The season 4 opener of The Walking Dead broke its own record once again with over 16 million viewers tuning in. After what many had deemed a disappointing finale for the third season, I was wondering if people were simply going to move on by the time the show had returned. I couldn’t have been more wrong, as the numbers have clearly gone up, even after a painfully long wait over the summer.
Good thing for all of those who stuck with the show and watched the premiere, because it was pretty fantastic, in my humble opinion. This was the first episode under the tenure of the new showrunner Scott M. Gimple, who has replaced Glen Mazzara. A lot of people, myself included, feel Mazzara botched some of the storylines in the last season (such as Andrea’s death and an underwhelming finale). I was curious to see the direction Gimle would take the show, and it seems things may be just fine under his thumb.
Scott M. Gimple didn’t seem to waste any time getting back into the swing of things. Several new storylines and subplots were set up that already have my dying to find out what happens next. It seems the new man in charge has a plan for every one of our main and supporting characters, although any newcomers to the cast will be on thin ice it we have learned anything from the premiere.
I’m so happy to see Rick get his humanity back. I didn’t care for the dark path he was heading down in the last season. Hey, I like good guy Rick. The man has his compassion back and has even become a better father for his children, even having a heart when it comes to the animals. His interactions with creepy Clara from the woods were very interesting. It was obvious Rick wanted to help this woman, but still knew enough to keep his guard up. I wonder if the bagged head was a reference to chapter five of the video game, which also featured a man carrying a bag containing his wife’s severed head.
Novel and comic fans might recognize Bob’s character, the former medic and recovering alcoholic. The biggest differences are that Bob on the show is a younger black man, compared to the print version that features him as an old white guy living in Woodbury. I personally don’t mind the differences in appearance, as it’s not the first deviation from the source material, and he has such a small role in the comics anyway. It seems like there is a plan for him on the show moving forward though, and I’ve got to admit, he peaks my interest. He was able to put the bottle down in the Big Spot, but what happens the next time the opportunity comes along? Is he going to give in to his temptations while on a run, and is that going to get himself or others killed?
I love Michonne and her horse. She just looks badass on that thing, and I can’t wait to see her riding by and decapitating zombies on it. I guess the good thing to come from the death of Andrea is Michonne’s determination for revenge. I like the idea that she is hunting the Governor down. It seems dangerous, but remember, the guy is a madman and he knows where the prison is. With nothing left to lose, I am sure he wants to return and cause some more destruction, so here’s hoping Michonne can track him down first. What really got me curious was her decision to head to Macon, which fans of the game will recognize as being Lee Everett’s hometown. Will we see a cameo from Lee and Clementine on the show? I certainly wouldn’t mind!
Could they be setting up a romance with Beth and Daryl? I never would have thought it before, given the age gap between the two. I guess that stuff just isn’t as important in the zombie apocalypse. Andrea and Dale had their romance in the comics, after all. Beth and Daryl could have just been providing each other with comfort after Zacks death, but that hug looked a little more touchy-feely and your average “There, there,” type of gesture. We can’t forget about Carol’s infatuation with Daryl, though. If he starts laying the pipe down on a younger, pretty blonde, would that push Carol off the deep end?
Patrick seemed like an interesting enough character, and it’d at least have been nice for Carl to have someone closer to his age to bond with. However, I suppose you are never safe, even behind the prison walls. Whatever made the kid so sick was apparently nasty enough to go from Patrick feeling a little nausea at storytime to bleeding from the face while lying dead on the ground in a few hours time. Is this related to Violet the pig dying outside? Are we seeing an outbreak of the swine flu within the prison walls?
This was a very strong season opener in my opinion. There were enough walker kills to keep fans of the action happy, and the introduction of some new storylines certainly have my attention. I hope to see the show continue to deliver as the story progresses.
The Jeremy Dick 