Well they gone and done it. They messed with Daryl and I'm smokin' mad. There were so many bad choices made in this episode that I don't know where to begin so I'll start with the 2 most obvious questions:
1.) In all the time they've been there has NO ONE thought to do a re-con around the perimeter of the prison to check out the defenses? I mean they have plenty of vehicles and most prisons have a track around them so you wouldn't even have to endanger anyone by doing it on foot. You could drive around the backside and then wire up that little gap in the fence and voila! No more Zombie intruders. They did notice that the prison had civilians in it so they know that they're getting in somewhere. I can believe no one wanted to know.
2.) If I keep doing push-ups can I have arms like Michonne?
The group at the beginning of the episode has no business being outside anywhere. I wouldn't trust that group with a potato peeler. They've been at it for over a year, surviving the ZA and they barely have weapons, they have no organization and no Zombie-killing skills to speak of and I saw one guy try to take out a Zombie by punching it in the mouth. Dude! It doesn't matter if it brings the teeth to you or you bring your gentle flesh to the teeth, the end result is the same. Plus they scream waaay too much. And what were they living on? They didn't have so much as a purse or backpack between the lot of them. Sheer foolishness people.
So when we see this cluster of brilliance entering the back side of the prison we know that no good can come from it. Bad things didn't really pan out in this episode but we're sooo set up for EPIC things to happen in the second half of season 3. Especially since everyone wants to have tea, crumpets, and meaningful conversations while they wait for bitten-arm girl to reanimate. Who in OUR group would support a policy of "headshots for the bitten FIRST, conversations later"?
Carl has turned into quite the little stud-muffin. So much so that sketchy moustache man better step off. Beth is saving herself for Carl, never mind the 6-7 year age gap. When someone is awesome you gotta snatch them up right? So the kid is volunteering for formula scouting missions, going into the cellar with Rick's patented flashlight/gun stance, greeting newcomers with much more grace than the adults did last week (did you see Carl grab someone in their wounded area to make them answer a question faster? I think not). And then he quietly created a diversion and locked them all up. Nice job C-man. And he did it all rockin' his black hat and looking cool as a cucumber. I'm burly folks but you would NOT see me volunteering to go check out screams in the cellar alone. Ever.
So all we have left to talk about is prison gang vs Woodbury. What is up with Glen? He rips open a Zombie and extracts splintered arm-bone to use as a weapon. Does it get any more hard-core than that? Please tell me that Glen is just awesome now and that's the end of it. He's so burly that I am really worried that they're going to replace Daryl with Glen as the toughest character in the show. FYI, I'm thinking that splintered Zombie bone penetration has the exact same end result as a Zombie bite, making this spur of the moment weapon even more interesting.
OK so we all know what happened so instead of blow by blow let's discuss person by person.
Glenn as discussed is hard-core and holds up well considering. I love how polite he always is to everyone. First chance he gets he's briefing Rick that they told about the prison and telling Daryl about Merle.
Maggie is a tough little character. For all that she's been through she rallies when it's time to fight and becomes an excellent delta-force member during the extraction.
Merle is just a sad little dude right now. He is so desperate to win favor with the Gov and when the tables turn and he gets used as a pawn it's pathetic and sad. That's what happens when you hitch your wagon to the wrong star Merle baby. Now put on your thinking cap and save your baby bro. Bonus points if you take yourself out while you're doin' it.
Token black guy is down. Easy come, easy go. Should have seen this coming when the new token black guy walked in the back of the prison. Something tells me THAT guy isn't going to be around all that long though since he can't seem to follow through on taking out the bitten. It's 2013 people. Can't really believe the writers are doing this. At least we have a quality well-developed character in Michonne....
Rick is doing great during his moments of lucidity. If he can steer clear of talking to Lori on the phone and re-killing Shane there is hope. If one more bad thing happens to the guy then all bets are off though. And it IS the ZA, not a trip to Walt Disney World so bad things are almost guaranteed. If you ask me Rick is half way down the diving board on his way to the deep end. And Daryl has been the little voice that seems to call him back to the land of reality so now that he's in enemy hands I think Rick is going to continue his downward mental spiral. He did a good job with the mission though when he wasn't taking cover behind a solar panel (!?!).
Last season I used to like Andrea. I really did. In this episode there wasn't a single scene where I didn't want someone to bitch slap her or samurai sword her head off. Maybe both. She's just annoying. With more crying and whining about what job she gets to do than my 6 year old. She can only redeem herself if she figures out a way to save my favorite red-neck. And she's in a good position to do just that. C'mon Andrea, we have FAITH!
You all know what I'm going to say about Daryl. The man was made for the ZA and he rocks every scene he's in. When he found out about Merle and Rick told him he had to stay with the group he had a small moment of conflict but then he shook it off and rallied. He HAS to make it through this. Who wants to see Daryl hold the baby again? I do!
I don't really know what to say about Michonne.... she's so epic that she freaks me out sometimes but she's got really good intentions. This is clear as day when she thinks she is freeing a small girl from the closet in the Governor's rooms. What's so hard to understand about her is how fast she can process information and change her course. So she can go from nurturing a small child to stabbing it through the head in an instant when the situation changes. And that kind of just sums her up. She is intense and takes things to the extreme in every situation and it's her ability to adapt quickly and think on her feet that makes her such an interesting character and a survivor.
The Gov. is just so wrong. I think there are a lot of parallels between the Governor and OUR government. They way he spins things and makes people afraid of situations that he has created seems mighty familiar. And his followers are taking it hook line and sinker. His fight with Michonne was intense - made more so by the snapping Zombie heads landing all around them. And now he's sporting an eye-patch. Makes him ever so much more villainous don't you agree?
So that's it. It was a great final episode but now I have to wait 2 whole months not knowing the fate of my favorite character. I asked for a Daryl T-shirt for Christmas. Let's hope it's not obsolete by February eh?
Monday, December 3, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 307: When the Dead Come Walking
The worst is when you've found a great place to hole up and ride out the Zombie Apocalypse - just you and the carcass of your late little dog - but then a gang of maniacs come tearing into your cabin, stab you through the shoulder and chuck you out your front door to be consumed by the Zombies that are pursuing them. I ask you, is nothing sacred these days?!?
Oh the humanity. I've said it once and I'll say it again, if we're going to overcome Zombies and survive as a species we gotta work TOGETHER people. Merle is a dirty rotten punk, the Governor is just evil and Daryl is never going to be able to found the Republic of Awesome with Michonne if he keeps pointing his crossbow in her face. But let's begin at the beginning.
We finally get to see the Woodbury interrogation chambers and I was scared out of my mind for Glen and Maggie. They don't get enough props from me because their storyline tends to be sweeter and milder than the survival stuff we so often focus on but they are 2 of my favorite characters and I would be very, very bummed out if anything bad happened to them. Merle is 100% pure distilled 8th grade bully. He reacts more than he thinks and he lets his emotions run totally away with him. I mean throwing a zombie into the room with Glen tied up inside was BOGUS by any standard. Even if you're on the side of the bad guys what's gonna happen with Glen dead? Now you have nothing to hold over Maggie because he's the only thing she cares about and Zombified Glen is certainly not going to spill any secrets so you've totally lost your upper hand. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!
Can we pause for a moment and talk about stark, raving, zombie defense talent? Glen is duck-taped to a chair and he defends himself, fights against and neutralizes a zombie using tactics that can only be described as Daryl-worthy. Glen just went up about 20 places in the Billboard Hot 100 and I was a little blindsided. I may have underestimated our mild-mannered Korean friend. His scream of aggression at the end of the fight was pure visceral emotion. Go on with your bad self, Glen.... we're lovin' it.
The scene with the Governor and Maggie was so awful that I actually got cold watching it and had to go grab a sweater. That dude is EVIL and >spoiler alert< he's a brutal rapist in the comic so I was petrified that Maggie was going to be his first victim and they had switched things all around for the show. Thank goodness this did not happen but I'm not ruling it out for the future. Wish Andrea could see THAT side of him in action. She'd never get to re-join the crew at the prison having willingly shagged one of their attackers. But it may be too late for Andrea. The Dark Side is strong in her.
Sooooo utterly disappointed in the quality of experiments being conducted in the Zombie Research Laboratory. Really dude? I'm all about science and innovation but by the end of it I was really hoping for nerdy lab tech guy to get chomped. That would have made things so much more interesting. I have so many great experiments that I want to conduct on Zombies. Can we please throw one in a freezer and see what happens? Maybe the act of freezing bursts cells in the brain and once they thaw they can't reanimate. Useful things to know because we've already gone through one winter so Canada could be a Zombie Free Zone. Imagine that! But instead we're seeing if they have residual memory. What a waste. Who cares if they do? They can't be turned back into people no matter what and you'll still have to kill 'em so this knowledge helps no one. I need to run the ZRL, that's all there is to it.
So finally on to our prison posse. For one horrible moment I thought Rick was going to let Michonne die on the wrong side of the fence. I was screaming "Rick - she's got FORMULA man...why? how? Don't you want to know?!?" But it was Carl who saw the light and saved the day. Right on little guy. They drag Michonne inside and are very mean to her right from the get-go. Hard to watch because we know how much this group needs her and how much she needs the group, but ironically this is a response that Michonne is comfortable with. You show her an apparent Utopia where everything is hunky dory and she can't leave fast enough. Tell her that after you help her with her leg she'd best be on her way and she's OK with that. Good instincts to have for the Z.A. people... take note.
They may have gotten vital info from her a little quicker if they had been nicer, but finally they find out about Glen and Maggie and they all start working together. I had a horrible moment when I thought moustache guy and Beth were going to be on the away team (bloodbath!) but cool heads prevailed and a hard-core squad set out to raid Woodbury. Seeing Daryl and Michonne working together in the same little squad made me so happy I was jumping up and down on the couch and that's when the show came to an abrupt end and I fell to the ground with a scream of rage. As usual I totally lost track of time and got blindsided by the cliffhanger. Curse you Walking Dead!!!
2 questions:
1.) Is it me or did Michonne have new clothes when they set out for Woodbury and why are all her duds so utterly cool? Can we get a "Michonne" line at Target or something? Maybe the tag line could be "You can move comfortably while killing the undead without sacrificing your style." I would totally buy that.
2.) Does anyone else watch the little iTunes extra "Inside the Walking Dead" where it turns out that like all of the cast including most of the Zombies are all British? What on EARTH is up with that? Are we so hard up for good American actors that we now have to train Brits to pull off a southern accent (they do a really good job BTW). But how weird is it to watch the episode and then hear the cast being all "Just chuffed to bits to be making this show. Quite smashing.... Jolly good old chap.." and on and on. FREAKY.
Oh the humanity. I've said it once and I'll say it again, if we're going to overcome Zombies and survive as a species we gotta work TOGETHER people. Merle is a dirty rotten punk, the Governor is just evil and Daryl is never going to be able to found the Republic of Awesome with Michonne if he keeps pointing his crossbow in her face. But let's begin at the beginning.
We finally get to see the Woodbury interrogation chambers and I was scared out of my mind for Glen and Maggie. They don't get enough props from me because their storyline tends to be sweeter and milder than the survival stuff we so often focus on but they are 2 of my favorite characters and I would be very, very bummed out if anything bad happened to them. Merle is 100% pure distilled 8th grade bully. He reacts more than he thinks and he lets his emotions run totally away with him. I mean throwing a zombie into the room with Glen tied up inside was BOGUS by any standard. Even if you're on the side of the bad guys what's gonna happen with Glen dead? Now you have nothing to hold over Maggie because he's the only thing she cares about and Zombified Glen is certainly not going to spill any secrets so you've totally lost your upper hand. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!
Can we pause for a moment and talk about stark, raving, zombie defense talent? Glen is duck-taped to a chair and he defends himself, fights against and neutralizes a zombie using tactics that can only be described as Daryl-worthy. Glen just went up about 20 places in the Billboard Hot 100 and I was a little blindsided. I may have underestimated our mild-mannered Korean friend. His scream of aggression at the end of the fight was pure visceral emotion. Go on with your bad self, Glen.... we're lovin' it.
The scene with the Governor and Maggie was so awful that I actually got cold watching it and had to go grab a sweater. That dude is EVIL and >spoiler alert< he's a brutal rapist in the comic so I was petrified that Maggie was going to be his first victim and they had switched things all around for the show. Thank goodness this did not happen but I'm not ruling it out for the future. Wish Andrea could see THAT side of him in action. She'd never get to re-join the crew at the prison having willingly shagged one of their attackers. But it may be too late for Andrea. The Dark Side is strong in her.
Sooooo utterly disappointed in the quality of experiments being conducted in the Zombie Research Laboratory. Really dude? I'm all about science and innovation but by the end of it I was really hoping for nerdy lab tech guy to get chomped. That would have made things so much more interesting. I have so many great experiments that I want to conduct on Zombies. Can we please throw one in a freezer and see what happens? Maybe the act of freezing bursts cells in the brain and once they thaw they can't reanimate. Useful things to know because we've already gone through one winter so Canada could be a Zombie Free Zone. Imagine that! But instead we're seeing if they have residual memory. What a waste. Who cares if they do? They can't be turned back into people no matter what and you'll still have to kill 'em so this knowledge helps no one. I need to run the ZRL, that's all there is to it.
So finally on to our prison posse. For one horrible moment I thought Rick was going to let Michonne die on the wrong side of the fence. I was screaming "Rick - she's got FORMULA man...why? how? Don't you want to know?!?" But it was Carl who saw the light and saved the day. Right on little guy. They drag Michonne inside and are very mean to her right from the get-go. Hard to watch because we know how much this group needs her and how much she needs the group, but ironically this is a response that Michonne is comfortable with. You show her an apparent Utopia where everything is hunky dory and she can't leave fast enough. Tell her that after you help her with her leg she'd best be on her way and she's OK with that. Good instincts to have for the Z.A. people... take note.
They may have gotten vital info from her a little quicker if they had been nicer, but finally they find out about Glen and Maggie and they all start working together. I had a horrible moment when I thought moustache guy and Beth were going to be on the away team (bloodbath!) but cool heads prevailed and a hard-core squad set out to raid Woodbury. Seeing Daryl and Michonne working together in the same little squad made me so happy I was jumping up and down on the couch and that's when the show came to an abrupt end and I fell to the ground with a scream of rage. As usual I totally lost track of time and got blindsided by the cliffhanger. Curse you Walking Dead!!!
2 questions:
1.) Is it me or did Michonne have new clothes when they set out for Woodbury and why are all her duds so utterly cool? Can we get a "Michonne" line at Target or something? Maybe the tag line could be "You can move comfortably while killing the undead without sacrificing your style." I would totally buy that.
2.) Does anyone else watch the little iTunes extra "Inside the Walking Dead" where it turns out that like all of the cast including most of the Zombies are all British? What on EARTH is up with that? Are we so hard up for good American actors that we now have to train Brits to pull off a southern accent (they do a really good job BTW). But how weird is it to watch the episode and then hear the cast being all "Just chuffed to bits to be making this show. Quite smashing.... Jolly good old chap.." and on and on. FREAKY.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 306: Hounded
I know, I know, I'm late in getting this out. But I live in AFRICA dude, and sometimes the internet goes out. No one is more frustrated about this than me....
To sum it up quick:
Michonne has discovered that WEARING Zombie can be just as effective as leading Zombies when it comes to camouflage. And she's leaving people Zombie-gram's. LOVE her more every episode.
Andrea is a dirty Ho.
Daryl has added pediatric grief counseling and CSI analysis to his list of accomplishments.
Rick is coo-coo for coco puffs.
Glen and Maggie are pretty much screwed.
Carol's alive!
Merle is hard-core. He's just devious and vicious, and mean like a junk-yard dog. No wonder Daryl has issues. Can you imagine growing up with Captain Sadist as your older brother? We really saw his true colors in this episode. You're not going to cross with Merle and win unless you're the Governor or you kill him. And something tells me that he's going to go quickly down hill from here as he tries to get info out of Glen and Maggie. He also get's the best line of the episode:
"How do you say your last name?.... I'm gonna keep calling you 'Neil'."
Rick's plight is just painful to watch. He gets a phone call and then the chick hangs up on him?!? Was anyone else like "*69 those suckers!" I was, before I realized that there was no way that Rick was receiving actual calls. Oops. But mid-way through the episode he got all cleaned up and showered and I breathed an audible sigh of relief and contentment. And then things got radically better. This is the same principle I try to instill in my manky little 6 year old. "I know you don't want to stop playing and jump in the bath, but you're feel great afterward, I promise." One thing that I noticed in the prison scenes is that the group is getting SMALL. Especially once Glen and Maggie take off. It's like Hershel, Carl, Beth, the new replacement token black guy and that's it. Because Rick and Daryl are almost always off doing something. Where's the mustache guy? Is he on sabbatical already because he's put in sooo much work this season or what?
Next can someone please explain to me why Andrea has to shag every single narcissistic, megalomanic, psychotic man in the post zombie world? It's a real thing with her. She may actually need counseling to break the cycle. Her scenes with the Governor were actually PAINFUL to watch in this episode. So much hair-flipping, eyelash batting insanity it's crazy. She is going down a very dark path and she's totally off-script from the comic so I have no idea what's in store for her at this point. And what's with the Gov? I thought he was shagging his PR rep? I smell a chick-fight coming people and it ain't gonna be pretty. My $'s on Andrea for this one. She makes really, really bad hook-up decisions but the girl's a scrapper, you have to give her that.
So now it's time to talk about Michonne and Daryl. Who will be together in the prison by next weeks' episode! Is it me or do my Christmas wishes always come through? Let the republic of awesome begin!! I kind of like the whole Carol/Daryl thing going on but he may have to move on. I mean if Daryl and Michonne got together, reproduced and stayed alive long enough to parent then there may actually be a chance for humanity in this apocalyptic world. We'd have little 5 year olds with ripped arms and incredible abs cross-bowing zombies in the head with their miniature samurai swords on their backs for when they run out of arrows. Daryl has come far enough that he would actually make a great dad now. The guy just has so much heart. Loved the scene where he was outside the closet trying to get up his nerve to go in there because he was worried about seeing Carol as a walker or seeing her eaten. Why Carol didn't call out when they went by the first time is totally beyond me. Who's got a theory on this one? And does Michonne know how to make an entrance or what?!? With what Rick went through earlier he had to be wondering if he was having another hallucination. In the classic words of Fillmore from 'Cars': "I'm not the only one seeing this right?!?"
To sum it up quick:
Michonne has discovered that WEARING Zombie can be just as effective as leading Zombies when it comes to camouflage. And she's leaving people Zombie-gram's. LOVE her more every episode.
Andrea is a dirty Ho.
Daryl has added pediatric grief counseling and CSI analysis to his list of accomplishments.
Rick is coo-coo for coco puffs.
Glen and Maggie are pretty much screwed.
Carol's alive!
Merle is hard-core. He's just devious and vicious, and mean like a junk-yard dog. No wonder Daryl has issues. Can you imagine growing up with Captain Sadist as your older brother? We really saw his true colors in this episode. You're not going to cross with Merle and win unless you're the Governor or you kill him. And something tells me that he's going to go quickly down hill from here as he tries to get info out of Glen and Maggie. He also get's the best line of the episode:
"How do you say your last name?.... I'm gonna keep calling you 'Neil'."
Rick's plight is just painful to watch. He gets a phone call and then the chick hangs up on him?!? Was anyone else like "*69 those suckers!" I was, before I realized that there was no way that Rick was receiving actual calls. Oops. But mid-way through the episode he got all cleaned up and showered and I breathed an audible sigh of relief and contentment. And then things got radically better. This is the same principle I try to instill in my manky little 6 year old. "I know you don't want to stop playing and jump in the bath, but you're feel great afterward, I promise." One thing that I noticed in the prison scenes is that the group is getting SMALL. Especially once Glen and Maggie take off. It's like Hershel, Carl, Beth, the new replacement token black guy and that's it. Because Rick and Daryl are almost always off doing something. Where's the mustache guy? Is he on sabbatical already because he's put in sooo much work this season or what?
Next can someone please explain to me why Andrea has to shag every single narcissistic, megalomanic, psychotic man in the post zombie world? It's a real thing with her. She may actually need counseling to break the cycle. Her scenes with the Governor were actually PAINFUL to watch in this episode. So much hair-flipping, eyelash batting insanity it's crazy. She is going down a very dark path and she's totally off-script from the comic so I have no idea what's in store for her at this point. And what's with the Gov? I thought he was shagging his PR rep? I smell a chick-fight coming people and it ain't gonna be pretty. My $'s on Andrea for this one. She makes really, really bad hook-up decisions but the girl's a scrapper, you have to give her that.
So now it's time to talk about Michonne and Daryl. Who will be together in the prison by next weeks' episode! Is it me or do my Christmas wishes always come through? Let the republic of awesome begin!! I kind of like the whole Carol/Daryl thing going on but he may have to move on. I mean if Daryl and Michonne got together, reproduced and stayed alive long enough to parent then there may actually be a chance for humanity in this apocalyptic world. We'd have little 5 year olds with ripped arms and incredible abs cross-bowing zombies in the head with their miniature samurai swords on their backs for when they run out of arrows. Daryl has come far enough that he would actually make a great dad now. The guy just has so much heart. Loved the scene where he was outside the closet trying to get up his nerve to go in there because he was worried about seeing Carol as a walker or seeing her eaten. Why Carol didn't call out when they went by the first time is totally beyond me. Who's got a theory on this one? And does Michonne know how to make an entrance or what?!? With what Rick went through earlier he had to be wondering if he was having another hallucination. In the classic words of Fillmore from 'Cars': "I'm not the only one seeing this right?!?"
Monday, November 12, 2012
Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 5: Say The Word.
So some of you out there are saying that this episode was mostly about Rick going off the deep end and some of you are saying that it's about Andrea, Michonne, and the Governor. Well you're all wrong because this episode was CLEARLY about Daryl "Super Nanny" Dixon. Can we pause for a moment and log a running tally of his achievements in this one episode alone?
1.)Assesses Rick and see's that he has checked out.
2.)He organizes a mission to fetch infant formula.
3.)Schedules a play buddy for Carl so he won't be sad
4.)Rocks a bitchin' Pancho Villa cape thing and then gives it to the baby like a wise man givin' presents to the baby Jesus.
5.) He organizes the neighborhood ladies so that every night someone brings Rick and Carl a covered dish or a casserole. (OK, I made this one up but if it were an option he would have done it.)
6.) Kills dinner with his crossbow.
7.) Brings back all the loot and Maggie in one piece.
8.) Feeds the baby it's first bottle like an old pro.
9.) Gets Carl thinking about baby names.
10.) Lays flowers on the graves of the fallen (Carol?).
And he does it all with grace, kindness, and his nice little "Today is the GOOD version of Daryl" smile. Has anyone EVER done so much in one episode? I think not. He still needs to wash his face but man oh man, he's ownin' the Zombie Apocalypse like it's his job people. And I love him for it.
Onto the lesser plot threads:
The Governor in the TV show is definitely a kinder, gentler, less rape-prone version of the Governor in the comic. So much so that it makes Michonne seem kind of crazy and over-reactive. And that bums me out a bit. I want him to show his true colors so Michonne's fears and suspicions are validated. We have now seen the heads in the fish tanks, his Zombie daughter that he is keeping as a pet, and the fights he organizes but all that just kind of makes him look eccentric and not evil. Even his slaughter of the Army guys could be written off as an attempt to keep his people safe. He's evil though and I bet we see something big go down in the next few episodes.
Michonne is awesome. Can't wait for her to join the prison alliance.
Andrea- when you make bad choices, bad things happen to you. Should have left when you had the chance.
Rick just made me cringe in this episode. Mostly because of the copious amounts of Zombie splatter that he wore like mourning clothes. You know me and Zombie splatter... I can't handle it.
Carol: ?!?!?
And 2 final zombie survival tips to send us on our way:
1.) If you have to choose between sending power to the Zombie Research Laboratory or the beer cooler you ALWAYS choose the ZRL. We're all clear on that right?!?
2.) WHAT was Maggie wearing in this episode? Was it a cuuuute little top with lots of shredded strips and fringe? no, No, NO!! Totally grabbable by zombies. Performance fabrics in the right size so there's not a lot of flowing material around you is the uniform of the ZA people. We want quick, drying, splatter resistant, non-snaggable duds. As long as they're within those parameters they can still be cute though....I mean girls gotta be girls right?
1.)Assesses Rick and see's that he has checked out.
2.)He organizes a mission to fetch infant formula.
3.)Schedules a play buddy for Carl so he won't be sad
4.)Rocks a bitchin' Pancho Villa cape thing and then gives it to the baby like a wise man givin' presents to the baby Jesus.
5.) He organizes the neighborhood ladies so that every night someone brings Rick and Carl a covered dish or a casserole. (OK, I made this one up but if it were an option he would have done it.)
6.) Kills dinner with his crossbow.
7.) Brings back all the loot and Maggie in one piece.
8.) Feeds the baby it's first bottle like an old pro.
9.) Gets Carl thinking about baby names.
10.) Lays flowers on the graves of the fallen (Carol?).
And he does it all with grace, kindness, and his nice little "Today is the GOOD version of Daryl" smile. Has anyone EVER done so much in one episode? I think not. He still needs to wash his face but man oh man, he's ownin' the Zombie Apocalypse like it's his job people. And I love him for it.
Onto the lesser plot threads:
The Governor in the TV show is definitely a kinder, gentler, less rape-prone version of the Governor in the comic. So much so that it makes Michonne seem kind of crazy and over-reactive. And that bums me out a bit. I want him to show his true colors so Michonne's fears and suspicions are validated. We have now seen the heads in the fish tanks, his Zombie daughter that he is keeping as a pet, and the fights he organizes but all that just kind of makes him look eccentric and not evil. Even his slaughter of the Army guys could be written off as an attempt to keep his people safe. He's evil though and I bet we see something big go down in the next few episodes.
Michonne is awesome. Can't wait for her to join the prison alliance.
Andrea- when you make bad choices, bad things happen to you. Should have left when you had the chance.
Rick just made me cringe in this episode. Mostly because of the copious amounts of Zombie splatter that he wore like mourning clothes. You know me and Zombie splatter... I can't handle it.
Carol: ?!?!?
And 2 final zombie survival tips to send us on our way:
1.) If you have to choose between sending power to the Zombie Research Laboratory or the beer cooler you ALWAYS choose the ZRL. We're all clear on that right?!?
2.) WHAT was Maggie wearing in this episode? Was it a cuuuute little top with lots of shredded strips and fringe? no, No, NO!! Totally grabbable by zombies. Performance fabrics in the right size so there's not a lot of flowing material around you is the uniform of the ZA people. We want quick, drying, splatter resistant, non-snaggable duds. As long as they're within those parameters they can still be cute though....I mean girls gotta be girls right?
Monday, November 5, 2012
Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 4: Killer Within
Are. You. Kidding me? I'm shocked and shaken. And I feel a bit sick to be truthful. Just when I think this show can't get any more epic it attains new levels of epicness. The thing that makes it all so different and feel so real is that it's not like other TV shows or action movies out there where the brave little group struggles on against all odds and no one dies until maybe the very end of the final scene where they give their lives to save everyone else or achieve the final goal. In this show people die all the time. And they don't save the group doing it. They're lucky if they save anyone. Sometimes they're just out in a field going for a moonlight stroll when they die and sometimes like tonight, all hell breaks loose and casualties are inevitable. And that's not the end of it. The group doesn't get a chance to even grieve because the ring is never going to get thrown into the volcano, the asteroid is not going to be demolished just before it hits Earth and no mad scientist is out there working on a Zombie cure. These things are going to keep on coming until they all rot away or everyone's dead and there's no end in sight. The show is scary and horrific because this is exactly the way it would be if it really went down. Not to sound like a Hallmark card or anything but it feels genuine you know?
I'm not going to give you a blow by blow because you watched it too and we both know what happened. I may have to watch it again just to take in all the details and I don't even know if I can handle it again. I'm gonna have to filter it through my fingers. Let's start with Woodbury...
I didn't think I could love Michonne more but I do now. She wants to find an Island?!? Damn girl, that's what I'm talking about! Season one I said find an Island. Because Zombies can walk into water but they'll decompose faster in the water and get eaten by fish and without a screaming target to lurch toward they're kind of like the balls in a pin ball machine. They bounce off of things while ambling aimlessly in the easiest direction. Which means downhill, or in this case farther out to sea until they tumble down the continental shelf. Have you ever tried to drag your sorry, fully dressed self out of the water and up the beach? It's WORK friends. I don't see Zombies doing it. Islands = safety once they are secured. But before she can find an Island and live out her days on fish and coconuts she's going to have to club Andrea over the head and drag her out of Woodbury. Because she's flirting with every stump-armed, head-collecting guy she runs into with her hair all cute and her little "I have no tolerance for alcohol and maybe we can shag later" smile. Yikes. What's THAT all about? Michonne may have to cut her loose. What she needs to do is ditch Andrea, find Daryl, secure an Island and establish the Republic of Awesome. But that's probably not going to happen for a few more episodes.... We'll put it on this year's Christmas wish list. And most of my Christmas wishes come true folks. I mean look what just happened to Lori. Ok, so it was a year late and it didn't really happen under the circumstances I thought it would and by the time it DID happen I was so sad about it that I totally regretted wishing for it... but it DID come true so there's hope for a Michonne/Daryl Alliance.
But I digress...
Michonne wants to go, Andrea wants to stay and shag, Merle wants to go find Daryl but the Governor's a total control freak and won't let him go and no one was sipping tea in this episode. That just about sums up the Woodbury situation.
On to the prison. Oh boy. The first scenes of this episode played with us big-time. They showed a group that was comfortable with each other settling in and finally finding their 'new normal'. They had work to do each day but none of it was under panic conditions and they even had time to laugh kindly at Glen and Maggie in their guard tower. Hershel was on the mend, and they had a plan for the future. I was a bit split about the new guys. I kinda thought they should accept them into their group just based on the cuteness of the one guy's moustache but when they went over to discuss it I thought that the reasons stated for NOT accepting them were valid. It's great to be nice but not if it risks the lives of the entire group.
When they got Hershel into the exercise yard and the Zombies started coming at them from all directions it was heartbreaking. Here's these guys who have gone to such lengths to build a safe area for their weakest members while they're out risking it all and when things start going down they can't even get to them and their pain and frustration is so evident. We lost T-Dog and then he let himself get eaten to save Carol who I HOPE is still alive. And then Lori goes into labor and you just know from the title of the episode and the way it's going down that the outcome is not going to be good. I know I've never been the biggest Lori fan but her death was heartbreaking. Even more so when you saw what it did to Carl and then what it did to Rick. It was one of those episodes where the credits rolled and I was just sitting there in stunned silence trying to catch my breath. Can the show continue to maintain this pace? Am I hard-core enough to keep watching? Once you start watching this show how could you NOT watch? That's it for me this week...my hubby's rocking in a corner back in the TV room and I think he needs a hug.
I'm not going to give you a blow by blow because you watched it too and we both know what happened. I may have to watch it again just to take in all the details and I don't even know if I can handle it again. I'm gonna have to filter it through my fingers. Let's start with Woodbury...
I didn't think I could love Michonne more but I do now. She wants to find an Island?!? Damn girl, that's what I'm talking about! Season one I said find an Island. Because Zombies can walk into water but they'll decompose faster in the water and get eaten by fish and without a screaming target to lurch toward they're kind of like the balls in a pin ball machine. They bounce off of things while ambling aimlessly in the easiest direction. Which means downhill, or in this case farther out to sea until they tumble down the continental shelf. Have you ever tried to drag your sorry, fully dressed self out of the water and up the beach? It's WORK friends. I don't see Zombies doing it. Islands = safety once they are secured. But before she can find an Island and live out her days on fish and coconuts she's going to have to club Andrea over the head and drag her out of Woodbury. Because she's flirting with every stump-armed, head-collecting guy she runs into with her hair all cute and her little "I have no tolerance for alcohol and maybe we can shag later" smile. Yikes. What's THAT all about? Michonne may have to cut her loose. What she needs to do is ditch Andrea, find Daryl, secure an Island and establish the Republic of Awesome. But that's probably not going to happen for a few more episodes.... We'll put it on this year's Christmas wish list. And most of my Christmas wishes come true folks. I mean look what just happened to Lori. Ok, so it was a year late and it didn't really happen under the circumstances I thought it would and by the time it DID happen I was so sad about it that I totally regretted wishing for it... but it DID come true so there's hope for a Michonne/Daryl Alliance.
But I digress...
Michonne wants to go, Andrea wants to stay and shag, Merle wants to go find Daryl but the Governor's a total control freak and won't let him go and no one was sipping tea in this episode. That just about sums up the Woodbury situation.
On to the prison. Oh boy. The first scenes of this episode played with us big-time. They showed a group that was comfortable with each other settling in and finally finding their 'new normal'. They had work to do each day but none of it was under panic conditions and they even had time to laugh kindly at Glen and Maggie in their guard tower. Hershel was on the mend, and they had a plan for the future. I was a bit split about the new guys. I kinda thought they should accept them into their group just based on the cuteness of the one guy's moustache but when they went over to discuss it I thought that the reasons stated for NOT accepting them were valid. It's great to be nice but not if it risks the lives of the entire group.
When they got Hershel into the exercise yard and the Zombies started coming at them from all directions it was heartbreaking. Here's these guys who have gone to such lengths to build a safe area for their weakest members while they're out risking it all and when things start going down they can't even get to them and their pain and frustration is so evident. We lost T-Dog and then he let himself get eaten to save Carol who I HOPE is still alive. And then Lori goes into labor and you just know from the title of the episode and the way it's going down that the outcome is not going to be good. I know I've never been the biggest Lori fan but her death was heartbreaking. Even more so when you saw what it did to Carl and then what it did to Rick. It was one of those episodes where the credits rolled and I was just sitting there in stunned silence trying to catch my breath. Can the show continue to maintain this pace? Am I hard-core enough to keep watching? Once you start watching this show how could you NOT watch? That's it for me this week...my hubby's rocking in a corner back in the TV room and I think he needs a hug.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 3: Walk With Me
Best 10 minute opener EVER! Sooo many questions and observations:
1.) A helicopter?!? That's hours of speculation and discussion right there! And they were talking to a bunch of people back at some kind of base so there's another major group of people out there, probably ex-military. Of course our characters never got to meet or see these guys but at least a few of them are still alive so we get to find out a little bit more about them and where they came from later in the episode.
2.) Zombies = pack mules. I LOVE IT! Why not? If you're using them to fend off other Zombies and they're still shuffling forward who wouldn't thinking about slapping a few items onto their backs. Heck, why not let them schlepp ALL the stuff! This could revolutionize the post-zombie world. Zombies can be usefull! Think about it... you could chain up a whole bunch of modified jawless, armless, domesticated Zombies and form a perimeter around your property to keep out other Zombies. Kind of like scarecrows you know? They can carry your stuff, guard your land - heck, they may even be able to pull a plow! I mean probably not quickly or in a very straight line but what do you want from the undead? And you don't have to feed OR water them.... so much better than horses! Speaking of horses, they really do serve the same purposes except for carrying people around. They even act all sketchy when something's up or someone's coming. Pack animals + sentinels. This is beautiful. Michonne rules.
3.) Whole bunch of new guys. We'll see about them.
4.) MERLE! Of course he would show up at Woodbury. Don't be fooled peeps. I know it seems all rosy and quaint but a ne'er-do-well like Merle is not going to hang out at a church picnic. And is it me or does Merle have a retractable bayonet arm? Cool...
A&M get taken by the new guys and we next see them in Woodbury. They're all sulky, suspicious and ungrateful as a class of 8th graders and after a while you kind of want to smack them and make them be nice and appreciate this wonderful safe new haven full of generous people. (Except those of us that have read the comic who are screaming "RUUUUNN!!! While you still can!!)
They get the grand tour. I would be like "WOOOOW! Veggie gardens! Old People! Pregnant Ladies!" But A&M are of course battle-hardened, super-critical and suspicious. Love them.
Not super-clear on the pilot's story. Can't figure out if he was describing events that happened toward the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse or something that happened more recently. I'm leaning toward something that happened in the last month or so because he mentions "supplies lasting" ect.
The Governor promises to go after the rest of his group and I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And that's when the episode cut to the most important, bestest, most vital and wonderfullest thing we have seen to date in the post-Zombie world: THE ZOMBIE RESEARCH LABORATORY. YES!!! I love this so much I can barely cope and I love the dude/nerd that works there already. I would soooo be your research assistant Mr. Zombie lab guy! I have many, many, Doctoral dissertation topics already lined up and ready to be tested. Let's do this! Finally someone has decided to look into these suckers and get some answers. Aaaand he appreciates the brilliance of Michonne which makes me love him even more and he doesn't even know about the pack-mule thing yet! Pure awesomeness. I'm no fan of Woodbury or the Governor but I'm ready to give up my freedom and become a library card-carrying, fully indoctrinated citizen of the town just based on this alone.
The Governor runs out to wherever to find the other army guys and.... warm feelings gone. Hmmm.... don't you think you could have used the extra guns AND the extra man-power Mr Mega-tyrant Dictator Sir? Or is your MO to just waste anyone that could be a threat to your authority. If so A&M better watch themselves big-time. They come back, he gives some big cover-up speech and we find out that he's shagging the Woodbury PR rep AND he likes to relax at night by looking at his collection of severed heads. Nice one.
I loved this episode. Questions were posed and then answered all in one nice little 42 minute package which NEVER happens in this show, we got major character development of existing characters plus a whole new slew of new characters. I wonder if the season will keep flip-flopping between A&M's story line and the rest of the crew back at the prison or if the 2 threads will merge quickly. I'm sure Rick and the Governor will get along real nicely....
1.) A helicopter?!? That's hours of speculation and discussion right there! And they were talking to a bunch of people back at some kind of base so there's another major group of people out there, probably ex-military. Of course our characters never got to meet or see these guys but at least a few of them are still alive so we get to find out a little bit more about them and where they came from later in the episode.
2.) Zombies = pack mules. I LOVE IT! Why not? If you're using them to fend off other Zombies and they're still shuffling forward who wouldn't thinking about slapping a few items onto their backs. Heck, why not let them schlepp ALL the stuff! This could revolutionize the post-zombie world. Zombies can be usefull! Think about it... you could chain up a whole bunch of modified jawless, armless, domesticated Zombies and form a perimeter around your property to keep out other Zombies. Kind of like scarecrows you know? They can carry your stuff, guard your land - heck, they may even be able to pull a plow! I mean probably not quickly or in a very straight line but what do you want from the undead? And you don't have to feed OR water them.... so much better than horses! Speaking of horses, they really do serve the same purposes except for carrying people around. They even act all sketchy when something's up or someone's coming. Pack animals + sentinels. This is beautiful. Michonne rules.
3.) Whole bunch of new guys. We'll see about them.
4.) MERLE! Of course he would show up at Woodbury. Don't be fooled peeps. I know it seems all rosy and quaint but a ne'er-do-well like Merle is not going to hang out at a church picnic. And is it me or does Merle have a retractable bayonet arm? Cool...
A&M get taken by the new guys and we next see them in Woodbury. They're all sulky, suspicious and ungrateful as a class of 8th graders and after a while you kind of want to smack them and make them be nice and appreciate this wonderful safe new haven full of generous people. (Except those of us that have read the comic who are screaming "RUUUUNN!!! While you still can!!)
They get the grand tour. I would be like "WOOOOW! Veggie gardens! Old People! Pregnant Ladies!" But A&M are of course battle-hardened, super-critical and suspicious. Love them.
Not super-clear on the pilot's story. Can't figure out if he was describing events that happened toward the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse or something that happened more recently. I'm leaning toward something that happened in the last month or so because he mentions "supplies lasting" ect.
The Governor promises to go after the rest of his group and I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And that's when the episode cut to the most important, bestest, most vital and wonderfullest thing we have seen to date in the post-Zombie world: THE ZOMBIE RESEARCH LABORATORY. YES!!! I love this so much I can barely cope and I love the dude/nerd that works there already. I would soooo be your research assistant Mr. Zombie lab guy! I have many, many, Doctoral dissertation topics already lined up and ready to be tested. Let's do this! Finally someone has decided to look into these suckers and get some answers. Aaaand he appreciates the brilliance of Michonne which makes me love him even more and he doesn't even know about the pack-mule thing yet! Pure awesomeness. I'm no fan of Woodbury or the Governor but I'm ready to give up my freedom and become a library card-carrying, fully indoctrinated citizen of the town just based on this alone.
The Governor runs out to wherever to find the other army guys and.... warm feelings gone. Hmmm.... don't you think you could have used the extra guns AND the extra man-power Mr Mega-tyrant Dictator Sir? Or is your MO to just waste anyone that could be a threat to your authority. If so A&M better watch themselves big-time. They come back, he gives some big cover-up speech and we find out that he's shagging the Woodbury PR rep AND he likes to relax at night by looking at his collection of severed heads. Nice one.
I loved this episode. Questions were posed and then answered all in one nice little 42 minute package which NEVER happens in this show, we got major character development of existing characters plus a whole new slew of new characters. I wonder if the season will keep flip-flopping between A&M's story line and the rest of the crew back at the prison or if the 2 threads will merge quickly. I'm sure Rick and the Governor will get along real nicely....
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 2: Sick
Does this show make anyone else exhausted? I watched 2 episodes back to back last night and at the end of it I was pooped! I can understand why the characters are at the end of their tethers... I only live in the zombie world for 2 hours and I feel like I could sleep for days. Last night's episode (2 nights ago for you lucky viewers in the States) was epic and awesome. I was quite sure when I saw the title that the episode would be mostly about Andrea and Michonne, but they never even showed up! I loved the final shot of the opening sequence.... the prisoners are left standing alone in the room with Hershel's severed leg like "Dude, did that just happen?"
This episode was all about exploring the human threat. Zombie's will eat you, but at least they're predictable. Other humans are competing with you for a limited food supply at best and looking to take your whole group hostage for a multitude of nefarious purposes at worst. The thing is, if people are going to re-claim the world and rebuild society they are going to need each other. Cue music... "people - people who need people". Ok, ok, I'll stop singing. But they are going to have to embrace each other at some point.
This is one of those episodes where I'm not going to give you a re-cap. The plot was very straight forward. But the acting and nuances of the characters' relationships made it sooo interesting. Let's look at the prisoner thread first. As with any new group there are going to be keepers and chaucy ones. It's not unlike buying a pint of supermarket blueberries. Even if it looks like a good batch there's bound to be at least a few rotten ones in the middle layer no matter how hard you looked at the container from the outside. If you're really unlucky there's a nasty one all covered in fuzz that's contaminated all the ones around it. People are just the same. The dance between Rick and the prisoner leader was so subtle. I taught high school for 8 years and they just nailed the way the guy tested the boundary with Rick. He never overtly challenged him. For any thing he did he could have claimed it was accidental or misunderstood. But after a while you and the kid both know that it's all on purpose and it's escalating. And this isn't high school math class. After flinging a few Zombies at Rick by "accident" Rick looks him in the eye and sinks a machete into the guy's skull. Had to be done. After cleaning up the other tainted blueberries there's only 2 guys left. Hey more food for our guys right?
The Hershel thread was intense. I was excited and curious to see if he would turn or be OK with the tainted limb taken off. They didn't get that leg off super-fast if you ask me so I was thinking he would turn. And when Lori gave him CPR and he grabbed her and rose up I jumped off the couch! Great moment. Hot Tip Lori: don't give CPR to people who are on reanimation watch. It's right up there with "Continue to breathe as you go through your day". Really? Of course I wasn't that scared for her because there's no way the writers are going to give up birthing drama and take her out now. Carl comes through big-time in this episode. Goes off and finds the infirmary by himself and brings back supplies?!? Go kid! Lori freaks out on him and to be honest I would probably have done the same. Can someone tell me where the break happened between Carl and Lori? They always got along relatively well and now he hates her. Not sure when that started....
The thing that bugged me the most about this episode was people walking around up to their elbows in blood and gore and NOBODY washing their hands!! Arrggh! I just want to take a face cloth to Rick more than half the time. There's got to be water somewhere... put Carl in charge of hauling it to a washing station for the love of God. I'd be driving everyone crazy if I was there with enforced wash-up time. Oh well. The episode ended with no foreshadowing and no indicators of what is to come except for someone watching Carol through the bushes so I have no idea what's going to happen next. Predictions for next week?
This episode was all about exploring the human threat. Zombie's will eat you, but at least they're predictable. Other humans are competing with you for a limited food supply at best and looking to take your whole group hostage for a multitude of nefarious purposes at worst. The thing is, if people are going to re-claim the world and rebuild society they are going to need each other. Cue music... "people - people who need people". Ok, ok, I'll stop singing. But they are going to have to embrace each other at some point.
This is one of those episodes where I'm not going to give you a re-cap. The plot was very straight forward. But the acting and nuances of the characters' relationships made it sooo interesting. Let's look at the prisoner thread first. As with any new group there are going to be keepers and chaucy ones. It's not unlike buying a pint of supermarket blueberries. Even if it looks like a good batch there's bound to be at least a few rotten ones in the middle layer no matter how hard you looked at the container from the outside. If you're really unlucky there's a nasty one all covered in fuzz that's contaminated all the ones around it. People are just the same. The dance between Rick and the prisoner leader was so subtle. I taught high school for 8 years and they just nailed the way the guy tested the boundary with Rick. He never overtly challenged him. For any thing he did he could have claimed it was accidental or misunderstood. But after a while you and the kid both know that it's all on purpose and it's escalating. And this isn't high school math class. After flinging a few Zombies at Rick by "accident" Rick looks him in the eye and sinks a machete into the guy's skull. Had to be done. After cleaning up the other tainted blueberries there's only 2 guys left. Hey more food for our guys right?
The Hershel thread was intense. I was excited and curious to see if he would turn or be OK with the tainted limb taken off. They didn't get that leg off super-fast if you ask me so I was thinking he would turn. And when Lori gave him CPR and he grabbed her and rose up I jumped off the couch! Great moment. Hot Tip Lori: don't give CPR to people who are on reanimation watch. It's right up there with "Continue to breathe as you go through your day". Really? Of course I wasn't that scared for her because there's no way the writers are going to give up birthing drama and take her out now. Carl comes through big-time in this episode. Goes off and finds the infirmary by himself and brings back supplies?!? Go kid! Lori freaks out on him and to be honest I would probably have done the same. Can someone tell me where the break happened between Carl and Lori? They always got along relatively well and now he hates her. Not sure when that started....
The thing that bugged me the most about this episode was people walking around up to their elbows in blood and gore and NOBODY washing their hands!! Arrggh! I just want to take a face cloth to Rick more than half the time. There's got to be water somewhere... put Carl in charge of hauling it to a washing station for the love of God. I'd be driving everyone crazy if I was there with enforced wash-up time. Oh well. The episode ended with no foreshadowing and no indicators of what is to come except for someone watching Carol through the bushes so I have no idea what's going to happen next. Predictions for next week?
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