Return to Atlanta--Walking Dead

Tell It to the Frogs

Sometimes script writers are prone for reaching into their bag of stereotypes in order to cause blood to boil and poke the bear as to get an emotional response from members of the audience. Merle Dixon was an easy choice on the second episode while the third features the basic groan-inducing wife-beater who looks for reasons to beat on his wife and doesn’t take too kindly to an independent voice from Andrea confronting him vocally about his abusive nature. It leads to Shane—already upset because he’s become reduced in the camp from main leader to sort-of leader because of Rick’s return (including losing the luxury of making love to his wife and playing substitute father to Carl)—beating the holy hog snot out of Ed. I’m pretty sure many were rising from their love seats, couches, and easy chairs in applause for seeing Ed get pummeled repeatedly for hitting his wife. It is goading the viewer manipulatively because Ed isn’t even human but a monster with no redeeming qualities. Oh, and Ed’s wife rushes to his side while he’s strewn out with a battered face.

**½

Well, Rick returns and his wife is enraged (but hides it the best she can from her husband) because Shane told her he was dead. Shane is obviously in a difficult spot of his own making; Lori addresses Shane about how he is not to be near them because of his actions. Merle has a brother named Daryl (Norman Reedus) who had been out hunting in the woods outside of Atlanta, returning, crossbow and bad attitude in hand, in a not very happy state of mind because of Merle’s being left in the city handcuffed to a pipe on a building.

The undead take a back seat in this episode in favor of "character development". I wasn't all warm and fuzzy towards this episode; nothing that poor, but nothing of significance, although the discomfort and awkwardness of Rick's return does add some dramatic weight to the series. This was anticipated by me because the writing was on the wall from early on that Rick would eventually somehow be reunited with his wife and kid, certain to free away the importance of Shane's infiltration of the domestic figurehead in their lives. It sure does place Lori in a uncomfortable position, knowing she's been shagging Shane while her husband was still alive and struggling to make his way back to her and their son. Shane's trying to remain close with Carl fuels her anger (Why wouldn't it?), leading to the title of this episode where she wants him to keep away, and if he's not fond with  that to tell it to the frogs. 

To me, besides the angle with the love triangle aside, this episode works as an introductory episode for the Norman Reedus' character of Daryl, who is obviously a crossbreed of antagonist/protagonist, not necessarily a hero but has attributes Merle lacks. A lack of control in the temper, a hair-trigger that will perhaps cause a bit of friction with the others, Daryl is tough and courageous (or, as some might think, he's too stubborn and the whole "acting without thinking things through" is liable to eventually get him killed), knows how to hunt, isn't concerned with how he looks (or smells) but seems less likely to hostilely pick fights with the camp just for the hell of it or act out in haste because being an asshole is fun to him. He's got one hell of an ego; that crossbow and the squirrels he killed provide examples as to his worth to the group, and he knows they need him, such cockiness can result from this... He should be an interesting character to watch onward during the series.

Four of the group, led by Rick (of course) will return to Atlanta in efforts to secure Merle and get him out of harm's way. I agree with those opposed to this but understand why Rick decides to do this because of his sheer integrity and unwillingness to just allow himself to live with the guilt for leaving a man handcuffed to a pipe even if the cretin deserved it. The opening, while attempting to milk the horror of Merle's situation (he defies God saying he isn't about to beg, trying to use his belt to reach a hacksaw), I wouldn't have bought his death even though I knew he survived from seeing a later second season episode. It was just too built a character for us to believe he'd go out in less than one episode and a half. The show needs other antagonists besides the dead among the characters so the likes of Merle and the "governor" are to be utilized to present heroes with difficult, complex situations besides just getting eaten and turned into zombies. Ed was just a temporary annoyance to cause us to get our knickers in a twist, fists clinched at the screen, teeth gritting.