After (The Walking Dead)

Last updated
"After"
The Walking Dead episode
AMC TWD After.png
Carl blames Rick for their many losses after the assault.
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 9
Directed by Greg Nicotero
Written by Robert Kirkman
Original air dateFebruary 9, 2014 (2014-02-09)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Too Far Gone"
Next 
"Inmates"
The Walking Dead season 4
List of episodes

"After" is the ninth episode and mid-season premiere of the fourth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead , which aired on AMC on February 9, 2014. The episode was written by Robert Kirkman and directed by Greg Nicotero.

Contents

The plot for this episode is very similar to "Volume 9", "Issue #49" and "Issue #50" of the comic book series.

Following the attack on the prison, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Carl (Chandler Riggs) find themselves on the road looking for shelter. They have to come to terms with their new environment and ask themselves if survival alone is enough. However, after his vicious fight with The Governor (David Morrissey), Rick also deals with old wounds as he is in desperate need to rest and heal. Concurrently, Michonne (Danai Gurira) finds herself once again alone and haunted by memories of the past as she tries to come to grips with how she wants to spend her life.

The episode was watched by 15.76 million viewers, a significant rise in ratings from the previous episode two months prior. However, commentators had varied reactions to it, with many noting positively to the character development, but commenting negatively on the episode's pace.

Plot

Following The Governor's deadly assault on the prison, the survivors are forced to scatter and try to regroup. Michonne reconnoiters the prison for survivors. She discovers the reanimated head of her friend, Hershel, and stabs it to put him out of his torment. She discovers a trail of footprints leading away from the prison. To protect herself, she slices off the arms and jaws of two walkers, leading them pet-like to help mask her presence from other walkers, however this appears to draw more walkers toward her and they form a herd around her. While taking shelter in a car overnight, she dreams of her young son, her boyfriend Mike (Aldis Hodge), and his friend Terry (Brandon Fobbs) before the apocalypse, but the dream turns into a nightmare when Mike and Terry appear like her walker 'pets'. She continues onward, but on observing a walker that looks similar to herself, suddenly comes to the realization that her mindless walking is for naught; she slaughters the walkers that surround her and her pets, and vows to Mike that she now has a purpose in life. She sets off to follow the trail of footprints.

Meanwhile, Carl and Rick, whose footprints Michonne is following, work their way from the prison, Rick slowing them down due to injuries he sustained in the assault on the prison. They stop at a diner to find food and encounter a lone walker barricaded behind furniture. Rick wants to kill it using an axe but is too weak, forcing Carl to kill it with his gun. Rick and Carl enter an abandoned house and barricade the door before Rick falls unconscious. The following morning, Carl wakes and shouts at Rick to try to wake him, attracting nearby walkers. Carl is able to dispatch them, and when he returns, yells at a still unconscious Rick, blaming him for abandoning his leadership role, hurting himself, his mother Lori, his newborn sibling Judith, and the others of his group at the prison. Later, Carl goes to search for supplies in a nearby house. He nearly is bitten by a walker trapped behind one door, but is able to escape when the walker pulls off his boot. He recovers additional food and supplies, and returns to the house where Rick is. He sees Rick crawling toward him and moaning, and fearing his father has become a walker, turns his gun on him. Rick calls out Carl's name, proving he is still alive. Rick sees what Carl has done to protect and sustain them, and apologizes for his behavior, and believes Carl is now a man.

Michonne arrives at the house the following morning and, after observing through a window that they are alive and well, begins to cry tears of joy. As Rick and Carl bond over a meal, there is a knock at the door. Rick looks through the peephole, and, upon seeing Michonne, laughs and tells Carl, "It's for you."

Production

"After" was written by comic book creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman and directed by special effects makeup artist and executive producer Greg Nicotero.

This episode focuses entirely on the characters of Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Carl (Chandler Riggs) and Michonne (Danai Gurira). Scott Wilson (Hershel Greene) and David Morrissey (The Governor) have brief final appearances as corpses. "After" is the final episode to feature Morrissey's name in the opening credits; Wilson's name is featured in the season finale, "A". Norman Reedus (Daryl), Steven Yeun (Glenn), Lauren Cohan (Maggie) and Melissa McBride (Carol) are all credited, but do not appear. Emily Kinney (Beth), Chad L. Coleman (Tyreese), Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha) and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (Bob) are also absent, but are credited as "also starring".

The plot for this episode is derived almost entirely from "Volume 9", "Issue #50" of the comic book series.

Chandler Riggs, who plays Carl, has admitted that "After" is his favorite episode of the series.

From this episode onwards, The Walking Dead began airing in the United Kingdom, a day after its United States airdate, instead of five days after.

Reception

Chandler Riggs received critical acclaim for his performance as Carl Grimes in this episode. Chandler Riggs by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Chandler Riggs received critical acclaim for his performance as Carl Grimes in this episode.

Critical response

The episode received moderate reviews from most critics, with most praising the episode's focus on the secondary characters, but others commenting negatively on the series' shift in environment and the episode's pace. Katla McGlynn of The Huffington Post summarized the episode by saying: "Phew! That was quite an episode. Although we didn't get to see what's happening with the rest of the group, we learned more about Michonne than ever and finally got to see Carl become a man. Instead of a traditional rite of passage like a bar mitzvah or a co-ed birthday party, Carl got to kill zombies and eat copious amounts of pudding! Welcome to adulthood, Carl." [1]

Roth Cornet of IGN gave the episode an 8.5 out of 10, saying: "The Walking Dead opened the second half of Season 4 with a restrained, but effective episode that saw its characters faced with the challenge of accepting, and even embracing, the reality of the lives they're living - even the horror." [2]

Sean Tepper of the Toronto Star gave a moderate review of the episode, starting with a mixed commentary on the show's shift from the previous episode, saying: "Instead of kicking off the second half of Season 4 with a bang, The Walking Dead took a sizeable risk with its mid-season premiere as showrunner Scott Gimple focused more on character development than on the gruesome, over-the-top zombie killing that we’ve come to appreciate in AMC’s hit series." [3] He then commented positively on the episode's beginning scene at the prison, saying: "by kicking off the episode with various shots of the zombie-infested prison, a quick look at the Governor’s body and an emotionally charged scene that saw Michonne drive her katana through Herschel’s severed, zombified head, 'After’s' pre-credit scene served as a satisfying end to the show’s prison saga and gave the episode a tone more akin to a traditional season premiere." [3] He also positively reviewed Carl and Michonne's roles in the episode, saying: "If there’s one thing that The Walking Dead has proved time and time again it’s that superficial supporting roles can be transformed into multifaceted, essential characters and last night’s episode was at its best when it gave Carl the opportunity to escape Rick’s shadow," and "gave us some insight into her [Michonne's] past along with a better understanding of the events that shaped her post-apocalyptic persona." [3]

Not all reviews were positive. Patrick Kevin Day of the Los Angeles Times though commenting positively on the character development, saying the episode "gets huge mileage out of small character moments and goes a long way to making Carl an interesting character for the first time" commented negatively on the episode's beginning, saying: "the episode seemed too intent on attempting to jolt viewers by killing off beloved characters, such as the saintly Hershel. Many seemed to love it, but I felt the escalating body count was providing diminishing returns." [4]

Tim Surette of TV.com commented positively on the series' change in environment, saying: "Now The Walking Dead can return to the enjoyable (for us, anyway) world outside those barbed-wire fences, a world where our survivors can't just garden all day and then safely tuck themselves into bed behind six-foot-thick concrete walls. Now they'll have zombies nipping at their heels as they try to make it to another sunrise, hoping they'll live long enough to have one more argument over whether or not Rick is a good leader." [5] However, he commented negatively on the episode's pace, saying: "large stretches of "After" were, indeed, boring. I wanted to like the episode a lot more than I did, because I think it was making an effort to both deliver a message and reintroduce us to the danger of this world by showing us how it can break even the sturdiest survivors. Otherwise, it was just characters walking around and killing zombies. And even that's starting to get old." [5]

Ratings

Upon its original airing, "After" garnered 15.76 million viewers, 10.9 million of them in the 18-49 demographic, and it was the No. 1 telecast for the night among adults 18–49, beating even the Sochi Winter Olympics. Viewership increased 30% from the previous episode, making "After" the second-highest rated episode of the series after the fourth season premiere, which garnered 16.1 million viewers. [6] [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Grimes</span> Main protagonist in The Walking Dead

Rick Grimes is a fictional character and the protagonist in the post-apocalyptic comic book series The Walking Dead and the live-action television series of the same name, in which he is portrayed by Andrew Lincoln. Created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, the character made his debut in The Walking Dead #1 in 2003. Rick is a small town sheriff's deputy and is married to Lori. They have a son, Carl, and a daughter, Judith. He awakens from a coma after a life-threatening gunshot wound to find the world overrun by reanimated humans dubbed "walkers".

<i>The Walking Dead</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of The Walking Dead, an American post-apocalyptic horror television series on AMC, premiered on October 14, 2012, and concluded on March 31, 2013, consisting of 16 episodes. Developed for television by Frank Darabont, the series is based on the eponymous series of comic books by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. It was executive produced by Kirkman, Glen Mazzara, David Alpert, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Mazzara as showrunner for his second and final season. The third season was very well received by critics. It was nominated for multiple awards and won two, including Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series, at the 39th Saturn Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beside the Dying Fire</span> 13th episode of the 2nd season of The Walking Dead

"Beside the Dying Fire" is the 13th and final episode of the second season of the postapocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 18, 2012. The episode was written by creator Robert Kirkman and showrunner Glen Mazzara, and directed by series regular Ernest Dickerson. In the episode, a huge horde of walkers invades the Greene farm, chasing Rick Grimes and Hershel's groups off the premises. Meanwhile, Andrea is separated from the group, leaving her to fight off the same walkers that attacked Hershel's farm.

Andrea (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) Fictional character

Andrea is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and was portrayed by Laurie Holden in the American television series of the same name. The character was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, and debuted in The Walking Dead #2 in 2003. In both mediums, she and her sister Amy are among a group of survivors near Atlanta, Georgia.

The Governor (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) The Walking Dead character

The Governor is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists from The Walking Dead comic book and television series. On television, he was portrayed by David Morrissey. Created by Robert Kirkman and artists Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn, the character made his comics debut in The Walking Dead #27 in April 2006 and his television debut in season 3. In both series, the Governor is the ruthless, charismatic leader of the town of Woodbury, Georgia, who comes into conflict with protagonist Rick Grimes and is responsible for the deaths of several primary characters. The Governor's origins are explored in the novel The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor, written by Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Grimes</span> Fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead

Carl Grimes is a fictional character and is one of the main protagonists in the comic book series The Walking Dead and was portrayed by Chandler Riggs in the American live-action television series of the same name. The character was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, and debuted in The Walking Dead #2 in 2003. In both forms of media, Carl is the son of Rick and Lori Grimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michonne</span> Fictional character from The Walking Dead

Michonne Grimes is a fictional character from The Walking Dead. The character also appears in media adaptations of the series, most notably the television series of the same name, in which she is portrayed by Danai Gurira. Armed with a katana and harboring a mysterious past, Michonne is introduced wearing a hood and pulling the shackles of two reanimated corpses for protection and camouflage. The two walkers are subsequently revealed to be her zombified ex-boyfriend and his best friend. In both the comic and TV series, she has a prominent role in the conflict between the town of Woodbury led by The Governor, and the Prison group.

Seed (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 1st episode of the 3rd season of The Walking Dead

"Seed" is the third season premiere of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC in the United States and Canada on October 14, 2012. The episode was written by showrunner Glen Mazzara and directed by Ernest Dickerson.

The Suicide King (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 9th episode of the 3rd season of The Walking Dead

"The Suicide King" is the ninth episode and mid-season premiere of the third season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. It was directed by Lesli Linka Glatter and written by Evan Reilly, and aired on AMC in the United States on February 10, 2013. The episode's first airing was the most-watched episode of the series and beat several ratings records for a basic cable series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Sorrowful Life</span> 15th episode of the 3rd season of The Walking Dead

"This Sorrowful Life" is the fifteenth and penultimate episode of the third season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which first aired on AMC in the United States on March 24, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Ain't a Judas</span> 11th episode of the 3rd season of The Walking Dead

"I Ain't a Judas" is the eleventh episode of the third season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC in the United States on February 24, 2013. In this episode, Rick Grimes and his group debate their next course of action as they find themselves running out of food and ammunition, while The Governor prepares Woodbury for battle. Meanwhile, Andrea grows uneasy and decides to travel to the prison to negotiate with Rick's group, but is treated harshly by them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welcome to the Tombs</span> 16th episode of the 3rd season of The Walking Dead

"Welcome to the Tombs" is the sixteenth and final episode of the third season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 31, 2013. In the episode, The Governor and Rick Grimes prepare for the upcoming assault on the prison. Tyreese and Sasha decide to not participate in the assault and stay on guard duty before preparing to leave, as the citizens of Woodbury become increasingly alarmed at The Governor's erratic behaviour. Meanwhile, Andrea struggles to escape The Governor's torture chamber.

<i>The Walking Dead</i> season 4 Fourth season of comic book-based television series

The fourth season of The Walking Dead, an American post-apocalyptic horror television series on AMC, premiered on October 13, 2013, and concluded on March 30, 2014, consisting of 16 episodes. Developed for television by Frank Darabont, the series is based on the eponymous series of comic books by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. It was executive produced by Kirkman, David Alpert, Scott M. Gimple, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Gimple assuming the role of showrunner after Glen Mazzara's departure from the series. The fourth season was well received by critics. It was nominated for multiple awards and won three, including Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series for the second consecutive year, at the 40th Saturn Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophia Peletier</span> Fictional character

Sophia Grimes is a fictional character from the comic series The Walking Dead and was portrayed by Madison Lintz in the television series of the same name. She is the daughter of Carol, who is fiercely protective of her, as is Carl Grimes, with whom she becomes close friends during the zombie outbreak. She becomes a major focal point in both media, despite her limited involvement in many of the central conflicts faced by the other characters.

Isolation (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 3rd episode of the 4th season of The Walking Dead

"Isolation" is the third episode of the fourth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on October 27, 2013. The episode was written by Robert Kirkman and directed by Dan Sackheim.

Internment (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 5th episode of the 4th season of The Walking Dead

"Internment" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on November 10, 2013. The episode was written by Channing Powell and directed by David Boyd.

Too Far Gone (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 8th episode of the 4th season of The Walking Dead

"Too Far Gone" is the eighth episode and mid-season finale of the fourth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on December 1, 2013. The episode, written by Seth Hoffman and directed by Ernest Dickerson, shares its title with the thirteenth volume of the comics.

Inmates (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 10th episode of the 4th season of The Walking Dead

"Inmates" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on February 16, 2014. The episode was written by Matthew Negrete and Channing Powell, and directed by Tricia Brock.

Still (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 12th episode of the 4th season of The Walking Dead

"Still" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 2, 2014. The episode was written by Angela Kang and directed by Julius Ramsay.

A (<i>The Walking Dead</i>) 16th episode of the 4th season of The Walking Dead

"A" is the sixteenth and final episode of the fourth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 30, 2014. The episode was written by Scott M. Gimple and Angela Kang, and directed by Michelle MacLaren.

References

  1. McGlynn, Katla (February 10, 2014). "'The Walking Dead' Midseason 4 Premiere Recap: Carl Unloads On Rick, Becomes A Man And Eats 112 Ounces Of Pudding". The Huffington Post . Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  2. Cornet, Roth (February 9, 2014). "The Walking Dead: "After" Review". IGN . Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Tepper, Sean (February 9, 2014). "The Walking Dead: 'After' gives depth to Carl and Michonne". Toronto Star . Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  4. Day, Patrick Kevin (February 10, 2014). "'The Walking Dead': Back to basics". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Surette, Tim (February 9, 2014). "The Walking Dead "After" Review: Not So Tough Now, Eh?". TV.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  6. Mitovich, Matt Webb (February 10, 2014). "Ratings: Walking Dead Ties Series High, Trumps Olympics; Beatles Salute Draws Good Crowd". TVLine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  7. Kondolojy, Amanda (February 11, 2014). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'The Walking Dead' Tops Night + 'Real Housewives of Atlanta', 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.