Yeah, this was possibly the best episode yet. Gone are the forced, drawn-out, unintentionally funny emotional manipulations. In their place are genuinely good character moments. It's something the show has never done before. I never believed it would actually work.
I was particularly shocked to see Rick have good character moments. Well done.
A few minor complaints I guess...
- What the crap? The morning after pill is not an abortion pill. Once you're pregnant, especially THAT pregnant, it's not going to do anything. The pills contain hormones, not magical baby poison. (Just looked it up, and the largest window you could possibly hope for with the morning after pill is up to 5 days after the event.) This is sort of acknowledged within the show (Glenn asks doubtfully if they're actually going to work), however every moment after that treats this as an actual dramatic device, as if it matters whether she takes or doesn't take the pills, or vomits them up or whatever. It's not going to make any difference. She is pregnant.
- Maggie's emotions throughout the episode were a bit cartoonish. It's funny that it had to happen when everyone else improved their acting.
- Dale was uncharacteristically aggressive. Maybe that's his thing now. It does make sense that he's reached that point, having learned at least 3 unsettling things this episode. That's fine, and I kind of like it, but my complaint is his confrontation with Shane. He just seemed too specific, especially with his insinuations about Otis. And he said that Shane had been vague about Otis, which isn't true at all. (Shane told his conveniently adjusted story in full logistical detail at the funeral.)
- When Rick said to Lori "you thought I was dead, right?" why did she take so long to confirm?
- Yeah, at this point, I honestly hope Sophia is zombified and they have to take her out as she enters the camp. Even better, she wanders in under the cover of night and Hershel corrals her into the barn.