The Walking Dead returned last week with a cracker of an episode. The finale of season three shifted the boundaries quite considerably with the lead villain on the run, the perils of Andrea finally over (thankfully!) and a load of new inhabitants entering the prison community, hopefully to provide fodder for the zombies. The premiere was set a few months later with the new community firmly established, Rick as pensive as ever, Carl a foot taller and with a deeper voice, Michonne dropping in occasionally in between hunting for the Governor and slaughtering zombies, the continuing snoreathon that is Glenn and Maggie, the brilliant Carol, a personal favourite, teaching the kids knife skills during story time and the prison community finally realising what we all figured out a long time ago, Daryl is the man you want as leader. Most importantly there is a problem with increasing zombie numbers at the fence leaving us hoping they’ll come crashing through soon. As it was there were a couple of nice setpieces including one set in a supermarket which literally ended in zombies falling from the sky. There was the rather random introduction of an Irish honeymooner which was a nicely tense scene, if ultimately a little overlong and talky (one of the Walking Dead’s more frequent failings). It did however lead to this classic bit of Irish humour (thank you daily edge http://www.dailyedge.ie/irish-woman-the-walking-dead-kerry-condon-1132564-Oct2013/)

The ominous death of a sickly pig and a random community member in the final scene left the promise that there might be more to trouble the survivors than just a pesky zombie loose in the prison. That and the impending return of the underused character of the Governor provides plenty of living and dead threats for the characters this season. Here’s hoping they can keep up the pace this time.

By MMC

The Walking Dead airs on Fox UK on Friday nights at ten o’clock.