TV Review: The Walking Dead (Season 4, Episode 7, November 24, 2013)

Last Updated on July 22, 2021

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EPISODE 7: Dead Weight

THE HOOK: In the wake of war with Woodbury, Rick and his group have turned the prison into a working community, but danger continues to stir on the outside as well as from within.

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS, so I don’t recommend reading this if you haven’t watched this episode

THE LOWDOWN: So much for the Governor becoming a good guy. That said, I’d definitely call him an anti-hero, like say, Riddick was in PITCH BLACK. He’s actually more dangerous now than he was at Woodbury. He’s got something to live for, something that he feels is keeping his soul and humanity intact. He’s also quickly realizing that dealing with potential threats early on is the smart way to go. I love the chess metaphors as he bides his time, weighing his next move carefully—as any king on the board should. He knows what he’s going to do the second he sees Martinez pop his head over the pit. And especially when the rest of guys start f*cking with him. He just kept quiet, all the while thinking it was time to get another fish tank.

As for Martinez, skipping ahead a bit, I’ll say this, dude was straight up with the Gov from the start. Back when he and Daryl were talking in the yard, while Rick and the Gov shot the shit inside, you could tell dude was loyal. Sure, he left the Governor behind at the campsite, but damn, wouldn’t you? When I reviewed the season finale where he lost it and shot everyone, I joked about that car ride being the most awkward hours of Martinez and the other guy’s life. Martinez could have easily shot him after he got the girl out of the pit or just left him there—and saying that the only reason he did save him was because of the family was pretty stupid. Martinez didn’t even expose the Governor’s lie. And then, in spite of everything, Martinez opens up to him over a round of golf and offers to share the throne. At that point I thought they were making progress and things would go back to normal. Nope. There’s only enough room on the throne for one.

The Governors rage seems to be triggered by the mention of leadership, and not simply the past. You can tell he’s uncomfortable with swapping war stories, but he doesn’t actually lose it until Martinez offers him a shot at more power/responsibility. And poor Pete. I almost laughed when he said the same thing. I knew he wouldn’t last long either, but moreover, on that particular kill, I think the Governor saw another Rick and decided that wasn’t a good thing. I get/don’t get the decision to leave his brother Mitch alive. On the one hand, dude’s bloodthirsty—maybe the only one in that camp who is—and everyone knows it, so he’s not only the perfect tool for the job, but a great scapegoat to boot. The other side of the coin is, you killed his brother. Remember how mad Daryl was at Rick for leaving Merle on the roof? It doesn’t matter if one sibling is a dick or not, family is about the only thing you can trust beyond the shadow of a doubt in that world. So I wonder, will there be resentment lurking in the shadows?

THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 4’s seventh episode ties up the two part return of the Governor and I have to say it didn’t disappoint. I loved the emotional trek he walked in an effort to find some kind of redemption. When it comes down to the call of invading a camp and stealing their stuff, unless my group were starving and there was no other way, I wouldn’t do it. And even then, I’d approach the situation without violence (if possible) and maybe try to barter our way in—they do have a nurse after all. Yes, that’s the risky way, but I’d make sure my boys had guns on them, so I think it could work. Of course I can’t blame them for wanting to go all ‘survival of the fittest’ either. At the end of the day you have to eat, and you need medicine and supplies. Like Mitch said, if they don’t do it, another group will. Though completely different from the comics, the return to the prison looks familiar (the Governor does return with a tank), so I’m very anxious to see what happens next week.

ZOMBIE KILL OF THE WEEK: The Governor saves some of Martinez’s crew and lays a beat down on zombie face.

BLOOD AND GORE: We get a lot of human on human violence tonight as control of the chess board shifts, but we also get Martinez being torn apart by walkers in the pit.

WTF CHARACTER MOMENT: Martinez. Bottom line, the guy tried to tame a wolf. Yes, a wolf might let you pet it, feed it and even play with it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not smart enough to know the right time to go for your jugular. Martinez saved the Governor, and that may have made them even, but to actually say, “I only saved you because of the people you were with”? Dude, you should have known better and kept your damn guard up.

COOLEST SCENE: For me it was the revelation by the water, when the Governor realizes that he didn’t have to change. When he realizes it takes a little bit of a monster to be the her.

FINAL VERDICT:

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