Live Bait (The Walking Dead)
"Live Bait" | |
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The Walking Dead episode | |
Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 6 |
Directed by | Michael Uppendahl |
Written by | Nichole Beattie |
Featured music | "The Last Pale Light in the West" by Ben Nichols |
Original air date | November 17, 2013 |
Guest appearances | |
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"Live Bait" (previously titled "Rise"
The episode centers on The Governor (David Morrissey), who has isolated himself from society after killing his entire army. He has become an aimless wanderer until he meets a small family of survivors. The episode also loosely adapts Issue #43 of the comics.
This episode marks the first appearance of
Plot
In a flashback,
A few months later, the bearded and weakened Governor sees a young girl, who resembles his deceased daughter Penny, in the window of a nearby apartment building. Inside the building, he meets the Chambler family residing there:
The next morning, Lilly asks The Governor for one last favor before he leaves: her father is dying of
After The Governor buries David, he burns the photo of his wife and daughter, hoping to finally erase his old, cruel persona. He then comforts Meghan about her grandfather's death. As he prepares for his departure, he approaches the Chamblers to say goodbye, but Lilly insists that he stay, for he has become a part of their family. The group then leave the apartment in their food truck, hoping to find a safe haven in their journey. The Governor and Lilly become intimate during an overnight encounter. When their truck breaks down, the family is forced to walk on foot; however, they must flee when they encounter a herd of walkers. The Governor and Meghan are separated from Lilly and Tara (who has a damaged ankle) and fall in a pit filled with walkers, which are killed by The Governor. He assures Meghan that he will let nothing harm her, and looks up the pit to see a shocked Martinez.
Production
This is the first episode in the entire series to feature only one series regular – in this case,
The opening scene features the title song from the country music concept album The Last Pale Light in the West, by Ben Nichols of Lucero.
Reception
Ratings
Upon its original airing, "Live Bait" earned 12.003 million viewers and a 6.0 rating in the adults 18–49 demographic. This was down from last week's 12.20 million viewers, and down 0.2 share from last week's 18–49 demographic rating.[2]
Critical response
The episode received positive reviews from critics. TV Fanatic's Sean McKenna rated the episode 3.3 out of 5; positive comments by McKenna focused on The Governor's humanity in his new situation, while negative comments were directed at the lack of action until the end of the episode.[3] IGN's Roth Cornet gave the episode an 8.3 out of 10 and praised David Morrissey's performance as The Governor, the mix of action and story, and the dreamlike quality of the episode; however, Cornet was conflicted about the turn in The Governor's character.[4] The A.V. Club's Zack Handlen gave a mixed review scoring it a "B−" grade, saying "nearly every dramatic moment in the episode falls flat...it's different, but I'm not sure that's enough".[5]
References
- ^ Remling, Amanda (July 3, 2013). "'Walking Dead' Season 4 Spoilers: New Character Named Don In Episode 6; 'Talladega Nights' Actor Cast". International Business Times. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
- ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (November 19, 2013). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'The Walking Dead' Wins Night + 'Talking Dead', 'Real Housewives of Atlanta', NASCAR & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
- ^ McKenna, Sean (November 18, 2013). "The Walking Dead Review: Return of the Governor". TV Fanatic. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
- ^ Cornet, Roth (November 17, 2013). "The Walking Dead: "Live Bait" Review". IGN. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
- ^ Handlen, Zack (November 17, 2013). "The Walking Dead: "Live Bait"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
External links
- "Live Bait" at AMC
- "Live Bait" at IMDb