As is typical with “The Walking Dead,” much of the fans’ petty bitching and nitpicking about past episodes are addressed in what is one of the more haunting episodes of the season yet. “Consumed” is much more low-key and disquieting than the last five episodes and I appreciate how the focus is now pitted on Daryl and Carol, while also expanding on Carol Peletier’s back story. It’s a great thing too that Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride have excellent chemistry, as this episode could have immediately jumped in to filler territory. McBride has been fantastic on the series since day one, and Reedus can work off of anyone, so their dynamic is priceless.
The characters have a lot in common, especially considering that they’re both victims of abuse that found a purpose in the wasteland. And for better or for worse, the apocalypse has transformed them in to fighters and destroyed their tendencies to be victimized. Though Carol is grateful to no longer be a victim, she also suggests that perhaps she leaned too much on her abusive husband Ed, which allowed her to ignore the world, and prevent her from surviving in a harsh reality.
She even explains that she was in a shelter for a day and a half before running back to her husband. The scene of the walker mother and son stuck in the room is dripping with symbolism about how victims can become trapped in their own worlds, often inadvertently, and other times because it’s just easier to stay with what you know. Even if what you know is domestic violence. Even if you’re getting smacked around every day, you know the life, and it’s sometimes easier to deal with than what the world likely has in store.
“Consumed” is part two of the journey to find Beth, and I’m still convinced Beth is not going to make it to the final eight episodes of season five. This is likely one of the few deaths of the series I see coming from miles away. She’s going to be the sacrificial lamb to ensure that Carol, Daryl, and likely Noah make it out of Grady. If “Consumed” has one flaw it’s that it’s an extension of “Slabtown,” which I wasn’t nuts about.
But once again, the writers take time out to explore the back stories of Carol and Daryl, and expound on the very tragic life of Carol Peletier before the walkers rose. “Consumed” is a brutally spooky and eerie episode that’s brilliantly directed, and garners some utterly unnerving imagery. From the walkers emerging from the darkness of the warehouses, right down to the zombies stuck in their tents. The whole sleeping bag group on the floor of the corridors gave me flashbacks of “Dawn of the Dead,” as well.
Even the quite moments of solitude and contemplation gave way to depictions of exposition, and how these characters functioned and processed. “Consumed” connects the dots to Carol’s back story, to being exiled from the prison, her eventual interruption of the prison raid that drew her to Tyreese, the horrors at the farmhouse with Lizzie and Mikah, and how she was able to bounce back stop being a victim once and for all. I also liked how we eventually find out that Noah didn’t actually escape after “Slabtown.”
The hospital infrastructure is so complicated and almost like a labyrinth, so it’d make a lot of sense he wouldn’t just duck in to a broken fence and be on his way. Just because you got past one of the buildings in a massive hospital, wouldn’t mean freedom. It’d be at least three other structures to surpass all on your own until you saw a street. Plus Noah is somewhat hobbled, after all. I really hope that Tyler James Williams becomes a regular as Noah, because he seems to have a lot to contribute as a survivor, and their meeting feels like kismet.
Someone has to make a “The Walking Dead”/”Everybody Hates Chris” mash up, now. In either case, Noah seems to have cemented himself with Daryl, and his role in the series could go either way at this point. Regardless, he holds the key to finding Beth, and Carol. Granted the final scene of Carol being hit by the car was pretty silly (Did they purposely aim and hit her? Or did they just crash in to one another?), but the ending of Noah looking over at the super charged Daryl, who promises to fight fire with fire indicates another small battle is about to be waged.
Next week we find out that Rick is still a character on the show. I’m a Rick Grimes fan. Sue me.
Two more episodes until the mid-finale.