‘The Walking Dead’ season 4, episode 9 review: Chandler Riggs shines in Carl-heavy hour
Tonight’s episode of “The Walking Dead” was probably for many not what you were hoping for in the wake of all of the craziness that happened last year with The Governor. Rather than giving us a panoramic look at all of the characters in the wake of the finale, we instead had a story that felt isolated, and really just focused on just two characters.
Carl – While Rick was around for this story, let’s face it: He was pretty much just an accessory for the vast majority of this. This entire hour was a great venue for Chandler Riggs to shine, and for Carl, it marked a chance to start to get a sense of how he was coming of age.
There were a few moments in here where the writing probably made you groan, since it was Carl being the same rebellious kid that we have seen on so many other shows over the years. But, the difference between those and all of the other show is that we feel like Carl really learned something from this. He can’t just go out and survive on his own; he needs help, and he needs it from his dad … regardless of how much resentment he may have over what happened to his mom and presumably with Baby Judith.
Michonne – While all of this was going down, Michonne basically took it upon herself to go on her own little solo adventure, chaining up zombies and killing a ton of people. However, what really seemed to get to her was a massacre in which she was reminded both of her own humanity, and also that of the walkers. A pseudo-flashback in here probably reinforced that, as we saw more of her attachment to Mike.
We’re not going to say that this was our favorite “Walking Dead” episode, but it may be close. It in the end managed to bring Michonne together with Carl and Rick courtesy of some pudding, and it focused more on the characters. After so much time devoted to zombies and supply runs, we were beyond happy to see this. Grade: A-.
What did you think about “After”? Was this the midseason premiere that you were hoping for? Share some of your thoughts below, and head over here to read some more “Walking Dead” news, including a preview for what lies ahead. You can also sign up now for our CarterMatt Newsletter in the event that you’re interested in getting TV email updates from us.
Photo: AMC