the older girl wants to do it. So Carol gives her the knife, but then she freaks out and Carol has to take the knife back while the 2 girls cower in the corner together. This whole scene is amazing.

Carl and Maggie are helping Michonne up to the prison when Rick comes out of D block. Rick tries to warn Carl off, but the kid hugs his dad anyway. Rick tells them about the breakout of the weird virus. Carl takes a step away from his dad and it’s a little hilarious.

The council meets and they discuss the sickness. They discuss quarantines. Out in the hall, someone is coughing, oh no!! It’s Melissa!! NOOOOOOO!!!

Oh Dustin. I’m so sorry. She’s toast. And just when she and Tyreese were doing so well. 

Tyreese is such a king baby.

Everyone on this show would KILL for some hand sanitizer.

It’s time for Daryl and Carol to have a moment. Yes, that’s the stuff.

Hah!

I can find pleasure in these two, while I wait for Daryl to come to his senses.

Carol takes the girls out to the garden, Lizzie the oldest, or Sophia the 2^nd as I shall call her, Is not ready to talk. Carol grabs the kid by the arm and tells her that she is weak. And she needs to buck up. Sophia II is all upset because someone has killed Nick the Walker. The little sister, whom I shall call… Puppy. Yes, Puppy says Sophia II isn’t weak she’s messed up.

I’m thinking “messed up” might be the understatement of the show this week. Lizzie seems to be a bit separated from reality, and that doesn’t bode well, methinks.

Daryl is digging the graves and Rick comes in and they talk about how Rick can’t be a leader and how hold decision-making is hard, you guys.

And Daryl gets a nice comment in there as Rick is doing his “I’ve made all the mistakes” bit, when he tells him that what he sees is that Rick is a man who steps up to do what needs to be done. Which sounds a lot like foreshadowing, since we all know Farmer Rick isn’t going to last.

Maggie runs up and tells them that the fence is about to fall over!! Hey, why aren’t we in Woodbury again?

Because, um…

No reason?

Nope. Got nothing.

Okay.

Not the first time you and I have asked this question.

And probably not the last. Back to the face stabbing.

Daughter Fodder is tending to Michonne’s ankle. Michonne tries to feel sorry for herself but Fodder is all “Quit yer bitchin’ and look at this adorable baby.” And Michonne is all like “I can’t because of all the PTSD!!”

Lil Ass-Kicker starts to cry and Michonne kind of freaks out.

Back at the fence, Shovel sees the rats! Oh no!! The fence is going to give!!

Carl is making crosses. Carol arrives and they talk about the stabbing lessons in the library. Carl asks if she is telling the parents and Carol is all like “Well, consent is such a muddy concept” and Carl is all like “Who is going to teach me proper morals in this place!!”

Somewhere, the Hat awaits Its time.

Actually, this is kinda cool. Here’s Carl, who we left off last season as, essentially, a child-murderer, being rational, asking good questions, and looking for answers. I like this kid right now.

Daughter Fodder her singing one of her stupid songs while Michonne does crunches. Michonne is all scowl.

Which, we must admit, she does oh so well.

Ass-kicker spits up and Daughter Fodder gives her to Michonne so she can go change. Michonne and Ass-Kicker take a moment to bond. She hugs Ass-Kicker and it’s the best thing ever. Daughter Fodder comes back in and sees all the bonding, she steps back and lets it continue.

Ladies and Gentlemen! Behold a subplot! Bets on Michonne’s past being revealed this season, and there is the loss of a child involved?

Daryl and Rick take the walkers some bait so they will lay off the fences. Rick cuts a piglet and sends it to the walkers.

Watch it, Rick, PETA will not be happy.

They do this several times

Bye bye piggies.

Rick is really torn up about the pigs, you guys.

You know, for another metaphor, which this season is starting of strong on, this isn’t bad. Rick, watching the innocent die, making the decisions he doesn’t want to make to save lives, etc. etc. Works a hell of a lot better than a monologue or seeing visions.

Sophia II and Puppy are watching the walkers. Carol arrives and cuts a flower for Sophia II’s hair. Then Sophia II takes a knife and Carol is all proud. Watch your back Puppy.

For a minute there I thought it was “watch your back Carol”. I really think Lizzie is going to be a problem. Think the Twins from the comic.  

Carl goes and Rick talks about how the pigs may have carried the virus or vice versa. Carl spills the beans on Carol but tells Rick to let her continue the lessons. Rick is all flummoxed, but agrees to let the lessons continue.

Which really makes sense. Rick might want to leave the violence behind, but he also knows what world he and his family and friends are living in; he knows the children need to have the tools to survive, and that pretending that they don’t is going to get them killed.

Rick gives Carl back his gun!! Then straps his gun back on!! Oh the amazingness!! Rick peels off his shirt that is covered in blood and throws into the fire. Poor shirt, you will be missed.

Just a touch of the Ol’ Symbolism there. A touch. OK, a lot. From giving the more mature Carl his gun back, showing he trusts his son, to picking up his own gun and showing he is part of the world again, we have a Rick with the self-inflicted blinders off. And seriously. How that shirt survived this long is beyond me. 

Tyreese goes to check on Melissa!! But she is gone!! She has been burned!! Poor Melissa, You will always live in my heart. And on Teen Wolf.

Which you and our friend Molly review on your YouTube show, Reviews For Humans.

Molly and I thank you for the gratuitous plug.

You’re most welcome. You two are funny. So! What did we think here? Rick is back to where he needs to be, there’s a nasty killer flu tearing through the prison, decimating our extras, and maybe a murderer. Nasty blood trail from Melissa’s cell to outside. Was she already dead or did someone take it onto themselves to “save” the others. And who is the other torched corpse exactly?

Don’t forget Carl is totin’ again.

Right. Curious to see how Mature Carl handles things from here on out. And with Lizzie armed now, Carl should be, too.

She could just be messed up over the death of her dad. The implication is that the girls already lost their mother. But now they have Carol.

Yeah, but I think she’s more than just messed up over loss. I think her little mind has cracked. We’ll see. So, you like or dislike?

Good episode, yeah. Kept up the high that the premiere had, and people aren’t being incredibly stupid. I’ll take it. And your praises for my amazing predictions.

We’ll see. Let’s review, shall we? Rick and the moral quandary. Well, not really. Quandary, yes, moral no. The only moral quandary Rick was presented with was the Carol Knife Class, and he thought about it for a minute and then made a decision. So… no on that one.

OK, but you have to admit, there is precedent.

No question. Still wrong. Two!

Hmmph.

Two! Carol, and loving her more. Well yes, and no. Gonna give it to you, because Carol is always great, but deduct half a point for her “Hey, sorry your dad died, here, stab him in the head” bit.

We’re doing half points again?

Yes, we are. Three! OK, this is an easy one. Daryl killing a bunch of walkers/infected people. Yes, yes he did. Cheap point, but a point none the less.

But correct. Powers.

Mmm hmmm. Four. Since Team Z put the bleeding eye walkers together with the outbreak, you did, indeed, call it. Nice job.

Powers. I haz them.

But not, sadly, in the hairdressing department. No changes to Maggie’s do tonight.

Maybe not tonight, but soon. Sooooooooooonnnnnn.

Uh huh.

Soooooooooooonnn!

On that note, we’re out of here. Tune in next week when Dustin will say…

Soooooooooooonnn!

>>>>>

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