"The Walking Dead" and Going in Circles Outside of Atlanta: A Television Review of Episode 5 ("Wildfire")

Director: Ernest R. Dickerson.

Writers: Frank Darabont, Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard and Glen Mazzara.

Episode 5 of "The Walking Dead" aired November 28th and this three quarters of an hour episode brought the surviving characters to an almost abandoned Center for Disease Control. On the way there, more characters would pass and the central feeling portrayed over and over again was one of grief. This episode was character heavy, light in action and important for getting the refugees of the zombie apocalypse into a safe zone.

The episode begin with the remnants of a zombie battle being removed from the survivors' camp. Andrea (Laurie Holden) mistakenly holds onto her dead sister, Amy (Emma Bell), for a little too long. The infection spreads through their ranks killing Jim (Andrew Rothenberg), and minor character Ed (Adam Minarovich). The trip to Atlanta is mostly uneventful, with the only surviving member of the CDC, Jenner allowing entrance to his lonely lair. Cue credits.

The characters in the story should be searching for a local laundromat and not the CDC, with most of figures covered in blood-stained or sweat soaked clothing. Comedic jabs aside, this episode was a little slow in pacing. The continual focus on characterizations is good for drawing in viewers, but a little more action, or conflicted interaction with an antagonist is becoming more and more necessary. There was a minor scuffle in the closing few minutes between Rick's gang and the undead, but much of the time was spent focused on grieving for Amy, or Jim, or less so for Ed. A little less emotion and a little more driving over zombies on the road to Atlanta could have made things more horrifying, or entertaining.

Also, at this rate "The Walking Dead" will be out of characters by Season 2 Episode 2, with one additional character not improving the group's size much. This cranky reviewer is also hoping for an amped up finale, but the preview is promising an open ended climax. Is there a cure to infection? What is the state of the rest of the world? How can shambling zombies infect anyone? Hopefully, these questions will be answered or given some attention in Episode 6, "TS-19" aka "Test Subject - 19." W

Overall: 7 out of 10 (Darabont and Kirkman show a knowledge for developing deep characterizations, but they also show a minimalist approach to the more beastly aspects of the zombie apocalypse).

What did you think? Leave some comments on what you liked, did not like, want to see more of etc. below.

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