Reviewed by Rich Jepson, cult TV enthusiast and author of 24: Terrorism Through Television.

Rick, Michonne… Michonne, Rick.

Finally we’ve had two of the iconic and well-loved comic book characters meet on the small screen for the first time. The writers’ decision to move Michonne out of Woodbury and down the road to the prison has been a stroke of genius – now Michonne can begin to open up in the safer (if you can call it that) surroundings of the prison.

It’s no surprise that Rick is both extremely cautious and protective of the remaining members of the group after what happened to Lori. His heightened sense for protection was displayed clearly when he somewhat tortured Michonne to try and get information about Glenn and Maggie. Michonne being true to her nature didn’t back down and pushed back against Rick showing that he’s not the only one that’s become fearless since the apocalypse.

Poor Glenn, the physical torture he experienced at the hands of Merle was made all the more worse by the Governor’s mental torture of Maggie. Glenn is a fantastic character and a linchpin of the show, putting him in a situation like that is a brutally clever move to pump up some tension and aggression as we head into next week’s season finale.

Although the subject matter of Maggie’s ‘torture’ was very dark and tough to endure, credit has to be given to both actors in this scene as it was gruesomely brought to life. If you haven’t read the comics then spare a thought for those who have as they’ve a much more graphic version of what the Governor ‘hinted’ at. This adds another layer to this Governor’s character and if you ever had any doubt to the limits of his cruelty – well now you know, there’s something horrifically wrong with this man.

Speaking of wrong, Merle has descended back to his old typically hick ways with certain comments made about T-Dog. Although these were unavoidable to rebuild Merle’s status as an antagonistic character it was still a little too much of the old Merle when Merle 2.0 was doing so well.

Aside from this there were other things happening in Woodbury, mainly centered on Andrea and Milton. I have to admit, at first I was skeptical of Milton, being a stereotypical ‘TV scientist’ (he wears glasses – therefore he must be clever) but this week’s scene with the old man at least had some theory to it. His test may have been unsuccessful but what is interesting is the angle that the series is trying to explore. The different indicators for the old man came across as a realistic basis for an investigation into the dead consciousness. Was this just a point to be proven by Andrea or could Milton be on to something? This was probably just a chance for Andrea to talk some sense into the optimistic Milton but I’d be intrigued if he did discover some way to communicate with the dead.

The final part of the episode was a clear set up for what’s sure to be an eventful mid-season finale. It looks to be the eve of battle and what will hopefully be the first encounter between Rick and the Governor. The big questions to ask yourself before next Friday’s Woodbury War are – Will Rick & the Governor face off? Will Merle find Daryl, if so will they fight each other? And will the group get Glenn and Maggie back?

Whatever the case we’re sure to be in for a treat, this has been a brilliant season so far and has raised the bar compared to the first two seasons. Next week’s episode should be the chaotic cherry on a zombie filled season Sundae.

8/10

Scene of the Episode: Glenn Vs Walker – A surprisingly explosive and tense scene that saw Glenn fighting for his life against a rabid walker. This was a great exchange with some high quality make up and special effects that brought a lot of excitement to the episode.