Because The Walking Dead season 10 finale has been delayed thanks to the real-world virus, I have decided that to fill the void left in the schedule, to start a re-watch of the series. I live tweeted the episode as if it were playing live in the regular 9pm GMT slot on FOX TV UK.

After the high intensisty of the last episode, Say The Word mellows things down a bit but still throws things at us to let us not forget. Firstly, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is off the reservation, grief stricken. He goes into the prison to clear walkers and when Glenn (Steven Yeun) comes to help him he is thrown up against the wall. Rick heads to the boiler room where Lori’s body is gone, a fat walker sits tired and full bellied. There is no way he could have eaten her, bones an all? Rick collapses. A telephone rings.

The telephone stuff was quite good in the comics. It’ll be fun to see how well it plays out in comparison but essentially, it’s Rick’s way of dealing with the loss of his wife. It’s all in his head.

Outside, the inmates help dig graves and Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) visit a school to scavenge for baby supplies. There’s a lot there, including a crib, but they came on the motorbike so for now it’s only formula and clothes they can take. Oh, and a possum. When they get back, it’s Daryl who feeds the baby, such a paternal figure. He asks if they’ve got a name for it yet, but they don’t. So Daryl calls her “Lil’ Asskicker”.

In Woodbury, Michonne (Danai Gurira) finds some shifty goings on. The Governor (David Morrisey) had been keeping a notebook, but after the name ‘Penny’ it’s just scribbles. Outside, some walkers are being kept captive, Michonne soon puts an end to them but is caught and given a one to one with the boss. He wants to recruit her, but Michonne wants to leave.

Andrea (Laurie Holden) thinks Michonne is crazy, so they do a little test to see if they’ll be let out the gates. They are, which splits them up as Michonne wants out but Andrea quite likes it here. There is a festival going on at Woodbury and the evening’s entertainment is a fight pit, surrounded by walkers. Andrea thinks she’s seen enough but the Governor convinces her to stay when he admits it’s all for show and the walkers don’t have any teeth.

There are lots of violent zombie smashes here and the curtain appears to be opening up on Woodbury, but otherwise not a lot else is going on. Carol (Melissa McBride) is still missing and she now has her own grave that Daryl lays a Cherokee Rose at. Callback!

Overall Rating: 7

Because The Walking Dead season 10 finale has been delayed thanks to the real-world virus, I have decided that to fill the void left in the schedule, to start a re-watch of the series. I live tweeted the episode as if it were playing live in the regular 9pm GMT slot on FOX TV UK.

Let’s start with the quieter stuff, Woodbury. Andrea (Laurie Holden) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) are planning on leaving. Andrea give Merle (Michael Rooker) some information on where his brother may be and Michonne questions the good intentions of the Governor (David Morrisey). The Governor will later have a private meeting with Andrea and slightly accuse her of giving Merle hope that means he will probably run off and telling her his real name in some sort of seduction. After, Andrea is quite keen on convincing Michonne to stay another day or two.

Back at the prison and something suspicious is going, the gate locks have been cut and walkers are being lured in. Things are looking positive for the survivors. Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) are getting frisky in the guard tower, Hershel (Scott Wilson) is up and about and defences are being set up.

The inmates want to be part of this good thing going on. They don’t like being alone with the dead in their block and want to help. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is outright refusing this and gives them the option of staying in their cell block or trying their luck on the road. They choose the road so are given supplies and put into a holding by the fence whilst some more clear up is done.

Hershel steps outside and everyone is happy, even Rick seems to be smiling at Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies). When out of nowhere, walkers appear and a scuffle ensues. The group is split up and as some try to take sanctuary inside, they only find more walkers! To make matters worse, the prison alarm starts to sound! Rick takes the inmates to the generator to stop it.

All this is too much for Lori, who, trapped with Maggie and Carl (Chandler Riggs) starts to go into labour! Not now Lori!! They find some sanctuary in a boiler room but Lori is bleeding, she needs an emergency C-Section. Performed by Maggie (despite all of Carol’s (Melissa McBride) practice) with Carl’s knife. Lori knows she’s going to die. She shares an emotional farewell with Carl and it really chokes you up. If you’re not crying, do you have a soul?

The baby is delivered and there is only one thing left to do. Reminiscent of Old Yeller, Carl does the only thing he can do. Put his mother down before she turns. Absolutely gut-wrenching.

Meanwhile, T-Dogg (Tyrone Singleton) is bit! He will later go on to sacrifice his decomposing body to save Carol where he gets his throat ripped out in a disgustingly beautiful way. This death seems a bit pointless. Sure, in the fracas of the walker attack, someone probably needed to take a bite, but with Lori giving birth in the same episode, everyone will remember Lori, nobody will remember T-Dogg. Sorry T.

At the generator and who should appear, the one causing all the trouble, it’s Andrew (Markice Moore), who didn’t get eaten alive by walkers a few episodes ago! He wants revenge on Rick but in the altercation, it’s Oscar (Vincent M. Ward) who finds himself with the gun. He chooses Rick and puts Andrew down.

Outside, the group reconvenes having found T-Dogg’s corpse and Carol’s scarf – they think she’s dead too. There is no sign of Lori, Carl or Maggie so Rick is about to head back in when stepping out appear Carl, Maggie and a baby. No Lori. No need for words. Rick breaks down, Carl and Maggie are already in tears. Tragic.

What an episode! It had everything. Probably the best episode the series’ has had yet. Such tragedy for Lori and T-Dogg but with a glimmer of hope in that the baby survived. More suspicions arise over in Woodbury too which might bring these two groups closer together which in turn may cause even more of a fractious consolidation than this episode.

Overall Rating: 9.5