Walking Dead TV talk (w/ spoilers)

You wanted it - NOW YOU HAVE IT. You've been warned...

***THAR BE SPOILERS - DEAD AHEAD!***

I love most things zombie and this show has impressed me from the start. I will say that the quality of season 2 has made me look back less favorably on season 1. Oh well, it was fun and nothing too off putting for me.

Season 2's slow build may not have bothered me as much because I watched them all recently over a few days. If I'd had to wait a week in between each, I dunno - may have fell apart a little?

But the improving character dynamics have been great.
I felt so tense during the first episode where the herd moved through and then tense every time someone almost found Sophie. GEEZ! Then the tension with whether little Carl would make it and then if the walkers would get out of the barn. Well, more like when/how, not if

Shane. Woah. Loved that episode where he and Otis went to the high school. They totally sent you up thinking that ol fattie would go down when they split up, but OH GOODIE! He survived! Nope!
But what would you have done? Ultimately this is a HUGE reason I love apoc/zombie fiction - sets you up with decisions that would be so hard to make.

Whew... Okay, I have a lot more - especially about the dramatic barn reveal, but I'll let ya'll chime in for a bit before I keep going.

Needless to say. I'm infected.

My wife totally cried when Sophie came walking out of the barn. We believe one of two thing will happen, Shane will get banishes, or they all will. Who knows really. With that finale, anything seems possible.

I teared up a good bit throughout both Carl and Sophie's ordeals. Having a daughter, I really can't say what I would (or wouldnt) do to make sure she was safe.

Oh yeah, and I totally forgot about the pregnancy. Holy balls. I got so pissed at her for downing those pills, change of mind or no. But if you've got kids / been around newborns, can you IMAGINE a newborn in that situation? Its cries = death sentence. Powerful stuff.

does the show ever explain how a handful of doofers have survived this but apparently there's no sign of government or military?

anvil wrote: does the show ever explain how a handful of doofers have survived this but apparently there's no sign of government or military?

The show? Not yet... The comic? Maybe?

My suspension of disbelief goes a little something like: Govn't/military probably got proper hosed by initially tryiing to save/protect everyone - you know, since that's their purpose. But however it went down, they got slammed. Are they still around? Still have capabilities? No clue.

Instead, we follow the doofers who've survived by chance and learned skills (hey, we should stop shooting every single one of them because it attracts more).

Also, I figure it helps that they're now in rural Georgia which would be less populated (so fewer walkers) and less likely to see any surviving govnt/military action.

anvil wrote: does the show ever explain how a handful of doofers have survived this but apparently there's no sign of government or military?

Only seen a few of the shows (and was unimpressed enough to only maybe care about watching them someday), but the comics do a pretty good job of setting up a reasonable backstory for why certain people survived and how they did it. In fact, for a number of people these become major plot points. There is sort of a Lost feel though, where you learn new things about people much later during flashbacks/them telling stories that currently have much more significance.

Anvil, in World War Z they explain that government military is sent to respond to various outbreaks and get overrun very quickly. Modern day warfare can't effectively battle against millions of zombies, etc. In the end, it will be basic militia with firing lines that can effectively handle a zombie mob.


At first I was pretty disgusted with Shane for what he did and then i realized that had he not done that, not only would they both have been dead but Carl as well. And Shane knew that. And Shane TRIED to be the bait when he told the guy to go without him and bring back the supplies but the guy refused so Shane had to play that card.

My buddy Dan asked me if I could do that and I don't think i could. He asked, "what if you're holding a baby and you know you can't get away but if you put the baby down, you'd be able to get away", I still couldn't. He then asked me about my dogs and I was pretty quick to say that the dogs would get put down on the very first day because of the noise threat they would cause my family.


Ok, on the TV show, I can't WAIT for the next episode. Now in this thread, spoilers about the TV show are permitted but don't spoil future potential episodes if you've read the graphic novel. I haven't so it's awesome not knowing what will happen. I assume that the farmer KNEW that Sophie was in the barn because he treats walkers like people almost. so the entire time he knows that the girl they are looking for is very likely the one that he caught just before these people showed up at his house. So I wonder if that will cause major problems.

My wife thinks they will stay at the farm but I don't see how they can. They just shot up the farmer's family (who he still considered real people) and the betrayal about Sophie might bring things to a boiling point. I think they have to move on.

For a show about zombies, it's unbelievably well written and acted. I missed the first season and only started with season two but the characters quickly grow on you. I'm with you Barney. They're going to be on the move again unless they take over the farm. He barely tolerated them before. I can't see them staying there now.

Can't wait for the next installments.

From seeing people talk about what's happening and hearing other people talk about it, I believe the story strays pretty far from the books, especially in season 2.

As for the future? Old man will want them out and I think from a story-line perspective that with Sophie found, it'll be more interesting to hit the road again. Farm story's played out, and my guess is that while they could easily overpower the original owners, I think the Rick vs. Shane worldview will show Rick winning out (ie, stay human in inhumane conditions). I do see the group splitting up somehow though - tough call b/c I want to see what happens to everyone!

This is one angle I like a lot and nothing is clear cut. I was really hoping it would be Rick who shot Sophie in the end because it just felt right. Sure Rick has a big heart and trusts people when it could get him killed - but he always tries to do the "right" thing. In this case it was an act of humanity putting her out of her misery (in his eyes if not Hershel's). Contrasts well with Shane's shoot em up solutions.

The group NEEDS the Rick/Shane sides to the leadership because they are both necessary to survive physically and mentally.

@mikecl, IMO the first season will seem okay in comparison. If I recall, season 2 is done by someone different, and I for one am pleased with the results.

MattLoter wrote: From seeing people talk about what's happening and hearing other people talk about it, I believe the story strays pretty far from the books, especially in season 2.

Having only read hardback book 1, it is WAY different. Even the same characters have developed radically different. I find myself liking the TV characters better (even the ones I hate), but I usually fall in love with a story in the first medium I find it.

Ska, I felt that by making Rick shoot Sophie it gave him the leadership again. He's the guy who has to make the tough decisions. Everyone is just frozen stiff and Rick did what had to be done, without hesitation. It was a really strong moment for him and I thought it cemented him as the leader.

The thing about leaving the farm is that while obviously being more interesting for the story and show, it is super unrealistic at this point, no? Rick just made a HUGE case about how dangerous it is to be on the move all the time. Everyone is MUCH safer at the farm, I don't see how they can leave the farm without a BIG FUSS. So I hope that they just don't get up and go but are basically thrown out or whatever. Because it's super dangerous for them to be wandering the way they've been doing it.

I guess they'll just keeping heading for that Fort?

Yeah, Barney - it definitely gave Rick back the leadership/clout on making "hard decisions" so hopefully they'll be a more cohesive group for a little bit. I dont know about cementing him though. He really started to bug me while Carl was still questionable. He KEPT wanting to go out and get his wife, get supplies, etc. Had to be told to keep eating/resting b/c Carl need his blood. GEEZ.

And you make a good case about leaving vs staying. My guess is Hershel wants them out. Period. And with Rick back with leader status (as opposed to Shane), they leave peacefully.

Also, love the return of Daryl's brother (albeit in hallucination). Reminds us all that HE is still out there as well as Morgan and his son. Really tears me because I really love Daryl's character now and when they reunite I hope he doesnt revert into someone I end up hating...

Daryl is really puzzling to me because if I understand his character correctly (and I think I do), I don't know why that character would continue to stay with the group and not go off on his own. He's a loner, first of all, and his primal motivation should be finding his brother who he knows is alive. I don't know why Daryl stays with the group.

My take is that he feels useful/validated. He's the tracker/survivalist and does a damn good job helping the group. His vision brother brings it up though that he's still alive out there and he isnt being searched for. Boils down a bit to the kicked dog scenario where Daryl is loyal to his brother who's clearly abusive, but with him out of sight, out of mind - he's taking comfort with the new crew. Of course, fireworks will explode when they reunite...