The Walking Dead 3-4: Crap Just Got Real!

SHIT. JUST. GOT. REAL.

Major spoilers in this recap!

Holy poop-sicles AMC’s The Walking Dead is pulling out all the stops and has brought the gold this entire season, but especially in tonight’s episode, “Killer Within.” This was the most brutal and emotional episode they’ve ever had…I’m still in shock. I just stared at the blank television screen after the episode was over. Holy crap balls. If you aren’t watching this show you need to reevaluate your priorities and get caught up ASAP. This episode is some of the best television I’ve seen.

But, before we get to the recap, let’s check in with Dale.

Dale!

Lori! Good to see you, missy! How’ve you been?

Not great, obviously, seeing as how I’m here with you, and we’re both dea-

Don’t you say it! The only person who’s dead around here is that hat-thieving raccoon once I get my hands on him!

(Unintelligible raccoon noises)

Doggone it, don’t wave at me! AND COME BACK HERE WITH MY HAT!

Dale, man, take a chill pill.

I’m sorry, son, do I know you?

It’s me, Dale. Theodore? Theodore Douglas? You and I spent a year running around in the same group of survivors.

No, I only remember one Africa-American gent and his name was T-Dog. He didn’t talk much.

That’s me! I’m T-Dog!

Nope, don’t think so, son, but I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.

(Unintelligible raccoon noises)

There he is! Lori, Theodore, help me nab that coon!

Excuse me?

Thanks, Dale! Now onwards, to the recap!

Here’s what happens…if you think you can handle it:
The episode opens with a hand reaching down to grab a gas tank and a gutted deer carcass. This unseen person cuts the lock off the back gate to the prison and leaves the carcass there to attract zombies.
The two inmates (who I call Cool Guy and Mustache) who didn’t get Rick-rolled in the previoius episode plea to join the group, and Rick tells them to get lost. Hershel gets some crutches and walks outside. Everything’s all happy, everyone’s outside smiling, enjoying the beautiful sunshine having a moment when a heard of walkers show up INSIDE the gates right behind part of the group. Rick, Daryl, and Glen are off in the distance gathering wood and haul ass to help the rest. Everyone gets split up: T-Dog and Carol are together, Maggie, Carl, and Lori head into the prison, Hershel and Beth lock themselves in a cage outside the prison.

During the run, T-Dog closes the back gate, ensuring the safety of the group, and gets bitten on the shoulder. Nooooo! The moment good ol’ T was by himself closing the gate against a bunch of zombies I knew he’d get bitten. So sad. Then infected T and Carol head into the prison.
The sirens go off, attracting more walkers and Rick figures out that someone set all this up. Cool Guy, Mustache, Rick, Daryl, and Glenn run into the prison looking to shut down the generator to silence the sirens. They find it, along with the person behind this zombie attack- the prisoner Rick ditched to get eaten by walkers in the second episode? Turns out the Escapee is a little craftier than anyone expected, because he survived and is on a mission to take back the prison. Rick loses his gun while fighting the Escapee. Cool Guy gets the gun and shoots the Escapee, then hands the gun over to Rick. They turn off the generators that were powering the sirens and go to look for the others.

Meanwhile, T-Dog sacrifices himself by rushing a couple of zombies to help Carol get through a door to escape. T-Dog is torn into, ruthlessly, brutally, and without mercy. Man, he went out like a boss. RIP young Theodore Douglas. Just when he was starting to open up and get some nice lines is when he heads off to the great T-Doghouse in the sky.

Just when you think things can’t get any worse, Lori goes into labor right as a herd of zombies charge her, Carl, and Maggie. They find a room to hide in and prepare to deliver a baby. If you’re going into labor with a gun in your hand and zombies pounding on the door, that probably wins the award for “Worst Time to Go Into Labor!” Lori starts pushing, but isn’t fully dilated so they can’t get the baby out. Lori then busts out a set of crazy eyes and tells Maggie to cut her the frak open. After a lot of arguing, they all realize that there’s no other choice if they want to save the baby. Lori says goodbye to Carl and then gives the nod.

Maggie cuts her open and pulls out the healthy, gunky baby. Lori, on the other hand, doesn’t stay so healthy, and joins T-Dog in the T-Doghouse in the sky. As Carl and Maggie start to leave, Carl realizes that Lori will turn and they can’t just leave her like that. His hardened ass walks over to his mother and puts a bullet in her brain…leaving the whole world’s mouth agape and speechless.

All of this happens in a horrifying blur, and I was still reeling from T-Dog’s death when Lori’s all “Cut me.” Just when I actually started to like Lori a little bit, she goes and sacrifices herself for her baby. At least that’s a better death than she gets in the comics.
Oh boy. Everyone meets outside and count their losses. Carol is nowhere to be found, but there isn’t a body so she could still be alive. Rick collapses in grief over Lori and Carl just stares into oblivion, with granite, teary eyes.

In Woodbury:
Michone gives everyone the evil eye and finds bullet holes and blood on the National Guard vehicles that were brought in last episode. She’s no fool and immediately suspects The Governor is no good, so she and Andrea plan their departure.
Andrea gives Merle a map to where the farm was that she last saw Daryl. Merle asks The Governor if he can go looking for his brother, and The Governor tries to placate him by telling him that they’ll go once there’s more concrete evidence, which does not calm the elder Dixon brother. The Governor shmoozes with Andrea and says his name is Phillip, convincing Andrea that he’s a good guy, so she tells Michone to stay in Woodbury for a few more days.

Likes:
• Maggie and Glen getting their freak on in a guard tower.
• Daryl’s jumping knife stab to a zombie. Ezio Auditore would be proud of that assassin move!
• Lori going into labor while a herd of zombies come around the corner.

RIP:
Theodore Douglas: Theodore “T-Dog” Douglas was something of an enigma; I feel like there was a whole backstory to him that we only got glimpses of. Still, he was a morally strong, brawny pile of zombie ass-kicking who went out keeping his friends safe, which is a better end than most people get on this show.
Lori Grimes: We loved to hate you for the first two seasons, and then came to feel sorry for you and like you right at the end.