Safety has been something that always eluded Rick and Gang. So when he answers the mysterious phone call in this week’s episode, “Hounded," and the girl on the other end says that they are safe, it got my attention. Though perhaps not as much as Rick’s breakdown at the Phone Girl saying she would call back, and insisting that the Gang is dying.
Rick gets his callback, and talks to Phone Guy, who says that on their side, no one has been bitten, attacked or died. He then puts Rick under an interesting lens: he asks him how many people Rick has killed. Rick recounts all of his human kills, and while listening to them, I really began questioning just how necessary they were. When I watched them happen, I was rooting for Rick, but when Phone Guy calls him out, there’s just something about the remembering that strikes me as wrong. Anyway, Phone Guy hangs up on Rick when he refuses to talk about Lori.
Another voice calls Rick back, and tells him that he should have opened up about his wife. In fact, she says Rick’s name, which he immediately questions. She hangs up, and he looks a little crazy. I’m going to take a leap here and say the phone calls are not real, and Rick is now Crazy Rick.
Oh ya, he’s nuts. Crazy Rick gets another completely fake phone call, which I only know is fake because it is Lori talking to him. He confesses that he failed at putting things right, and couldn’t keep their family together. At this point, I’d like to point out that Crazy Rick’s No-Shave November beard just adds to his craziness. Anyway, Fake Lori says she loves him, and Crazy Rick hangs up the phone.
Thank goodness. Crazy Rick digivolves back to Normal Rick, and holds Little Ass Kicker/Baby for the first time. It is a tender moment. Happy feelings all around.
Daryl, Oscar and Carl are walking around the prison, clearing up the mess from the last few episodes. This is one of the highlights of the episode actually; Daryl opens up to Carl. He shares a heartbreaking story of how he lost his mother, and it really adds to Daryl’s character. You can also the bonds forming between him and Carl. Kudos, Walking Dead, kudos.
The three are attacked by a walker which has Carol’s knife stuck in its throat. I knew Carol wasn’t dead! She’s actually enjoyable now, so I hope she made it. Daryl finds her alive in a closet, and carries her out of there. So hurray for that.
Somewhere in the woods, Merle is hunting Michonne, who was supposedly let go by the Governor. But we all knew that wasn’t true, because the Governor’s freaking crazy. However, Michonne is a grade-A badass, and turns it around on Merle, hunting him and and his men. Hopefully Merle has met his match. I really want to see a sword arm versus katana battle. OMG sword arm versus katana battle! That was the cooliest thing ever. Michonne gets the jump on Merle and his Sidekick, and kicks him in the nads and the face, dazing him, but not long enough for him to get eaten by the newly arrived walkers. Merle and Sidekick take care of the walkers and Michonne escapes. Merle then shoots Sidekick, because he was getting too big for his britches.
Michonne ends up right outside of a shopping area being scavenged by Glenn and Maggie. She creeps on them, while Glenn and Maggie mack a little, and then go shopping. They get a bunch of good stuff, including mustard (so that’s the only one I heard. Sue me.). And of course, Merle shows up, and tries to convince a bristled Glenn to take him to Daryl. This all goes to hell, and Merle holds Maggie at gunpoint, forcing Glenn to drive him. Michonne watches all of this go down, just standing there. Come on Michonne! I expected her to ninja jump at him or something.
Ah, so Michonne went to the prison instead actually. Rick see’s her at the gate, with a shopping basket in hand. How convenient.
I am obligated my readers to include Andrea’s story, as much as it displeases me. Andrea wants to contribute to Woodbury more, and the Governor allows her to go on the wall. There she meets Hot Girl (I wasn’t listening when she introduced herself. Oops.), who is boasting about her skills with a bow. When a walker shows up, she goes to shoot it, and misses three times. So Andrea takes care of business and jumps over the wall, stabbing the walker. This is a no-no in Woodbury, however, and the Governor takes her off the wall. Then they sit in a garden and talk. And then they make out. We all knew that was coming. Oh, and several scenes later, they are in making-babies stage. And boy is the Governor pale.
So, in summary, Rick goes nuts a little, but finally holds Baby, Michonne meets up with the Gang, Merle kidnaps Glenn and Maggie, and Andrea has icky pale crazy-man sex.
“Hounded” Walker/Death Ratio Rating: 1 star. Sorry “Hounded”, but there was little to no walker deaths this episode. Instead, there was a cool sword arm versus katana battle. So...5 stars.