After the series premiere last week which was both thrilling and emotionally resonant, it's hard not to feel let down by "Guts," an episode which delivers on the former, but is severely lacking in the human connection that elevated the pilot to an extraordinary level.
Right off the bat, we're introduced to Merle, a racist who needs to be clocked by Rick. Not only that, he's a generic, stark-raving mad racist who is unreasonable, unlikable, and largely a useless character. Merle acts like a huge blinking sign that says "Oh, hey, RACISM still exists during zombie apocalypses." Eventually, when the zombies attack, T-Dog tries to unlock Merle's handcuffs, but drops the key down a tiny hole. I'm not even sure T-Dog should feel bad, considering what Merle would have done without Rick there.
Aside from that, the escape from the department store is nothing short of awesome. The survivors try getting out of the sewers which fails, before pretending to be zombies by wearing their skin. Rick and Glenn proceed with no resistance until it starts raining, washing the zombie bits way and attracting the attention of all the zombies. They reach some cars, dodging numerous zombies, and save everyone. Instead of ending on a cliffhanger as the pilot did, "Guts" ends on a lighter note, showing that Glenn can still appreciate the joys of life as he sails down an empty highway.
Back at the camp, Shane and Lori have a much more extensive affair than in the comics and even becoming something of a family unit, with Shane acting as Carl's father. I'm curious as to how the story will be resolved, since the way it ends in the comics is nothing short of spectacular, mostly because it goes in a different path than what happens on the show. Love triangles are very tricky, so I'm worried where this is going, especially since both look like bad people now.
As far as the comics go, Frank Darabont takes a few liberties to extend the wait until Rick reaches the camp and his family, spending time in Atlanta with other survivors, and shifts the wearing of zombie to an earlier time.
Score: 8.5/10
