RECAP: Episode 12 of “The Walking Dead:” “Clear.” More Like Cray…

This week the producers, writers, directors, art directors, composers and actors got it right on AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”  This week was episode 12 and the title was “Clear.”  Grim might have been a better adjective.  Let’s get into it.

When last we left Daddy Rick he was planning on going on a gun run with Michonne and Carl.  This week we meet up with them in their car heading down a lonely road.  As they are driving along they encounter a survivor that screams for help as they drive by without stopping.  The only one that seems to take serious notice is Carl but even he doesn’t seem troubled by their lack of compassion.  (Side note: Don’t you need more soldiers to fight the Guv’Nor, Daddy Rick?  You could have at least locked this dude in the trunk and then vetted him when you were back at the prison)

Soon enough our heroes with hearts cold as ice arrive at a familiar scene, a road blocked by long abandoned vehicles.  Daddy Rick, directs Michonne to drive around but UH OH they get stuck in the mud and surrounded by Walkers, shocker.  They fight their way out and Daddy Rick gives Carl a lesson on how to get a vehicle out of the mud, apparently all you need is a Mumu and some twigs.  Carl, being his bitch mother’s son, blames Daddy Rick for getting stuck in the first place.  Rather than putting Carl in his place while demanding he get a haircut (really what is up with that hair????) he apologizes and gets to the root of the issue, Carl isn’t happy that Michonne is with them.  Daddy Rick gives him a sort of your enemy’s enemy is your friend speech which mollifies the little brat.  Just before they take off again the hitchhiker shows up again and again screams for help.  The folks from the prison are not having and leave him behind.  Sorry hitchhiker, yer screwed!

Shortly, thereafter we arrive in town and guess what?  It’s the town that Daddy Rick used to police.  Maybe I missed this point last week but I don’t think Daddy Rick mentioned that the run was going back to their hometown.  And correct me if I am wrong but hasn’t lack of guns and ammo always been an issue?  If they have been this close to that town for so long why are they only going for the stash of guns after the war with Stepbury started???  PLOT HOLES!!!!

Anyway the guns have already been looted.  Next stop liquor stores and bars where Daddy Rick knows the owners kept guns.  Along the way they encounter a number of ingenious Walker barriers complete with live bait in the form of caged pigeons and rats, poor little critters.  While trying to navigate the barriers they come under fire from a man on the roof.  They return fire and Michonne uses her transporter powers (really how did she get up there so fast?) to get on the roof and kill the shooter and grab his rifle but no.  The shooter also apparently has powers of teleporting and ends up going head to head with Daddy Rick on the street until Carl puts a stop to that shit by shooting him in the guy.

Of course the guy was wearing body armor and we find out he is none other than Daddy Rick’s long, lost pal Morgan.  (Fans of the show will remember that Morgan and his son Duane saved Daddy Rick during the first season) 

Sadly for Morgan he has not weathered the end of the world well.  He has basically gone bat shit crazy but lucky for Daddy Rick he has stockpiled pretty my every gun known to man as well as hand grenades and other assorted weapons.

When they get up to his apartment, after avoiding some clever and badass booby traps, Michonne and Carl start packing up the weaponry but Daddy Rick says “OH HELL NO” to that and declares they are waiting for Morgan to wake up.

Michonne gives that a side eye and Carl wants to go on a run to ostensibly get a crib for Judith.  Michonne goes with Carl while Daddy Rick waits for Morgan to wake up and when he does he tries to kill Daddy Rick, SHOCKER!

But seriously the scenes between Daddy Rick and Morgan are some of the best acted of this season.  Morgan has been driven up to and well over the edge after his zombie wife bit his son and after which he (FINALLY) killed his zombie wife.  Ever since then he has fallen father into madness and just “clears” which we understand to mean killing zombies (and probably living people) that come his way.

Meanwhile Carl and Michonne are heading for the baby store but Carl, no surprise here, walks right on by.  Michonne calls him out on this bullshit but Carl is evasive and they end up at a café that is full of Walkers.  Carl is just going to bust in but Michonne has a better plan.  They distract the zombies with some of the caged rodents and slip on by.  Carl finally gets what he wants, a framed picture of him, Rick and Lori (BITCH, even in that picture I hate her) and we all go awwwwww.  Of course the zombies attack and they he and Michonne barely get out and stupid Carl drops the picture.  Never worry though Michonne uses her super powers to get in and get the picture as well as a hideous painted cat.

And we are going to wrap it up there.  Daddy Rick can’t save Morgan from his insanity and they leave him behind but take all the guns and ammo they want.  They leave town and pass by the body of the dead hitchhiker but not before taking his abandoned backpack.  And scene!!!

Everything worked in this episode, the acting was riveting, the sets fantastic and we actually got action mixed with character development.  Let’s hope they continue on this path through the end of the season.