‘The Walking Dead’ Retro Recap: ‘After’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

The best horror stories out there, are the ones that understand when to give their audience a break. Because being constantly assaulted by horrific moments, makes a viewer or reader supremely uncomfortable, the point where the intensity is just too much to bear and might drive them away. Which is why slowing things down a bit, now and again, is critical to telling a scary story. Since it gives the audience a chance to catch their breath and process the horrors, they’ve seen, so they feel okay with continuing the journey and this is precisely why, The Walking Dead on AMC is a top-tier horror story. Because it follows this process to an outright tee and for proof, look no further than the next episode in this harrowing saga.
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For ‘After’ picks up a few hours after the Governor made his all-out assault on the West Georgia Correctional Facility and when we catch up with Michonne and Rick, and young Carl in this tale… they’re doing their best to avoid a fight. In fact, after handling some sorrowful business at the prison, Michonne decides that the best way forward is to create new zombie companions akin to her previous ones. So, she can travel the countryside safely and survive, and that really does slow things down for her journey. To the point where she actually takes a moment to realize that running away from people and not making connections is the wrong way to handle life after the end, and that in turn motivates her to forgive herself for her past actions and seek out Rick and Carl.

Whom, as it turns out, were also eager to slow things down for vastly different reasons. Because Rick was in a bad place physically, courtesy of the Governor’s beatdown, and once they found a safe spot where they could gather their bearings and rest... they did jus that. In fact, Rick was so badly beaten and bruised from that battle, that he outright slept for days, leaving young Carl with a chance to process his pain and frustrations regarding his father’s mistakes and their current situation and that led to some fascinating moments with Carl. The kind that allowed for him to grow before our eyes, courtesy of what he decided to do with his downtime, which in this instance, was to gather supplies and take on the world on his own.

An act that led to some scares for certain since the living dead are everywhere. But what mattered more about this particular journey, was that Carl really came into his own here. Since it was, he that needed to provide for himself and his father, and it was up to him to get out of trouble when it presented itself, and he managed to make all of that happen in a brave and bold manner. Plus, it turned out that letting his dad rest and going out and handling some business on his own, was healthy for his relationship with his father. Since it gave them both perspective on what they had and what they lost and such a move strengthened their relationship for certain and well… that’s how this episode ends, on a quasi-happy high note and in a peaceful manner and that is quite the reward for the audience.

Because prior to this, it was four episodes of pure savagery and concern, the kind that culminated in horrible and heartbreaking moments. So, it was indeed quite nice to just take a minute and see these intrepid characters lick their wounds and regroup and try to figure out what comes next now that they have lost their home and their future. But while it was indeed nice to take a moment and have everyone, audience included, collect themselves after a harrowing run of episodes this might be one of the last times, we get to enjoy a little joy and quiet in season four. For not everyone had a smooth exit akin to this trio and of course, there’s some surprises waiting for everyone… at the end of the line. Until next time.

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