Has anyone seen the movie Bastard Out of Carolina? It's horrible and sad, about a little girl whose stepdad beats and molests her regularly. In one scene her aunt sees her welts and bruises and screams for her husband Earl, and he and the other uncles absolutely pound the piss out of the step dad. It's immensely satisfying. Anyway, Earl is played by Merle :o so I always felt a bit of liking for him even when I didn't want to. Also his voice and accent sound exactly like my late grandfather, who was definitely one of my favorite people to ever walk the earth. So...bit of a soft spot for ol' Merle, even when I loathed him!
I did think it was a bit religious-y in some parts, and when Merle was trying to hotwire the car and the cross-shaped key chain was in his face... (might have been a rosary, I'm going to watch it again with DH and I'll look.)
I like how Daryl asked Michonne "did you kill him?" I don't think he would have blamed her if she had. And also when Daryl tells Rick "not saying that was the wrong call, but this is sure the right one" after Rick decides it's the wrong thing to hand over Michonne.
I love Merle's interactions with Carol and Michonne, and Michonne's little talk about truly evil men not carrying the weight of their actions. I think the whole episode was a really interesting look at moral quandaries in general, and a look at the nature of evil. And stuff and things. :o
I took Rick's speech at face value, really. When he made his "this is not a democracy speech" that was what the group needed at the time. Now they're all much better at surviving in the world and their input is needed.
I'm really nervous about tomorrow's episode...someone is going to have to die.
:( If I had to pick....Beth. I'm going with Beth! I have an awful feeling it'll be Glenn though.