The Walking Dead

[Maui]

These extra characters, so far, have really added nothing to the mix other than some rather badly cliched "good ol boy redneck" peckerwoods. There is so much really intense, good stuff waiting down the road
that these unnecessary detours are beginning to get on my tit.
As Monty Python once said;

"GET ON WITH IT!!!!"

Ditto!

[Fried Gold]

The pacing felt odd at first - I wasn't expecting them to just simply drive from Atlanta back to the camp, rather that there'd be some pitfalls along the way before the reunion. That Rick then decides to go back later on, and there are logical reasons for it, rounded it off well I thought.

I could honestly see the hand-cutting right off...but it didn't matter as I'm now intrigued to know how Cousin Merle got off the roof.

One starts to feel a bit sorry for Shane once Rick arrives, as it seems like he's taken on the responsibility of keeping these people alive and has drawn the short straw...then you find out he had built up the story that Rick had died and he goes back to being the slimy douchebag.

Although I didn't really have a problem with his ground-and-pound on the wife/child-beater. Maybe some sort of guillotine chokehold would've been effective too.

VFX were brills again.

(some of the zombie smashing scenes are a bit too reminscient of Shaun and Ed in the back garden though)

[Bayouwolf]

This episode was underwhelming at best. It's still by far one of the best things on the tube right now, but if they don't make with the story that isn't AMCentric (you know, where they do all the things that you just wouldn't expect a cable show to do just for the sake of saying, "look what we did") I have a bad feeling that interest will die off pretty soon and this show won't get the long run it deserves.

The last 10 minutes felt like the first 2 episodes to me. It felt dangerous, surreal, and very much aware of its surroundings. The first 30 minutes (because there was at least 20 minutes of commercials this time around) felt like one of those "Previously, on The Walking Dead" replays. Maybe I'm just jaded because I'm a fan of the comics, but damn it man, there is a plethora of good stories they could be working towards...Why they are adding in filler crap that isn't necessary, I can't understand.

To me, it's starting to feel like grand theft auto. The side projects are becoming more important that actually moving the story along, and no one really cares right now because the money and interest is good. At some point though, they are going to have to get back to the original mission (story) and I fear that they will have lost the element of danger and surprise because they've all "been there, done that" so many times.

And if I remember right, Shane does tell Lori that her husband is dead, and that he promised him that he would take care of her if anything happened. But he doesn't make with the "I saw the hospital get over run, he couldn't have survived" speech until she's very venerable and simply wanting the touch of a man to console her. He was always a douche, but the show made her out to be a tramp.

You could sum up this episode in the scene where the walker is eating the deer. Everyone knows HOW to kill it, but everyone attacks everything BUT the head. Get on with dispatching this bit so we can move on to the real story...No sense in beating a dead human.

I hope the next episode removes the Brothers Dim, and we can get on with the story as written.

[TheBaxter]

well, as someone who hasn't so much as picked up an issue of the comic, i'm not bothered by the pace at all. maybe that's a pitfall of watching a tv show adaptation of a story you already know the ending to. imagine if Lost or BSG had been adaptations of a comic that people had already read, and so they already knew that:

[Lost spoilers]jack kills smokey, and dies, and hurley becomes new island overlord

or [BSG spoilers]galactica gets to earth, but its all nuked, then they find the way to a new earth that becomes our earth 50 million or whatever years later, with the help of angel starbuck....

imagine how impatient you'd be around the time of season 2 or so, when they still haven't even gotten close to the end. i'm not sure what the "real story" of the walking dead is supposed to be or will end up being, but i'm enjoying the show for what it is right now. this is only the 3rd freakin episode, after all. sure, there's only 6 episodes total for this season (which really makes this a miniseries, which will be followed up by a true full season next year), but i think this 6 episode miniseries was always designed just to test the waters to see if the show would fly, and build a foundation on which the real show would be built when it gets its first full season.

that said, the last episode was kinda slow and dull, and if the show becomes more like the last episode, focused on the survivors with the zombies just playing a bit role in the background, and less like the first couple episodes, i might lose interest pretty fast. but it's just one episode, i'm not gonna worry that this show has lost its focus already just because of one subpar episode.

[papalazeru]

Just seen Ep 3.

Whoa! Is cutting off hands in this year? Maybe it's a new genre?

[Bayouwolf]

I completely understand your point of view Bax. But to counter point, everyone LOATHED seasons 4/5 of LOST because of the silly flash sideways or whatever they were doing at that point to stretch out the series. Regardless of the "WHERE" the show was going, the fact that they kept moving backwards (or sideways, or slantways, or crossways, or interdimentionalways, or what the frak ever) made it impossible to enjoy it like I did for the first 3 seasons when everything felt fresh and new.

that said, the last episode was kinda slow and dull, and if the show becomes more like the last episode, focused on the survivors with the zombies just playing a bit role in the background, and less like the first couple episodes, i might lose interest pretty fast.

This was the just about the point I was trying to make. I would have hoped the writers understood that this short season is supposed to draw people in and leave them hungry for more. The first two episodes did a fantastic job of doing just that...Then they go and throw in an episode full of cliched characters no one is going to care about just to fill up air-time. There's so much they can be doing right now.

It just bugs me to see the potential of this show being wasted. Even if it's just for one episode.
fanboys gonna fan...

[Fievel]

Having read the comics... although that episode did drag some, I'm fine with it. These six episodes are just laying the groundwork and maybe a few rules for the series. I don't think we're going to get too much farther in the story. I think it's going to be a lot of character development and gradual tension to the end of episode 6.

EXTREME COMIC BOOK SPOILER THAT WILL LIKELY BE IN THE SHOW
I'm guessing this run will end with Carl shooting Shane. I would make a nice bookend to the beginning of the series where Rick shoots the child zombie in the head.

[stereosforgeeks]

Having read the comics... although that episode did drag some, I'm fine with it. These six episodes are just laying the groundwork and maybe a few rules for the series. I don't think we're going to get too much farther in the story. I think it's going to be a lot of character development and gradual tension to the end of episode 6.

EXTREME COMIC BOOK SPOILER THAT WILL LIKELY BE IN THE SHOW
I'm guessing this run will end with Carl shooting Shane. I would make a nice bookend to the beginning of the series where Rick shoots the child zombie in the head.

That would be an awesome end to the first season, but Im not sure we'll get that far.

[DennisMM]

That would be a natural point for the season to end and was what I anticipated.

As far as I could tell, Merle should have put the saw to that rusty upright bolt around which the cuffs were locked. That's maybe ten minutes of work, because of all the rust, less if you're frantic and sawing hard.

[The Vicar]

That would be a natural point for the season to end and was what I anticipated.

As far as I could tell, Merle should have put the saw to that rusty upright bolt around which the cuffs were locked. That's maybe ten minutes of work, because of all the rust, less if you're frantic and sawing hard.

True, true.
This is what happens when you're a moron. Sorry, Merle, but there it is.

[Nachokoolaid]

well, as someone who hasn't so much as picked up an issue of the comic, i'm not bothered by the pace at all. maybe that's a pitfall of watching a tv show adaptation of a story you already know the ending to. imagine if Lost or BSG had been adaptations of a comic that people had already read, and so they already knew that:

[Lost spoilers]jack kills smokey, and dies, and hurley becomes new island overlord

or [BSG spoilers]galactica gets to earth, but its all nuked, then they find the way to a new earth that becomes our earth 50 million or whatever years later, with the help of angel starbuck....

imagine how impatient you'd be around the time of season 2 or so, when they still haven't even gotten close to the end. i'm not sure what the "real story" of the walking dead is supposed to be or will end up being, but i'm enjoying the show for what it is right now. this is only the 3rd freakin episode, after all. sure, there's only 6 episodes total for this season (which really makes this a miniseries, which will be followed up by a true full season next year), but i think this 6 episode miniseries was always designed just to test the waters to see if the show would fly, and build a foundation on which the real show would be built when it gets its first full season.

that said, the last episode was kinda slow and dull, and if the show becomes more like the last episode, focused on the survivors with the zombies just playing a bit role in the background, and less like the first couple episodes, i might lose interest pretty fast. but it's just one episode, i'm not gonna worry that this show has lost its focus already just because of one subpar episode.

I have nearly the exact opposite opinion. Episode 3 was my favorite of the series so far. It really started focusing on the characters, and I think that's crucial. You (or someone) even made the point earlier in the thread about getting to the point, because how many times can you show zombie kills and you want the kills to be the ones that matter, in terms of the plot of the comic. That's exactly my point though. By limiting the zombie killing stuff and fleshing out (ZING!) the characters, that's where the real power of the series is. It's a fine balance, but I felt this third episode was just about perfect.

I'll be honest, Grimes has been striving to find his wife and son for 3 episodes now. When he got out of that van, and his son didn't even hesitate and just started running and screaming DAD! and they hugged... I cried. That's powerful TV, and it didn't seem like a false or fabricated moment at all. Even though this is based around the ridiculousness of a zombie apocalypse, it's real human moments like this one that are going to give this series its legs.

[TheBaxter]

I completely understand your point of view Bax. But to counter point, everyone LOATHED seasons 4/5 of LOST because of the silly flash sideways or whatever they were doing at that point to stretch out the series. Regardless of the "WHERE" the show was going, the fact that they kept moving backwards (or sideways, or slantways, or crossways, or interdimentionalways, or what the frak ever) made it impossible to enjoy it like I did for the first 3 seasons when everything felt fresh and new.

everyone? not me. [Lost Threadjack]if the show ever dragged at all for me, it was during the first half of season 3, along with some of the filler episodes sprinkled about the first couple seasons. season 1 was really slow in developing, which was really brought home to me since i started rewatching the show a couple months ago. i mean, they don't even find the hatch til nearly 2/3 way thru season 1. the final season was a drag too, but mostly because of the flashsideways, and i think that was mostly just a noble experiment that didn't really work (at least it had a satisfying conclusion though). but the 2nd half of season 3, along with seasons 4 and 5, were the tightest and best-paced run of the show.[/Lost Threadjack]

[Bob Samonkey]

Zombies?

[Nice Marmot]

I cringe every time Shane tries to be witty or charming. There is some crazy-bad, corny writing AND overacting there.

I'm thinking of the banter in the car in the very opening scene and every bit of interraction he's had w/ Carl.

[tapehead]

Good ep despite the ol' Mad Max hacksaw/hand quandary being telegraphed last episode - the final shot of this ep was a foregone conclusion, but that left it all the more open for us to focus on the dynamics being established between the members of our little gang of survivors. I'm hooked on this show completely now.

[DerLanghaarige]

Well, I say let's get rid of the over-the-top stereotypes: bigot on the roof and wife beater. The setup for the wife beater is just too darn obvious.

True. That is Darabont at his worst. He just loves his dull stereotypes (even if he is often able to tell compelling stories with them [as long as a mysterious mist isn't involved]). Apart from that, this episode was pretty good. Although I just realized that Season 1 is supposed to have only 6 episodes, so it bugs me a little that the story is moving so slowly. Don't get me wrong, it's not TOO slow. I think it has a good pace - if we were talking about a full season or at least a half one with 13 episodes. So I hope that the second half of this season will deliver on the long build up so far.

On another topic: Why is it so difficult to let people in zombie movies refer to the zombies as zombies? Are people STILL thinking that this is a clever NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD homage, when they avoid this word completely? Because after 40 years of zombie movies, in which nobody ever says the word "zombie", it's just as clever as naming every character in your low budget horror movie after famous horror film directors.

[Fievel]

On another topic: Why is it so difficult to let people in zombie movies refer to the zombies as zombies? Are people STILL thinking that this is a clever NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD homage, when they avoid this word completely? Because after 40 years of zombie movies, in which nobody ever says the word "zombie", it's just as clever as naming every character in your low budget horror movie after famous horror film directors.

I'll give you a big hearty AMEN to this! Even the book World War Z sidesteps it with cute nicknames of its own. I don't think they used the nicknames in the book, other than "roamer" and "lurker," and those were just more of classifications, which I think is cool.

[DennisMM]

I suppose we are supposed to be in a world/worlds where the concept of zombies never existed, even classic voudon zombies. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but it seems to be there for some attempt at verisimilitude. At least in World War Z they do use the word "zombie" occasionally.

What was with Rick waking up in the most recent episode and seeing a dirty red, low-top sneaker in the tent? Does this somehow tell him that Lori has had her shoes in the dust with Shane?

[Fievel]

...and that's why the previous episode lulled somewhat.

I've read the books and knew what was going to happen. That didn't lessen the impact one bit. Watching it play out like that was rough. There appeared to be more zombies in that attack then there was in the book, but that could simply be because it played out bit by bit on TV.

The looks on Lori & Carl's faces during and at the end of that scene... well-acted. So many little things were just perfect in that scene. Glen - scared shitless. Perfect. Shane scared shitless, but leading them as a group. Perfect. The sisters. Perfect. Jim's final line - perfect.

Now where the fuck is Merle?

I'm starting to dislike the "Guest Starring Norman Reedus" credit. I'd love to see his character hang around for a while.

[Bloo]

loved loved loved this episode thought it was great, the "twist" or reveal or whatever you want to call it in Atlanta with the nursing home I thought was well executed.

And the attack on the camp was very well done, I was on IM with a friend and we were both like "holy shit" and "is this AMC or HBO" with the level of gore.

[Fievel]

the "twist" or reveal or whatever you want to call it in Atlanta with the nursing home I thought was well executed.

I loved Rick's ultra-annoyed "Can I have a word with you?" to Guillermo after the reveal. Thirty seconds before, both sides were ready to kill and die.. and then to find out that they're probably doing one of the most honorable things that anyone in that scenario could do... a hilarious relief.

[Bloo]

the "twist" or reveal or whatever you want to call it in Atlanta with the nursing home I thought was well executed.

I loved Rick's ultra-annoyed "Can I have a word with you?" to Guillermo after the reveal. Thirty seconds before, both sides were ready to kill and die.. and then to find out that they're probably doing one of the most honorable things that anyone in that scenario could do... a hilarious relief.

yeah that was great delivery

[darkjedijaina]

meh. i don't like how they're adding this new stuff. it seems pointless. nay, it IS pointless.

last night's episode was really boring to me, up until they got to what actually happened in the GN.

[The Vicar]

meh. i don't like how they're adding this new stuff. it seems pointless. nay, it IS pointless.

last night's episode was really boring to me, up until they got to what actually happened in the GN.

Yeah, they are beginning to piss me off too. The only moments that were worth shite were the ones near the end where,
gasp, they actually went back to the GN for some story. Why do they feel the need to piss our time away with this side show?
There is plenty of story from the GN ( 80 gorram eps)....START USING IT!!!!

[Bayouwolf]

I gotta agree with djj...seemed like a stupid waste of an episode to show us a bunch of "gang bangers" working an old folks home.
Mostly, because it's a dumb idea to try and keep old people alive during a zombie outbreak (HELLOOOOOO...they were already shambling before shambling was cool...). I'm not sure what the "human element" of this episode was that I was supposed to take away, but the "message" I got was...

Even after the zombie apocalypse and the INS stops looking for them, illegal aliens will be douchebags who want something without working for it, even though they are just trying to make a better life for themselves and their massive families who all live in the same house. (Actually, I'm really surprised the writers didn't have them all holed up in a home improvement store, but I digress...)

Now that may or may not be right, but it was the overall impression I got thanks in part to the "stand-off" in the courtyard of the factory.

If next weeks episode centers around an airport where Muslims have taken control and give full body searches to white people before allowing them to come in, I may just shoot the TV...

The gore factor was amazing this go around. I'm still in shock at the portrayal of Amy's attack. I knew it was coming and I was still thrown back a bit. Good stuff there...

The first and the last 10 minutes were superb this go around. Everything in between was just more (IMO) useless filler. At least it looks like they are getting back on track and we may just see them make it to the farm house before the season finale.

[travis-dane]

...and that's why the previous episode lulled somewhat.

I've read the books and knew what was going to happen. That didn't lessen the impact one bit. Watching it play out like that was rough. There appeared to be more zombies in that attack then there was in the book, but that could simply be because it played out bit by bit on TV.

The looks on Lori & Carl's faces during and at the end of that scene... well-acted. So many little things were just perfect in that scene. Glen - scared shitless. Perfect. Shane scared shitless, but leading them as a group. Perfect. The sisters. Perfect. Jim's final line - perfect.

Now where the fuck is Merle?

I'm starting to dislike the "Guest Starring Norman Reedus" credit. I'd love to see his character hang around for a while.

Oh man, you are so right. Daryll seems to be a decent guy with an asshole brother. The camp heist was harsh, I read the comics ages ago and didnt remember that happening.
I thought it was Merle coming back for revenge...good ep, I like this show a lot.

[Bloo]

Maybe it's the fact that I don't have the comics to compare things too, but I've loved the pace, but again I don't have that "baggage"

(btw I plan on reading the GN after season 1 ends)

[DennisMM]

I'm not sure what the "human element" of this episode was that I was supposed to take away, but the "message" I got was...

Even after the zombie apocalypse and the INS stops looking for them, illegal aliens will be douchebags who want something without working for it, even though they are just trying to make a better life for themselves and their massive families who all live in the same house.

Whatever gave you the idea that the characters were meant to be illegals? Latinos who speak English as clearly as Guillermo (and the other gang members with speaking parts) are almost surely legal. You've made a huge leap, on the level of assuming all the women in the camp, save Lori, are lesbians.

I found the gang stuff dull, for the most part. The dialogue sounded like it was written by a white boy who'd spent little or no time around Latinos, much less Latino gang members. Like the writer saw a few bad films and wrote from that, or maybe 30-year-old episodes of Hill Street Blues.

Who are all these extra people hanging out at the camp? I swear during the attack we saw characters mauled who've never been introduced. There was a guy I thought was Morales, but we later saw Morales and he appeared to be fine. It looked at one point as if Shane had been bitten, too. So weird. Just focus on the core characters! Isn't it bad enough that Amy and Ed were killed? Do we need to see deaths that merely make us flinch rather than care?

[Bayouwolf]

I'm not sure what the "human element" of this episode was that I was supposed to take away, but the "message" I got was...

Even after the zombie apocalypse and the INS stops looking for them, illegal aliens will be douchebags who want something without working for it, even though they are just trying to make a better life for themselves and their massive families who all live in the same house.

Whatever gave you the idea that the characters were meant to be illegals? So far as I can tell, the majority of Latino gangbangers in the USA are legal, and certainly those who speak English as clearly as Guillermo (and the other gang members with speaking parts) are almost surely legal.

OK, substitute "Latino's" for illegal aliens if it makes you feel better...I'm telling you though, there is a "stereotypical" tone to these filler characters. It was annoying in the last episode, but I was willing to let it go because Merle was useful as a contrast to Rick, but this episode just made it blindingly apparent to me that the only reason for these "inserted for color" characters are to be caricatures of what Joe-Surburbia thinks these people are like outside of their high walled gated communities. It's "dumbed-up" as it were...

Either way, it's stupid and unnecessary to throw in stuff like this when there is so much story to tell already written.

You've made a huge, illogical leap, on the level of assuming all the women in the camp, save Lori, are lesbians.

You know, now that you say it......er....brb...

[DennisMM]

You were posting while I was editing. Sorry for the mismatches there.

[stereosforgeeks]

Kirkman wrote the episode fyi

[Nachokoolaid]

Maybe it's the fact that I don't have the comics to compare things too, but I've loved the pace, but again I don't have that "baggage"

(btw I plan on reading the GN after season 1 ends)

Based on all the bitching that all the fans of the GN do, you might want to hold off until the end of the series to make it a better experience for yourself, overall.

As a whole, I loved the episode. Sad to see the blonde sister go. I thought the moment she and her sister shared in the boat was nice. (as an aside, both times we've had a scene at the lake, I've expected a zombie to jump out of the water for a quick scare since they don't need oxygen to breathe, and they might just be chilling down there).

I didn't like all the nursing home posturing, but I really liked the payoff with the "killer dogs," and I thought it was a worthwhile excursion for our heroes. I actually wouldn't have minded spending a bit more time there once we found out the real purpose of the nursing home.

The ending was a nice payoff though, although that last line was pure cheese and almost ruined it. But I really love this show right now, and I hope it sticks around a long time.

[Retardo_Montalban]

I found the gang stuff dull, for the most part. The dialogue sounded like it was written by a white boy who'd spent little or no time around Latinos, much less Latino gang members. Like the writer saw a few bad films and wrote from that, or maybe 30-year-old episodes of Hill Street Blues.

What you talking 'bout, dude? I talk like that all the time. Them white writers got the Latino prose down. What surprised me, was none of them gangbangers were sporting any pastel sweaters tied around their neck. You ain't hard, until you gots yourself a fine sweater over your Lacoste polo shirt.

[Bloo]

I'm beginning to wonder if you guys even watched the whole damn episode or if you tuned out right from the beginning.

It was a twist type of deal, based ona lot of perceptions, but the "gangbangers" weren't gangbangers, didn't you pick up on that? Guerillmo was a janitor and flipie was a nurse the other "gangbangers" were survivors whose parents or family had been in the nursing home.

Jesus christ on a cross

sorry this may have come across a little bitchy, I'm tired and cranky

[Retardo_Montalban]

There was one janitor and one nurse who were maybe not in a gang. It's also annoying typing out "the guys who seemed like gang members in the first act, but are discovered to be misunderstood by the second act" every time you want to reference these guys.

[Bayouwolf]

I'm beginning to wonder if you guys even watched the whole damn episode or if you tuned out right from the beginning.

It was a twist type of deal, based ona lot of perceptions, but the "gangbangers" weren't gangbangers, didn't you pick up on that? Guerillmo was a janitor and flipie was a nurse the other "gangbangers" were survivors whose parents or family had been in the nursing home.

Jesus christ on a cross

sorry this may have come across a little bitchy, I'm tired and cranky

So when its discovered that Merle's dad was black and he used to beat up his mom, that will be an acceptable "explanation" of why he's a racist douchebag?

I hate to bitch about this, but ferfuxxake...When the show was greenlit, there was no way of knowing if it would succeede or not. The first two episodes held fairly true to the original story. Why on earth did the writers of a 6 episode "test run" bother with these side stories at all?

The premise for this episodes "human element" sounds like the beginning of one of those bad taste racist jokes.

...A redneck, a cop, a black guy, and an Asian walk into a nursing home full of Mexicans...

[TheBaxter]

i dunno.... seemed pretty clear to me after the reveal that they weren't gangbangers, but that they were just posturing that way because they were trying to protect the nursing home from other roving gangs of survivors who had come around before to try to loot and steal from them. at least, it was pretty clear after guillermo explained it exactly that way.

[stereosforgeeks]

i dunno.... seemed pretty clear to me after the reveal that they weren't gangbangers, but that they were just posturing that way because they were trying to protect the nursing home from other roving gangs of survivors who had come around before to try to loot and steal from them. at least, it was pretty clear after guillermo explained it exactly that way.

Yeah exactly. They pretended to be a stereotype.

Thats not to say there arent other blatant stereotypes on the show, but I think with time they will become more than that.

Also, Darabont said from the beginning that he was planning on not following the comic to the letter and would be expanding on the comic, taking detours, etc... which to me meant dont get your hopes up on seeing stuff in the comics right away.

I think the show has been hitting in the right areas so far. The ending of this weeks episode really got my finacee worked up and agitated. The stuff that hast worked as well has been the additions but I think the characters and scenarios they are adding will get better with time.

[Fried Gold]

Another good episode, with some fine story points and character.

...liked the way they messed around with the Latino gang image.

Also, wicked cool VFX and the first-person zombie cam headships were brills.

[TheBaxter]

On another topic: Why is it so difficult to let people in zombie movies refer to the zombies as zombies? Are people STILL thinking that this is a clever NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD homage, when they avoid this word completely? Because after 40 years of zombie movies, in which nobody ever says the word "zombie", it's just as clever as naming every character in your low budget horror movie after famous horror film directors.

I'll give you a big hearty AMEN to this! Even the book World War Z sidesteps it with cute nicknames of its own. I don't think they used the nicknames in the book, other than "roamer" and "lurker," and those were just more of classifications, which I think is cool.

i second that emotion.

[TheBaxter]

...and that's why the previous episode lulled somewhat.

I've read the books and knew what was going to happen. That didn't lessen the impact one bit. Watching it play out like that was rough. There appeared to be more zombies in that attack then there was in the book, but that could simply be because it played out bit by bit on TV.

The looks on Lori & Carl's faces during and at the end of that scene... well-acted. So many little things were just perfect in that scene. Glen - scared shitless. Perfect. Shane scared shitless, but leading them as a group. Perfect. The sisters. Perfect. Jim's final line - perfect.

Now where the fuck is Merle?

I'm starting to dislike the "Guest Starring Norman Reedus" credit. I'd love to see his character hang around for a while.

Oh man, you are so right. Daryll seems to be a decent guy with an asshole brother. The camp heist was harsh, I read the comics ages ago and didnt remember that happening.
I thought it was Merle coming back for revenge...good ep, I like this show a lot.

when the zombies attacked, i definitely got the idea that merle had somehow lured a bunch of zombies into the back of that truck and dumped them near the camp as his revenge for them leaving him behind on the roof. since merle apparently was not in the comic, then it couldn't have happened that way in the comic, but they've said they've made some changes/additions and this could be one of them. when they found out he had stolen their truck in atlanta, they mentioned he would be out for revenge, and that's some pretty serious revenge there. i don't know whether he'd be able to fit that many zombies in the back of that truck though.

[Fried Gold]

That both Cousin Merle goes driveabout AND the mini-zombie crisis happened at the same time, it seems logical to conclude they were connected in some way.

Otherwise...have the "walkers" evolved into "drivers".....?

[Nice Marmot]

The "comic relief" of the grandma and the "bittersweet, heartwarming" story of the Latinos protecting the sick and elderly didn't work well for me. Guillermo's closing speach felt like about 15 minutes long. Darabont corniness at its worst. Not that Darabont isn't still the man . . .

How much you want to bet the missing toilet paper from the RV wasn't used to gift wrap the necklace?

[Bayouwolf]

That both Cousin Merle goes driveabout AND the mini-zombie crisis happened at the same time, it seems logical to conclude they were connected in some way.

Otherwise...have the "walkers" evolved into "drivers".....?

Alright...So say Merle DID what you say he did. He had no way of knowing his brother wasn't there. The whole idea that he was exacting revenge kinda sidesteps the whole "Operation: Rescue Merle" storyline.

IF he was completely tweaked out with sunstroke or whatever, and IF he had some way of knowing his brother WASN'T there, then maybe I could believe he would have brought a truckload of biters with him back out to camp. But how would he have known his brother would have survived? And what would have lured the biters to the camp if a tasty Merle was just mm away from a pack of hungry zombies...

(In my best Adam Savage impression....) I gotta call this theory BUSTED.

In other related continuity issues...Didn't I remember seeing one of the survivors setting up a string line with tin cans or something on it during the last episode? How did the dead make it past those without being heard? When the attack happened, it seemed to come from every direction at once when the "studly spousal abuser" was eaten. Not to be too nit picky, but you'd think that a guy like Shane (or even Dale) would have had SOME type of perimeter defenses set up due to the fact that they are all out in the open and ATL's food supply was running out (something else I remember being discussed in another episode).

I will say it again...I absolutely LOVED the first and last 10 minutes of this episode. If it was indeed written by Kirkman, the nursing home must have been something he left on the table when he put the comics together...Honestly, I always thought he had the survivors head away from Atlanta too quickly, especially considering the massive outlying areas in the perimeter here and all the stuff they could have salvaged.I just wish the reveal wasn't such a cliche. Especially the stupid dogs.

[Fried Gold]

That both Cousin Merle goes driveabout AND the mini-zombie crisis happened at the same time, it seems logical to conclude they were connected in some way.

Otherwise...have the "walkers" evolved into "drivers".....?

Alright...So say Merle DID what you say he did. He had no way of knowing his brother wasn't there. The whole idea that he was exacting revenge kinda sidesteps the whole "Operation: Rescue Merle" storyline.

IF he was completely tweaked out with sunstroke or whatever, and IF he had some way of knowing his brother WASN'T there, then maybe I could believe he would have brought a truckload of biters with him back out to camp. But how would he have known his brother would have survived? And what would have lured the biters to the camp if a tasty Merle was just mm away from a pack of hungry zombies...

I don't get what point you're trying to make.

[TheBaxter]

getting the zombies out of the truck near the camp would've been a lot easier than getting them INTO the truck, but neither seems impossible. i mean, just back up the truck a short way away from camp, run out of the cab, open the back, and then run back into the cab real quick while the zombies lurch out and drive away. i think the show has pretty much established that living people can still outrun zombies, certainly quick enough to get back in the cab before a zombie gets to him. and if all the zombies don't get out the back, just throw it in reverse for a bit and hit the brakes, and they'll go flying out the back. then you drive away and let the zombies ears and noses lead them to the camp. i don't know how close he could get to the camp without someone hearing the truck though.

as for getting zombies into the truck, i guess you'd have to lure them into the back with some kind of fresh meat, and hide out of sight, until all the zombies were in the truck, then run up and shut the door on them. that seems a little more tricky, especially if more zombies show up than you can fit into the back, and then you can't get back to the truck. i suppose he could have hidden on top of the truck and shut the door from there, and maybe swung himself into the cab before any of the rest got to him, but that would be tough to pull off for a dumb one-handed racist. anyway, it all seems like it could at least be possible, if unlikely. if it turns out that merle did bring the zombies to the camp, i'm sure we'll find out how and why and have the details explained to us, just like they explained about tourniquets and dull saw blades that can't saw through handcuffs in the beginning of the episode.

as for his brother being in camp, maybe he's not as concerned with his brother's welfare as his brother is with his. or maybe he believes his brother is enough of a badass with his crossbow to be able to protect himself from a few zombies while the others get eaten. or maybe he saw and/or heard his brother calling his name in atlanta, which would also help explain how he knew where to find the truck.

[Fievel]

I don't have the episodes available to check, but I don't recall there being any sort of wall separating the front of the truck and the rear - meaning if there were zombies in the back of the truck, they'd just walk/crawl up to the front and eat the driver. I could have sworn there were conversations in the truck involving all four passengers on their way to Atlanta.

[Bayouwolf]

I don't get what point you're trying to make.

Apologies FG, I didn't mean to quote you in my reply. It's just the only way to post from my phone because the REPLY button doesn't work for some stupid reason. I simply forgot to delete your post before touching submit.

[TheBaxter]

I don't have the episodes available to check, but I don't recall there being any sort of wall separating the front of the truck and the rear - meaning if there were zombies in the back of the truck, they'd just walk/crawl up to the front and eat the driver. I could have sworn there were conversations in the truck involving all four passengers on their way to Atlanta.

well, i don't remember for sure. here's the best picture i could find...



you can see the truck behind the van. that truck has a separate cab. that's the truck i remember, which i'm pretty sure is the truck they had the first time they were in atlanta (i remember him having to back up the truck with the door open so they could all jump into the back to escape from the city). there's also a van in that picture though, and i don't remember for sure whether they took the same truck as before, or the van, or some other truck. but i thought it was the same truck.

obviously, the zombie revenge plan wouldn't have worked if the zombies could get to the driver's seat.

[The Garbage Man]

I'm starting to dislike the "Guest Starring Norman Reedus" credit. I'd love to see his character hang around for a while.

Ditto. Reedus is easily one of the best actors on the series.