THE WALKING DEAD 3×13 Review: ‘ARROW ON THE DOORPOST’

Considering last week’s episode of The Walking Dead (you can read my review here) was absolutely brilliant, I’d already decided that the episode to follow it up would pale in comparison. Sadly, my prediction was correct.

The episode has little action, and honestly the episodes in which it’s more about building tension and characters instead of action are better. Rick and the Governor finally come face-to-face (brought together by Andrea), and try to come to terms and hammer out a peace treaty. However, it seems that’s just Rick’s agenda – the Governor has something completely different in mind. He delivers Rick with a choice, a large moral dilemma which will affect the upcoming three episodes (including the season finale): either he storms the Prison and kills everyone inside, or Rick hands over Michonne to him and everything is settled.

One of the better aspects of this episode is that it sheds some new, interesting light on Clear last week – one of the main reasons we got an entire episode of bonding between Rick and Michonne is because then he would be asked to practically hand her over to execution. While I have no doubt Rick will choose to go to war with the Governor instead, I have a horrible feeling that part of the big plan to destroy Woodbury will include handing over Michonne.

The acting delivers yet again – Andrew Lincoln and David Morrissey are the standouts as Rick and the Governor, along with the rest of the cast being good as usual. Plus, we FINALLY get to watch Maggie and Glenn get it on… Us guys have needs, Lauren Cohan-related needs!

However, the major downside of Arrow on the Doorpost for me was a factor that has been bugging loyal viewers all damn season – Andrea. One of the best characters from the comics has been completely ruined on the show, becoming a nagging, annoying idiot. Andrea says herself during the episode to Hershel that she “can’t go back to Woodbury,” but the episode ends with her jumping in that van with the Governor and heading back there.

Even though she knows Phillip (the Governor) sexually assaulted Maggie, kidnapped her and Glenn and got Merle to beat the living shit out of him and attacked the Prison in act of terror.

Can you get any more stupid!?!?!?!

All in all, it was a decent episode that built a lot of tension and showed the interesting dynamics between Hershel and Milton and Daryl and Martinez outside while Rick and the Governor talked things through, showing that if someone just blew Phillip’s brains out and left the running of Woodbury to the sane people, both Rick’s group and their small town could work out their differences and get along. Hopefully something that will be explored in future episodes is the uprising of the people of Woodbury (teased in the trailer for next week) against the Governor, having them finally realise they’re blindly following a dictator. Overall, I give it a rating of…

What did you think of Arrow on the Doorpost? Tune in this time next week for our review of Prey, and catch the episode Sunday nights at 9/8c on AMC. Share your thoughts below!