The Walking Dead - S04E05 Internment (2013)

Review

The flu epidemic is reaching crisis point with both Sasha and Glenn on the endangered list, on the bright side Hershel seems immune to the virus and is fighting manfully to save as many as he can. Making things slightly more complex are the folk who succumb to the sickness turning and presenting a clear and present danger. Hershel has his post death tactics in place, including removing the dead from the sick wards before applying the coup de grace, but naturally this falls apart as the death toll rises. With things looking like they may get out of control Hershel needs to grab the shotgun Doctor C brought into the cell block, unfortunately the Doctor has died in the interim and has a nasty taste for fresh meat.

Rick and Maggie are forced to work overtime as the walking dead build up at the fences, which look like they may give way at any moment. Maggie is caught in a dilemma as shots ring out from the prison but Rick tells her to go check on Glenn and Hershel, he enlists the aid of Carl to try and hold back the undead hordes. Unfortunately the fences are not an immovable force and are overwhelmed by the weight of the dead pressing against the wire, Rick and Carl retreat to grab some heavy ordinance. The Grimes Boys versus a horde of the walking dead, there can only be one outcome. Let's lock and load on the episode, hey I've got the fever for this show.

Another one of those episodes where we get lots of the walking dead, both outside and inside the prison as Rick's mob come close to losing everything. Clearly the Producers are working currently at cutting back on the extras, but also some minor characters, and I'm wondering if we are headed toward a couple of loses in the major character class. It all builds toward tension and ensuring you can't predict what is coming up next. No one is safe, nowhere is safe, and for sure no one viewing is going to be sitting back relaxing. Surprisingly we don't spend any time this episode with Daryl's crew of scavengers, it's all wall to wall Rick being Rick and Hershel trying to salvage anyone he can from the increasingly deteriorating situation in the prison wing of pestilence.

A strong dramatic episoide that still takes time out to rock the action

I get the feeling that the first block of season four episodes has come to an end with Internment, the final scene of the episode sort of makes it look that way and for sure is guaranteeing things are going to heat up later in the season. After mass walking dead slaying Rick and Carl head on out to the fields that Rick began the season farming, there is a quiet moment when they both taste some peas that look about ready to harvest. I got this "things coming full circle" vibe, Rick is back in the fields, as he was at the beginning of the season, but notably his .357 magnum Colt Python is right where it should be, on his hip ready for use. Similarly Carl has a holstered Beretta 92FS, notable the strap used to ensure the gun doesn't drop out by mistake is unclipped. Please note I'm not a firearms expert, all gun related knowledge is curtesy of imfdb.org. Anyways to cut this one short the Grimes boys may be in the fields, but after the events of the past few episodes they have their weapons of choice close to hand and ready to use, danger is never far away in The Walking Dead universe.

I was actually pretty happy with the focus of this episode, which is much tighter than it has been through the last handful of instalments. Rather than three of more different groups competing for screen time we pretty much just get the cell block that dripped phlegm and the fences holding back the decaying ones. If I haven't said it recent, then about time, two thumbs up for the makeup department for making the walking dead gnarly and disgusting. This is actually pretty cool as we get the recently deceased and some real rotting flesh. Anyways yeah tight focused that allowed me to appreciate the makeup and prosthetics going down.

Anyone notice the recurrent situation going down with people wondering where Carol is. Well okay only Maggie and Daryl showed the least bit of interest, but hey just another thing for Rick to explain to the troops. We never did get to see how Daryl took the news of Carol's banishment, I'm thinking not very well, but Rick did have to explain to Maggie, and left her pondering what she would have done considering the smouldering anger Tyreese displayed recently.

The episode does close with Daryl's team arriving with the required drugs and a sort of next day feel to things. Hershel at least is taking time out from trying to keep everyone alive, guess that means the worse of the flu epidemic is over. Personally I think the writers and producers kept this plotline going for about the right length of time, it served its purpose, time to move onto something new over the course of the next few episodes.

Back to the episode itself, which is what I should be covering end of day, director David Boyd knocked it out of the ballpark with his use of visuals to convey the deeper meaning in various scenes. Don't worry I am not going to go all Kermode here, I just dig decently constructed visuals, hey I did actually get Playboy for the pictures. Right from the starting scene, Rick driving down a back country road festooned with drying leafs to the cell block scenes that were dark and dingy Boyd is across the requirements. Particularly liked the ending with Rick and Carl in a sun drenched garden sampling peas that cuts to the Governor looking on from the tree line, evocative baby, we are in good hands here folks.

The episode is titled Internment, which can be defined as the state of being confined as a prisoner, in particular for political or military reasons. Well shouldn't be rocket science here, Hershel is pretty much confined to the medical wing as he tries to help with the patients forced to live or die there. But a deeper meaning may be the entire group are forced to live behind wire and strong walls due to the ever encroaching dangers presented by the shambling dead. I might be stretching the friendship here but quite often "Internment" is confused with "Interment", the act or ceremony of burial, once again Hershel dealing with those who have recently given up this mortal coil due to the virus or indeed Rick and Carl having to put down a horde of walkers. Hey we bored yet; I can go Sheldon Cooper on your bum with this stuff, moving along folks.

Got to say I really dug Internment, there was enough action to keep the blood pumping, and the interactions between the characters was sublime. The Walking Dead can be intense and this episode was definitely keeping that to the forefront, previous decisions still reverberating through the present and new dangers ever present. The show has a tendency to bring characters to the fore, showing their strengths and weaknesses, this week's focus was Hershel who once again demonstrated his humanity. If you remember back to season one Dale Horvath provided the moral compass for the survivors, this season Hershel provides the same balance albeit from a more world aware perspective. Yeah I had a good time with this episode and would recommend you check it out if not already a fan of the show. The ending scene definitely hints at some interesting times ahead, I'm already sweating on the next episode. Lock and load baby, the season is heating up.