Let’s recap shall we? Season Three of The Walking Dead ended
on a somewhat anti-climactic note. The Governor retreated to who-knows-where
and the surviving residents of Woodbury clambered off a school bus and into the
residence of Rick’s prison community. From the off therefore, Season Four poses
a series of problems – how will the group cope with this barrage of new faces?
Are we in for weekly installments of soap-oriented drama, whilst the walkers simply meander in the background? Not ruddy likely, as evident from this
episode alone, new showrunner Scott M. Gimple is keen to refresh and progress
The Walking Dead, and with a strong, introductory episode to prove it.
So
how do we cope with these new character additions? How are we supposed to care
for them, having undergone zero characterisation (apart from perhaps Bob,
Tyreese and Karen who are granted actual screen time)? Well, the truth is we don’t really have to care for them at
all. Aside from one or two lines of banal dialogue, it’s clear that most of the
additions from Woodbury are merely narrative devices to shine a spotlight on
those that we have cared for since the beginning. Furthermore, it seems Gimple and co. have flashed forward, bypassing any awkward initial stages of group integration. Instead we are presented with a fully functional community.
On the face of it, everyone appears to be zombie-apocalypse-savvy. They’re
growing crops, keeping animals, cooking large meals and harboring romances. Positions are appointed, fence patrols are in place to fend off the un-dead and supply runs are a traditional occurrence. Overall,
the prison community appears to have a real hold on the situation. It feels
safe - they are surviving. Thanks to this thriving dynamic, Rick, Herschel, Maggie,
Glenn, Daryl, Maggie and co. are closer than ever. Carol and Daryl are back on form,
Herschel and Rick have a bond that feels almost paternal,
Glenn and Maggie remain very much in love and Michonne is now a well-respected
member of the group. Even Carl has refrained from shooting young boys recently and has turned to naming the farmyard animals. All in all, it's an idealized view of post-apocalyptic survival, as so eloquently stated by Daryl, "It's like a damn romance novel...". But of course, frays are a-foot in this safe-haven tapestry and 30 Days... does an excellent job at teasing one or two themes that will undeniably prove that the fight for survival is far from over. 
First off, the production team of The Walking Dead vowed
that this season would re-integrate Walkers has a horrifying threat – and boy,
do they. In a fantastic set-piece that occurs mid-supply run, a decaying roof in a department store results in a rain of Walkers on unsuspecting protagonists Daryl, Michonne, Tyreese, Sasha, Glenn, Bob and Zack. It's an exciting sequence of brilliantly gory effects, brimming with fun and intensity. Moreover, it's a refreshing reminder of the threat these un-dead folk pose - a wise, intentional move for this introductory episode.
Elsewhere Rick is involved in a neat little parable, as a gullible victim in a mad woman's quest to find fresh flesh for the head of her un-dead husband. Whilst bonkers and a little out of place, this sub-plot is a nice message to remind us of the sheer desperation and loss that still exists outside the prison walls. Equally, small details such as Glenn's reluctance to have children, or Beth's methodical and stoic response to the death of her love interest, highlight the psychological scarring events have had on protagonists.
However, it is the ending of this episode that teases the
most prominent theme - disease. A young member of the community falls unwell toward the end of the episode. Awaking in the middle of the night and heading to the showers, he collapses to the floor, only to awake as a Walker. Having not been bitten or willingly killed, an interesting question is raised. When surviving in this post-apocalyptic state, in which
decay and bacteria is imminent, could the spread of disease via other vectors be the
new threat of this Season?
Overall, 30 Days... is a brilliant start to Season Four. Gimple has evidently progressed The Walking Dead to an era of new threats, teased a few intriguing plot points and refreshed that which could have become tired. Whilst internal dramas will no doubt remain, this introductory episode is a brilliant hint that the Walkers - or disease and decay in general - may well pose the more significant threat in weeks to come.
What were your thoughts on the first episode of Season Four? Post a comment!
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