Let’s just call this the “King’s Field Episode” for starters. As in From Software’s great RPG series, if you’ve formed a particular attachment to certain characters major or minor, well… you were probably picking your jaw up off of the floor at the rather shocking events in the last few minutes. Jim digging those holes at the beginning sort of clued me in, but I was thinking they’d stretch out his justifiably out of his mind bit for the last few episodes at least. I’m guessing that huge pack of camp-raiding zombies were royally pissed that they missed the fish fry. The overall intensity of the attack coupled with copious amounts of non-stop gore made this the toughest to watch of the series to date, but a second viewing had me riveted even though I knew what was coming.

As for the title and first half of the episode, initially, the critical eyebrow went up when the stereotypical gang-bangers (that seemed very out of place in a zombie-packed Atlanta – where the hell would they live?) rolled onto the scene, kidnapped Glen and sped off. Surprisingly, the gang thing actually worked excellently thanks to some excellent writing and a few amusing, tense and eventually emotional moments. Just be nice to your real-life grandparents, is all I’ll say. The family aspect was touching indeed, but a grandly designed Yin/Yang set-up job by Hickman, as viewers would be hit a few minutes later by the above mentioned camp scene. As for next week, things don’t seem to be getting any better for the survivors… but I’ll be back at 10PM sharp, glued to the tube to find out what’s next.

Score: A

The third episode picked up where the last left off and had some fine dramatic moments thanks to Rick’s reunion with his family, some surprising revelations and a bit of shocking violence (primarily among the survivors, although a lone zombie gets dispatched in a nicely gruesome scene). My question about the dropped bag of guns was indeed answered, but as the teaser for next week’s show revealed, getting those guns isn’t exactly going to go as planned. Hmmm… I wonder if that tank Rick camped out in all too briefly still has a working cannon (and if Rick STILL has that grenade he swiped from the dead soldier)?

Oh, Michael Rooker’s rooftop racist does am off-screen Scream and Scream Again number on himself (look it up, or think of the first SAW movie) but I’m betting real money that he’s not a total goner. His controversial character deserves a bit more than the extended cameo he’s gotten thus far, that’s for sure. Then again, how far can one go in a zombie-packed Atlanta with sunstroke, one working hand and a bloody stump? We shall see, i guess…

Score: B+