While 'After' was solid enough to rank among the better episodes of The Walking Dead, its lasting significance for the fourth season will be based upon more than its merits as a single instalment. Unlike 'Clear' back in Season 3 which also happened to only feature Rick, Carl, and Michonne of the main cast it's evident that "After" is not going to be a standalone departure from an overall arc. There is no home base to which they can return, and they have no mission beyond basic survival. This episode gently introduced a new format for the show that will almost certainly follow the individual and interweaving stories of rest of the characters for the next few episodes of the back eight. And it's a pretty interesting format. After a season and a half in the prison--longer than the show has spent in any other location--a change of setting and structure is more than welcome. Granted, there is always a great deal of risk in so completely shifting the premise of a series, but "After" proves that The Walking Dead has the potential to explore its new dynamics and possibly become a better show than ever before.
Fiction buff and writer. If it's on Netflix, it's probably in my queue. I've bought DVDs for the special features and usually claim that the book is better than the movie or show (and can provide examples). I've never met a TV show that I won't marathon. Follow on Twitter @lah9891 .
