The Walking Dead: An uneven season 4 premiere

As low key as the conclusion to last season was, many interesting dynamics from the characters emerged. Especially from Rick. That’s something I’ve continued to welcome in The Walking Dead every step of the way.

AMC’s powerhouse has always been more about character interaction and the human element rather than the ever-present walkers, the least attractive thing about the show in my opinion, literally and figuratively. But the walkers do hold an important position. They’re the canvas, they’re the backdrop to what takes place while the stories of Rick and company unfold.

So coming into the new season? It didn’t bother me in the least it started out a bit slowly, methodically, somewhat calculated.

Season 3’s premiere — “Seed” — started out that way in the very beginning … calm, cool, collected and without a single, solitary word spoken between any of the group. And as the season unfolded it began looking into the characters with more depth than we’d seen before. The promise of this season? Looks like we’ll be doing more of the same if the premiere is any indication.

But that promise came at a price, one that manifested itself in a lot of different (and sometimes boring) ways. It came displaying a ton of domesticity at the prison. Farming. Story time. A lot of camaraderie. Smiles (yes … smiles) all around. And — cheesiest of all — with Carol calling Daryl “Pookie” of all things. *zoinks* (Or wait: Maybe the jaunt to the store with its complete waste of storytelling and farcical fall-from-the-sky walkers was the cheesiest part of the episode. Shame on the writers for subjecting us to such drivel….)

Yeah … not exactly the kind of stuff you’d expect when you’ve been champing at the bit for six months for a new episode. Rarely do I do this, but even I welcomed the gratuitous walker killings to break some of the monotony that unfolded on my television screen.

But … we did get a few bones thrown our way to whet our appetites. “Violet” the pig has died mysteriously for some unknown reason. Carl’s little buddy Patrick seems to have manifested the first signs of a new threat that’s come knocking at the prison’s doors. (Nice meeting you, Patrick.) The real treat for me, though, was Rick’s encounter with “the dirty woman” and the strange exchange he had with her and her walker husband Eddie. Between her creepiness and her accent, I was intrigued. Just goes to show you what the show’s world has done to some people. And it ain’t pretty.

Yes, in many ways the opener was low-profile with a lot of things we’ve seen previously but with some nice little nods to keep us interested. (Hershel’s new foot, Carl’s apparent change of attitude from last season.) This premiere didn’t display the dynamism we’ve come to take for granted, but it did afford us a few new doors to open up and peek through.

Observations:

• Rick tossing that gun he found while tending his crops into the wheelbarrow so carefreely: Wow. Things have become way too complacent around the prison over the months. Not a good sign for anyone.
• … not to mention the little conversation he and Hershel had about Rick refusing to carry a gun outside the prison. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it … right?
• Since when did Carol become so concerned about hiding what she’s doing from Rick? Granted, she’s taken it upon herself to teach some of the children how to wield knives in the face of danger. But it’s the world they live in. Perhaps it’s a direct result of Rick’s calmer and more carefree demeanor? Fear of him going off the deep end into CrazyTown once more?
• It bears repeating: The shopping trip with Daryl and the rest of his group was some of the saddest writing I’ve seen in the history of The Walking Dead. Period. And it better not happen again.
• The new guy who just wants to earn his keep, Bob Stookey? I don’t like him as far as I can throw him. Closet alcoholic (he was eyeing the wine in the store a little too lovingly), attractant for trouble, overly-eager to participate … I don’t know. There’s something about him that doesn’t sit right with me. Mark my words.