The Walking Dead 2-7: "Pretty Much Dead Already" 2011.11.27

The last 15 minutes were powerful, and I cried when Sophia was finally revealed.

Yes, I cried. I surprised even myself. I'm not a mother,so I can't imagine the grief in discovering that your child is dead, but I feel it keenly enough for a childless woman that I was devastated for Carol. It really made the point for me, that someone you love is hard to see as merely a "walker," and nothing else.

So even after all this time, knowing that this would most likely be the outcome of her storyline, even though I braced myself for it, have callously wished for it often enough--it still was an emotional jolt to see her walk out of the barn and know for sure that she was dead, beyond hope. I started crying then and feel weepy still.

For that reason alone, I think the episode was a success. The first 45 minutes were interesting enough to keep me watching, and I was absorbed in the characters and situation.

The good:
Glenn is redeemed, showing self awareness and vocally acknowledging his value to himself and to Maggie--I'm glad, because it's about time. T-Dog grabbing a gun and shooting with the rest of them--good for him. Now continue to develop his character and give him a storyline. Shane, coldly brutal as his logic can be, said things that needed to be said, and took action, can't fault that entirely. Rick, having the guts and strength of character to shoot Sophia and get it over with--he's finally starting to show some substance and prove himself worthy of survival--now they just need to keep it going. And Daryl--great to see him still doing what no one else will do, wanting to get things done. I was glad that he swore at Carol and then later apologized to her, because he remains awesome as ever.

The bad:
Dale. I was hugely disappointed with him. Though I can respect the concept of choosing the moral high ground and fighting the urge to resort to the lowest common denominator, I was disappointed that he didn't at least fire at Shane as a warning, and prove that he has some virility and strength of character to add substance to his words. He is losing depth and viability as a character, let alone a possible romantic partner for someone in the group, by continuing on in this impotent manner--that's how Kevin Smith described him in the last Talking Dead show, and it's right on the mark. Dale is impotent, and if I'm to believe in him, root for him, or respect him enough to root for him as a romantic partner then they truly need to work on this somehow--stop giving him stupid things to do, stop making him useless, stop showing us a do-nothing, accomplish nothing man.

So I will keep watching for now, and I can't wait for February, it's gonna be a long wait.