Air Date: Sunday, October 16, 2011 9/8c on AMC
Do you think they'll ever find the missing Sophia?
As the season premiere opens, I’m waiting on pins and needles. I’ve seen the season two clips, watched and re-watched the webisodes and still have no idea what’s in store for us. Seeing the familiar faces of the survivors brings back every second of season one for me. The terror; the unknown; the creepiness; ’cause let’s face it, zombies are creepy. They’re the walking dead, hunting for flesh to feed their insatiable hunger. They retain some of their humanlike (cognizant) characteristics—opening doors, recognizing people, listening out for noises. I think that’s the scariest aspect of these Walkers. They have some small semblance of intelligence about them and it frightens the hell out of me. While the Walkers are slow, they are also persistent—the smell of fresh meat drawing them like flies to poop. They swarm, one at a time, until the group of them becomes so large you can’t imagine where they’ve all come from.
The suspense in The Walking Dead kills me. The waiting—the silence while waiting eats away at your sanity because you know something is going to come from nowhere and terror will ensue. “Oh Christ.” That about sums it up, Rick (Andrew Lincoln). But what can you do? You’re in zombie land now. Atlanta (the world for that matter) ain’t what it used to be, that’s for sure.
Observations and thoughts:
Do you notice the poster behind Andrea’s (Laurie Holden) head in the RV? “How About a Nice Cup of Shut the Hell Up?” Gotta love the production department’s sense of humor.
If the group splits up, who do you think would stick with Daryl?
Rick talks about not losing faith and sticking together because he’s taken on the leadership role. I only hope he can keep that notion alive, especially knowing what we know about Shane (Jon Bernthal) and Lori’s (Sarah Wayne Callies) torrid affair. Once Rick finds out, will he continue to feel the same about protecting everyone in the group; will he still feel he’s responsible for those who’ve betrayed him as well?
Daryl (Norman Reedus) is smart. I don’t know if I would be able to think as fast on my feet as he does. Not only does he take out a Walker as quietly as humanly possible, he conceals himself and a bleeding T-Dog (IronE Singleton)—did you see that coming?—from “the herd” of Walkers out looking for lunch.
Speaking of Daryl, do you think we’ll get to see his brother Merle (Michael Rooker) again this season? We never found out what happened to him. All that remained of Merle on that roof back in Atlanta was his severed hand. He’s walking around out there either alive, or as one of the living dead. Either way, he’s gotta be mightily pissed for being left behind and you know he’ll be out for blood. Surprisingly, Daryl seems to be forgiving of the group for leaving his brother behind, or perhaps he’s biding his time. His actions will reveal his true intentions soon enough.
Is it really necessary for Rick and Daryl to gut the Walker they stumble upon while looking for Sophia (Madison Lintz)? I think I understand their logic (not really) but Daryl’s hunting skills don’t exactly qualify him as an expert in deciphering whether the Walker just bit Sophia or feasted on her. Seriously folks. There’s no way they could have identified digested human remains in a zombie. Not buying it. And of course, Rick takes the blame for leaving Sophia while drawing away Walkers. “I can’t go back. Her being out here is my fault.” When will his need to be responsible for everyone end? He may have been a cop prior to the outbreak, but now he’s a survivor like everyone else. He shouldn’t be made to feel like anything but.
Rick needs to realize he's not a superhero, he's a man trying to survive.
The Walkers sitting in church—yeah, I don’t get why they were sitting there staring off into space? Are the writers trying to show us there’s some residual humanity left in zombies? What exactly are these Walkers made of (besides undead rotting flesh)? Whatever virus has infected them must be mutating. Or I could be wrong. Consider how they respond to the church doors opening (they turn around) and completely ignore the ringing bells, which may have been signaling the hour. Thoughts?
Memorable lines:
Lori to the group about scavenging from abandoned cars on the highway: “This is a graveyard. I don’t know how I feel about this.”
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Shane to Lori about what happened between them at the CDC: “I have a few mistakes under my belt Lori. So do you.”
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Andrea to Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) about his thinking she had some gratitude for his saving her life: “I wanted to die my way, not torn apart by drooling freaks. That was my choice.”
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Superb acting, top-notch writing and special effects that astound—just a few of the reasons this show is unlike anything else on television now. The blood and gore no longer surprise me, but the continuous frights coming one after another and zombie killing does reach the creative mark. Welcome back The Walking Dead. My how I’ve missed you.
Tune in to The Walking Dead Sundays at 9/8c on AMC. For more on the show, visit http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead.
Photos courtesy of AMC © 2010-2011 American Movie Classics Company LLC. All rights reserved.
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