BWW Recap: Like a Bridge Over Troubled Walkers on THE WALKING DEAD

I think I say this every year, but this time I really mean it: This is the best season yet of THE WALKING DEAD. I was so consumed (heh, episode title) with this episode that I barely remembered to take notes. It was a gentle reminder just how invested in these characters I am and how devoted I've become to their well being.

In one of the most character driven episodes to date, I could sum it all up by saying, Daryl and Carol found Beth. Plot was certainly not the star this week, it was nuances, moments, flashbacks and silence. And man, it was poetry. The basic gist is that we were flipping back and forth between what happened between the time Rick left Carol on her own, to present time and her journey with Daryl to try and find Beth. Along the way, both characters did a little soul searching and we get to glimpse just what an intense relationship they have.

Carol killed two people at the prison and burned their bodies with little to no remorse. Then she killed Lizzie after Lizzie murdered her sister and can't get it out of her head. Sure, shooting a little girl in the back of the head isn't something that should be swept under the rug, but neither is burning two bodies. No one in the group knows what she has done and it seemed like she was really wanting to confess it to Daryl, at least to get it off her chest. But Daryl doesn't need to hear it. It is just par for the course at this juncture. Some have become so desensitized to death that the manner in which it happened is insignificant. So, since the beginning when Carol was just a battered wife trying to raise her daughter, has she become a better person? Or has she abandoned her humanity? Is she even recognizable anymore?

And Daryl, a soldier in Rick's army, out to take orders and protect. But now he cares. He cares for Carol and for Beth and for his family back at the church and will stop at nothing to protect them. So my question is; have they, in fact, switched roles? Has Carol become the soldier and Daryl become the caregiver? What a brilliant arc for both. And we can still see their daily struggles as both, in turn, try to kill Noah only to be stopped by the other. Conversely, at the end, Noah winds up saving Daryl as they see Carol being taken away. Clearly, it is a minute by minute challenge whether to kill or save someone.

We learn that Carol did try and escape Ed at one point, but gave up after one night and admits she just wasn't strong enough to jet out on her own. In fact, she still carries her self-help book on abuse as what, a security blanket or a general reminder of where she came from?

As Daryl and Carol trapse through the remnants of Downtown Atlanta they come to a van on a bridge that is soon swarmed by walkers. The only way out (apparently) is to Thelma and Louise it off the bridge. They do so and survive, Carol with more injuries than the seemingly immortal Daryl. Was this a literal example of their starting over principle they were chattering on about the whole episode?
I think we all assumed they'd come into contact with Noah and now Daryl has to go back and get the Cavalry to go rescue his two loves which is a lovely setup for a mid-season finale. (Damn you, AMC!) Now, we all know that we never leave the first half of a season with the entire cast in tow, so I have a feeling we're in for a very heartbreaking last two episodes of this year. And if the death of Hershel is any indication of how they like to leave us hanging for the holidays, it doesn't look good. With characters as rich as these, we will all feel the pain.

What I Know:

• Hey, Chris Noah? Don't mess with a muscular guy with a crossbow. Come on, now. Common sense still applies in the apocalypse.

• After being in the woods so long, I kind of forgot how scary downtown can be with all the walkers.

• I'm thinking Carol isn't getting nearly enough credit for surviving by herself when she was banished. Noah could barely do it for a day before trying to find help.

What I Don't Know:

• I still don't know the nature of Daryl and Carol's relationship. I guess we'll find out when he has to save both Carol and Beth.

• Interesting musing... what would new Carol do to husband, Ed, now? Sure would be fun to watch.

• Was anyone else hoping we'd get a Sawyer/Kate-esque, dirty, grungy hook up scene on the bunk beds? Just me?

Lines I Love:

• Daryl - Somedays I don't know what the hell to think.

• Carol - You don't know me. Daryl - Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.

• Carol - It's like you were a kid and now you're a man.

This truly is a remarkable season so far. Every single episode I am breathless and just in awe of the writing and the performances. Follow me on Twitter @eponineq and follow @BWWTVWorld for all the latest updates, scoops and recaps.

Here's a preview for next week's penultimate episode:

Photo Credit: AMC

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