The Walking Dead – Character flaws

Question: How is The Walking Dead working for you this season?

Because I was having my doubts during the first couple episodes.

Farmer Rick wasn’t cutting it for me. The community was too complacent, too quiet. It’s been a month and more since the Woodburyians have relocated to the prison with everyone more or less settling into routine. *boooooooooooooooooooring*

But when “I spied” Beth’s foreboding “30 Days Without An Incident” marker in her cell, I knew it was just a matter of time before things heated up and heads started to roll once again. Literally.

It took some doing to jump start season 4 but we’re finally there. And all things appear to be right with the world once again …

The Regulars:

Rick: As mentioned, Farmer Rick — with his decision to relinquish power and purpose and let others work out the details — isn’t the Rick we’ve come to know and love. We need kickass Rick. We need introspective Rick. We want Rick full of turmoil, put in situations where he reacts … for better or worse. Because the shit’s gonna fly once again and there isn’t a better person to dive in head first than Sheriff Grimes when it starts getting thick.

Daryl: He’s gotten soft as well. The routine of the prison, his comfortability level (evidenced by his little “Pookie” moniker) and his obvious acceptance in cozying up with Carol to a greatly advanced level doesn’t detract from his character, but there’s certain to be a rude awakening if he gets caught with his pants down (metaphorically speaking). Want proof? When Tyreese got in his face wanting to whollop him during the exchange with Rick at the start of “Isolation,” who would have guessed it would be Daryl to be the peacekeeper of the bunch, throwing up his hands to ward off Rick? That’s not the Daryl we’ve come to know throughout the series. Yes … his hotheadedness has been tempered working alongside Rick and the others over the long months, but that particular scenario was a side of him we hadn’t previously seen before. And a rather eye-opening one to boot.

Carl:  His angry young man bent has been chilled to the point where it appears he’s thinking more than anything else. In his conversations with Rick. In his dialog with Patrick (RIP) and especially in his no-nonsense exchange with Hershel stating matter of factly he was accompanying the man on his berry-hunting quest. We’ve seen him grow up since the close of last season, the animosity in him toned down with a air that reflects more responsibility. Doesn’t mean he’s going to screw up, however.

Carol: Carol is the most interesting character of the bunch thus far. Remember how squirrely she was at the start of the series? Look at her history on the show: From being caught in the ominous shadow of her late husband Ed, through her trials with Sofia’s absence and then the consequences suffered from daughter’s ultimate demise, not to mention her difficult acceptance as a result of that fate, her blossoming relationship with Daryl and now her hardline stance on walkers, life lessons and, most recently, her questionable acts.

You have to admit, after Shane, Carol’s really been the one to watch … and she’ll continue to be.

I’m champing at the bit to see where the writers take her. And how Rick (and the others) react to her in light of the murder of Dave and Karen. I can’t see her getting off Scot free — there’s got to be repercussions. Nor can I imagine how it will reflect on her relationship with Daryl.

(Note: Stop reading here if you’d rather not become aware of any future spoilers as things go forward because I’ll be touching on some things from TWD comic.)