Holy shit! It's been coming and it's finally happened: a major character has been killed off. I won't say who it is (obviously), but it probably isn't who you'd expect it to be...
It begins with Daryl torturing, I'm sorry, "interrogating" Randall (Michael Zegen) who admits to being part of a group who raped women, but denies taking part in any of it. You've got to wonder, why would he tell them what some of the group did unless he took no part in it? If he took part in the rapes, he'd likely keep his mouth shut. Rick has apparently decided that Randall must die and Dale is the only one opposed to the idea. He and Rick argue and he manages to get Rick to give him the rest of the day to try and convince people. He goes straight to Andrea and gets her to guard Randall. Despite agreeing with Rick, she agrees to his request. As she stands watch Shane attempts to convince her that a change of leadership is needed. Meanwhile, Carl goes into the barn where Randall is being kept who attempts to manipulate him. Shane bursts in, threatens Randall and shouts at Carl, who storms off.
Dale's first target is Daryl, who is living far away from the rest of the group. He tells Dale that he doesn't care what happens, that the group is broken. Meanwhile, Rick is looking for a good spot to hang Randall and Lori, despite her opposition to the death penalty, tells Rick that she agrees with his decision. Carl, more bored and angry than ever, calls Carol an "idiot" for saying Sophia is in heaven. His father lectures him for not thinking before he speaks, telling him to apologise.
Dale moves on to Hershel, who appears to care less about Randall than even Daryl does. It's not his decision and he wants no part of it, refusing to even talk to Randall. It's not going well for Dale so far. Carl, having been shouted at by Shane and lectured to by his father, decides to "borrow" a gun and wander off into the woods. You just know this is going to end badly... When he comes across a walker, stuck fast in the mud, he overcomes his initial fear and throws rocks at it.
If Dale had no luck so far, he's unlikely to get Shane to agree with him right? Wrong. Shane surprises both Dale and me by saying that if Dale can convince the rest of the group that Randall should be spared, he will go along with it. He still disagrees with Dale though, telling him that if it ends badly, the blood will be on his hands. Back at the house, Hershel has a chat with Glenn, saying that every father thinks no man will be good enough for his daughter, giving him a pocket watch that has been passed down in his family from father to son for generations.
As the sun sets, Rick talks to Lori about Randall's upcoming execution. She again says she supports him and Rick remarks that she hasn't yet said whether she thinks he's making the right decision. This is the right call, he says, and she nods silently. Back in the woods, Carl is preparing to execute the walker when it suddenly pulls one of its legs free and snatches for his arm. He runs away, getting back to the house in time for the start of the debate. He may be rude to Carol and throw things at an immobile walker, but he's still a kid and his terror shows through here.
Despite his best efforts, Dale has been unable to convince the rest of the group. Even Glenn, who would usually agree with him, says that the risk is too high. Maggie suggests keeping him prisoner but is shot down. Hershel says it could be a lean winter. He could be an asset, Dale replies. Fear has permeated the group and none of them are willing to even consider letting him join the group. When talk turns to how they would kill him, Dale protests that it sounds like they've already decided, launching into a passionate speech in opposition to executing him, saying "how are we any better than those people we're so afraid of?" Dale pleads with the group to do what's right and succeeds in convincing Andrea but no-one else. Dale has tears in his eyes as he echoes Daryl's comment: the group is broken.
Rick, assisted by Shane and Daryl, prepares to execute Randall when Carl walks in, demanding to watch. Furious, Rick is unable to go through with it and Randall's execution is postponed. Carl's walker makes a surprise re-appearance and one of the group is shockingly killed off.
The bulk of this episode centres around the agonising decision that people will be faced with in the event of a zombie apocalypse: what do you do when strangers turn up? Personally, I agree with Dale. Sentencing one of the few remaining humans to death for something that they might do is completely abhorrent. On the other hand, if I was in that situation, I can understand the argument that the survival of your group is more important than the survival of an outsider. It's a terrible decision that they have to make and, as Dale says, it's not one that can be made in five minutes.
The second half of the second series is uniformly excellent and this episode is no exception.
9 out of 10.
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