3. Rick And Carl Work Together
Over the first two seasons, Rick and Carl weren't always great together. Yes, their reunions were always touching and they had some great father/son moments, but Rick left most of the parenting such as it was to Lori. Then beginning with Season 3 Rick and Carl had become much closer, although part of their new-found understanding may have been out of a shared disdain for Lori that had developed over the hiatus. Still, Carl was growing up, and Rick began to treat Carl as more than just a child with a firearm. And then Season 4 premiered. Farmer Rick and deep-voiced Carl worked together as a unit, Carl not carrying a weapon and not complaining about it. When Rick finally had no choice by to re-arm Carl, Carl did not revert to his Season 3 psychopathy. Finally, in "Internment," Rick sought Carl out as the only other healthy pseudo-adult in the prison who could possibly help, and Carl proved equal to the challenge. He did what Andrea could never do and actually listened to what another person said, following his dad's lead and staving off a swarm of Walkers that nearly overtook the prison. Rick did not need to constantly look over his shoulder to worry about Carl, and Carl cooperated. Go Team Grimes. Dale would be thrilled.