What I’m Watching: The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: Season 1, Episode 4 “Vatos” (B+)

Here we have the best episode since the series premiere, full of both dramatic and action-related developments. I was particularly impressed by how the nature of society in this new world was revealed. At first, I questioned the convenient presence of a kindly grandmother, but when it turned out that this former custodian and his crew were simply defending the residents of an assisted-living facility, I understood how and why that came into play. The way Rick perceives and comprehends this new world is to me the most intriguing part of the show, and he makes a great anchor, especially because he’s a far subtler character than most of the others. The developments at the camp were affecting in their own way, proceeding at a much slower pace than everything in the city and managing to be just as compelling. It’s no surprise that someone would crack back at the camp, and this particular case was handled deftly and movingly. The ending to this episode reasserted this show’s incorrigible bleakness, with the dreamer’s vision coming true as all of the graves he dug could suddenly be filled by bodies. I, like everyone else, though that it was Merle come back to avenge his abandonment in Atlanta, and seeing the zombies so close to a supposed safe zone is a devastating reminder that nowhere is truly safe. The death of one character’s sister effectively cancels out Rick’s return with his family, sadly. Only two more episodes to go this season, and I’m sure they’ll both be terrific.