The Walking Dead: When The Dead Come Knocking – Dork Review

Two worlds orbit each other in this week’s Walking Dead, as our dual settings (Woodbury and Prison) exchange a couple of characters, make small talk, then finally, tentatively but oh so gently, start torturing each other.

And with the mid-season finale next week, hopefully bloody revenge isn’t far away either!

One Actor, Two Governors

Even though they’ve leaked into each other’s plots, the two tribes are still kept in separate pockets for now. The show clearly wants us to be excited about their finally coming together next time, and I must admit, I think it’s working on me.

The Woodbury side, for once, probably had better scenes this week, as the Governor and Merle interrogate Glenn and Maggie. Merle’s sparring with Glenn is predictable, but still tightly wound and well-executed. Glenn’s zombie-battle also a nice reminder that he isn’t a doormat.

But it’s the Governor’s chat with Maggie that goes beyond expectations, as he breaks out into full-on villainy (but thankfully only hints at a sex attack). Still, promising signs of the big man unravelling, and David Morrissey is still doing a good job as both Nice Governor and Nasty Governor, even if the disparity is jarring at times.

Elsewhere in Woodbury, timid scientist Milton gets characterisation. Decent enough scenes, though not as riveting as others. Milton seems like a naive chap who will betray the Governor after realising he is nuts, then get killed.

Shed Man Was Too Stupid To Live

Back at the prison, Michonne is reluctantly accepted into the gang, after the necessary mild torture, and they charge off to save Glenn and Maggie. Rick finally has that overdue scene with Carl about his mother issues, which was played well. Aside from that, fairly functional scenes to get them into place for next week’s rumble.

Apart from a bemusing interlude where they meet a confused man who hasn’t noticed the zombies, so decide to give him a first hand practical demo of what they do, presumably as punishment for being too dull. Was that comic relief, or a genuine attempt to ask if our heroes are just as brutal as the Governor?

So, full speed ahead for the Walking Dead in a “get characters in place for big fighty fight” episode. Next week, I’m hoping for a Dixon brothers showdown, then the death of some minor character, leading to a big cliffhanger. But who knows if any of that happens – I will give the show credit, it’s been hard to predict.

More The Walking Dead on Dork Adore | The Walking Dead: Hounded – Dork Review

Nick Bryan

Nick learned to read and write at an early age. This has developed into an unhealthy need to either write stories or consume them for later dissection. He reviews film and TV on Dork Adore and The Digital Fix, lives in London and enjoys a nice white beer.

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