THE WALKING DEAD Season 5 Episode 3
Episode Title: “Four Walls and a Roof”
Writers: Angela Kang & Corey Reed
Director: Jeffrey F. January
Previously on “The Walking Dead”:
Last week’s episode of “The Walking Dead” found Bob (Lawrence Gilliard, Jr.) on the menu as he was captured by Gareth (Andrew J. West) and the cannibalistic survivors of Terminus. But in a nod to the “Walking Dead” comics, Bob had the last laugh.
Full spoilers ahead!
“Tainted Meat!”
As expected, Bob didn’t have much time after his ordeal in the previous episode. But Bob did laugh in the face of his captors when he revealed that he had been bitten by a walker… and that Gareth and his companions had been eating the “tainted meat” of Bob’s leg.
That didn’t go over well with the Terminus survivors, who began retching on the spot. Gareth was enraged enough to knock Bob out, temporarily sparing him the pain of his missing leg.
Confession Is Good For The Soul
Back at the church, the absence of Bob, Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) did not go unnoticed. Suspicion fell on Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), as Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) openly threatened him. Under intense pressure, Gabriel caved and revealed his sins to the group.
Through his tears, Gabriel recounted how he survived so long by himself… because he kept the doors of his church locked and he did nothing as walkers wiped out his followers as they begged for sanctuary. The group seemed stunned as Gabriel told them that God sent them to punish him for his actions.
Clash of The Alpha Males
To intimidate the group, Bob was left outside the church. Once his fellow survivors brought him inside, Bob told them where Gareth and his people were hiding and he confirmed that Daryl and Carol drove off together before they could be captured and mutilated. Bob also revealed that he was bitten… and there was nothing to be done for him except to make him comfortable in Gabriel’s office.
Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) recognized the threat of the Terminus survivors, but he decided that it made more sense to leave immediately for Washington D.C. in order to protect Eugene (Josh McDermitt) and his cure for the zombie plague. Abraham and Rick (Andrew Lincoln) nearly came to blows more than once, but Glenn (Steven Yeun) defused the situation and promised to go with Abraham’s group with Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Tara (Alanna Masterson) if Abraham delayed his departure to help protect the group.
Under Siege
To avenge Bob and protect themselves, Rick, Abraham, Michonne (Danai Gurira), Sasha and Maggie formed a hunting party and take off after the Terminus survivors. Minutes later, Gareth and his people broke into the church to attack the people left behind.
Gareth was pretty damn smug as he tried to tempt Gabriel into betraying the group and as he taunted the survivors by addressing them by name. Yeah, Gareth had it all figured out… until two of his group were shot dead and his own fingers were blown off of his hand.
Promise Keepers
It turns out that Rick’s group didn’t fall for the divide and conquer as easily as Gareth thought they would. Confronted by Rick and his very angry friends, Gareth and his remaining survivors quickly surrendered. Gareth even tried to talk his way out of the church by promising that his group will never go after Rick’s people again.
Gareth was correct about that, because Rick and his survivors mercilessly slaughtered the last of the Terminus survivors. Rick even kept his promise by killing Gareth with a machete, as mentioned two episodes back. Both Tyreese (Chad Coleman) and Gabriel were horrified by the massacre. As Gabriel protested that the church is the house of the Lord, Maggie told him that it’s just four walls and a roof.
“The New World Is Gonna Need Rick Grimes”
The next day, the group said its goodbyes to Bob and he thanked Rick for taking him in. Bob had one last private moment with Sasha before he died,,, and Tyreese spared his sister some pain by putting a knife through Bob’s head before he could rise again as a walker.
Despite their triumph, Abraham and Rick split the group on relatively good terms. Abraham and his splinter group gave Rick a map of their planned route to Washington D.C. and they took off in the bus. When Rick unfolded the map, he found a written apology from Abraham and a message encouraging him to follow them… because the world is going to need what Rick has to offer.
Some time later, Michonne came across Daryl outside of the church and she asked him what happened to Carol. Daryl didn’t reply, but he told someone offscreen that they can come out now… and the episode abruptly ended…
That’s a weak cliffhanger by any measure. Daryl should have been held off screen for at least this week to create some further tension. Trying to fool the audience into thinking that Carol might be dead is going to seem really silly if she’s perfectly fine at the end of next week’s episode.
Overall, it was pretty solid episode for “The Walking Dead.” But feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below!
