A

Probably one of my favorite cliffhangers of any series ever this episode has a perfect pacing as well!

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.

All the previous Season 4 episodes were for me decent to outstanding, though a few episodes are divisive. Despite any reservations as to how it fares as a season finale, "A" to me was an outstanding episode on its own terms. It is easily the second best episode of Season 4's second half, after "The Grove". It is also one of Season 4's very best and one of the best of the show overall, a return to the tense and gutsy kind of episode instead of the quieter action-light kind of episode. It is yet again 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.

It still shocks me at how an intelligent, well-made (so much so that it is easy to mistake it for a film) show about zombies could be made when so many films have tried and failed abysmally to do so.

Like all the episodes of the show, "A" is incredibly well made in the production values, with gritty and audacious production design, photography of almost cinematic quality, effects that look good, have soul and are not overused or abused and pretty frightening make-up. The music is haunting and affecting, having presence but never being too intrusive.

The writing is intelligent and thought-provoking, not as talky as some of the previous episodes, with lots of tension and emotional resonance and shows signs of character complexity and multiple layer storytelling. The more eventful parts with the Claimers are thrilling and terrifying as well as uncompromising. The ending is deeply disturbing and wrenched the gut in how shocking it is. In terms of storytelling, "A" is one of the darkest episodes, up to this point of the show and overall, as well as one of the most shocking. On a thematic level, especially with Rick, "A" to me came over as one of the show's most fascinating.

Appreciated the ever strong and still progressing story, where a lot happens and full of different strands without being confused or over-stuffed, and character building, which the episode has a bigger emphasis on, and that the pace is rarely dull or rushed, with a taut intensity in the more tense parts. The character writing and the character interactions are what is particularly great here, with some especially fine character writing for Rick and Daryl. The flashbacks feature a good deal here but for me they were compelling with some very interesting and complex symbolic themes and interwoven beautifully, while not making the mistake of reiterating what is already known, didn't think that they unbalanced the episode.

Everything is nicely paced without rushing through the more important parts, much of it being very taut. The world building is already stunningly immersive and effective. Direction is smart and atmospheric while the show throughout has been strongly acted. Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus are particularly superb and the Claimers are suitably formidable adversaries that add significantly to the episode's tension.

Summing up, an outstanding way to end a mostly very impressive and mostly brilliant even season. 10/10 Bethany Cox

What things did we have to do to get here? Did we ever go to far on some places?

This was a wild finale with some very memorable moments and how Rick developed in just one episode.. wow!

This episode went to a whole new level of brutality as Rick practicly went BEAST MODE in such a graphic way, that even Carl got scared of him! This was obviously a major turning point for him! He has been hiding this part og him since season 3, but now it has been let loose! Now Rick.. is just as scary as the other bad guys!

The flashbacks were used perfectly to show the growth of Rick's character!

The ending was tense and the Cliffhanger was cruel! Terminus is not what you think it is.. and if you know what kind of place it is.. this episode gets even more disturbing!

Brace yourself for this episode..and the episode that folliws!

The series had to have at least one finale end on a cliff-hanger, and this happened to be the first, while the next season's premiere feels more like the finale than this.

This episode is still great, following only one storyline and a few characters with a few flashbacks makes for one of the best paced episodes where we see these characters pushed to their limits. The opposing arcs of Rick and Michonne are brilliant, one coming to terms with their violent nature and overcoming it and the other embracing it.

Great tension and build up towards the end with a great twist and cliff hanger but does feel more like the penultimate episode of the season than a final.

Rating: 94%

Here I have to say its good to see Hershel again.

First Rick goes into prison nostalgia then we find out the reason for that soon enough. We have a contestant for the most far-fetched recovery from a group of marauders in the scene where Joe's group attempt to punish Rick for killing their friend. That escape was played quite unconvincingly. Its salvaged by Daryl though. How we have seen unquestionable loyalty from him towards Rick over the course of this series but that scene was another structure for his character, further emphasized by the "you are my brother" phrase from Rick.

Oh terminus. Men without guns asking men with guns to lay down their weapons. That's gotta give you a bad feeling. Quite mediocre episode this is. I looked at the time at the end wondering -is this it-? This episode could have been replaced with the mid-season finale "too far gone", all they need is a little storyline reshuffling after all nothing much has happened from then up till now.

This season and sometimes the entire show just takes a brilliant premise and drags it on to God knows where. The only reason I look forward to next season is cause I wonder how Rick's gonna prove "they are screwing with the wrong people".

I'm still undecided.