Rick is here reunited with his wife & son, and gets to know some of the people in the mountain hideout. However, Shane had told Lori that Rick had died, leading to some friction between them, and her issuing an ultimatum: stay away from the Grimes family or else. Ricks' comparative safety and satisfaction are short-lived, as he and others in the camp are feeling guilty about leaving Merle behind. So, they soon launch an expedition into Atlanta to find and retrieve him. We meet Daryl for the first time, and since he is Merles' brother, he's more than a little perturbed at his siblings' treatment.
What made this series so compelling in the early days was a rich assortment of engaging characters and performances. Some of the regular cast members from this era, like Dale, get a little more to do. 'Tell It to the Frogs' is noteworthy for introducing the character of Carol, who is a background player here, albeit one with some dramatic weight (she's involved with a do-nothing, cigarette-smoking chauvinist who is obviously an abuser as well). You can't help but feel some satisfaction when Shane (still smarting from being told to hit the highway by Lori) administers a beating to the guy.
Some horror fans may find episodes like this rather lightweight, since there is precious little zombie carnage. This one is more about character development and situations rather than action. However, when the acting is this good, it's hard to complain too much. Michael Rooker delivers a real tour de force performance in the opening minutes as Merle; he really does look like a guy going mad from desperation, isolation, and fear.
The title stems from a conversation between Lori and Shane, after the latter has tried to reach Carl how to catch some amphibians.
Eight out of 10.
What made this series so compelling in the early days was a rich assortment of engaging characters and performances. Some of the regular cast members from this era, like Dale, get a little more to do. 'Tell It to the Frogs' is noteworthy for introducing the character of Carol, who is a background player here, albeit one with some dramatic weight (she's involved with a do-nothing, cigarette-smoking chauvinist who is obviously an abuser as well). You can't help but feel some satisfaction when Shane (still smarting from being told to hit the highway by Lori) administers a beating to the guy.
Some horror fans may find episodes like this rather lightweight, since there is precious little zombie carnage. This one is more about character development and situations rather than action. However, when the acting is this good, it's hard to complain too much. Michael Rooker delivers a real tour de force performance in the opening minutes as Merle; he really does look like a guy going mad from desperation, isolation, and fear.
The title stems from a conversation between Lori and Shane, after the latter has tried to reach Carl how to catch some amphibians.
Eight out of 10.