Please excuse me while I geek out for the next several moments, but I need to pay homage to this awesome show. Over the last few weeks, I've found myself having something like a Walking Dead hangover on Monday; I just can't get the show out of my head. I dream about it Sunday night, I think about it all day Monday, and then usually by Tuesday, it's dissipated. So today, instead of just limping through my usual existence, I'm going to put my thoughts on paper and invite any of you who may be also ruminating on "The Walking Dead" to feel free to comment at the end. We can all be geeks and love zombies together, right?
And just FYI: if you are not completely caught up with the show, and by that, I mean you have seen up through Season 3, Episode 6, than this blog will contain spoilers. If you are new to the phenom or still working through the first few seasons, there is a good chance reading this will ruin a few great surprises in store for you. And trust me, they are worth it. So either stop reading or know that the effect of the show will be lessened if you know what happens.
Okay, with that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk about zombies! Where to start...
The phone call. What did you all think of that? I was a little surprised who was on the other line, and quite honestly, it felt a little contrived. I understand it was part of the graphic novel (which I have read none of, so everything is new to me), but it felt like one of those "they need to handle this carefully or the show will jump the shark" kind of moments. Like, if it was a real person, the likelihood of someone just calling numbers while Rick just happens to be standing by a phone is incredibly unlikely. And then the flip-side - Rick is starting to lose his mind and is imagining all of this - might signal the beginning of the end. Honestly, I don't want to watch Rick descend into mental madness; I want to watch him be a strong leader and kill zombies and be the hero. I was so, so thankful that the show pulled itself together (just like newly-showered Rick) by the end of the episode and he *seems* to have rejoined the Land of the Mostly Sane People. How cute was it when he was holding his daughter? Thank you for finally acknowledging your daughter!
Is she really named Kick-Ass?
And I don't know about you, but I'm still not 100% over Lori's death. I was a staunch member of the "I Hate Lori" fan club, but now that she's gone, I just feel so, you know, empty. I kinda miss her. And I wish Carl had a mom. He's been through so much and the manner in which she died - ugh. Stupid bloated zombie (who, for a second, I totally thought was Lori, which meant Carl was not able to shoot her. Eek! The only thing worse thank Living Lori is Walker Lori.) Gotta love Carl though - Daryl's attempted to commiserate with the little guy about lost mothers and Carl's all like, "Sorry you lost your mom. I shot mine in the head." End of story. I think Carl won this round.
Speaking of Daryl, can I just give a slow clap for the writers of this show? Daryl Dixon: this is how you do character development. From being a lone angry, white-trashy wolf to being the guy who holds - and feeds - the tiny, helpless, motherless baby, I think ovaries all across America exploded with joy. The guy has morphed into the anti-hero's anti-hero. Rick turns to him for advice. He's killer with that cross bow. He knows how to drive a Harley AND care for a newborn all while forging for some possum for dinner. I mean, Daryl's got it going on. Oh - and he found Carol! YAY CAROL!! She survived! I think the only thing that could take Daryl down is his stupid, sociopathic brother Merle.
Merle. The Governor. The whole town of Woodbury. Brian and I have very, very different views on this situation, but Brian has read the comics, so he knows more than I do. And while I CANNOT STAND Andrea, I have to admit - I think I would have stayed. I mean, yes, we as viewers know about the questionable aquarium, the zombie daughter, and the military, but Andrea and Michonne do not. I still don't know what spooked Michonne so much to leave as quickly as she did (other than she just prefers to fly solo in a zombie apocalypse), but isn't Woodbury exactly what those in the prison are trying to create? A safe place to live and work? And yes, that safety may be an illusion at this point, but if you had a newborn baby, wouldn't you do anything in your power to keep your child safe, even if it meant having to live with a guy like the Governor? Who - by the way - at this point, hasn't really done that-that much to convince me he's like, a super baddie. I mean, Lori was sleeping with Shane three weeks after the world fell apart and Rick killed his best friend. Having a fish tank full of dead walker heads is really small potatoes in my eyes. Maybe he just has questionable taste in decorating.
As for Michonne, I about died when she approached the prison with the baby formula. During the whole scene with Merle (gah! Hate him!) and Glen and Maggie, I was shouting at the TV, "What about the baby? You have to get back to the baby!" Maybe I'm a bit sensitive about feeding a newborn since I've already considered writing the show to inquire about how they are checking on Kick-Ass's bilirubin levels, but that kid has got to eat. Period. If I were Glen and Maggie, I would have brought Merle back to the prison to see Daryl, dropped off the formula, and then figured out a way to get rid of Merle. I mean, between Rick and his gang of elite killers, they could figure something out, right?
So imagine my delight when the lovely Michonne was thoughtful enough to bring the baby food, despite the fact she wreaked of zombie entrails (which kept her safe - who else forgot about that little factoid?) I just love how the writers have slowly been positioning the characters like chess pieces for their eventual meet-up, with Rick and the Governor sure to find each other soon. Michonne now knows about the prison. Glen and Maggie made it to Woodbury. Andrea has a connection to everyone but is too busy to care since she's having a post-coital cigarette in the Governor's bedroom. Have I mentioned how much I dislike her? She reminds me of that friend that is like, dying to get married and have kids but can't figure out why none of her relationships work out. You just want to take her by the shoulders and shake her and say, "STOP DATING SOCIOPATHS!" She's like the Taylor Swift of this show. Not saying Andrea is eager to settle down and start a family, but c'mon. She's got an eye for picking really bad guys.
And with that said, Brian and I had this discussion last night: why is it a big deal for the Governor and Rick to meet? My view point is that Woodbury is exactly what the baby needs - security, food, a crib. Maybe a baby toy. (Thank you, Maggie, for the duck!) Brian postulates that Rick is exactly the type of guy that the Governor hates, because he represents a threat to his authority. Brian believes the Governor will likely kill Rick simply to get rid of him, like he did with the military guys. I then asked this: can Rick take a "one-down" to the Governor's authority and just go with the flow, for the safety of little Kick-Ass? It's interesting to note that our argument is clearly defined by gender roles. Even in the zombie apocalypse, my only concern is that baby. I would do anything, including change my personality and beliefs, in order to protect my child. I would keep my mouth shut and hope for a sweet little one-bedroom apartment in Woodbury. Maybe I would grow tired of the Governor's rule, but I wouldn't get involved with any rebellion movements until the child was older. And then, that show is now called "The Hunger Games."
I wonder, are all women are like this? I asked Brian if he would be able to not be the Alpha male if it meant security for the child, and he wasn't sure. Are women just more morally and socially flexible when their families are at stake? Is it just me? Or maybe it's because I would much rather be tending flower beds than running from zombie herds?
So what are your thoughts? I didn't get a chance to cover T-Dawg's death, Herschel's stump, zombie fight club, or that awesome scene where Michonne decapitates a living human being, so please share away! What would your role in the zombie apocalypse be? And would you live in Woodbury, or is Woodbury a town where what happens in Woodbury, stays in Woodbury?
And just FYI: if you are not completely caught up with the show, and by that, I mean you have seen up through Season 3, Episode 6, than this blog will contain spoilers. If you are new to the phenom or still working through the first few seasons, there is a good chance reading this will ruin a few great surprises in store for you. And trust me, they are worth it. So either stop reading or know that the effect of the show will be lessened if you know what happens.
Okay, with that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk about zombies! Where to start...
The phone call. What did you all think of that? I was a little surprised who was on the other line, and quite honestly, it felt a little contrived. I understand it was part of the graphic novel (which I have read none of, so everything is new to me), but it felt like one of those "they need to handle this carefully or the show will jump the shark" kind of moments. Like, if it was a real person, the likelihood of someone just calling numbers while Rick just happens to be standing by a phone is incredibly unlikely. And then the flip-side - Rick is starting to lose his mind and is imagining all of this - might signal the beginning of the end. Honestly, I don't want to watch Rick descend into mental madness; I want to watch him be a strong leader and kill zombies and be the hero. I was so, so thankful that the show pulled itself together (just like newly-showered Rick) by the end of the episode and he *seems* to have rejoined the Land of the Mostly Sane People. How cute was it when he was holding his daughter? Thank you for finally acknowledging your daughter!
Is she really named Kick-Ass?
And I don't know about you, but I'm still not 100% over Lori's death. I was a staunch member of the "I Hate Lori" fan club, but now that she's gone, I just feel so, you know, empty. I kinda miss her. And I wish Carl had a mom. He's been through so much and the manner in which she died - ugh. Stupid bloated zombie (who, for a second, I totally thought was Lori, which meant Carl was not able to shoot her. Eek! The only thing worse thank Living Lori is Walker Lori.) Gotta love Carl though - Daryl's attempted to commiserate with the little guy about lost mothers and Carl's all like, "Sorry you lost your mom. I shot mine in the head." End of story. I think Carl won this round.
Speaking of Daryl, can I just give a slow clap for the writers of this show? Daryl Dixon: this is how you do character development. From being a lone angry, white-trashy wolf to being the guy who holds - and feeds - the tiny, helpless, motherless baby, I think ovaries all across America exploded with joy. The guy has morphed into the anti-hero's anti-hero. Rick turns to him for advice. He's killer with that cross bow. He knows how to drive a Harley AND care for a newborn all while forging for some possum for dinner. I mean, Daryl's got it going on. Oh - and he found Carol! YAY CAROL!! She survived! I think the only thing that could take Daryl down is his stupid, sociopathic brother Merle.
Merle. The Governor. The whole town of Woodbury. Brian and I have very, very different views on this situation, but Brian has read the comics, so he knows more than I do. And while I CANNOT STAND Andrea, I have to admit - I think I would have stayed. I mean, yes, we as viewers know about the questionable aquarium, the zombie daughter, and the military, but Andrea and Michonne do not. I still don't know what spooked Michonne so much to leave as quickly as she did (other than she just prefers to fly solo in a zombie apocalypse), but isn't Woodbury exactly what those in the prison are trying to create? A safe place to live and work? And yes, that safety may be an illusion at this point, but if you had a newborn baby, wouldn't you do anything in your power to keep your child safe, even if it meant having to live with a guy like the Governor? Who - by the way - at this point, hasn't really done that-that much to convince me he's like, a super baddie. I mean, Lori was sleeping with Shane three weeks after the world fell apart and Rick killed his best friend. Having a fish tank full of dead walker heads is really small potatoes in my eyes. Maybe he just has questionable taste in decorating.
As for Michonne, I about died when she approached the prison with the baby formula. During the whole scene with Merle (gah! Hate him!) and Glen and Maggie, I was shouting at the TV, "What about the baby? You have to get back to the baby!" Maybe I'm a bit sensitive about feeding a newborn since I've already considered writing the show to inquire about how they are checking on Kick-Ass's bilirubin levels, but that kid has got to eat. Period. If I were Glen and Maggie, I would have brought Merle back to the prison to see Daryl, dropped off the formula, and then figured out a way to get rid of Merle. I mean, between Rick and his gang of elite killers, they could figure something out, right?
So imagine my delight when the lovely Michonne was thoughtful enough to bring the baby food, despite the fact she wreaked of zombie entrails (which kept her safe - who else forgot about that little factoid?) I just love how the writers have slowly been positioning the characters like chess pieces for their eventual meet-up, with Rick and the Governor sure to find each other soon. Michonne now knows about the prison. Glen and Maggie made it to Woodbury. Andrea has a connection to everyone but is too busy to care since she's having a post-coital cigarette in the Governor's bedroom. Have I mentioned how much I dislike her? She reminds me of that friend that is like, dying to get married and have kids but can't figure out why none of her relationships work out. You just want to take her by the shoulders and shake her and say, "STOP DATING SOCIOPATHS!" She's like the Taylor Swift of this show. Not saying Andrea is eager to settle down and start a family, but c'mon. She's got an eye for picking really bad guys.
And with that said, Brian and I had this discussion last night: why is it a big deal for the Governor and Rick to meet? My view point is that Woodbury is exactly what the baby needs - security, food, a crib. Maybe a baby toy. (Thank you, Maggie, for the duck!) Brian postulates that Rick is exactly the type of guy that the Governor hates, because he represents a threat to his authority. Brian believes the Governor will likely kill Rick simply to get rid of him, like he did with the military guys. I then asked this: can Rick take a "one-down" to the Governor's authority and just go with the flow, for the safety of little Kick-Ass? It's interesting to note that our argument is clearly defined by gender roles. Even in the zombie apocalypse, my only concern is that baby. I would do anything, including change my personality and beliefs, in order to protect my child. I would keep my mouth shut and hope for a sweet little one-bedroom apartment in Woodbury. Maybe I would grow tired of the Governor's rule, but I wouldn't get involved with any rebellion movements until the child was older. And then, that show is now called "The Hunger Games."
I wonder, are all women are like this? I asked Brian if he would be able to not be the Alpha male if it meant security for the child, and he wasn't sure. Are women just more morally and socially flexible when their families are at stake? Is it just me? Or maybe it's because I would much rather be tending flower beds than running from zombie herds?
So what are your thoughts? I didn't get a chance to cover T-Dawg's death, Herschel's stump, zombie fight club, or that awesome scene where Michonne decapitates a living human being, so please share away! What would your role in the zombie apocalypse be? And would you live in Woodbury, or is Woodbury a town where what happens in Woodbury, stays in Woodbury?
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