Inmates was an interesting episode of The Walking Dead which answered some more of our lingering questions we’ve had since the prison battle, while still leaving things open enough to leave me dying to see the next show. It was an interesting format seeing the different stories of each group play out on their own, although it was a little confusing at first being out of order. However I love the dynamic of seeing all of the random little groups out on their own, and it’s gripping to see each of them struggle.
Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene were an interesting pair. It was weird to see Daryl as the one to want to pretty much give up, while a heartbroken Beth tried to retain her optimism. I liked seeing the two of them tracking together to find other survivors, only to discover a macabre scene. What I didn’t like about this part was how it was unclear whether the boot Beth discovers really belonged to Luke (a little boy that was hardly shown in previous episodes, and who Beth believed the tracks belonged to). I think she assumed it to belong to one of the kids from the prison, or perhaps the reality of the situation was hitting hard as she was starting to believe everyone else from the prison was dead and she’d never see any of them again.
I was so elated to see that Judith survived the prison massacre! Because of the unbuckled car seat, as well as the lack of gore there should have been had Judith been devoured at that scene, I assumed her to be alive. However, I wasn’t sure, and I knew it was just as likely that she was dead. So, when Tyreese revealed himself to be carrying the baby, it was one of the happiest moments of the show for me.
Obviously, they took that away moments later when that little psychopath Lizzie attempting to smother the poor baby to death. My smile from Judith’s reveal had faded and I became speechless. Without a doubt, the scene was one of the most disturbing of the entire series, and thinking about it now still haunts me. I couldn’t believe that they’d reveal Judy to be alive, only to show her get murdered in such a heinous way.
Needless to say, I’ve never been happier to see Carol. I was able to celebrate for Judith once again when Mrs. Peletier appeared with that poor baby in her arms. I’ve seen others refer to Carol’s return as anti-climactic, but the opposite effect happened with me. I really believed Judith was dying in that moment, so I thought it was awesome to see Carol return just in time to save her, even if that is a little theatrical.
Maggie’s bus scene was pretty suspenseful, I thought. I saw Glenn in the previews, so I figured he wasn’t on the bus. However, the scene was so well done, that I still found it incredibly suspenseful. Maggie didn’t know Glenn was alive, and I could definitely feel for her as she examined every walker in and out of the bus. Sure, Glenn wasn’t on the bus, but that just means he’s out there somewhere, dead or alive, without her knowing for sure. It’s a sad thing to see all of these characters handling these emotions in their own painful ways.
I’m happy Tara survived, because I find her to be a really interesting character. When the Governor talked about his plan to take the prison, Tara was quick to support him, and acted like she was a badass until the shit hit the fan. When she saw the carnage first hand, she realized she wasn’t as tough as she thought and did what a lot of us would do in that situation; she ran and hid. I thought her actions were very realistic. The prison battle also meant the deaths of her niece and sister, the last of her remaining family, so I can only imagine the weight of the guilt she must be carrying. Ultimately, I can’t help but feel badly for her, so I’m kind of rooting for her.
Glenn also had a great showing in this episode, and the show did a great job of making me care about Glenn again. Still fighting his sickness, I thought Glenn looked badass exploring what was left of the prison by himself, even if it seemed a little unlikely when he escaped getting completely swarmed (although to be honest, I really thought he might die in that moment).
Seeing the prison itself was also cool, yet still sad, in a way. While the pacing of the show has already greatly improved since leaving the prison, and it’s definitely time for us to move past it, I’ve got to admit that I’m still going to miss it. The prison storyline as a whole may not have been executed as flawlessly as in the comics, but it’s still the iconic prison, and after Glenn through those wrecked fences, we’re never going to see it again. Farewell, prison, and take care of the bodies (and head) left behind.
Oh! I can’t forget to mention the introduction of Abraham, Eugene and Rosita. I’m a huge comic book fan, so I’m happy about their inclusion, but unfortunately I thought this group’s introduction was the weakest part of the episode. I thought their reveal was very cheesy, and I thought the show actually made them look a little too much like their comic book counterparts. They almost looked like cartoon characters, and maybe they should’ve been tweaked to look more like people in real life. I’m happy they’re on the show now and I look forward to seeing this story play out on the small screen, but like I said, I just thought the reveal was a bit cheesy.
The Jeremy Dick 