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The Walking Dead - 4.06 - Live Bait - Review and Discussion

Nov 18, 2013

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I’m going to say it – no fair if The Governor gets to come back but Merle didn’t!

OK, temper tantrum over. So what did you think? This episode was shocking in a way to me, but not in a twisty, turny way. It was shocking in that I never guessed I would find The Governor sympathetic or be rooting for him. I think Martinez was speaking for the fans in his “Holy shit” comment at the end – for that moment when you realize you’ve been sucked into sympathizing for this character who had killed Andrea, Milton, and Merle and was transformed in an archetypal, sociopathic villain last season. I even had that brief moment of thinking, well maybe if he apologized to the group at the prison and seemed really sorry, and showed them his new family …

One Broken Man

Once again, the show did an amazing job showing a man’s emotional break. We saw The Governor snap last season when he turned and killed his own soldiers. Where do you go from there? Apparently to destitution. Without even the energy or the will to fend off walkers lunging at him, The Governor wandered alone through ghost towns, growing a beard and presumably slowly starving.

This is until he sees a young girl in a window, is taken in by her family, and starts to care about some people again.

The question that has been posed many times throughout the series, “Can you come back?” after you’ve lost your mind or humanity, was once again explored. The Governor seems to be attempting to do this by erasing the person he once was. He assumes a random name he read on a wall. He folds down the image of his old self with his wife and Penny to block out his own face. Later he burns that photo, starting with the corner of his own image. He also gives away the gun that he used to kill his Woodbury soldiers and so many others.

Although the question of coming back has been explored with several characters, I couldn’t help but draw a parallel with Merle. During Merle’s ride with Michonne to meet The Governor, the two talk about the number of people Merle has killed, and that Merle hadn’t killed anyone before the world turned – and presumably before he hooked up with The Governor. Michonne says they can just go back, but Merle says he can’t, and instead continues on to his suicidal quest.

But the question is, has The Governor really changed? While playing chess with Meghan, he still thinks like the king on the chessboard. Meghan asks about the pawns, and he responds that you can lose a lot of soldiers but still win the game. He tells Meghan, “That’s the king. That’s the guy you want to capture.” She intuitively draws an eye patch on the king chess piece.

After The Governor smashes in the head of the father because he has turned, Tara says, “He would have been grateful, that you stopped him from him.” The Brian Heriot part of the man might be grateful if someone saves this family from The Governor.

The Family

We met a family who had been living in their apartment for what must be close to two years now – and they’ve never ventured out far or learned how to kill a walker. Granted they had a child and an elderly parent, and it’s a dangerous world out there, but weren’t they a little curious as to what lay beyond? It left me wondering, how many more people are there out there like them?

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to lose sympathy for these people who won’t learn to protect themselves. We met the hippie couple two episodes ago who also were criminally inept at killing walkers, and now we meet this family. What do you think, was it a good move that they finally did leave their home, or should they have stayed put after spending so much time hiding in their home?

Other thoughts:

- So were you as psyched to see Martinez at the end as I was? I’m starting to like that guy, despite the fact that he picked the wrong team. What do you think he was thinking when he saw The Governor at the end?
- I loved Martinez just shaking his head in disgust and walking away after he had to shoot the walker who walked through fire to eat The Governor. I also loved how The Governor woke up alone the next morning.
- How cool was the scene of Woodbury burning and The Governor standing in the midst of it, with walkers all around him?
- I want to know how walkers overrunning a town equals burning. We learned from Morgan’s maps in Clear that Rick’s old house and neighborhood had burned down. Walkers don’t seem to have the motor skills to light a match or turn on a stove, so where do the fires come from?
- I was laughing a little at the walker stumbling into the fire, and the one lunging at a half-dead man and missing and falling.
- What was with The Governor not eating what looked like SpaghettiOs and eating instead what I thought looked like cat food, but probably wasn’t? Was he eating the father’s corn beef?
- Random thought of the night – if a person was wheelchair bound and couldn’t walk while alive, can they walk when they’re dead?
- Unexpected scene of the night – The Governor pinky-swearing.
- Second unexpected scene of the night – The Governor laughing.
- Nitpick of the night – The Governor waiting for Meghan to come to him as the horde of walkers closed in, rather than running over and just scooping her up. It was obviously for dramatic effect – they wanted to show The Governor being accepted – but it bugged me nonetheless.

So what did you think?  The episode was on the slower side in in first 20 minutes or so, but I thought the character moments made up for it. The time spent on the set up will probably be important in coming episodes.

43 comments:

  1. This was the best episode this season had so far. We finally learned his name and a lot more of him. I enjoying the episode very much, I was surprise because well, he is the first real villain Rick and the group found and I don't have a nice memory of him in my mind (talking 'bout the comics) but in the show he surprised me. And I'm kinda hoping some Carol and him interaction since she was banished and is probably around and he is with the little girl. I can say that I want more of The Governor.

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  2. Darn you, TWD writers! I don't know whether to pump my fist or shake it. Just last week I was talking about the Governor as such a cheesy, two-dimensional, comic book character -- and then you guys have to pull a 180, humanize the guy and get me feeling all sorry for him! I certainly can't find fault with the brilliant David Morrissey's performance -- watching him go virtually catatonic and then slowly come back to (brand new?) life at the sight of a little girl was truly heart-wrenching ... and omg, did I even just say that?! :)

    I certainly can't find fault with the writers deciding to share the Governor's sympathetic back story -- in this evolving TV universe, there just doesn't seem to be room for some of the flat comic book constructs (Michonne and her "pets," anyone?) that existed in past seasons. My question is how this will go over with longtime fans, many of whom have read the graphic novels and will recognize most of the same beats presented in this episode. I think it's fair to question whether sharing this back story as a lead-up (as in the comics) or after the fact (as in the TV show) will be a more effective long-term approach. But boy, apparent bleeding-heart-wuss that I am, they definitely won me over. By the time Meghan ran into "Brian's" arms on the road I was like "YEEAAAAHHH !!" and then I heard myself, and I was like "WHAT ?!?"

    I would actually rank this episode right up there with "Clear" in terms of poignant character study. LOL Chris, I had the same exact question as you -- if you couldn't walk (see, hear) in life, are you able to walk as a walker? I suppose the nursing home scene answered that. My other question was okay, what IS it about this dude that allows him to get so much, let's say, female action? It's not like anyone is sporting deodorant or minty-fresh breath. Perhaps more importantly, where the heck were Tara and Meghan during that scene? Trying not to think about it.

    In the end though, what I like best about this episode is that it **completely** changes the context (and potential ramifications) of the closing scene showing the Governor/Philip/Brian at the prison gate. So, well-played,guys -- now I am officially on the edge of my seat ...

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  3. The three naïve females would be a liability. Good thing for the Governor he ran into Martinez because the women could get him killed.

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  4. I enjoyed this episode too. I'm not ready to put it above some of the earlier prison episodes, but I think this was brilliant twist to have the character go in this direction. I'm excited to see where this goes. I think The Governor's real name is Philip, and Brian was something he read off the wall in the first part of the episode when he was reading messages people had left for each other. Thanks for commenting!

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  5. I was really surprised to see The Governor go in this direction. He seemed to be on a one-way track to crazier and crazier, but this humanizes him again. The quality this season seems so much higher than last season - I'm loving it.


    In the nursing home, the woman didn't get out of her wheelchair, but I wasn't convinced she couldn't. Is it me or do the walkers seem to be getting weaker? Maybe those who aren't getting enough food are starting to starve?



    I had similar thoughts during the Governor's scene with Lily. I flashed back to being creeped out with him and Andrea last season after she knew what he was like and was planning to kill him. And here he is, and it all looks so tender - and there's her sister and child in the same bed with them?? Too much going on for me.

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  6. The fact that we're talking about (and rooting for) what's good for The Governor is a testament to how brilliant this storytelling is. Yes, I agree that people who aren't learning to defend themselves are a liability in this world, but I also wonder if in the long run if he'll be a liability to the women. Now that he's hooked up with Martinez again, he may start to go back to his old ways, and I'm not sure Lily, Tara, and Meghan are ready for that.

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  7. Great review again Chris. Great Job.

    I laughed also at The Gov pinky swearing but thought it was hilarious when he fist-bumped. LOL.
    I like the episode a lot especially the music at the beginning that fit so well. I thought it was one of the better episodes this season,

    Introducing Lilly was something I didn't think the writers would, if in fact it is the same Lilly from the comics/book.

    I also wondered why the governor through away the Spaghetti'Os in favor of whatever was in that can (sardines? tuna fish?). Maybe he thought he wasn't worthy of better food? Or, Maybe it was because he doesn't trust anyone? Or the obvious answer he doesn't like them and doesn't want to hurt their feelings that he didn't eat them? Either way I thought it was strange.



    I also had a thought that Rick foreshadowed the Gov's situation when he told Carol that she would be fine on her own and she just needs to find a group that doesn't know what she did so she can start over, start fresh. The Gov was in the same situation this week when he found Lilly, et al. They don't know what hes done and its perfect for The Gov to start a fresh life in the post apocalyptic world and post Woodbury.


    I understand that some fans are unhappy that the writers are showing The Gov in a sympathetic light but he is turning into one of the those villains you love to hate. The best example I can think of right now is Benjamin Linus.


    This Episode was great IMO and I am looking forward to next weeks where I believe we get another Governor-centric Episode. Only 1 Ep left before the Midseason Finale!


    -Geo

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  8. with the brilliant David Morrissey's performance -- watching him go
    virtually catatonic and then slowly come back to (brand new?) life at
    the sight of a little girl was truly heart-wrenching ... and omg, did I
    even just say that?! :)

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  9. I can see something happening in the next episode (or maybe episode 8?) that sends Governor back down his dark path after this family's helping hand and glimmer of hope.

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  10. "if a person was wheelchair bound and couldn’t walk while alive, can they walk when they’re dead?" ahaha glad to see I was not the only wondering about that!
    I don't like that they're trying to make us like the Governor. IMO he's just holding up because of this little girl, Meghan. Obviously he wouldn't have staye if it was only about the 2 women. I think the moment Megan is gone, dies or whatever, he'll break down and will be bacK to his old habits, maybe even worse...
    I'm happy to see what happened to him but I'm not sure I like that it took a whole, slow, episode, to do it. Mayben even 2 if we are to believe next week promo. Do they really have to do this at the cost of the prison storyline?


    Also you forgot a thought: how creepy is it that the governor and the woman, presumably, had sex in the truck just next to the others?

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  11. I think they were sleeping just beside them...Creepy!
    Also I think the woman in the wheelchair was strapped to it, that's why I'm still wondering what would have happened if she wasn't...

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  12. I think he said on Talking Dead that he doesn't want to depend on anyone.

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  13. That's true Chris, she did seem pretty determined to get up! It seemed to me that one of the walkers in the home (the lady coming out of the room) was sort of staring upward as if blind (?) -- but I guess I'm still not 100% clear if the writers are suggesting those infirmities would carry over. After all, the re-animating virus does seem to "overlook" severe injury, disease, and pretty much everything else except a direct head-blow.

    I'm so glad I happened to catch this week's Talking Dead, because David Morrissey's character insights were almost my favorite part of the episode. :) It really does seem that the show is directly exploring this "can you come back?" question with nearly every character this season, and I think it makes for much better storytelling. In particular, he kept mentioning that idea of Jekyll & Hyde, which was a great overlay for explaining some of Brian's actions at this point. But it's also a great analogy for the battle of dark vs. light that so many of the characters are experiencing -- Carol, Rick, Carl, even Hershel. The proportions are different for everyone, but the struggle is still front-and-center.

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  14. Yeah his real name is Philip. He told Andrea that last season.

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  15. I like your question about the wheelchair bound walker. My question was if a walker's teeth aren't real (dentures) and they bite you can you still turn lol? I figured The Governor wasn't too worried about the nursing home walkers considering most of them would've just gummed him to death. I actually enjoyed the episode. It was a nice change of pace. Last week's episode was so tense and had me pulling my hair out but this week's episode was calmer. A few parts were weird though like he and Lily having sex in the truck with Tara and Megan literally RIGHT THERE. As for Woodbury I never saw that coming. I knew something had happened to the town but I never would've though The Governor himself had burned it to the ground. I wonder if when he visited the town if he visited his torture chamber seeing Milton's body and stuff. We know he had to visit his apartment because he had his family's photo off the mantle. To end I have one question that was never answered. We know Martinez is still around but where was Shumpert?

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  16. Yeah like Megan getting killed. It'll bring back all those memories of Penny's death.

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  17. Gummed them to death! I like that! Although they could do what the walker did with Dale - somehow break skin by just pummeling directly into his abdomen (how the walker did that without a sharp object never made a lot of sense to me). The whole biting thing has been bothering me because I originally figured you got infected if their fluids touched an open wound, your mouth, etc. These days people routinely get covered with walker blood - and they must have some open wounds or get the blood near their mouth or eyes - but no one gets infected and no one is afraid of walker blood anymore.


    That makes sense that The Governor might have started the fires. I assumed he arrive there and it was already burning, but if he also burned the town, it would fit with him later burning his photos and getting rid of other ties to his past.

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  18. I realize now that the episode title "Dead Weight" probably refers to these three, and I imagine Guv does protect them and maybe they'll soon learn some skills (Carol sure did). I find it amusing that now that he's hooked up with Martinez, their roles are reversed, with Martinez being head honcho since the Governor went downhill.

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  19. I dunno. They covered themselves in walker blood in s1. Which makes you wonder why they don't just do that all the time. Making runs would be a LOT easier and less dangerous. Of course, isn't everyone already infected? As for Dale, I always thought that was because Walkers were very strong. Also you see a lot of that stuff happen in shows. The Governor punching in the skull of a Walker is a bit unrealistic too. I think it's more rule of cool than anything.

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  20. I think The Governor will be back to his old habits soon too. He'll be different because he's hit rock bottom and no longer wants the same things, such as power, but the sociopathic Governor is still in there.


    I don't know how spoiled you want to be, but there's a link to an interview with David Morrissey posted here about a week ago that discusses The Governor's motivations on the prison.


    Good point about the Governor burning down the town. That makes sense! It also fits symmetry-wise with him later burning the photo.


    On the creepy sex, I didn't forget. It was just something I didn't want to think about when I was writing the article. ;-)


    Thanks for commenting!

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  21. Agreed. There no way this is leading to a happy ending!

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  22. The fist-bumping was funny too. He looked like he didn't know what to do. I wonder if we'll get some insight into the SpaghettiOs mystery? It seems like an odd detail to throw in there without some tie in somewhere - unless I'm missing something.


    Good point about Rick's comment to Carol foreshadowing The Governor's story. I hate putting Carol and The Governor in the same bucket as The Governor though!


    I don't think they'll reform The Governor the way Lost reformed Ben. I think this is a temporary bump that will lead somewhere else - probably somewhere darker in the end - but he won't become like Ben. Merle, on the other, hand had more similarities to Ben in that he was someone more sympathetic. I could be wrong though about this. It wouldn't be the first time.

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  23. you're welcome :)
    And thanks for the interview I forgot about taht one!

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  24. This episode may be the single strongest hour in the history of 'The Walking Dead' when viewed as a stand alone piece. As with many of you I missed my weekly fix of the goings on at the prison with Hershel Greene and Rick Grimes et al, but I would argue that this episode is the embodiment of everything that Gimple believes about 'The Walking Dead'. This is a story of humanity and what it takes to survive.


    Scott Gimple and his team have taken this show to lofty new heights with a beautiful episode dedicated to one of the most outlandish and poorly drawn character in the series. The incredible opening montage is testament to this as David Morrissey's Governor becomes a 'living' walker set to the chords of 'The Last Pale Light in the West' by Ben Nichols.


    'Live Bait' could also be described as one of 'The Walking Dead's most hopeful episodes. We see the initial breakdown of a character who became something of a pantomime villain towards the end of last season, before slowly seeing the layers built back on his bones by the warmth of humanity.


    I mentioned earlier that Phillip became a walker during the opening montage. Between his ragged appearance and clumsy gait and his palid complexion, he displayed all of the physical traits that we would associate with a Walker on this show (other than the cosmetics), the difference being that Phillip was dead on the inside rather than the out.


    Maybe this should never be a show to call 'heart-warming', but the redemption of the Governor should be hailed as one of TWD's greatest achievements.


    I really look forward to seeing more of his story and whether it will be Phillip who helps Carol regain her humanity - the last pale light in the west...

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  25. I can see it being easier to punch a walker's skull in due to the decay and all but I agree it'd be hard for a walker to just tear into someone's abdomen but oh well. I agree with you about the walker blood though. I remember they decked themselves out in season 1 to protect themselves from the blood but in season 3 Michonne had it all over her and she had a bullet wound on her leg exposed to the blood but she never got infected.

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  26. Gimple has been an awesome addition this year.

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  27. I really didn't like this episode, I found it slow and boring. I also found it very predictable that they would humanise the governor. If the governor still goes after rick and the prison then humanising him was a waste of time.

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  28. Okay . . . I enjoyed that much more than I thought I would. I hated the Governor, but I thought the episode was really compelling. In fact, they made me feel a little bad for the Governor of all people. I'm looking forward to next week's episode too!

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  29. Maybe they just power-snuggled. :)

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  30. I don't know, the Governor leads by example. And Rick does have a good example in him. I wonder what would happen once/if he losses all the Woodburites left in the prison and he can't stand again where the Governor could.

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  31. If anything, I think Rick cheated with Carol: he sent her away so he wouldn't lose her, or rather he wouldn't have to watch in case he losses her.


    The Governor went into the pinky swear knowing exactly what would become of him should he lose Meghan the way he lost Penny; he embraced the fear that came with the connection, the pain that came with her rejection and the joy that came with keeping her safe.


    Rick felt so much as the hint of the fear of the pain that would come with his connection to Carol and he could not withstand it. He sent her away before losing another Lori.

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  32. For me, the most significant scene from the entire episode is when he turns the food out of the window. He doesn't believe he is worthy of it. That's just all types of sad. He was rock bottom and the fact that he was eventually able to rebirth and found a new purpose in life was incredible. Major, major kuddos to David and the writers for what they did with this episode. Brilliant! Great review!

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  33. That's a really good point about The Governor being portrayed as walker himself. There seems to be this theme in the show that there's more than one way you can die. In 18 Miles Out, Shane was looking out the window at the lone walker in the fields, which seemed to symbolize his path of shutting down his humanity. Thanks for commenting!

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  34. I never got the impression that walkers were stronger than humans - maybe the opposite actually since they're slower and more lethargic. Anyway, It's a nitpicky point about the walker digging into Dale. Maybe he was just very, very hungry being stuck in mud for so long. ;-)

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  35. One thing that bugs me is that people can so easily smash walkers' heads minutes after they die. Granted I have no idea how easy it is to smash a skull - not something I would ever want to find out - but it seems it should be tougher than putting a boot heel to a head.

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  36. I bet you're right about the meaning of Dead Weight. It's probably the topic of debate in the group next week. I'm also betting that the writers find a way to turn it around so that there's a double meaning somewhere.

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  37. Glad you loved the episode. I'm really curious to see where they go with this, and how The Governor's character evolves in the coming episodes.

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  38. I couldn't believe I was feeling bad for him! I'm still upset about Merle and Andrea.

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  39. Same here. TWD really is my current favorite show, I am so excited about the rest of the season!

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  40. I like the comparison to Jekyll & Hyde, and agree that it seems it's being applied to the human soul (for lack of a better word). The comment from Tara, about how her father would like that Brian saved him from himself seemed to be point to that analogy. I hope we see more of that, specifically in reference to The Governor, in the next episode.

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  41. I didn't watch talking dead however I do agree with the Jekyll and Hyde comparison too. There is Phillip and The Governor. Phillip is his humanity. The Governor is a title. There is no humanity in a title of ruler in itself. I'm probably reaching on the next comparison but I think it fits. The chess game could represent the soul. White is generally a color of purity,knowledge,goodness,etc. Black is usually seem as impurity,ignorance,etc.(Although Megan is neither of those things save ignorance but she is a kid, but the scene was more about Phillip)The King piece represents The Governor/Phillip. He really is a good person. Or at least the Phillip side of him. But there is this spot of taint on him that is permanent.The Governor. He can no longer see the world as a good person fully(Just like he can't see the world fully in a physical sense) Megan said "Looks just like you." And I say this because she specifically chose the king for making him be represented.

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  42. Interesting comment about the white and black colors of the chess game. Meghan was focusing on the good person - the white chess piece - but the black chess pieces were still on the board.

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  43. Lol, I agree it is a strectch, but I meant as only a "villain we love to hate" role. Maybe closer to Monroe form REvolution?

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