Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Michael Allen
Creator: Frank Darabont.
Director: Greg Nicotero.
Writers: Robert Kirkman, and Angela Kang.
Episode 11 of "The Walking Dead," "Judge, Jury and Executioner" seemed to really slow things down after the previous exciting episode titled "18 Miles Out." This episode focused on heavy moralizing with Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) appropriately at the center of the episode. On the periphery, the new character Randall (Michael Zegen) and his fate were being debated while Carl (Chandler Riggs) let a zombie loose onto the farm. This should have been exciting right? "Judge, Jury and Executioner" seemed like a rest stop in the zombie apocalypse. And no one seems to be resting more than T-Dogg (IronE Singleton).
Really, the story has been summed up above. To expand, about 40 minutes of the episode was spent debating Randall's death. Dale is pro-life and for saving Randall. Almost everyone else is pro-death whether they admit or not. Andrea seemed somewhere in the middle of this decision as she changed positions at least once. Carol just wanted to sit on the sidelines like an apathetic cheerleader. After the final decision was made, Dale probably wished he stayed closer to the farm.
Dale's Big Game Hunting Days Are Over
There is another character staying close to the homestead outside of the women folk. His name is T-Dogg and this reviewer thought that he had missed an episode and that T-Dogg had been killed. But then he turned up at the communal vote for Randall's execution. Someone give this character a line or two. There must be a few story lines involving race, status or power roles even in a zombie apocalypse. Does the group not trust him or have the writers forgotten about him? T-Dogg is the most neglected character in the show.
T-Dogg did not even really get a vote, but this zombie television fan would like to cast his vote in favour of sparing Randall. This character obviously made a mistake by opening his mouth about Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and of knowing her in school. If he had been smart, he would have kept his mouth shut and got himself out of his bonds on his own. However, teenagers are rarely that smart and his portrayal in the show is believable. So, his life should be spared on the basis of stupidity. He is stupid and he might be good at hauling rocks around Herschel's (Scott Wilson) farm for a year or two. Execution is too severe especially for someone who is basically just out of high school. What are your thoughts?
With the moralizing aside, this episode seemed a little too slowly paced to offer any thrills. Dale's demise at the end was a surprise for at least one watcher, but his death seemed more like a relief than a loss. And the series as a whole seemed to take a break here at Herschel's farm, once again. This show should be a little more thrilling and this reviewer would recommend seeing "Triggerfinger" and "18 Miles Out," but skip this showing.
There are still two episodes to look forward to: "Better Angels" and "Beside the Dying Fire." Hopefully, the pacing charges up in these two final episodes as pulling out of the melodramatic quagmire of "Judge, Jury and Executioner" could be difficult.
Overall: 5.75 (slow, not much forward progression in the grand story arc, Dale's death was a surprise, Rick made the right decision).
Another review of this episode is available at IGN (Eric Goldman):
Judge Jury and Executioner Reviewed at IGN
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Posted in: moral dilemma,morality,television review,the walking dead,the walking dead season 2,zombie apocalypse,zombie television recap,zombie television review
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