CletusMusashi

Some of the grimaces she forms when she is trying to smile are actually entertaining. I'd like to see this issue come into play as a plot device. Like, maybe they could get kidnapped by an insane comedian, who won't let them go until he believes that they are honestly laughing at his jokes. Or we could see her run into a family who don't speak any English, and she'll be trying to say friendly reassuring things, but their subtitles as they talk to each other will be all "Why is she making that scary face?" "She looks angry." "Let's take our chances with those Fearful Things People Are Too Lazy To Make Up a Name For."

"The Walking Dead: California Nightmare," or "The Walking Dead: Tobias Rising" could be shortened into decent titles. "The Walking Dead: Dude, Where's My Civilization?" Or, if Madison turns out to be the big star, "The Walking Dead: Follow That Heroine," would also be acceptable substitutes. I'd like to say that the original cared what it was called, and that it actually put thought into coming up with a name that could quickly become a household phrase. But the truth is, it didn't have to, because the name came with the comic. They may not have ever even realized how much labeling matters. Plus, they know that if we stuck with the main show through pudding cans and singing ghosts and the incontinent incompetence of FPP that we might just be desperate enough to sit through anything. But TWD has a trick to keep us watching. Each half season, no matter how good or bad overall, tends to have very strong book-ends. So at worst it will start with a bang, then wander around in a circle for a while, and then go out with another bang. Sneak in at least one other very good episode in between there ("The Orchard, I'm thinking of you,) and that, plus the enjoyment we get out of mocking the stuff we don't like is enough to keep the overall watching experience fun. FTD isn't fun yet. It hasn't started off with a bang, so there just isn't as much goodwill motivating me to endure the mediocre stretches.

The title is impossible to discuss with people, which I think is going to kill this show. "Hey, did you see "Fear of The Walking Dead" last night?" Even that question makes people, including me, zone out. Have "The Walking Dead" in there before the real title, sure. But still give it a real title! Idiots. Nobody ever said "I'm running home to watch Star Trek: Enterprise." And it wasn't just because that show sucked. It was because people who watched it called it "Enterprise." Just like they called its sibling shows "Voyager," "Deep Space Nine," and "Next Generation." But "Fear" isn't a real title. Plus... it actually probably already is a title for some series anyway. regardless of how lame and halfassed I personally think it is. Actually, there's no reason they would even be calling these things Walkers. I mean, most people In Georgia don't. Why not call it "The Walking Fear?" Or "The Occasionally Threatening, Until They Bite You One Time and Then Go Away Dead?" I lean toward calling it "F the Dead" in verbal conversations, and "FTD" when online.

Her cluelessness about the overall situation, plus her willingness to help Nick out no matter how bad she thinks he is, fill me with hope. And that hope is this: Nick will turn into a zombie, and Alicia will ignore everyone's warnings. Nick will turn Alicia into a zombie. Then, the two of them will kill everyone else. Except Tobias.

Well, they're not classic Romero zombies. They seem to spend a lot of time hiding, in between giving people one individual bite. They're actually closer to the zombies in the second season episode of "Community," except that none of them are as funny as Starburns.

Nah. Spoilered for what TWD viewers already know:

About the racial criticisms: I tend to agree, and see enough of them that the topic might need its own thread here. The pilot gave us four protagonists, and each one was given one, no more, no less, black person to be friendly with. Once it was established that the fictional characters are not opposed to the idea of black people surviving, it was our job to assume that the writers feel the same way. Once the characters were on screen a little bit, the writers assumed that the black peoples' purpose was fulfilled, and they were rewarded. By being removed from this godawful show, and sent to Black Character Heaven. Where, if the rest of the show's writing is any indication, the junkies are always quiet, the spraycans are always full, the teachers never wake you up to talk about books, and if you're a nerdy big-eared top administrator you can spy on Americans whenever you want to. Yep, nothing suspicious at all there. But here's the closest thing to a counter-argument I can give. The whole show kind of sucks. I mean, who, that hasn't died, should be black? The adults who refuse to report murders to the police? The knife-wielding teen who's been studying Advanced Looting? Would those look any better? But... yeah. At least they get to live. And if they do die, I assume at least we'll see the attack. Or, even if we don't, somebody will give enough of a fuck to ask why they have a giant bite wound on them... ETA: Actually, Sleepy Kid might still be alive. Him and Tobias as mismatched buddy survivors, I could watch.

Damn it, Entire Cart of Supplies was not finished yet! Those humans need to start taking Lootagra or something.

My guess about the whole Matt thing is that he had been cheating on Alicia with somebody, who died and turned, and then he ran into her or him and got bit. The story was too awkward to bring up on his own, but, fortunately for him, the Clarkes are idiots, and never asked.

As entertained as I was by Eichorst dusting off all those beauty skills that he hasn't used since since his Goering-waxing days, I still just don't get why they're so gung-ho to get Zach. I mean, yeah, from a Doylist standpoint, I understand just fine. The monsters are only an allegory blah blah blah for blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda, so therefore the whole point of the story is Eph proving himself a worthy father because blodda blodda can I sneak in some punctuation and start a new sentence yet? Me, I'm here for the show about ridiculously prepared old men fighting vampire Nazis alongside their wisecracking exterminator sidekicks while, for some reason nobody can quite figure out, people keep having Indian food delivered by luchadores. If they want me to care about F n Zach, they should try making that storyline interesting. From a Watsonian standpoint, there is no reason for The Master (really? he still doesn't have a nickname?) to put so much effort into capturing Zach. The target is Eph, not some kid whose only skills are brooding, very close range knife throwing, and stealing cigarettes. So here's an idea: if the target if Eph, then for F's sake, why the F not just target effin Eph? If they get Zach, that will distract Eph from fighting them? Well, you know what else might distract Eph from fighting them? Killing him! And maybe killing the others as well, because there's a very pissed off old Jewish man out there who certainly isn't going to slow down the war over Eph n Zach. Dracula rules don't apply, right? I mean, there isn't some magical force field stopping vampires from entering a home without an invitation? Well, then, here's an idea. Instead of wasting your time having Kelly and the spiderkids tiptoe around the windows and try to talk effin Zach into being a distraction to one, maybe two enemies... why not compel hundreds of Strigoi to destroy the place? How exactly did The Master work with the Germans in WW2 without learning about bombs and grenades and whatnot? How did he exist for millenia without wondering why sieges are no longer what they used to be? Hell, even if "what they used to be" was all he knew, do you seriously think those windows would stand up to a catapult or battering ram? Or... large truck full of explosives driven by one of the zombie mooks who was being compelled to sit there and hold his foot on the gas pedal? Eichorst alone should be easily capable of killing them all, now that the new address is known. I mean, they do teach something at Nazi University besides makeover tips, don't they? The Master should have been braintapping Kelly, and as soon as she knew the place, there should have been heavy backup charging in, whether she wanted them or not. What's the worst that happens? Zach dies, but so does the entire reason for wanting him in the first place? What, is Kelly gonna secede from the Team Master Strigoi Collective? I don't think they can actually do that. The whole "get the son, and we can control the father," schtick makes about as much sense as using a shark tank with laser beams instead of just shooting someone.

I'm afraid Quinlan is doomed. It seems to be a law of the show's universe that Gus' storyline must never touch the other ones for more than a few seconds. "Come with me. We must destroy The Master." "Okay." CRUNCH! "Well, I would have. Too bad you just got run over by that busload of luchadores."

... until they need to know something. Then, as soon as they turn the set on, it immediately tells them, for example, where Chris is. Funny how they never turn it on during a commercial.

Tobias' Tiny Knife is reunited with its human. "Come with me if you want to live," he tells it. "And by 'live,' I mean 'stab monsters.'" Stabbing monsters was fun, but not quite as easy as TTK expected. Next time it will remember to go for the brain. Deep down it feels like that's what Romero would have wanted. But... what does that old guy who played The Joker on "Batman" have to do with any of this?

I think Artie now has as many nicknames as Abraham.

Is it weird that watching somebody puke grosses me out more than zombies eating people? In theory, at least. It's not like most of these zombies actually eat anybody anyway after they bite them. Are L.A. zombies all vegan or something?

Thriller schmiller. What about real music, like Frank Zappa's classic, "Zombie Woof?"

Okay, I did not need to see Shirtless Palmer!

Right now, Tobias is in shop class, building a suit of armor out of locker doors.

Is Tobias gonna put the moves on Madison?

Making a dangerous run in order to shut up an addict... didn't "The Strain" do this last seas- Holy shit! It's Tobias!

Yeah, "Walking Dead" commercials are not making this show look more exciting. "RICK! Is dangerous!" BANG! BANG! BANG! versus "Hello? Are there any other actors in this scene?"

Please let one of those kids beat a zombie to death with their skateboard.

In the trailer it looks like Nick's turning into a werewolf.

They're gonna show one tonight? Golly. Talk about a fast-paced season!

Bear in mind, these writers aren't exactly famous for their ability to give people age-appropriate names.