A

Rick, Carl, and Michonne are camping out in the woods, when Joe and his crew find them and prepare to exact their revenge. Daryl tried to stop them, but only succeeds in getting beaten up. As one of the members attempts to rape Carl, Rick snaps and attacks Joe. He eventually bite through his jugular, killing him. After this shocking turn, the other members of the Claimers are killed by the Survivors.

Eventually, Rick and his friends make it to Terminus. They slowly discover that all is not as it seems, as they see supplies and keepsakes that belonged to their friends. After causing a shootout, the group attempts to flee, but is herded into a cattle car. There they find Glenn, Maggie, and the others.

The season finale sees the group's arrival at Terminus and their discovery that it is not the sanctuary they had hoped for. The episode culminates in a tense standoff with the residents of Terminus, setting the stage for the group's next chapter. Memorable scenes include Rick's realization that they are being herded like cattle and the group's final confrontation with the residents of Terminus, showcasing their determination to survive at all costs and setting the stage for the next chapter in their journey. Meanwhile, the arrival of Carol, Tyreese, and Judith adds a new dynamic to the group as they face an uncertain future together.

This episode is not what I have come to expect from the writers of the show. It has too many flashbacks, and had very little to do with what is actually going on in the present. The writer of this episode got this vision of grandeur about the episode and completely missed the mark on it. Trying to take us back to get a complete idea about Rick is what he said on The talking dead, but this is inaccurate as he did not go back to where it began, he just wanted to fill the episode of clips so that he can continue the story line in the next season. Overall, this is a prime example of why people get upset about this "Poetic license" That screen writers and producers use when adapting books into movies.

This episode represents what The Walking Dead should always be. It was expertly paced (the Lost-style flashback structure worked very well!), the camera-work was outstanding from the usual episodes, and the direction? Great, as is always the case with Breaking Bad veteran Michelle MacLaren. For the first time all year, I've felt that the characters I'm attached to were in serious danger. For the first time in a long time, I felt like there was a sh**load of weighted symbolism in the framing and that I'm watching something that the creators really care about. It's strange how much the quality of a show can improve when you give people like Gimple and MacLaren the reins. Scott M. Gimple has taken the mess left behind by Glen Mazzara and turned it around completely, and I couldn't be more thankful. Rick's epic kill was not only shocking and disgusting, but weighted in symbolism. Things like more variety in camera shots was something that added so much to the experience it's unbelievable. I'm not exaggerating at all. When AMC lets The Walking Dead take chances, this is what we get.

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.

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