The Walking Dead; Carol and Daryl (Season 5, Episode 6) CONSUMED.

Episodes: season 5

"No Sanctuary"

"Strangers"

"Four Walls and a Roof"

"Slabtown"

"Self-Help"

"Consumed"

"Crossed" 

"Coda"

This is proving to be one of the greatest seasons on The Walking Dead. The inclusion of the 'leg eating' scene in 'Strangers' is one of the most disturbing scenes in the series and has been the subject of much black humour and Bob jokes bouncing round the social networking sites. However, probably the most genuinely moving episode is 'Consumed' the episode focusing upon Carol And Daryl.

The last two episodes, 'Slabtown' and 'Self-Help' have been decent enough episodes, but most viewers have been waiting for a return to the storyline about core characters, namely an explanation of what happened to Carol after she was taken in the white van at the end of Slabtown. There were some complaints about the lack of action and 'gore' in 'Consume' but to my mind, it was good to learn a bit more about two of the most popular characters in TWD. Neither Carol or Daryl are the most garrulous of people, but somehow their silences are companionable rather than uncomfortable.

The development of a deep friendship between Carol and Daryl is somehow more moving than had these two characters embarked on a romantic liaison. There is without a doubt a connection between these two, and perhaps a sort of love, but it does not seem to be a passionate love. It leaves the unanswered question of Daryl's sexuality; although perhaps the most overtly masculine of all the characters, is Daryl gay, straight or asexual? 

Whatever Daryl's sexual orientation, he is without doubt my favourite TWD character, followed closely by Carol; the two of them together are the perfect combination, two damaged characters who are strong together. 

Some of the poignant moments of the episode, include Carol noticing Daryl picking up the book about surviving abuse; she takes it in silently and without comment. He knows she has seen but it isn't an issue for either of them. It was also good to learn a little more about Carol after she split from the group over the body burning incident in the prison; it was sad, yet  somehow comforting to learn that Carol sobbed and struggled with loneliness after her expulsion from the group. I always felt that Rick was too hard in his decision to expel her.

The issue of the zombies wriggling and struggling to get out of their sleeping bags was puzzling to say the least; It appears they had all been shot whilst sleeping. But why? Was it looters, a government plot? It was a pathetic sight to see those frantic corpses, slain and robbed of their humanity while they slept, a micro story within the greater plot. The pair's encounter with Noah highlighted the fact that in spite of their toughness, they have not lost feelings of compassion. First Daryl prevents Carol from shooting Noah; later when they encounter Noah again, it is Carol who entreats Daryl not to kill the hapless Boy as he is trapped beneath the wooden bookcase. Just as he is about to be savaged by a hungry walker, Daryl's crossbow shoots out to piece the skull of the zombie, saving Noah by the skin of is teeth.

It did however, seem quite implausible that the street smart Daryl and Carol, would get into the van that was toppling precariously over a bridge. And that the van would land on the relative safety of it's four wheels. But the last and perhaps greatest quandary of the episode, is the nature of the strange hospital. In the last scenes, Carol is smashed into by the white van. As Daryl goes to try to help her, Noah indicates that the hospital would be the best place to help save Carol and that later on, they can rescue both her and Beth. Daryl's face is a mask of pain and chagrin as he returns to the church without either Beth or Carol. So, the question is, does the hospital deliberately hurt people so they can save and then enslave the unlucky victims? They seek to only save people who are not too strong and are unlikely to fight back. It seems they have made a mistake with Carol.

All in all, this has to be one of my favourite episodes in what is probably the best series, after the initial one. Sad to think there is only two episodes to go before the long wait until the next season.