The Walking Dead Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life: 06 (Walking Dead (6 Stories))

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As said by Greg Nicotero during his and Laurie Holden's Q&A at Walker Stalker Con Chicago 2014, Merle's death was not planned during the initial writing of the season. Merle's death came up on the last seconds before the initial shooting for the episode began. Merle was supposed to be a recurring character in Season 4. Nicotero also said there was a version of the episode which depicts Milton and Andrea tried to kill the Governor by putting a bomb that Milton made inside the Governor's apartment. But the writers decided to scrap it out because they felt it doesn't feel like The Walking Dead. One of the walkers featured in this episode was the infamous "plaid shirt zombie" from George A. Romero's film Dawn of the Dead. Production [ edit ] Michael Rooker ( pictured in 2013) made his final appearance as a series regular in "This Sorrowful Life". Critics applauded Norman Reedus' performance in the episode. This is the fifteenth episode of the third season of the Walking Dead and it's clear that as we get near the end, crazy things are going to happen. I like this episode for a number of reasons, but I really like how this episode centers on Merle as he reflects on the things he have done. The ending is really sad, but you can't say Merle had it coming from the day we met him. At least he went out in a glorious way.

Daryl, inconsolable and confused, simply did not know what to do. In killing his big brother, Daryl had closed the last remaining door to the past, to the world that once was but is no more, and he had opened a door to the future. For three seasons, Merle has been the subject of Daryl's mind. Finding his brother and then protecting his brother. Now, with Merle gone, exactly what will Daryl's purpose be? Fast and Loose" - Motörhead: This song was used at the time Merle listens to music while drinking Whiskey inside his car.

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The episode was watched by 10.69 million viewers, down slightly from the previous episode; [1] and critics reacted positively to the episode. Merle is put down by his brother, Daryl, following his sacrificial death by the hands of The Governor.

Personally, I am a little split. While I was tired of Merle walking around like a badass that didn't get along with anyone, he did try to redeem himself in the end and tried to save his baby brother. You have to respect any dude that goes out in a blaze of glory, bullets and fists flying, all to protect his family and kill a man that betrayed him. But in the end, I didn't feel the full impact of the moment. Merle's demise felt a bit rushed and the change towards redemption felt all too sudden. Merle going on a rogue mission on his own to kill the Governor is adapted from a similar scene in Issue 46, where Tyreese and Michonne go on their rogue mission instead. This Sorrowful Life" is the fifteenth and penultimate episode of the third season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which first aired on AMC in the United States on March 24, 2013.This episode is the best episode of the season 3 because Merle finally done a good thing in his life. Too bad that he failed. It'd be better if he succeeded. The sequence where Merle accidentally set off the car alarm was very well done, as we all realized what that alarm was going to bring forward. And Michonne curb stomping that one zombie to death, followed by decapitating the other, all while her hands were bound and she was tied to a post, was seriously bad ass -- I almost wished it was a more humorous scene where she killed all the zombies without Merle realizing they were ever there -- though that would be a bit off tonally for this show, I realize. Goldberg, Lesley (April 1, 2013). " 'Walking Dead' Dissection: Robert Kirkman on the Major Fatalities and Comic Book Detour". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved December 10, 2013.

Appreciated the ever strong and still progressing story and character building. Michonne gets more interesting every time and the episode is a masterclass of character development when it comes to Merle. The human drama is balanced well with the more action-heavy scenes. Also that the pace is never dull or rushed, deliberate but tight. There is a lot of tension and the ending is memorably heart-breaking. Emotion wise this episode was very powerful. Seeing Daryl find his brother like the way he did was very sad. Merle went out like a hero, in an attempt to redeem himself in the eyes of his brother, making his death even more sad. Merle’s last stand was another terrific sequence. The slow reveal of what his plan was played perfectly – as it first looked like he was being suicidal drawing those zombies near his car, until we realized he was luring them all towards the Governor’s men. And using the gunfire of those men fighting off those zombies to mask his own gunfire taking them out was ingenious! This mixture of man vs. zombie vs. man was really one of the best we’ve seen on this show. This Sorrowful Life" is basically Merle's episode. His big goodbye. So, you can look at it two ways: you hated Merle all along and you were yelling "Good Riddance!" as Darryl kabobed his brothers head or you were starting to like Merle and felt like there was a redemption to be had, which we sort of see in this episode. I believe this factor will impact how you feel about this episode. THE-WALKING-DEAD It's really hard to start discussing an episode that is parts solid and awful. "This Sorrowful Life" had its highs, its very low lows, and plenty of "ugh" moments that make it hard for me to say whether I'd ever be willing to watch this episode ever again. I suppose that is the way almost every episode in the second half of season three has been, but this is probably the best example, as the highs hit almost redeemed the episode…but not quite.Glenn cut off two fingers from a walker to obtain a wedding ring. Coincidentally, the Governor bites off two of Merle's fingers during their fight. This is actually because the same prosthetic fingers were used for both of the scenes. In the DVD commentary for this episode, it is revealed that Greg Nicotero's father cameos as one of the walkers near the prison fence in the first scene of the episode.