The Walking Dead: Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

That tends to happen a lot with Rick - sometimes it's too much but in some way I think the show needs it, because most of the other characters are very low-key.

[Ann_SS]

More excellent ratings for The Walking Dead; 5.7 in the 18 to 49 demo and 11,296,00 viewers. Talking Dead did pretty well also; 2.0 in the demo around 4 million viewers.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Ann_SS

[Vee]

I thought that was great. They finally gave Michonne more to do and some lightness to her spirit - the character depicted up to now and constantly in Kirkman's comic is one where you can't imagine how she could possibly have functioned in everyday society. TV Michonne has changed that simply by letting Danai Gurira speak and giving her the opportunity to be a little lively. She was wonderful with both Riggs and Lincoln. I also saw a little chemistry between her and AL, but maybe that's me. You can tell she's a fun, vivacious lady offscreen, and Michonne probably was before the zombie apocalypse. I like that she's easing up - I hope it'll continue.

Lennie James has been a character actor I've seen everywhere over the years but was never able to name until TWD. Just a fantastic actor.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Vee

[Ann_SS]

David Morrissey (Phillip/Governor) will be on David Letterman tonight.

[ChitHappens]

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE! One of the great things about TWD is that I don't really care too much for any of the actors outside of this show. The show is that great that I can rely on the show to deliver and not just the actors, but DM? I really am a bit curious about him.

[gtru1981]

Talking dead is doing better than alot of stuff on network tv lol

[DRW50]

Thanks. I'll have to look for that on Youtube. Morrissey is such a wonderful actor, he's made the Governor a very interesting character. I don't ever feel sorry for the guy (maybe when Michonne offed walker Penny), but he doesn't feel like a generic psycho to me, he feels like a real, and very disturbed, person.

[Juliajms]

Same here. Rick is becoming more like Shane in that sense. Sure, you can't save anyone, but at this point he's excluding everyone, but the people he already knows. What's the point of survival, if you don't have a real life. Carl and Judith can't have a life without some sort of larger community. It was even crazier to send away the African American couple who were clearly decent people who just needed a chance.

[JackPeyton]

A great article that Carl will have a field day with, about how the women on TWD are stronger than the men-

It's not easy for anyone to live in a world filled with aimlessly wandering, always-hungry "walkers," but The Walking Dead's men are seriously troubled this season.

- Haunted by hallucinations, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) has one foot in crazy town as he struggles to deal with the death of his wife, Lori.

- Following the "death" of his zombie daughter, Penny, the Governor (David Morrissey) has lost all sense of reality, and his sole purpose in life is revenge.

- Beaten to a pulp by Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker), Glenn (Steven Yeun) resents Rick's allowing Merle to rejoin the group living in the prison and is reeling from the near-rape of his girlfriend, Maggie, by the Governor.

- Reliably strong Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Rick's right-hand man, finds himself torn between his family in the prison and his unhinged brother, Merle.

"There's a little bit of role reversal going on," says Melissa McBride, whose Carol, introduced in Season 1 as an abused and helpless wife, has evolved into a woman filled with confidence and determination.

Not that it's been easy for the women. Andrea and Carol both have been through hell: Andrea lost her sister, Amy, to the zombies in Season 1; Carol lost her daughter, Sophia, in Season 2.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/03/06/walking-dead-women-season-3/1963085/

[DRW50]

It's nice to see this topic discussed, especially in something that gets eyeballs. I don't think Andrea is overly strong, and I wish they'd interviewed Lauren Cohan instead, but I appreciate Holden's commitment to the role, especially learning she dislocated four ribs.

The show always gets heavy negative focus for their female characters, whether it be fans who deride them all as bitches and sluts, or other fans who think all the women are weak. This season has come a long way from the somewhat embarrassing scenes of all the men gathered together talking about Serious Business while the women are there to be neurotic or scheming. There are a better variety of female characters who are allowed to be vulnerable as well as strong and confound people's ideas of what strength is supposed to be (for instance, is Maggie "weak" just because she broke under the threat of Glenn's life?). I just hope it continues.

I like Beth but I did laugh at this:

Edited March 8, 2013 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

It's interesting seeing some comments about Rick's actions with the hiker, and how appalling this is. I was sad to see how far Rick has fallen, but I understood what he did. I didn't realize that any viewers were still watching with the mindset that the group was going to be there to help people. I feel like this season has said the opposite over and over, from allowing that pipsqueak prisoner to be left with walkers (which backfired horribly on Rick of course), to not helping Michonne when she was outside the prison until Carl decided to help her, to not wanting Tyreese's group around. Carl is generally called a sociopath by viewers but he's actually been more helpful to outsiders this season than Rick has.

They haven't done a bad job of selling the story about the Governor and Rick not being too separate in their mindset, although I'd say the Governor is still a much darker character.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onnkwWeEw-U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLh6TdBvNDw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdVQV7QjAIU

[Ann_SS]

Thanks for the clips. They are great. This is one show where I love hearing from the producers, writers, and actors. Kirkman cracked me up bemoaning that he had never thought of using rats to lure zombies into traps in the comics.

[ChitHappens]

TWD sketch on Saturday Night Live and it's hilarious! Kevin Hart is too funny!

[gtru1981]

I want to give my two cents on the hitch hiker. People need to stop attacking Rick for what he did, because we would do the exact same thing, i would! Rick and the group from season 1 are different from season 3, bc hope is DEAD, they know its survival for the fittest now.

Season 1 Rick and the group would have takin that guy in, but after so many months: supplies, food, hope, mental state is crashing down. Showing Morgan was such a great example of what would happen if this zombie thing did happen! Look at what the governor did to all those live soldiers in the begging of the season, he killed them all!

The show isnt all about zombies, its really doing a good job want what the human race would do to survive in this kind of scenario.

Living in the Northeast and after hurricane Sandy and the bad winter storms we had, people get desperate and quick! I honestly thing if the zombie thing did happen, we as human would still be screwed!

[ChitHappens]

I agree! This is a "Lord Of the Flies" for me. Being stranded turned those boys into savages. Were they always like that but more civilized? We just don't know.

We all want to believe that we would have picked up that hitchhiker, but until in Rick's situation, we just don't know. As you can see, Michonne and Carl didn't bat an eyelash either. Were they following Rick's lead or do they now share the same mindset? Michonne didn't believe Morgan deserved any more attention they Rick was giving him. They've all hardened but are still good people just trying to survive. I honestly don't know if I would have saved the hitchhiker, but I want to believe I would have.

And Rick is nothing like The Gov. There is no comparison! When I first saw The Gov, my first thought was "Jim Jones", and a few eppies later, Michonne confirmed it.