The Walking Dead season 4

Production

A fourth season of 16 episodes was confirmed in December 2012, with production beginning in Senoia, Georgia on May 6, 2013. David S. Goyer was initially reported to direct the penultimate episode but did not due to scheduling conflicts; Greg Nicotero replaced him and directed three episodes for the season. Tricia Brock and Ernest Dickerson each directed two episodes, while Michelle MacLaren returned to direct the season finale after previously directing episodes in seasons one and two.

Comic book co-creator Robert Kirkman wrote two episodes. Filming was completed on November 23, 2013. Showrunner Scott Gimple stated that the ultimate inspiration for the series is the comic book, though the story sometimes diverges, and that the plague storyline was inspired by Camus' The Plague and other plague stories. A set of webisodes titled The Oath was released on October 1, 2013, and a third season of the live talk show aired alongside the fourth season.

Cast

The fourth season of the show had thirteen main cast members. Nine of them appeared in the opening credits, while four were listed as "Also starring." Melissa McBride and Scott Wilson, who played Carol Peletier and Hershel Greene, moved into the opening credits after previously being listed as "Also starring." David Morrissey, who played The Governor, was not listed among the main cast until his return in the episode "Live Bait."

The "Also starring" credits included Emily Kinney as Beth Greene, Chad L. Coleman as Tyreese Williams, Sonequa Martin-Green as Sasha Williams, and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Bob Stookey. Wilson and Morrissey were taken out of the opening credits and dropped as main cast members after the episode "After," though Wilson was brought back for the season finale "A." Andrew Lincoln played Rick Grimes, the main character and a former sheriff's deputy who had given up his leadership role.

Norman Reedus played Daryl Dixon, the group's main hunter. Steven Yeun played Glenn Rhee, a former pizza delivery man married to Maggie Greene, played by Lauren Cohan. Chandler Riggs played Carl Grimes, Rick's teenage son. Danai Gurira played Michonne, a fierce woman who had become close with the group. Melissa McBride played Carol Peletier, a former domestic abuse survivor who had made dark choices to protect the group.

Reception

The fourth season was well received by critics. On Metacritic, it holds a score of 75 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating 'generally favorable' reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds an 81% approval rating with an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 from 316 reviews, with the critical consensus stating it is 'consistently thrilling' with solid character development and enough gore for grindhouse fans. At the 40th Saturn Awards, the season won three awards: Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series, Best Supporting Actress on Television (Melissa McBride), and Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series (Chandler Riggs); it was also nominated for Best Guest Starring Role on Television (David Morrissey).

The season received two Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series ('Too Far Gone') and Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role ('30 Days Without an Accident'). It was also nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series at the 20th and 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards. Melissa McBride was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 4th Critics' Choice Television Awards.

Home media releases

The fourth season was released on region 1/A DVD and Blu-ray on August 26, 2014, including a limited edition Blu-ray packaging designed as a replica of the tree walker from the episode 'Isolation', sculpted by McFarlane Toys. Special features include 'Inside The Walking Dead' and 'The Making of The Walking Dead' featurettes for every episode, six other featurettes, deleted scenes from eight episodes, audio commentaries on six episodes, and two extended episodes. The final line of the season is uncensored, with Rick saying 'They're fucking with the wrong people', a change added to the finale itself.