With a Walking Dead episode titled “Four Walls and a Roof,” you have to wonder how long it will take before these four walls and a roof come crashing down on our survivors. With zombies.
But that scene happened last season, and this episode, one that I argue is as quietly great as any in the series, has more on its mind than zombies crashing in from the roof.
We begin with Gareth and his cannibal cohorts munching on Bob’s leg, but the scene is cleverly juxtaposed against a snarling pack of zombies just outside. Separated only by a thin plate of glass, Gareth gazes at the zombies as he chats with his food. The biggest difference between Gareth and his cannibals and the zombies is that Gareth can pontificate and philosophize. Zombies can only snarl.
“I’m being a human being here,” Gareth says to Bob. “I’m talking to you.”
That is, of course, before Bob so wonderfully reveals to his captors that, much as the Internet correctly guessed last week, he’d been bitten by a zombie in last week’s food bank raid. As he breaks down into gleeful mania, Bob keeps repeating “TAINTED MEAT! TAINTED MEAT!” Now, the next question (which the cannibals rightly pose) is what happens when a non-zombie eats flesh tainted by a zombie bite. Turns out, the show doesn’t give us a chance to find out.
Moving back to the church, we are presented with a moment of quiet. One of the nicer elements of this episode is the luscious cinematography offered in this scene. Backlit through stained glass windows and internally lit with candlelight, Rick’s interrogation of Gabriel and his past transgressions provided for a beautiful and harrowing moment. We often talk about the makeup and special effects of the show (which are obviously top notch), but I’d like to call out the camerawork too. The scene was a powerful one as Gabriel reveals through tears how he locked out his congregation at night, basically sentencing them to death at the hands of the zombies.
It is abruptly ended as the cannibals deposit Bob at the door of the church, attracting a handful of zombies. After dragging him into the church, the crew learns of Gareth’s actions and of Bob’s ultimate fate. Frustrated with inaction, Abraham demands they start working toward Washington, D.C., as he still intends on seeing Eugene work his mysterious cure. Because splitting up in The Walking Dead really works out for all, right?
Glenn, lately evolving into a real voice of reason, intervenes and prevails with logic, effectively buying 12 hours before Abraham splits the group.
As Bob slowly dies on a rectory sofa, beast mode Rick rouses the able-bodied survivors to stage an attack on Gareth’s camp. This scene, like much in the series, is balanced with a touching exchange between Sasha and Tyreese over forgiveness and revenge. Tyreese, tired of the never-ending violence, remains behind and is tasked by Sasha with stabbing Bob in the head when he dies.
Unfortunately for the peace-seeking Tyreese, Gareth and crew have decided to take the fight to the church just after Rick and crew have embarked on the school. This irony is amusingly visually conveyed by a long take held on the St. Sarah’s Episcopal Church sign with Rick and company exiting to the left and Gareth’s crowed entering from the right. The episode’s direction is particularly great for the series, really focusing on the art of filmmaking and suspense building over zombie gore.
After Judith’s cries reveal the small band of survivor’s location within the church, Rick and team, hidden in the shadows of the church, fire upon Gareth and the cannibals (great name for a rock band, by the way), killing a few and hitting Gareth in the hand. Gareth launches into something of a plea for his life, simultaneously attempting to justify his cannibalism and begging for his life. Rick’s having none of it and cuts Gareth down with a machete to the head. Glenn, Maggie, and Tyreese look on, horrified at the brutality Rick and Abraham employ. Michonne, however, has a moment after regaining her stolen sword.
Gabriel, rather innocently and naively, appears broken, telling Maggie and Glenn “This is the Lord’s house. Not just four walls and a roof.” It brings to the front an interesting dichotomy that the series visits every so often: should humans continue to put time and emotional investment into the relics of the now-gone world – in this case, faith and religion?
Bob and Sasha have one last touching moment where they discuss the good that comes from all of the bad surrounding them. The question, posed by Sasha, is never answered as Bob dies, and Tyreese stabs him in the head with as much compassion as one can muster in such situations. Side note, it’s a nice touch adding the wood carving of the Last Supper over Bob’s deathbed.
Finally, since Daryl and Carol took off last episode to find Beth, the survivors split up again, half the team taking the church bus to Washington, D.C., and the other half, including Rick, remaining behind. To pass the time (and to maintain sanity by continuing rituals of the old world), Tyreese and Rick dig graves for the recently dead. Later that same night, Gabriel and Michonne share a moment in the moonlight as he reveals how plagued he continues to be by the cries of those he locked out of the church. When Michonne confesses that the sounds won’t ever stop, they are started by a sound in the woods: Daryl returning to the church followed by an unseen entity. The next episode appears dedicated to the mystery of Beth’s supposed kidnapping, so it’s unknown as to who has followed Daryl to the church.
While all Walking Dead episodes are at least adequately directed, it’s rare that I finish one admiring the behind the camera work, but this episode delivered on literally every front. Given the subject matter will effectively keep the series out of the running for any major Emmy awards, those of us who are fans must continue to sing the praises of this quietly great show.
Well, it’s as quietly great as any show that sees nearly 20 million viewers each week can be. The rewards here are ratings and money, but it does deserve more legitimacy than it’s received.