After a two month break, the mid-season premiere of “The Walking Dead” opened with an action packed sequence leading to a great start for the rest of the season.

The last episode ended on a cliffhanger with fan favorite Daryl getting captured and forced to fight his older brother Merle. However, Rick and Maggie come to the rescue creating chaos in Woodbury and escaping through a side wall.

Unfortunately, things aren’t so simple for the group with Daryl leaving to live in the woods with his brother after a heated argument.

Back in Woodbury, tensions are high after the rescue attempt the night before with people trying to flee. Things reach a high when zombies invade the town but the Governor puts an end to the fear. Andrea begins to assume the role of mayor as the Governor seems adamant not to talk to anyone.

Things in the prison are the complete opposite however, with things going on as normal as things can be in a world filled with zombies.

The two best things to come from this episode is the continued character development of Glenn and the Governor.

In the comics, it took a while before Glenn became a strong character. He was always thought of as runner instead of a fighter. However, this episode begins to show Glenn in a stronger light. Fighting with Rick on how to deal with Merle shows he wants his side heard and that he is no longer a secondary character.

The Governor on the other hand continues to turn into the silent marauding type of person he becomes in the comics. He sticks to the background not talking to anyone or even dealing with the mass exodus in his own town, only coming out to kill a resident before he turns into a zombie.

It also shows why Morrissey was a great choice for the Governor. It was hard to envision how the Governor would sound or act in real time and Morrissey does it well. He may not look like the character, but he brings a raspy voice and stoic demeanor to a character that needs it.

The episode ends on a great note with Rick almost beginning to see the light side of the world and accept newcomers. That is until his past demons come to visit him again leading to a chaotic turn of events.

This episode also showed that a great episode doesn’t need action and heart-pounding moments. Solid character development and acting can make what would seem like a boring episode fulfilling.

Nathan can be reached at: [email protected]