The Walking Dead, "When the Dead Come Knocking" Review

The Walking Dead

Channel: AMC

Day and Time: Sundays at 9/8 CST

Release Date:

Buy Links:

Amazon

TV Show Description:

Police officer Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies.

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Review by Angela D. Williams

The latest episode of The Walking Dead, "When the Dead Come Knocking," pulls no punches. Immediately we're thrown into the drama with Glenn, who is taped to a chair, looking stone-faced as Merle goes on about how he didn't mean him any harm. He tells him he's an asshole just like he was back in Atlanta when they left him on the roof. 

He asks where T-Dog is. Glenn tells him he didn't make it. Merle says he hope he went slow. He asks about the rest of the group, particularly his brother. Glenn doesn't say anything and Merle says maybe the farmer's daughter will help him out. Maggie is in the next room, and she can hear what's going on, and she looks frightened. She too, is tied to a chair.  Merle tells Glenn that he likes that Glenn doesn't scare easy and he puts his knife between Glenn's lips. He tells him he wants to know where his brother is, and where Rick is. Glenn headbutts him and Merle begins to beat him as Maggie tries not to cry in the other room.

Back at the prison, Rick is still staring at Michonne, and vice versa. Hershel, and Carl approach where he is, as well. The zombies begin to sniff at her when her wound is bleeding. She quickly disposes one. Carl asks if they should help her. She kills another, but her vision is getting cloudy. Ashe loses her balance and passes out. Carl shoots one of the walkers approaching her and Rick opens the gate. Both he and Carl begin shooting walkers, and Carl grabs the basket of formula that she brought. Hershel asks if she was bit, and he says no, it was a gunshot wound. They bring her inside and lay her down. They give her water. Rick asks who she is as she starts waking up. She reaches for her sword and he moves away, telling her he's not going to hurt her. Daryl walks in, and asks who she is. Daryl tells them to come into the cell block because there's something they're going to want to see. Rick tells the others to go, and tells Michonne she can't have her sword back right then. He tells her he can't let her leave.

Rick is shocked to see that Carol is alive and okay. Everyone begins hugging her and when she sees the baby, she turns to Rick and begins to cry. She tells him she's sorry, and covers her mouth. Carol reaches out and takes the baby from Beth.

There is a knock on the Governor's door. It's the scientist. He tells the Governor "Mr. Coleman" is ready. He says he'll meet him in the lab. Andrea is getting dressed. The Governor says he needs her help with something.

Rick tells Michonne that they'll tend to her wound, and give her some food, water, and send her on her way but she's going to have to tell them how she found them. She tells them she found Glenn and Maggie, and that they were taken by the same son of a bitch that shot her. "You came here for a reason," Rick says. Michonne looks annoyed, and tells him about Woodbury, and the Governor, and that they're military wannabe's. She tells him the place is safe from walkers but they could slip their way through. Rick introduces her to Hershel and says he'll take care of her wound.

Glenn is beat up and bleeding badly. Merle is impressed he has lasted as long as he has. He asks again where they are. Glenn tells him it's just a matter of time before they come looking. Merle isn't worried in the least. "You can't take us all. There's too many of us," Glenn informs him. He tells them they've been on the road with Rick, Jim, Dale, Shane, and Andrea. Merle smirks. "Really? Is that right?"

Hershel stitches up Michonne's wound as she watches him intently. Then she looks over to where Carl is standing, watching her. She thanks Hershel.

Daryl and Beth and Axle and Oscar volunteer to go after Maggie and Glenn. They load up one of the cars with tear gas and other weapons. Daryl tells Carl he'll keep an eye on Rick for him. Michonne asks Beth if they cleared the whole prison out by themselves. She's obviously skeptical. She tells Michonne there WERE others.

Rick pulls Carl aside. He apologizes for what Carl had to do to Lori. Carl asks how long Rick'll be gone, and Rick tells him to keep everyone safe while he's away, and to take care of his sister. Rick laughs when Carl says Daryl's been calling her Ass Kicker. They discuss what they should really name her. Carl asks if Rick remembers his third grade teacher's name, and says it was Judith. They decide that will be her name.

Daryl tells Carol to stay safe, and Hershel tells Rick to bring them back. Beth stays behind with Carol, Hershel, Carl and Judith.

A record is playing and the Governor brings Andrea to a building where the scientist is feeding an old man in a bed. The Governor introduces Mr. Coleman to Andrea, and says they'll bring her up to speed and she'll see him for dinner. He thanks Mr. Coleman for doing them this "great service." He leaves. The scientist asks Andrea to cue up the first song on the record on his mark. She does so, and the Scientist says his name is Milton (finally he has a name!), and tells him to raise his right hand if he finds any of the following statements to be true. He asks a series of question about the man's family, showing him pictures, and he raises his hand for each of them. He whispers something to Milton and asks Milton tells Andrea he wants to keep the music playing while they wait.

Glenn is in the room alone, and Merle brings in a walker on a leash. He says he wants Glenn to imagine what it was like for him on that roof. When Glenn still won't talk, he releases the walker and backs out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. Glenn manages to fight the walker by rocking back in his chair and then breaking the chair against the wall. The pair struggle for a long, tense moments where my heart is beating so hard in my chest I think it's going to beat right out of it. He kills the walker with a piece of the chair and begins to scream.

The record is playing. Milton tells Andrea that after Mr. Coleman dies, he will ask the series of questions again once he reanimates. He volunteered to be a test subject because he has prostrate cancer and they couldn't do anything for him. He needs her to kill him after he's done with the questions.  Andrea tells him there is no unconscious mind after they turn, and that whoever they once were, is gone. He responds with, "We'll see." She says he's never seen the transformation before and he agrees that no, he hasn't. Mr. Coleman dies and they strap him down to the bed. Milton's hands are shaking badly and she finishes restraining him.

"So, they know Andrea," the Governor says as Merle fills him in. He's worried about "their people" coming for them. He asks what the girl said, and Merle said he was about to go talk to her next. He says he'll take care of it. He enters the room where Maggie is tied up. He pulls a knife out and she struggles not to cry. He frees her hands, cutting through the tape, and then asks if he can sit down. She says nothing and he sits. "We'll take you back to your people and explain this was all just a misunderstanding," he promises. All she has to do is tell him where they are and they'll drive her and Glenn back. She tells him she wants to talk to Glenn and he says he can't do that. She won't talk. He tells her they'll try something else, and to please stand up. She reluctantly does so and he stares at her, then tells her to take off her shirt. She refuses. He tells her to do it or he'll bring Glenn's hand in here. She takes her shirt off. He tells her to go on, and she removes her bra, but covers herself. He stands up and takes off his belt. He moves behind her, staring at her intently and she is struggling not to cry. He touches her hair, smelling it. Then he slams her head down on the table. She tells him to do whatever he's going to do and go to hell. He strokes her hair, then moves away from her.

Rick and the others get out of the car. Michonne tells them it's about a mile, and they're better on foot because they have patrols. Rick thanks Daryl for taking care of the baby while he was "out." He responds, "That's what we do." They are surrounded by walkers in the forest. Rick says stay in formation and no gunfire. They take out a few walkers and hide in a small cabin. They find an old man sleeping in the bed. He jumps up and tells them to get out of his house. He says he'll call the cops. Rick tells him to lower the gun. Rick punches him and struggles to keep him quiet. He starts to head for the door and Michonne runs him through with her sword. The back door is clear. They throw the dead man to the walkers and head for the back door, escaping back out into the woods.

Andrea and Milton are waiting for Mr. Coleman to reanimate. He finally does. Milton uses the singing bowl and Mr. Coleman looks toward him and begins asking him the questions. Mr. Coleman growls but doesn't raise his hand. He argues that the reason he's not responding is because he's restrained. He un-restrains him, and Coleman lunges for him. Andrea stabs him in the head. He tells her he wants to record his findings while they're fresh.

Merle and another guy and the governor haul a half-naked Maggie into the room. The Governor is holding a gun and he points it at Maggie's head. When he points it at Glenn, Maggie breaks and tells him there are ten of them at the prison. "Ten people took out a whole prison of biters." He seems fascinated. He strokes Maggie's cheek and she moves away from him, but he hugs her and kisses her forehead. Glenn glares at him angrily, and then the Governor shoves her toward Glenn, who hugs her tightly while she cries.

The Governor isn't happy about ten people possibly in their "backyard." Meanwhile, Rick and the others are just outside the wall of Woodbury, hidden behind an old car. "Blood is blood right? Makes me wonder where your loyalties lie," the Governor tells Merle. He assures the Governor his loyalty is with him. The Governor tells the other man to get a small group to scout the prison because he wants to know exactly what they're dealing with.

Andrea is wandering outside in Woodbury, and shows up where the Governor is. He is impressed she kept her word that she'd be back. He kisses her and he asks how things went with Milton. She pours herself a drink and tells him Mr. Coleman died, and that Milton didn't find what he was looking for. She looks terribly sad and he hugs her and assures her it's all right, that it's over now.