Last week’s episode of Tales of The Walking Dead saw the new anthology series taking a trip back to the previously covered territory when it decided to further explore Alpha’s (Samantha Morton) backstory.
Episode 3 took a closer look at how Alpha — known as Dee back then — came to join the Whisperers.
Now, with Episode 4 (titled Amy/Dr. Everett), the series returns to unknown characters, this time introducing Dr. Charles Everett (Anthony Edwards) as a naturalist studying the undead — or Homo Mortis, as he refers to them.
He is a human that is more interested in the undead than caring for actual people, and this is displayed perfectly in the documentary he is filming, where he describes homo Mortis as “apex predators” and spouts that they are actually smart enough to be capable of migration patterns.
Judging by what is said in this doco, this episode may be the one billed as being 30+ years after the advent of the zombie apocalypse. However, nothing is definitively said that places it this far ahead of the initial outbreak.
Enter Amy (Poppy Liu). Needless to say, she is not interested in preserving the undead – or chompers. Instead, she wants to escape from them and avoid becoming their latest snack.
Amy needs help
She finds herself within the “Dead Sector,” a self-contained area thanks to a massive human-made ditch. It is also where Dr. Everett resides because the outside world is just too people-y for him.
Dr. Everett watches her battle the undead, even munching on a snack while he does so, that is how much he doesn’t care if humans live or die against the undead. It’s the way of nature, as far as he’s concerned.
However, when Amy damages a tracking beacon on one of the walkers he is following more closely, he jumps in to rescue her, using his jacket made of Homo Mortis skins to cover their scent.
Once they are out of danger, Everett pretty much ignores Amy, but she tags along because she feels like crap and wants some help.
When the doctor goes to his own home, she even manages to climb up to it, and the doctor eventually lets her inside.
This is where he realizes that she has been eating unripe berries and is slowly poisoning herself. That’s why she feels so bad.
And so, the road to friendship begins
While Everett helps Amy recover, they get to know each other a bit better.
Sure, Amy just wants to get back to her friends, but they end up learning plenty about each other in the process.
While Amy thinks the doctor’s study is dumb, they have plenty of conversations regarding the undead and nature and whether or not the Homo Mortis should be killed.
Along the way, Amy keeps drawing attention to a particular walker, Specimen 21. This was the same one that Amy damaged the tracker on earlier in Episode 4.
So, of course, you know there will be a backstory here.
Mixed in with all of this is the Skull Hunters, a group of people who breach the Dead Sector to take the heads of the undead.
At first, it is unclear whether or not Amy is mixed up in this group. Dr. Everett assumes she is, and Amy declares she’s not.
Amy and Dr. Everett bond
The pair separate for a while, but Amy soon comes back, having tracked Specimen 21 during the day. This convinces Everett to help her find her friends — so long as they find his precious specimen first.
While they travel, Everett spouts his hate for humans and his love of nature and the undead. Yes, nature is better off without so many humans in it, and that is the point of the episode, but it comes across as particularly preachy and not really endearing, as far as I’m concerned.
However, it does make the pair bond somewhat, and that is another aim of the episode in order to get to the end game.
Along the way, we also learn that Specimen 21 was a trusted colleague of Everett’s and probably the only human he really liked.
Finally, they reach Amy’s camp, but things are not going great there.
Amy’s camp is under attack
Right off the bat, Everett sees that a headless walker is by their camp. Amy insists they are not with the Skull Hunters but that they would only let them cross the area if they did some headhunting for them.
Then, a scream lets them know that the camp is under attack.
Amy quickly tries to help, but Everett doesn’t want to. Instead, he wants nature to run its course.
In the mix is Specimen 21 and Everett jumps in to protect him, but he goes into the water, and Amy doesn’t want to help him because he let her friends die.
But all that is moot because an alligator comes across and eats Specimen 21.
The pair argue after that, and Amy decides to rejoin her group – or what is left of them. Everett tries to get her to stay with him, but she refuses, so they part ways.
Later, Dr. Everett revisits Amy’s camp and discovers it has been overrun. Among the undead is Amy.
And, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, it seems the doctor now has a new specimen to replace #21.
Tales of The Walking Dead airs every Sunday night on AMC at 9/8c.