The Walking Dead: Discussion Thread

[ChitHappens]

Ann, I think the blond woman who kicked the walker off of Herschel was an unnamed new member who happens to be sick but not too sick to keep her from helping in such circumstances.

[Vee]

I am amazed all my beloved characters survived that one. I assume it's just going to be worse for them with the Governor back. But great episode.

[quartermainefan]

I am disappointed the Governor is back. Season 3 was the weakest of all and I think a lot of that is due to the Governor and the way the show becomes human vs human when he is around. This year has been great, a giant walkerpalooza, and I can see that this will be coming to an end soon. Oh well.

I love Carl and how Rick looks at this killing machine he has for a son.

[Ann_SS]

I know that they have a number of Red Shirts, but she really did pop up out of nowhere to save Hershel and then did a quick vanquishing act.

[DRW50]

Wasn't she shot when the father's gun went off?

Carol is one of my favorites but Hardwick's Carol stanning and Rick bashing gets on my nerves. The problem isn't what Carol did, it's how she did it. I've seen people saying they hate Maggie now for not defending Carol's honor. Maggie knew that Glenn would be dead with Carol still in that prison.

[DRW50]

I knew the doctor would probably die, and I'd take that over losing Sasha, Hershel, or Glenn, but I was hoping he'd pull through. I guess the "too hot to die" approach really doesn't work in the ZA. Oh well.

[DRW50]

This was a great episode. One of the best of any season. I appreciate the writer (who was apparently new to the show) for perfectly balancing heart and action.

Hershel is a good man. Probably the kindest man we've ever seen on this show. The question asked in the episode was - is that good enough? And the answer was, sometimes yes, sometimes no. The Greene family miraculously survived, again, but you could see how hurt Hershel was by Caleb's death, because he'd put so much faith in Caleb making it. I do wonder how Hershel will be affected by all of this, if he will be. I can't praise Scott Wilson enough, especially for his one-on-one scenes with Caleb, Sasha, Glenn. I was very touched by his conversation with Sasha. I wasn't sure if they were just doing this because she was going to die. We need these moments to build new characters. Sasha is so tough, she has to be tough, but seeing her weak in those moments, and being so vulnerable with Hershel - this whole scene meant a lot to me. It was my favorite part of the episode, along with sharpshooter Maggie.

I can't believe Scott Wilson did his own stunts.

I don't know what the show will do without Hershel. I guess I will just enjoy him while he's with us. Even if it was likely some type of Darabont fallout, trading Dale for Hershel was one of the best decisions the show ever made.

Maggie sometimes feels like a series of tropes, instead of a character, but Lauren Cohan plays all those tropes so damn well. I was really waiting to see her back in action, and I got that and more. Even better, we got to see her torn between Glenn and Hershel, a horrible choice. Ultimately she chose not to make the choice. She took a risk and trusted herself and her aim, and it worked. I applauded her and the show letting her have that moment.

I'm glad they've stopped having all the tension between Carl and Rick and instead are having them work together. Rick is still trying to shelter Carl but is increasingly realizing that can't happen. The big shootout was bad-ass (and Andrew Lincoln probably loved it). Breckin Meyer comparing this to the Andy Griffith Show amused me.

[Ann_SS]

I think that opinions like those deserve eye rolling. Most of those same people melting down over Carol would be ready to stab her in the face, if she had murdered Daryl or one of their favorites. And the rest are basically Shane/Phillip types that the group would run from.

I don't see Maggie as "a series of tropes." I think that she struggles like everyone else on that show. When she stood her ground to shoot the walker that Hershel was struggling with, I know that Rick's earlier words about never doubting herself were in head. Maggie and Michonne are most courageous and determined women characters on tv. It is unfortunate that they do not get enough credit.

[DRW50]

Interviews (some possible spoilers).

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/10/walking-dead-david-morrissey-governor/

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/08/walking-dead-scott-gimple-rick-carol/

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/10/walking-dead-scott-gimple-governor/

http://blogs.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/2013/11/qa-steven-yeun-glenn/

[ChitHappens]

I think Rick looked at Carl with a sense of pride. It was like "that's my son". Carl handled business, and I truly don't believe Rick was unhappy. Carl has reconciled himself with what's happening, and he wants to be useful, especially if it takes some of the pressure off of his father. Rick appeared to appreciate that.

I've watched the eppy 3 times already.

[DRW50]

I'm not saying she doesn't have her struggles. I just mean sometimes I think she's written in terms of a certain moment to fit a scene, whether as daughter, or girlfriend, or bad-ass. That doesn't take away that she's one of my favorite people on the show. I'd compare it to someone like Michonne. Michonne was sort of written as tropes (quiet but deadly, etc.) last season, but this season seems to have more sides. I'd like to have more moments where Maggie might get to laugh or to show more of her personality. I still love the character, don't get me wrong, and I'm always happy when she is in the spotlight.

[Ann_SS]

Yeah, I feel like that was a strong moment for Rick and Carl. Rick also watching his son with pride shooting the walkers realized that he could not shelter Carl who is almost a man. Yet Rick protecting Carl has been able to bring him back from the brink of sociopathy that he was close to by the end of last season. Carl will be more like Rick and less like Shane from now on.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Ann_SS

[DRW50]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/11/the-walking-dead-andrew-lincoln_n_4254407.html?utm_hp_ref=tv&ir=TV

[Ann_SS]

See I think of all the tv shows, TWD breaks through those "tropes." I don't see Maggie as being written to fit a scene. She is all those things which makes her a well written character. She was a bad ass from her first scene, yet she is also concerned a daughter, girlfriend, and friend with moments of fear and self-doubt. I don't see a lot of tropes about "quiet and deadly black women" so I don't see Michonne fitting anything that I have seen in tv. She is someone who was traumatized and has now opened up to human contact. Rick breaks through all tv tropes about the action leading man. He is full of doubt and makes mistakes. He has suffered a mental breakdown which makes some people consider him weak. Tyreese (and T-Dog before him) is not an angry black man despite the attempts to put in that trope on him.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Ann_SS

[DRW50]

I didn't mean as in a black woman, just as in the action genre (the Clint Eastwood type of character).

I guess what I was trying to say was that I think Lauren Cohan adds a lot to the character and without her I'm not sure how the role would be.