The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 3: In Harm’s Way Review

Episode 3 of Season 2 of The Walking Dead is out and I’m starting to have very mixed feelings about this Season. When we last left our survivors they had just been captured by Carver in Episode 2. Initially I had though Episode 2 was super impactful and exciting, but when I picked up episode 3 I had a hard time remembering the details of the previous installment. Pair that with a new setting and several new characters, and series seems to be moving a bit too fast for comfort.

In Carver’s compound it is hinted that he has numerous people under his employ that help an organized community thrive. The problem with this is that the community isn’t really even shown. Outside of the 5-10 people that get screen time the community at large is invisible. This creates an inconsistency in the story telling that makes much of the Episode feel like filler. It also doesn’t help that this episode seemed like the shortest one yet.

Carver is a well played villain and some of the stuff he does to intimidate his followers is brutal, but (spoilers) his quick end feels like a bait and switch. So much time was spent building his character, just to have him be killed so insignificantly. The escape from the compound is the real highlight of the episode. It weeds out some unnecessary characters and poses a great player choice in the middle of a great action sequence. However, the escape from Carver’s compound makes the whole experience while imprisoned feel like a pointless stepping stone in the greater arc. One of my complaints in previous episodes was the inconceivable reliance on a 10 year old to do the dangerous tasks of the group. Clem, being the main character, obviously needs to preform the gameplay actions, but with little justification for them to be done my a child makes the other characters either look like a-holes, or simply unbelievable. In this episode, that problem is addressed both directly and indirectly.

Clem straight up says “Why does it have to always be me?” in a tone that communicates that she knows how odd it is for a 10 year old to be taking care of basically everything. Luckily the most dangerous stuff Clem is asked to do this time around is stuff that requires a small sneaky person that can easily be hoisted on someone’s shoulders. So, the problem may not be completely fixed but at least its been addressed.

In Harm’s Way is not the best episode in the arc, and it moves a much too fast to be able to leave the proper impact. It ends on a great cliffhanger though. Hopefully some decent story beats happen next episode, I cannot even imagine where this game is going next.
Verdict: A better name would’ve probably been “The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 3: Stuff Happens, People Die, Now Let’s Move On”.