Consumed (The Walking Dead)

"Consumed"
The Walking Dead episode
Surrounded by walkers, Carol and Daryl hold on tight as a van is tipping over a bridge.
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 6
Directed bySeith Mann
Written byMatthew Negrete
Corey Reed
Featured music"Bad Blood" by Alison Mosshart, Eric Arjes
Original air dateNovember 16, 2014 (2014-11-16)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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The Walking Dead season 5
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"Consumed" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead which aired on AMC on November 16, 2014. The episode was written by Matthew Negrete and Corey Reed, and directed by Seith Mann. The episode primarily focuses on Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) as she accompanies Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) in searching for Beth Greene (Emily Kinney). Several flashbacks in the episode explore the different stages in Carol's life, such as her rescue mission to save the group and several tragedies she is attempting to rebound from, including the deaths of her surrogate daughters, Lizzie Samuels and her sister, Mika, as well as the lasting effect of her banishment. The title of the episode refers to Carol's explaining to Daryl about the events in her life and how she has changed, saying that "everything now just... consumes you".[1]

Such themes as domestic abuse, death, change, and hope are prevalent throughout "Consumed". The episode prominently conveys the background abuse that both characters share, which past episodes indicated was the basis of their intimate bonding. It also sheds light on their transformations in the apocalypse and how they adapted as a result. Through this, fire is also prevalent within the episode and used precisely 10 times in various ways of showing Carol, in particular, changing as a result of various events.[1][2][3] The episode provides an explanation to several cliffhangers in preceding episodes with the heavily utilized nonlinear narrative.[3] This includes the revelation of how Carol ended up in Grady Memorial Hospital from the cliffhanger in "Slabtown", and the mysterious person in the woods with Daryl at the end of "Four Walls and a Roof" is revealed to be Noah.

"Consumed" has garnered critical praise from television commentators, who lauded the exploration of the characters' compelling histories and subtext, the return to cityscape in Atlanta, a prominent location used in the first season, and the performances by Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus. Others noted the slow pacing as a highlight, allowing a more contemplative narrative and better character focus.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b Prudom, Laura (November 16, 2014). "'The Walking Dead' Recap: The Daryl and Carol Power Hour". Variety. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  2. ^ Cabin, Chris (November 17, 2014). "The Walking Dead Recap: Season 5, Episode 6, "Consumed"". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Cruz, Lenika; Sims, David (November 16, 2014). "The Walking Dead and the Long Road to Redemption". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  4. ^ Schwartz, Terri (November 16, 2014). "'The Walking Dead' slows down for Carol and Daryl alone time". Zap2it. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference telegraph was invoked but never defined (see the help page).