On Feb. 4, AMC released a bonus sneak peek for "The Suicide King," the upcoming episode that marks the return of "The Walking Dead." The video provides a brief look at the domestic life of the prison group, as Tyreese (Chad Coleman) and his group is introduced to baby Judith. Meanwhile, showrunner Glen Mazzara provides some teasers about what to expect for the rest of season 3.
While “The Suicide King” clip is short, it does offer some suggestive moments. Tyreese’s conversation with Hershel (Scott Wilson) points to an opening set of negotiations between the two groups of survivors. Coleman and Wilson nicely underplay the tension between the potential merging of the two groups, which also serves as a counterpoint to all that has happened with Woodbury.
Spoiler alert: This article presumes readers are familiar with all of season 3 of “The Walking Dead.”
The video clip also reminds viewers of Hershel’s importance, as someone with medical training, to the prison group and introduces a moment of hope with Tyreese’s sister Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) meets baby Judith, being cared for by Beth (Emily Kinney). Then, in a typical “Walking Dead” turn, it twists the knife. Sasha learns Beth is not Judith’s mother, and viewers are reminded that the hope the baby represents is marked by loss. The scene, if representative of the episode arc, promises the show will offer the emotional depth viewers found in the seasons first half.
While the moment in the sneak peak for “The Suicide King” focuses on low-key tensions, other conflicts on “The Walking Dead” are bubbling to the surface. Glen Mazzara, the drama’s current showrunner (he’s leaving at the end of the season), told Entertainment Weekly on Monday that fans can expect more drama, more conflict and more tension.
After all, the season will bring to a head the highly anticipated meeting between Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and The Governor (David Morrissey), the reunion between Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Merle (Michael Rooker), and some adjustments in group dynamics with the probable addition of Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Tyreese.
Mazzara offered several teasers in his EW interview. One common thread among them is that viewers can expect to see characters deal with that’s happened both emotionally and physically. Mazzara specifically mentions:
- Rick, whose “mental state is fragile” after the death of Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and his hallucinogenic encounter with Shane (Jon Bernthal) and who will experience a “major personal crisis;
- Michonne, who has been left “emotionally vulnerable” and isolated following Andrea’s (Laurie Holden) decision to stay at Woodbury, and needs to prove herself in order to be part of the group;
- Glenn (Steven Yeun), whose hatred for the Governor following what happened to Maggie (Loran Cohan) leaves him spoiling for a fight.
- Daryl, who now knows his brother Merle is alive and on the “opposing side,” is “caught in the middle and has to make choices.”
In the EW article Mazzara also hints at what every fan of “The Walking Dead” knows must come to pass, the all-out confrontation between the prison group and Woodbury. Mazzara promises:
“There will always be death in ‘The Walking Dead,’ so I don’t think anybody should get comfortable. The Governor and Rick are gearing up for war, and without sounding silly, there will be blood.”
Season 3 of "The Walking Dead" resumes Sunday, Feb. 10 on AMC.
For your daily shot of news & views about pop culture screens & scenes, events & must-haves, subscribe to this page, follow PopCultCaffeine on Twitter or join Pop Culture Caffeine on Facebook.
Comments