I take my hat off to Norman Reedus and Emily Kinney for their subtle but powerful performances in this episode which literally moved me to tears.
This episode is the reason why The Walking Dead is one of the best shows on television - how this episode only has a rating of 7 on IMDb surprises me, but let's face it, a majority of zombie genre fans who watch the show are obsessed with the mindlessness and killing scenes these genres are popular for: gore, non-stop action sequences and blood letting and pretty much NOTHING else.
Thankfully, this is where The Walking Dead departs beautifully, it takes the genre to another level and gives it meaning, depth, a reason to keep watching, wondering, hoping.
If this were anything like the typical zombie genres out there, I would have stopped watching a long time ago, you can only watch so much gore before it just gets boring and predictable, I might as well be watching some B Grade horror film (just a tip there for those who like that stuff, if that's the case, then The Walking Dead is clearly not for you).
"Still" is a cathartic episode for the characters, an attempt to let go of their pasts, their former selves - and both characters are integral to this transformation in each other. The normally optimistic Beth and the emotionally removed Daryl, what an awesome combination and opportunity to explore this tension between the two characters, that proverbial "elephant" in the room. Beth wanting to be stronger and initially seeing herself as weak in comparison to the other female characters in the show and Daryl tormented by a dark past that seems to be nipping at his heels after the loss of the prison, the place where he was just beginning to find the family and sense of self he never really had.
You begin to realize that despite their superficial differences, the commonality lies in their intense and mutual sense of loss, hidden initially by either Beth's optimism or Daryl's detachment. In a way, Beth "saves" Daryl from slipping irrevocably into his grief and potentially losing sight of his humanity again, and in doing so we're now aware of how powerful her strength really is in this apocalypse, how it's just as valid as physical strength. It feels as though Daryl's walls have been burned to the ground and how poetic to have this happen at the closing scene, Beth and Daryl both flipping the bird at despair and giving us hope for the rest of their journey. I think the closing song summed up this episode a treat:
"There's bound to be a ghost at the back of your closet, No matter where you live, There'll always be a few things maybe several things, That you're gonna find really difficult to forgive, There's gonna come a day when you feel better"
Thanks The Walking Dead, this episode really hit home for me, in more ways than one.
This episode is the reason why The Walking Dead is one of the best shows on television - how this episode only has a rating of 7 on IMDb surprises me, but let's face it, a majority of zombie genre fans who watch the show are obsessed with the mindlessness and killing scenes these genres are popular for: gore, non-stop action sequences and blood letting and pretty much NOTHING else.
Thankfully, this is where The Walking Dead departs beautifully, it takes the genre to another level and gives it meaning, depth, a reason to keep watching, wondering, hoping.
If this were anything like the typical zombie genres out there, I would have stopped watching a long time ago, you can only watch so much gore before it just gets boring and predictable, I might as well be watching some B Grade horror film (just a tip there for those who like that stuff, if that's the case, then The Walking Dead is clearly not for you).
"Still" is a cathartic episode for the characters, an attempt to let go of their pasts, their former selves - and both characters are integral to this transformation in each other. The normally optimistic Beth and the emotionally removed Daryl, what an awesome combination and opportunity to explore this tension between the two characters, that proverbial "elephant" in the room. Beth wanting to be stronger and initially seeing herself as weak in comparison to the other female characters in the show and Daryl tormented by a dark past that seems to be nipping at his heels after the loss of the prison, the place where he was just beginning to find the family and sense of self he never really had.
You begin to realize that despite their superficial differences, the commonality lies in their intense and mutual sense of loss, hidden initially by either Beth's optimism or Daryl's detachment. In a way, Beth "saves" Daryl from slipping irrevocably into his grief and potentially losing sight of his humanity again, and in doing so we're now aware of how powerful her strength really is in this apocalypse, how it's just as valid as physical strength. It feels as though Daryl's walls have been burned to the ground and how poetic to have this happen at the closing scene, Beth and Daryl both flipping the bird at despair and giving us hope for the rest of their journey. I think the closing song summed up this episode a treat:
"There's bound to be a ghost at the back of your closet, No matter where you live, There'll always be a few things maybe several things, That you're gonna find really difficult to forgive, There's gonna come a day when you feel better"
Thanks The Walking Dead, this episode really hit home for me, in more ways than one.