Season finale - "TS-19"

[BillyRay]

How do you figure that? In one issue, Rick mentions that the adults had a hard time calling the roamers "zombies", because it seemed to sound like something from bad horror movies. Something I recall from an interview with Darabont. He had asked Kirkman if there were zombie movies in the Walking Dead world, and they had a good laugh because if that were the case, folks would have made short work of the Living Dead. (Or something like that; I paraphrase) I don't remember that line from the book - sounds to me like a throwaway line used for a quick meta laugh. Or a reference to voodoo zombies. I've brought this point up before in other threads. In a Vampire or Werewolf film, the heroes have seen enough films or read enough books that they're pretty prepared to deal with the monster in question. (At least by the film's climax). You don't see this in Zombie films. It's always an unkown, unthinkable, BRAND NEW threat. Which is why it gets out of control pretty quickly, police and military are overwhelmed, etc. Just for laughs, I'd like to see a zombie story where the protagonists are aware of the "Remove the head/Destroy the brain" rule. Granted, it'd be a hella short movie...

[MoonSylver]

Just for laughs, I'd like to see a zombie story where the protagonists are aware of the "Remove the head/Destroy the brain" rule. Granted, it'd be a hella short movie... Or maybe not... "The brain! The brain! You gotta hit the brain!" "I hit the fucking brain!!!" "You mean the movie LIED?!?!"

[MinionZombie]

BillyRay raises a good point, the world of zombie movies don't have zombies movies in them - so already we forum lurkers have a significant advantage over the folks of GAR's flicks, or the TWD gang, etc. ROTLD though - is a comedy - and a fairly self aware comedy to boot - so that doesn't count. An enjoyable flick, but it's nowhere in the same league as GAR's flicks or TWD. As for nitpicking - there's a line with nitpicking. You can get all up in the detail and examine intricacies with a fascination ... but it's when it goes into ridiculous territory that it takes the piss. We've seen such OTT moaning with GAR's flicks and recently with TWD, and frankly it sucks the fun out of it - there's a line with nitpicking/details, just like with all things in life - there's a line.

[krisvds]

BillyRay raises a good point, the world of zombie movies don't have zombies movies in them - so already we forum lurkers have a significant advantage over the folks of GAR's flicks, or the TWD gang, etc. ROTLD though - is a comedy - and a fairly self aware comedy to boot - so that doesn't count. An enjoyable flick, but it's nowhere in the same league as GAR's flicks or TWD. As for nitpicking - there's a line with nitpicking. You can get all up in the detail and examine intricacies with a fascination ... but it's when it goes into ridiculous territory that it takes the piss. We've seen such OTT moaning with GAR's flicks and recently with TWD, and frankly it sucks the fun out of it - there's a line with nitpicking/details, just like with all things in life - there's a line.

[Thorn]

That would have to be a touch and go situation, imo. The truth is despite all the training in the world, none of us know how we're going to react when it's "no longer a drill." Furthermore, as was already stated, this is an enemy and horror the likes of which have never been seen in human history so who knows how our military personnel will react. I would like to think that our military is flexible when it needs to be and is not as dumb and incompetant as they are portrayed in this instance. If I'm the commander and hear reports of mass desertion due to family situations I would allow them to bring their immediate family with them on base so that stress is taken out of the equation. The ideal situation, no. But this is far from a conventional war. It's either let the soldiers bring their family or suffer mass desertions. Well said.

[Trin]

I enjoyed TS-19. I liked the CDC thing, and I liked the Jenner character, but I didn't buy his endgame. I didn't see anything to justify his mindset of condemning them all. He seemed sane and reasonable up to that point. I'd love to believe that he knew/discovered something about the condition that was so horrific that he knew humanity would not survive. That would justify his mindset and actions. And I'd love to believe he whispered that nugget of info to Rick. But I'm guessing that's not the case. Dale was pure awesome. Perfect performance. His scene with Andrea was the scene of the series in my mind. And Daryl was awesome. I love him more every episode. I liked the Shane flashback. I still think they're jerking us around, but the flashback gave some depth to his internal struggle. Now he's someone who tried to be the good guy and is being villified. And the gurney thing displayed a surprising attention to detail across episodes. Very cool! On larger topics... I agree it needs to be more than a virus. Both to justify the outbreak/spread, but also to justify how the CDC could be so confused by it. A typical infectious disease outbreak would fall right into their expertise, and cure or not, they'd have the thing under control. I also echo the comments that Season 1 didn't have enough zombies to justify the level of desperation. These people act like they're on the run 24/7, but the sparsity of zombies is in direct conflict with that. And to call this an "Extinction Event" is just laughable. I guarantee you that the better part of Arkansas doesn't even realize it's going on yet. The whole discussion of the military's inability to deal with the situation is missing one crucial point. The US was founded on a principle that the nation's military would NEVER be brought to bear against its own citizenry. To mobilize the military (as opposed to National Guard) would be an act of desperation. To then let them fire their weapons into crowds of citizens... no President would authorize that. I can totally see a situation where the military was mobilized past the point where the crisis was out of hand and even then were given severe restrictions on what they could do. By the time they took matters into their own hands (ala hospital flashback) it could very well be too late.

[MinionZombie]

Trin - hell yeah on the Dale/Andrea scene - I could agree that it's the best scene from the entire season ... also, as you say, the re-drawing (again) of Shane's character was welcome. They re-drew him from the comic earlier on when you discovered that "you told me Rick was dead", but then here in episode six we see another twist on it and he truly thought that Rick was dead as he didn't hear a heartbeat (but then again, you probably wouldn't in all that chaos ... or, to get a bit deep, did Shane secretly not want to hear a heartbeat? ) ... so it was an impressive double-re-draw on Shane in season one. Noiiice.

[Gemini]

After the blood tests the Doc only said "no surprises" ...to me that leaves the door wide open (intentionally?) on the possibility that everyone is infected and will reanimate upon death.

[MinionZombie]

After the blood tests the Doc only said "no surprises" ...to me that leaves the door wide open (intentionally?) on the possibility that everyone is infected and will reanimate upon death. I would be very surprised if that's what he whispered to Rick ... especially considering what has so far transpired in the first four volumes of the trade paperbacks that I've read, and so what I reckon is most likely the whispered twist. Also, I'm sure that - like in GAR's universe - any dead body can reanimate. You don't have to be bitten ... although that hasn't been touched upon, yet, in the show, it does get touched upon in Volume 2 of the trades ... so that fact being what he whispered to Rick would be pretty doubtful, to be honest. It's not much of a twist ... what I reckon was most likely whispered, however, is potentially a big old problem for Rick & Co.

[ProfessorChaos]

similar to what trin speculated, i'm gonna go out on a limb and guess what jenner said to rick (in a nutshell): everyone is "infected". anyone who dies will come back. your wife is pregnant.

[BillyRay]

"Hey Dude, I fucked your wife..."

[darth los]

I liked the Shane flashback. I still think they're jerking us around, but the flashback gave some depth to his internal struggle. Now he's someone who tried to be the good guy and is being villified. Staring at rick down the sights of his tactical shotgun a hair away from squeezing the trigger is a good guy? Hmmmmmm... I see the series shane as a guy who has been put in an impossible situation. About the heartbeat thing, if he heard it or not it was probably him rationalizing things so he could feel better about leaving his best friend in that warzone. No heartbeat, so why drag around a corpse. Enough of those walking around already. I don't believe at that moment in time we saw that it was on his mind to hatch a diabolical plan to leave his friend there and hijack his family. But I do believe that it's a situation that he has developed feelings for lori and now we have a juicy storyline so that chicks can get into the show. your wife is pregnant. That would definitely explain that "I just got punched in the stomach" look he was wearing.

[Gemini]

I would be very surprised if that's what he whispered to Rick ... especially considering what has so far transpired in the first four volumes of the trade paperbacks that I've read, and so what I reckon is most likely the whispered twist. Also, I'm sure that - like in GAR's universe - any dead body can reanimate. You don't have to be bitten ... although that hasn't been touched upon, yet, in the show, it does get touched upon in Volume 2 of the trades ... so that fact being what he whispered to Rick would be pretty doubtful, to be honest. It's not much of a twist ... what I reckon was most likely whispered, however, is potentially a big old problem for Rick & Co. You misunderstood, I am not referring to what he whispered to Rick I am referring to what he said regarding the blood tests - "no surprises" To me that sounded cryptic and could mean any number of things.

[MinionZombie]

You misunderstood, I am not referring to what he whispered to Rick I am referring to what he said regarding the blood tests - "no surprises" To me that sounded cryptic and could mean any number of things. Even still, I don't think that's really the point or purpose in the line - I think you're reading too much into those two words. Everybody being capable of turning into a zombie once they're dead is standard, it just hasn't been seen on the show so far, but it has in the comics during the second story arc. What was supposed to be cryptic was what he was whispering into Rick's ear (although, as I said, I'm 99% sure what it was - but anyone who hasn't read the comics won't be so quick to guess necessarily). My point being, considering how they discover you come back as a zombie - even if you've not been bitten - in the second story arc in the comics, that will be how they really tackle the issue. Sure, part of "no surprises" would possibly involved them knowing you don't have to be bitten to become a zombie - death is the motivating factor ... but heck, how they discover you don't need to be bitten could either be a mid-season "dun dun duuuuuuun!" moment, or a second season closer.

[Trin]

Shane is the victim of circumstance (a fairly complex contrived circumstance, btw). We, the viewers, have a different perception of his actions at the hospital than Lori can ever have, and in light of that everything that evolved between Shane and Lori is within the bounds of Shane as a good guy who succumbed to temptation. He didn't really do anything wrong. Then Rick shows up and by all appearances he did EVERYTHING wrong. I think his sighting Rick in the woods was an expression of his frustration and perhaps a foreshadow of an upcoming breakdown. The best possible outcome is for the whole mess to come out and Rick and Shane to have a big brawl that ends with Rick (being the consumate good guy) forgiving Shane and their friendship damaged but intact. Shane can start being the good guy he has it in himself to be and the group in general can start to focus on the zombies as the conflict, not each other. Yes, I know that's never gonna happen. As for the virus/phenomenon and it being in everybody's blood... so what? I'm not sure why this is seen as game-changing. So what if we're all a carrier of something that only affects us after death? No matter what the cause and resolution, if humanity gets back in control again the dead will ALWAYS be seen as a threat from that moment on. If everyone is a carrier it changes nothing. If the big reveal is that Lori is pregnant I'm surprised it didn't come up before. Why would Jenner, seeing that Lori and Rick are a married couple with a child, withhold this information as soon as he knew? Why would he whisper it only to Rick at the final moment? I don't see that "secret" as being worth the hype.