*Contains some spoilers*

Now that the prison crowd has apparently eliminated the new infection, The Walking Dead decides to go back in time and show what happened with the Governor after he went bonkers and slaughtered his own people. Whether you want to believe it or not, The Walking Dead isn't about humans killing zombies and zombies eating humans-- it's about the characters and how they'll find a way to live in this new and terrible world. Last week did a good job having Hershel drive the story, and this week, David Morrissey is given the spotlight and he totally runs with it. Everything the script throws his way, he's able to turn into an engrossing and compelling scene. And luckily for him, the script is darn good as well.

The show sometimes fumbles when it has to juggle one too many characters, but this one absolutely nails it with the Governor and gives a proper follow-up and then some to his conclusion in Season 3. The twisted and bloodthirsty man you've come to know is gone. The weight of his actions has taken quite a toll on him and wandering for what appears to be months has taken an even bigger one on him. Ultimately, we're watching the Governor as he tries to leave his past behind and start a new life. The fact he's now found a young girl who reminds him of his former daughter only furthers the emotional connection we have to him. You can't help but want to root for him as he strives for a new life. Sure, there's no forgiving what he previously did -- not at all -- but seeing him try is superb and created some of the most absorbing material I've seen this season.

While this episode is primarily a character study, the people behind the show of course recognize we need some zombie action, too. As always, there's some great makeup as various walkers are encountered along the way and, while never truly being scary, they still do a solid job creating some eerie environments and scenarios. To top it off, there's an absolutely vicious fight with some exceptionally gory and creative kills. It's not just about the violence, though. The whole ordeal symbolizes the man's drive. Could this new connection transform him back into the man he once was? I guess we'll see next week, but I wouldn't be surprised if he'll do anything at all to assure a certain someone's safety.

The cliffhanger reveals we'll have another episode all about the Governor next week. Yes, that's all kinds of awesome based on this episode, but at the same rate, I'm wondering if two weeks away from the prison will diminish our emotional connection to the recent events with Rick and company. I don't know about you, but I was dying to see how Daryl and Tyreese would react to the news about Carol. As for a problem with the actual episode, I can't help but cringe at the truck lovin'. Right next to the sister and the little girl? Really? Look, I get it was the heat of the moment and all that, but that close to the others and they weren't even trying to be quiet once they started making out, either? I sincerely hope the other two are heavy sleepers.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm giving my first 5-star review to a TV show. Personally, I wasn't too thrilled with Season 3's finale, but tonight's episode did a fantastic job taking advantage of what it all meant for the Governor and the path it would set him on. It wasn't quite as gripping as the character-driven episodes with Morgan, but it was still a thoroughly impressive episode and did an excellent job turning the Governor into an even more complex character. Now it's time to see how this will all lead to last episode's cliffhanger.

This is one of those episodes that when I watch it again on dvd, I'll probably love but for the first viewing I kind of hated it.

• Had my fill of the governor after season 3 (Another Governor-centric episode next week? Damnit!)
• I hate bottle episodes (let's save money and film in as few locations as possible, with as few characters as possible)
• The sister character (the one without a kid) was a complete joke (The scene at the end when they're walking down the road and she casually mentions she's gay so we know there will be no jealousy of the budding relationship seemed offensive.)

There were definitely some great moments (The Governor's interactions with the little girl were fantastic and emotional) David Morrissey is outstanding in this role. Like I said, when I watch it within the context of the full season I'll probably love it, but as a stand alone episode, it felt like the worst of the season.

I couldn't help but think "C'mon Governor! Get your sh!t together! You're better than this!!"

also having the mother and daughter named Lilly and Megan was really cool

I like your honest reviews. You should review Legend of Korra nxt season XDDDDDD!!!

Best episode of the season, much more interesting than Rick and the gang getting down with the sickness. Also, I like that they're fleshing the Governor out and not just making him an evil psycho like in the comics.

My favorite band in the world had a song in it!! Called Lucero, check them out if you liked it!

Nice review Gregg.

Great Episode.

it looks as though very few people got the Megan and Lilly reference

Don't care for the Governor at all, so I'm extremely upset that we're stuck with him next week too. I was hoping it would wrap up with him killing them all and adopting a new zombie daughter.

@kilomac29: she didnt even have to mention shes a lez i had already assumed she was after they first meet...

I kinda agree, I loved his evilness in the comic, and I wanted the show to be more evil, but this episode changed my mind. I like seeing and interesting character! And I feel the sickness is long and boring, but I have watch the whole show in 2 months, so that's probably why I think its long, just waiting for new episodes.

@rogueshadow I am interested in your opinion.

I don't get it....

Lily was the one who killed the Governor, after the Governor convinces her to shoot Lori. (Lori is carrying baby Judith, so the shot ends up killing them both.)

But, also:

Yeah, I don't know about anybody else, but as soon as he called her Lilly, I knew this was going to go sour... Judith won't last too long if she's the same Lilly...

I predict that: Instead of the Governor having her shoot Lori and killing the baby accidentally (she's dead already in the show) he is going to have her shoot Beth. (As she has been carrying Judith a lot.) That OR she'll shoot Rick and kill the baby. I doubt they'd kill Rick so early, though, but it's always possible that Robert Kirkman really wants to take it into a WHOLE different direction. Probably Beth, though. Either way, I assume if it's the same Lilly, it's gonna be pretty bloody.

The first 5 star review for a TV show!

Honestly the Show is watered down and weak, I don't see them shooting a baby. And I'll be pissed if Beth dies, cause I have a crush on her. I am very interested in would the Governors story will be next. I hope that Lilly dies, and he is stuck with Megan. Also I want to see the main characters hacked up, Rick needs to lose a hand, and Carl needs to lose an eye.

@allstarsuperman: spoilers here for the comics and the novels

in the comics Lilly is the girl who shot and killed Lori and Judith....there's a series of novels that they're doing now that follow the Governor's rise and fall that's set in the comics continuity...in the second and possibly third novel (I'm just started the third) Lilly is the main character and at she arrives at Woodbury with her best friend Megan, her boyfriend Josh, Megan's boyfriend Scott, and Bob an ex-military medic with a drinking problem (the black guy from the show)....Scott disappears shortly after they arrive...it's revealed later that the Governor killed him and he's one of the heads in his tanks...Josh is killed by a Woodbury citizen during a fight...and Bob is given as much alcohol as he can drink by the Governor and becomes his lackey...Bob is "given" Megan by the Governor after she discovers Scott's head in the tanks...she later hangs herself outside Bob's house

brutal

Season 1 was promising. Seasons 2 and 3 were downright awful.

I watched the first 3 episodes of Season 4. I've officially lost interest. May or may not visit any remaining episodes once the series is done.

Honestly this might be in my top 3 favorite episodes of the entire series. I never thought I could feel bad for the governor after everything he did but this episode got me to! David Morrissey has done a fantastic job playing this new much more interesting version of the governor as a man with nothing kind of concept.

watch this!

This season has been the best so far! Pretty cool episode.

everyone complaining about the governor and this is the episode they like him? silent? his charisma is what makes him, i truly don't understand any of these ratings. is this what caring feels like? i don't like it makes me feel all funny.

interesting episode.

I didn't really like this episode. I'm not sure why I just....didn't.

This season has been epic...except for last night. All the momentum established has been brought to a screeching halt. From an editing standpoint, devoting an entire episode to the governor was abrupt and too long. Probably works better in a marathon viewing.

@infernopig: yeah, based on that painful dialogue she was given they made it pretty obvious. My guess is they kill her first in the next episode.

Gave up on this series halfway through Season 2, but there's some good hype about this Season 4 going around, so I have a question; are all the characters still as whiny and downright hateful as they were on the farm (Daryl excepted, obviously)? If so, I stick by my decision to stop watching it, if not I may give it another shot.

Here are my thoughts on the episode:

season 2 was the worst, it gets much better

@rogueshadow: what did you think of the episode

The character studies this season have been really great! Especially the twist/transformations; Carol did what?! And now the Governer! Did not expect this. I'm ready for another Brian episode, want to see what brings him to the prison. Is he there for help? Or to take over, just to keep his promise?

Not to say it was bad but I kinda felt like this episode was a little cheesy in some parts, particularly when the Governer is basically posing in front of burning building. It just seemed trite and vain. I also felt like his not killing walkers was ineffective at showing his angst. He still wants to live enough to walk for hundreds of miles but wouldn't mind be eaten alive slowly if it happens? Where's the sense in that? If he's so self-destructive why doesn't he just stay in one place? Also they just need to nix the rock music they reserve for montages, it just doesn't suit the show at all. It's too Nickleback and it basically spells out the mood for you in the most overt way possible, it's distracting.

Best episode of this season!

Nice review.

Agreed. I was counting down the minutes until he gunned them down and took there stuff, but it never happened. It certainly doesn't seem like it's going to happen now, if anything he might get a bit of revenge on his "henchmen" for abandoning him to protect his new family.

I know some don't like this episode, but really, it revitalized my interest in the show. The prison/sickness plot was kinda boring me, but this Governor subplot is pretty interesting, I can't wait to see him struggling with his past demons and his 'new family" Though, I half expected him to leave the two women behind and steal the little girl when they were running from the biters.

"You're /MY/ daughter now!!"

That hot and heavy scene was a bit hard to watch when they were laying right next to the little girl. I can watch zombies get their brains beaten in all day, but sex scenes where children are in the scene is messed up.

same,

Terrible episode, I can't stand the governor and anything with him in it reminds me of the awful 3rd season and the fact that he is a horrific human being. I won't be watching this show anymore if he is still in it. The new characters introduced were really annoying as well, the sister especially. Trying to act tough and coming off like an idiot with cheesy dialogue.

The governor/Philip/Brian resembles King Kong to me. A flawed monster that only love can change and to be honest I think the governors new girls are gonna die and revert him to his old self as a way of reassuring us that this apocalypse is as relentless as ever and in the end he begins to truly relish his desire to destroy rick and co

I usually prefer the comic versions of the characters to the TV ones. But their making the Governor into such an interesting character, I think I can honestly say that he's the first one to actually make me like him better than the comic Governor!

@cmaprice: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.But you saying season 2 and 3 were awful is ridiculous and laughable. If they were that awful, then there wouldn't be a season 4 or 5.Your funny brah!Lol

This episode actually made me like the Governor. I also want to know about Daryl and Tyreese but I want to see next week with the Governor too.

One question, though...

What exactly would the Gov have been compromising by just saying his name is Phillip instead of Brian?

You could tell how hard things have been on him because of what lengths he'll go not to answer simple questions or eat Spaghetti-O's haha

Sweet.

please stop watching it sounds like the show makes you miserable ...if you hate is why watch? just to slam it here and complain ..sunday night has alot of tv choices and walking dead is already the most watched show on sunday besides football so if you stop the show will endure for those of us who love the show .

@sasquatch888: I don't watch it on sunday, I'm Irish :). And I really enjoyed the first 2 seasons and I like the comics so I want to watch it but if it keeps going in this vain, I might stop. We'll see how the next episode goes