Written by Dana J. Hortman, contributor
Image from AMC
On episode four of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Beth, who was previously taken at the end of season four by a black car with a white cross, wakes up and discovers the former way of life: electricity, the ticking clock on the wall. She’s also startled when police officer Dawn and Dr. Steve Edwards enter the room. The pair explain that they are at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta with other survivors, who had found Beth one night and saved her. Before they exit the room, Dawn tells Beth, “You owe us.”
As Beth ventures out of her hospital room, she soon realizes she’s gone back in time to a world full of working medical machines, neatly dressed professionals, and properly prepared food. Unlike the apocalyptic world outside, Grady Memorial possesses a peculiar order. However, the price for the order becomes obvious — each survivor rescued is useful and has a job to do. Officer Dawn says, “Food, clothes, protection. When have those ever been free?”
Later when she goes to the cafeteria, Beth meets the strange and twisted officer Gorman. Though Beth is hungry, she immediately declines eating when the officer insinuates that dinner will cost her. Instead, she takes the tray of food to Dr. Edwards. Inside the office, she finds the doctor listening to Junior Kimbrough on a record player as well as a Caravaggio that had been abandoned outside of the High Museum of Art. The two seem to bond, and eventually Beth reveals that she plans to eat very little so she can quickly pay off her debts.
Beginning the repayment of her debts, Beth aids Dr. Edwards and observes firsthand accounts of how the new group functions. Joan, a fellow survivor — who tried to escape, but was bitten by a walker — must have her arm removed immediately, per order of Dawn. Beth also befriends Noah, a janitor, who’s been at Grady Memorial for a year repaying his own debts. Eventually, Joan and Noah inform Beth that though Dawn may be the leader, she can hardly restrict others like officer Gorman.
Though Grady Memorial represents a miserable prison-like refuge, Beth finds comfort in befriending Dr. Edwards until he asks her to administer a patient’s medicine, which later kills him. Noah takes responsibility for the death and receives a severe beating. However, the culprit was Dr. Edwards, who knew the patient, a former doctor. In order to guarantee his duties as the only medical professional, the patient had to be killed.
Gorman makes a final advance towards Beth when Joan, who turned after committing suicide, attacks him. Anxious to rediscover freedom, Beth and Noah try to escape. While Noah succeeds, another officer catches Beth before she can get away too. During the final scene, Beth prepares to assist Dr. Edwards with another patient when she recognizes the woman lying unconscious on the stretcher — it’s Carol.
