by Cody Norton
Rushed. That’s the best word to sum up Four Walls and a Roof. While the demise of Gareth and his Termites was an enjoyable, albeit swift occurrence, it showed the series’ need for longer lasting villains. A lot of the conflicts, especially between Rick and Abraham, felt forced. They didn’t always make much sense and seemed like they only existed in order to move the plot forward. For the first time this season, there is no logical tension to carry on the show’s most promising story arc since Woodbury.
Despite Rick and Abraham nearly coming to blows on how to resolve the Gareth situation and the approaching death of Bob, this episode lacked the tension that it wanted to instill. Bob’s death was certain the moment his leg was being chomped on by the hunters. Even if he had not been bitten, there was simply no way to make the character anything more than a nuisance. His death, a surprisingly long one considering how quickly most characters are disposed of, was necessary to move forward in the show. This certainly wasn’t going to be Carl and Judith’s last hoorah and so it had to be goodbye to Gareth as both sides could not survive this showdown.
Even with the removal of the Termites, we still find our dwindling band of survivors once again separated from one another. It just doesn't make sense for Abraham to leave now, yet the writers seemed keen on separating the group regardless of logic. Furthermore, Glenn and Maggie’s decision to accompany them without even making an effort to locate Beth seems out of place. It appears as if they joined the group so that the writers had justification to put significant time into this plot. I can’t help but be a bit concerned that the show could slip into the slow pace that plagued the second half of season four.
The biggest disappointment is the abrupt end to the Terminus story arc. It easily could have lasted until mid season, yet they’re all dead three episodes into the season. With the walkers having minimal plot focus, a group of ferocious cannibals wandering the forest’s of Georgia could’ve been entertaining for seasons to come. This is not to say that the episode wasn’t good, but it merely glided where the previous two episodes had soared. It wanted to utilize the tension of the season premiere with a stronger commitment to more grounded dialogue, and unfortunately only partially succeeded at both.
The one consistently great development of the series has been Rick, whose morality continues to evolve with each season. As late as the midpoint of season four, he might have let Gareth and his friends leave with their lives. Now there are no second chances. We can see the toll these decisions have on him, but dedication to his family outweighs the empathy the old Rick might have applied to this situation.
Four Walls and a Roof could have done a better job of bridging the gap between Terminus and what waits ahead for Beth, but the season still appears to be on track. A better transition would have been nice but Gareth and Terminus will likely mean little once this season is over.
Verdict: C+
