Genre: Sci-Fi | Horror | Thriller

Air Date/Time: November 27th at 9/8c

Network: AMC

Director: Michelle McLaren

Writer: Scott M. Gimple

Summary: AMC’s critically acclaimed original series, The Walking Dead, is back with its much anticipated second season. When we last left the The Walking Dead, the characters were in the midst of a high-intensity struggle to survive, fleeing the CDC as it burst into flames. In Season 2, they are still on the move, facing more threats and obstacles than ever.

Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, written by Robert Kirkman, AMC‘s The Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually, Teachers, Strike Back), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain that truly become the walking dead. Jon Bernthal (The Pacific, The Ghost Writer) plays Shane Walsh, Rick’s sheriff’s department partner before the apocalypse, and Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), is Rick’s wife, Lori Grimes. Additional cast include: Laurie Holden, Steven Yeun,Norman Reedus, Jeffrey DeMunn, Chandler Riggs, IronE Singleton and Melissa McBride.

In case you didn’t know, this week’s upcoming episode of The Walking Dead is the midseason finale. All good mid-season finales should have two important elements: one, they must give you at least one good answer, so that you feel that the time you’ve spent so far has been worthwhile, and two, they must leave you with at least one big question or some smaller but important ones, whether they be new or continuing. A good if timeworn example would be a classic cliffhanger.

I’ll add another important factor in the making of a great midseason finale: it had better be one of the best episodes of the season so far. They need you to want to come back. I am happy to report that this midseason finale of The Walking Dead meets all the criteria, and in fact is the best episode of season 2 so far.

This may read like a copy of nearly every other review I’ve written for the season, but Andrew Lincoln puts in an excellent performance. This week’s episode is a breakout one, though, for Jon Bernthal. Steven Yeun has some nice work, as does Scott Wilson, and, as always, Jeffrey DeMunn and Norman Reedus.

Michelle McLaren is a not a new director to The Walking Dead; she directed the memorable and aptly-named “Guts” in season 1. She uses some notable techniques with this new episode. It has more of a handheld feel, but also some interesting direction and camera placement; more than once a character walks almost directly into the camera. It is a little unsettling, but hello, this is a show about a zombie apocalypse. We should have felt a lot more unsettled throughout the first half of the season. They could have used her earlier in this season to add some movement, though of course it may not have always been appropriate.

Writer Scott Gimple also wrote “Save The Last One” for this season; that was the second of the school episodes, and one of the more successful of the season. This script, however, works perfectly with the stories that have been building throughout the season so far, and gives them some needed attention. The episode is all about the core theme of the series, and although it hits you right in the head with that theme – sorry – subtlety is not always required in a zombie apocalypse show. It is an extremely well-written (and well-directed, and well-acted) episode.

So, outstanding work all around, and I DO want to come back for more. As soon as possible.

I give The Walking Dead: Season 2 Ep. 7 “Pretty Much Dead Already” Five Out of Five Stars.

 

 

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