THE WALKING DEAD 4.8 "Too Far Gone" - Recap/Review

By Bill Sweeney

Neil Diamond's evil brother finally makes his big move into the spotlight.

If The Governor and his Tank are the unstoppable force, Rick and The Prison are the immovable object.

When push finally came to shove Rick held his ground and it was about time, regardless if he hesitated by trying to defer to the council. The mid-season finale was a damn strong episode that payed off a long standing feud or two, and killed off a fan favorite.

SPOILERS ahead!

The Gov always seemed most dangerous when someone had their back to him, because as with most of this type there is a opportunistic coward deep down inside him. This is evidenced by the opening of the episode as we see he could have done plenty of damage to his enemies on his own, in the bushes with his pistol pointed at them.

Instead, he snatches up Hershel and Michonne, then at his camp he rallies his new people with a speech that is full of as many hard truths as it is lies. He makes some salient points but he seems to convince them to fight and possibly die for him rather easily. I'm pretty sure I'd be asking questions. Like, I dunno "Do you mind if I talk to the two people you have tied up?" Lilly, his new love, asks some questions of him but he just wants to protect them he says.

The Gub'na has a quick chat with Hersh and Michie. He tells her he's like over it, but she she still wants to kill him. Here we basically learn part of his plan to use these two to as a bargaining chip. That, and also that he don't give a shit about the people inside the prison, he'll give them a chance but he'll take the place by force if he has to.

Rick tells Daryl about Carol and the whole seen is fairly moot. Daryl doesn't really like it but what's he going to do? He makes a face or something. They decide to go tell Tyreese about Carol The Killer but Tyreese has found some weird mouse sacrificial alter, thinks it has something to do with the mysterious Ratter-Gate Ratspiracy. Rick is about to explain the Carol thing when, like a pirate, The Governor comes knocking with a cannon blast.

"That's not the pizza guy."

 The Governor shows up with his tank, his lil' army and his two captives. He makes Rick come out to talk but Rick insists he isn't the leader anymore. There's a council now. Patchy quickly points out that the council is moot since he has two of the members. The Gov makes it easy - just go by sundown.

Rick says it ain't that easy. Sick kids, no packing boxes, etc.

This whole time, The Gov's new family unit is waiting it out near a river because Zombies "can't cross rivers" according to him? Really? Because now one of them gets halfway across. Mom pulls out her gun but it doesn't matter, it's a story diversion. You see, Little Meghan is allll the ways over there when she basically unearths her own demise by playing in the mud. She's actually playing a partially dried mudslide and suddenly a zombie comes up out of the soil and chomps her realll good.

Back at Rick Grimes Penitentiary, the Prison Kids invoke the memory of Carol and decide now's a good time to arm themselves since the grown-ups are a little busy.

"To hell with your pizza."

Rick and The Gov talk about the futility of letting it go to battle until finally Patchy jumps down off his tank grabs Michonne's sword and puts it to Hershel's neck. These leaders are at a standoff. Neither wants to budge. These gatecrashers want the prison but Rick makes an impassioned plea, they can stay, split the prison, live like people, no one has to die. Hershel smiles at the sentiment and seems to believe its possible.

Mood and tone played nicely throughout and the tension built steadily until this last third of the episode when it all boils over when Rick says "We all can change..."

The Governor whispers "Liar..."

He hacks the sword at Hershel taking only a chunk from the old man's neck.

Chaos erupts in a storm of gunfire. Hershel crawls away but The Governor decides he should just focus on chopping the man's head all the way off. Aaaand that's when his new girlfriend shows up (with impeccable timing) holding the lifeless body of little Megan, Gov's surrogate daughter figure.

His people suddenly question his actions amongst themselves.

"I'm dead and ready to haunt Rick's dreams. Hehehe."

He cradles Megahn and puts a bullet in her head aand with that, The Gov loses the only thing holding his sanity together. He orders the Tank and his people forward.

Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I missed the point of the conversation these me just had.... B-b-but I thought the fences were important?!!!!? Why are you knocking them down. Well, all new property owners do some remodeling, right

Glen is still sick and basically has to sit this one out. He ends up on a bus that's a rushed back up plan to get everyone out. At some point, it speeds off during the chaos. 

Rick and Patchy are punching it out, bullets are flying the tank is taking down fences and blowing shit up.
Daryl, meanwhile, is taking heavy gunfire. He hides behind a magic filling cabinet that somehow deflects bullets. I guess right now his crossbow doesn't seem so wise a weapon choice.  He then uses a zombie, y'know a rotten corpse, as a shield against bullets. It works. Again, like magic.

AND IN THE NEXT SCENE A BULLET GOES RIGHT THROUGH STOOKEY'S SHOULDER.

What? Whatever.

At some point Here comes Kid Calvary as Carol Junior blasts a human away! Some Parent Television council is squealing somewhere, I'm sure.

Michonne saves Rick as The Gov is getting the best of him. She runs her sword right through the bastard and leaves him gurgling in his own blood. She gets her moment but it feels hollow because he's left there for his girlfriend Lilly to finish him off. Seems kinda like a letdown since building him up as Michonne's rivalry.

"But I just wanted to be friendssss!"

To regain his unearned status as the shows' secondary badass, Daryl stops the tank by dropping a hand-grenade down the turret barrel. He then puts a arrow into the chest of that dude from Oz.

Daryl and Beth run off to unknown lands of sticky internet fanfic.

Zombies are everywhere now. The place is a ruin. Rick finds Carl and they soon find the empty car seat. Baby Judith is gone and the seat is bloody.

Carl and his meatyfaced dad lumber through the weeds.

Rick tells him "Don't look back, don't look back."

And that's the end. Wow.

Looking ahead...

The prison's gone! Everyone is likely all split up!
Will we ever see baby Judith again? Was she on the bus? Did she have exact fare?
Will Rick regret making the choice to stand up to The Governor?
Will he blame himself for all the death and destruction?
Should he?

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