The Walking Dead recap Episode “After” original air date 2/9/14
WARNING! This recap/review contains spoilers.
“It’s for you.” ~ Rick
O.K. I have to say I laughed out loud when I heard this line. A brief moment of levity in a show known more for its heartbreaking emotional moments and gruesome deaths.
But don’t worry, there were plenty of those in this episode too.
Picking up essentially where we left off at the end of the last all too brief ½ season, we find the prison over-run with walkers and our favorite survivors scattered. Michonne returns to full survival mode with a few leashed walkers, only after she delivers the final blow to poor Herschel.
We saw more of Michonne’s back story this episode. In a dream sequence, it was
revealed that she had a child, a lover and a friend that possibly all made it through a primary wave of walkers (remember, this is a dream, not a flashback.) The lover and friend apparently became her early pets, which is why she found it so hard to kill them during the Andrea/Governor time.
Run-down and close to emotional defeat, Michonne finds a new leash on life (pardon the pun) after seeing a look-alike walker. She proceeds to go all Katana on a herd, taking out her pets too. She is ready and determined to look ahead.
Rick and Carl find their own way, and this direction has been a long time coming. Beaten and battered, Rick and Carl eventually find a home to, well, call home for the moment. There’s a great scene where Carl stumbles into the bedroom of a pre-teen probably his age, complete with posters, a big screen TV and video games… that are unfortunately worthless now.
Rick continues to criticize Carl for not being careful for his own safety. Carl not only lashes out at Rick, but takes matters into his own hands, “clearing” areas of walkers on his own. Short on bullets, Carl nevertheless finds himself in situations he needs to shoot himself out of. He’s proud of himself and brags to an unconscious Rick that he can take care of himself, he doesn’t need Rick anymore.
But clearing another house while looking for food, he nearly becomes walker lunch himself. He escapes… and rewards himself by opening a giant can of pudding and eating it (OK, you have to see it.)
Returning to the home, Carl apologizes, letting Rick know that he can’t live without him. But, what’s this? Rick has got that crazy moaning and… has he turned? Nope. Andrew Lincoln’s contract isn’t up yet. Rick recovers just in time for “ding dong” goes the doorbell. And thus the above-mentioned line. Michonne has stumbled upon their home.
Amy Donley is an actress, having bared her soul (and other things) in the award-winning horror film SHELLTER (www.shelltermovie.com and download at amazon.com) She hopes you will enjoy these recaps and will cut her some slack on any errors and omissions. She really doesn’t have much brain matter left. Friend her on facebook.
The Walking Dead Recap Review
