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Oh, show, you are sometimes a crazy sumbitch! Triggerfinger ratchets up some pretty intense moments as our crew starts to implode following the barnassacre and the big Sophie reveal. I still love how cinematic this show can be. I'm also happy to see Stuff Happening. As much as I was devastated by the loss of little Sophie, the episodes drawing up to the end of Pretty Much Dead Already, were long and tiresome.
Spoilers beneath the cut.
With the car on its side, a Walker sniffs Lori through the windshield while she's out like a light as a result of the Walker-caused car wreck. Not that Lori is a victim, but, well she's kinda a victim. Alot of things seem to happen to Lori.
Meanwhile, back at theranch, bar, Rick has shot the two guys from the last episode stone cold dead. We get a nice sideways shot to let us know how cock-eyed things have gotten. This is suddenly a world where the guilty are judged without a trial. Rick has determined these two and the group they are with are a threat, an assessment I tend to agree with if for no other reason than the pissing on the floor scene, an indication that societal rules have been chucked right out the barn door, and handled the situation. This is not our usual Pollyanna, Good Samaritan, let's be reasonable about this Rick Grimes. Hershel, possibly in his first moment of real sanity since the barnassacre, nods his head at Rick as if in agreement. This had to be done. They rifle the bodies for guns and ammo just as a car drives up. Obviously, this is a prearranged meet-up.
All I can think is, the door ain't locked.
Back to the highway, and Lori wakes up in horror as a Walker skins itself on the hole broken into her windshield. That's one violent, hungry Walker, and a DISGUSTING moment of skin-peeling-back movie horror. Lori manages to grab hold of a screwdriver and plunges it over her shoulder and bulls eye into the Walker's eye socket. But, lo, Lori, hast thou learned nothing from your days on the highway? Walkers move in herds these days. No sooner has Lori managed to shimmy her way out of the overturned car then another Walker, the one that caused the accident in the first place comes staggering up behind her. Hey! Was this a set-up? Who says walkers can't plan?
Lori beats off the walker with a plastic hub cap, manages to remember her hand gun in the car, and finally shooting the thing in the head. See. Things happen to Lori, but let it not be said that she doesn't handle her shit. I like that about Lori.
Back at the farm, the gang gathers round the table for dinner with Shane at the head of the table. I am betting that he is thrilled to be there, and that nothing would complete his King of the Castle fantasy like having Lori sitting at his left where T-Dog has stationed himself. Get ready to give up that seat, T-Dog. You are not the one. Only! Everyone suddenly realizes that Lori is all MIA and dinner gets back burner-ed as they go looking for her.
In town, Hershel, Rick and Glenn are kinda pinned down at the bar and contemplate a plan to make it back to the car, still without locking the front door so's no body can get in. When the strangers outside wander back from looking for their missing brethren, they discuss checking in the bar and Glen throws his fool body in front of the door. All of a sudden everyone knows there's people in the bar. Alive and dead.
They claim that they just want to know what happened to their friends and "If you could help us not get killed, we'd appreciate it." I'm sure you would. And somehow, on account of your awesome friends dead on the floor over their, I don't believe the new arrivals. Neither, it would seem, does Rick. Instead of keeping his trap shut, Rick shouts out how their buds are dead. In a little speech practically inviting gunshots, Rick tries to make his moment of vigilante justice moment OK. These things do happen. After all, they're caught in some weirdo post-apocalyptic zombie nightmare and everyone has done things they wish they didn't have to. No one is surprised when that little speech fails to inspire rainbows and puppy dogs. Shots ring out instead.
In the midst of the Lori is missing search, Carol goes running to find Daryl who's being all manly in the woods, sharpening and burning things. Carol's gotten all attached and Daryl is lashing out big time. And here's that indefinable reason that I like Daryl. His angst is deep and uncelebrated. He is also redeemable, although he wants none of it. I really should hate Daryl. Racist, hateful, mean. I mean, seriously. But it was that moment back on the highway when he saved T-Dog even though he could have let that Walker have him, that made me all Team Daryl. Merl would have let T-Dog die, and good riddance to bad rubbish.
Anywho, back to the story ... Shane gets all up in Dale's face and Dale looks at him like the crazy fuck that he is, just as Shane jumps into a car and goes squealing off in hot pursuit of Lori. Cause, yo, that's how you do it. For a group that needs to keep a low profile on account of rogue Walkers that will hear you and come running, this group slams alot of doors and go tearing out dramatically in a lot o' cars.
While Shane is searching for Lori, an obviously terrified Glen goes down to the bar's basement to check out the back door. It feels a little like sending a lamb to the slaughter. Poor Glenn looks all manner of innocent and we behind the ears. He does, however, spy the bad guys trying to sneak in through the back door, and proceeds to shoot out the back window, kinda like an idiot Glenn cause you know, now they can see you AND stick their hand in.
This episode is kinda all over the place with the three story lines pulling the camera hither and yon. With so many unresolved plots unwinding in this episode it keeps the tension up, but also gets a bit exhausting to keep jumping between groups having very different experiences.
So, then we're back to Shane pulling up to the site of Lori's accident with shotgun drawn. He starts kicking things to make sure they are really dead and not just doing that Walker thing where they pretend like they're shot-through-the-head-dead right before they go for the jugular.
Rick and Hershel decide to make a run for the car, during which Hershel admits that he can shoot even if he doesn't like to. Hershel tells Glenn to make the run for the car while he covers him. Glenn ain't too thrilled or confident with that idea, and Hershel goes all Daddy and tells Glen that he will try and succeed. Hershel, you are so thou shalt.
Gun fire comes out of nowhere, Glenn takes a dive, and Hershel shows off those shooting skills he boasted of. Took the guy out with one shot. So. Gangsta! Yo!
They think Glenn's been shot, but Rick finds a very shaken Glenn hiding out behind the dumpster totally unscathed.
More shots keep them pinned down as a kid on the roof across the street shoots at them. The kid jumps from the roof just as his buddies take off after telling them their running for it on account of the walkers suddenly swarming the town, undoubtedly drawn by all the gunfire.
It becomes apparent that this is also the episode in which Hershel realizes that Walkers aren't really just sick as a herd fall on the guy he's just shot and EAT HIS FACE off. I mean, if that doesn't give you a clue, Hershel! Meanwhile, Rick is trying to pull the kid off the spiked fence he's fallen on. Rick, being all good Samaritan despite how the kid tried to kill them. I love you, Rick, but now is not the time! Although, I do understand that this is another example of how Rick and Shane differ. The difference is the location of what we consider humanity. There is still a line that Rick won't cross. It's in total conflict with how Rick handled the guys in the bar, but it makes a certain sense because right now this kid is Not a threat. He's just a kid on a fence. That is totally going to be your downfall one day, Rick. In a surprise turn-around, Hershel is all for leaving the kid behind. Better yet, putting him down because to leave him behind and still alive would be cruel. I have to agree with the old man.
The kid begs them not to leave him just as Glenn suggests they take the leg off and they get ready for an impromptu field surgery while Glenn and Rick try and hold off the massive number of Walkers coming out of the woods. You Are Wasting Bullets, boys. OK, by this point, I am all knotted up because this can not end well. Put a bullet in that boys head and go!!!
With no time, Rick forces the kids leg off the spike and thankfully, after that severely heightened and emotional arc, we cut to commercial. I get to breath again and go wipe away the stench of fear permeating my armpits.
When we come back, we find Shane pulling up to Lori strolling down the street. He's all concern, reaching down for her belly. And like Shane does, he tells Lori what he thinks she needs to know to get her to do what he wants her to do. And there lies the crux of why I dislike Shane. Instead of talking to her like an adult, stating his case, and giving her the option of choosing, he lies. Shane thinks he knows better than everyone else. Unlike Rick, Shane runs the show like a dictatorship. Shane also lies to himself, justifying his behavior through some screwy mental gymnastics that make him the hero always trying to save the day. No one, of course, understands this, and so he is always the odd man out. Shane, honey, ever thought maybe it really is you? Yeah, you wouldn't.
Meanwhile, Carol finds Daryl's creepy-crazy necklace of Walker ears. Daryl is all aggressive and heated and angry, yelling at Carol and saying the meanest things he can think of to push her away. And the thing, is Daryl and Carol know exactly what he's doing and why he's doing it. I get the feeling this is going to potentially turn into a REALLY unhealthy relationship because in some ways Daryl is very right. Carol is attaching to Daryl because she really does have nothing. Her husband *is* gone, and now so is her daughter. Carol is looking for a place to connect, and Daryl was that person before Sophia walked out of the barn. In her head, he still is. I am really, really, really unconvinced that that is a good thing. Carol does, after all, have a history of being in an abusive relationship. Daryl, let's be real, is probably not the guy who is above being abusive in a relationship, and as disconnected as Carol is, she'll fall right back into the same pattern.
Lori and Shane get back to the farm and it becomes apparent quite immediately that Shane lied. He uses Lori and the baby as excuses and Carl over hears the baby part. Greeeeeeaaaaaaat. Dale and Andrea usher Lori into the house and check her over. Poor Carl is all excited about the idea of the baby, and being a big brother, and he asks if they can name the baby Sophia if it's a girl. Yank my heart right out of my chest, why dontcha. Cause Carl is still a kid and the least likely to realize how a new born baby in zombie hell is not necessarily a good idea. Especially in flat country where sound probably travels pretty well. And that's even assuming that they get to stay.
Shane tries to smooth things over with Lori and even Andrea, for once, doesn't think that's a good idea, not right now. For some reason that I will never understand, Lori agrees to talk to Shane and everyone leaves the room. But not without a pause from Dale who is a man with Things On His Mind.
And then Shane reveals the crazy.
Lori brings up Otis. Pointing out how Shane's changed since. Without committing to anything, Shane blames anything that *might* have happened on how he loves her and Carl. Of course. Then Lori lets fly how she told Rick about the two of them and ... CRAZY eyes. Accompanied with crazy talk. It's like Shane thought they would be together so long as Rick didn't know because then Lori could still choose him. Shane proceeds to insist that their relationship was "real and right" and meant to be. Dude, this is NOT Romeo and Juliet. See all the zombie roaming around outside? No zombies in Shakespeare, bud. Lori denies everything with no little dawning horror in her eyes. Personally, I think Shane's been infatuated with Lori for a really long time. The zombie apocalypse, and Rick being in a coma created an opportunity that Shane took advantage of. Don't get me wrong. Lori was all consenting adult, but again, Shane told lies to get her to move in the direction that he wanted her to go in because Shane is convinced that he knows better. Shane also has that thing going where he justifies his actions by trying to dress them up in noble clothes.
Lori might have felt some part of herself drawn to Shane, she and Rick were on the skids after all, but she made a choice to be with and stay with her husband back in Secrets. Now Lori gets to deal with a WTF crazy Shane. Great! Just what we all need. Although, it's nice to have someone besides Dale realize how far off the rails Shane is. Mostly because Lori is someone who may actually do something about it.
In the morning, there's a random moment between Andrea and Maggie during which Andrea utters some meaningless platitudes as if she really gives a damn, which I seriously doubt. Andrea has been pretty dead inside since her own sister died, and I haven't seen anything to indicate that may be changing. Maggie tells an awesome story about her and her sister. She also says that Glenn is a good guy to which Andrea agrees, as if she knows.
Sometime later, Shane gathers the other guys in the group plus Andrea to go looking for the Hershel, Rick, and Glenn. Dale plays concerned papa again and asks Andrea if she's sure she wants to go, hinting at Otis's demise and Shane's potential hand in it. Andrea is all Team Shane, as per usual, and defends him, stating that he's done more to keep the group alive than Rick.
A truck pulls up to the house containing our missing group members and in a crazy moment, Maggie runs right past her daddy and into Glen's arms. Shane watches as Lori and Carl reunite with Rick. T-Dog points out the guy in the backseat, and Rick and Shane exchange meaningful glances. Rick's words back in the bar have been haunting us all episode, this is not going to end well.
Everyone gathers in the dining room to discuss the problem. Daryl and Carol exchange looks that make me think that shenanigans have happened. Shane points out the way that Rick's plan is silly and cannot work, and Hershel reminds Shane that they still haven't dealt with the craziness down at the barn, and how Shane is a Guest at the far. Hershel concludes, along with the rest of us, that Shane should just shut the fuck up. Only he's politer about it. Just barely. Shane storms out, Lauren follows. Of course. What's of equal interest is how Daryl storms out with Carol on his heels.
Maggie asks to talk to Glenn. Glenn admits to his instincts for self-preservation superseding the needs of the group because he thought of Maggie and how hard it might be for her if he died on account of her loving him. He does not think that's a good thing because now he's become the weakest link. Oh, Glenn. You make my heart hurt. If you died, I would be sad. Especially if Shane or Andrea managed to outlive you. That would just be a fucking tragedy. Show, you've been warned!
Hershel goes to check on Betty and Maggie accuses him of drinking, and like any little girl, disillusioned by the sudden fallible humanity of a parent, she yells: "You left and I didn't know what to do," with lips quivering.
Lauren follows Shane and advises him that marketing is his issue with leading the group. Don't be so hot-head crazy when you introduce your survivalist crack-pot ideas and maybe everyone won't look at you like crazy. Shane drags Lauren into his camp of the ill-treated and how he should have left with her when he had the chance. Yeah, right.
And finally, after sorting out some issues, lining up some pairs, and preparing us for what's to come in this world after Sophie, the show delivers its coup de grace. Lori and Rick help each other undress, both creaky and sore from all the bruises accumulated in the last few days. Lori starts the conversation with "we need to talk about Shane" and drops the bomb about how "he thinks the baby is his" but that "no matter what" its Rick's. Rick knows his BFF and that he won't take accept that. He also kinda sides with Shane on account of how Lori and Carl and the group DO need protecting when Rick isn't around. Then Lori makes the obvious statement that Shane is delusional and dangerous.
Rick admits killing to protect the people he loved. Lori has an aha moment and we see the wheels spinning behind her eyes: "You killed the living to protect what's yours." In a moment of complete WTF, hello Lady MacBeth, Lori wraps herself all around Rick's back and whispers in his ear about how Shane thinks she belongs to him and how Rick can't protect anyone and how he's crazy and will not stop. Rick looks, verily, like Macbeth and Lori may have figured out a way to get OUT that damn spot.
Spoilers beneath the cut.
With the car on its side, a Walker sniffs Lori through the windshield while she's out like a light as a result of the Walker-caused car wreck. Not that Lori is a victim, but, well she's kinda a victim. Alot of things seem to happen to Lori.
Meanwhile, back at the
All I can think is, the door ain't locked.
Back to the highway, and Lori wakes up in horror as a Walker skins itself on the hole broken into her windshield. That's one violent, hungry Walker, and a DISGUSTING moment of skin-peeling-back movie horror. Lori manages to grab hold of a screwdriver and plunges it over her shoulder and bulls eye into the Walker's eye socket. But, lo, Lori, hast thou learned nothing from your days on the highway? Walkers move in herds these days. No sooner has Lori managed to shimmy her way out of the overturned car then another Walker, the one that caused the accident in the first place comes staggering up behind her. Hey! Was this a set-up? Who says walkers can't plan?
Lori beats off the walker with a plastic hub cap, manages to remember her hand gun in the car, and finally shooting the thing in the head. See. Things happen to Lori, but let it not be said that she doesn't handle her shit. I like that about Lori.
Back at the farm, the gang gathers round the table for dinner with Shane at the head of the table. I am betting that he is thrilled to be there, and that nothing would complete his King of the Castle fantasy like having Lori sitting at his left where T-Dog has stationed himself. Get ready to give up that seat, T-Dog. You are not the one. Only! Everyone suddenly realizes that Lori is all MIA and dinner gets back burner-ed as they go looking for her.
In town, Hershel, Rick and Glenn are kinda pinned down at the bar and contemplate a plan to make it back to the car, still without locking the front door so's no body can get in. When the strangers outside wander back from looking for their missing brethren, they discuss checking in the bar and Glen throws his fool body in front of the door. All of a sudden everyone knows there's people in the bar. Alive and dead.
They claim that they just want to know what happened to their friends and "If you could help us not get killed, we'd appreciate it." I'm sure you would. And somehow, on account of your awesome friends dead on the floor over their, I don't believe the new arrivals. Neither, it would seem, does Rick. Instead of keeping his trap shut, Rick shouts out how their buds are dead. In a little speech practically inviting gunshots, Rick tries to make his moment of vigilante justice moment OK. These things do happen. After all, they're caught in some weirdo post-apocalyptic zombie nightmare and everyone has done things they wish they didn't have to. No one is surprised when that little speech fails to inspire rainbows and puppy dogs. Shots ring out instead.
In the midst of the Lori is missing search, Carol goes running to find Daryl who's being all manly in the woods, sharpening and burning things. Carol's gotten all attached and Daryl is lashing out big time. And here's that indefinable reason that I like Daryl. His angst is deep and uncelebrated. He is also redeemable, although he wants none of it. I really should hate Daryl. Racist, hateful, mean. I mean, seriously. But it was that moment back on the highway when he saved T-Dog even though he could have let that Walker have him, that made me all Team Daryl. Merl would have let T-Dog die, and good riddance to bad rubbish.
Anywho, back to the story ... Shane gets all up in Dale's face and Dale looks at him like the crazy fuck that he is, just as Shane jumps into a car and goes squealing off in hot pursuit of Lori. Cause, yo, that's how you do it. For a group that needs to keep a low profile on account of rogue Walkers that will hear you and come running, this group slams alot of doors and go tearing out dramatically in a lot o' cars.
While Shane is searching for Lori, an obviously terrified Glen goes down to the bar's basement to check out the back door. It feels a little like sending a lamb to the slaughter. Poor Glenn looks all manner of innocent and we behind the ears. He does, however, spy the bad guys trying to sneak in through the back door, and proceeds to shoot out the back window, kinda like an idiot Glenn cause you know, now they can see you AND stick their hand in.
This episode is kinda all over the place with the three story lines pulling the camera hither and yon. With so many unresolved plots unwinding in this episode it keeps the tension up, but also gets a bit exhausting to keep jumping between groups having very different experiences.
So, then we're back to Shane pulling up to the site of Lori's accident with shotgun drawn. He starts kicking things to make sure they are really dead and not just doing that Walker thing where they pretend like they're shot-through-the-head-dead right before they go for the jugular.
Rick and Hershel decide to make a run for the car, during which Hershel admits that he can shoot even if he doesn't like to. Hershel tells Glenn to make the run for the car while he covers him. Glenn ain't too thrilled or confident with that idea, and Hershel goes all Daddy and tells Glen that he will try and succeed. Hershel, you are so thou shalt.
Gun fire comes out of nowhere, Glenn takes a dive, and Hershel shows off those shooting skills he boasted of. Took the guy out with one shot. So. Gangsta! Yo!
They think Glenn's been shot, but Rick finds a very shaken Glenn hiding out behind the dumpster totally unscathed.
More shots keep them pinned down as a kid on the roof across the street shoots at them. The kid jumps from the roof just as his buddies take off after telling them their running for it on account of the walkers suddenly swarming the town, undoubtedly drawn by all the gunfire.
It becomes apparent that this is also the episode in which Hershel realizes that Walkers aren't really just sick as a herd fall on the guy he's just shot and EAT HIS FACE off. I mean, if that doesn't give you a clue, Hershel! Meanwhile, Rick is trying to pull the kid off the spiked fence he's fallen on. Rick, being all good Samaritan despite how the kid tried to kill them. I love you, Rick, but now is not the time! Although, I do understand that this is another example of how Rick and Shane differ. The difference is the location of what we consider humanity. There is still a line that Rick won't cross. It's in total conflict with how Rick handled the guys in the bar, but it makes a certain sense because right now this kid is Not a threat. He's just a kid on a fence. That is totally going to be your downfall one day, Rick. In a surprise turn-around, Hershel is all for leaving the kid behind. Better yet, putting him down because to leave him behind and still alive would be cruel. I have to agree with the old man.
The kid begs them not to leave him just as Glenn suggests they take the leg off and they get ready for an impromptu field surgery while Glenn and Rick try and hold off the massive number of Walkers coming out of the woods. You Are Wasting Bullets, boys. OK, by this point, I am all knotted up because this can not end well. Put a bullet in that boys head and go!!!
With no time, Rick forces the kids leg off the spike and thankfully, after that severely heightened and emotional arc, we cut to commercial. I get to breath again and go wipe away the stench of fear permeating my armpits.
When we come back, we find Shane pulling up to Lori strolling down the street. He's all concern, reaching down for her belly. And like Shane does, he tells Lori what he thinks she needs to know to get her to do what he wants her to do. And there lies the crux of why I dislike Shane. Instead of talking to her like an adult, stating his case, and giving her the option of choosing, he lies. Shane thinks he knows better than everyone else. Unlike Rick, Shane runs the show like a dictatorship. Shane also lies to himself, justifying his behavior through some screwy mental gymnastics that make him the hero always trying to save the day. No one, of course, understands this, and so he is always the odd man out. Shane, honey, ever thought maybe it really is you? Yeah, you wouldn't.
Meanwhile, Carol finds Daryl's creepy-crazy necklace of Walker ears. Daryl is all aggressive and heated and angry, yelling at Carol and saying the meanest things he can think of to push her away. And the thing, is Daryl and Carol know exactly what he's doing and why he's doing it. I get the feeling this is going to potentially turn into a REALLY unhealthy relationship because in some ways Daryl is very right. Carol is attaching to Daryl because she really does have nothing. Her husband *is* gone, and now so is her daughter. Carol is looking for a place to connect, and Daryl was that person before Sophia walked out of the barn. In her head, he still is. I am really, really, really unconvinced that that is a good thing. Carol does, after all, have a history of being in an abusive relationship. Daryl, let's be real, is probably not the guy who is above being abusive in a relationship, and as disconnected as Carol is, she'll fall right back into the same pattern.
Lori and Shane get back to the farm and it becomes apparent quite immediately that Shane lied. He uses Lori and the baby as excuses and Carl over hears the baby part. Greeeeeeaaaaaaat. Dale and Andrea usher Lori into the house and check her over. Poor Carl is all excited about the idea of the baby, and being a big brother, and he asks if they can name the baby Sophia if it's a girl. Yank my heart right out of my chest, why dontcha. Cause Carl is still a kid and the least likely to realize how a new born baby in zombie hell is not necessarily a good idea. Especially in flat country where sound probably travels pretty well. And that's even assuming that they get to stay.
Shane tries to smooth things over with Lori and even Andrea, for once, doesn't think that's a good idea, not right now. For some reason that I will never understand, Lori agrees to talk to Shane and everyone leaves the room. But not without a pause from Dale who is a man with Things On His Mind.
And then Shane reveals the crazy.
Lori brings up Otis. Pointing out how Shane's changed since. Without committing to anything, Shane blames anything that *might* have happened on how he loves her and Carl. Of course. Then Lori lets fly how she told Rick about the two of them and ... CRAZY eyes. Accompanied with crazy talk. It's like Shane thought they would be together so long as Rick didn't know because then Lori could still choose him. Shane proceeds to insist that their relationship was "real and right" and meant to be. Dude, this is NOT Romeo and Juliet. See all the zombie roaming around outside? No zombies in Shakespeare, bud. Lori denies everything with no little dawning horror in her eyes. Personally, I think Shane's been infatuated with Lori for a really long time. The zombie apocalypse, and Rick being in a coma created an opportunity that Shane took advantage of. Don't get me wrong. Lori was all consenting adult, but again, Shane told lies to get her to move in the direction that he wanted her to go in because Shane is convinced that he knows better. Shane also has that thing going where he justifies his actions by trying to dress them up in noble clothes.
Lori might have felt some part of herself drawn to Shane, she and Rick were on the skids after all, but she made a choice to be with and stay with her husband back in Secrets. Now Lori gets to deal with a WTF crazy Shane. Great! Just what we all need. Although, it's nice to have someone besides Dale realize how far off the rails Shane is. Mostly because Lori is someone who may actually do something about it.
In the morning, there's a random moment between Andrea and Maggie during which Andrea utters some meaningless platitudes as if she really gives a damn, which I seriously doubt. Andrea has been pretty dead inside since her own sister died, and I haven't seen anything to indicate that may be changing. Maggie tells an awesome story about her and her sister. She also says that Glenn is a good guy to which Andrea agrees, as if she knows.
Sometime later, Shane gathers the other guys in the group plus Andrea to go looking for the Hershel, Rick, and Glenn. Dale plays concerned papa again and asks Andrea if she's sure she wants to go, hinting at Otis's demise and Shane's potential hand in it. Andrea is all Team Shane, as per usual, and defends him, stating that he's done more to keep the group alive than Rick.
A truck pulls up to the house containing our missing group members and in a crazy moment, Maggie runs right past her daddy and into Glen's arms. Shane watches as Lori and Carl reunite with Rick. T-Dog points out the guy in the backseat, and Rick and Shane exchange meaningful glances. Rick's words back in the bar have been haunting us all episode, this is not going to end well.
Everyone gathers in the dining room to discuss the problem. Daryl and Carol exchange looks that make me think that shenanigans have happened. Shane points out the way that Rick's plan is silly and cannot work, and Hershel reminds Shane that they still haven't dealt with the craziness down at the barn, and how Shane is a Guest at the far. Hershel concludes, along with the rest of us, that Shane should just shut the fuck up. Only he's politer about it. Just barely. Shane storms out, Lauren follows. Of course. What's of equal interest is how Daryl storms out with Carol on his heels.
Maggie asks to talk to Glenn. Glenn admits to his instincts for self-preservation superseding the needs of the group because he thought of Maggie and how hard it might be for her if he died on account of her loving him. He does not think that's a good thing because now he's become the weakest link. Oh, Glenn. You make my heart hurt. If you died, I would be sad. Especially if Shane or Andrea managed to outlive you. That would just be a fucking tragedy. Show, you've been warned!
Hershel goes to check on Betty and Maggie accuses him of drinking, and like any little girl, disillusioned by the sudden fallible humanity of a parent, she yells: "You left and I didn't know what to do," with lips quivering.
Lauren follows Shane and advises him that marketing is his issue with leading the group. Don't be so hot-head crazy when you introduce your survivalist crack-pot ideas and maybe everyone won't look at you like crazy. Shane drags Lauren into his camp of the ill-treated and how he should have left with her when he had the chance. Yeah, right.
And finally, after sorting out some issues, lining up some pairs, and preparing us for what's to come in this world after Sophie, the show delivers its coup de grace. Lori and Rick help each other undress, both creaky and sore from all the bruises accumulated in the last few days. Lori starts the conversation with "we need to talk about Shane" and drops the bomb about how "he thinks the baby is his" but that "no matter what" its Rick's. Rick knows his BFF and that he won't take accept that. He also kinda sides with Shane on account of how Lori and Carl and the group DO need protecting when Rick isn't around. Then Lori makes the obvious statement that Shane is delusional and dangerous.
Rick admits killing to protect the people he loved. Lori has an aha moment and we see the wheels spinning behind her eyes: "You killed the living to protect what's yours." In a moment of complete WTF, hello Lady MacBeth, Lori wraps herself all around Rick's back and whispers in his ear about how Shane thinks she belongs to him and how Rick can't protect anyone and how he's crazy and will not stop. Rick looks, verily, like Macbeth and Lori may have figured out a way to get OUT that damn spot.
