It's a good thing only a small group read my "Walking Dead" mid-season preview, in which I questioned how it would compete with other Sunday 9:00 pm (eastern time) hits like HBO's "True Detective" (fantastic last night) and CBS' "The Good Wife," in addition to the Winter Olympics. While "The Good Wife" wasn't on last night, the other two shows may as well not have been, given the 15.8 million people who tuned into "Dead's" mid-season premier, USA Today reported. That's actually down about 300,000 from last year, when 16.1 million watched the first show of the second half season.
Called a "slow start" by USA Today (and maybe worse things by others), it wasn't a bad episode, but perhaps one with too great literary aspirations. At least the action scenes were suspenseful. Taking place rather immediately after the big fight that ended last season, Carl is upset with his father's less than proactive approach in defending the prison and for allowing a number of friends and loved ones to die in the years since the zombie apocalypse. They're walking on a pleasant-looking dirt path as only the south could produce (Rick limping from his wounds sustained from the Governor). Eventually, they find a nice house to take shelter.
The next morning, Rick won't wake up. His son believes he's dead, and momentarily revels in his newfound freedom. He gets himself into a few close calls with walkers, but eventually makes his way back to the house to check on his father.
The exchange between Carl and a comatose Rick was strange, but perhaps realistic. Only when Carl believes his father has turned into a zombie does the gravity of the situation hit him. Of course at that point, he realized his father is still alive. A day later, he appears in much better health, and Carl seems to have overcome his previous issues.
I'm not sure how a doctor would explain Rick's 24 hour coma, but maybe that sort of thing can occur. At any rate, the makers of "The Walking Dead" might be taking the show back to its roots, towards the analysis and development of personal relationships. Major plot points like the Governor's rise, the virus, and the Governor's rejuvenation may be a thing of the past. We'll find out more when we discover the fates of the other survivors.
