The Walking Dead (AMC) [**Spoilers**]

KeithM89_old

Gah!! The wait will be horrible - same amount of episodes next season or a regular 13 ep season??

DeepBlue

KeithM89 wrote: »

Gah!! The wait will be horrible - same amount of episodes next season or a regular 13 ep season??

13 episodes.
http://blogs.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/2010/11/season-2-renewal.php

KeithM89_old

DeepBlue wrote: »

13 episodes.
http://blogs.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/2010/11/season-2-renewal.php

Awesome news, thanks

RichyX

Only one episode left in the season, but I think I'm done with it.
For me that might have been the weakest episode yet.
These characters have completely failed to grow on me. I couldn't care less if they live or die.

It's a bad sign when Norman Reedus is the most engaging cast member.

L31mr0d

Have to agree with others that, apart from the premise, the show has very little else going for it.

That feeling of dread and hopelessness that is usually par for the course with Zombie Apocalypses and its ilk is missing.

I don't see a point to each episode. I mean, what am I looking forward to next week? I already know who's in the CDC (I compared the CDC intro to episode 2x01 of LOST which had a similar feel but was infinitely better in its execution) nobody outside is in any real danger... the only thing I'm interested in finding out is who the idiot was who put a blinding white light behind the CDC shutters for no apparent reason???

They need to make a decision fast, either it's a goofball zombie horror, with inventive weapon use featuring in each episode or a serious zombie dystopia and the affect a world like this would have on humans. By episode 5 Jericho was already doing a better job of making me relate to the characters and dealing with how humans might behave in a post-apocalypse world.

Overall, considering it's a 6 episode season, it's decidedly average. I'll continue watching, but when the Zombies appear to have more life in them than the main cast you know somebody is doing something wrong.

STIG83

Its a great show!! Make up on the zombies is so good!!

Richard Dower

Shocking news!...good or bad?

http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/the-walking-dead-lets-go-of-writers-considers-no-writing-staff-for-season-2/

I hear The Walking Dead writer/ executive producer/ director Frank Darabont has let go of the writers on the hot freshman AMC series, which has already renewed for a second season. That includes Darabont's No.2, writing executive producer Charles “Chic” Eglee. Writer turnover on series between seasons is commonplace but wholesale overhauls are unusual. What's more, I hear Darabont is looking to forgo having a writing staff for the second season of Walking Dead altogether and assign scripts to freelancers. Darabont, who hails from the feature world with The Young Indiana Jones as the only series credit before Walking Dead, ended up writing 2 of the first season's 6 episodes of Walking Dead - the pilot and the second episode - and co-writing/rewriting the other 4. Two of those 4 were written by non-staff writers, one by executive producer Robert Kirkman, on whose comics the series is based, and one by Glen Mazzara. The freelance model is employed by the Starz/BBC series Tourchwood, which in turn borrowed it from the U.K. where the show originated. Having BBC as producer has allowed Torchwood to proceed with no writing staff but I hear such a plan on an U.S.-based series such as Walking Dead may face issues with the Writers Guild. And, while the first season of Walking Dead was only 6 episodes, its second-season order is for 13, which may prove harder to manage in pre-production, production and post-production with no writing staff. Sources tell me that no final decision has been made yet with all options open, including using some combination of a writing staff/freelances. There is time - AMC is mulling launching Walking Dead's second season the way it did the first one - in October during Fearfest.

senordingdong

L31mr0d wrote: »

Have to agree with others that, apart from the premise, the show has very little else going for it.

That feeling of dread and hopelessness that is usually par for the course with Zombie Apocalypses and its ilk is missing.

I don't see a point to each episode. I mean, what am I looking forward to next week? I already know who's in the CDC (I compared the CDC intro to episode 2x01 of LOST which had a similar feel but was infinitely better in its execution) nobody outside is in any real danger... the only thing I'm interested in finding out is who the idiot was who put a blinding white light behind the CDC shutters for no apparent reason???

They need to make a decision fast, either it's a goofball zombie horror, with inventive weapon use featuring in each episode or a serious zombie dystopia and the affect a world like this would have on humans. By episode 5 Jericho was already doing a better job of making me relate to the characters and dealing with how humans might behave in a post-apocalypse world.

Overall, considering it's a 6 episode season, it's decidedly average. I'll continue watching, but when the Zombies appear to have more life in them than the main cast you know somebody is doing something wrong.

Have to agree.

My understanding of the series was that it was supposed to focus less and less on the zombies and more and more on the effects a dystopian environment has on the survivors, and their intra-personal relationships.

Thusfar it has failed to live up to his in any meaningful way.

I tried to fread into the comics to see how they might relate but the comics seem even more goof ball orientated.

Duggy747

Richard Dower wrote: »

Shocking news!...good or bad?

Hmm, I'll take this as good news as I like the show but in order for it to continue a serious shake-up is needed in the writing department.

As the show already is an interesting experiment, bringing in new (and freelance) writers could be a good thing.............or a disaster.

Basq

That's a very risky strategy by Darabont to be honest..

expectationlost

well he's getting the right people whether the unions/guild will or should allow it...


great interview with michael rooker (merle) from this morning from the nsfw podcast http://www.justin.tv/untitled27/b/274919439?

40mins in

ya gotta listen to this the guy is brill

speedboatchase

basquille wrote: »

That's a very risky strategy by Darabont to be honest..

If Darabont did write the first two episodes then fair play to him - everything has been downhill ever since and this has to be the right move. I can't quite believe how quickly my love of this show has been extinguished in the last few weeks - how can a zombie apocalyse be so dull?

missingtime

This episode, bar the last 5-10 minutes, did absoutely nothing for me. Its the same tired writing that infects all the us dramas. I'm just waiting for the pregnant woman to turn up.

Ok look people died, I get the part we people have to mourn but there is far far too much tugging at the heart strings for me. Every 5 minutes someone was weeping and crying and winging.

I'm glad he's cleared out the ****e writers, its turning into a soap opera at the moment.

Show needs to pick up, I dont give one ****e about the characters save for the korean kid.

FortuneChip

On the relation to 2x01 of Lost...
http://i.imgur.com/5ff30.jpg

Personally though, I'm still loving the show. I don't know if that's because it's so good, or because right now, nothing else has grabbed my attention. The Event? Ugh!

ricero

FortuneChip wrote: »

On the relation to 2x01 of Lost...
http://i.imgur.com/5ff30.jpg

Personally though, I'm still loving the show. I don't know if that's because it's so good, or because right now, nothing else has grabbed my attention. The Event? Ugh!

i really miss lost after viewing that i dont think any tv show will ever replace lost in my heart

KeanSeenan

ricero wrote: »

i really miss lost after viewing that i dont think any tv show will ever replace lost in my heart

I get the same way about The Wire.

Badgermonkey

I've just watched the first three episodes and don't know if I can endure more.

Firstly, I wasn't aware of it as a graphic novel / comic and am coming at it purely as a televisual experience.

The first real 'oh no, this isn't gonna be great' moment for me was when the asian kid came on the CB at the end of episode one "Hey you, dumass, in the tank...cosy in there?".

That was kinda corny, cutesy, a bit 'american' and set the tone for episodes 2 and 3 which were full of scenes where one could anticipate what would transpire on screen a good 15-20 seconds before it did.

It's production values appear a little too glossy, the dialogue is fairly inane, the examination of the interpersonal relationships in the context of where they find themselves is more than somewhat clunky and so far I've yet to develop any empathy with any of the characters.

Though it may have to toe the line with regard to the original concept, I was hoping for something which would skew the zombie genre and avoid cliches like the plague, which to me are like a red rag to a bull.

krudler

What was with using the score from Sunshine? I love that music but it didnt suit a scene where absolutely nothing was happening aside from the driving down a road.

It started out well, absolutely loved the pilot, but its going downhill, cant care about any of the characters, even the lead guy,who keeps putting everyone else at risk in order to feed his own conscience.

killbillvol2

Am I alone in thinking that an ideal season finale would be the obliteration of the CDC and all within? Does anyone give a sh!t about any of these characters?

expectationlost

its missing some satire

Mindkiller

I don't really know what you mean by satire, but a little bit of dark humour now and again in a series like this would help alleviate all the hammy melodrama.

Everyone is so uptight all the time, and not in a good, natural way.

For what it's worth, I wasn't blown away by the pilot, but it was of a much higher standard than the fluff that came after it.
The scene in the hospital was shot perfectly, although it pales in comparison to the Cillian Murphy scene.

I know zombies stopped being scary a long while back but there should be at least some attempts made to scare the viewer from time to time. Again, at the end of the hospital scene when Rick was lighting a match to find his way through pitch darkness was oozing in tension.

Fastforward to eps 3-5 and it feels like something out of a video game.

I think people might be a bit uptight all the time because they are in the middle of a Zombie apocalypse and could be attacked at any moment. However, having said that I agree with you. There is a certain distinctive lack of humour in the show. I'm beginning to lose faith in it, which is shocking because most things with Zombies (bar Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, that was just sh1te) is excellent in my book. I have to agree that the ending shot of the last episode was just.. ridiculous.

krudler

That final shot of the episode was about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face, yes, the white light means salvation within, we get it, now get in the bloody building.

cian1500ww

I'm enjoying it so far, I guess everyone wants something different from the show. Can't wait for the next episode!!

jor el

FortuneChip wrote: »

On the relation to 2x01 of Lost...
http://i.imgur.com/5ff30.jpg

On that pic, the zombie that looks a bit like Stuart Townsend (on the Mysterious Infection row) was following Rick around, and it seemed that this might go somewhere, but it didn't. Even when Rick and Glen were on the street, Stuart Townsend zombie was following them before the rain washed off the blood and guts that was masking them. I really thought that was going to become something, but it just got completely forgotten. That was probably the first of many things I noticed that didn't really pan out.

They needed more of Lennie James (Morgan, in the pilot episode), and not bringing him back seems a bit crap really. He was a central part of the pilot episode, and is now just forgotten, though I'd imagine he'll be reintroduced in the final episode.

Sarah Wayne Callies, just shoot her in the head. We really don't need the whole stupid and obvious love triangle, especially when it's not even a triangle any more, since she dropped Shane like a hot snot the minute Rick turned up. Pure tramp, and annoying as fcck.

Aside from that, and all the cliches, I quite like it. It's nothing new, but entertaining enough. If AMC had to chose between this and Rubicon though, I'd rather they kept Rubicon. Unfortunately, they didn't.

RichyX

jor el wrote: »

They needed more of Lennie James (Morgan, in the pilot episode), and not bringing him back seems a bit crap really. He was a central part of the pilot episode, and is now just forgotten, though I'd imagine he'll be reintroduced in the final episode.

He's hardly been forgotten.
Did Rick not have a scene where he was on the walkie talkie trying to relay info to him?

FortuneChip

I definitely agree that Morgan should have more screen time. I hope he's reintroduced in a plausible way. He's been my favourite character with the exception of Daryl; Merle was too over the top aggressive and impervious to logic. For the time being, Daryl seems more level headed.

One of my favourite scenes thus far was, after getting the rifle, Morgan goes upstairs and places the picture of his wife by the window. It had a very genuine feel to it, instructing his soon to stay downstairs even after he'd fired the first shot etc.

Basq

Minor spoiler regarding Morgan's character for the final episode..

He doesn't appear.. Lennie James is credited but doesn't appear.

FortuneChip

basquille wrote: »

Minor spoiler regarding Morgan's character for the final episode..

He doesn't appear.. Lennie James is credited but doesn't appear.

I'm slightly upset by this, but at the same time, I think given the situation that the rest of the survivors are currently in, it would just just too much going on

expectationlost

Mindkiller wrote: »

I don't really know what you mean by satire

by satire i mean satire. the whole purpose of modern zombie lore.

allanb49

krudler wrote: »

That final shot of the episode was about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face, yes, the white light means salvation within, we get it, now get in the bloody building.

Wait wait wait,

The light is meant to mean salvation, i just thought zombies where distracted by bright lights, hence it being more dangerous at night!

phill106

Lets see, we are outside the cdc, where we hope to find salvation, a place to defend ourselves against the ravaging zombie horde. Oh look, loads of dead soldiers, with guns and ammo all over the place. Will we check even one of them, see if there is any ammo?
No, we are fine with the little amount of guns, even though they risked their lives before for one bag of guns.

Really?
Lovin the show, but then again, I do love myself a zombie show!
Wish they let us know how it started (more info then the wildfire clip).

iguana

allanb49 wrote: »

Wait wait wait,

The light is meant to mean salvation, i just thought zombies where distracted by bright lights, hence it being more dangerous at night!

Sky-flowers!:P

allanb49

allanb49 wrote: »

Wait wait wait,

The light is meant to mean salvation, i just thought zombies where distracted by bright lights, hence it being more dangerous at night!

Interesting point, actually and makes sense if this turns out to be the case.

FortuneChip

Deleted User wrote: »

Interesting point, actually and makes sense if this turns out to be the case.

Yeah, but even if the light is a practical way to distract Zombies, rest assured that ending was devised to symbolise salvation. Cheesy as they come. And not the first time it's been used as we've said

Richard Dower

This firing the writers debacle is distracting from the show, GAH comes into the fray:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2010/12/03/walking-dead-darabont-hurd-writers/

And Kirkman yesterday: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s135/the-walking-dead/news/a291272/exec-walking-dead-staff-not-fired.html

Syferus

Richard Dower wrote: »

This firing the writers debacle is distracting from the show, GAH comes into the fray:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2010/12/03/walking-dead-darabont-hurd-writers/

And Kirkman yesterday: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s135/the-walking-dead/news/a291272/exec-walking-dead-staff-not-fired.html

Yeah, I'm totally distracted. We all are. Don't you feel the emotion pulsing through my words?

allanb49

I was being sarcastic, but it would be interesting if my sarcasm can to be real :P

Richard Dower

Syferus wrote: »

Yeah, I'm totally distracted. We all are. Don't you feel the emotion pulsing through my words?

Your feminine wilds and your harlot vagenda do NOT work on me!! :mad:

Richard Dower

Ahh FFS!....TWD + Boardwalk are ending tonight!...and Lost Girl only has two more eps. left - while CSI Miami is utter garbage this season!....Sundays are rather poor now :-(

Mindkiller

Even with Walking Dead and Boardwalk there is a dearth of good TV on atm.
Bring on season 4 of Breaking Bad pls AMC.

opr

I came in to see what people made of last week and seen the Darabont thing with the writing staff and thats enough for me to cut this off. Not bothering with the last few episodes. I might pick it up again when season two rolls around.

Opr

iguana

opr wrote: »

I came in to see what people made of last week and seen the Darabont thing with the writing staff and thats enough for me to cut this off. Not bothering with the last few episodes. I might pick it up again when season two rolls around.

Opr

There is only one more episode this season.

I'm not sure what to make of the series but I have to say I've been vaguely bored so far and have to force myself to focus on it. Not a great sign. I just don't care about any of the characters at all. None of them have my interest. The only real emotional resonance I have felt was when Morgan left his son downstairs and tried and failed to shoot his wife's corpse in the head and the initial scene where Carl saw Rick and ran to him.

Richard Dower

OK, did anyone else want Amy's sister to just DIE!...i know i did! + old dude would be a bonus, i was really hoping those two would die....thin out the group a bit more!, but i guess we did at least lose one more from the overcrowded non zombie population!

Shane, so he did try to save Rick, he didn't make sh*t up....he genuinely thought he was dead so he didn't lie to Lori.....but, i still think there was something going on before the fall, maybe he had feelings or urges for her, or maybe they were going behind Rick's back before the zombie outbreak.

The big question is....what did Renner whipser to Rick just before the CDC blew up!!!!!!!!!!....dammit, i wanna know, maybe something about a cure?, or maybe a safezone?

That CDC building blowing up was pretty woeful CGI!...god really poor, also of note...for a 720p HD the quality of the picture was HORRID!, pixalated and blurring all over the shop....really annoying!

Not much arc progression, but i didn't expect much...it was pretty good but not "wow", strong finale that lacked a little something, the opening scene in the hospital was great, soldiers going bonkers and just killing everyone, not caring who was zombie or who was still human....just kill 'em all and let god sort 'em out!

Shane is kinda off his head though, nearly raping Lori...when Rick finds out it'll sure open up a whole can of whoop ass!

Interesting ending. This may seem like a stupid question, but does anyone know if the CDC has that built in? If the power goes, it explodes. I mean, it makes sense given what they essentially are dealing with.

mobius42

Richard Dower wrote: »

The big question is....what did Renner whipser to Rick just before the CDC blew up!!!!!!!!!!....dammit, i wanna know, maybe something about a cure?, or maybe a safezone?

Having read some of the comics, I'd say he told him:

that Lori is pregnant. He did blood tests on everyone, so he'd know from that.

Interesting to see that grenade come back. When he got it in the tank, it did strike me as a Chekov's gun.

KeanSeenan

mobius42 wrote: »

Having read some of the comics, I'd say he told him:

that Lori is pregnant. He did blood tests on everyone, so he'd know from that.

I guessed that too, I thought early on that because they didn't mention it that they just weren't going to go that route, suppose they didn't want to open that can of worms before being comissioned for a 2nd season.

JP Liz V1

I am loving Norman Reedus as Daryl he is my favourite character on the show plus he is damn hot

PhiloCypher

mobius42 wrote: »

Having read some of the comics, I'd say he told him:

that Lori is pregnant. He did blood tests on everyone, so he'd know from that.

Interesting to see that grenade come back. When he got it in the tank, it did strike me as a Chekov's gun.

My first thought was that he was telling Rick Comic

everyone is infected whether they were bitten or not as we found out in the comics

but what you said makes far more sense .

DeepBlue

After that episode I think I can see why the writers were fired.
The CDC thing was pretty pointless. They find it and seemingly a day or two later it's blown to smithereens. WTF!!?!!?

Perhaps the fact that the series was just 6 episodes told against it. I was expecting something of a strong finish to the season to whet the appetite for season two. Alas that didn't happen.

@Richard the 350MB version was fully of glitches too.