The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 7 “When The Dead Come Knocking” Review
Glenn and Maggie are interrogated and Michonne joins the prison gang in The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 7 titled “When the Dead Coming Knocking”.
Let’s dissect the episode! Continue reading for my initial reactions and spoiler filled thoughts.
Glenn Versus Merle
The opening scene was riveting. Merle owns his vileness with a pathological glee. It was creepy how Merle was violating Glenn’s face with his hand knife as if it were soft sweet kisses.
Overhearing the threats in another room is Maggie. She is completely helpless and frightened for her lover’s safety. All of these moments were perfectly played.
The writers deserve credit for reinventing Merle from the over the top racist in the first season to a deliciously deranged villain in season three. He’s still racist but not as extreme. Merle got in the best lines of the episode.
Glenn’s bluff had Merle a bit tense until he mentioned Andrea was still apart of their group. It was a good try though.
Watching Glenn still tied to the chair while fighting the walker was incredibly suspenseful and well choreographed. Glenn is not afraid to die but he knew he had to survive to keep Maggie alive. Merle threatened that the walker could get hungry again in an hour, meaning the next meal might be Maggie. Glenn’s primal scream after the kill was fantastic! This was my kill of the week.
Take Off Your Shirt
The Governor’s feigned civility is frightening. He first tries to offer safety and assistance to Maggie in the most gentleman like manner.
When that doesn’t work he tries a psychological threat. “Take off your shirt or I’ll bring Glenn’s hand in here. Go on.” I actually believe the Governor would have chopped off Glenn’s hand if she didn’t obey him.
Maggie was so vulnerable half-naked in front of her interrogator. The Governor takes it a step farther; sniffing her hair and slamming her down over the table. Maggie telling the Governor to just go ahead with it meant she was prepared to protect the prison location even if it meant being violated. I’m pretty sure this will be most people’s favorite scene for obvious reasons.
Officer Friendly & Team Prison
So I’m assuming that Michonne’s own bleeding caused the walkers to turn on her after initially ignoring her. After watching the group care for each other like a family and seeing the baby, Michonne realized that Rick’s group were just being precautious in their treatment of her. This made her trust in the group; at least enough to reveal information about Glenn, Maggie and Woodbury.
Even with all the big moments in this episode, the writers found time for little moments of humanity. Carol’s facial expression from joy having reunited with the group to sadness as she realizes Lori didn’t make it was heartfelt. The short conversion between Rick & Carl, naming the baby Judith, and then later acknowledging Daryl for taking care of his family were also nice touches.
Instead of using the cabin scene as a cliffhanger to be resolved in the next episode, Team Rick found a quick, smart solution. When Rick was telling the crazy hermit, “I’m just gonna reach down …” it reminded me of the scene where he killed Shane. It was pretty gruesome watching the walkers chow down on the hermit.
Who Is Mr. Coleman?
The least engaging scenes this week once again belong to Andrea. The level of intensity in Andrea scenes didn’t match everything else going on.
I do find Milton’s experiment on Mr. Coleman to be intriguing. However, does it really make a difference if there are traces of memory and consciousness remaining in walkers? If there is some way to control the walkers using visual and sound cues then maybe the experiments are worth while.
The final scene where Andrea pours herself a drink with the Governor over her shoulder felt like a soap opera shot, especially with the Governor looking out the corner of his eye while hugging.
Overall, this was a fantastic episode. Next week will be the mid-season finale so I expect it’s going to be crazy!
Whose interrogation was worse: Glenn or Maggie’s? Do you think Michonne realizes the prison people are Andrea’s former group? Do you want walkers to retain traces of their memory? Is Woodbury capable of taking on Rick’s battle tested crew?
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Posted on November 25, 2012, in Television, The Walking Dead and tagged AMC, Governor, Merle, Michonne, One-legged Hershel, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, Talking Dead, The Walking Dead, the walking dead 307 review, the walking dead 3x07 Review, the walking dead season 3 episode 7 review, the walking dead when the dead come knocking review, Walking Dead. Bookmark the permalink. 9 Comments.
Sidekick Reviews 
I read Merle’s “in an hour he’ll be hungry” comment as a racist jab at Glenn–that’s a pretty common joke about Chinese food. he also called T-Dog a spearchucker (or something very similar) in this episode; maybe he hasn’t strayed too far from from his racist season 1 roots lol.
You’re right I missed that joke haha. I’ve never heard of the term spearchucker before but it’s probably something nasty. Merle is still a racist. The difference for me is that he’s so fun to watch now. Can’t wait until next episode!
he makes for much more believable conflict than Lori’s lady macbeth manipulations, that’s for sure!
“Whose interrogation was worse: Glenn or Maggie’s?”
Maggie’s by far. I was cringing at the television during that whole sequence.
“Do you think Michonne realizes the prison people are Andrea’s former group?”
100%. Knowledge is power and she doesn’t want to tip her hand too early.
“Do you want walkers to retain traces of their memory?”
No.
“Is Woodbury capable of taking on Rick’s battle tested crew?”
Besides a handful most of the 75 aren’t anywhere near the level of his crew. Even the handful that are aren’t as good. Look at the girl that was supposed to train Andria with the bow. She was awful and she was supposed to be the best with it.
I agree that Michonne is playing her cards close to her chest. She didn’t even reveal her name when initially asked by Rick.
Most of the citizens of Woodbury are too sheltered; a consequence of living in a well guarded community. The Governor’s handful of henchman might be used to taking on walkers but they are in for surprise when Rick’s crew take the offensive. I hope Rick blows a hole through the barricade and invite walkers into Woodbury. As for the guy in the street fight, Michonne can chop him up! lol.
Speaking of Michonne, I was rooting for her when she took out the crazy hermit.
I know the Mr. Coleman experiments were out of place in this episode but it goes along with what the Governor is trying to do. To try and know if he can bring back a little or a lot of his daughters humanity back.
That’s a really interesting point. I’m looking forward to see how the Governor’s daughter will play into this season as we haven’t seen the last of her. The idea of walkers having residual memory was brought up earlier in the season and seems like the writers have something up their sleeves as you’ve mentioned.
Kick-ass review! I LOVE this show!
Season 3 is killing it!