This was the single scariest episode of The Walking dead in all its years, and that is saying a lot. Being a bit of a horror buff, and with television having always had certain limitations with the medium of horror, I have never really been scared by a tv show! As a teenager, of course, we were all innocent once (Supernatural's first couple seasons, anyone?), but as a grown up, not really.
This episode scared the literal crap out of me! Not the whole thing, mind you, but the Connie/Virgil segment in particular. I would say that this segment, on it's own, would classify as a horror-short masterpiece! The way Nicotero utilizes the sounds and music, but more importantly the lack of it, is as masterful as any of the modern horror films that have played on the same, or similar, elements. I'm looking especially at you "Hush" and "Don't Breathe", but somehow this is almost better.
Aforementioned limitations aside, I think that the edge a TV-show does have, as opposed to a short film, is that in "On the Inside" we are dealing with characters we've known and cared for in a while. We especially (no offense Virgil) care deeply about Connie's fate, because hers involves so many other characters, some that we've known literally since the pilot! This introduces a deeply emotional element, and the best horror films have that too, as I've said many times.
Alas, some 65% of an episode being a masterpiece does not qualify a 10 rating, but as always we've got Darryl to the rescue. This episode could easily have been bogged down by, for instance, a Commonwealth element, but instead opts to juxtapose its horror with some great "thriller filler". Darryl's "Inside Man" act is established as an exciting storyline in earlier episodes, and in this one it only goes deeper and darker. As such the only relief we ever get from the horror is thriller, and that is not really a relief is it?
So what does it all add up to? The long running "Where's Connie" story-line is wrapped up, and my wracked nerves would have thanked Nicotero for letting me off with this emotionally satisfying and moving conclusion, but no; As I was almost content, he pulls me right back in it, and delivers a terrifying cliffhanger, with a terrific new villain to contend with! Bravo!
This episode scared the literal crap out of me! Not the whole thing, mind you, but the Connie/Virgil segment in particular. I would say that this segment, on it's own, would classify as a horror-short masterpiece! The way Nicotero utilizes the sounds and music, but more importantly the lack of it, is as masterful as any of the modern horror films that have played on the same, or similar, elements. I'm looking especially at you "Hush" and "Don't Breathe", but somehow this is almost better.
Aforementioned limitations aside, I think that the edge a TV-show does have, as opposed to a short film, is that in "On the Inside" we are dealing with characters we've known and cared for in a while. We especially (no offense Virgil) care deeply about Connie's fate, because hers involves so many other characters, some that we've known literally since the pilot! This introduces a deeply emotional element, and the best horror films have that too, as I've said many times.
Alas, some 65% of an episode being a masterpiece does not qualify a 10 rating, but as always we've got Darryl to the rescue. This episode could easily have been bogged down by, for instance, a Commonwealth element, but instead opts to juxtapose its horror with some great "thriller filler". Darryl's "Inside Man" act is established as an exciting storyline in earlier episodes, and in this one it only goes deeper and darker. As such the only relief we ever get from the horror is thriller, and that is not really a relief is it?
So what does it all add up to? The long running "Where's Connie" story-line is wrapped up, and my wracked nerves would have thanked Nicotero for letting me off with this emotionally satisfying and moving conclusion, but no; As I was almost content, he pulls me right back in it, and delivers a terrifying cliffhanger, with a terrific new villain to contend with! Bravo!
