Calling All Walkers... Dinner Is Served

Zeb_Carter said:

You say patato I say potato. Out come on WD? Only three possibilities exist.

1. all humans die
2. all zombies die
4. every wakes up from the bad dream

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Okay. So don't watch. No problem.

The thing to remember about Walking Dead is that the walkers are not the bad guys, they are just the scenery. The set dressing, if you will. The real enemy is the other humans; whether it be Shane, Merl (before he got wise), or The Governor. It's a struggle between those who are trying to hold onto some sense of civility against those who are looking to survive by ANY means necessary.

That's what I love about Walking Dead. It's not just survivors in a mall hiding from zombies. It's a show that looks at the long term affects of the end of the world. It constantly makes you question what is the moral decision vs the right decision, because they are not always the same....and there isn't always a third option.

PennLady said:

Okay. So don't watch. No problem.

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That's what I said in the beginning.

Okay opening, set some stuff up. Rick is borderline suicidal.

SecondCircle, as a fan I trust you know the show is on about 20 of 100+ mags of the graphic novel.

Plus, it's filmed around Atlanta, GA.

johneb87 said:

The thing to remember about Walking Dead is that the walkers are not the bad guys, they are just the scenery. The set dressing, if you will. The real enemy is the other humans; whether it be Shane, Merl (before he got wise), or The Governor. It's a struggle between those who are trying to hold onto some sense of civility against those who are looking to survive by ANY means necessary.

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Exactly. The walkers could be other things, like environmental collapse or something. The walkers provide a different, omnipresent threat than something like that, but they are still not a proactive threat. They're just there. So it's the interactions between the characters that make it worth watching, especially as you say, the ones who try to remain civilized and the others who don't care.

I thought in World War Z, an excellent point was made. Don't mean to spoil anything, but -- in one section a soldier is describing a big battle setup against the zombies, and it's a classic case of fighting the previous war. They did it all wrong and it all went haywire, and not because the zombies took active advantage of any military tactics, but because they just kept coming, like the walkers against the fence in Walking Dead. That adds a certain amount of tension, but it's not enough.

johneb87 said:

That's what I love about Walking Dead. It's not just survivors in a mall hiding from zombies. It's a show that looks at the long term affects of the end of the world. It constantly makes you question what is the moral decision vs the right decision, because they are not always the same....and there isn't always a third option.

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That's what I like, too. Movies can only go so far because they have a limited running time. A series like this can explore more quesitons.

jomar said:

Okay opening, set some stuff up. Rick is borderline suicidal.

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I don't think so, although that's not to say Rick is utterly stable. But I think he is better able to think clearly, and consider Carl and Judith. He's fragile but not as far gone as he was.

PennLady said:

I thought in World War Z, an excellent point was made. Don't mean to spoil anything, but -- in one section a soldier is describing a big battle setup against the zombies, and it's a classic case of fighting the previous war. They did it all wrong and it all went haywire, and not because the zombies took active advantage of any military tactics, but because they just kept coming, like the walkers against the fence in Walking Dead. That adds a certain amount of tension, but it's not enough.

I don't think so, although that's not to say Rick is utterly stable. But I think he is better able to think clearly, and consider Carl and Judith. He's fragile but not as far gone as he was.

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Ah, the Battle of Yonkers. Hearing about this really makes me want to read the book from start to end. Though, with the cast that they got to voice the audiobook, I may listen to that instead. Disappointed to hear that didn't make it into the movie.

I wonder if he's talking about the fact "The Counsel" (already showing how much has changed at the prison) had to hold a vote to request that Rick carry his gun. Because when Hershel asked, he just shrugged and said "I got my knife." It begs a good question as to why he's hesitant to carry extra protection. I wonder if he's trying to find some sense of normalcy where just making a quick run to the snares shouldn't be life risking. I love how they showed Rick using the headphones to try and muffle the walker moans at the fence.

I will say, how kind of the writers to create so much walker food in the prison.

SecondCircle said:

So... any Walking Dead fans out there? Thoughts on the premiere of the new season? Anyone wanna bite?

I thought it was a good start. The pieces are set, the drama is still in place, and I must say that makeup and effects are at their best. Our favorite characters have returned and the villains still lurk on the horizon (and others still claw at the fences).

*note* if you don't like what you see, read, or hear, like... please leave... or whatever. Only flesh eaters are allowed.

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What was there not to love. Its going to be another great season.

johneb87 said:

Ah, the Battle of Yonkers. Hearing about this really makes me want to read the book from start to end. Though, with the cast that they got to voice the audiobook, I may listen to that instead. Disappointed to hear that didn't make it into the movie.

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I think very little from the book made it into the movie, given that the book takes place *after* the big zombie war. It's a collection of stories from various people, getting different perspectives on the war, the zombie infection, etc. I thought it was a neat way to approach the genre. The Battle of Yonkers may be in the movie, I don't know. Haven't seen it yet.

johneb87 said:

I wonder if he's talking about the fact "The Counsel" (already showing how much has changed at the prison) had to hold a vote to request that Rick carry his gun. Because when Hershel asked, he just shrugged and said "I got my knife." It begs a good question as to why he's hesitant to carry extra protection. I wonder if he's trying to find some sense of normalcy where just making a quick run to the snares shouldn't be life risking. I love how they showed Rick using the headphones to try and muffle the walker moans at the fence.

I will say, how kind of the writers to create so much walker food in the prison.

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I wonder if Rick feels a gun is too dangerous for him to have -- too easy to injure someone else, too much of a temptation to kill himself. It's also interesting that Rick isn't on the Council. And do we know who is? Were they ever named? I thought Herschel might have said but I forget.

I do think Rick is struggling to be normal, to some extent. It could be that he's still coming to terms with the things he did and had to do over the first three seasons just to survive, not to mention the loss of Lori and the others. I do hope Rick gets to do something besides look resigned or angry. Although he did smile a couple of times.

OK just to keep us entertained until next week's episode, anyone wanna name their favorite character from the show and why? Alive or dead?

I like how the characters are sort of this mix match of different lifestyles, drawn together in the cause to survive and build a new life. And each one falls into almost their own sort of role.

SecondCircle said:

OK just to keep us entertained until next week's episode, anyone wanna name their favorite character from the show and why? Alive or dead?

I like how the characters are sort of this mix match of different lifestyles, drawn together in the cause to survive and build a new life. And each one falls into almost their own sort of role.

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Hmm. This is tough. I liked Dale, because he was really the lone voice calling for calm and humanity most of the time. But he was tough and willing to fight. Out of who is left, I'm not sure I have a favorite, but I enjoy watching them all together. I do like how Carol has changed and wished she had a slightly bigger role.

I like the actors who play Glenn and Maggie but I have never sensed any chemistry between them.

And Michonne is cool.

Of course I like Daryl. Just something about him is pretty awesome. I dunno if it's because of the crossbow or what but he's certainly fan favorite material. I also like that his skill set from when the world was normal is a crucial thing that he brings to the group. Hunting, tracking, common sense, etc. Its also great to see his growth as a person from a sort of misfit that stood in his brother's oppressive shadow to a strong moral individual that contributes wholeheartedly to the group.

Past that, I think Dale was one of my favorites from the past characters, for the reasons PennLady said, pretty much. He was that moral voice, the one that reminded them not to crossover that line too much, else they lose what made them human to begin with. He saw a world that was possible to live in, so long as they don't allow themselves to degenerate. And with all things that happened and all the horrors they went through daily, it's powerful that a character can hold to an ideal like that in the face of adversity.

Hmm. Seems like Hershel is kinda that guy now. I like him too. He's like the grandfather of the group. He understands that certain things need to be done, but not at the cost of their sanity and humanity. Ditto for Hershel.

As cliche as it sounds to pick the "main" character, my favorite must be Rick. Just the range of emotions he's struggled with and the responsibility that he's constantly had to bear is staggering. I think all that he's done, good or bad, is completely reasonable and in tune given his circumstances. Losing Lori with the birth of his child and his own son having to kill his wife out of necessity really hit me. I didn't particularly "like" Lori, but I know the feeling of being so attached to your spouse, and the mere thought of losing mine (especially to horrific ends) is a thought that makes me tremble. I guess you could say, I admire Rick and his character is well done on the show.

Love Michonne, Darryl, Glenn. Pretty boring.

But one thing that always sort of freaked me out was the sheer amount of *hatred* directed towards certain members of the group. Andrea and Lori especially. Same thing happened to Skyler White on a larger scale. They were just characters, trying to make their own way, making their own mistakes and having their own flaws.

But people were huge fans of Shane, the man who was capable of rape and murder, and they hated Lori because she was scared to have a baby and because she slept with a man other than her husband.

SecondCircle said:

OK just to keep us entertained until next week's episode, anyone wanna name their favorite character from the show and why? Alive or dead?

I like how the characters are sort of this mix match of different lifestyles, drawn together in the cause to survive and build a new life. And each one falls into almost their own sort of role.

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I would have to say Daryl, liked him from season 1. He was the only one with a weapon that made sense. Guns were easier but to noisy, knives took to much time. Its nice to see that Daryl is turning out be a good guy.

Cruel2BKind said:

Love Michonne, Darryl, Glenn. Pretty boring.

But one thing that always sort of freaked me out was the sheer amount of *hatred* directed towards certain members of the group. Andrea and Lori especially. Same thing happened to Skyler White on a larger scale. They were just characters, trying to make their own way, making their own mistakes and having their own flaws.

But people were huge fans of Shane, the man who was capable of rape and murder, and they hated Lori because she was scared to have a baby and because she slept with a man other than her husband.

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I didn't hate Andrea or Lori, but I don't think the characters were done very well. Andrea seemed to do things because the writers wanted someone to do something, not necessarily because it's something she would have done. Lori, I think, at least at first seemed to be playing Rick and Shane against each other, like she was trying to decide who would be the best protector. I'm not saying she was, just that it seemed like it at times.

I liked Andrea, and I didn't. Her flaws and the decisions she made were certainly human. No one's perfect, and we can't ask them to be. Her character was just doing what it was supposed to do I guess. I thought she was strong and independent, a good follower but one that followed what she thought was right and wrong, and stood up for what she thought made sense. We can't blame her for that.

However, that don't mean I gotta like her. I got a mother in law that I would extend a helping hand to if walkers were hot on her trail too, but that doesn't mean that there wouldn't be times I wanted to clothesline her when she said or did something stupid. I think that's the idea of a show like this. You're supposed to like and hate different things about characters. That's how it is in life. My heart went out to her when she wanted to die because she watched her sister die and had no desire to live in an infected nightmare world. That was some tough times for her.

But that doesn't mean I didn't wanna slap her silly ass for nearly shooting Daryl because she had a twitchy trigger finger. Everyone wanted her to use caution, especially in her mind state, with a firearm, and she takes a shot at the first thing that looks bloody and gruesome when it walks out of the woods. She could've easily let the single slow walking zombie trudge a little further (if that's what she thought it was), confirm the target and make a sound decision.

Of course, all of that is understandable. It was one of her flaws, a human one, and it fit nicely. It was believable. But I can still curse her. That's what is supposed to happen. You're supposed to get amped up by the characters and the choices they make, good or bad. I didn't like her, but it wasn't because she failed as a character. It was a success. Because I felt something.

Lori is a similar case. Of course she was going to be conflicted and flawed. The man she wed and loved died, supposedly. She fell in love with another man, a good man. All the sudden both of them are in her life in a dying world of pain, and on top of all of the lies and emotions surrounding Ricks supposed death and Shane's obsessive love and integrity issues, she's pregnant.

That is awesome drama to me. It's enough to be pregnant in the times of Walkers, but infidelity issues (if you could even call it that), an aggressive ex, a confused and pressured husband, and a son to raise? She had a full plate. Again, we can't blame her for that, but you still don't have to like her or the decisions she made.

Hers is a tale of tragedy I think. And I've noted how much I can relate to the spouse thing, so her specter was a powerful piece of imagery for me. I can't say I would have been different than Rick, were I in his shoes.

And in a way, I did like Lori. When Rick stepped up to take the reins, she became kind of the Matriarch of the group in a way. Not necessarily in the things she did, but symbolically. Like a 1st lady, or Cat Stark in a way. Too often are we so focused on the action filled story of shows like these that we view "matriarch" characters as set pieces, and overlook how real their trauma really is.

I liked Dale sine he was the true voice of reason at the time. He always wanted to make the moral decisions when the others were thinking only of survival. Best example would be when he kept faking there were issues with the RV so that the group wouldn't abandon their search for Sophia. He also seemed to be the person people could confide in.

Daryl I liked seeing grow from a pissed off white supremacist to a caring member of the group. Especially when he was looking for Sophia non-stop and helping with the baby when Rick was out of it.

Michonne is just awesome. She has a katana and kills walkers by the dozen. Need I say more?

Michonne is cool in the sense that I like to see a strong, kick-ass woman. However, she's not much of a character yet. We don't know about her, what makes her tick -- or what makes her tick now vs. before the walkers. I hope they do more, because I like the actress.

Yes, Dale was that emotional center for the group, I think. Herschel has taken over some of those duties, but not all. I don't think he's someone everyone wants to confide in, for example, although some do, like Rick. Carol may be some of that human center, but she's quite pragmatic and seems to me she could make some cold decisions if necessary.

I do like Rick, too. I think Andrew Lincoln's done a great job with him. And one thing that gets forgotten, I think, is that Rick and Lori were having marital problems before the walkers. And they seemed on the verge of making up to a large degree when she was killed.

One thing I've always wished is that people would fill in the blanks of what happened that first month, while Rick was in the coma.

PennLady said:

Michonne is cool in the sense that I like to see a strong, kick-ass woman. However, she's not much of a character yet. We don't know about her, what makes her tick -- or what makes her tick now vs. before the walkers. I hope they do more, because I like the actress.

Yes, Dale was that emotional center for the group, I think. Herschel has taken over some of those duties, but not all. I don't think he's someone everyone wants to confide in, for example, although some do, like Rick. Carol may be some of that human center, but she's quite pragmatic and seems to me she could make some cold decisions if necessary.

I do like Rick, too. I think Andrew Lincoln's done a great job with him. And one thing that gets forgotten, I think, is that Rick and Lori were having marital problems before the walkers. And they seemed on the verge of making up to a large degree when she was killed.

One thing I've always wished is that people would fill in the blanks of what happened that first month, while Rick was in the coma.

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The chaos is really hard to do. A lot of zombie flicks go out of their way to try and avoid the first week or so. 28 days later, walking dead, original dawn of the dead, Fido... The only one I can think of off the top of my head that showed the chaos was the dawn of the dead remake. And even then, the footage of the first chaotic day only lasted about 12 minutes, and then she meets Ving Rhames and everything calms down again.

Michonne is obviously a strong character. Like it was said, katana wielding kick ass female. What's not to love?

But like PennLady, I hope to see more from her character. What we know is she's strong, skilled, independent, and tough. She doesn't readily trust people, and this helps her but sometimes hurts her. With her, it takes a lot to break through to her core. Andrea did because Michonne is a moral person above all and saved Andrea's life, and then the two spent months surviving and drawing closer (though Andrea still knew little about her).

We're just beginning to peel back her layers, but it is happening. Michonne is a good person deep down, and once you've broken the ice, she becomes closely attached. This is evident with Carl. In my opinion, her type character is the hard luck bad childhood kind where she had to learn to survive ALL of her life, and be wary of trusting people. That goodness in her probably caught a peek of herself in Carl, who has had to do the same being raised in a time of walkers. I think she admires his toughness just as much as she relates to his tragic story.

Michonne is a gem I would love to see uncovered a little more, bit by bit. And in the meantime, as long as she continues to Samurai the heads off of walkers, then I'll be happy.

SecondCircle said:

Michonne is obviously a strong character. Like it was said, katana wielding kick ass female. What's not to love?

But like PennLady, I hope to see more from her character. What we know is she's strong, skilled, independent, and tough. She doesn't readily trust people, and this helps her but sometimes hurts her. With her, it takes a lot to break through to her core. Andrea did because Michonne is a moral person above all and saved Andrea's life, and then the two spent months surviving and drawing closer (though Andrea still knew little about her).

We're just beginning to peel back her layers, but it is happening. Michonne is a good person deep down, and once you've broken the ice, she becomes closely attached. This is evident with Carl. In my opinion, her type character is the hard luck bad childhood kind where she had to learn to survive ALL of her life, and be wary of trusting people. That goodness in her probably caught a peek of herself in Carl, who has had to do the same being raised in a time of walkers. I think she admires his toughness just as much as she relates to his tragic story.

Michonne is a gem I would love to see uncovered a little more, bit by bit. And in the meantime, as long as she continues to Samurai the heads off of walkers, then I'll be happy.

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I love Michonne, but I really dislike what she represents.

I love that she is a strong female character, a woman of color, that her story line isn't just an offshoot of a man's story line. They got a lot of things right with her.

but there is this unfortunate tendencies of movie writers thinking, "They want strong female characters? Let's give them strong female characters!" And they take it way too literally.

So we get this

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_B3iQ20bEL...wmGAUa-tTtQ/s1600/Resident+Evil+Afterlife.jpg

http://th06.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2012/192/3/1/babydoll_sucker_punch_by_jgoytizolo-d56t5k6.jpg

http://images4.fanpop.com/image/pho...ing-female-ass-kickers-23975778-1384-2000.jpg

Strapping guns or swords to a poorly written pair of tits does not make a strong female character.

I want strong female characters who aren't necessarily violent, or who don't get their strength from violence. I want female characters that don't have to be 18-30 years old. I want female villains! I want different body types! I want main characters!

http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumbs/Kiki--s-Delivery-Service-English-Dubbed.jpg

http://media.vogue.com/files/filech...27644571.jpg_article_gallery_slideshow_v2.jpg

http://herbedisdeadly.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/4ursula-jpg.jpeg

http://i.lv3.hbo.com/assets/images/series/game-of-thrones/character/s3/olenna-tyrell-1024.jpg

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/si...3/09/american_horror_story_coven_cast_a_l.jpg

I want women who are characters first.

Also, not to knock on the classic sexy violent characters. There are some well written and enjoyable ones. Michonne is one of them. So is Sarah Connor, Ripley, Lisbeth Salander, Black Widow, Catwoman, etc. I just feel like my niche of sexy violent female characters is well filled right now.

Cruel2BKind said:

I love Michonne, but I really dislike what she represents.

I love that she is a strong female character, a woman of color, that her story line isn't just an offshoot of a man's story line. They got a lot of things right with her.

but there is this unfortunate tendencies of movie writers thinking, "They want strong female characters? Let's give them strong female characters!" And they take it way too literally.

So we get this

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_B3iQ20bEL...wmGAUa-tTtQ/s1600/Resident+Evil+Afterlife.jpg

http://th06.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2012/192/3/1/babydoll_sucker_punch_by_jgoytizolo-d56t5k6.jpg

http://images4.fanpop.com/image/pho...ing-female-ass-kickers-23975778-1384-2000.jpg

Strapping guns or swords to a poorly written pair of tits does not make a strong female character.

I want strong female characters who aren't necessarily violent, or who don't get their strength from violence. I want female characters that don't have to be 18-30 years old. I want female villains! I want different body types! I want main characters!

http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumbs/Kiki--s-Delivery-Service-English-Dubbed.jpg

http://media.vogue.com/files/filech...27644571.jpg_article_gallery_slideshow_v2.jpg

http://herbedisdeadly.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/4ursula-jpg.jpeg

http://i.lv3.hbo.com/assets/images/series/game-of-thrones/character/s3/olenna-tyrell-1024.jpg

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/si...3/09/american_horror_story_coven_cast_a_l.jpg

I want women who are characters first.

Also, not to knock on the classic sexy violent characters. There are some well written and enjoyable ones. Michonne is one of them. So is Sarah Connor, Ripley, Lisbeth Salander, Black Widow, Catwoman, etc. I just feel like my niche of sexy violent female characters is well filled right now.

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You bring up a good point. However, the way she is in the show is very much how the character was in the comic books. So if anything, they are at least staying true to the comics.

On a different note, I honestly think that the set designers have probably the best job ever. They get to create scenes to this post apocalyptic world, yet at the same time, there is some story behind them. Whether it be a line of cars abandoned cars outside a gas station, an army post that was overrun, a helicopter on the roof, or the bodies of prisoners laid neatly outside their cells with bullet wounds to the heads. There are so many scenes where the set seems to tell a story of the chaos. The fun part is trying to think of what is the story the writers/set designers are trying to tell. But it even makes you ask some questions too.

In the Season 3 episode "Clear," Carl goes to the cafe to get what he believes is the last picture of his mother. When he looks inside the window, he sees dozens of bodies of patrons who seem to have died while sitting at their tables. However, once Michonne throws in a caged rat, we find out that the corpses were actually walkers. So even though we know it doesn't take a bite to turn into a walker, how did these patrons die? Once they turned, why weren't they up and walking around? Is there something more to this virus or what started the apocalypse to begin with?

Who else has a scene that gave you an insight to what happened as the world turned or made you ask questions?

johneb87 said:

Who else has a scene that gave you an insight to what happened as the world turned or made you ask questions?

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There are lots of things that have made me ask questions. For example, when Rick goes to Atlanta in season one (I think), why was one side of the highway empty and the other packed with cars? If they were trying to empty out the city, why wouldn't they make all lanes go out, which would mean both sides should be piled with cars.

Do walkers need to rest? Again in those Atlanta scenes, Rick passes things like parked cars and buses with bodies in them. After he goes by, apparently his scent tips them off, or maybe the sound of the horse's hooves, and the walkers pop up.

How fast did this happen? A few days? A couple of weeks and then it really fell apart? These are the things I wish other characters would fill in as we go along, and no one really has. They talk about what happened before the walkers, but not usually in that month when everything crashed.

I've read that some people think those initial days aren't important, it's what happens after, as in TWD, that's important. I'd like to know, though. That's one reason I enjoyed the books put together by Joshua Guess, who runs the site "livingwiththedead.net." He does a near-daily blog and then every so often compiles the blog posts into e-books. I think I have the first four. Anyway, I think he has a neat perspective on such a thing, and the first blog posts are indeed about the daily deterioration of the situation.

So who saw the Mythbusters Walking Dead special last night?