Let's Talk The Walking Dead

Agent007391

The show's on mid-season break right now, and seeing as I'm going through undead withdrawals, I just decided that I'd make a thread about it, so that we can have conversations about my favorite show on television, my favorite comic book, and (when I finally get it) possibly even my favorite video game (though that's doubtful).

If there's a thread specifically about The Walking Dead already, mods, go ahead and lock this one.

Now, let's get on with this, because as this franchise shows us, dead men tell some really good tales.

thelivingroyale

I don't really read comics. The game is meant to be great but what I've seen doesn't intrest me so I haven't played it.

I do watch the TV series though. Season 3 has been the best one yet, I love it. Big improvement over season 2, which I thought had terrible pacing.

Bounine

I love this series. Have always been a fan of the George A. Romero zombie flicks too.

I actually really liked season 2. Possibly more than season 3. Am enjoying season 4 too but so far I don't think it's as exciting as the other three.

Yes, the frustrating mid season break has begun. It was good that they had a two episode break from the usual players for the 3rd and 2nd to last episodes before the mid season break.

What do people think about

Andrea dying? Do you think that it was a good thing that they killed her off or would you have liked to have seen her feature longer? I would have preferred to have seen her last longer. I wonder if she did get what she deserved though.

If you've seen all of season 3 then it's okay to read the spoiler.

Agent007391

I forgot I made this thread. Nobody has commented on it in over a year.

I hate mid-season breaks. After Season 4's mid-season break, I just want it to keep going and going. I'm almost afraid the season finale can't top it without killing someone else off.

Bounine

If you've seen all of season 3 then it's okay to read the above spoiler.

In terms of actual episodes, my favourite is the last one in season 1 where they go to the CDC.

Agent007391

Bounine wrote:

What do people think about

Andrea dying? Do you think that it was a good thing that they killed her off or would you have liked to have seen her feature longer? I would have preferred to have seen her last longer. I wonder if she did get what she deserved though.

From the halfway point onward of Season 3, I was conflicted about Andrea. I was getting a little angry at her for her flip-flopping between the Prison and Woodbury, but once she was lying on the floor, bleeding to death, I got her. When she said that she didn't want anyone else to die, I got it all. After that line, everything fell into place. I would have loved to see her go on during the show to her plotlines from the comics, but I'm relatively pleased with her death during the third season.

As far as my favorite episode goes, I have several.

-Days Gone Bye (1.1)
-Vatos (1.4)
-Wildfire (1.5)
-What Lies Ahead (2.1)
-Save the Last One (2.3)
-Chupacabra (2.4)
-Pretty Much Dead Already (2.7)
-Nebraska (2.8) (specifically for the scenes in the bar)
-18 Miles Out (2.10)
-Better Angels (2.12)
-Beside the Dying Fire (2.13)
-Seed (3.1)
-Walk With Me (3.3)
-Killer Within (3.4)
-When the Dead Come Knocking (3.7)
-Made to Suffer (3.8)
-Home (3.10)
-Clear (3.12)
-Arrow on the Doorpost (3.13)
-This Sorrowful Life (3.15)
-Welcome to the Tombs (3.16)
-30 Days Without an Accident (4.1)
-Internment (4.5)
-Live Bait (4.6)
-Dead Weight (4.7)
-Too Far Gone (4.8)

Interestingly, four of my favorite episodes are the ones with titles taken from the comic volumes.

Yes, I like a few too many episodes, because this is my favorite show on television.

thelivingroyale

I've played the game since my last post and it's absolutely fantastic. Brilliantly written, very cinematic, great characters and very tough choices. Can't wait for the second season.

The season 3 finale was disappointing but season 4 has been fantastic so far. Really enjoyed the last two episodes, I like the idea of The Governor trying to be a better man but failing. Can't wait for the mid season finale on Friday.

@Bounine

I didn't mind. Wasn't a huge fan of her, found her pretty annoying to be honest, but her death was sad.

Agent007391

Oh, it's epic. (I will never understand why the UK gets it after the US does. You guys have had a distributor for the show since before it aired here.) I'll not spoil it for you, because I'm sure Twitter and Facebook have probably already done that, but don't be surprised if you're emotional when it's over.

Creasy47

Is season four any better than season three? Stopped watching the show after that abysmal season.

Agent007391

Yes. Though, I'm semi-biased. I loved Season 3 simply because of the Governor and the Prison. And Merle.

Bounine

Oh man, I just saw the mid 4th season finale that I recorded. Epic! Fantastic episode. Can't wait until the Christmas break is over! ;)

Great shoot up. I had to watch it twice. One thing that bothers me about what happened in this episode though was that if

Brian/ the governor is really dead (maybe the sword missed his vital organs and maybe that girl who was the governor's lover only shot the ground beside him as it cut without us saying anything), then it was a disappointing end to this character. I wanted to see him being eaten by the walkers while he was still alive like that mad general in 'Day of the Dead'. I hope he's not dead otherwise the killing off of his character was very poorly done as this bastard deserves to die in the most spectacularly painful fashion.

I'm also pleased they're finally out of that prison. I was getting sick of this location.

Agent007391

Well...

I personally feel that Lilly shoots him the face. I didn't need to see The Governor (who's real name is Phillip, by the way, he just uses the name Brian) suffer a Rhodes-esque (Captain, not General) death to feel satisfied. He suffered the same death that his comic book counterpart did, though I wish he'd suffered the mutilation from Michonne that his counterpart did. There's a later character in the comic who, if he's adapted for the TV series, will have to be watered down considerably (the man barely says a sentence without the word "f*ck" in it), who I'd rather see suffer a Rhodes-esque death.

Now we can go to the Alexandria Safe-Zone.

Seven_Point_Six_Five

I really lost faith in this show. I don't care for the story anymore and I don't even care for the characters either. This particular season felt so stagnant.

Creasy47

@Seven_Point_Six_Five, sometimes there isn't even a worthy cliffhanger at the end of an episode. Throughout the entirety of season three, I felt like I could sum up each episode in a fifteen second summary, and nothing eventful really seemed to occur. It grew stale very fast.

thelivingroyale

I think David Morrisey alone puts series 3 above series 2. One of the best actors working.

Agent007391

He did, and if, by chance, the Governor or anyone like him shows up in the game's second season, I hope Morrisey or someone who can fake his voice plays him.

thelivingroyale

He's one of the few actors I can think of who's a complete chameleon. No matter what he's in, I always see the character he's playing rather than David Morrisey once I start watching it. Not many actors can really become the character like that.

I'd love it if he reprised his role for the game and I'd love him in a Bond film.

StirredNotShaken

Ranking the Seasons:

4: Season 2 - rubbish
3: Season 3 - Decent but not great. Plagued with many issues.
2: Season 4 - It's been good so far, but I really don't like how they took this character arc with The Governor and then ended it two episodes later. Why did they have to follow the comics here? Just to kill off characters?
1: Season 1 - The show has never matched the quality of this season. Going from six episodes to thirteen a season hurt the show a lot. "Days Gone Bye" is still the best episode in the entire series.

Bounine

StirredNotShaken wrote:

Ranking the Seasons:

4: Season 2 - rubbish
3: Season 3 - Decent but not great. Plagued with many issues.
2: Season 4 - It's been good so far, but I really don't like how they took this character arc with The Governor and then ended it two episodes later. Why did they have to follow the comics here? Just to kill off characters?
1: Season 1 - The show has never matched the quality of this season. Going from six episodes to thirteen a season hurt the show a lot. "Days Gone Bye" is still the best episode in the entire series.

I had been thinking about this and I agree.

I loved how in that final mid season episode of series 4,

the little blonde girl shot that attractive brunette who had been in the army or the marines in the head. I actually cheered when that happened. Brilliant! The thing was, she was starting to get on my nerves because she seemed like a good solider understandably, and I was worried that she was going to take down the black guy (I forget his name. I'm bad with names).

I don't know how people can remember the names of the episodes! I'm terrible with names though.

Agent007391

Tyreese is his name.

I own the first three seasons on DVD (I've watched them a great many times), and I keep each season on the DVR until I get the DVD, and I frequent the Walking Dead wiki. That's how I remember the episode titles. I can give you a list if you want:

101: Days Gone Bye
102: Guts
103: Tell it to the Frogs
104: Vatos
105: Wildfire
106: TS-19
201: What Lies Ahead
202: Bloodletting
203: Save the Last One
204: Cherokee Rose
205: Chupacabra
206: Secrets
207: Pretty Much Dead Already
208: Nebraska
209: Triggerfinger
210: 18 Miles Out
211: Judge, Jury, Excecutioner
212: Better Angels
213: Beside the Dying Fire
301: Seed
302: Sick
303: Walk With Me
304: Killer Within
305: Say the Word
306: Hounded
307: When the Dead Come Knocking
308: Made to Suffer
309: The Suicide King
310: Home
311: I Ain't A Judas (TV)/I Ain't No Judas (DVD) (Only episode with a different title on DVD)
312: Clear
313: Arrow on the Doorpost
314: Prey
315: This Sorrowful LIfe
316: Welcome to the Tombs
401: 30 Days Without an Accident
402: Infected
403: Isolation
404: Indifference
405: Internment
406: Live Bait
407: Dead Weight
408: Too Far Gone

I did, however, need to go to the wiki for episodes 402-404, because I forget those titles often (probably because they all start with "I").

Bounine

Thanks for that.

I don't read the comics as I'm not really into reading comic books. I tried reading a couple of Spiderman comics when I was a lot younger and I couldn't really get into them because I remember getting confused about the order in which the speech bubbles should be read. Loved the pictures though.

Coldfinger

Season 4 was horrible until the Gov returned.

Bounine

Coldfinger wrote:

Season 4 was horrible until the Gov returned.

I wouldn't say it was horrible but I was getting sick of them in the prison.

Creasy47

So have they finally left the prison? Yet another disappointment from me, the prison became quite stale a few episodes into season three, and I was disappointed to find out that they were essentially at the same place at the season three finale that they were at the season three premiere.

thelivingroyale

F**k me that was epic. Loved every minute of it.

anyone else thinking that The Governor may have survived? It's unlikely but it seems odd how they cut away from it right when the girl fired.

Agent007391

Coldfinger wrote:

Season 4 was horrible until the Gov returned.

That gif is f*cking awesome.

Creasy47 wrote:

So have they finally left the prison? Yet another disappointment from me, the prison became quite stale a few episodes into season three, and I was disappointed to find out that they were essentially at the same place at the season three finale that they were at the season three premiere.

You think the show had them in the prison too long? Comics: Issue 13-48. It guest-starred at the end of issue 12.

thelivingroyale wrote:

F**k me that was epic. Loved every minute of it.

anyone else thinking that The Governor may have survived? It's unlikely but it seems odd how they cut away from it right when the girl fired.

They did the same thing to Merle in Season 3. Maybe the opening of the mid-season premiere will have Michonne sticking her sword right through his reanimated head.

I had no problem with the Governor in the episode "Live Bait" (the one where he returned). You can see that he's a broken man, he's trying to get on the path to redemption and he's replaced Penny with Meghan, he's basically got his pre-apocalypse life back. Had he not come into contact with Martinez again, things would have been just fine for him.

That said, his path through "Dead Weight" is just too quick. From the moment he's saying "I don't want it" while he's

bashing Martinez's skull in and dragging him to a walker pit

, he's practically back to the same man he was during the Season 3 finale when he slaughters his own men. That's just development too quickly to believe, even for this show. (Seriously, Shane goes from Rick's BFF to a cold-blooded killer hell-bent on stealing Lori from Rick in the space of one haircut?)

Creasy47

I don't read comics, so that doesn't really relate to me. Does sound like an even bigger stretch of time that I wouldn't enjoy, though. The setting just wasn't that great to me.

So someone who is into the comics and the show and games and whatnot, tell me, is it supposed to be a show about zombies, or is it a drama in the world of zombies? I've heard both, but after watching the first three seasons, it's seemed to alter: what I loved about the first season (one of the many things) was how outnumbered they were against the zombies, how threatening and menacing they were. Then, as it went along, it just turned into more of a soap opera, not a lot being done and any zombie in the way was simply slashed or hacked or shot with no problem. Then came the Governor...

So, is there a certain way to view the show that might heighten my appreciation of the third season, and perhaps, get me to watch and enjoy the fourth season?

Agent007391

Creasy47 wrote:

So someone who is into the comics and the show and games and whatnot, tell me, is it supposed to be a show about zombies, or is it a drama in the world of zombies? I've heard both, but after watching the first three seasons, it's seemed to alter: what I loved about the first season (one of the many things) was how outnumbered they were against the zombies, how threatening and menacing they were. Then, as it went along, it just turned into more of a soap opera, not a lot being done and any zombie in the way was simply slashed or hacked or shot with no problem. Then came the Governor...

The zombies are a constant menace, but it's the humans that are the focus. The show (and the comic, and the game, and the novels) is to some extent a soap opera, there have even been those typical soapy moments, like amnesia and whatnot.

Also, the zombies have become more of a threat in Season 4.

The title "The Walking Dead" doesn't even refer to the zombies themselves, it refers to the humans losing their souls during a traumatic series of events, and what they need to do to stay "human" (i.e, not turn into a monster like the Governor).

Creasy47

So I suppose that if I gave up after finishing (and being disappointed by) season three that I'm missing out on season 4. I've heard pretty much all the spoilers, but after hearing about how deadly the zombies are becoming, it's acquired my attention. When does the latter half of season four come on? I might just try and play catch up and see how I feel about it, and then watch it when it's on TV come its return.

Agent007391

February 9. At least in the US. I imagine the UK airing would be the following Saturday.

Creasy47

I heard that they had the episodes on AMC, but I'm guessing I'll have to resort to other online sites to watch them.