The Walking Dead: The Television Series

[KillerGremlin]

Really interesting dichotomy. The community is like, "meh," but a lot of TV Review websites are singing praise. I guess because this is the only zombie show on TV? Or maybe people aren't familiar with the source material?

From Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/thewalkingde...head_spoilers/

I really dont understand the "pet the deer" (???) thing at the end. I thought at first they were going to let the boy shoot the deer "right of passage" style. But ... just let him wander up? and pet it? Is that what he was trying to do? Are these people retarded?

The girl was inside the Deer!

And she was shooting her way out!

Zombie trying to break in and get you? I'll just lift you up onto the roof to safety with me. JK, here's a screwdriver.

UNDER THE CARS?! what a great plan!

Maybe if they followed the comic this wouldn't be such a common reaction:

I hope both kids are dead, they are really dragging the show down.

Lots of discussion about the cheesy opening monologue, the church scenes, and filler sequences. And commercials (although I pre-recorded it, fast forward ftw).

And people are hypothesizing that at the CDC the guy whispered to Rick that:
Lori is pregnant. It would make sense.


Meanwhile....

'What Lies Ahead' is an amazing premiere for The Walking Dead: Season Two. I was as worried as anybody else when it was announced that Darabont was no longer showrunner, and convinced we were in store for a less than stellar season.

http://www.thehdroom.com/news/The-Wa...ad-Review/9685

"What Lies Ahead" was the perfect set up for season two. There was a nice balance of calm apprehension and full-on zombie fighting that kept the pace from feeling like it dragged on for too long in any moment. The 90-minute episode was worth the wait and it's obvious that all the pulse pounding, breath catching, and heart stopping moments will have viewers craving and clawing for more. Indeed, The Walking Dead is back!

http://www.tvfanatic.com/2011/10/the...at-lies-ahead/

IGN liked it: http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/10/16...ng-dead-s2-ep1

I've seen the first two episodes of the season (produced under Darabont's vision), and so far, the only complaint I have for The Walking Dead season 2 is that they didn't send me more. What lies ahead for the show remains to be seen, but if "What Lies Ahead" the episode is any indication, The Walking Dead may have finally found its stride.

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/the-...rem-42195.aspx


Really interesting split between the nerds and the general public. Now I feel like an asshole for being such a critic and whiner. I'm a fucking whiner, ha. But then like Teuthida said, Breaking Bad is such a good show...so well-acted. And Kirkman's comic really conveys an intense sense of dread. When I read the comic my mouth was open and I was thinking "holllly shit" numerous times. So far the TV show hasn't really made me feel super tense, except for maybe the scene in the house in the suburbs and the roof scene early on in Season 1.

Is this show shaping up to be the next Lost?

[Angrist]

Hm, I just sat through the show. I didn't want to form too much of an opinion... some stuff I liked, other I didn't.
Pretty much the same as season 1. Weird story, stupid characters, average acting, decent atmosphere.

[Typhoid]

I like the show, a lot - still. I spent all day yesterday watching the marathon, then the new episode.

The acting in the show doesn't bother me so much, really. it's a TV show based on a comic book, so going into the show I gave it some leniency based on that alone. I'm not sure why, though. Maybe because I appreciate what they're going for so much that I overlook things I'd rip apart in other shows, and I smoke a lot of drugs.

Anyways, I lol'd at the "Jesus, give me a sign!" / "Oh, alright, I guess I'll get someone to shoot your son while he's chilling with Bambi" thing that went down. I've never read the comics, and I don't know the story - but I've got some hefty assumptions now as to what might happen in the long run because of that.


As for them getting covered in blood and not getting infected; didn't they say you could only get infected by getting a bite, or a scratch? I thought about that, too.


PS: Who the fuck would let their son walk up to a wild buck in the first place? Especially during a zombie apocalypse.

[BreakABone]

I really dont understand the "pet the deer" (???) thing at the end. I thought at first they were going to let the boy shoot the deer "right of passage" style. But ... just let him wander up? and pet it? Is that what he was trying to do? Are these people retarded?

I was under the impression, they were gonna let him gut the deer.

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by BreakABone

I was under the impression, they were gonna let him gut the deer.

I didn't get that impression from the way they shot that scene. That's a Redditor's opinion you quoted, btw. Typhoid had the same thought in his post above yours.

[Angrist]

At first that's what I thought. That whole scene was just so awkward.

Oh and the 'zombie herd' thing when they hid under the cars just took way too long. 10 minutes long nothing happened. Oh and 2 idiots almost get themselves killed in the stupidest way ever.

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

PS: Who the fuck would let their son walk up to a wild buck in the first place? Especially during a zombie apocalypse.

Yeah, I was expecting him to get trampled at any moment.

I also did not get the impression they were going to let him gut the deer, considering the super happy look on the kids face just to be looking at it.

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

I didn't get that impression from the way they shot that scene. That's a Redditor's opinion you quoted, btw. Typhoid had the same thought in his post above yours.

Shrugs.

I saw Rick and Shane raise their guns to shoot the deer, and I swore Carl pulled out his knife, and they lowered their gun.

Fresh deer meat, would have been awesome.

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by BreakABone

Shrugs.

I saw Rick and Shane raise their guns to shoot the deer, and I swore Carl pulled out his knife, and they lowered their gun.

Fresh deer meat, would have been awesome.

It was just a confusing sequence because they spent so long phrasing the shot. They focused on the deer for way too long capturing its majestic beauty. Then they kept cutting back and forth between the character's faces. I swear Rick and Shane kept exchanging "fuck me softly...gently...and soothingly" look with each other and the deer. And then Carl began to walk towards the deer.

Now mind you, these are two trained cops from Hillbilly USA. They should know how to hunt deer. Specifically, they should know that you can't just walk up to a deer. A) you'll frighten it, B) that's retarded.

It was just a very odd, drawn out scene that didn't make much sense.

[The Germanator]

Yeah, I feel like I'm with most of you guys on this show. It has it's moments, and it's about zombies, so it's watchable. If there were this many slow moments in a show about something else, I'd probably stop watching.

Again, I just keep comparing it to Mad Men, or Breaking Bad, or Boardwalk Empire, even Homeland the new Showtime show. They're just better produced, written, and more interesting shows.

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by Angrist

Oh and the 'zombie herd' thing when they hid under the cars just took way too long. 10 minutes long nothing happened. Oh and 2 idiots almost get themselves killed in the stupidest way ever.

People these days, all about action, action, action. Nobody's mind has any time for suspense anymore. It's sad, really.


Scenes like that is why I like the show. I don't like it for the mutilations or the decapitations, or even because it has zombies in it. I watch it because it's one of the few horror-genre shows that has 'classic' suspenseful moments (That I'm aware of), where there is no dialogue, just anticipation. And who knows, sometimes the anticipation leads to nothing. Take the first episode when Rick's walking down the dark set of stairs exiting the hospital. All you can hear is the guy breathing, and occasionally see him light a match. No zombies. No yelling. No guts or murder. Just anticipation.

I like the show for the "Holy fuck there's zombies, what the fuck do we do? Shut up, be quiet!" rather than the "Holy fuck there's zombies, quick, let's let a million bullets fly and bash all of their heads in!" But don't get me wrong - every once in a while that's a pro.

Again, I just keep comparing it to Mad Men, or Breaking Bad, or Boardwalk Empire, even Homeland the new Showtime show. They're just better produced, written, and more interesting shows.

Personally I don't find that fair. Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, and Generic Showtime Show C aren't based on comic books. Now granted I don't know how well Walking Dead is sticking to the comic book story, but I assume they're probably just presenting the comic book to a wider audience, rather than making a completely new show where the writers have total freedom, like they do in those shows you mentioned. I don't know.

[Angrist]

I liked the scene where they were hiding, it was scarier than some slashing action.
But it just took way too long.

[The Germanator]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

Personally I don't find that fair. Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, and Generic Showtime Show C aren't based on comic books. Now granted I don't know how well Walking Dead is sticking to the comic book story, but I assume they're probably just presenting the comic book to a wider audience, rather than making a completely new show where the writers have total freedom, like they do in those shows you mentioned. I don't know.

I agree with that to an extent, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I feel that many scenes aren't acted well and many entire episodes aren't paced well. If it wasn't going to translate well into the hour-long TV format from a comic book, then they shouldn't have made it.

You've said you've enjoyed the suspense, and obviously the show needs these slower scenes, but I just don't think I care much about the other characters. I feel like Shane and Rick are interesting, but the dynamics between the other main characters doesn't do much for me. And when long stretches are focused on those characters...I dunno, I kind of lose interest.

I kind of think that first episode could have been 45 or 60 minutes rather than 90 and it probably would've been better.

Again, I like the show, just don't really love it...Or understand why it gets the ratings and critical acclaim. It's just okay, not great, but that's just me.

[Typhoid]

I'm with you on some of the acting being sub-par, and some characters being forgettable. It's not like I don't understand how that can ruin a show for people.

I just think because of Breaking Bad, and how good of an actor Brian Cranston is, and how good of a show that turned out to be, peoples expectations for AMC shows is now exceptionally, and ridiculously high. It's not HBO or anything, you know. I just try to give it super leniency in that sense, and just enjoy the ride for what it is.

I am high every time I watch the show though, so not only does that intensify the intense moments, it also intensifies the not-intense moments. I guess that's why I'm more into it.


Edit: But being the first episode, I'm hoping all of the next will get progressively better. The first episode of season 1 wasn't all that great compared to the other episodes. So here's hoping.

[Angrist]

And here I thought the first episode of season 1 was considered the best.