The Walking Dead TV series courtesy of AMC.

cdamm said:

I'll bet otis found her and put her in the barn. This was before the huge search at the farm. Before otis knew there was a missing girl to say 'hey there is a little girl I put in the barn' he was killed by shane.




while shane was probably right, rick is trying to play it 'right' by abiding by hershels rules on his land. needless to say the group could easily overpower herschels people, but i think rick is just consumed by trying to hang onto the last bit of humanity and civilization. I think his character really stepped up and showed he was a leader by putting sophia down when everyone else froze.

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I dunno, man. It just seems like rationalization on the behalf of a substandard show. It's just stupid, pretty much every way you slice it. Firing Darabont and halving the budget killed this show as dead as a walker.

HeartlessNinny said:

I dunno, man. It just seems like rationalization on the behalf of a substandard show. It's just stupid, pretty much every way you slice it. Firing Darabont and halving the budget killed this show as dead as a walker.

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So not really dead.

Actually, I genuinely hope so (which is why I went with that metaphor),

but either way it's gonna smell gross and be clumsy.

How did Sofia only have one bite taken out of her neck? If she was bitten by a walker, why did they just stop there? Why not eat everything they could from her?

I figured it was because she probably got a bite and escaped, only to turn later.

Soilwork said:

How did Sofia only have one bite taken out of her neck? If she was bitten by a walker, why did they just stop there? Why not eat everything they could from her?

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maybe they didn't like the taste?... just like sharks, if they bite a surfer and realize it's not a seal, they get grossed out

Agent Sands said:

I figured it was because she probably got a bite and escaped, only to turn later.

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A huge chunk out of the neck would immobilize anybody, I'd imagine. That, or they would get maybe 2 feet before collapsing from blood loss.

I don't think walkers are too discerning on taste.

I really liked last night's episode.

It doesn't make up for the uneven season, but it was the strongest of the season as far as I am concerned. I really enjoyed the themes being presented.

Rick is the man and Shane's a punk. The show now has its first bonafide villain.

No, I don't consider Merle a villain because he didn't really do anything in the context of the show other than act ignorant and chop off his hand to survive. Shane's crossed lines and boundaries and imposed his will on others in ways I doubt a guy like Merle can conjure up in his wildest, most ignorant dreams.

That is not leading. That is bullying. He can't get curbed soon enough for me. I say that in a good 'guy you love to hate' kinda way.

I really feel that the show was building to this moment, and it wasn't enough of a payoff for the frustrating delivery of the season to this point. It felt like they dreamed up this awesome endgame for the 'half season finish' but didn't know how to get there from point a to point b in a more compelling fashion.

I give the season a B- so far.

I think way too much was said. Especially with Dale saying outright that Shane was meant for this world. It was better when it was just Shane saying that Rick wasn't made for this world. No need to beat people over the head with the foilisms.

I wonder how the comic readers are dealing with the departures from the comics. I think it's cool to get an alternative dimension in TWD. I would also be content if Carl died. Kid reminds me of the little kid in Ringu.

I was waiting for Otis to wander back to the farm, and then Shane would have to explain the gunshot wound.

I also agree the reason Rick is playing by Hershel's rule is to try and be human. Maintain humanity.
Shane just wants to conquer and survive, but that is a short term solution. Eventually humanity will have to work together.


I also thought about why the girl wasnt eaten, and the bite-escape clause is all you come up with. Again, it's a zombie show....so it's not like they have to play by the rules.

NeoSneth said:

I was waiting for Otis to wander back to the farm, and then Shane would have to explain the gunshot wound.

I also agree the reason Rick is playing by Hershel's rule is to try and be human. Maintain humanity.
Shane just wants to conquer and survive, but that is a short term solution. Eventually humanity will have to work together.


I also thought about why the girl wasnt eaten, and the bite-escape clause is all you come up with. Again, it's a zombie show....so it's not like they have to play by the rules.

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Think about it - having watched Resident Evil movies, all of them, when Carlos got bitten, it was a bite on the arm, but he managed to get away. Same with a lot of the protagonists. Like Michele Rodriguez in RE1, she turned off a small wound. I would imagine most of the zombies lucked out, sort of, in that they weren't eaten more. If a pile of zombies was eating Otis, when would they stop? After the first bite? Second bite? Or when his juicy carcass was devoured clear to the bone?

Agent Sands said:

I think way too much was said. Especially with Dale saying outright that Shane was meant for this world. It was better when it was just Shane saying that Rick wasn't made for this world. No need to beat people over the head with the foilisms.

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If I had to choose one, I prefer Dale telling Shane over Shane telling Rick.

Actually, I prefer Rick telling Shane because that makes him more proactive as a leader, but that's just not in Rick's character to treat Shane that way just yet. I'm sure this will be the dynamic when the show returns, though.

Agent Sands said:

I wonder how the comic readers are dealing with the departures from the comics. I think it's cool to get an alternative dimension in TWD. I would also be content if Carl died. Kid reminds me of the little kid in Ringu.

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I can't speak for the other readers, but I haven't had much of a problem with the departures so far. The only thing, as we've all said here, is that I don't like how Rick isn't being given enough of a spotlight to actually LEAD this group. They follow him, but the show hasn't done a good job of explaining exactly why this is the case.

How does he make them feel safer or more protected? How have his decisions been the type that they'll follow? The show has spent so much time on Daryl arguing with his phantom brother and gathering flowers and Shane going gradually crazy that Rick just isn't a strong enough leader to convince me that anyone would do anything he'd say. I thought the first season did a better job of expressing Rick's qualities. That could be because this season is more decompressed. It just reminds me of LOST so much in that they're introducing these new themes and ideas, but they haven't really solidified the more important concepts yet.

This show is borrowing heavily enough from the source material that it's tied to it. Well, that source material is focused on Rick's evolution. If they keep borrowing and Rick is still given short shrift in the TV show, something will feel off.

you know what would spice up this show?

Will Ferrel - Rick
Mr T - Shane

Zardoz said:

you know what would spice up this show?

Will Ferrel - Rick
Mike Tyson - Shane

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there fixed it.

Taiso said:

I really liked last night's episode.

It doesn't make up for the uneven season, but it was the strongest of the season as far as I am concerned. I really enjoyed the themes being presented.

Rick is the man and Shane's a punk. The show now has its first bonafide villain.

No, I don't consider Merle a villain because he didn't really do anything in the context of the show other than act ignorant and chop off his hand to survive. Shane's crossed lines and boundaries and imposed his will on others in ways I doubt a guy like Merle can conjure up in his wildest, most ignorant dreams.

That is not leading. That is bullying. He can't get curbed soon enough for me. I say that in a good 'guy you love to hate' kinda way.

I really feel that the show was building to this moment, and it wasn't enough of a payoff for the frustrating delivery of the season to this point. It felt like they dreamed up this awesome endgame for the 'half season finish' but didn't know how to get there from point a to point b in a more compelling fashion.

I give the season a B- so far.

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You really didn't have a problem with the fact the girl was in the barn the whole time? What about how practically nothing's happened so far this season, even including last night's episode?

To be fair, it's not like you're not being critical. But I feel like I'm the only one who thinks it's dumb that girl was in the barn. It just seems so incredibly stupid to me.

It'd be one thing if they could explain it next week, but no. We have to wait several months instead.

Honestly I don't give a shit anymore. There should have been some kind of crazy cliffhanger that made it so I couldn't wait for next February, but instead I got a weak interim-style finale that didn't really resolve anything.

I still don't think there's much drama to be had either. The only thing that really got my attention was the fact that Rick's greatest enemy isn't the zombies or even Herschel, it's Shane. But that's pretty stupid when they both just want to survive.

There should be a rule that if the character doesn't have any lines in the script of the week, that character must be killed off. I know they're running low on black dudes right now, but just putting T-dog in there and not letting him talk is lame. Something they stress in writing class is economy of words. And in screen writing economy is a big deal. Obviously time is of the essence. If they wanted to make the show about Daryl's personal quest to improve his stature from redneck to gentleman, then have the decency to kill off the rest of the unused cast.

cdamm said:

there fixed it.

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dissin' ol' Mr T eh?.. i pitty the fool? ;P

but how would you feel if you're wife had sexy time with Mr T at his current age.

HeartlessNinny said:

You really didn't have a problem with the fact the girl was in the barn the whole time? What about how practically nothing's happened so far this season, even including last night's episode?

To be fair, it's not like you're not being critical. But I feel like I'm the only one who thinks it's dumb that girl was in the barn. It just seems so incredibly stupid to me.

It'd be one thing if they could explain it next week, but no. We have to wait several months instead.

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i thought my otis theory a bit earlier was a pretty good explanation.

cdamm said:

i thought my otis theory a bit earlier was a pretty good explanation.

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It was a good way to explain it, but you shouldn't have to. And even with the idea explained, it's still stupid.

The fact remains that they had 8 episodes to tell a story here -- and in 8 episodes, look what they do in a show like Boardwalk Empire or Breaking Bad -- and they did sweet fuck all with them. They could have wrapped this shit up in 3 or 4. This mid season break should have led to the group moving on, not staying in the same place forever.

I think it's cool that things weren't so obvious and require more thinking and discussion. We did that a lot with Breaking Bad. I think that it's critical to any show's value for the audience to need to think about what's going on more.

Agent Sands said:

I think it's cool that things weren't so obvious and require more thinking and discussion. We did that a lot with Breaking Bad. I think that it's critical to any show's value for the audience to need to think about what's going on more.

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Normally I'd agree with you completely, but I think this show is pretty inconsistent when it comes to examining the plot points and whatnot. I'd say it's on the verge of being brain dead (yeah, I went there).

HeartlessNinny said:

You really didn't have a problem with the fact the girl was in the barn the whole time? What about how practically nothing's happened so far this season, even including last night's episode?

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Sofia in the barn-no, I have no real problem with it. The only thing I wonder about is why Rick, or somebody else, didn't make the tough decision to go look at the barn for themself to see if Sophia was in there. But I can let that go as the group being so caught up in its own drama that they sort of lost focus in that respect. It definitely explains why, despite Daryl's tracking abilities, they couldn't find her. And it's the only explanation that makes any sense as far as the story mechanics go.

And I wouldn't say 'nothing happened' last night.

I generally agree that the season had a slow pace, and that's not good.

But everything built to a formidable head with the barn massacre. There were so many post apocalyptic dystopian themes of humanity and human relationships touched upon in the barn massacre that I felt strong emotional progression of the plot there. My only problem was that the buildup to this crucible was clumsy.

HeartlessNinny said:

To be fair, it's not like you're not being critical. But I feel like I'm the only one who thinks it's dumb that girl was in the barn. It just seems so incredibly stupid to me.

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Okay.

I don't mean that in a demeaning way.

It didn't work for you. I'm cool with that. I have no real problem with it.

HeartlessNinny said:

It'd be one thing if they could explain it next week, but no. We have to wait several months instead.

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I agree with this. I don't see why they just don't play the whole thing through in one sitting. It helps shows like Sons of Anarchy to tell one entire, uninterrupted story. I think AMC should put their money where their mouth is. They believe in TWD? Great. Keep it running through the holidays. Let's see if it stands up. If it doesn't, then may be they should consider bringing Darabont back.

HeartlessNinny said:

Honestly I don't give a shit anymore. There should have been some kind of crazy cliffhanger that made it so I couldn't wait for next February, but instead I got a weak interim-style finale that didn't really resolve anything.

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Then my advice is to quit watching. Why watch this show and bitch about it so much? If you don't care, then stop. Is it really worth the frustration?

HeartlessNinny said:

I still don't think there's much drama to be had either. The only thing that really got my attention was the fact that Rick's greatest enemy isn't the zombies or even Herschel, it's Shane. But that's pretty stupid when they both just want to survive.

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Well, you're missing the point of the dystopian elements, then.

Or you're NOT missing them but they aren't appealing to you.

EDIT: To elaborate on my thoughts-

A show like this, a story like this, is as much about emotional and philosophical storytelling as it is about plot progression.

In fact, it's probably MORE about the advancement of relationships and viewpoints than it is about 'where the characters go next.' The comic book's exactly the same way. It's more interesting to me to see how the characters' actions affect their views and relationships with one another, anyway. That is a form of storytelling and it advances an arc, even if they're staying at the farm.

The problem, as I see it, is you complaining that 'it's taking forever to find Sophia' and 'they're just sitting at the farm doing nothing.' I disagree.

What they're doing is telling a story about relationships, not about Rick and the Family Grimes trucking across zombieland getting in undead adventures. The comic is the exact same thing. When adventures happen, it's to put the characters in situations where their perspectives can change based on the decisions they make.

Now, whether you think the show is doing this effectively or not is one thing. But whatever show you're judging...I don't think it's TWD. As I read your comments, it feels to me like you're wanting the show to be something other than what it is.

My advice is for you to go to Alderann and learn the ways of the Force from Obi-Wan, HN. There's nothing for you here now.

"is this about you and the asian boy?"

^__^

I'm getting kind of annoyed reading ninny complain - and I'm not even a huge fan of the show.

cdamm said:

i thought my otis theory a bit earlier was a pretty good explanation.

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That's what I think happened. But I envision Otis going out to hunt. He hears Sophia scream. By the time he gets to her, a zombie bit a chunk of her neck. Otis kills the zombie, and quickly takes her to the barn before she converts to a zombie. Just as he arrives, she wakes up, only to be dropped down with the rest of the zombies in the barn.
Only problem I have is why Glenn didn't see her when he discovered the zombies in the barn? But I'm not going to over analyze that.

One more thing, I think Darabont was fired around this time during filming (as well as some of the writers). So either the show will improve or get worst when it returns.