The Walking Dead "Four Walls and a Roof"

*Contains some spoilers*

Last week's cliffhanger had me grinning. As a fan of the comic book (seriously, buy the first volume if you haven't read it), it was amazing to see this season is showing the source material a lot of love and doing it so well. However, following the source material so closely can be a double-edged sword. If the nods are done right, it's hugely satisfying. But taking scenes from such a superb story also means expectations are raised and they may not be as stunning. Well, it turns out we got a fair amount of both this week.

As expected, this week's episode tells viewers all about Gabriel Stokes. The last episode dropped some major teasers about this new character. Can he be trusted? What did he do to survive? "Four Walls and a Roof" gives us those answers and, for the most part, it's many expected. Even though it won't surprise some, Seth GIlliam's performance still made it an effective scene.

It's not a long sequence, but I really like how this episode opened. Cutting between shots of zombies and close-ups of teeth against flesh, only to then zoom out and reveal it's living humans eating the flesh was a nice touch. As for the big scene with Bob, I loved it. It wasn't as sudden as it was in the comic and obviously the language was toned down, but it was still completely engaging and gave Gareth a little more time to share his side of the story. All in all, it's what many of us wanted and I believe it delivered.

I'm feeling mixed on the development with Abraham's crew. I'm glad they showed his attitude and heart, but we're splitting the group up again?! It's too soon to say whether that's a bad thing because we've obviously yet to see how it's handled, but given the show's history, it's not the most promising development and this is making a huge change from the source material. I feel like there's still so much potential with these relationships, so it's a bummer to see that happen. Still, I'm happy to see Abraham's "mission" isn't getting placed on the back burner. Also, did anyone else find it a bit odd that Abraham wanted to leave when they were being watched? I get the vehicle was there, but bringing Eugene out in the open while they're potentially under attack isn't the best idea, is it? Well, at least Michonne once again has her blade, so there's that, right?

In the comics, it's Andrea and Dale who are in Sasha and Bob's situation. There's a lot of potential for some really strong emotional beats there, but since both have mostly been supporting characters and haven't received that much focus, it's tough to really let the more emotional scenes really impact you. Instead, it felt like this arc was here to develop Tyreese a little more. The guy certainly deserves it, but it's too bad the material between Sasha and Bob wasn't that absorbing.

Much to my surprise, the show already went through with the "massacre." There's a great nod to the source material (goodbye, fingers), but this didn't feel nearly as compelling as it could have. I'm glad they added a little twist to it, but, in a show full of jaw-droppers, this didn't feel that shocking or over-the-top. On the plus side, they did a good job handling the tension, used some cool shots of characters emerging from the darkness, and this was a solid way of showing them let loose -- something that was very needed -- after all that they've been through. However, if you've read Robert Kirkman's story arc, odds are you expected this to be one of the biggest, twisted and most powerful scenes in the series. What's also surprising is they didn't focus too much on the toll it took on some of the characters, either. Yes, we saw a trio staring and a bit of reflection, but it felt like a missed opportunity for some really gripping and moving developments, especially with Rick. The performances by Andrew Lincoln and Andrew J. West had me captivated, but when all was said and done, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed with the *ahem* execution of the scene.

Minor gripe: When Sasha was using the gun's scope, she seriously didn't hear the walkers that were shuffling towards her? I get the scene was there for a jump scare, but it seemed a bit silly.

"Four Walls and a Roof" is a perfect example of how following the source material so closely can both help and harm a show. If you haven't read the comics, odds are this was a shocking and a pretty awesome ride. But for comic fans, the unforgettable moment from "Fear the Hunters" probably won't pack the kind of punch you expect it to -- almost like it's a bit rushed and toned down. Aside from a shot or two lingering on for too long and the previously mentioned gripes, "Four Walls and a Roof" is still another thoroughly entertaining episode. Let's just hope these developments don't take a toll on the season's pacing.

Oh, and who else hopes it's Morgan with Daryl?