The Walking Dead’s second episode of its sophomore season is a step up from the premiere and is setting up quite the confrontation next week.

We last left the gang with Carl getting accidentally shot by a mystery hunter and we smash cut to Rick carrying his lifeless son through a field, heading for the farmhouse of the shooter.

Well, the opening of the episode was actually Lori getting the news that Rick was shot, pre zombie times, and I think this was the first flashback cold open yet.  The little vignette was relevant this week as breaking the news to Lori about Carl was at the emotional crux of this story and the opening proved to be a nice parallel.

But back to the main story.  The farmhouse is inhabited by a small band of survivors, one of which seems to be a doctor type that can provide help for Carl.  From here, the action actually slows up for the most part, but good character drama allowed the episode to excel.

The group is still split up in three, with Dale and T-Dog holding fort at the RV and providing a lot more entertainment than expected.  T-Dog gets more to say here then, seemingly, he has the whole series and his feverish rantings are cause for concern.  He doesn’t seem to trust Daryl, even after he has saved him time and time again, and his insistence to leave the group behind, even if delusional, doesn’t make me feel very safe around him.  It was also nice to see the show displaying some common sense with Dale here, as he picks the cars on the highway for parts.

The bulk of the group is wandering the woods on their way back to the highway, looking for Sophia, and their march is uneventful outside a walker attack on Andrea; who is saved by farmhouse tenant Maggie.  The group, minus Lori who went back with Maggie, makes it to the highway but still can’t find Sophia.  Glen is to take T-Dog to the farmhouse, and I have a sinking feeling about that car ride, while the rest of the group will wait one last night for Sophia before heading to Rick and the others.

Rick was kept busy giving blood transfusions, worrying about Carl/telling Lori, and trying to be heroic; even if he was a couple pints short on blood.  The main draw to the farmhouse plot was the doctor, Hershel, who is a calm, comforting, and educated physician.  Sure he might be a vet, but his bedside manner is impeccable.  I think Lori’s condescension towards him when hearing that news was very unfair by the way, the dude is doing great and trying to save his life; show some respect.

The most interesting and tense element of the episode came when Shane and Otis, the hunter who shot Carl, have to go the local school to raid a FEMA truck for surgery supplies.  Of course it is surrounded by shuffling and idle walkers, why are they just lingering there?, and the scene works quite well and leaves us ready for next week on a great note.

Again, another pretty good/great episode of The Walking Dead and it is done so by focusing on characters with a couple good zombie moments through in.  The writing seems far sharper this year and the focus finer.  Next week is set up to be just as compelling, if not more so, than this and I look forward to it with anticipation.

Bullets:

-holy shit, the car seat, good god

-Walter White’s meth made it to ATL before the apocalypse I see

-really hope Glen gets a bit more to do, he has been on sidelines for some time now

-another good episode for Daryl, liking him more and more

-thought the Andrea attack was a bit to over the top, slow mo?, but the horse riding bat kill was awesome.

Ok, that is all, still no Sophia and I hope we get to actually meet everyone in the farmhouse.  I do feel a pack coming through soon.