I think the newlydeads get solemnly dispatched after a ceremony at the handily dug graves nearby.

I am not sure why you think that. They didn't spend a ton of time up on the roof. They ran up there. Merle went nuts, beat up T-Dog (they need to give this guy a real name), they cuff him and leave him up there. Shit goes down, T-Dog runs up, loses the key, locks the door they were going in and out of. It didn't seem like they spent a lot of time wandering around the roof looking for other ways in or out. I didn't find it ex machina at all.


There had been background people in multiple shots at multiple times. The zombie horde attack didn't reveal them. By my count, I saw 4 people get killed. Two no name/redshirts, wife-beating Ed, and Amy who, arguably, could have been considered (by some) to be the most attractive female in the show.

Actually, I do enjoy the show. I like both of the main characters and root for them. I also really like the cinematography, which is very well done for a tv show and adds most of the tension and fear. That's enough to get past some of the "reacting to collapse" which comes off as lacking - scripted character types (here's the old rambling guy!) and overlong build-ups.

I still would love to see a show based more on a World War Z-type story. There's a reason that book is so popular.

No comments on last night's episode?

I thought it did a pretty good job setting things up for the season finale, although I can see people talking up the Lost comparisons even more now due to what happened in the last 15 minutes.

I know.

The first thing I thought when I saw the lone CDC guy was "It's Desmond in the hatch!" You can take it right down to the hasmet suit and the bright, white light as the big "reveal" when the doors opened.

I don't mind it.

I think things are set up for a pretty good finale. I liked how they appropriately ratcheted up the tension. The people looked tired, scared, beat up. There was no real moment when anyone relaxed. Nerves were frayed. There were some attempts to comfort other people, Andrea and Jim, but other than that it was arguments and stress.

For those interested, the CDC thing isn't in the comic. It's the first really big stray from the comic, which is fine.

It's sad there's only one more episode left until next year.

That's at least one issue that's very minor for me personally, since I never got into Lost at all. I get the comparison, it just won't be one that is particularly problematic for me.

I thought they did a great job on the scene in the woods with the consideration of the, umm, "hunting accident". Not so much with doing it, since I saw that coming a mile away, but rather with the interaction between Shane & the older guy. The way Shane tried to play it off & the guy just reacted like "what am I, stupid?"

I felt like I connected with the hillbilly hunter for the first time last night, in the final scene with Jim. For whatever reason, real or imagined, I felt like he ended up wrestling with the same thing I was at the last glance: whether leaving a soon-to-be-walker was the "right" thing to do. I mean, the blood of any survivor he kills down the line is on the hands of our group & I've kind of got a problem with that.

Understandable though her reaction may have been, if I'm Rick (or at least in Rick's position), I'd have put one in the back of the living sister's head from about 8 steps back if she had pointed that gun at me in that situation. Followed by two to the head of the walker-to-be. It's awful about your sister, but she's dead & you can change neither that fact nor the inevitable aftermath. No one here should be at any additional risk, however slight, just because you've got guilt issues about your relationship with her. And damned if you should be putting people in the position to deal with what's coming up shortly either.

I think my reaction -- as a guy who always ends up with angelic karma in Fallout -- is a sign that they're doing a good job of ratcheting up the tension of the overall situation with the show to this point. I'm reacting to their universe, not this one nor my own tendencies & that's a pretty good measure of engagement I think.

This was another one of those tension moments for me. They lingered on the guy's face for an uncomfortably long enough period of time for me to keep thinking that Merle was going to put an arrow through his head.

The one thing that rang false to me was how during the big walker battle in the previous episode, people like the wifebeater husband who got killed turned to zombies within minutes (at least in time to join the battle) but the dead sister lies there for hours or even overnight? Other than that, great episode.

He did?

Really? I didn't see that at all. In fact, I thought that he was still "originally dead" since his wife put the axe to him repeatedly so he wouldn't become a walker.

I believe that was just a regular walker who happened to bear a physical resemblance to the asshole.

Could be - I thought it was meant to be the same guy.

Anybody think that the scientist dude's lamenting the loss of fresh tissue is setting up the hunt for newly zombified Jim?

Interesting to see how they're dangling the Merle story. It seems they're headed away from that locale, so it doesn't seem likely they're going to resolve it/him in the finale. If that's the case, including that storyline at all was an interesting choice, without a second season guaranteed. I like the way they're leaving a lot of threads like that hanging without neat endings, and I'm interested to see how they handle them.

Crap-ass moment of the week: You're junky-ass '70s RV broke down? Really? Shocker. Psst, you're in zombie Atlanta, not Thunderdome. There are cars and gas everywhere. Get a new RV. Get a million dollar tour bus. Get five of them. Maybe one of those Hummers over there with the .50 cal on top. Howsabout a tank? Nah, where would you find one of those? We'll just stick with this rickety-ass Winnebago with known mechanical problems, and this 1981 panel van, thanks.

In my fantasy, the hispanic family has watched the two camp leaders take turns pointing firearms about wildly, debate rebuilding their tin-can perimeter after a zombie horde attack, seen the psycho blonde cradle her dead sister in her arms for 10 hours until she could blow her zombie brains out, slept next to the racist with the short-fuse and a grudge, seen the state of those vehicles, knows the Winnebago has a soon-to-be-zombie-Jim in the back unshackled, and realizes that someday soon that nutty sheriff is going to realize his wife was banging his 'best' friend. "Uhh.....we,uhhh......got some, uhhhh......family in Birmingham....so we'll, uhhhhh see you all later!"

:D

This is one thing that does bother me about the show. There are basically an unlimited supply of vehicles, why are they driving unreliable, worn down looking ones? If it's a plot device, that's fine, but, right now it makes them look dumb. On the other hand, it could be the mental state they are all in and shows that they don't always look ahead?

Could be going with the familar, known quanity, over the unknown. Though turning down a new RV is hard for me to reckon with.

Some disconnects in the show for me, but nothing to difficult to see past right now.

Hmmm.... ‘The Walking Dead’ Fires Writing Staff; Will Not Replace Them For Season 2 - Screen Rant

I like that character too - whereas Merle seemed to be a one-note asshole racist character, even after he was chained to the roof, the brother seems to have a little bit of nuance and depth. (Btw for whoever said Merle's thread is left untied, Jim left a note saying he was going to the CDC at the campsite - that's how he'd know where to find them next season.)That wasn't even the vehicle plot point that most made me suspend my disbelief - it was when (presumably) Merle stole their truck - so thinking he would go back to camp and take revenge they decide to run the X miles (I think they've said several at one point) instead of stealing another car, like we just saw Jim do (twice!) when they were previously trapped and had to go through an entire horde of zombies to do it. I'm also not sure if they conveniently forgot/did not take walkies that trip, or they "tried off screen" but were only getting static, but that might have been a good thing to point out to people at the campsite as they were having their kumbaya fish fry.

A six episode 'season' with plans on next year starting in October 2011.

Does AMC really have that much going on to only produce four and a half hours of show in a year? (generous number based on discounting commercials here)


Meh.

Yr 2 is supposed to be 13 eps, unless something has changed/everything I've been reading is wrong.

A humorous take a friend of mine on another board wrote:

So... what we should we do?
Let's go to Atlanta. The CDC is there.
Yeah, great idea! I'm going!
*later*
Ohhhhh shit! Atlanta is really dangerous. GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!

So... what should we do?
I know! let's go back to Atlanta!
*later*
Ohhhhh shit! Atlanta is really dangerous. GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!
Hey if you are listening on CB? Dooooon't go to Atlanta! For the love of God, dooooon't go to Atlanta!

So... what should we do?
I know! Let's go to the CDC center in Atlanta!
Hey if you are listening on CB? We're going to Atlanta! Meet us in Atlanta!
*later*
Ohhhhh shit! Atlanta is really dangerous. Fuckfuckfuckfuck

Good stuff, except for the fact that the CDC is about 7 miles outside of Atlanta. I Google mapped it. :)

You would.

1- Last week when the crossbow guy shot the bald Hispanic guy in the ass, any chance that arrow had some zombie gore on it?

2- No explanation for the fish fry zombie massacre? It just seemed hard to believe that a bunch showed up at the same time. Hey, who ordered the pack of zombies?

3- I think I'd have suggested the airport as a destination instead of the CDC. Should be easy to set up a safe haven there and they might find the guy that was piloting that helicopter. Any potential government aid would likely come through there and at the least there should be cargo to plunder.

4- I think AMC is going to sell a buttload of Walking Dead dvds.

I've liked the last two episodes overall. I think some stuff was done really nicely. A couple of problems though (which isn't a lot considering I had more problems at the beginning of the show):

-I guess they are moving away from zombie blood spreading the condition? Or is it only if it gets in your eyes or mouth or something? They seem to be pretty reckless now when fighting them, and I swear they mentioned in one of the first episodes to watch out for the blood.

-As much as I've come to like that second hillbilly character (with the crossbow), I find it hard to believe he'd just leave with the group and pretty much forget about his brother? The risked going back to Atlanta for him, then thought he escaped with their van... and now it's a dropped search. Doesn't make sense to me.

Also, and this has nothing to do with the episodes, it's kind of weird to see that story posted above about the writing staff being fired. What the hell? I don't like reading the bit about freelance writers. I'd like to think someone planned an entire season out.

Ah yes, that was dumb too. There had to be at least one car near by they could have taken to get back to the camp. Very good point Bishop.




On the writers getting fired. It may be a case of them pricing themselves out of a job. They saw how successful the show is and were asking for more money and next they know, they get the ax.

Edit: Ok, just read the article, sounds like they weren't doing much anyway from what the director was saying.

Something changing like them axing the entire writing staff?

1. I imagine that Darabont has been really running things the whole time anyway.

2. The writing has kind of sucked.

Don't take this as abuse, show has been great (though 2&3 uneven).

My Walking Dead - Lost character equivalency primer

Rick - Jack
Lori - Kate
Carl - Vincent
Morgan - Michael
Duane - Walt
shane - Sawyer
Glenn - Miles
Dale - Locke
Carol - Sun
Ed - Jin
Jim - Mr. Eko
Andrea - Juliet
Amy - Shannon
Jacqui - Rose
Morales - The Pilot
Dale - Sayid
Merle - Ben
T-Dog - Hurley
Dr. Jenner - Desmond

In my wildest imagination I can't see where firing the writing staff (and especially one that has made questionable contributions compared to the key person who remains) is going to affect the length of their order.

Unless someone at the network had at least two close relatives included in the group of castoffs, this is barely newsworthy as far as Season Two goes.

I went with my eight year olds to their favorite comic shop (Phoenix Comics - over near GMU). The amount of Walking Dead stuff they had for sale in comparison to this summer (when I first discovered the story) was incredible.

I am a big believer in the series, I love the concept. I think my problem right now has been with the acting and the writing. It's hard to believe some of the stuff that has been said and acted is coming from the guy who did Shawshank. It REALLY feels amateurish. The actor who plays Shane is completely over the top and while I think Rick is a solid actor, he seems to have trouble with that half-accent he uses.

Anyway, I am hoping for some stronger writing and more mayhem in season 2. Maybe some better actors, too.

I'm pretty much right there with you, Subby. Big believer in the series, and if done right, it will be awesome. While I enjoyed the small season one, it wasn't as good as I hoped. I'll definitely be tuning into season two just because of how much I enjoyed the comic, and believe in how good it could be on television.

Glen is totally Hurley. Come on.

I believe the actor that plays Rick is English, which would explain the problem he's having with the accent.

This. You might remember him from the move "Love, Actually" where he plays the guy who is (secretly) in love with Keira Knightley. I didn't realize it until the Wife pointed it out. It was a very "holy shit" moment when I realized that he was actually english.

I can't remember if I've asked this already but .... speaking of the actor playing Rick: While I think he's doing an incredible job with the accent considering what he actually sounds like, does anyone else find him almost disturbingly doppleganger to Christopher Merloni aka Stabler from L&O:SVU?

I had that reaction to him in the first few minutes of ep one & haven't been able to shake it, to the point that it's a consistent distraction to me, as I expect him to sound/act/react just like Stabler.

I just got caught up on the series last night. I've really enjoyed it so far. The dialogue has been rough in a few places and I haven't really enjoyed the romantic triangle scenes, but overall I think the quality has been excellent.

I thought it was interesting that the guy they ended up leaving on the side of the road had a dream about the future. Will this show end up having some Stephen King type of supernatural stuff? I also wonder about the helicopter that Rick heard - who was flying over Atlanta and why?

I really enjoy stories like this and I feel like this has been a solid year. Did any of you guys read "The Passage"?

I think he looks exactly like Henri Lubatti.

this was the hatch guy Desmond replaced, correct?

I don't think so. I think the guy Desmond replaced was Clancy Brown aka The Kurgan.

Yeah, the CDC guy is from The Truman Show and White Collar.

There can be only one!!

Plenty of press on the show & the stars these days, but a couple of interesting tidbits from this one

| Radio & TV Talk
of-the-walking-dead-marvels-over-good-fortune/?cxntlid=thbz_hm

The "CDC" was actually the old Sci-Trek interactive museum space, which some of the Atlanta/Georgia folks on the board are probably familiar with. The exteriors were shot at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.

Not to give too much away, but Grimes & Co. may soon been leaving Atlanta proper into more rural areas to get away from the high concentrations of zombies. “But I’m loathe to pre-empt what [executive producer] Frank [Darabont] and the team have in store. Frank’s written this exquisite thing. I’ll do whatever he says!”

and

In a later press conference, Lincoln said he was unaware of Darabont’s decision to possibly drop the writing staff and rely on freelancers, news broken earlier in the week by deadline.com. He said he implicitly trusts Darabont.

Robert Kirkman, who created the graphic novels and is actively involved with the TV series, clarified the issue a bit in TV Guide, saying any news about how the writing staff will be configured is premature.

How many of you will pick up the series when the DVD comes out? I wonder how much they'll make it DVD sales. I think they'll do pretty well since it will likely be a bit cheaper since it's such a short season.

I will probably pick it up at some point.

He was also in Beautiful Girls with Natalie Portman.

man, those two guys are easy to confuse

Yeah, but since she was like 14 in that it's just a little creepy.