"Consumed" was another episode of The Walking Dead that decided to shift focus onto two central characters. Daryl and Carol, two of my favorite characters on the show, commanded the episode, allowing us to catch up on their whereabouts as they enter the city of Atlanta on the hunt for Beth's location.
Seeing the show gravitate toward a more populated area compared to previous locations like the church, terminus, or empty roads like last week's "Self Help" was a refreshing change of pace, allowing the show to showcase its clearly expanded budget and to offer harrowing shots of a now post-apocalyptic city ravaged by walkers. These shots of an essentially decaying city, rotting from the inside out helped emphasize the scope of this virus and the reach of the damage it caused.
Now before I ramble on aimlessly, let's get into what worked in last night's episode.
WHAT THE EPISODE GETS RIGHT
First of all, I need to get this off my chest before I forget. WALKERS IN SLEEPING BAGS! The show is always creating clever and often humorous situations in which our main characters dispose of the undead, but this one of the best to come around the bend in a while. Carol and Daryl stumbling upon walkers snuggled up in sleeping bags with some also trapped in camping tents was hysterical. Daryl summed up the situation perfectly with his quip, "Some days I don't know what the hell to think." It was a great moment for the character and a nice sprinkling of humor in an otherwise very intense episode.
Also, Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride kill it in this episode. They've both been pitch-perfect from the getco and to see these characters evolve the way they have has been extremely satisfying. The two characters get multiple scenes to catch up with one another as they scope the city from above, allowing the two to realize how far each of them has come and the way they've both changed for better or worse. Small moments like Carol persistently wanting to kill the Walkers behind a glass door that presented no immediate threat really shined, due to some stellar acting on McCarthy's part, showing the horror and battle instincts that have essentially "consumed" her at this point. Also, the fact Daryl appeared to have killed those Walkers for her was a sweet gesture. Their relationship has always been a highlight, offering warmth within a world that is often so cold. Don't worry, we'll get into that titular discussion very soon.
FREE FALLIN'
The highlight of the episode of course was the sequence involving the van hanging off the bridge. You could cut the tension of this sequence with a knife people. I immediately had a bad feeling in my stomach as our heroes made our way toward the vehicle. Were there going to be walkers inside waiting for a meal? Was it some sort of trap? Was the van going to fall with our characters inside? It unfortunately was the third scenario, though it didn't occur as I thought it would. The sequence built tension effectively, walkers inching in from each side of the van slowly after hearing the two exploring the vehicle. Watching the two come to the conclusion they would need to take the plunge off the bridge was horrifying. The fall itself was beautifully done, no music included to hear the characters lose their breath as they braced for impact and their very lives were flashing before their eyes. THEY LIVE! Though Carol didn't walk away completely unscathed, our heroes made it. It's always nice to see realistic injuries caused by such a stunt. Hilariously, they were immediately followed by walkers who decided to take the leap themselves, dying on impact with the fallen van. Again, another subtle bit of humor in an otherwise dreary episode.
CONSUMED
As this show has done multiple times in the past, there is typically a conversation that directly relates to the title of the episode. "Consumed" is no different, though this conversation had more weight than expected. As Daryl and Carol are scoping out the city, she begins to unpack some of her emotional baggage. She explains how she's become several different versions of herself throughout their long journey, evolving from the easily frightened, weak version of herself into the tough, strong-minded survivor who is willing to do whatever is necessary in order to survive version. However, she feels she's now become an entirely different version of herself, one that is consumed by everything around her, swallowing her whole. This scene hit all the right emotional notes and again, McBride and Reedus sold the material well. This was effectively foreshadowed in an earlier scene in the episode when they were tailing the vehicle from the hospital. A walker slams on her window virtually out of nowhere and she barely even flinches, showing how numb she is to everything around her at this point. I jumped like an idiot, just saying. It was nice to see these characters are still able to be fleshed out in new and exciting ways.
THE BIG SETUP
With just TWO more episodes left until the midseason finale, the episode was able to properly set up the inevitable showdown between Rick's crew and those stationed at the hospital in the city where Carol and Beth are being held prisoner. It was easy to predict Daryl and Carol were going to run into Noah who was introduced and seen running free from the hospital at the conclusion of the Beth-centric episode a couple weeks back, but their interactions were fun nonetheless. Stealing Daryl and Carol's weapons was a move only a dumbass would make so it was oh so satisfying to see karma swiftly slap him across the face after he found himself in a dangerous situation with a walker trying to break loose with only the two people he robbed as his potential saviors. Oh, and Daryl simply tackling Noah into the bookcase directly behind him, leaving him trapped underneath its clutches was the icing on the cake. Well played Daryl, well played.
However, Daryl being the redneck with a heart of gold he is, decided reluctantly to save the poor kid. You just have to love Daryl! What happened directly after this confrontation was unexpected and extremely intense. As the three are exiting the building, Carol is hit by a car. The driver and his passenger are revealed to be working for the hospital and proceed to take her away. The heartache on Daryl's face as he desperately tried to break free from Noah in order to save her was heartbreaking. Can't this show keep these two together for more than one episode?! However, this turn of events allowed the new central conflict to come to the forefront, leading the two to steal a truck in the area in order to return to Rick and company to begin planning their rescue mission.
It's Rick's Crew vs. The Hospital Crew. The showdown is approaching and it is coming fast. Who do you think will win? Will any of our beloved characters meet their end by the conclusion of the midseason finale? Hopefully, we will find out the answers to these questions within the two final episodes of 2014. Color me excited!
4.5/5
Critic Emulated: John Saavedra
Link to his work:http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/the-walking-dead/241121/the-walking-dead-season-5-self-help-review
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