Review:
The Walking Dead: Episode Three

103 – Tell It To The Frogs

So, we’re three episodes into the story and our protagonist has only just met his group of survivors. Happily, this cracking episode puts a backseat on the zombie slaying antics, opting for a more human approach to the drama. The result is a corker of a story with real emotional depth to it.

Rick, Glen, T-Dog and the others have managed to escape from Atlanta. However, in the rush to flee, they left Merle handcuffed to the roof, a fact that neither Rick nor T-Dog can forget about. Upon arriving at the survivor camp, Rick has a joyful reunion with his wife, who, unbeknownst to him, had been seeking solace in the arms of Shane. His return into their lives throws everything into disarray and tensions begin to mount in the group…

What makes this episode so great is that the subject matter in the story allows the excellent actors to display a far wider range of emotions than the usual fear and terror. In fact, with all the praise that’s gone for the acting in previous episodes, this is the one that truly cements the cast’s ability to make the viewers believe in their world.

Easily the single greatest part of the episode is the scene when the survivors lay eyes on Rick all at once. It’s such a wonderfully moving moment, made all the more powerful by the silence in which it takes place. No dramatic music swells, no dialogue – just a crying man hugging his wife and child. The amazing skills of Andrew Lincoln (Rick), Jon Bernthal (Shane), Sarah Wayne Callies (Laurie) and even young Chandler Riggs (Carl) really comes into its own here – it’s all in the stunned expressions, made even greater with the genuine panic on Laurie’s face.

Naturally, this puts Shane in an unimaginably difficult situation – his role as Alpha Male of the group has been usurped in a single moment and half the pleasure of this episode is in watching him try to restore it. One incredible revelation later and Shane has single-handedly become this show’s most wonderful villain.