The Walking Dead – Shane should fear Lori more than love her

One of the things we’ve witnessed on this season of The Walking Dead is the range of emotion and angst being perpetrated by Lori. Plainly, she has been conflicted over the events that have taken place day after day. She’s pregnant with a child of which she’s not certain of the father — regardless of the fact she’s told Rick it’s his. She’s stressing mightily over Carl — should he be in this horrible world of disease and walkers or not? … he’s becoming cold … he wants to learn to shoot a gun … he’s been affected by the death of Sophia. She is second guessing and vacillating whether or not Shane should be anywhere near her and her family. She’s questioning Rick’s decisions and motives. *eyesh* This poor woman. She should have had a breakdown several times over.

And now comes the latest bit of drama, culminating with her rash decision of taking off after Rick and Glenn and Hershel. This resulted in her flipping the car she was driving after hitting a walker shambling down the road last episode. Going into this chapter, we didn’t know if she was dead or alive or something in between. We quickly found out she was simply battered and bruised, but none the worse for wear. Of that action, her taking off on her quest for the trio, we’re certain of one thing about her: It was monumentally stupid to go racing off for them. But with all that’s been circling inside her head, how can you blame her? Let’s come back to Lori in a bit. …

I was under the impression there was going to be a lot more conflict with Rick, Glenn and Hershel while they remained in town. The got off relatively unscathed. (Except for Glenn’s mental state, that is.) The consequences of that fire fight with Dave and Tony? You can see it in Hershel’s eyes — he’s got a different set of parameters, both after the killings and as a result of the little powwow he had with Rick at the bar. When you look into his eyes you can see it. And that was reaffirmed when he and Rick exchanged glances after Rick offed Dave and Tony. Add to that the tongue lashing he gave Shane back at the house when they returned right after the little “family meeting” an there’s no doubt whatsoever Hershel’s attitude has taken a turn.

There was a lot to like in this episode. I especially enjoyed the interplay with the characters. Shane confronting Dale once again. The revelation Lori gave Shane about Rick knowing about them. (That was a good one.) The words and stares and accusations between Carol and Darryl. The lightheartedness between Lori and Carl. Glenn’s confession to Maggie about his selfishness. Andrea sniping at Shane about exercising a lighter touch when it comes to the rest of the group.

Which leads me back to Lori … and and that discussion.

She’s planting seeds. I can’t tell if her fear of Shane has steeled her to start the ball rolling by telling Rick about him in an effort to finally stymie his crap. Shane’s obsessed with her. And she’s now obsessed with cutting Shane off at the knees, so to speak. She’s been thinking about this for a while … and now that Rick has told her he’s killed for her and the baby because that’s the kind of world they live in now? It’s made it that much easier for her to say what she needed to. Right?

The fun is just beginning. …

Notes:

• The added element of the kid Randall who got impaled on the fence and is now recovering back at Hershel’s farm is a neat little wrinkle. I’m anxious to see how that plays out.
• What’s Beth’s problem? There’s been no indication she’s been scratched by a walker, so she’s not infected as far as we know. We’re into the second episode now of her being horizontal in open-eyed shock. Let’s figure this out, already …
• The way Carl placed his hand on Lori when they were talking about the baby? That was unrealistic. No kid does that … not without asking first or getting his mother’s permission to do so.

Quote:

“He thinks the baby’s his. No matter what … it’s yours.” — Lori to Rick

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Feb 20, 2012 @ 08:21 EST5EDT