Topic: Walking Dead

[Glock32]

I've just started watching this show on Netflix.  Pretty entertaining so far.  Definitely quite graphic.  One of the grossest things I've seen on TV is in the 3rd episode when they cover themselves in zombie blood and guts to mask their living scent from the other zombies. I was also a bit surprised in the very opening scene of the first episode, when it shows him having to shoot a young girl zombie.

For once it's nice to watch a show set in the South that's actually filmed on location. Far too often on other shows you see that typical scrubby southern California landscape and you're like "that ain't Dixie!"

[Pandora]

The new season starts tonight at 9 on AMC.

[Libertas]

I've kinda lost track of the series...been busy...last I saw was the conflict with the Governor and his town...

Am I going to miss anything if I resume watching and skip any catch up?

[RickZ]

I've kinda lost track of the series...been busy...last I saw was the conflict with the Governor and his town...

Am I going to miss anything if I resume watching and skip any catch up?

Not really.

A new chapter has started, with new survivors in the group; they are still at the prison (which really is a great place to survive zombies if you can clear then defend it).  Gotta have fresh meat for the zombies to keep it interesting, keep you guessing as to who is this series' version of Ensign Expendable.  If you can, watch the rerun which is usually the previous week's show aired before the new episode, plus at odd times during the week, so you'd have to look that up.  A 'calm before the storm' build up with this new season's show -- to what end I don't know.  A little stroll outside the fence by Sheriff Rick has given the audience some insight into the rest of the world, or at least this group's neighborhood in their little corner of what's left of the world, not just the existential battle with the bat shyt loony Governor.

I enjoyed it.  Like I said, a new chapter, although I'm sure one-eyed Governor Cuckoo will make a timely appearance -- to no good end.  He does emit that Jim Jones 'just drink the Kool-Aid' kind of vibe.  The Gov's made a really interesting enemy,  but I don't see him surviving the season.  Gotta clean up and move on.  To me, that's the beauty of a show like this, that it's pretty freewheeling.  They holed up in the prison to lick their wounds, and they've succeeded in that goal.  Time to see what else is out there.  They can survive in the prison; they cannot live there.

[IronDioPriest]

A couple interesting things to note from the season 4 opener...

They made mention that the walkers have changed behavior. Instead of disbursing along the fence, they congregate together in clumps. Interesting to see where that leads.

Also, they're giving a hat-tip to real-life Daryl fanboyism by giving him a quasi-mythical status within the community. That seems on the one hand like a cheap patronizing handout to TV-land, and on the other hand, I can imagine a small community in their situation craving real heroes.

Also, what killed the young boy? Is this season's new enemy... some disease? Is the disease related to walkerism? Or something else entirely?

Also, since the meh season 2, I am usually pleasantly surprised at the writing creativity. Raining Zombies through the ceiling? Damn good imagination - totally realistic, what with the crashed helicopter on the roof.

Also, it looks like Michonne has finally learned a new expression beyond the untrusting scowl.

Overall, episode 1 season 4 sucked me right in.

[Glock32]

I've just now made it up to the beginning of Season 2 and I like the show. One thing that is bugging me though is how they keep trying to patch up this Winnebago they're driving around. Uhh, why don't you just take one of the literally thousands of abandoned vehicles all around you? And running out of gas? Yeah, I think there's probably a couple thousand gallons sitting in the abandoned cars on that one little stretch of interstate.

More to the point, why not take some of those military vehicles? A Humvee, a truck? They're heavily armored and will run on any kind of fuel you can find, anything from gasoline to jet fuel.

[Pandora]

I've just now made it up to the beginning of Season 2 and I like the show. One thing that is bugging me though is how they keep trying to patch up this Winnebago they're driving around. Uhh, why don't you just take one of the literally thousands of abandoned vehicles all around you? And running out of gas? Yeah, I think there's probably a couple thousand gallons sitting in the abandoned cars on that one little stretch of interstate.

More to the point, why not take some of those military vehicles? A Humvee, a truck? They're heavily armored and will run on any kind of fuel you can find, anything from gasoline to jet fuel.

More than a few of us were complaining about that as well, as in, 'what the hell are they thinking?'  Or, not thinking, as it were.  Mayhap it had something to do with already being in the prepper mindset.

[IronDioPriest]

Be prepared for a little wandering in the weeds Season 2 Glock. Just warning you. The writers lost their way, but rebounded Season 3. Still, you need to watch Season 2 for the continuity.

[ChrstnHsbndFthr]

I really enjoyed it. Much to catch there, some of which I missed the first time through. Good episode.

[Glock32]

At first I thought he was a belligerent douchebag, but I've come to like the character Darrell. I went to high school with so many redneck guys just like that, even look like that. They were always out of school on the opening day of deer season.

[IronDioPriest]

At first I thought he was a belligerent douchebag, but I've come to like the character Darrell. I went to high school with so many redneck guys just like that, even look like that. They were always out of school on the opening day of deer season.

Interestingly, Daryl and Merle are made up characters for the series that were not in the graphic novels. I think that if not for Norman Reedus and the iconic character he's created in Daryl, the series might not be alive today. He's by far the most interesting character, IMHO.

[Glock32]

Yeah I haven't seen the return of Merle yet. I recognized the actor from the movie Tombstone.

[RickZ]

Interestingly, Daryl and Merle are made up characters for the series that were not in the graphic novels. I think that if not for Norman Reedus and the iconic character he's created in Daryl, the series might not be alive today. He's by far the most interesting character, IMHO.

I agree.

[Glock32]

Ok I've just now gotten about halfway through Season 2 and I think the story is finally about to pick back up. My brother gave me the same warning as IDP, that Season 2 wandered in the weeds a bit plot-wise. I just finished the episode where they go find Hershel accepting reality in his old watering hole, and they encounter two live humans who are trying to insinuate themselves onto the group's farm in a veiled but threatening manner. I always kind of figured in a scenario like this, other groups of survivors could ultimately prove more threatening than the roving hordes of Democrats. I guess that's sort of the point to the zombie concept in films, that they're a convenient shorthand for societal collapse and the behavior of the surviving people is the real story. The scene where Rick kills the two newcomers is a good example...in the absence of law and order where the rules of the jungle apply, do you take preemptive actions based on implied threats? I think Rick made the decision to kill those two when he saw the fat one urinate right in the middle of the bar and make that lewd comment about wanting a piece of ass. Those two things alone signaled what he was dealing with. When he looked at the guy taking a piss right on the floor in front of everyone it's like you could see the wheels turning in his head "I've cost everyone enough already with trying to be Mr. Decent & Reasonable. No more."

On another note, Dale is really getting on my nerves by acting like he is the arbiter of morality for the group -- especially when he tried to get rid of all their guns in the swamp!

[Libertas]

Dale...   

Well, you'll see.

Anyway, I have Xfinity, so I'll catch S4E1 and pick up the action.

That batsh*t crazy little caesar "Gov" hopefully gets slaughtered soon...falling into a pit of zombies and ripped apart woud do it...or some other spectacular demise.

[IronDioPriest]

...I always kind of figured in a scenario like this, other groups of survivors could ultimately prove more threatening than the roving hordes of Democrats. I guess that's sort of the point to the zombie concept in films, that they're a convenient shorthand for societal collapse and the behavior of the surviving people is the real story...

Thus it has been since the granddaddy of the genre, "Night of the Living Dead". Zombies provide the gore and the catalyst. People tear each other apart.

[Libertas]

...I always kind of figured in a scenario like this, other groups of survivors could ultimately prove more threatening than the roving hordes of Democrats. I guess that's sort of the point to the zombie concept in films, that they're a convenient shorthand for societal collapse and the behavior of the surviving people is the real story...

Thus it has been since the granddaddy of the genre, "Night of the Living Dead". Zombies provide the gore and the catalyst. People tear each other apart.

Does George Romero really understand what he has done?

[IronDioPriest]

...I always kind of figured in a scenario like this, other groups of survivors could ultimately prove more threatening than the roving hordes of Democrats. I guess that's sort of the point to the zombie concept in films, that they're a convenient shorthand for societal collapse and the behavior of the surviving people is the real story...

Thus it has been since the granddaddy of the genre, "Night of the Living Dead". Zombies provide the gore and the catalyst. People tear each other apart.

Does George Romero really understand what he has done?

I'm not 100% sure you mean what I think you mean. But it's clear that his primary intention was to create commentary on the state of human interaction under end-of-the-world type stress. Whether in his mind, zombies were allegorical to hordes of people closing in on those with shelter, food, and weapons, Idunno. But it seems a logical assumption, doesn't it?

Perhaps Verne, Orwell, and Roddenberry have nothing on George A. Romero in regards to predicting the future.

[Libertas]

...I always kind of figured in a scenario like this, other groups of survivors could ultimately prove more threatening than the roving hordes of Democrats. I guess that's sort of the point to the zombie concept in films, that they're a convenient shorthand for societal collapse and the behavior of the surviving people is the real story...

Thus it has been since the granddaddy of the genre, "Night of the Living Dead". Zombies provide the gore and the catalyst. People tear each other apart.

Does George Romero really understand what he has done?

I'm not 100% sure you mean what I think you mean. But it's clear that his primary intention was to create commentary on the state of human interaction under end-of-the-world type stress. Whether in his mind, zombies were allegorical to hordes of people closing in on those with shelter, food, and weapons, Idunno. But it seems a logical assumption, doesn't it?

Perhaps Verne, Orwell, and Roddenberry have nothing on George A. Romero in regards to predicting the future.

It appears you understood both elements of my question.    

Often with movie makers it is not always transparent what they want to convey is what people in the audience perceive.  I cannot come up with a specific example off the top of my head, but I recall hearing on more than one occasion where a director or writer/producer talking about their motivation and what compelled them to produce what they created and thought "I never would have guessed that".  And yes, it would be ironic if a simple vision of mankinds fate, organic of earth, proved to be more visionary than the epic vistas envisioned by our most celebrated and gifted science fiction masters!

[Glock32]

So I am now current on The Walking Dead. I was so badly wanting to see The Governor dispatched in the slowest and most gruesome manner, but it looks like they're saving him for another time.

It's funny how you develop an in-group mentality even with fictional characters on a TV show, because in the premiere for Season 4 they show all these dozens of new people milling around and being all familiar with the established characters and I'm like "Excuse me, but who are you people?"  It was the same way with Lost.