“Chupacabra”

Directed by Guy Ferland

Poor Daryl. He is trying very hard. If searching for Sophia and having no success wasn’t hard enough. He gets thrown off his horse, which is scared by a rattlesnake, falls in a ravine and gets impaled by his own arrow. Then in his delirium he starts to see Merle, his lost, dead brother played wonderfully by Micheal Rooker. Daryl, being the bad ass trooper he is shows resilience and wards off walkers while trying to get back up the cliff all while being egged on by ghost Merle. I felt this sequence was the meat and potatoes of the episode.

Back at Herschel’s Farm. Glenn finds out that Lori is pregnant and is sworn to secrecy. Shane and Rick argue about the search for Sophia. Shane feels they are wasting time and wants to head for Fort Benning.

The episode then really picks up as the survivors spot an injured Daryl (wearing an ear necklace) slowing making his way towards the Farm. The gang mistake him for a walker. Andrea panics and sets her rifle sights on him. She shoots him, grazing him and Daryl is knocked out by the impact. After he wakes he is thanked by a grateful Carol for his search for Sophia. Later Carol and Lori cook dinner for Herschel’s family and it goes awkwardly. Glenn attempting to break the silence asks if anyone plays the guitar and Herschel claims that only Otis (killed by Shane) could.

The episode is capped off by a doozy of a revelation. While sneaking off to meet with Maggie at Herschel’s farm, he discovers that the farm is full of walkers. Maggie find out where Glenn was headed and does not get there in time to prevent Glenn’s discovery. This all is very close to what happens in the comics and I was very happy to see it included in the series. The show is starting to finally pick up.