Live Bait

"Live Bait" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of AMC's The Walking Dead. It is the forty-first episode of the series overall. It premiered on November 17, 2013. It was written by Nichole Beattie and directed by Michael Uppendahl.

Plot
A familiar face returns as each member of the group struggles to find his or her humanity in a world of constant threats.

Co-Stars

 * Danny Vinson as David Chambler
 * Travis Love as Shumpert
 * Daniel Thomas May as Allen

Uncredited

 * Melissa Ponzio as Karen
 * Denise Huth as Mrs. Blake (Photograph)
 * Kylie Szymanski as Penny Blake (Photograph)
 * Unknown as Bill Jenkins
 * Unknown as Miss Wilhelm (Photograph)
 * Ellie Decker, Christopher Weite, Joel Studer, & Lauren Henneberg as Walkers

Deaths

 * Welles (Zombified, Off-Screen)
 * Mike (Zombified, Off-Screen)
 * Terry (Zombified, Off-Screen)
 * Megan Cook (Confirmed Fate)
 * Bill Jenkins (Zombified)
 * David Chambler (Alive and Zombified)

Trivia

 * First appearance of Lilly Chambler. (Flashback)
 * First appearance of Tara Chambler. (Flashback)
 * First appearance of Meghan Chambler. (Flashback)
 * First (and last) appearance of David Chambler. (Flashback)
 * First (and last) appearance of Bill Jenkins. (Zombified)
 * First (and last) appearance of Miss Wilhelm. (Photograph)
 * Last appearance of Shumpert. (Flashback)
 * Last appearance of Allen. (Corpse)
 * Last appearance of Paul. (Corpse)
 * Last appearance of Brady. (Corpse)
 * Last appearance of Wilson. (Corpse)
 * Last appearance of Mrs. Blake. (Photograph)
 * Last appearance of Woodbury.
 * The title of the episode, "Live Bait", refers to Philip's actions throughout the episode:
 * He makes no effort to dodge the walker he passes by in the town and finally decides to lay down in the street to die.
 * He goes into the nursing home, which is infested with walkers. Some of these walkers are restrained, either by wheelchairs or strapped to tables, implying that they had been left behind either because they were bitten or as walker bait.
 * It may also refer to the words "Live Bait" seen on a road sign when Philip and the Chamblers are running from a group of walkers.
 * The original title for this episode was "Rise".
 * David Morrissey is added in the opening sequence for the first time in Season 4, since being removed from the last five episodes.
 * This is the first episode where only one series regular appears.
 * This is the first episode mainly focused on an antagonist.
 * This also the first episode of the show to not feature any member of the Atlanta Camp.
 * Due to being series regulars, this is the first time in which Chad Coleman (Tyreese) and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (Bob) are credited in an episode in which they do not appear.
 * There are a number of parallels between The Governor's journey in this episode and Rick's journey in "Days Gone Bye".
 * The episode begins with a scene showing the last moments of the men's lives before starting over. In Rick's case, this was the shootout before he went into a coma. In Philip's, the night following the fall of Woodbury.
 * Following these scenes, both wake up alone to find that two people have abandoned them and must journey into the world.
 * Both men happen upon fellow survivors at the moment of exhaustion.
 * The first human contact for each protagonist after they set out on their journeys is a family holed up trying to survive the disaster. For Rick, this is Morgan and Duane. For Philip, this is Lilly and her family.
 * With both families, the respective protagonist bonded with a child of the family.
 * For both protagonists, helping the family kill a now-undead relative resulted in character development. In Rick's case, helping Morgan find the apparent courage to shoot his wife gave him the strength to go out and face death himself. In Philip's case, having to kill David, and the resulting fear Meghan had of him, caused him to burn his family photo and commit to the future.
 * Both Rick and Philip encounter a group containing someone from their past following a skirmish with the walkers and both reunions are complicated by events having occurred between their last meeting and now. In Rick's case, this complication was Lori's affair with Shane. In Philip's, it appears to be that Martinez has taken on a leadership role and no longer needs him. Both later kill the person due to leadership problems.
 * The song included in the episode is "The Last Pale Light in The West" by Ben Nichols.
 * This is the first episode to be a complete flashback from current time similar to Issue 43, nicknamed the "flashback issue".
 * In an interview with David Morrissey, it was explained that the burning of the only photo that Philip has of his family means two things:
 * He folds the corner of the photograph and blocks himself out of it. And that is blotting himself from his past and seeing only the best of it, which was his wife and his child.
 * When he burns the photograph, it is a commitment to his future, to Lilly and Meghan. In order for him to look forward, he cannot have any connection to his life as The Governor. He cannot have anything from his past. He must commit fully to this new life.
 * In this episode most of the material is adapted from the novels, instead of the comics.
 * The scene where Philip kills the zombified David Chambler is adapted from Rise of the Governor.
 * The characters David, Tara, and Lilly (named April in the novel) are also from Rise of the Governor, but they have the last name "Chalmers".
 * Philip choosing the name Brian mirrors the end of the novel where Brian takes Philip's name. The Governor in the novel is named Brian Blake and is Philip's older brother.