‘The Walking Dead’ season 3 premiere review: The search for a safe haven

“The Walking Dead” is back … but did it really return with enough of a bang?

After watching the season 3 premiere for the AMC drama, we are a little bit torn. Why? First and foremost, the episode felt as though executive producer Glen Mazzara forgot that he was promising a fast pace to the new season, and much of the hour dragged. As for what content was present here, it was at least entertaining. We saw the beginnings of a new romance for Carl, Michonne getting some medication in a drugstore, and Rick and Lori continuing to grow apart as the survivors went to a prison that they felt would actually keep us safe. Of course, there was something that they seemed to forget somewhere along the road here: there really is nowhere in this world that is safe, not even somewhere protected by bars.

By the time the action really started to get going this week, it was over halfway in; however, at least the episode ended with some shocking moments. Hershel ended up getting bit in the leg as a part of a search-and-rescue to bring Glenn and Maggie back together, and it led to him promptly having his leg amputated by Rick. We’re a little confused as to why our sheriff didn’t do this to some other people who have been bitten in the past, but we won’t object to it. The moment that is really clinging to our memory more than anything is the realization that these survivors are not alone in the prison, and it is not just walkers now who they need to be worried about. We know what this is going to bring us later in The Governor, and for that reason we are excited. With that being said, we do wish we would get to the meat of the story a little bit faster.

What did you think about the third-season premiere for the show, and do you wish that the pacing was a little bit faster given everything that happened at the end of season 2?