Walking Dead

[Kam]

Anyone catch this on AMC? I've seen the first two episodes and am hooked. It starts very similar to 28 Days Later but can go much deeper as a TV serial, obviously, with the extended time. Frank Darabont is kickin' on all cylinders tapping in to this genre.

The effects/make up dept. are pretty fantastic with some of the more elaborate zombies. The chick crawling across the grass in the first episode is pretty disgustingly cool.

What do any other zombie/end of the world fans think of it?

[Troy]

After 2 episodes it's just barely ok. It requires more suspension of disbelief than I normally like to provide a show.

I mean really, why are people living outside in tents? The idea that there's almost no one left, yet the cop's wife and kid are among them is way too pat. If sounds like gunfire attract the zombies, can't you get a silencer at the gun shop? And why isn't everyone armed? Why didn't the cop just drive the tank away/use it's weapons to eradicate more zombies?

There are a lot of stupid things like that, bugging me, but I'm going to continue to watch . . . for a while, because it does look cool and I am a sucker for the post-apocalypse aesthetic.

[Kam]

I'd agree with some of that, the one thing that always got to me is if they are in a department store, why aren't they all geared up permanently? they did it to run out when they clubbed those few zombies to let the cop and glen back into their safe area.

i'd have all that hockey/football/soccer arm/shin guards layerd on to protect from bites.

but maybe i'm also just very forgiving of mistakes being a fanboy of the genre.

[dean_martin]

As you mentioned, the opening was very much like 28 Days Later. And the coincidental survival of the main character, his wife and kid, and the friend is strained BUT it does give the makers a chance to flashback to how the wife, kid and friend survived. Will they?

Generally, I'm not put off by gore but I did get a little squeemish when they chopped up that zombie and smeared that . . . urghh, gurgle, 'scuse me. That scene seemed painfully long.

[Worf101]

I'm coming at this series from a completely different angle. I got hipped to "The Walking Dead" at the Aquilonia Comic Shop in Troy, New York. This series is based on a graphic novel (ie. Adult Comic Book) series that's been going on for quite some time, 2004 to be exact.

http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Dead-B...cm_cr-mr-title

See my review of the books in the Customer Review Section. While you folks might be able to "go along for the ride" I'm forced by habit to compare and contrast the series with the book. There are quite a few differences already. Primarily, when our hero Rick, get's to Atlanta he's not met by a group of people in a store but by one kid. There's no Nazi vs. Beaner vs. Black Thug confrontation, at least not this early, in the books, Rick and Len just beat it to the roof, jump to the next one then beat feet back to the others. The series is a LOT more populated than the book and I can only believe these extra folks are primarily "Red Shirts" lining up for the Blue Plate Special, if you get my drift.

All in all though I'm kinda enjoying TWD but I've seen and read better.

Worf

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Gaw'd, when I saw the title of this post, I though it was talkin about me. After a 15 hour non stop mixing session, my brain is like cheese fondu.

Sorry for the interruption, back to your regularly scheduled posting....

[Worf101]

Gaw'd, when I saw the title of this post, I though it was talkin about me. After a 15 hour non stop mixing session, my brain is like cheese fondu.

Sorry for the interruption, back to your regularly scheduled posting....

Great comment. I know if I record the same song too long I can no longer make critical judgements, same goes for mixing and mastering the album. Do you ever find during a mixing marathon that your ears/mind is shot and you're doing nobody any good? Do you stop or rely on memory, reflex and guile to cross the finish line?

Worf

[Troy]

Gaw'd, when I saw the title of this post, I though it was talkin about me. After a 15 hour non stop mixing session, my brain is like cheese fondu.

Sorry for the interruption, back to your regularly scheduled posting....

Gosh you're fabulous.

[SlumpBuster]

I just watched the premier and second episode over the last two days. I really like it. I can forgive some of the complaints, i.e.
No silencers because they are exceedingly rare because they are highly illegal.
I got the impression the tank was empty of fuel and ammunition. The soldier had waited it out too only to become zombiefied.

It is too coincidental that of all the people that died, wife and kid are alive and easily found. But without that we would have no story.

The redneck racist was stoopid but forgivable. The pilot gave enough good will for me to hang on though.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Great comment. I know if I record the same song too long I can no longer make critical judgements, same goes for mixing and mastering the album. Do you ever find during a mixing marathon that your ears/mind is shot and you're doing nobody any good? Do you stop or rely on memory, reflex and guile to cross the finish line?

Worf

Actually we(by law) have to take one hour breaks every six hours, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. After marching 8 years of drumcorps as a kid, and 3 years as an adult, you learn to just power your way through your exhaustion. Automation on the mixing desk helps, coffee helps to a point, but those twenty minute naps help a lot!

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Gosh you're fabulous.

Either that or I am crazy as hell!

[dean_martin]

It is too coincidental that of all the people that died, wife and kid are alive and easily found. But without that we would have no story.

Yeah, even though it's obvious, I'm waitin' for hubby to find wifey and best friend gettin' it on in the woods.

[thekid]

Yeah I have seen both episodes and despite some gaping holes in the storyline I like it so far. The ending to the pilot was pretty cool and funny. Supposedly they only made 6 episodes so like was done with "Lost" if the ratings are there they will bring it back and make adjustments to the story in order to make it a full series.

[dean_martin]

Here's your $0.98 question:

You're a redneck handcuffed to a pipe on a roof with zombies closing in. In their rush to escape, members of your party drop and scatter tools as they leave you. You're able to reach a hacksaw with your belt. What do you cut?

A. The pipe
B. The handcuffs
C. Your hand
D. The cheeze

[Worf101]

Here's your $0.98 question:

You're a redneck handcuffed to a pipe on a roof with zombies closing in. In their rush to escape, members of your party drop and scatter tools as they leave you. You're able to reach a hacksaw with your belt. What do you cut?

A. The pipe
B. The handcuffs
C. Your hand
D. The cheeze

Yeah, he was handcuffed not to a steel pipe but to the slender, rusted threaded flange tie AROUND the pipe. That thing was old and rusted, would'a took him all of 10 minutes to cut through even with a dull hack-saw. Must'a been outta his mind with thirst or just plain stupidity.

Worf

[dean_martin]

I thought the last two episodes were strong even with almost no zombies in the last one. I'll watch if and when it comes back.

[Worf101]

I thought the last two episodes were strong even with almost no zombies in the last one. I'll watch if and when it comes back.

I hated the idea of them getting to the CDC only to have to beat feet so soon. Very different from the books. I'm not sure the series will be picked up. Not sure I want to get hooked on another 8 episode a year series like Mad Men, but we'll see.

Worf

[dean_martin]

I hated the idea of them getting to the CDC only to have to beat feet so soon. Very different from the books. I'm not sure the series will be picked up. Not sure I want to get hooked on another 8 episode a year series like Mad Men, but we'll see.

Worf

It was forced and just too coincidental that they got there just in time for it to blow up. But I thought it was good enough within those constraints. However, I don't have the same perspective because I haven't read the books.

The rumor I heard is that all the writers were fired and replaced for the next season. The person who told me about the rumor also told me the rumor wasn't true. I didn't ask how it got started but I can imagine it was by disgruntled hardcore fans of the books via the internets.

Anyhow, I'm going to explore another AMC series - "Breaking Bad". I picked up the first two seasons on dvd for $9.99 each. The wife insisted that they be wrapped for Christmas. I replied, "How cheap is that?" No, NO, NO I didn't! I know better (but I thought it). Hence, their place under the tree.

[dean_martin]

Oh, and one other thing. I thought that once the gang arrived, they were going to have to capture zombies for the doc to perform experimentations. They really could've done a lot more in that setting, probably three episodes at least.

[thekid]

Last episode was pretty good but my guess is that several endings were shot because they originally were only going to run 6 as a "mini-series" unless there was enough ratings to make it a regular series. I think that approach boxed them a little bit so the CDC angle was cut short. I am looking forward to seeing it come back.