The Walking Dead Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life: 06 (Walking Dead (6 Stories))

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Emotion wise this episode was very powerful. Seeing Daryl find his brother like the way he did was very sad. Merle went out like a hero, in an attempt to redeem himself in the eyes of his brother, making his death even more sad. The sequence where Merle accidentally set off the car alarm was very well done, as we all realized what that alarm was going to bring forward. And Michonne curb stomping that one zombie to death, followed by decapitating the other, all while her hands were bound and she was tied to a post, was seriously bad ass -- I almost wished it was a more humorous scene where she killed all the zombies without Merle realizing they were ever there -- though that would be a bit off tonally for this show, I realize. Glenn and Maggie officially become a married couple in this episode, with Maggie unspokenly changing her surname to Rhee.

I mostly enjoyed this episode for the performances, character development, and general themes, but I slightly struggled with some elements of the story. This is the fifteenth episode of the third season of the Walking Dead and it's clear that as we get near the end, crazy things are going to happen. I like this episode for a number of reasons, but I really like how this episode centers on Merle as he reflects on the things he have done. The ending is really sad, but you can't say Merle had it coming from the day we met him. At least he went out in a glorious way. Meanwhile, Merle tells Michonne that this is his chance to save Daryl and the others. Michonne notes that Merle has a conscience, but Merle disagrees, saying he’s killed 16 people since the apocalypse began. Actually really liked Season 2, where the weakest episode ("Cherokee Rose") was very good still, but do share others' feelings about many episodes being on the talky side and moments of slowness. The previous Season 3 episodes to me were very good to brilliant, of which this episode "This Sorrowful Life" is one of the best. And a strong reminder of how Seasons 1-5 of 'The Walking Dead' to me were absolutely brilliant and seeing the show in its full glory days (Season 6 was uneven, Season 7 was a huge disappointment and am still debating whether to watch Season 8). It is as emotional, complex and as tense as one would expect , at the same time it has adrenaline and guts.While I can’t say I was sad about Merle’s death, it certainly played out as the strong, “going out on his own terms” scenario it was meant to and certainly a great send off for a character whose presence I once loathed. And man, Norman Reedus then actually had me legitimately emotional. Reedus was excellent conveying Daryl’s absolute despair at seeing Merle now a zombie, as he broke down in tears and initially couldn’t bring himself to do anything more than shove Merle away. The juxtaposition between this and how he then absolutely destroyed Merle was an excellent way of showing the extremes going through Daryl in that moment. I like Glenn decided to propose Maggie. I really do. But when I saw Glenn cut off the walker's finger to get her engagement ring, it was so disgusting. He should have gone to Jewellery store and get a brand new ring for her best girlfriend, not to get a ring from the zombie. Eww! Before this episode, Merle is nothing. I don't really care whatever happens to him. But in this episode, I do. Merle is kind of different. He could do everything for his brother. He can be a bad guy for his brother. That's what touched me and changed my view of him. Sadly, he didn't end up very good. Personally, I am a little split. While I was tired of Merle walking around like a badass that didn't get along with anyone, he did try to redeem himself in the end and tried to save his baby brother. You have to respect any dude that goes out in a blaze of glory, bullets and fists flying, all to protect his family and kill a man that betrayed him. But in the end, I didn't feel the full impact of the moment. Merle's demise felt a bit rushed and the change towards redemption felt all too sudden. Had heard nothing but great things about 'The Walking Dead' from friends and IMDb reviewers. It took a while to get round to watching, both from being busy and also not being sure whether it would be my cup of tea. Finally getting round to it a few years ago and slowly working my way through it, having had a very long to watch and review list, 'The Walking Dead' turned out to be very much my cup of tea and as good as the hype made it out to be, have found it extremely addictive.

The writing generally is intelligent and thought-provoking, with lots of tension and emotional resonance and still shows signs of character complexity and multiple layer storytelling. The climactic parts are thrilling and terrifying as well as uncompromising. Appreciated the ever strong and still progressing story and character building. Michonne gets more interesting every time and the episode is a masterclass of character development when it comes to Merle. The human drama is balanced well with the more action-heavy scenes. Also that the pace is never dull or rushed, deliberate but tight. There is a lot of tension and the ending is memorably heart-breaking. One of the walkers featured in this episode was the infamous "plaid shirt zombie" from George A. Romero's film Dawn of the Dead. At the prison, Glenn finds Maggie alone and places an engagement ring in her hand that he had managed to take from the walker outside the prison fences. She smiles, accepts the token of affection, and they kiss, now a married couple. Merle’s last stand was another terrific sequence. The slow reveal of what his plan was played perfectly – as it first looked like he was being suicidal drawing those zombies near his car, until we realized he was luring them all towards the Governor’s men. And using the gunfire of those men fighting off those zombies to mask his own gunfire taking them out was ingenious! This mixture of man vs. zombie vs. man was really one of the best we’ve seen on this show.

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Also revealed in the DVD commentary was an alternate version of Merle's death after the fight between him and the Governor. In the first draft of the script, the Governor initially wanted to capture Merle instead and only kill him after he would watch Daryl's death. The Governor would have told the beaten Merle "I'm gonna kill Daryl and you're going to see him get torn apart." The Governor would then begin to walk away before suddenly changing his mind and shooting Merle dead. This Sorrowful Life" is basically Merle's episode. His big goodbye. So, you can look at it two ways: you hated Merle all along and you were yelling "Good Riddance!" as Darryl kabobed his brothers head or you were starting to like Merle and felt like there was a redemption to be had, which we sort of see in this episode. I believe this factor will impact how you feel about this episode. Fast and Loose" - Motörhead: This song was used at the time Merle listens to music while drinking Whiskey inside his car.