The Walking Dead 4.3, "Isolation" Recap & Review

rating: 3.5

Previously on The Walking Dead: Zombie Patrick goes on a rampage in D-Block; a deadly sickness begins to spread; most of the main characters are exposed; a father dies and grants custody of his two daughters to Carol; Karen and David from Decatur are the first to become sick, and they are quarantined; Tyreese goes to visit Karen and finds that she and David from Decatur have been murdered, their corpses torched. Now: Spoilers aplenty! (For anybody who wants to skip the recap, the review is on the last page.) Them's Fightin' WordsIn the prison yard, Glenn--who has been exposed to the illness--digs graves while wearing gloves and a mask. Further away, Maggie--who has not been exposed--also digs graves. They gaze longingly at one another but dare not approach. In the quarantine of Cell Block A, Hershel and Dr. S try to help a patient, but the patient dies. Dr. S brandishes a knife and prepares to stab the dead man in the head. "I never should have told them that I was a doctor," he thinks, "but at least none of them know my full name." Outside, Tyreese has summoned Rick, Daryl, and Carol to the crime scene. Physically agitated and gesticulating wildly, he tells them how he had come to A-Block to bring Karen some flowers when he found and followed the blood trails leading out of hers and David from Decatur's cells until he discovered their burnt bodies. "This is brand new information!" exclaims Carol, but nobody hears her, mostly due to the fact that Tyreese responded to Daryl's calming touch by attacking and pinning him against the wall. Despite the unwarranted violence, Daryl waves Rick and Carol off before they can try to intercede. "We're on the same side, man. I am not the one you're looking for. You don't need to see my proof. I can go about my business," says Daryl, looking him deeply in the eyes. "Move along," says Tyreese, deciding that Daryl is cool. Rick's assurances are apparently less so, however, and Tyreese punches him in the face. "Your mind powers will not work on me, Rick!" he shouts. He draws back his fist to punch again, and Daryl rushes forward to restrain him. Behaving like a grown-up, Rick takes advantage of Tyreese's immobility by whaling on him. Daryl lets him at it for a moment, but when he realizes that Rick is going for more than a retaliatory punch or two, he must then restrain a resisting Rick. "When did I become the most level-headed person here?" he wonders. Rick flails against him to try to get to Tyreese, so Daryl puts him in a chokehold, and I am slightly heartbroken that Rick does not strangle out a "Chokehold's illegal!" protest, ala Season 1 Daryl. Later, inside the prison, Hershel takes care of Rick's punchin' arm, saying that the cuts from Tyreese's face will not require stitches. I'm sure Tyreese will be very relieved to hear it. Rick has sprained his wrist, though, says Hershel, who uses several feet of fresh white bandage to wrap the sprain. I wonder if there isn't a more practical use for the bandages. It is the zombie apocalypse, after all. Hershel isn't so bothered by the waste of resources, and he tries to sympathize with Rick's struggles to retake a leadership position. Rick is not optimistic, but at least he doesn't punch Hershel in the face. In the prison yard, Tyreese is in a frenzy as he digs graves for Karen and David from Decatur. Army medic Bob approaches to try to convince Tyreese to let him take a look at his injuries, but Tyreese--whose eye has distractingly swelled shut--growls that he will not do anything until Karen and David from Decatur are buried. Bob grabs a shovel. Outside the cell blocks, Glenn asks Hershel if everything "could be okay." Hershel says that it's possible, but he isn't particularly convincing. Sasha stumbles out, pale and coughing. She's sick, she says, and is going to see Dr. S. She stumbles into the quarantine area, where there are lots of sick people. Lots and lots of sick people. One coughs up blood, and Sasha jumps when a bloody-eyed Walker grabs at her from a locked cell, the person inside having died and reanimated before anybody had the chance to put him down. At least the cell was locked this time. I wonder at the fact that Dr. S has not closed all of the cell doors...until he staggers into view, pale and sweating. The doctor is sick. Uh-oh. Council meeting. Daryl, Carol, Glenn, Hershel, and Michonne discuss the fact that all of D-Block is taking ill. Glenn also isn't feeling so great, but he keeps it to himself. Hershel says that they need medication to even try to treat the sick, reminding them of a veterinary college that might have the necessary drugs. The college is fifty miles away--previously too great a distance to chance--but Daryl says that he'll gather a group and go on a run. Unexposed Michonne says that she will go as well, but Hershel says that she would be exposed via Daryl. "He's already given me fleas," she says, shrugging, which...ha! I love Daryl as much as the next person, but he's not exactly the cleanest guy at the prison. Anyway, Hershel wants to go with them, citing his ability to recognize which drugs are needed. Daryl says no, citing Hershel's lack of leg and ability to run. Hershel sheepishly offers to make them a list, and they discuss isolating the very young in the administrative building for their own safety. Glenn pointedly says that the old should be isolated as well. Outside, Rick and Carol discover mud coming through the jerry-rigged water pump. Carol wants to go beyond the fence to clear it out, but Rick wants to focus on the more pressing problems of the day. Carol clearly disagrees, but she assents. Rick approaches Tyreese, who is still digging. They admit that they were both at fault for their fistfight, and all seems well...for approximately two seconds before Tyreese angrily demands to know why Detective Rick is not working on tracking down Karen's murderer. Rick says--and I have to agree with him--that they must deal with the sickness that is decimating their ranks before he can begin an investigation. Tyreese disagrees. He sure does get angry quickly. Meanwhile...