Trailer Park: ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE!

Yes, all of them.

Honest question: What is the obsession with murdering cheerleaders? I mean, it's been the focus of everything from Cheerleader Camp to The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom. Is it sexual frustration? Repressed high school hostility? Or maybe --just maybe...they deserve it.

Anyway, All Cheerleaders Die is directed and written by Lucky McKee and Chris Siverston. I'm not familiar with Siverston's body of work (apparently he directed Lindsay Lohan's I Know Who Killed Me) but Lucky McKee directed The Woman, which is pretty damn disturbing and should never be watched around squeamish girlfriends.

All Cheerleaders Die seems to be a turn in the direction of comedy for both filmmakers, but something tells me that the gags will be met equally with...well, gags. 

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THE WALKING DEAD 4x04 "Indifference" Review

The Walking Dead is a creature of habit. When biding time between significant events, it always sends some of the cast away from home-base (wherever that happens to be at the time) so that they can do some talking and, ostensibly, develop more as characters. These episodes have always been the show's weakest. They tend to drag, and from a character standpoint, they seemingly just tread water most of the time. Contrary to what the writers seemed to thing, lengthy chit chats do not a character make. So when it became apparent that the entirety of Indifference was going to be one such episode, I became rather hesitant about where it was going. However, it would seem that under new leadership, this episode succeeded where similar previous episodes had failed; not only did this episode throw a completely unforeseen curveball in the final act, but our understanding of all of the featured characters, particularly the new ones, was significantly deepened.   

The concept of transformation, more specifically, Carol's transformation is the focus of this week's episode. As the confused and rather creepy Lizzie puts it; "We all change, we don't get to stay the way we started", and although she's referring to physical change, the allusion to Carol's one-eighty from where she started on this show is clear. Transformed from a weak woman consumed by fear, to a stone cold killer who is so far removed from old self she doesn't even think of her past as her own. The death of her daughter, which devastated Carol back in season two, doesn't even provoke the slightest of emotions in her now. Sophia is less than a memory, she's somebody else's memory, and therefor, by Carol's own rhetoric, irrelevant now. There's a lot of ways I could have seen Carol's character going back in the first season, but this is not one of them. The fact that she survived this long and also changed this much is one of the few things The Walking Dead has completely nailed over it's run, and Carol may be the most interesting character on the show (if not one of the most interesting on television).

At this point in the show, I had assumed the only way to get written off is to die, but Indifference deals a huge blow clean out of left field by having Rick quietly banish Carol from the prison. It's the kind of smart decision-making that's uncharacteristic of Rick, and the kind of writing I simply thought to be beyond the staff behind Walking Dead. It's encouraging to see major character eliminations and shifts in dynamics that don't necessitate a graphic demise. It opens up the possibilities for how to handle future story arcs while simultaneously making Rick look more capable. If Rick is going to return to his leadership position, he has to make hard choices, and this episode is fundamental in establishing that Rick is competent and able to be a leader once again.

Elsewhere the search for medical supplies continues, and on the way we get further insight into Bob, Tyreese and Michonne. Bob's alcoholism takes a turn for the potentially lethal when he almost sacrifices himself, and puts the rest of the group at risk, for the sake of a few bottles of whiskey he happened upon while foraging for medicine. Bob apparently suffers from survivor's guilt as the lone remaining member of two different groups he had joined previously (in a manner yet again reminiscent of last season's Clear), not to mention the demise of Zach inadvertently caused by his alcohol addiction. The problem with alcoholics and crippling guilt? They resort to even more alcohol. I have to hand it to the Walking Dead writing staff with this particular character in circumventing bad habits of season's past. Not only are we getting a significant amount of screen time with this newbie, but we're swiftly understanding him as a flawed, dynamic character. In a similar fashion, both Tyreese and Michonne get more exposure in Indifference as well. When death and suffering become a common occurrence in every day life, it's bound to wear down the human mind's ability to think clearly. Both Tyreese and Michonne have been acting impulsively, Tyreese with an apparent death wish and Michonne hunting for The Governor in vain, but neither really knows why they're doing what they do. Emotional strain has dulled their foresight in ways they are simply too weary to try to process anymore. When every day is a life or death struggle, mental well-being takes a backseat to survival, a reality which takes a high psychological toll on the survivors. Though Tyreese and Michonne both experience a turning point away from this particular issue in this episode, it's an interesting (and highly neglected) concept to explore in the zombie-verse, and one I hope we see a return to in the future.    

Thus far, this season of The Walking Dead has managed something that any show that aspires to greatness must nail down; balance and stability. Past seasons of TWD have greatly misused different stories and ideas, never digging deep enough to really hit the meat of a concept, instead just skimming over. The result was stories that simply didn't have enough gas in them to be sustainable, and made the writers grasp at strands for an interesting story to tell. Scott Gimple is pacing himself here, and really giving each character and story their dues, mining deep for ideas to explore. A smarter, more strategic approach for a smarter story. Four episodes in and it's already crystal clear that this new Walking Dead is vaslty improved, and may yet live up to the largely unfulfilled promise of it's pilot episode.

Grade: B+

Other thoughts

Three black people and a white guy go out on a mission and none of the black people die? This is a Walking Dead milestone! Nay, a television milestone. Perhaps even a milestone in film history!

Okay, so Lizzie is crazy. Interesting. Not sure it works but it definitely has potential.

It would seem this entirely season has been tonally and thematically using Clear as a template. A re-pilot of you will. And given how that episode was a perfect example of everything this show needed to be, this is a solid strategy on the part of the writers.

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen

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Disc Two: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SLASHER FILM (Documentary)

It's Friday, November 1st. Which means that the kid-friendly version of Halloween has come and gone. However, sexually-charged adults get to break out their flimsy Halloween outfits, risk pnuemonia, and drunkenly celebrate bad decisions over the weekend.

That's right, if you're over the age of 21 then Halloween ain't quite over yet. So let's keep the screams going, eh?

In honor of what is arguably the second leg of Halloween, I give you Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher FIlm. Featuring key players such as Rob Zombie, Debra Hill, Stan Winston, and Tom Savini, this full-length documentary goes out of it's way to re-trace the roots of the slasher film. If you think it goes back to the 1980s, you'd be wrong.

Clickity-Click...

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AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN "Fearful Pranks Ensue" Review

Oftentimes when dealing with a show that's consistently a mixed-bag, the stars will align there'll be one stand out episode that will perfectly balance all the elements within it and serve as a shining example of what ought to be the show's regular standard. While I have enjoyed American Horror Story: Coven thus far, entirely because it's numerous fantastic elements overshadow its mediocre ones, I would be lying if said I believed the show had really embraced its potential. That is, until I saw Fearful Pranks Ensue.

For the first time all season, the Coven writers have crafted an episode that works on every level. Every character and every subplot are engaging and work marvelously. The draggy "zombie-Kyle" subplot that was a bore to sit through features very little here, and what is presented works much better than it had previously. Without the mediocrity to muddy the waters and weigh the show down, the truly phenomenal parts of Coven shine twice as bright; Jessica Lange gives her best performance of the season thus far in this episode, as biting and quick-witted as ever but with an added layer of emotional resonance that had been lacking prior. The world of witchcraft is beginning to fill itself out as well, for the first time we really get the sense that other, magically-related things are happening outside of the scope of this particular Coven. The horror elements also work as well (which shouldn't be quite the achievement it actually is given this shows purported subject matter), it's creepy, it's gory and it's moderately intense; everything I wanted this show to be.

The universe Ryan Murphy and Brad Fulchuk built for themselves in Coven is one that will only be properly utilized as long as it doesn't take itself too, too seriously. The first three episodes were weighed down by incessant preaching and heavy-handed "messages", as well as subplots which were too dramatically serious for a show this silly to handle in a satisfying manner. Pranks does away with most of these problems by focusing on the strengths this particular story lends itself to; bitchy, violent, sassy, creepy drama. The themes of marginalization and oppression are relegated to the position they should have been in from the start; subtext. The oppressive straight-faced performing is done away with entirely. In its place we're given Jessica Lange and Frances Conroy going at each other in a battle of wits and deception, we get voodoo zombies tearing people apart, we get a mute Denis O'Hare having a tea party with a corpse in a room full of creepy dolls, we get THIS LINE: "If she's dead she probably got wasted and tried to offer the Grim Reaper a handjob or something.", AND we get voodoo zombies that tear a bunch of racist murderers limb-from-limb! The entire thing is completely insane and every second of it is monstrously entertaining. Coven is slowly but surely learning how to have fun, and is finding the best, most satisfying version of itself in the process.

If this episode is a one-time anomaly, then I'm glad it happened. If it's a sign of the quality of the show to come, then color me excited. Very, very excited.

Grade: A

Other Thoughts

Every other line in this episode was a venomous and sassy insult and it was just the best thing. Also, it has Leslie Jordan as a wonderfully flamboyant member of The Council, I mean, how can you beat that?

The cold open flashback to the sixties was killer in every way possible. And voodoo zombies are even better than regular zombies!

On a less jovial note: kinda unclear on exactly what happened with Queenie there... Did Bastien rape her? Or did he just attack her? Was her proposition to him last episode just a diversion tactic or an act of lonely desperation? Even bigger question: do I actually expect the show to address any of the preceding questions? (The answer being "No, you idiot")

I will never get over that "Grim Reaper Handjob" line.

And I'm actually slightly depressed that Bastien is dead (? Kinda? Just decapitiated?). The literalized Minotaur was just too creepy and zany to feature significantly in only one episode. I'm hoping they find a way to bring him back.

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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AAGG Halloween Spectacular: FRANKENHOOKER (1990)

Frankenhooker (1990)

Director: Frank Henenlotter

Starring: Bob Martin and Frank Henenlotter

 

 

Written by Bob Martin with director Frank Henenlotter, Frankenhooker use to be a late night staple on cable in the early 1990s. Starring Playboy playmate Patty Mullen as the title character, the cult classic re-imagines Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for the "bridge and tunnel" crowd. Oddly enough, Mullen doesn't get top billing for this b-movie black comedy, but make no mistake...she owns this film every ludicrous second she's on screen.

Quick warning: Embedded below is the uncut version, which means more boobies and more blood. This is not safe for work. But...hey, that's why we love it.

Happy Halloween, kids.

Arnold Meter: 4/5

Troy-Jeffrey Allen writes about action/adventure for Action A Go Go. He is a comic book writer whose works include Bamn, The Magic Bullet, and the Harvey Award nominated District Comics. His work has been featured in the City Paper, The Baltimore Sun, Bethesda Magazine, The Examiner, and The Washington Post.

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AAGG Halloween Spectacular - Insidious, Insidious: Chapter 2

Insidious (2011), Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

Director: James Wan

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Lin Shaye

Horror films are something of a tricky business. As films which bank largely on unique reactions of their audience, it's sometimes hard to discern the difference between a bad horror film, and one that simply didn't affect you. For instance, last year's Sinister is a film that didn't frighten me all too much, but it shook other people I know to the core, meaning that is must have been, on some level, effective. Sinister was also fairly well plotted and very well acted (for a horror film at least), so while I walked away from it unshaken, I still enjoyed what I had seen. Which is all to say that my personal pick for this week of horror is a film that may not scare every viewer, but should really mess up a considerable minority.

That film being James Wan's Insidious. Or, more accurately, both of James Wan's Insidious films, which I consider to be one lengthy film split in two.. Insidious was the first film to every really, truly terrify me. And it remains, to this day, the film that has scared me the most out of all the movies that I've seen.

One longstanding principle of horror is the idea that it's more effective to live the most terrifying things to the imagination. Paranormal Activity uses this principle phenomenally. Not once in that entire series have you ever seen the seemingly omnipresent demon. But it's presence is felt. And the few hints we get as to what it's appearance is, animalistic feet, the facial appearance of an old man, are thoroughly unsettling. This founding concept behind this principle is the idea that whatever the human mind can imagine will be more terrifying than whatever creepy creation an art department can design for the screen.

I would argue that Insidious is an exception to that principle.

James Wan is the most gifted horror director I know of. In a genre that is filled to the brim with crummy, tactless jump scares and overly crass depictions of graphic violence, Wan has really given time and thought into how to most effectively maximize that art of the scare, what to show the audience and what not to. Wan eschews the traditional concepts of "scary imagery", such as graphically disfigured ghosts, bloody children, ect. in favor of more subtlety disturbing character designs. Instead of blood and gore, his creepy characters have a deeper nuance to their appearance, suggesting a more pervasive level of evil than graphic, bloody scarring ever could. Wan has figured out that the most disturbing images are the ones where you can't put your finger on why it's disturbing. It simply is. It's easy to point at a woman with her eyes sewn shut and her jaw hanging off and say precisely what's wrong with her, but it's much harder to figure out exactly what's so off about a shadowy old woman in a black wedding dress, holding a candle, who never moves and is always staring from deeply sunken eye sockets. Could it be the juxtaposition of extreme age vs. the youth associated with marriage? Could it be that you can't tell exactly where she's looking but you know she's looking at you? Could it be that the woman in question is actually played by an old man in drag? Is it all of the above? The inability to immediately pinpoint why it's unsettling only deepens the fear, creating an impression that will last much, much longer than anything you'd see in a typical horror film.

On top of that, Wan has also mastered the timing of how to present these images, he knows precisely how long to display so that the audience can see, but not so long that they can really process what they've seen. The result is an effective impression of the image rather than the image itself. A trick of the mind, if you will, one that imprints a visual concept and allows the brain to believe it's seen something possibly more terrifying than it actually had. It's a balancing act, one harder to manage than I think most people appreciate, but Wan nails it down like a pro.

Now, all of the praises I've given Mr. Wan thus far could also be applied to his recent, and more popular horror film, The Conjuring. So why elevate Insidious over that film when the other clearly made bigger waves? Well, I consider the Insidious films superior because they aren't just "horror" films, they evolve into something more. While The Conjuring was a deeply effective, traditional homage to classic haunted house movies, the Insidious dualogy is where he and screenwriter Leigh Whannell get to flex their creative muscles. Within these films they have created a unique universe that not only lends itself to horror, but also to science fiction and wide variety of thriller sub-genres. Over the course of the narrative of both films, the story organically evolved without the bothersome restraints of genre to keep it tethered to one train of thought. What starts off as a haunted house flick evolves into a supernatural sci-fi, and in the second film it evolves further into a domestic thriller. It's an experience that keeps the viewer on their toes, subverting the expectations of genre by simply not applying to any one genre. Right when you begin to track with where you think things are going, the entire game changes, and the story dives wholeheartedly into an entirely new arena.

Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2 are an absolutely one-of-a-kind two film experience. The first film is a beautifully ambiguous and quirky horror film, while the second not only takes things to the next level, but also fills out and enhances the first film, serving as companion piece rather than an add-on (which is something I feel more sequels should aspire to be). Chapter 2 is cinematic proof that preplanning an entire multi-film saga is not the only way to produce a consistent and cohesive story. Sometimes mining deeper into what's already been established will result in a fulfilling sequel. These films are scary, funny, weird and fascinating, and there is no other horror film series I would advocate more.

ARNOLD METER: 5/5

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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THE WALKING DEAD 4x03 "Isolation" Review

Things go from bad to worse for the prison crew on The Walking Dead. But while things totally suck for them, the show's renewed quality stays strong, both in the realms of delivering much-needed character development and strong thematic consistency. Out of the three episodes we've seen thus far this season, Isolation is easily the slowest of the three. It's light on zombie-related violence (not a single human character even dies in this episode), but easily makes up for it by proving its competence (at times, even excellence) in the area that has been Walking Dead's weakest for the past two seasons: characters. Although the new group of Woodbury citizens has largely been zombie-fodder, Isolation gives us the time to get to know some of the newbies a little better. Larry Gilliard's Bob Stookey is settling into his role as the competent and well-intentioned non-badass (it's been quite awhile since we last met a person who isn't a stone-cold zombie killing machine), and we're given some time to get to know Tyreese and Sasha a little better too. Up until this point, Tyreese has simply been a sweet, level-headed guy whose primary function on the show was to be "good". Isolation changes our understanding of his character a great deal by cracking open his calm exterior and giving us a frightening look at some seriously deep-seated rage issues he's got lurking inside of him.

Rick is off on his own yet again (it seems his plot lines over the past few seasons have very little to do with human interaction), having now taken on the role of "Detective Rick" in order to solve the murders of Karen and David. The revelation in the episodes final few moments, that Carol is the killer, is a gut punch that makes a frightening amount of sense. Thus far, season four's main running theme has been the exploration of the long-term effects this zombie apocalypse has had on these survivors. And Carol's transformation from timid, abused housewife into a ruthlessly pragmatic survivor is by far the most powerful example of this. In last week's review I stated that the show was no longer about trying to "survive", it's about trying to live. But I think a better description would be that it's about the conflict between those who are trying to survive at all costs and those who are trying live with their humanity intact. Carol has fully embraced the former. She has rejected her sense of compassion in favor of an ends-justify-the-means policy. Keeping the majority of the people breathing is her goal, first and foremost, no matter the toll it takes on her soul. 

On the flip side, we have Hershel, who selflessly exposed himself to the virus for the sake of showing compassion to the sick and dying. The "good deeds get repaid in punishment" motif that has been recurring takes an interesting and powerful turn through Hershel's actions. Unlike Rick, Hershel embraces the punishment his kindness has brought upon him. To Hershel, showing compassion to other people is worth the price he pays for it. And his example is a source of unexpected hope in the overbearing grimness of his circumstance. In a world where the literal personification of death is your enemy, perhaps making one's primary goal the avoidance of death is not the way to really live. Hershel is at peace with himself, not by frantically grasping at life that's on the verge of disappearing at any given moment, but by coming to terms with his reality, and defying it's attempts to take his humanity away from him.

This change in outlook has infused The Walking Dead with the sense of hope I had been waiting for these past two episodes. Perhaps the ultimate salvation for these characters won't come in the form of a cure or a safe haven after all. Perhaps the greatest source of light in this dark and violent world is clinging to one's humanity, as opposed to one's life. What's the point of finding safety and security if you've sacrificed your compassion and kindness in the process? Scott Gimple's apparent fascination with this very conflict is the kind of thematic struggle that this show has needed all along. The Walking Dead has never really been about zombies. It's been about people trying to find peace with themselves in the midst of hell-on-earth. Now, finally, we can see that struggle play itself out loud and clear onscreen. And that's the way it should be.

Grade: A-

Other Thoughts

I'm honestly having a seriously hard time telling whether Lizzie is a sociopath or if the girl playing her is just an awful actress.

Bob's lack of walker-killing proficiency has me questioning his supposed story of surviving by himself prior to getting to the prison. If I had to guess, I'd say The Governor is somehow pulling the strings here.

That being said, I really like Bob. He's kind, and friendly. I like kind and friendly. It's refreshing to see when every other character is either a wreck or is constantly flaunting how much of a badass they are.

Speaking of which, Tyreese goes ham on a group of walkers in this episode. Unfortunately, there was an even bigger mass of the flesh eaters right nearby. I'm actually really hoping that the group eventually ends up running into this mega horde. The visual of that many walkers all at one time was a jaw-dropper.

In other news, Marilyn Manson made a profound fool of himself on Talking Dead by being an incoherent, mysognistic jag-off. His apparent love of hearing himself talk didn't help things much either. The moral of the story? Don't do drugs kids... Also, if you're going through an intense emo/goth phase, for the love of God grow out of it.

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN "The Replacements" Review

How exactly does one review an episode of television like this? It's something of a challenge to grade something which seemingly has no intention of adhering to the generally accepted criteria of storytelling by which one can assess its quality. The Replacements is not something I can strictly refer to as a "narrative". Although it has running themes and connecting sequences that bookend the episode, it plays more like an assembly of increasingly strange (and increasingly disturbing) set pieces that have little or no relation to each other, while they still all somehow connect to the overarching plot of the show. Never before in my life have I been subjected to an episode of TV that contained incestuous rape, animal-sacrificing fertility rituals, surprise masturbation, three murders and semi-bestiality all within its 42 minute runtime. But my goodness does AHS take the plunge and somehow manages to shove all of that and more into The Replacements, and it's as off putting (presumably intentionally) as it sounds.

The overarching theme of this episode happens to be sex (go figure), and how sex relates to a group of people who all have identity issues in most cases related to aging. Fiona's struggles with youthfulness (more specifically, the lack thereof), are expressed through her inability to attract men at this point in her life. Madison uses her young female form to try and attract the sights of the Coven's new, hot neighbor boy (who I'll get to momentarily). Cordelia's inability to reproduce leads her to attempt to enlist the aid of Marie Laveau and her ability to grant fertility. And finally, Queenie apparently has sexual fulfillment issues, leading her to attempt to initiate sex with a Minotaur she finds wandering around the backyard (in a scene I have not yet fully processed and am not sure I really want to). One way or another, every story this episode ties back to sex. And where sex and American Horror Story meet, things get weird. Like, really, really weird. 

In an unusual move for this show, however, none of the sex in this episode is particularly graphic or provocative. On the contrary, it's actually quite disturbing, which presents us with an unusual message for a Ryan Murphy show: in Coven, sex is the enemy. It is a desirable fruit that many desire (see Queenie, Madison and Fiona), but turns out to be a poisonous weapon used for harm (Zoe's murderous vagina, Madison getting raped, Kyle suffering molestation at the hands of his own mother). Aside from the scene last week between Cordelia and her husband, sex has been an uncomfortable, repulsive thing all season long. And it's a theme that shows no sign of dissipating, which makes me wonder how crucial it will be to Coven's endgame.  

Now, back to the neighbor boy I referenced before. As it turns out he's the son of Patti LuPone's character (I've been waiting for her to show up!) and, rather disappointingly, she's relegated to the Ryan Murphy staple role of "Bible-thumping nutter". And maybe it's my personal faith, or maybe it's just my distaste for stereotypes, but this particular character feels very tired and very thin. At this Murphy has basically run out of angry things to yell at the Christian conservative contingent (of whom I swear he has never actually met a single one). I mean really, when Fiona hisses "you're the biggest perverts of them all." What's that supposed to mean? Does she mean that they do some kinky stuff behind closed doors? Does she mean they're literally rapey perverts? Does she mean they use religion to repress their own sexual desire? Really, what is that even supposed to mean? It's the broadest, thinnest kind of attack one could make. And I found myself utterly confused rather than offended (not that I get offended at this point, I've developed a thick enough skin from watching TV and know what to expect when a "Christian" character walks onscreen). And I'm concerned that Murphy thinks a character simply walking around with "The Good Book", going to Bible study and saying "Jesus" on occasion (btw, who does that?) actually qualifies them as some sort of villain. The show certainly treats her as such, but comes up with no sufficient reason other than "because we don't like people who think like that" (a rhetoric which, apparently unbeknownst to Murphy, sharply goes against the themes of acceptance and diversity he so decidedly threads through all of his shows). The character is tired, she's a bore, she's thinly written, and I'm not really looking forward to seeing more of her around this show, which is a bummer as I was pretty excited to see some Patti LuPone on my TV. 

That unfortunate plot thread aside, in regards to it's apparent mission statement: "hammer home the overarching themes and be super weird about it", The Replacements is a smashing success. Say what you want about the characters having thin motivations (actually, that's mostly been me saying that), but it cannot be said that this episode of American Horror Story was ever boring. Which is all anybody ever wants out of this show, isn't it? To never, ever be the slightest bit boring? Welp, good Mr. Murphy, Mr. Fulchuk and the rest of the writing staff. Mission accomplished.   

Grade: B (I think? I dunno. Let's just say it was a "B" and call it a night)

Other thoughts

Again, WTF was that scene with Queenie and the Minotaur? How am I supposed to process watching Gabourey Sidibe touch herself in front of a dude with a cow's head?

Speaking of which, that is a kickin band name: "Queenie and the Minotaur"

Also, apparently getting voodoo resurrected with a bulls head on you gives you hooves and Minotaur hands? I'm so confused. Why didn't Laveau just take the stupid bull's head off and then resurrect him?

Sorry, I'm really stuck on this Minotaur business. It's just so weird.

A lot of people seemed surprised at how early Madison got killed off. Which makes sense considering Emma Roberts is playing her. But from a writing perspective? Killing off the bitchy movie-star early on makes the most sense.

Killer Quote: "This coven doesn't need a new Supreme, it needs a new rug."

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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THE WALKING DEAD 4x02 "Infected" Review

The thing about true horror is that it's horrifying. While that may seem like a given, I think the current landscape of horror in film sort of suggests something different. "Horror" generally suggests something frightening, or creepy, or just plain disgusting. There's nothing wrong with these movies, supernatural horror flicks (such as Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, Insidious and The Conjuring) happen to be my favorite genre in film. But rarely are these movies truly, bluntly horrifying. With this week's Walking Dead, titled Infected, we see a decided return to the horror element that the series moved away from past season, and not just the scares, but some really, truly awful stuff that doesn't sit well on the human mind.

Death and violence hang over this episode like a depressing plague. Further hammering home the idea that civilized living is long, long gone in this new world order. You either become a callous, efficient killing machine, or you become food. But how does that weigh on the human soul? How much of your humanity are you willing to sacrifice to stay alive? In a particularly powerful scene in Infected, Rick has to make the hard decision to sacrifice the piglets he's raised in order to protect the structural integrity of the prison's defenses. As he cuts through the hips of the piglets in order to maim them and leave them as zombie food, it's clear that hope is dying in Rick. As the blood of one of the baby pigs sprays across his face, as if to mark him with the guilt he feels, the message is resoundingly clear: this is life now. This is reality. There is no escape from performing horrible deeds in a world that's trying to kill you day in and day out. And a world like that will turn you into something you would never have thought possible: inhuman. Echoes of last season's Clear pop back up again in this episode. Rick, Carl and Michonne's flippant disregard for human life, which that episode so perfectly portrayed, looms like a terrifying cloud threatening to storm back into the lives of these characters yet again.

That is where the most potent horror in The Walking Dead comes from. And while the cold open with Karen in the showers was plenty frightening, it's the thematic horror that pervades the rest of this episode that has the most potency. As scary as zombies may be, the fact that little girls in this world are expected, nay, required to desecrate their father's corpse in order to keep on living is far more terrifying. The look of profound grief on Michonne's face while she holds Judith speaks volumes about the suffering of the human spirit in conditions it was never meant to hold up under. 

Infected is Scott Gimple's message to the viewers: this is not the same Walking Dead you've seen before. This show is not overly concerned with being thrilling or shocking, a fact which may yet rustle a few feathers. But this show is honest about the terrible human suffering you see onscreen. The lives these characters live are not about exciting adventures, though those may happen from time to time. Grief and pain are the two most recurring themes in their lives, and it doesn't look like that's about to change. Will viewers still want to tune in to see this newer, grimmer Walking Dead? Perhaps. There's enough universally relatable truth in this show that can speak to plenty of people, and I hope it does. In this new, improved variant of the show, the cast's true power-players really get to shine: Danai Gurira, Andrew Lincoln, Melissa McBride, Scott Wilson and Chad Coleman all deliver wonderful, nuanced performances that reflect the grimness of their story with startling power.

If there's one thing that this season will need sometime soon, it's hope. All this darkness can only serve a purpose if it's offset by some kind of hope for the future. And not some vague, empty promise of safety, like we've experienced so many times on this show before. But something concrete, a real goal which these weary survivors can set their sights on and run to. This zombie apocalypse is trying to kill what little remains of these character's humanity, and they need to be given a reason to fight back. This show isn't about trying to survive anymore, there's already fences and guns for that. This show is about trying to live. Which, if you ask me, is a far more compelling struggle for these characters to endure, and may yet result in a show that is consistently excellent. And as much as a praise the crushing onslaught of nihilism this new season is bringing, I really pray it all pays off with something hopeful. Maybe not soon, but at the end. I want all this horror to mean something.

Grade: A-

Other Thoughts

Anybody else find it weird they took this long to use "Infected" as an episode title? Seems obvious to the point of being silly this late in the game.

Some sick person on Tumblr suggested it should've been title "This Little Piggy...", which, if I'm being honest, would've been a perfect title. 

I firmly believe that this new girl, Lizzie, is a budding psychopath. Carol giving her the knife was possibly the most ominous thing in this entire episode.

What did you all think of Infected? Let me know in the comments if you feel so inclined. Or hit me up on Twitter @A_B_Allen

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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Disc Two: Robert Kirkman Takes A Tour of the FX Studio Behind WALKING DEAD

The very first time I heard about Greg Nicotero was in the late 1990s. Dimension films had put together a 2-disc DVD for From Dusk 'til Dawn that included the amazing making of documentary titled Full Tilt Boogie. The 90-minute doc followed the film from pre-production to post. Prominently featured throughout were effects and make-up masters Bob Kurtzman,Greg Nicotero, and Howard Berger, known by film nerds as the "K.N.B. Group."

Ever since then, the highly-detailed works of Nicotero and company have been unmistakably recognizable to me. So much in fact that upon viewing the original airing of The Walking Dead pilot I instantly informed anyone within earshot that the infamous "bicycle girl" must've been his handy work.

It was.

Nobody else in the room was impressed.

Jerks.

In the following video, Walking Dead (co-?)creator Robert Kirkman gets an all too brief tour of the Nicotero studio. Considering the fact that his effects credits range from Army of Darkness to The Great and Powerful Oz (to name just a few), you might recognize plenty of things from some of your favorite films.

Clickity-Click...

Troy-Jeffrey Allen writes about action/adventure for Action A Go Go. He is a comic book writer whose works include Bamn, The Magic Bullet, and the Harvey Award nominated District Comics. His work has been featured in the City Paper, The Baltimore Sun, Bethesda Magazine, The Examiner, and The Washington Post.

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AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN "Bitchcraft" and "Boy Parts" Reviews

NOTE: Last week when American Horror Story: Coven premiered I hadn't been planning on reviewing it. But after the first two episodes it seems I've had a change of heart and weekly coverage will commence as of now. I've pulled the first two episodes into one review as I felt the premiere episode was essential to review in order to give you readers a solid sense of where I stand on this season as a whole. Also, there will be spoilers.

Let me make this one-hundred percent clear: I do not like the work of Ryan Murphy, and by extension, Brad Fulchuk. They seemingly lack the ability to comprehend the concepts of subtlety and nuance, both of which are a necessity in any kind of sustainable storytelling. Take the first installment of American Horror Story (which has now retroactively been titled Murder House, a name which perfectly captures precisely how devoid of subtlety these two are). Murphy's sensibilities worked sharply against a concept that would need quiet moments and restraint in pacing in order to work effectively. And so, Murder House ended up being a clunky mess that is neither engaging nor frightening. Murphy's affinity for the shamefully obtuse sapped that season of any narrative depth and tension, essentially neutering it's ability to be the effective "horror story" it's title suggests. The same can be said of any of his shows, but Murder House is the best example of Murphy gone horribly and grotesquely awry.

Which brings us to American Horror Story: Coven, which lured me back to the series (I skipped Asylum out of disdain for the first season) due to my intense love for New Orleans culture, horror, and the mix of the two. And for the first time, in my experience, Ryan Murphy has actually found a platform where his particular style not only suits the material, but actually enhances it. Witchcraft and Voodoo are subjects that both thematically lend themselves to theatricality, and if there's one thing Ryan Murphy knows how to do, it's put on a show. *cue lavish musical number here*

Episode One: Bitchcraft

Our first episode, appropriately titled Bitchcraft is a remarkably balanced hour of AHS. It's narrative is clear and the characters each get enough of the spotlight to establish themselves and their place in the group dynamic. The performances of Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson really anchor this first episode, the former two giving a full dosage of the tongue-in-cheek camp that makes this show fun, and the latter really providing a credible heart to a story otherwise preoccupied with profound selfishness. Gabourey Sidibe and Jamie Brewer also seem to be having fun, both are rather one-note, but in a charming way, rather than in the insufferable manner that so often infests Ryan Murphy shows. Speaking of which, rounding out our ensemble are Taissa Farmiga and Emma Roberts, who take up a peculiar amount of screen time for characters who are neither very likable or particularly interesting. Farmiga's character, Zoe, is a flake and Roberts' Madison is an unsavory spoiled brat who is impossible to pity. Their subplot, which involves gang-rape and murder by magical vagina is both unpleasant and too straight-faced to be fun like the most rest of the episode. This presents a problem which happens to be the biggest problem with the premiere episode (and of this show in general): it is completely unclear when it is being tongue-in-cheek and when it is being serious. 

In a show as ridiculous and over-the-top as AHS tends to be, things get messy (and much, much less fun) when Murphy turns his eye to whatever social issue he's decided to messianically rectify this go-round. Coven happens to be "addressing" the issue of (sigh) slavery. Actually, prejudice and marginalization really seem to be the running themes, but slavery is the subject by which the show kicks off, and it doesn't go down quite like I assume Mr. Murphy and Mr. Fulchuk intended. The sequences in question, where Madame Delphine LaLaurie (Bates) takes it upon herself to torture her African slaves by means of disfiguration and experimentation, are neither silly enough to be tongue-and-cheek, nor are they genuine enough to be moving and serious. As they are, they're appalling and rather disturbing. The presentation of the scenes remains the same as any other in AHS; goofy and campy. But that does not change the fact that what is being portrayed onscreen is legitimately horrifying and saddening, and it left me with a distinctly bad taste in my mouth. I'm all for pushing boundaries and overriding taboos, but what we have here is quite simply a deeply painful subject matter that is being handled in a manner that is tasteless and verging on disrespectful. As genuine as Mr. Murphy may be, there are some issues that simply should not be touched by a man who has the nuance and sensitivity of a baseball bat to the nether regions.

Episode Two: Boy Parts

The gap between what works and what doesn't widens a bit further in the second episode, the best parts manage to far outdo anything in episode one, but the worst elements also come back with a vengeance. Here, Lange really gets to strut her stuff, doling out beautifully venomous verbal lashings and magically pimp-slapping angsty teenagers for their deeply aggravating incompetence. Angela Bassett is also given something to do in this episode as Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, and she serves as a perfect foil to Lange's biting sass. Watching these titans masterfully handle the deliciously bitchy dialogue is a dependable source of joy, and the scene where these two go at it manages to largely make up for the rest of the episode's shortcomings. Lily Rabe and Sarah Paulson really manage to make the best out of mostly lackluster material here. Rabe's character is a bit too thin for her to really dive into and Paulson's story feels rushed and undercooked. That being said, both of the actresses know how to handle Murphy's dialogue and are competent enough to make their uninspired material enjoyable.

Unfortunately, the titular Madison/Zoe subplot takes a turn for the stupid-and-not-in-the-fun way in this episode, which is a shame because I don't see where it could possibly be going, and even worse, I don't care to find out. To be clear, I like Taissa Farmiga. I think she's a good actress who can really make her mark when given good material, but in the hyper-superficial Murphy-world, she simply doesn't have the pizazz to make her deeply silly dialogue work in her favor. Her character is thin as can be, her only defining trait being that she's an impulsive flake who spends way too much time crying to be any kind of fun. Sure, Farmiga is good at crying, that doesn't make this character or her story any less aggravating to sit through. Roberts, on the other hand, is almost fun. Her character has the air of colorful spitefulness that Murphy characters thrive off of, but her actual dialogue falls mostly flat, particularly in Boy Parts. On the subject of "boy parts", Evan Peters is embarrassing himself in this by no fault of his own. Peters playing Frankenstein opposite Farmiga's deathly serious performance is comedic, but in a "laugh at you not with you" kind of way. The "relationship" established between these two characters was never the slightest bit believable in the first place, so their scenes together are so devoid of dramatic meaning that they have nothing left to be except unintentionally funny. There is no compelling endgame to this subplot because there was never anything compelling about it or the characters in it and the less time wasted on it and them in the future, the better. Knowing Murphy I can only assume he'll continue plowing along based on the assumption that everybody and their mother cares about these particular characters and continue to give them an unwarranted amount of spotlight. But hey, if that's the price I have to pay to continue to watch Lange, Bassett and Bates chew the living hell out of every piece of scenery, then so be it. Totally worth it.

General Assessment

I like Coven. At it's core I really like what it's shooting to do. I like seeing Murphy's constantly misguided talents be put to some good use. I like seeing witches with cool powers do battle with each other all while delivering some seriously kicking one-liners and verbal beat downs. If this season of AHS can manage to stay on the track that these first two episodes have set up then I will love it to death. The more ridiculous, showy and over-the-top this thing gets, the better.

Bitchcraft grade: B

Boy Parts grade: B-

Other Thoughts:

I straight up laughed out loud at the reveal that Bastien has literally become a Minotaur. It was possibly the dumbest thing I had seen in both of these episodes, but it was just so perfect. There's a literal Minotaur in this show? Of course there's a literal Minotaur in this show.

Goodness I love seeing Jamie Brewer on this show, warms my heart to see an actress with downs making it on a show that isn't expressly about developmental issues. The one big upside to Murphy's messianic tendencies.

This show, episode two in particular, continues the Ryan Murphy theme of having all black women on his shows say "girl" every other second and act like total divas. The Voodoo Queen runs a tacky hair-braiding shop with the assistance of some slang-talkin' young black women? You betcha. I was just grateful we had moved past slave torture at that point.

Are we even shooting for actual scares on this show anymore? I haven't actually been frightened even once so far and it seems like the writers aren't even trying. In which case: good. They suck at it. Murder House was so filled with unscarey scares it was criminal. Does the Horror Story title still make sense? Barely. But it's ironically better off for it.

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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Trailer Park: The New CARRIE Goes Viral

Brian De Palma's 1976 film adaptation of Carrie is an excellent horror film. It exposes the ugliness of teenage angst and naiveté, then spirals uncontrollably into an unsettling revenge fantasy where nobody comes out on top. Needless to say that any attempt to cash in on the original (The Rage: Carrie 2, anyone) is going to be met with instant skepticism by me. 

Despite the involvement of director Kimberly Pierce (Boys Don't Cry), and the fantastic casting choices of Julianne Moore and Chloe-Grace Moretz, the initial trailer just kinda piqued my interest in the upcoming remake. However, the viral marketing campaign has really gone out of it's way to give the film buzz. 

A few months ago, I mentioned on Twitter that there was a phone number floating around online that allowed you to "call" Carrie White and eavesdrop on the dramatic bible-thumping that goes on within her home. It seems that the marketing minds over at MGM and Screen Gems weren't done. In the following clip, unsuspecting yuppies are treated to a Kingsian freak out inside a local New York coffee shop.  Maybe I'm just a sucker for Candid Camera-styled practical jokes (Bad Grandpa, anyone?), but I might give this a chance based off of the movie's commitment to scaring the bejeezus out of its potential audience.

Carrie drops this Friday.

Troy-Jeffrey Allen writes about action/adventure for Action A Go Go. He is a comic book writer whose works include Bamn, The Magic Bullet, and the Harvey Award nominated District Comics. His work has been featured in the City Paper, The Baltimore Sun, Bethesda Magazine, The Examiner, and The Washington Post. 

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THE WALKING DEAD 4X1 "30 Days Without An Accident" Review

 

Scott M. Gimple has taken the reigns, and though it's too early to tell, 30 Days Without An Accident is certainly a promising start to a new chapter in the Walking Dead saga.

Everything is going pretty well at the prison. The group has been making a life for themselves in relative peace and growing numbers (the most prominent of the new cast members is Larry Gilliard Jr. playing Bob Stookey, a former army medic and recovering alcoholic), all while suffering very few casualties. Rick has stepped down from his role of leadership, with a council consisting of Glenn, Sasha, Daryl, Carol and Hershel stepping up to take his place. Things are the most stable they've been since the show began, which would be cause for relief on any other show. But this is The Walking Dead, where things tend to go very, very poorly at the slightest sign of an upward trend. And considering how together things are in this premiere, I can only assume an unparalleled catastrophe is on the verge of being unleashed.

In a lot of ways, 30 Days is a callback to Gimple's previous work in the season three episode Clear. Many of the same themes involving loss of humanity and moral deterioration make a strong return in this episode. Much like in Clear, Rick comes across a lone traveller struggling to survive out in the wilderness, but unlike in the aforementioned episode, he decides to help this person (a seriously emaciated and filthy Irish woman) instead of abandoning them, with predictably unfortunate results. Rick turned over a new leaf in the months that have passed since the season three finale, and the cold, brutal actions of his son seem to have inspired him to try and embrace the humanity he had lost overtime. But, as always, the struggle to do good and the struggle to survive come into conflict with each other, and this post-apocalyptic world doesn't deal too kindly to the Good Samaritans. In this place, the selfish survive and the good get punished for their naïveté. Will Rick revert? Will he fall apart? Will his efforts get him or somebody else killed? The possible outcomes of this new arc are numerous, and none of them seem to suggest a particularly bright future. That being said, it's an interesting but very relevant struggle that the show has had a hard time handling with grace in the past two seasons, but 30 Days sees a welcome return to form in this particular thematic arena.

Though primarily concerned with setting story lines in place for the upcoming season, 30 Days isn't devoid of action. A particularly clever set piece in a supermarket in the episode's latter half is easily one of the most impressive sequences The Walking Dead has ever staged. With zombies literally raining from the ceiling, director and make-up effects guru Greg Nicotero is deep in his element during this set piece. It's delivers on being both wonderfully thrilling and suitably disgusting, particularly when Beth's new boyfriend, Zach, becomes zombie food. It's a prime example of The Walking Dead doing precisely what it does best: kill people in surprising, elaborate and gratuitous ways. And though this element can often cut both ways (last season's criminal misuse of the prison gang is a frustrating example of Walking Dead's trigger-finger gone wrong), most of the kills in this episode effectively serve a larger purpose. Whether that be a way to strengthen another character (Beth with Supermarket Meat and Rick with Crazy Scary Irishwoman) or as a means to introduce a new storyline (the episode ends with a younger newbie named Patrick dying of some kind of disease in the showers before turning into a Walker), it never felt like the writers just killed somebody because "why not?". Zach's demise also serves as another depressing parallel to Rick's storyline in that Bob's morally good decision to not feed his alcohol addiction is the inciting incident that leads to death raining down onto the unfortunate kid's head.

30 Days Without An Accident delivers on much needed growth for the series. Rather than setting up narrow-sighted and restrictive plot lines, it re-opened the world that I've been wanting to see more of since the very first season. For the first time in quite a while, it felt like things were actually going on in the world around the core group of survivors, instead of just focusing on the drama occurring in their own little bubble. Eliminating that unfortunate tunnel-vision habit is an encouraging first step into this new season, and the writers have given themselves a very wide array of tools, in terms of characters and stories, to work with for the upcoming sixteen episodes. 30 Days has just the right amount of plot and just the right amount of torque to be both engaging and entertaining. The trick going into this season will be maintaining that balance on a seasonal scale as well as an episodic one. If this premiere is any indication, we're gonna be in for a long, grim ride. And more grimness might just be what this show about an Apocalypse of flesh-eating corpses needs a little more of.

Grade: B+

Other thoughts:

Four black leads all at the same time? Am I dreaming? Way to go, AMC. I'm proud of you (although I doubt all of them will last very long).

Fun Fact: The actor who played Patrick is the voice of Phineas in Phineas and Ferb. 

I found new, depressing Beth to be quite refreshing. Somehow her embrace of the horrors has made her more.... likable? Interesting? Both? Probably both.

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check him out on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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A Little "Walking Dead" History and Review

With the cultural phenomenon and ratings behemoth The Walking Dead making its return tomorrow evening, we at Action A Go Go figured we all might need a little history lesson before the season premiere. So if you're a WD newbie, this here is your chance to get a little background on the show before tomorrow night! 

I like to think of the history of The Walking dead as three different "eras", starting with:

The Darabont Era (2010)

The Walking Dead kicked off its run back in 2010 to much fanfare and massive critical acclaim. Hollywood veteran Frank Darabont served as show runner on the the first season, which was dark, grim and serious. In ways very reminiscent of Darabont's previous works, Walking Dead was more about the deterioration of the human psyche as a result of the hellish zombie Apocalypse than the flesh-eating monsters themselves. Ironically, however, the zombies featured more heavily in this first season than in the seasons that followed. Unfortunately, for all the excellence that Darabont brought to the table, he was booted from the show before production on the second season over budget concerns (his vision for the show was simply far too expensive for the executives at AMC to consider). Under Darabont's supervision, The Walking Dead had the potential to rival some of television's best shows as far as writing quality goes and the show has had a hard time recovering after his firing. It has had stellar moments, for sure, but it's very, very rarely managed to equal the first season's excellence.

Season One Grade: A-

The Mezzara Era (2011 - 2013)

For season two, Glen Mazzara, a writer on the first season, stepped up into the role as show runner. And while the first episode or two worked solidly, the rest of the season (the first half in particular) suffered from a distinct lack of direction and a struggle to balance Darabont's grim tone and Mazarra's more pulpy sensibilities. The zombie threat was also largely neutered in this season, as the walkers very rarely made an appearance, and when they did, never managed to achieve much of anything. While the final few episodes improved significantly, with the finale abandoning the farm setting and essentially rebooting the show's tone and direction, the second season is universally considered the weakest of the series. 

Season Two Grade: B-

Season three showed massive improvement by fixing the previous season's biggest problem: it was cripplingly boring. Right off the bat, season three jumps right into a high-velocity, high tension narrative where anybody could go at anytime. Within the first quarter of the season, two of the show's long-term leads were offed in one of the series' best episodes that was both shocking and entertaining in a new way. It still lacked the pointed gravitas of the first season, but it was rip-roaring entertainment and kept the viewers on edge from week to week. Unfortunately, after a stellar first half, the season sort of fell apart during its final eight episodes. Most of the plot lines that had been built up so excellently in the first half were either dropped or reached disappointing conclusions. Although mostly an anticlimax, the second half of season three still managed to deliver a stand alone episode that I consider to be the series best episode: "Clear" (an episode that I'll expound on in a little bit).

Season Three Grade: B+

The problem with Glen Mazzara's show-running, is that he lacked the foresight to create a really cohesive and satisfying season of television. He managed some really shocking moments of excellence here and there, but they never amounted to much of anything. I can't think of a single running plot line during seasons two or three that really lived up to their potential, despite often excellent beginnings. The result was television that was highly entertaining, but very messy, and very imbalanced. Due to the floundering latter half of the third season, as well as conflicts with executive producer (and writer of the original comic books) Robert Kirkman, Mazzara received the boot after season three and has been replaced for the upcoming season by series writer Scott M. Gimple.

The Gimple Era (present)

Although this is all speculation, I have high hopes for Scott Gimple's takeover as the series' showrunner. He has written some of the show's best hours; "Clear" and "Pretty Much Dead Already". These episodes in particular are the ones most consistently reminiscent of the series' first season. They are powerful, focused and interesting episodes that manage to recapture that same sense of sprawling, despairing grimness that made the first season so powerful. So I'm hoping that Mr. Gimple can really bring those elements back into play. Due to the loss of it's original visionary, The Walking Dead can never be the complete and fulfilling narrative (a la "Breaking Bad" or "Game of Thrones") that season one so perfectly set the stage for, but at the very least it can make a return to some of those themes and deliver some high-quality television. Who knows? Maybe Scott Gimple can take the excellent cast and crew he's been given and make something new out of it and surprise us all. The Walking Dead has all the pieces to be an entertaining show, why not a legitimately great one (even if it's not the same great one we initially thought it was going to be)?

Top Five Episodes:

5. "Guts", S1Ep2: Essentially a "part two" to the pilot episode, "Guts" is intense, exciting and, best of all, completely disgusting. It's in this episode that we get our first introduction to the series' ensemble who all manage to make a strong impression even in the middle of being attacked by a massive zombie horde in downtown Atlanta. It is one of the only two episodes written personally by Darabont and his masterful writing still makes this one a series stand-out.

4. "Beside the Dying Fire", S2Ep13: to cap of the lackluster second season, the writing staff basically threw up their hands saying "screw it!" and somehow churned out one of the most exciting episodes of the series, and probably the most action-packed episode to date. The zombies who had been so absent during most of the season make a big reappearance, decimating the farmland and offing a few side characters. It's messy, it's intense and it's actually pretty awesome, ending the season with the bang that it should've had from the get-go.

3. "Killer Within", S3Ep4: After a few solid episodes to open the season with, it seemed like things were settling back into the monotonous rut of season two. Things were going decently; no pesky zombies around, no real interpersonal drama to speak of. And then, almost as if to say "you think we're gonna make that same mistake twice?! Here's our collective middle finger", the writers surprised everybody by suddenly, and gruesomely offing two of the leads in the most stressful ways possible. "Killer Within" firmly reestablishes that in "The Walking Dead" nobody is safe from being horribly torn to shreds. It's a jaw-dropping hour of television (particularly surprising given how early in the season it was), and one that had people talking for quite sometime, deservedly so.

2. "Pilot", S1Ep1: "The Walking Dead" made a triumphant first impression with one of the greatest pilot episodes in recent memory (probably in television history). This first episode, written by Frank Darabont, is everything this show ever needed to be; it's scary, it's gross, it's intense and it's beautiful. It's one of the first television episodes to rightly earn the description of "cinematic", and while it's a shame that the series has rarely stacked up to this level of quality, this first episode is and will always be an achievement that The Walking Dead can wear proudly on it's chest.

1. "Clear", S3Ep12: This is the episode that gave me faith in Scott M. Gimple's ability to craft an engaging and powerful story in a limited period of time. It has focus and carries itself with purpose, serving as a spiritual sequel of sorts to the very first episode of the show. Coming totally out of left field, it's rare that a series one-off is this good. But "Clear" was a phenomenal surprise amidst a few lackluster episodes, and it's a fantastic reminder of the potential this show really has. If the fourth season can stylistically and thematically keep in tone with this episode, then The Walking Dead may yet see a return to excellence.

Honorable Mention. "Vatos", S1Ep4: In this episode we get to see the zombies deal some mass carnage for the very first time, and it does not disappoint. Equal parts scary and moving, "Vatos" let's the audience know just how lethal these things are and how much damage they can really do on a massive scale.

Andrew Allen is a television (and occasionally film) writer for Action A Go Go. He is an aspiring screenwriter and director who is currently studying at the University of Miami. You can check out him on Tumblr @andrewballen and follow him on Twitter @A_B_Allen.

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