WALKING DEAD: Harvey, Adair & Smith Feel The WEIGHT
Season 4, Episode 7 “Dead Weight”
TIMOTHY: Good evening folks! Once again Mr. Adair, Mr. Smith and I are returned to give you our weekly recap/review/rant on AMC’s The Walking Dead. Dustin will provide… colorful? Yes, let’s use colorful, colorful recapping, Curtis Tweets his thoughts and I will likely opine on a thing or two. As always, Miss Anne-Marie is our Studio Audience Of One and Provider Of Looks, kinda like the one she’s giving me right now, which I’m translating as “Get On With It”, and so I shall. There are SPOILERS here, beneath our nifty new banner, and all manner of inappropriate behavior, so consider yourself warned and why are you making that face, Dustin?
DUSTIN: I’m afeared for The Brian, Tim.
TIMOTHY: The Governor.
DUSTIN: Exactly, Henchman found him, what if The Governor isn’t far behind?
TIMOTHY: … You do know “The Brian” is “The Governor” right? And his name is Phillip.
… what?
You watch the show we cover, right?
I do!! I thought Phillip was Laurie’s boyfriend.
Yes, but he was also The Governor.
Okaaaayyy….
And The Governor is The Bri… Brian. But also Phillip.
But The Brian is so *NICE*. I like The Brian.
And still the same person.
Okay, I believe you.
It doesn’t matter if you believe me, it’s facts! FACTS ARE FACTS!
Whatever you say.
…
PREDICTIONS!!
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Prediction: I will learn better than to make predictions. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
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Henchman’s camp will be super crappy. He will basically live in a Motel 6. But in the forest. And with better maid service.
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The Brian and his ladies are not going to have a nice time.
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Henchman will spend a great bit of time bouncing around Tara singing “I know something you don’t know.”
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Curtis brought alcohol, which means we are all going to be @#$%ed up by the end of this recap. (Anne-Marie: Word.)
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Many people will die. Or will be preparing to die.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis That tank must be a rental….because it has a governor. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
So chess, is happening. The little girl… those name I have forgotten because I never paid attention enough to learn it, so I will take Tim’s approach and call her Penny II is playing while The Brian makes with the laundry.
Her name is Meghan, but really, she might as well be Penny II, since that’s who the Governor really sees when he looks at her.
Meanwhile in the past, The Henchman is looking at The Brian and Penny II in the hole while everyone else stands in a circle around the thing and forgets there is a herd of walkers in the forest behind them.
And, again, his name is Martinez, and for a moment, just a moment, you kinda think he isn’t going to pull the Governor out, don’t you? And he would probably be right not to.
Henchman helps pulls Penny II and The Brian out of the pit.
Back at the laundry Penny II is complaining that The Brian never lets her win at chess, The Brian says that his dad never let him win at ANYTHING. Uh-oh, I think we’re about to get some backstory.
Surprisingly though, very little. And honestly? It would likely be a bit of a lie, or at least a shaping of a piece of the truth anyway.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Brian has daddy issues. Huge surprise? Naw. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
Penny II asks if she is bad, The Brian is like: “wha?” And so she is like, her dad was terrible to so it must have been her fault.
At the pit, Hench invites them back to the camp and says that he is in charge but there is no dead weight. If they can’t help out, they can’t stay. The Brian agrees.
Back as chess Penny asks if everyone will be safe because they are good, and The Brian walks away without saying anything. But he goes back to laundry.
Thinking this may be foreshadowing, yeah?
Penny II makes her chess move tells The Brian it’s his turn, and The Brian says he’s thinking.
Yep. Foreshadowing!
Oh, and they have an RV and a tank.
Aaaaaaaaand foreshadowing.
Dun dun duuuunnn.
To put it mildly.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Prediction: Carol shows up this episode. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
In the RV, Lilly asks where Tara went and The Brian says she is out on a supply run.
Lilly wants to improve the camp, The Brian wants something better for all of them.
Later The Brian is out with some guys at a lake…
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis “One-eyed Bri.” Classic What’s-his-name. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
Some fools are all talking about something, but I was looking at that weird AMC interactive thing and didn’t hear it. I can only multitask so much, people.
Meanwhile The Brian comes across a dead guy tied to a tree with his head cut off and the word “liar” written on his chest.
It’s unnerving.
It is. We’re so used to seeing zombie violence here, and the violence from people like the Governor, but all aimed at our main characters, that when we see something like this, something very human and brutal, it stands out. And there’s obviously a story here.
Back at the camp, Lilly is mending a cut on a lovely lady’s hand, and Tara is all “So… how’s the lesbian make out situation” disguised as a talk about guns. The lady who is apparently returning Tara’s Sapphic is named Alisia Alvarez.
Uh oh. Considering our thoughts about the life expectancy of Lilly, Tara and Meghan, this looks like a doomed romance from the start. But, considering our earlier thoughts on gay and lesbian characters being present in the comic and completely absent in the show, it’s nice to see a relationship here, even if it’ll all end in zombie tears.
Alisia Alvarez is a character from the comics, BTDubs.
Is she? I don’t think I remember her.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Thus the birth of Tank Girl. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
Out in the forest, the men come across a “rapist” who is in the same condition as the “liar”… things are getting super weird, you guys.
Interesting… are we going to get an explanation here, or is this going to be something that we have to set a mood and ratchet up the tension? Actually, I kind of like the idea of not finding out the details, since in the “real” world, not everything gets a nice, tidy explanation, and this whole thing is disturbing enough on its own.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis The next body will say, “philatelist.” @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
They find a house, with a “murderer” sitting out front. The men all stop and look at that, they are all pretty squicked out.
Henchman knocks on the wall, and there is the sounds of walkers crashing around so he sends The Brian in to be the scout.
Heh. If he dies, what has Martinez lost? And let’s face it… The Governor is good at killing things.
With The Brian in the lead, they enter the house.
This is actually kind of nice cabin, you guys, I’d take it in the event of a zombie apocalypse.
It is. But because it is this show, the idea that it could become a place of refuge and safety to be defended will be completely ignored so we can get back to the prison.
The men creep about the place with flashlights. Wouldn’t it be great if just one time someone on this show got to investigate a place with like, bay windows or a skylight or something?
Well, we did have the zombie falling through the ceiling a couple of episodes back, does that count as a skylight?
The walker attacks!! The Brian takes her out with his flashlight. Oh crap!! There is a couple of heads on the floor! I guess we found the rest of “Liar” and “Rapist.” Another walker attacks!! The Governor attacks it with his flashlight. It falls on the other walker and then we see that it is a mother and her child.
So it looks like the guy on the porch was the husband and father, yes? And he killed the two guys, and what, killed his wife and son, only to have them come back as zombies? A happy family tale, to be sure.
Later, Henchman and The Brian are sitting in front of the fireplace in the cabin and Henchman tells The Brian he would have left him in the pit if it had just been him. But he seems different now. He asks if he has changed. The Brian says he has.
Yeah, I’m thinking that’s a nice idea and all, but…
They take inventory of the dead people’s stuff and realize there is beer, MILLER TIME!!
Hmmm. How long does beer keep?
The guys all want to talk about what happened in the cabin, but The Brian would rather not. One of the guys asks if The Brian was always like this, The Brian defers the question.
As opposed to “No. I used to be a psychotic despot who murdered my girlfriend by zombie and slaughtered the very people I was leading. But I’m all better now.”
Now it’s time to play a rousing game of “What Did You Do in the Time Before”. Let’s meet our contestants:
One is a former ice cream truck driver who joined the army and upgraded to a Tank! He abandoned his post and stole a Tank when everything hit the fan! Let’s all say hello to TANK ev’rbody!
Our other contestant is a very handsome former Army soldier who stuck it out as long as possible before leaving to save himself! Say hello to ARMY everyone!!
Army and Tank ask about what The Brian was up to all the time between when Henchman saw him last and now. The Brian says he was surviving, but that’s about it.
Back at the camp, everyone is having a good time, Henchman is telling stories about the old days back in Woodbury, but The Brian just gets up and goes to do the dishes.
Penny II says everything is good. Oh, you poor dear.
Geez kid. Way to jinx it.
Lilly and Tara want to hear the stories about the old camp, but The Brian does not want to talk about it.
See the above comment about the murdering. That sort of thing always goes over well.
When lunch is over, Tara and Alisha head off to sing indigo girls songs to each other and The Brian goes off to fix a leak in the roof of his RV.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Is it raining? Why is the roof leaking? @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
Hench interrupts him and invites him to come shoot a couple of golf balls off the top of an RV.
I am telling you now, I love this. I love that this is a complete reversal of the way things were in Woodbury.
Apparently the other henchman died after they separated. The Brian says he is sorry, then the theme of this season is invoked: Sometimes you can’t come back from the things you have done.
Henchman and The Brian talk about how the camp is safe as it needs to be then Henchman offers to share the Crown Royal with The Brian.
So The Brian hits that mug with a golf club and kicks him off the roof.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis That’s better. Way to go Bri! @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
And here we go.
Oh, well then.
The Brian drags Henchman across the yard to the walker pit and throws him in while screaming “I don’t want it” Henchman is consumed.
Well then.
Yeah. So what it looks like here is that once Martinez says that he isn’t sure that he can make the camp safe, and protect everyone, that’s when Brian/Philip lets the Governor back out in full. Because that ego, that drive to control, that thought that “Only I Can Make Them Safe” comes rushing back to the surface. You have to wonder what would have happened if Martinez had said, “Look. I want to make everyone safe here, and I intend to do that, would you help me?”
Later when the ladies arrive, The Brian is sitting on the bed shaking. He tells them that he had a bad dream.
So… was that a dream? It would be really cool if it had been a dream, but come on let’s face it, this is not that show.
No, it’s not, and it would have been interesting if that was what happened. Obviously we’re getting the Return Of The Governor this episode, but if we saw it more as an onset, or return more accurately, of a suppressed madness through twisted dreams and hallucinations, that would give the character more depth. You know, an “I want to change, I really do, but my true nature won’t let me” kind of thing.
In the morning Tank tells everyone that Henchman must have gotten drunk and fallen in the walker pit. Army says he is taking lead of the camp until proper votes can be cast.
And that goes over… not at all well.
There is a little uproar, just enough to allow Tank to call Tara a ‘bitch’ but Army is an honorable man and says they will get it sorted.
Pete does seem like a good man, and that, I think, is what is going to get him killed.
Then they go on a hunt. Out in the woods, Army asks The Brian to help him figure out the leadership thing.
That line of thought worked out well for Martinez. Bye bye Pete.
Tank finds a camp, Army suggests they take the people in the camp in, but Tank thinks they should rob them. Army doesn’t think that’s a good plan. He wants to be a good man. Oh, crap.
Yeah. He’s toast.
Later, Tank and Army argue about how little they got on the hunt. The Brian wanders off and finds the camp they passed earlier, the people have been murdered and their supplies have been stolen.
Wait. How long did this take? And our guys never heard anything? Oh Time. How I wished you made sense in this show.
Tank is mad they didn’t rob the camp the before the raiders took all the stuff. Then he kills a wounded man. Oh Tank.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis That Mitch isn’t gonna last the episode. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
How very like the Governor. Hmmm.
So to recap: Tank is a terrible person and Army is too soft. Things are about to change drastically.
The Brian comes in to the RV and tells Lilly and Penny II to pack up their stuff, but Lilly is feeling obligations. Finally, he convinces them they have to go.
That night they leave with Tara and Alisha. After a while, they hit a walker roadblock where a small herd of walkers are stuck in the mud. The Brian gets out of the truck and has a look.
Hang on. Just hang on. Really? So these walkers are waist deep in the road, blocking it completely. Waist. Deep. Is this a pit in the middle of the road, because that’s a pretty deep hole they’re stuck in. I mean it’s a great visual, but it doesn’t make a lick of sense. And they’re all stuck? Not one can get out? The only way this works is if someone found a way to put them there as a barricade, but even then, why not drive over them, using the bodies to keep the car from sinking, or around them?
Is there any way out?
Is this the only road? Can they just drive the opposite direction?
Back at camp, The Brian puts on a sidearm. Lilly asks what he is doing and he says surviving. Oh @#$% we’re in trouble.
It’s the only road? The. Only. Road. Dammit Walking Dead, are we back to being stupid again?
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Still. No goblins. The search continues. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
He goes and knocks on Army’s door.
Then he kills that fool dead.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis What has one eye and explodes when you least expect it? @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
We saw this coming. Hint to the survivors of the zombie apocalypse: Become a bit of a bastard. Not a huge amount, just a bit will do. Your life expectancy increases dramatically.
Then he goes to Tank’s door and he invites himself in with a gun. Tank asks about Army and The Governor… I guess he is The Governor again, isn’t he? Goodbye, The Brian, I loved you.
Yes. And he’s been back. And it’s a shame. I liked the idea of a path to redemption of sorts, and what we’re getting is Woodbury 2.0.
Anyway, The Governor tells Tank that Army is dead and Tank is obviously upset. Did we know they were brothers? Had someone mentioned that before?
Yeah, earlier. You were doing the AMC website thing.
The Governor soliloquies about how sometimes you have to do the wrong thing. Then there is a monologue about cigarettes and how his dad was a @#$%. Everyone was beaten.
So Tank has a cigarette.
The Governor says he will do everything he can to protect the camp. If Tank joins him they will be safe because right and wrong are a myth and blah blah blah.
Hmmm. Carol said something awfully similar and that, well. That makes me uncomfortable.
Tank asks what they will tell the camp about Army’s death and The Governor comes up with a plan. Army goes into the lake.
Well, the plan is to tell everyone that Pete dies on a supply run, and that’s fine to a point, but c’mon. The way the Governor works, there’s going to be a lot of “explanations” for more dead or missing people soon, don’t you think?
The Governor stands on the dock.
Some time has passed. Here is now a bit of a council. They are setting up a perimeter. Things are moving along.
The Governor has a map!!!
Maybe he and Michonne can compare them and see if they match and this world makes any kind of geographical sense, but somehow I doubt it.
Lilly comes in and The Governor says they might be able to find a better place but Lilly is happy where she is.
Penny II is playing a game of tag.
The Governor cleans his eye wound. Lilly comes in and is all sweet about it, while Penny II runs around.
Penny II runs afoul of a walker and HOLY SH#@!!
IT’S VERY CLOSE AND VERY INTENSE, but Penny II makes it out alive.
Which surprised me a little. I almost thought we’d lose Penny II tonight and that would be what pushed the Governor over the edge, but really? He didn’t even need it.
Back to the lake for The Governor and there is Army, under water.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Brian’s got a new aquarium. hehehe. @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC
Oh no.
So the return is now complete, with a whole new “fish tank”, and an undead “trophy”. Well, we knew it was coming but it would have been interesting to have them go a different way with this, but really, in our hearts, we knew this was how it would end, right?
The Governor takes a tuck and goes on a mission all alone. He walks out of the woods and into a clearing where he looks at the prison….
He takes out his gun and looks at it… he walks around the place until he finds Hershel and Michonne burning the dead. He points his gun…
OH NO YOU GUYS!!
And next week’s preview shows the tank at the Prison. This will not end well.
Curtis Smith @Creepy_Curtis Great episode. Here’s a treat…http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/Firearms_and_Explosive_Weapons … @SciFi4Me @WalkingDead_AMC #gungasm
OK, Curtis liked this episode, and I… I am of mixed feelings about it. Yes, we’re building up to the assault on the prison in an echo of the comic, and yes, we’ve got the crazy Governor back, but I really liked the idea of a different tack being taken for the Governor, and I didn’t think the car trip/zombies stuck in the ground bit made any sense at all. The threat level ratcheted up, sure, and the idea that the Governor will do anything to protect his new “family” is good, but still… anyway.
Let’s look at your predictions, Mr. Adair.
I miss The Brian already.
I know you do. Number One! The Motel Six camp! Hmmm. Kinda yes, kinda no, since it’s more trailer park than anything else, but not “super crappy”, so that’s a no.
But The Governor is doing the laundry, so there is a maid service.
Good point. Half a point.
You and your damn point system.
Yep. I will give you the next one though. Overall, Phillip and the ladies have a rough go at it here, what with the car trip and the zombie attack and all the murdering.
I have powers.
Mmmm hmmm. Let’s apply those powers to the Number Three, shall we? No dancing, no “I know something…”, nothing like that at all. That would be a no all the way around.
… well. OK. Got me there.
And while Curtis did make us all a drink and we did, in fact, drink said drink, we all had one. One. So no @#$%-faced behavior here.
You had just one. The rest of us are bombed out of our gourds.
No you’re not. Not even remotely. That would be no points. And finally, well, this one I’ll say you got. We had two dead “main” characters, and with the assault on the Prison coming up, there will be more deaths, so “preparing” seems apt.
Success!
Mmm hmmm. 2.5. Half right.
With this show, predicting half of what happens isn’t that bad an average.
This is true. And for next week?
I predict that the Governor and Woodbury 2.0 will attack the prison.
You mean like what we saw in the preview?
Oh, was there a preview? Must have missed that.
…
What?
See you next week folks.
>>>>>
[Official Show Site at AMC] [Previous Recap: “Live Bait”]
I watched Talking Dead, and I found it funny that all the guys kept saying the evil Governor came back when Martinez offered to share top dog status or because Martinez was relaxed having a beer or something else guy-centric… nope! It was when Lilly said this was the safest she felt since the whole zombie thing started… that’s when Brian sits up straighter and the Governor returns! Like “NO ONE ELSE will be responsible for making you and Meghan feel safe besides ME!”