Now this is just being mean. We’re salivating here, hoping for any news or tidbits about what to expect when The Walking Dead returns for it’s fifth season only to be given a very short clip that leaves us screaming WE WANT MORE!!!
During the Talking Dead season preview special that aired on AMC, a small 30 second clip from the premiere episode of season five was shown, smashing us right into zombie territory with Carol (Martina McBride), Tyreece (Chad Coleman) and baby Judith on the run.
So we now know that Carol, Tyreece and Judith have not yet made it to Terminus and that obviously, they’ll be blind as to what has happened to Rick, Darryl, Maggie and the rest of the gang – with exception to Beth whom no one knows where she is (or if she is even still alive).
AMC also announced via twitter that the first full trailer for season 5 will drop online July 25th!
“We’re counting down to the release of #TheWalkingDead Season Five trailer 7/25. RT to win a #20DaysofDead prize pack!” tweeted The Walking Dead AMC.
Sadly, there’s still four months until the show’s return in October.
The new year is officially here and we’ve got some new TV projects and returning favourites hitting the small screen that will make us all very excited! From The Walking Dead to Flowers In The Attic, American Horror Story Coven to True Detective, here’s a look at some of what to expect in 2014!
Where to start? How about returning shows?
The Walking Dead – Returns Feb 9th (USA)/ Feb 10th (Australia)
I’m pretty sure the internet almost went into meltdown after the mid season finale aired. The governor attacking the prison, Hershel’s death, baby Judith missing….so what can we expect to see when it returns? Well the last we saw, the survivors were scattered, running in all kinds of directions. Word has it that father and son duo Rick and Carl will be on their own for some time, and we can expect to see a darker side to both Beth and Maggie who witnessed their father being almost beheaded by the governor. In this second half, we’ll be treated to more Daryl Dixon including an episode centred on our brooding hero and the long speculated and recently confirmed news is that Carol will return! Presumably with the group split up, she’ll bump into some of the survivors.
And what about those rats in the prison? Apparently, we will finally learn who had been feeding them to the walkers and lastly, we’re being told to brace ourselves for another death of a major character. Clearly, there’d be no word of who, but it wouldn’t be a Walking Dead season finale without someone we love being killed off! Check out the promo for the next episode below!
American Horror Story: COVEN- Returns Jan 8th (USA)/ Soon after (Australia)
Getting right into it, the war between the voodoo witches led by Marie Laveau and the Miss Robichaux’s Academy led by Fiona Goode is over. The two witches will form a truce to seek out the hive of witch hunters, but the truce wont come easily. Also, with the next episode to air titled “The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks” I’m’m pretty sure our twirling songstress will be making an appearance! Check out the trailer below!
Orphan Black – Season 2 starts April 19th (USA)
We’re not being told much and the two season 2 promo trailers reveal NOTHING! The fact this small show has garnered such a cult following in such a small time plus Tatiana Maslany’s lead actress Golden Globe nomination will ensure season two will be bigger (if it’s possible!) than season one!
Winners and Losers – Returns 2014
We’ve got 13 more episodes of this Aussie favourite to go for season 3 before season 4 kicks off! Let’s not forget, when we last left off, psycho trainer Shannon had attacked Zac and dumped him in the boot of his car and judging by the promo below, he’s found but in trouble and it looks like love may blossom between Flynn and Sam (and I see the writers took note of my requests for Flynn in less clothing!)
What’s new for 2014?
HELIX – Starts Jan 10th (USA)
True Detective – Starts Jan 12th (USA)
8 part series one sees Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey on screen together. Looks like if a season two happens, it will follow an entirely new cast and storyline.
Love Child – Early 2014 (Australia)
Looking – Starts Jan 19th (USA)
This 8 episode mini series is being touted as the gay version of Lena Dunham’s GIRLS and stars GLEE’s Jonathan Groff and Scott Bakula.
LEGENDS – Coming Mid 2014 (USA)
Those Who Kill – Starts March 2014 (USA)
Chloe Sevigny stars in A&E’s newest drama which centers on a female police detective and a profiler (forensic psychiatrist), on the hunt for serial killers.
Flowers In The Attic – Airs Jan 18th (USA)
Lifetime Network have taken V.C Andrews campy tale of child abuse, incest and well….attics and put Heather Graham and Ellen Burstyn in the lead roles. Not sure how Lifetime (known for their midday movies staring Meredith Baxter-Birney) will handle such a scandalous tale, but you can check out the promo below!
and while we’re at it, Lifetime have also given the tale of Lizzie Borden a crack with Christina Ricci taking the lead.
My oh my, did every Walking Dead fan not just explode after the incredibly long build-up over the hostility between Rick and The Governor finally came to a front in the midseason finale? After what I’m pretty sure has been a years worth of fake outs and build ups, the Governor finally declared all out war (including a tank) on Rick and the gang.
Over at the camper-van camp, Brian aka The Governor is rallying his ‘troops’ as to why it’s a good idea to overtake the prison. Of course his ideas are all lies as he spits one out after the other telling them it was Rick’s gang that tore apart the camp that he and Martinez stumbled across. It’s then we’re given a flashback to events that occurred after last weeks finale where single handedly, he manages to take both Michonne and Hershel captive.
Brian tells the group he’s captured two of them….Tara seems to be the only one actually surprised by this news. He explains his actions by saying they will be used as collateral in ensuring they take the prison without bloodshed…yeah right. It’s here more of the lies come out where he says it was Rick’s gang who burnt down Woodbury, that killed his people, took his eye (well that’s not a lie) and killed his daughter.
Everyone is now on board, including Tara – well except for Lilly (or Andrea 2.0). She’s not too keen on having to fight for another place to keep them safe and he responds with a deadpan ‘It’ll keep you and Meaghan alive’. The look she gives him after her “I don’t know who you are” reply is uncannily like that of Andrea back in season 2, after she discovered just who exactly the Governor really was.
Back in one of the mobile homes we see Michonne and Hershel being attended to by Brian. He’s applying some first aid 101 on Michonne while informing them of his evil genius plan. Of course old man Hershel tries to reason with Brian. “We can all live together” he states. Even I am with the Governor here when he shoots the idea down noting both Rick and Michonne still want to see him dead. He walks out to Meaghan who’s making turd burgers in some red mud, gives her a hug and moves on his merry way.
FINALLY, we’re back at the prison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I see Daryl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He’s still in that sleeveless moto jacket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But he’s angry. Rick’s just informed him that FOUR episodes ago he sent Carol packing because she killed Karen and that other random guy. Daryl states that he could have handled Tyreese but then finds out Rick hasn’t told him yet. Not one to waste any time (I loves ya Daryl!) he heads off in search of Tyreese.
Then there’s some weird scene in which Tyreese shows Rick and Daryl a rat splayed wide open and attached to a door that he discovered. It’s the same person who’s been feeding rats to the walkers (this has to come into play later in the season for sure). Tyreese is convinced it’s the same person that killed his beloved Karen but before Rick and Daryl can let him in on the big secret a massive explosion rips through the prison…..
The entire prison gang run outside to be greeted by the Governor, a small pack of gun wielding followers and a tank. Yes, a tank. Answering the Governors demands to talk, Rick states he no longer solely makes decisions (hello Carol?) and that there is a council. Here the Governor brings out Michonne and Hershel asking if they are part of this council. Knowing he has no other choice, Rick moves down to talk while Daryl arranges everyone to stick to their escape plan that has been arranged.
The Governor informs Rick that he and his people have until sundown to move from the prison grounds or Michonne and Hershel will die. Rick pleads back saying there are sick children inside who won’t make it on the outside (really though I’m convinced he’s more concerned about his farming plot) and that they can’t move.
Back at the camper-van camp, it seems Lilly has been left alone with Meaghan, who’s still playing in the mud like a pig in shit. She’s sitting atop one of the vans when across the water, a walker appears out of the brush. She goes into danger mode, gun ready at the aim, but before she can take action, it’s swept away down stream. While this is happening, Meaghan digs up an old sign “Warning Flash Flooding”. Apparently the walker across stream or this warning sign about flooding aren’t the most impending danger, it’s the walker buried under that sign that is. There’s screaming and grabbing and a dash for life from Lilly who doesn’t arrive in time. Meaghan has been bitten…a nice chunk out of her neck. (was I the only one a little happy this happened? Meaghan never really did anything to annoy me, but it was sort of like a ‘Eff You!’ to the Governor.
Back at the prison, everyone is ready with guns aimed. Nearby Mika, Lizzie and some other kids – including Judith are heading for the escape bus but Lizzie stops and reminds them that Carol was teaching them to be strong – and to have guns – I miss Carol. It’s good to know her teaching was actually getting through to these kids when Lizzie states “We should all have guns”.
Back at the stand-off between Rick and The Governor, Rick is still trying to plead his way out. Apparently he believes they can all live together in the prison – in separate cells. They’d never have to see each other. The Governor is having none of it and grabs Michonne’s katana and holds it to Hershel’s neck. In a desperate bid, Rick tells the Governors followers that the two have fought before and that in fact, Rick has taken in survivors from Woodbury. He tries again with the ‘We can all live together’ plea, that they’ve all done horrible things, but by putting down their weapons and walking through the gate, they can all start afresh.
Some of The Governors people, including Tara, seem to want to take Rick’s argument. There’s hesitation –
You can just feel that something is going to happen….something bad. The Governor utters the word “liar” and takes the katana to Hershel’s throat!
THEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.
Both groups are firing on each other (with some really bad aiming) and in the onset, Rick takes a bullet to the leg, the Governor one to the shoulder and Michonne manages to slip away unnoticed. Noticing Hershel is still alive, the Governor picks up the katana and completely decapitates Hershel. Magically, Lilly appears holding Meaghan’s dead body. She walks over to Brian who immediately puts a bullet into her head to stop her from turning and then yells “Kill them all!”
Back with the prison gang, Tyreese, Bob and Sasha are providing cover fire while Beth and Maggie start getting people on the escape bus. Bob takes a bullet in the shoulder and he and Sasha run off to find better cover. By now the tank has destroyed the fencing around the prison and the Governors fighters have entered. Tyreese finds himself cornered by Tara’s girlfriend Alicia and another guy – he’s dead for sure. That is until Mika and Lizzie put a bullet in each of them. Was this Lizzie’s end game? Was this build-up we’ve had of her this season so far leading up-to this?
There’s now an all out fist fight between Rick and the Governor. They’re going at it like two women fighting over a flat screen TV at a Black Friday sale. Rick’s winning! No, the Governor is winning. Now Rick’s winning again! It’s very topsy-turvy (like all good on screen fights) until the Governor gains the upper hand over Rick. He’s got his hands tight around Rick’s throat and he’s turning blue. It’s here I actually asked myself “Where the heck is Michonne?” ahhhh, there she is! She put that katana blade of hers right through the Governors chest!
I was hoping Michonne would go and take the Governors other eye, but she runs off and Rick stumbles away and finds Carl. Sadly Carl is still alive. He doesn’t have Judith. It seems there’s been some confusion in the mayhem and they stumble across Judith’s carrier. It’s empty and covered in blood…..They join the others in running from the prison as quick as possible.
Back in the field, the governor is still alive – well just. He’s gasping for air. Lilly appears holding a gun. She’s realized his bloodthirsty desire to kill Rick has caused the death of her child. He quickly puts a bullet into his head and walks off. A hoard of walkers appear including Clara, the Irish tourist Rick stumbled across in the season four premiere. They make their way into the prison grounds to feast on the dead while Rick can be heard saying to Carl “Don’t look back”.
Can you imagine how happy I was to discover we were in store for another Governor centric episode of The Walking Dead? Two in a row! I want to ask the writers if we, as viewers, had done anything wrong. Had we pissed you off? Granted after watching this second episode, I understand why we had to revisit the Governor, but in reality, did we need two whole episodes?
So picking up from last weeks closer, The Governor (or Brian as it turns out his name is) along with Lilly, Tara and Megan join Martinez’s camp. There seems to be some decent muscle within the group and enough ammo to ensure their safety. It all seems pretty peachy until The Governor realizes his past may come back to haunt him thanks to former right hand man Martinez. It’s funny how, in a zombie apocalypse, a game of golf can turn deadly. One minute you’re wolfing down whisky, hitting golf balls off the top of a camper-van, the next you’re getting whacked over the head with a 9 iron and being fed to a bunch of walkers.
It’s here all the work of last weeks episode of trying to convince us that The Governor has turned a new leaf come undone as the diseased animal within him begins to yearn for leadership again and return to the ways of Woodbury and that means taking no prisoners and killing those that may step in his way. He wants a Woodbury 2.0.
Now The Governor is back in his element, standing above the camp survivors, ensuring all see him as their only hope for survival. He puts them all to good use, building fences and whatnot but his plan to try and move the camp to ‘safer’ grounds needs that one final push – cue a walker inside the camp. Clearly The Governor planted the walker. The immediate threat of death was the perfect example to ensure there would be no hesitation from any member to move camp.
So where could be the perfect safe place for the Governor and his new camp? The prison of course! He’s been staking it out. I wonder if he was surprised how well the place has held up since his last attack on the place? Anyways we see him spying on Rick….who’s farming of course. He also happens across Hershel and Michonne….I think. It someone who looks like Michonne but she’s smiling so clearly it’s not actually Michonne.
After playing his own version of Spy Games, The Governor heads back and informs his peeps that he’s found their next camp.
Next week’s episode is sadly the mid season finale. It seems there’s a turf war between the two camps, and someone brings along a tank for good measure. I bet Rick is wishing he hadn’t sent Carol packing now.
No. No. No. I’m passing on the traditional recap and focusing on the end of this episodes events. I have to. It was such a shock to see that happen that it’s all I can really think of when writing. I’m angry at Carol for not fighting for her place in the prison. I’m angry at Rick for being a dick.
Rick tells Carol she is no longer welcome back at the prison and sends her packing.
Seriously?
I am loving this stronger and determined to survive Carol. She’s like what Andrea was before she started having lie down kisses with the Governor and went all girly. She’s making the decisions that Rick it no longer wants to make, she’s teaching the youngings what needs to be done in order to survive and in my eyes, should have been chosen to lead the survivors when Rick turned pussy.
So then why does Rick get choose when to put on his captains hat and make a decision that will change the course of Carols life and not allow her to return to the safety of the prison? I understand his reasoning’s behind his decision. In his eyes, Carol began making risky choices (teaching the children how to use weapons, killing Karen and Dave, allowing the two injured survivors to help look for supplies) that affected the well-being and existence of the prison camp that was not hers to make, but that said, at least someone was making these decisions.
Then noting that this was also for her safety as he felt, he had no other option but to inform the survivors that she was the one who killed Karen and Dave, was a cop out. As Carol noted, Rick didn’t have to like what she did, she doesn’t like what she did. But someone did it.
So we last see Carol getting into a stocked up full of supplies car and driving off. No goodbyes. No tears. It’s a bit rough. So what does this mean for Carol’s future?
I’ve noticed on imdb.com that Melissa McBride (who plays Carol) has been listed in only a handful of season 4 episodes including the season finale. Could she be the one used to propel the talked about spin-off?
What a way to start off a fresh new season! It seems some time has passed since we last saw Rick and the gang taking refuge in the prison (I’m not entirely sure just how long) and now, with the addition of new survivors being added to the refuge, the prison has now become sort of a community – just like the one the Governor had run at Woodbury (but with less sadomasochism)
While inside the refuge, we see Maggie cooking breakfast in a makeshift outdoor kitchen (she also runs a kids reading club that secretly acts as a weapons workshop), Darryl has become the refugee’s hero, Hershel and Rick are tending the vegetable garden and Michonne is out on runs (for comic books we’re led to believe but she’s still on the hunt for the missing Governor) outside, the perimeter fences are becoming more infested with walkers with each new day that passes.
Carl is still around (he’s my new Lori) and there’s still major conflict between him and Rick, but we start to see Rick finally take parental actions towards Carl, doing his best to remove him from the violence that he was forced to endure before the end of season three. Beth is there too. She seems more at ease with the predicament she’s in. She’s even met a new fellow called Zach – though as we find out, he becomes zombie chow during a supply sweep at an abandoned shopping mall, but handles the news well about his death…perhaps a new Beth is finally starting to emerge?
The supply run is where most of the action takes place. Darryl along with Zach, Tyreese, Sasha, Glenn (who stopped Maggie from joining because it turns out, they were in the middle of a pregnancy scare) and newcomer Bob find themselves literally fighting zombies dropping from the sky. We know someone’s going to die, we’re all expecting it to be Bob – he’s new and seemed too eager to participate, but Darryl to the rescue saves him leaving an unguarded Zach to have a bite taken out of him.
There’s a weird scene between Rick and a stranded survivor named Clara out in the forest. She’s searching for food for her husband before Rick stumbles across her and asks for help. She talks about being at an airport in lock-down before the zombies break through and they run for their lives. Back at her little camp she suddenly attacks Rick…turns out her husband is a walker, she wants to join him and stabs herself in front of Rick. It took me a bit to realize this scene was about Rick understanding that no matter what the future may hold (cure or no cure) there really is no coming back from the decisions you make and the actions you take during this zombie apocalypse.
Keeping up the pace until the end, we see newcomer Patrick making his way to the showers. He’s clearly not well. Coughing the place down and dripping in sweat. No one seems to take notice. He collapses on the floor. When we cut back to him we see where next week will take us – Patrick has turned. We don’t know what killed him, but now there’s a walker inside the prison.
The Walking Dead 4×02 airs next Monday night on FX on Foxtel.
With Season four just over one month away (still that long?!) I wanted to take a look back at the season that was – Season three, of The Walking Dead and offer some of my own musings from the season and season finale.
Season Three as a whole:What a clanger of a season! It’s great to see the show step it up a notch by increasing the action, bringing back old and bringing in new characters and upping drama and tension created between two sides of survivors and the internal turmoil the characters find themselves experiencing.
Rick’s downward spiral into ghostly visions of Lori were annoying to watch (Can Lori just disappear already?), but we couldn’t expect him to just brush Lori’s death off and move on – no matter how much tension there was between the two before she died. The introduction of new characters were dynamic – The Governor and Michonne were welcome additions to the season and when their paths crossed, created for some amazing scenes to watch. It was also good to see Merle back after a long absence – at least we finally got to see what happened to him after he hacked his hand off!
Carl is also one more zombie kill away from turning complete emo. He’s almost at that age where brooding, back chat and apparently killing innocent survivors is to be expected. He’ll be exchanging the sheriff’s hat for a black hoodie before we know it.
Michael Rooker as Merle Dixon
The Death of Merle: Yes it was a shock that Merle found himself all zombie like and yes, when his little brother Daryl had to kill him, all we wanted to do was take Daryl in our arms and tell him everything would be ok. Merle’s death was inevitable. He needed to pay for his actions against Michonne, Glen and Maggie, and we knew he knew that too, it was just a case of when, where and how.
You didn’t love to hate Merle, you just hated him, but wanted to see more of him and we almost felt sorry for him and the situation he was in after taking refuge with the Governor only to be found by members of his old survivor group and the way he was able to divide Rick and his group (simply just but being in the room) was a feat only Merle could achieve. His brotherly hold over Daryl was painful and saw Daryl flit between his alliances to the group and his brother. In the end, it was Merle’s zombie apocalyptic life choices that led to his death, and I for one will miss him.
Emily Kinney as Beth Greene
Why Is Beth Still Around?I can’t help but feel as though Beth’s only purpose in season three was to hold baby Judith, sing joyful songs of praise and make inappropriate sex eyes at Carl. Beth had no real story-line, no real impact, no real anything this season, and i’m surprised she’s actually lasted this long when compared to her sister Maggie who has been an integral player this season.
I think the writers may have missed a big opportunity with Beth this season. It would have been interesting to see a sort of sibling rivalry between Beth and Maggie, not for anyone’s affections, but just to prove each others worth to the group – which Maggie has done effortlessly in season three. Let’s just see how true the rumors are that Beth is due to be bumped up in season four.
Laurie Holden as Andrea
Andrea, Andrea, Andrea: I want to say “Girl can’t see what’s in front of her” when it comes to discussing Andrea in season three. Perhaps it was all the sexy-times Andrea was having with the Governor that blinded her to all the very clear warning signs (about his insanity) that were being flashed her way. A zombie daughter, a room full of severed heads in water tanks, zombie’s used for tests, Michonne walking out, Merle being a trusted part of the team…seriously, Andrea needed to take the blinders off and see what was going on around her.
Add in her constant need to ‘save everyone’ and stop the killing and it’s no wonder Andrea found herself swallowing a bullet in the season three finale. I felt like Andrea was ‘maimed’ during season three. Gone was the ballsy blonde who wouldn’t take any crap and in her place was a mumsy do-gooder who could not see evil even when it was sticking its tongue down her throat.
While I found myself questioning my fondness of her, I always hoped that Andrea, in the end, would find her way back to Rick and the group. Guess not.
Other Bits andPieces:
*I loved how, towards the end of this third season, Daryl somehow managed to find time to color his hair a deep chocolate brown. It hit me, smack bang in the face…Daryl’s gorgeous face framed by newly colored locks.
*Zombies or no zombies, Glenn and Maggie, it seems, will have sex anywhere. Sure they’re at that early stage of their relationship and keeping hands to oneself is hard, but, apparently, the threat of death is an aphrodisiac.
*Will they or won’t they? You know i’m referring to Carol and Daryl right.
The Walking Dead season 4 premiere’s Monday October 14th on FX channel on Foxtel.
Let me start off by saying that I’m super late to the Walking Dead game. I tried to watch when the show began in the states, but the premise of a drama intertwined with zombies didn’t sit well with me and I found it too slow to keep me entertained. If my memory serves me rightly, I managed to watch up-to where some sheriff guy meets up with his wife and kid in a camp settled outside the city.
Well, how stupid was I?
I’m now half way through season three and I’m in love with Daryl Dixon. I also cheered when Lori died while giving birth and now spend each episode hoping Carl find himself on the wrong end of a kiss from walker. I’m pretty sure that makes me an official Walking Dead fan.
Now even though I’m still not yet up-to-date with pretty much everyone else in the world, I have been privy to what to expect for the rest of season three as the big events of the last few episodes of the season were all over social media (and I wasn’t watching then so I happily browsed away)
That said, the season 4 trailer released at this years San Diego Comic-Con meant nothing to me. There’s more people in the prison (where did they come from?) and lot’s more zombies too. Check it out for yourself below!
The Walking Dead (and Daryl Dixon) returns to our screens for season 4 Monday October 14th on FX via FOXTEL)
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