The Walking Dead: Season 3, Episode 4

Wow.
Is it just me, or this season proving to be the most intense season yet for a program that has been very, very intense?
Last night's episode was gut-wrenching in so many ways.  The prison has proven to be a tremendous setting, and thus far Season 3 is as gripping and as challenging as anything I have ever seen on television.  There have been many stellar episodes of The Walking Dead thus far, but I think last night's offering easily ranks among the very best.  It may have been the best, and it was surely one of the most difficult to view.
The birth scene we witnessed was handled to perfection, and proved once again that fans of the comic series don't know what to expect when they sit down to watch the show.  The tone is the same, many of the characters are the same, but the show isn't bound to the comic in such a way that it can't shock fans who have already read the material.  They're basically adhering to the plot, but they have no qualms about mixing it up when they so desire.
Two fan favorites perished last night, so this was obviously a huge episode, and the impact was only heightened by the way these events transpired.  These were huge moments in a show that hasn't shied away from shocking the hell out of its viewers.  Last night was only the latest example of how far The Walking Dead is willing to go to tell a horrific and a dramatic story that is both incredibly entertaining and equally distressing. 
Andrew Lincoln continues to shine as Rick Grimes, but seriously, hasn't everyone in this cast shown that the producers did a fantastic job of putting The Walking Dead together?  Seldom do any of these performers strike the wrong chord, and the parts are rather demanding.  Last night's entry saw Rick sink to a new low in terms of despair, and though he keeps getting stronger and stronger in the face of adversity, it's fair to wonder how much more he can take. 
I still want to see more of Michonne, and I'm still getting a feel for the way AMC is depicting the Governor, but this show has rewarded me at every turn.  I still can't believe that the best thing happening in film and television so far as horror is concerned is airing on cable television.  Yet it's true, and I can't thank AMC enough for having the courage to serve up this gory delight.
I can't wait to see what's waiting for us in Episode 5.