In the first half of The Walking Dead season 2, our characters were faced with a lot of loss. Carl (Chandler Riggs) was shot and Shane (Jon Bernthal) committed murder to ensure his survival. Sophia (Madison Lintz) went missing and Daryl (Norman Reedus) championed the search. Rick's (Andrew Lincoln) group made it to the Greene family farm, where Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) learned she was pregnant and Glenn (Steven Yeun) met Maggie (Lauren Cohan). Unfortunately, the farm also held a dark secret -- a barn crammed with Walkers, including the missing Sophia.
In tonight's mid-season premiere, things pick up where they left off as the group deals with the fallout from Sophia's death.
The Conflicts Continue
Shane insists that Hershel (Scott Wilson) knew about Sophia, but Hershel claims that Otis was the one who dealt with the Walkers and he must have put Sophia in the barn before he died. Rick defends Hershel, but Shane is not convinced and once again questions Rick's leadership. And Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) still believes Shane is a danger, so he shares those fears with Lori. He also tells Lori that he thinks Shane killed Otis and if he did it once, he will probably kill again.
All Together Now
The groups decide to have a funeral for their loved ones, including Sophia, but Carol (Melissa McBride) does not attend, saying that her daughter has been long dead. Everyone in Rick's group has a different opinion about what Shane did, though most of them agree it was necessary even if he went about it the wrong way.
While the others deal with their losses, Hershel leaves the farm to handle his own grief. He goes to the bar to get drunk and Rick and Glenn go after him. Rick finally convinces Hershel to come back to the farm when two strangers arrive, surprised to find other survivors.
No One's Hands are Clean
At first, the two outsiders try to be friendly and tell Rick's people about the information they have learned along the way, including the news that Fort Benning has been overrun by Walkers. However, Rick quickly realizes these new people are trouble and does not reveal the location of the Greene farm, saying that they cannot take on anyone else due to overcrowding. The strangers are not impressed with this news and things turn deadly. This gives Rick a chance to prove his dueling skills, as he kills the newcomers before they can shoot him. (At least we managed to avoid that problem.)
In Other News
Maggie tells Glenn she loves him and he fails to return the sentiment, having been thrown because Maggie is the first woman to ever tell him that. Shane, Andrea (Laurie Holden) and T-Dog (IronE Singleton) burn the bodies of the Walkers they did not bury, and T-Dog wonders how many more times they will have to do this. Daryl, still upset over losing Sophia, insists that he is done looking for people.
And Beth, a member of Hershel's group, gets sick so Lori leaves to bring the boys back. While on the road, Lori swerves to avoid a Walker, loses control of her car and crashes. Hopefully, someone will find her (alive) in next week's episode.
Memorable Quotes:
"Haven't you done enough?" -- Maggie to Shane after the mass shooting
"Daryl almost died looking for her, Rick. Any one of us could have ... I'm going to tell you right now, that son of a b*tch, he knew." -- Shane to Rick about Hershel's knowledge of Sophia
"You had us out in those woods looking for a little girl that every single one of us knew was dead, that's what you did." -- Shane to Rick about his leadership abilities
"The whole group ... this one was different." -- Glenn to Maggie about Sophia's death
"You people are like a plague!" -- Hershel to Rick about his group
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