Walking Dead TV Show **Spoilers** (comic talk only in spoiler tags)

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**KamikazeCanuck**

It's pretty ridiculous how they can make 6 episodes, pat themselves on the back and call it a year.

**KingCracker**

Yea, its an annoying trend. I liked how Harry Potter ended and all, but the first part of the deathly hallows, was dreadfully boring.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

KamikazeCanuck wrote:It's pretty ridiculous how they can make 6 episodes, pat themselves on the back and call it a year.

Agreed, but at least they are coming back in February though. Last time, we waited until now

So at least we will see more sooner. STILL waiting for Hell on wheels to pick up. Its sloooooooooooowly adding things, but I want it a bit quicker then next fething month

**gorgon**

Hulksmash wrote:AMC doesn't do the half season thing. The only ones who really do it anymore are Sci-Fi and USA. And both their half seasons are normally 12-13 episodes which is generally the same if not a few more episodes than the premium channels entire seasons. It probably has more to do with the drop off in sunday television veiwership during the holiday.

Honestly, you see plenty of network shows air all repeats during January. February is a sweeps month (as is November, not coincidentally), so they save their good/new stuff for that month.

**Tyyr**

The real survivors would be those who work and build together, compromise, etc. That's what builds large, productive groups and real strength.

I don't disagree with you. The problem is that Hershel was showing no interesting in working together or comprimising with Rick's group, AT. ALL. In this situation Hershel was not willing to comprimise or work with them and what he was demanding would likely be a death sentence for some members of Rick's group. That's the issue. Rick spent five or six episodes trying to get Hershel to let them stay and Hershel wasn't budging.

(Just don't you EVER have one of your people show up on my operating table again. We only have the most basic sorts of care, I'm a vet rather than a real doctor, unforseen complications, yadayada. It's not like your group has anyone with the knowledge to gainsay me when I say "gak happens!"...)

There's a very simple motivational tool to handle this kind of situation. "If they die, your son dies too." It's entirely possible to motivate someone who's still got something to live for.

Me, in the right situation. If my group has no doctor, and their group does, I'm going to exercise caution in my strongarming. If my group has no idea how to run a ranch or a farm, and theirs does, similar matter. Best food producing farm in the world means absolutely nothing beyond the short term if my Band Of Ineptitude (Which TWD group seems to be.) lets all the crops get killed off for lack of anyone willing/able/alive to tend them.

And I totally agree with you. Strongarming should always be the option of last resort. However Hershel has managed to push it to the point where they are now on the last resort. They are either going to honor his wishes and just leave, which denies them the farm, his expertise, and it's resources, or they can strong arm him. They're as much up gak creek by just leaveing as if they strong armed him, more so because they'll be back on the road instead of holed up on the farm.

That is probably their way to drum up DVD sales.

No, viewership sucks over the holidays. December to January is pretty dead time for shows with people off at Holiday parties and staying with relatives who may not share their love of a good zombie show. So instead of making an expensive show at a time when ad revenue is down they put it on hold until people's asses are in the seats again and pick it back up. It's good business and I hope they keep making good decisions with the show so it stays on the air.

**Mr Morden**

I must admit having now watched the episode I had more sympathy with Shanes POV. The barn breakout certainly turned out a lot better than in the comic............

But I don't think Rick and Shane can co-exisit in the same much longer and Shanes has just took his shot at regaining the leadership role.

be intersting to see what happens if the group was led by him rather than Rick - would it end up better or worse..........

**Tyyr**

How Rick and Shane handle things will be something to watch. Rick should likely blow up at Shane for not following his lead. Shane has two things to go off about, Rick losing his mind to play walker rodeo and Rick knowing about Hershel wanted them out but never mentioning it. If I'm a member of the group I worry about both potential "leader's" mental health. Right now I dunno if I'd want either of them in charge.

**KamikazeCanuck**

Shane isn't a potential leader. No one likes him except Andrea.

**Mr Morden**

you don't need to be liked to be a leader - you just need to lead....most of us don't want to make the hard decisions - we would rather someone did that for us. People cried when Starlin died - despite all he did....

Shane seemed to be the leader before Rick returned and most backed him on his recent play regardng the barn. They backed him because he made the right decision.

Apart from Rick who else would step and lead the group??

I don't think even Andrea likes him - but she has limited choices and he cuaght her on an adrenaline buzz.....

**Gadge**

Just watched the mid season finale. About time something happened. Was a good episode, cant wait for the rest of the season, the teaser looked good, looks to be a lot more action and conflict. It has been hit and miss so far, I likeed a couple of the slower paced episodes, its good to build some charachters background, but I would always like to know more about how they survive, like where do the go to the bathroom, where do they get their food, electricity, we saw a well so we know they have water, is stuff like that that makes it more belivable, and would be the stuff I would be most intrested in if i was a survivor lol.

Oh and T dog needs some more scenes, what is the point of him at the moment, hope he's not just there to get eaten later on. And I hope rick grows a pair now and starts to act like a leader now. Looking forward to feb.

**KamikazeCanuck**

T-Dawg is there to get killed by Meryl later.

**Tyyr**

Shane isn't a potential leader. No one likes him except Andrea.

Shane sees himself as one and is campaigning for the job. The newest shooter in the group is pretty solidly on his side. When he went to rally everyone to clear the barn there weren't a lot of people opposing him. You don't have to elect a leader, if Shane more or less takes the job and no one really opposes him then he's the new leader.

but I would always like to know more about how they survive, like where do the go to the bathroom, where do they get their food, electricity, we saw a well so we know they have water, is stuff like that that makes it more belivable, and would be the stuff I would be most intrested in if i was a survivor lol.

1) Outhouse
2) Stockpile, stores in town, it's a farm we've seen them collecting milk and eggs.
3) They have a gasoline generator, we saw it either in the finale or the episode before.

**Lord Scythican**

Tyyr wrote:

That is probably their way to drum up DVD sales.

No, viewership sucks over the holidays. December to January is pretty dead time for shows with people off at Holiday parties and staying with relatives who may not share their love of a good zombie show. So instead of making an expensive show at a time when ad revenue is down they put it on hold until people's asses are in the seats again and pick it back up. It's good business and I hope they keep making good decisions with the show so it stays on the air.

Maybe at your house, but during the holidays around here people watch a lot of TV, especially during the Christmas break and when there is a lot of snow. Also I haven't seen too many shows that show half a season and then the other half several months later. It seems like a relatively new thing.

Fringe did it for the first time this season. Actually they didn't even show half the season before a break. They showed 7 episodes out of 20 and are now having a break like TWD. All the other seasons went straight through with maybe a two week break once. There number of viewers didn't decline during the holiday either at these times.

For instance season 3 of fringe from last year had:

5.22 million - October 14, 2010
4.82 million - November 11, 2010
5.13 million - December 2, 2010
4.87 million - January 21, 2011

That doesn't look like much of a decline to justify stopping a show at episode 7 and picking up with the other 13 episodes starting in January to me.

Now look at March through April for the same season of Fringe:

3.64 million - March 11 2011
3.65 million - April 15 2011
3.33 million - April 22 2011
3.29 million - May 6, 2011

So it looks to me like the number of viewers decline a lot more starting around spring and not during the holidays like you said. Of course this might be a fringe thing. I haven't looked at too many other shows to prove my point.

**Tyyr**

Tell you what, produce the numbers that prove me wrong. Multiple shows with increases in viewership over the holidays. Especially cable shows as opposed to network shows. If you can do that I'll change my mind. Largely I'm repeating what I've heard over the years that the Holidays are not prime TV watching time for this kind of show.

This is not the first show I've seen take a holidays break.

**gorgon**

Yeah, as I said earlier, it's common to run repeats over the holidays and into January. That helps ensure fresh new content during the sweeps month of February. Same reason most series wrap up in May...that way the big season enders fall within a sweeps month.

Things aren't quite as rigid as they used to be in this regard. But it's still generally true. It's been a little while since I worked in the industry, but I do know what I'm talking about.

**Lord Scythican**

Tyyr wrote:Tell you what, produce the numbers that prove me wrong. Multiple shows with increases in viewership over the holidays. Especially cable shows as opposed to network shows. If you can do that I'll change my mind. Largely I'm repeating what I've heard over the years that the Holidays are not prime TV watching time for this kind of show.

This is not the first show I've seen take a holidays break.

Didn't I just produce some numbers in my previous post? You are talking about stuff you have heard. I showed numbers for one specific show that did not show signs of decline in the holidays and instead shown signs of decline in the spring time. When it gets cold, people stay inside and watch TV. When it gets warm in the spring they go out more.

Now don't get me wrong, shows are starting to do what you are saying, but I don't think it is because of a decline in viewers. Fringe Seasons 1-3 ran all the way through the holidays with new episodes each week and started to show decline in the spring. Now they are taking a break in season 4 like what TWD is doing. Maybe Fringe is an anomaly but the numbers, at least for that show there prove you wrong.

How about this? Do you think maybe they are starting to add a break into seasons in order to stretch the show a bit more so it doesn't have such a huge gap in-between seasons and DVDs? Right now they are saying TWD will have a season 2 DVD set right before season 3. If they take the break like what they are doing, they are shortening the gap in-between seasons.

**RustyKnight**

Figured that we might as well just revive this thread for the season 2.5 premier tonight.

So, for those who have seen the preview clip on the AMC site, any ideas on who the two visitors are?

**KamikazeCanuck**

I just hope they get off that damn farm.

**RustyKnight**

I'd imagine that we'll have to sit through one or two more farm episodes, but I hope we'll get at least three non-farm episodes in the rest of the season.

**KamikazeCanuck**

Spoiler:

**Lint**

Yeah, who knew he was such a quick shot!
Also I'm getting so sick of Dale's whining. It seems like with everybody taking sides on the barn issue the group is being divided into "babies" and "pragmatists."

All in all this episode was my favorite thus far in S2.

**Squidmanlolz**

Great episode.
IMO, best episode of season 2, so far. The story seems a little predictable for the next few episodes. Rick seems a little too forgiving towards Shane. I'd like to see Shane's fate go the way it did in the graphic novel.

**RustyKnight**

I think Shane's death is inevitable at this point. Between Shane telling Carl to defend his family, Shane and Rick's rising antagonism, and Lori beginning to see Shane's less savory side, I think it's only a matter of time before Carl pops him in the chest. Would make a good ending for the season.

Spoiler:

Lint wrote:Also I'm getting so sick of Dale's whining. It seems like with everybody taking sides on the barn issue the group is being divided into "babies" and "pragmatists."

Yeah, Dale's such a baby. I mean, why does he care that Shane murdered one human to save his skin, contemplated murdering Rick, and has acted in a generally reckless and mercurial nature?

The barn issue wasn't an immediate threat. The walkers had been contained in the barn for weeks/months with no escapes and no real progress made on breaking out. The group hadn't even known about the barn for most of their stay. Shane brought things to a head to suit his own purposes (painting Rick as ineffectual and weak, painting himself as a savior, making the group more amenable to a hostile takeover of the farm), not to help the group.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Squidmanlolz wrote:Great episode.
IMO, best episode of season 2, so far.

I agree, but I did think Lori's actions were a bit contrived.

**Lint**

RustyKnight wrote:Yeah, Dale's such a baby. I mean, why does he care that Shane murdered one human to save his skin, contemplated murdering Rick, and has acted in a generally reckless and mercurial nature?

Yeah pretty much.

I will say that I wouldn't be surprised if it's Dale that shoots Shane. He's looking very frayed around the edges and while contrived (but not as contrived as Lori crashing the car and loosing the baby) it would be an interesting character moment for Dale.

I really liked the bar scene, I think it was a wake-up moment for all.
Rick beginning to see what is required moving forward in this new world.
The old man seeing how very very very very lucky he was that it was Rick's group that found his farm first, and not the bandits.
Glen seeing how big Rick's barrel is?

**KingCracker**

Yap, the bar scene was pretty badass. I want either Dale to shoot Shane, or Shane shoot Dale, either way, those two need to feth and just get it over with. I kept thinking the whole time, Rick was giving those guys the cold stare something fierce. And wow, he obviously practiced quick drawing while on the force

Im just going to come out and say it, I hope Lori dies

**Lint**

Doubt she dies, it was some pretty lazy writing though.

Writer 1:"Hey guys, we need to get rid of this pregancy plotline somehow.)

Writer 2: "Dude I just got done playing a 48 hour Skyrim marathon, just have her crash her car or something..."

**KingCracker**

Aint that the truth.

Dont forget

"how do we make it so Darrel isnt the one sent out?"
"Oh uhm.....just.....have him throw a tantrum and say "I DUN WANA!"

**Slarg232**

Spoiler:

**Lint**

The tantrum was pretty funny though...

**KamikazeCanuck**

I'd guess that 5 of the last 6 episodes will still be on the farm. Well, 5 and 3/4ths.

**KingCracker**

Lint wrote:The tantrum was pretty funny though...

Oh it was Ill admit that. Though I think anything involving Darrel is just awesome. "I took a bullet, was shot with an arrow. No you want to find them, do it your own damn self" Well, thats the just of it anyways