The Walking Dead: Episode 2: "Guts" (SPOILERS!)

[thxleo]

No hard feelings Thxleo. Perhaps you're just someone who favors a blunt turn of phrase. If so, I can respect that as someone who often dispenses with tact whenever it damn well suits my mood. Why would there be hard feelings to begin with? ---------- Post added at 11:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:43 AM ---------- Yeah. Lived here my entire life, so i've met quite a few Dixon type racists. It's pathetic, really. I learned a long time ago that it's best to just let them be that way. If you try to shut them down they''ll turn on you extremely fast. And there's nothing worse than being on the bad side of a 300 pound redneck named Bubba with a gun rack in his truck.... I was born and raised in Savannah, GA and I lived there until my early 30's. I never met anyone that was like the Dixon character at all. It's funny how nobody noticed when the black lady said to Grimes to let the "cracker" whip T-Dog's ass next time, after T-Dog makes the dead puppies and kittens comment. Of course the only people on earth that could be racist are white people. The idea of a minority race being bigoted is just absurd. Right?

[AcesandEights]

I actually quite enjoyed the episode. It felt like the pacing was off somehow, but I definitely sat up for a number of scenes (escaping the tank, dismemberment, fleeing the store, walking amongst the dead). I also think the "let's add a white racist" tack was cliched, but it was handled alright. And whoever said Glenn was played well was right, that was spot on and well done! And there's nothing worse than being on the bad side of a 300 pound redneck named Bubba with a gun rack.... Oh, jeez, time to plumb the depths of Bassman's scarred psyche again. Tell us all about Bubba and the Bad Touch, Bass...

[shootemindehead]

It's funny how nobody noticed when the black lady said to Grimes to let the "cracker" whip T-Dog's ass next time, after T-Dog makes the dead puppies and kittens comment. Of course the only people on earth that could be racist are white people. The idea of a minority race being bigoted is just absurd. Right? I actually did notice that and felt it was just a cliched as the other stupid characters. My bigger problem with her, is that she's in the show at all. None of those "new" characters belong there. 'The Walking Dead' is getting too cluttered, too quickly with insignificant nobodies and we're only 2 shows in.

[LouCipherr]

There's a racist and a bigot living on every street, everywhere in the world. It's not surprising they ran into one on the show...

[ProfessorChaos]

so nobody else picked up on t-dog accidentally kicking over the tools when he was running back towards dixon? the hacksaw was in the shot, scattered amongst all the tools. i've got a pretty solid feeling that dixon's going to manage to reach it and free himself and cause problems in the future by returning to the camp or if, as some have suggested, rick and others return for the guns and maybe even dixon. neither of these characters were in the comics, so i'm clueless as to where this story arc is heading. gotta say, i was shocked to see the degree to which the race dynamic played out and hear the n-bomb dropped like that. while i don't deny that racists are out there and many (but definitely not all, as is often suggested) are white trash asshats like dixon, it's almost a cliche. kinda why i was so let down by dead rising 2's story-mode, nearly every single psychopath you encountered was a redneck racist white guy. yeah, it happens, but other races have their dickheads, too. and who's gonna dwell on petty divisions like that in the middle of a zombie epidemic? an even better point was brought up (a page back, can't remember by who, but hat's off to the poster) about not sending a loose cannon like dixon on a scavenging trip anyway. maybe he didn't show his true colors till he was under great stress, but still it's not an aspect of the story i was surprised, or thrilled, for that matter, to see. as for the rest of the episode, shane and lori's tryst in the woods does seem a bit careless and selfish, but who knows how any of us would behave/conduct ourselves in such a world and predicament. and it's not been revealed how well lori and shane knew one another prior to the outbreak, how much either of them is aware of rick's condition, etc. but damn, i can't believe how steamy their foreplay scene was, that shit was more intense than anything on mad men, a show about rich, successful businessmen in the sexist 60's banging their secretaries, call girls, stewardesses, daughter's teachers, etc... crazy how far AMC is pushing the envelope with this program. and speaking of which, that scene with the axe was fucking graphic, also shocked to see that. thought it was well-handled, though. at least rick (and the show) took time to acknowledge it was a person with a real life once they were about to brutalize and mutilate. as for the zombie walk itself, i also thought they did this well. it wasn't corny or gimmicky like shaun of the dead (which is a comedy, so it's irrelevant how they handled it) but very tense and creepy. this is another iconic part of the comics, like the horse debate some were having last week. while it's debatable about rick's decision and whether it could/would be the best idea, it's something fans of the comics would be pissed if they left out. i can look past little things like key fobs hot-wiring new cars, like aces said, it was simply product placement and a selling point for chargers gm could put out there: you can't really do that to one of our cars, hint, hint$$$! so no biggie in my book. i was mesmerized by that point and had lost track of time, but once i saw glen ( a great character, both in the comics and the actor portraying him on screen) tearing down the abandoned highway, whooping it up, i realized the show was gonna stop there. and that's the only part that really stood out to me as being a real let-down. so far, i'm standing by what i've already said, this show is already heaps more entertaining and intriguing to me than any of romero's recent works. as a fan of the comics, i'm pleased by what they've done so far, even with a few new twists here and there. and we've got a great thing going here, a big-budget tv series with zombies on a network known for it's great original programs. very eager to see many more episodes of this. EDIT: if you've made it this far, thanks for reading. i realize that was a doozy of a post, but i had a lot to say. looking forward to any (sensible) discussions/debates on the above observations.

[DrSiN]

While I liked the episode, but agree that it wasn't as good as the first. I think the problem was it felt really rushed. They had 1/3 less time and tried to introduce a lot of new characters. The changes they made to the story work well in my opinion even though the scene with Dixon was very stereotypical. It did however serve it's purpose in setting Rick up as a I won't stop at anything bad ass. Rick and Glen's walk though the crowd was awesome. It didn't feel comical at all. In fact, it felt really good to me. In fact the action in general was great. I also liked the progression of the zombies. They aren't 28 days later or Dawn 2K4 but they are fearsome. As for Shane, they are setting him up just like the book. In the Comic he was a weak, timid leader. I'm getting the same vibe from him here as well. ---------- Post added at 01:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:04 PM ---------- Oh and say for all of the new characters.. red shirts in a zombie movie are important.

[Mr_Shadow]

New characters to me = zombie food for later

[MikePizzoff]

I actually did notice that and felt it was just a cliched as the other stupid characters. My bigger problem with her, is that she's in the show at all. None of those "new" characters belong there. 'The Walking Dead' is getting too cluttered, too quickly with insignificant nobodies and we're only 2 shows in. I agree with everything you've been saying throughout this thread. However, I feel like [hoping] the sole reason for including the new characters is just to have a giant zombie feast sometime in the very near future. EDIT: as Mr_Shadow beat me to it.

[darth los]

That's how heroes started to feel after a while. Way too many minor characters detracting from the main story.

[Trencher]

I liked the episode. I don't see why not an zombie should be able to snatch a rat, after all the zombie is dead and if its lying still the rat will come to it. As for T-dog and racist douche both characters were stereotypes and rather unnecessary and the thing with the key was overly dramatic. However I thought the actors were good and maybe with a little time they can go beyond stereotype and be a little more interesting. Strangely almost every character we get introduced to except Glen is in your face aggressive gr-grrr at first. Also Lori of all people are ready to charge into the zombie horde all the time? Wtf?

[shootemindehead]

I agree with everything you've been saying throughout this thread. However, I feel like [hoping] the sole reason for including the new characters is just to have a giant zombie feast sometime in the very near future. EDIT: as Mr_Shadow beat me to it. Yeh, I'm with Shadow and yourself. Can't wait to see those new "Red Shirts" become zombie food.

[Gryphon]

Rick and Glen's walk though the crowd was awesome. It didn't feel comical at all. In fact, it felt really good to me. In fact the action in general was great. I also liked the progression of the zombies. They aren't 28 days later or Dawn 2K4 but they are fearsome. . Agreed. The zombie-disguise part was one of my favorite parts of the show.. and when the thunder clapped, I was like 'oh shit...' Yeah, I never read the comic, so it's all new to me As for Shane, they are setting him up just like the book. In the Comic he was a weak, timid leader. I'm getting the same vibe from him here as well. He's a selfish, shortsighted prat and he needs to be Walker Chow.

[rongravy]

Not sure if it is mentioned but OK, how come they can't climb ladders, but can climb fences like they was running from the po-po? Not a big deal, I let it go like them disguised as zombies. It was funny when the redneck was holding an "election" after the smackdown and he was the only one that wasn't a minority. Cliched, indeed.

[sandrock74]

It was funny when the redneck was holding an "election" after the smackdown and he was the only one that wasn't a minority. Cliched, indeed. Rick isn't a minority either.

[Mitchified]

The same goes for Andrea.