Welcome to the first of many reviews for the The Walking Dead, right here at UTF. The show returned last week after a 3-month long break, resuming it’s run of 8 episodes. Being a huge fan of the show and having to suffer such a long wait after an amazing cliffhanger, I was obviously incredibly excited. However, I felt that Episode 9 (The Suicide King) was one of the lesser episodes of the show, and certainly the worst of Season 3.

Crawler!

Thankfully, the elements that made me love the show in the first place were back tonight in one of the most explosive and entertaining episodes of the season. Yet again, Andrew Lincoln threw in a highlight performance as leader Rick, along with excellent acting from Norman Reedus as Daryl, Michael Rooker as his brother Merle and David Morrissey as the absolute bastard the Governor.

The main thing this season is trying to get across is the mental affects this new world has on our characters (especially the two leaders, the Governor and Rick), with the latter beginning to hallucinate, seeing Lori in this episode and Shane in #8. Making a welcome change to having zombies as the villains (which has happened for the past two seasons), this season focuses more on the human threats which arise in the new world and how they affect each character, and I think my prediction that by the end of Season 3 Rick will succumb to the pressure and being mentally unstable and step down as leader.

Again, the relationship between brothers Daryl and Merle is explored more and gives some welcome, positive to development to the latter – hopefully meaning next episode he will become a full-time staple in Rick’s group. What I found interesting in this episode was how some of the clear parallels between different characters are starting to draw closer. At the end of the episode, Merle had transitioned from complete asshole from lovable asshole (a fitting description of Daryl), Glenn was somewhat showing some elements of a personality that would belong more in Woodbury than at the Prison, and the gradually declining mental state of the Governor and Rick is slowly becoming the same.

However, not all aspects were great. The long-awaited (and feared) soap opera drama between Glenn and Maggie has finally begun, and I hope its just for at least one more episode. The writing for Glenn has become poorer since the show’s return, and while they are clearly trying to portray him as more brutal and reckless than before, I don’t welcome the change.

WARNING. MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW.

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Even though the death of Axel was a complete shock, I felt that was the only reason the writers decided to kill him off: shock value. He was starting to show a Joker-Dark Knight style multiple personality thing, and his supposed attraction to Carol (and the fact he had a gun) was particularly worrying for her.

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In conclusion, it was a great episode filled with tons of character development, action and sadness, but needed improving in certain writing areas. Also, where the f*ck was Tyrese and his crew!? Overall, the final rating is…

4.5/5

Tune in to the next episode of The Walking Dead next Sunday at 9/8c, titled I Ain’t A Judas and visit UTF next Monday for the weekly review! Did you like the episode? Share your thoughts and opinions below.