The Walking Dead Review: “Indifference”

You have failed me, internet conspiracy theory creators.

After last week’s episode, I walked away utterly convinced that Carol hadn’t actually killed the two infected (as it seemed pretty dramatically outside of her character). Rather, she was covering for Lizzie, the little girl she had told “not to hesitate” when there was a threat, and the girl had gone too far with that advice. Carol was helping to cover for her and taking the blame herself.

Well, either this is the most elaborate cover story ever, or that didn’t happen at all. It would seem to be the latter, as we get a prolonged one-on-on conversation between Carol and Lizzie where nothing of the sort is revealed, and Carol offers Rick and a lengthy explanation about why she did what she did before he boots her out the door.

I thought Rick was being pretty harsh at first, straight up excommunicating her like that. But I suppose that is a step up from outright Old Yeller-ing her which is what it seemed like he might do on their little outing. But really, is Rick wrong? The decision to outright murder two infected was not Carol’s to make, and shows that she really can’t be trusted at all as who knows what she might do for “the greater good.” Also, it would be trouble when Tyreese comes back (now in full-rampage mode after this trip) and either discovers that A) Rick is hiding who did it or playing dumb or B) Carol did it. Someone’s going to die as a result of that, and Rick telling Tyreese about her banishment might be the best solution. That said, if it wasn’t Carol’s call to kill the two infected, it probably shouldn’t be Rick’s call to banish her without consulting anyone else, right?

It’s sad, because I thought that despite this controversy, it seemed like Rick and Carol were bonding in ways they never had before, and I actually felt something close to a connection with them, two people who had lost nearly everything. But Rick’s duty is to his family, not his friend or potential f-buddy. I liked Carol talking about how she learned to be strong once she was finally removed from her abusive husband. Her part was very well-written this week, and I know we won’t be seeing the last of her.

But the real question is…will we be seeing the last of Sam??? As soon as I saw the two new goofy, soft survivors, I was going to be amazed if they survived to the end of the episode. The girl who looked like Alexis Bledel didn’t, but I’m not clear on what happened with Sam. Was he with her? Did he abandon her? Is he dead? Did he just run away? Why did no one fire their goddamn guns like Rick told them? I thought their introduction and subsequent disappearance was awkwardly handled, but at least they didn’t turn on Rick like practically every other new person they meet. But I do have to wonder who will run into Sam again, if anyone.

Elsewhere, the rest of the episode also took place outside the confines of the prison for the most part. We see the uber-gang of Daryl, Michonne, Tyreese and damnit-what-is-this-new-guy’s-name first trying to get a working car in a local town, then heading to the vet college for some medicine. Keeping with tonight’s theme of very, very, very obvious character development, nearly each member of the squad had some sort of issue to deal with.

Tyreese has his newfound beast rage, which Michonne says will get him killed. But she has her own issues, still running around the woods trying to hunt down the Governor for all his sins, and realizes she needs to quit it. Daryl and Medic Guy have a chat, and Medic Guy reveals that he only became an alcoholic after the end of the world, as he’s survived the deaths of full two groups and drinks to forget what he’s seen. I like that they’re trying to develop his character, but they sort of set him back quite a few notches when they revealed that instead of grabbing medicine, he took a half full bottle of liquor. Like, really? Fine, grab the liquor, but that is a GIANT ASS BACKPACK. You can fit like ten pounds of meds in there along with that bottle. I get what they were trying to do with that scene, but logically it made little to no sense, and that’s something the show has been mostly better about this season, so that was disappointing.

Unlike past episodes, there was really no hint of what’s to come now. The meds will get back to the prison, though I don’t know if there will be another “journey” episode before they get there. I don’t think big characters like Glen and Sasha will die from the disease, but other extras probably will. I’m not sure how Rick is going to explain Carol’s banishment. Maybe he’ll pretend she died without revealing she killed the others. Still, there’s going to be a quite a few questions. And still, maybe the little girl DID kill those people, and Rick will eventually feel like shit for convicting Carol of the crime and he’ll have to go find her. But that seems unlikely given the events of this week.

No word on whoever was on the radio two weeks back. Still no sign of the governor. It was nice to get out of the prison completely for a week, but I wonder when we go back, how long we’re going to stay there.