The Walking Dead Review: S3E13 “Arrow on the Doorpost”

Daylight Savings has arrived and the new episode of The Walking Dead has passed. There will be zombies, drama, and a whole lot of talking.

Go ahead past the jump to read the review for episode 13 “Arrow on the Doorpost.” Beware of SPOILERS!

This week’s episode definitely falls into the “calm before the storm” cliche.

The episode begins with Rick, Daryl and Hershel driving to an industrial area with a warehouse. Rick enters the warehouse only to have the Governor lurking in the shadows. Outside the warehouse Andrea arrives with Milton and Martinez. Apparently, Andrea had set up this meeting so that Rick and Governor can come to terms and maybe set a truce. This uneasy standoff is the basis for the entire episode.

Seriously nothing else really happens in this episode. I am really scratching my head on how to review this particular episode.

Outside Rick and the Governor’s respective advisers and muscle relate to each other. Daryl and Martinez share a moment and a cigarette after clearing a couple of walkers that wandered near the warehouse. They understand that after this day they will be forced to be at each other’s throats, one of them will not walk away. Hershel and Milton share information and jokes about wanting to see Hershel’s leg. Although not even remotely enough of the episode, we are still given an insight at these supporting characters and how much they know about their own places in the world.

Over at the prison, Glenn is busy readying everyone in the prison to prepare for battle. He has a confrontation with Merle when Merle wants to leave to assassinate the Governor and make sure his brother is safe. Merle is turned away but he tries to get Michonne’s ear to go with him. When she turns him down, he ends up doing nothing. Glenn and Maggie also reconcile all their differences and get it on in a storage area.

In the end, the Governor offers a truce if only Rick gives up Michonne. Of course, we later find out that the Governor plans to massacre the prison survivors when they come to turn in Michonne. Rick is contemplating what to do and wants Hershel help make the decision.

That is the episode. An hour of useless drama, all to just set up next week’s episode. Only three more episodes left in this season and I’m worried that they are just going in circles.

2/5

An unnecessary confrontation between Rick and the Governor hopefully sets up next week’s war between Woodbury and the prison. Small character moments help this episode, but pissing contest in the warehouse between the two lead men is the entire episode.