The Walking Dead: The Return, Tonight!

[gambit187]

The show has is ups and downs which I dont mind(can't expect everything in life to be perfect), all in all I love the show.....one of the best things I seen on "regular" TV

[Joe Rod]

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

Yeah, I'm thinking the situation with Rick isn't going to be resolved any time soon.

Well, to be fair, Lori has only been dead about a week according to the show timeline, and Rick hasn't had a whole lot of time to wrap his head around it.

[Future]

Originally Posted by Shiloht88

I agree I thought that whole story line was dumb, odd and forced.

It has been like that since Darabond left the show.

Not a coincidence I don't think.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by Joe Rod

Well, to be fair, Lori has only been dead about a week according to the show timeline, and Rick hasn't had a whole lot of time to wrap his head around it.

And that's a valid point Joe.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by Future

It has been like that since Darabond left the show.

Not a coincidence I don't think.

There's probably some merit to that thought. Frank D. is a terrific at setting up the story and then letting the characters work through it, even if it takes what seems to be inordinate amount of time from the viewers perspective.

And that "sword" cuts both ways. It make for smoother and more realistic exchanges between characters, but it also makes for some awfully drown-out sequences like what we experienced in the first half of season 2.

[Future]

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

There's probably some merit to that thought. Frank D. is a terrific at setting up the story and then letting the characters work through it, even if it takes what seems to be inordinate amount of time from the viewers perspective.

And that "sword" cuts both ways. It make for smoother and more realistic exchanges between characters, but it also makes for some awfully drown-out sequences like what we experienced in the first half of season 2.

I'm pretty sure the budget consequences of that are why Darabont was fired.

Although I'm not a huge fan of slow, drawn out stuff, it was way better than these instant caricatures, like Michonne, that popped up. The characters since then have just been way too over the top for my tastes. It seems like the writers/producers want to make every line memorable, and that just isn't realistic, especially when these characters are supposed to be believable.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by Future

I'm pretty sure the budget consequences of that are why Darabont was fired.

Although I'm not a huge fan of slow, drawn out stuff, it was way better than these instant caricatures, like Michonne, that popped up. The characters since then have just been way too over the top for my tastes. It seems like the writers/producers want to make every line memorable, and that just isn't realistic, especially when these characters are supposed to be believable.

I agree on the Michonne thing... T-dogg was a "talking machine" compared to the number of lines Michonne has received.

[Teren_Kanan]

Originally Posted by TheCowboy

I never followed this show, but I am going to start. Can anyone catch me up on this show?

The same thing that happens in nearly every zombie scenario ever. Bam, you are caught up.

[Teren_Kanan]

Originally Posted by Reality

You will find that most younger users prefer gore and violence in movies and shows that are similar to The Walking Dead. Story lines are really optional to that demographic unless it includes the gore and violence, but then it is treated only as a bonus to the show.

Understand I am not speaking insultingly toward those who prefer gore and violence, just explaining that there is a difference in tastes. I normally never like zombie movies/shows, but I do like post-apocalyptic movies and shows with a solid story line.

People who hear about TWD tend to stereotype it as yet-another-hack-and-slash zombiefest. TWD is great because it puts the audience through a what-if scenario of a post apocalyptic event. It relates the psychological and physically draining realities of living and surviving in an environment outside of our normal every day comfort zone.

[View Full Quote]Older people who have likely experienced mini-events through natural disasters where life changed abruptly before returning to normal realize that life could change without warning. Watching shows like the TWD gives you a chance to see how people "might" react and examples of what they may deal with that could be applied to apocalyptic events that go well beyond a "zombie" apocalypse.

/reality

While a lot of what you say is true, my problem with the show IS the storyline. It's not very good. There is a lot of plot induced stupidity, and a lot of the acting (whether the actors fault, or the scripts) is really shoddy ESPECIALLY in season 2. I like Post-apocalyptic and zombie stuff, but there is really nothing significant about this show that we have not seen 100 times in zombie movies.

A clipping from a review about the use of random nobody characters of fodder that I found amusing.

It's like this: Have you ever come home after a hard day at work, and the first thing you do is to gather up everything you could possibly need -- phone, laptop, remote, beer, Hot Pockets, Kleenex, bail cash -- and put it all by the couch, just so you won't have to get up for the next few hours? Well, that's what the writers of The Walking Dead did, right at the start of both seasons. They carefully collected and arranged their Red Shirts within easy reach, so that they could lazily punctuate a scene with a meaningless death whenever they needed it. Have to build some tension in a hurry? Throw a handful of nameless campsite folks to the zombie hordes. Just realized the fishing episode was mind-numbingly boring? Hurl one of the racist caricatures to the undead. Not sure how to write a compelling chase scene? Start whipping Hershel's anonymous family members at the undead like batteries at a riot cop.

The show is full of incredibly lazy writing. It makes it hard to watch.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by Teren_Kanan

While a lot of what you say is true, my problem with the show IS the storyline. It's not very good. There is a lot of plot induced stupidity, and a lot of the acting (whether the actors fault, or the scripts) is really shoddy ESPECIALLY in season 2. I like Post-apocalyptic and zombie stuff, but there is really nothing significant about this show that we have not seen 100 times in zombie movies.

A clipping from a review about the use of random nobody characters of fodder that I found amusing.

[View Full Quote]It's like this: Have you ever come home after a hard day at work, and the first thing you do is to gather up everything you could possibly need -- phone, laptop, remote, beer, Hot Pockets, Kleenex, bail cash -- and put it all by the couch, just so you won't have to get up for the next few hours? Well, that's what the writers of The Walking Dead did, right at the start of both seasons. They carefully collected and arranged their Red Shirts within easy reach, so that they could lazily punctuate a scene with a meaningless death whenever they needed it. Have to build some tension in a hurry? Throw a handful of nameless campsite folks to the zombie hordes. Just realized the fishing episode was mind-numbingly boring? Hurl one of the racist caricatures to the undead. Not sure how to write a compelling chase scene? Start whipping Hershel's anonymous family members at the undead like batteries at a riot cop.

The show is full of incredibly lazy writing. It makes it hard to watch.

You make some good points, but keep in mind the person watching this show isn't likely someone who's a fan of "Masterpiece Theater."

And really the writing for many shows isn't exactly "deep".

For example watch "Two and a Half Men"–And this is what you get...

"Insult"
"Joke about getting laid"
"Sarcasm"
"Joke about taking a whizz"
"Insult"

[Reality]

Originally Posted by Teren_Kanan

While a lot of what you say is true, my problem with the show IS the storyline. It's not very good. There is a lot of plot induced stupidity, and a lot of the acting (whether the actors fault, or the scripts) is really shoddy ESPECIALLY in season 2. I like Post-apocalyptic and zombie stuff, but there is really nothing significant about this show that we have not seen 100 times in zombie movies.

You can say that about almost all TV shows though. If they are truly deep, they progress very slow which in turn creates its own issues. If they are heavily action oriented, they move fast but rarely contain an in depth story line beyond what your own imagination creates to compensate.

I find the depth of books to be more to my style. Too many times I have read books that were later turned into movies only to feel like I am watching the story on fast-forward.

I think the real issue between the first season and the current season of TWD is that we learned a lot about what happened and what was going on and now the show is transitioning away from the frantic pace of escaping and figuring out what happened into a more day-to-day pace of just surviving. Not to mention, they seemed more vulnerable before they found the prison. They have a fortress now so they are a safer which greatly lowers the fear. In fact, the zombies have become more like mosquitoes to them as other humans are what they seem to fear most now.

/reality

[Teren_Kanan]

Can't really argue with either of you.

Though to be fair, There are generally only ever like 1 maybe 2 shows i find worth watching a year. Even one of my favorite Shows Dexter has become pretty crappy in my eyes, but once I start watching something, i generally have to finish it, regardless of how absolutely terrible it is (I'm look at YOU Heroes).

I can't think of any Sitcom type of show I enjoy.


The good shows that come around aren't ever perfect, but they are have darn good storyline and character development most of the time. Shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Rome etc, all incredibly solid with very few flaws. I'm overly picky though when it comes to movies and shows.

[stasheroo]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

I have said it many times...Zombie movies are not about the zombies themselves...the zombies are just the catalyst for the emotions and actions of the humans.

The walking dead title itself does not refer to the zombies...it refers to the humans.

I've often said the same thing myself.

Seems that in that world, it's not a matter of 'if' but 'when' they get you.

[stasheroo]

Originally Posted by Rack Bauer

I liked the episode, but I'm not liking the whole deal with Rick (don't want to give spoilers).

Ugh!

You and me both!

But I have heard ugly rumors that it is likely to continue for quite some time unfortunately.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by Teren_Kanan

Can't really argue with either of you.

Though to be fair, There are generally only ever like 1 maybe 2 shows i find worth watching a year. Even one of my favorite Shows Dexter has become pretty crappy in my eyes, but once I start watching something, i generally have to finish it, regardless of how absolutely terrible it is (I'm look at YOU Heroes).

I can't think of any Sitcom type of show I enjoy.


The good shows that come around aren't ever perfect, but they are have darn good storyline and character development most of the time. Shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Rome etc, all incredibly solid with very few flaws. I'm overly picky though when it comes to movies and shows.

It's not unusual for shows to dip in quality as they age, they start running out of story lines and such. I think that's what happening to Dexter.

One of the few shows I thought was A+ quality from beginning to end was "The Soprano's", but there were only like 83 episodes and a huge break in time between some of the seasons.

As far as sitcoms go, I'll take the British or Canadian versions... They simply strike me as being much funnier than American sitcoms.