The Walking Dead S2E2 “Bloodletting”
Just some short thoughts tonight, but if this is how every Walking Dead episode is from here on out, I will be content. I liked how the episode dealt with Carl’s shooting last week - there was a definite main focus, and even the other storylines directly dealt with it. Furthermore, the smaller character developments continued to simmer, and T-Dog began to actually speak. (It was still about being black, but at least it’s something.)
But as the show begins to be more focused episode-to-episode, I still feel like there’s very little focus to the show as a whole. Like I talked about last week, a lot of Sophia’s disappearance and Carl’s shooting has to do with what actually happened to them, not what the show presents in the first frenzied moments. In “Bloodletting,” Sophia is almost completely forgotten, and there is no continued narrative momentum with that plot point. Also, the supposed purpose at the beginning of the premiere, going to the military base, wasn’t mentioned once. I don’t require a whole lot of prodding, but when T-Dog asks what exactly everyone is doing, I can’t help but think he’s on to something.
But it’s tough to complain, because this week the detour was worth it. I’m more worried about the coming weeks, when we realize very little has actually happened. But as is, the country hideaway seemed real enough, and Hershel is a fun character at this point. The gradual reveal that he was a veterinarian was solid, and Rick and Lori’s grief was believable. (Rick looked more and more like a walker as the episode progressed.) The episode didn’t foolishly waste time on too much scene-setting at the house, which can wait. And next episode, with Shane and Otis trapped in the high school, the foresters seemingly trapped outside at night, and Carl still in limbo, seems to be exciting and continue the tension.
Like I said, if every episode is like this, I’ll continue to enjoy Walking Dead as long as it’s on. But I don’t feel this episode paid off what was set up in the premiere very well, plot-wise at least. Thematically, and in character relationships, it did. The through-line was Lori, first in the cold open (which caught me off-guard) and later into her dealing with Carl (and Rick). It didn’t work completely, but it was an attempt, and I admire Walking Dead trying to fix its faults. Lori’s always been a difficult character, and this helped a little. It didn’t tell us a whole lot we didn’t already know, but there’s a tad bit more character there.
This episode focused on the characters, which didn’t really work, but at least they’re trying. It didn’t really work on plot, since it didn’t pay off last week and didn’t move forward either. But I still enjoyed it, because it was a different type of episode for The Walking Dead. It was a character episode with only the one big zombie set-piece. It comes across as stalling right now, but this is the type of episode Walking Dead will have to do to become successful. While it’s not there yet, it’s encouraging to see them try.
