We pick up right where we left off last seasonish (technically this is the second half of Season 3, but I’m not buying it), with Merle ready to battle his brother Daryl. Blondie tries to save Daryl, but there’s no saving anyone from the Governor’s psychotic wrath. It’s going to be “Brother against brother, winner goes free. Fight, to the death.” Merle gets in an early sucker punch, and in come the walkers-on-sticks. But blood is thicker than…whatever it is running through zombie veins. Silly Putty? And the brothers team up to get the heck out of dodge, assisted by our old friends from the prison yard. It’s all a little clean, and a little neat, and a little too easy with the smoke screen and the pew pew pew guns. Blondie is conflicted—should I stay or should I go? If I go there will be trouble, but if I stay it will be double.

Rick has misgivings about taking Merle along, but for the moment they could use his help with the walkers so practicality wins the day. Best part is, they left a hole in the front gate of Paradise, so that town should be overrun with walkers any minute now.

The new people at the prison, remember them? They’re getting up to speed on the loss of Hershel’s leg and Li’l Asskicker. They claim to have been teamed up with a bunch of survivalists and stayed in a bunker until supplies ran out. Then, they went on the move, starting out with twenty-five and dwindling down to the four at the prison.

Rick, Glenn, Maggie, and Daryl are trying to sort out what to do with Merle and Michonne. Daryl lays down the law—no him, no me. The group has some major trust issues and nobody wants Merle or Michonne, so Daryl makes his choice. He walks away, unable to trade his brother for his new family. Rick breaks the news to Michonne that she’s only staying for as long as it takes to patch her up and send her packing.

The new prison people are out burying one of their own and spot Carl and Poor Man’s Jamie Lee Curtis on lookout. One of them considers taking out Carl and PMJLC and stealing their weapons, but Tyrese and Sasha get in the way. They want to be a part of the prison crew, and killing Carl and PMJLC is probably not the best way to win their trust.

On their way back to the prison, Glenn takes out a walker in a pickup truck with a gruesome foot-to-the-skull, rinse, repeat. He’s taking out his aggression on a walker because he’s pissed that they all went back to take out the Governor and get Daryl, and now Daryl’s gone and the Governor is still alive and, basically, everyone risked their lives for nothing. Rick reminds him that this is the hand they’ve been dealt, and Glenn says he’s done. That sounded a lot like a Ronnie and Sammi “I’m done,” so I think Glenn is going to stick around for at least one more season.

When they finally arrive at the prison, PMJLC realizes that Daryl is not with them. Rick explains that Daryl left with Merle, and this is the first time we’ve seen someone get dumped during the zombie apocalypse. While Rick was gone, Blondie Jr. was taking care of Li’l Asskicker. She seems to be vying for the role of the second Mrs. Grimes.

Back at Paradise, people are clamoring to get out. Blondie’s trying to convince them to stay because she knows how bad it is out there. Aaaand wakers inside of the gates. Blondie shoots ‘em dead. One of their own has been bitten, and the Governor just coldly walks up and shoots him in the head in front of the entire town.

Hershel diagnoses Michonne as having a concussion and needing sleep which conveniently buys her a few days and totally blows the “never sleep with a concussion” myth out of the water. Then the group decides to let the new people stay as reinforcements.

Wait, what? Rick says no. The group says yes, but Rick says no. This is like when CNN called Florida for Gore. Rick’s logic is that reinforcements haven’t worked out so well for them in the past, so no. Hershel takes Rick aside and tries to talk some sense into Rick, and it seems to be working until…is that Lori in a white dress? No! We’re done with her! No more Lori, I won’t have it. NOBODY WANTS YOU HERE, SO JUST GET OUT! Which is sort of what Rick yells at her, only he pulls out a gun and looks super crazy. Everyone is under the mistaken impression that Rick is telling the new people to leave, so Glenn shuffles them away from Rick and we see Glenn put his hand on his gun….and show’s over.

Tune in next week for more of the same, only with extra Merle.

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