After weeks of anticipation, “The Walking Dead” finally delivers what we have all wanted: A confrontation between Rick and the Governor.

Meeting in an abandoned farm, the two leaders meet not to exchange pleasantries, but demands. Rick wants revenge and the Governor wasn’t nothing short of a complete surrender.

The writers could have taken this in the more expected way with both guys yelling at each other to no avail, but they didn’t. What makes this work is the terrific acting of Andrew Lincoln and David Morrissey.

Rick is clearly on edge the entire meeting, struggling to sit still. He has an almost wide-eyed look as he shows no shame in expressing his hate for the Governor. But he keeps a serious look at all times, something the new world has made him.

On the other hand, the Governor treats the meeting as a an after-thought as he smiles and makes jokes. The Governor tries to maintain his calm and collected facade as to not let Rick knows his true psychotic behavior.

With all of this, it makes the meeting feel real. It’s a TV show yes, but the acting makes it seem like a real meeting of two leaders. As they speak, they each learn something about each other and at times they feel a connection.

However, the fact of the matter is, they can’t live together. There is too much hate and history between the two that they both show it.

They exchange statements of who’s got the better arsenal and man-power just like a power-play conversation before an act of war is decided. Viewers feel like a fly on the wall in a meeting between Barack Obama and Kim Jong-un, that’s how real it feels.

As the meeting is in session inside the barn, the two entourages engage in simple tasks as killing zombies and stank-eye stares. Hershel and Daryl try to remain peaceful with Woodbury residents Martinez, Andrea and Milton as they wait patiently for the meeting to end.

Meanwhile, in the prison, the tension is very high. As they get the new provisions ready for what could be a war coming, Merle and Glenn resort to violence on one another. A fun intimate exchange between Maggie and Glenn happens that lightens the overall dark episode.

The meeting ends and the Governor leaves Rick with a choice. Fans of the comics may not like the choice as Rick contemplates it, but this is what makes the show great. It uses the comics as a template but creates it’s own story, something other writers should take notice for making a show based off a comic or book. The show has truly become its own entity and it’s why it has been able to delight fans of the comic and make new fans.

War is on the horizon and we shall see who has the better plan in the final three episode of the season.

 

Nathan can be reached at: [email protected]