S01.E03: The Tyger and the Lamb

[nodorothyparker]

Airdate 2020.10.18

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In the face of a massive obstacle and overwhelmed by the past, the teens face pressure to return home.

 

[WaltersHair]

This is epically bad. Like the ABC's After School Special kind of bad. If this were a 'real' teenage series, there would be at least one blond, blue eyed snot of no particular gender, who starts out mean but becomes a true friend over time./sarcasm. Hope and Felix have potential, but Iris is a real bore.

The acting is also eye-gouging.

Maybe real reason they pumped this out is to make TWD and FTWD look better.

It's a shame they came out with a premium AMC at this time and not when the series as a whole was much, much better.

I will probably continue to hate watch.

 

[tv echo]

AV Club gave this episode a grade of C+...

Walking Dead: World Beyond fails to do right by its least-defined character
Alex McLevy   October 18, 2020
https://tv.avclub.com/walking-dead-world-beyond-fails-to-do-right-by-its-lea-1845384786 

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There’s a moment halfway through “The Tyger And The Lamb,” the third episode of The Walking Dead: World Beyond, that serves as a blunt-force explanation for the actions of two of the main characters, Hope and Silas. When Felix wonders why she would leave clues so that he could track them down—when she seemed to share everyone else’s desire to escape—Silas echoes Hope’s earlier statement, that people’s mistakes shouldn’t have to follow them. But when Felix starts to question what that has to do with her decision to leave him signposts to catch up to their little group, Silas interrupts. “Sometimes our mistakes follow us,” he says flatly. It’s an all-too-apt motto for this installment of the series, which seems determined to keep making the same mistakes it’s been committing from the start.
*  *  *
Flashbacks are supposed to be a way in to a character’s deeper psyche, a means of investigating their past to better shine a light on their present. And for awhile, it seems like Silas’ story might do just that. We see his arrival at the university to work in sanitation alongside his uncle, the whispered rumors that he had done something terrible at his former residence, and his isolated life ever-so-briefly interrupted by Iris, who reaches out to him when everyone else keeps their distance. But these scenes don’t end up giving us anything more than we already knew about the character. The first line of the entire series was literally someone muttering about Silas’ supposedly dangerous past. We know he’s walled-off, and trying to escape his past. We know he didn’t fit in at the colony. The show cuts off the memories right before they have a chance to actually illuminate Silas, for no reason other than to drag out the big secret that’s haunting him. What a waste.
*  *  *
Still, the larger issue is that the show keeps creating reassuring spaces for these characters to feel completely safe, punctuated by tiny bursts of danger, rather than the other way around. The apocalyptic nature of this zombie-riddled wasteland shouldn’t seem like a place that is generally comfortingly insulated, and yet the show only puts them in danger when it’s of the characters’ own choosing. That’s not how tension gets generated. If last week’s tire-fire journey carried the aura of unpredictability, the plan to use the siren to find safe passage unfolds too straightforwardly, surprise empty attack on Hope notwithstanding.
*  *  *
- Hope almost knocking herself unconscious by kicking away the conjoined empties during that end fight was one of those slap-the-forehead moments.

- Also, Hope: You threw away your lighter to kill a few already-defeated empties, rather than simply set the tar on fire than close it back up. Do you have more lighters, Hope? I hope there’s a lighter store nearby!

Edited October 19, 2020 by tv echo

[Mr. Sparkle]

33 minutes ago, tv echo said:

Also, Hope: You threw away your lighter to kill a few already-defeated empties, rather than simply set the tar on fire than close it back up. Do you have more lighters, Hope? I hope there’s a lighter store nearby!

This really bothered me! Pick up a rag or some grass and light it! How many zippos are left 10 years into the ZA? 

[Straycat80]

I decided to give this show a three episode chance. I made to 2 1/2. Judging by the very few comments here people gave up before I did. 

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I thought this episode was the best of the 3 we've seen, but that doesn't make it good. I told myself I'd watch the whole season at least, and probably will, but it already feels like a chore, which seems to be the opposite point of "entertainment." 

[iMonrey]

This is really dumb. Hope and Iris should both be dead. They were just pushing zombies away with their hands, right up to their throats, and weren't even getting bit. If zombies are so harmless you can just shove them out of your way then there was no reason to fear them, and hence no real danger to any of these characters. 

I had to laugh at Hope telling Felix "now put my sister back on!" when she's talking into a walkie talkie. Like it's a private phone line and nobody else can hear. And yet, all the other characters did sort of step away so Hope and Iris could have a private little confab. Uh, kids? This isn't the time to wax philosophical. 

I agree with the AV Club review, the flashbacks for Silas told us next to nothing. I suppose the show wants to dole out his backstory over several episodes, if they ever intend to reveal it completely, but that's part of why this show sucks so hard. Too many unanswered questions about brand new characters we don't even care about yet. That's not going to make us care about them more. 

If Silas murdered his parents, or his grandparents, I can't see him being allowed into whatever it was his uncle was sponsoring him for. I suspect what we saw was him killing them after they became zombies. I guess that makes him a "monster" in the eyes of the other kids? Whatevs.

[tv echo]

Two more reviews of this episode...

‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’ Episode 3 Review: The Tyger And The Lamb
Erik Kain    Oct. 19,  2020
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2020/10/19/the-walking-dead-world-beyond-episode-3-review-the-tyger-and-the-lamb/#153fe8bf5d96

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I’m having a really hard time with The Walking Dead: World Beyond. Three episodes deep, and it’s just not clicking. I’m bored. More than anything, I’m just plain bored.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond review, “The Tyger and the Lamb”
by Ariba Bhuvad   Oct. 19, 2020
https://winteriscoming.net/2020/10/19/review-the-walking-dead-world-beyond-episode-3-the-tyger-and-the-lamb/

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This episode of World Beyond was slightly better than the last two. There is still room for a lot of improvement, but overall, I think they took a step in the right direction. I was invested in Silas’ backstory and I appreciate that we’re starting to dig deeper into characters.

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by tv echo

[Nashville]

This episode pissed me off mightily on two main points:

1. Its teasing of Silas’s backstory without committing to any degree of true revelation.  Okay, we’ve already got it - Silas is supposed to be the gentle giant who let the beast of his temper out to rampage once, and he’s haunted by the result.  See?  It’s not some kind of big secret, Producers.  Go ahead, spell out the details, and keep shit moving because we already KNOW Silas’s personal journey will be his pursuit of balance - so get on with it already.
    
2. Yeah, me too on Hope and the lighter.  I have a Zippo which has been a fairly constant companion for going on TWENTY YEARS now, and it has saved my bacon more than once - but this twit goes pitching them like candy at a Christmas parade.  I thought this was supposed to be the first generation which wasn’t raised in a disposable society.  :[

 

[tennisgurl]

Was this supposed to tell us something about Silas, because I feel like I actually know less about him than I do now. Something happened and he lost it and now people think that he is scary or something? Is his family except for his uncle dead? I have no idea what his deal is, and I dont really care yet. They keep whispers about his mysterious past and how everything thinks that he is so scary, but we still dont know why, we haven't even gotten a clue. 

How are we already doing the super boring season one/two "walking around abandoned buildings occasionally killing zombies but mostly just talking about random angsty stuff" plot from TWD? Its only been three episodes, are they already so tired of the premise they created? What made this stand out as different than TWD was that it took place in a more civilized part of the country with many cities in alliances, but now that we are apparently following the kids (and the poor suckers following them) around the outside world, it just feels like TWD when everyone was just wandering around before the plots really started getting going, except now we are stuck with angsty teens who love to sit around being angsty and annoying, and while TWD crew were wandering around fighting zombies because they didnt have any other options, these idiots have no training or survival skills, and could go home to a safe location if they wanted to, but they dont want to because now they have a quest and stuff. I get that Iris and Hope want to go at least, as poorly prepared as they are, but I have no clue why Silas and Felix want to go, besides Felix being kind of fatalistic and Silas being kind of twitchy. 

Its sad, because I thought the first episode had a lot of promise, but the plot has just gotten meandering and the characters have gotten annoying, and its actually making me miss watching TWD. Of course, TWD had an incredible pilot, a few solid episodes, then it got pretty lame for awhile until things got good again, so I will give this show a little more time before I amble off, Walker style. 

[Nashville]

Huck suddenly going all Judge Judy on Silas’s ass also didn’t help much at all, IMHO.  

[oakville]

I thought the scene at the CRM was very interesting. The city has 200,000 with electricity, TV & gas ranges. Lt Beck has a nice condo.

I still don't understand why the CRM had to wipe out a college campus in Nebraska if they are located somewhere in NY state.

[iMonrey]

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Of course, TWD had an incredible pilot, a few solid episodes, then it got pretty lame for awhile until things got good again, so I will give this show a little more time before I amble off, Walker style.

TWD got good again? News to me.

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Yup, they screwed up a pretty good series with all of that Negan crap, etc.... .

[raven]

On 10/19/2020 at 8:40 AM, Superclam said:

This really bothered me! Pick up a rag or some grass and light it! How many zippos are left 10 years into the ZA? 

Right??  Never mind that it looked like she could easily get away and didn't need to light them up at all.

I can kind of forgive the sisters doing dumb things since they've been sheltered - like Hope TAKING THE SIREN APART when the handle broke off.  I mean, it was in lots of pieces, but apparently she could MacGyver it back together and then just...stick something in place of the handle.  OK.

However, I was annoyed by the stubborn refusal to let Felix or Huck help.  Nah, we don't need the help of the two who've actually, you know, been out in the wild.  Of course it didn't matter in the end - there was no doubt they would all survive.

On the plus side, I like Iris's compassion. 

Of course, we have another warlord mindlessly killing people because reasons.  But she cries!  *eyeroll*

[For Cereals]

This is really bad.  Worse than the wigs.

[CletusMusashi]

I didn't think it was that bad. Another three eps that don't get any better than the first three and I'll probably see a shiny object someplace and wander off, but even without being able to live-watch this week it was easier to sit through than either of the other two shows usually are. Low bar? Why yes. What other bar would one possibly use with this franchise? I mean, it's pretty much in "Simpsons" territory at this point. The terrible seasons greatly outnumber the great seasons.  Anyway, about this show... I've got some drunken notes scribbled down a gas bill envelope here. Let me see what I can still piece together.

Two words starting with an S is probably "switch spear..." OK, why the fuck would you take one of the simplest weapons in the universe, and one that for thousands and thousands of years was the item to use, on land, in water, against small fish and frogs, against people with or without armor, against whales, elephants, and everything else... hey, I know a good tech upgrade! Let's make the blade less securely fixed, while vastly increasing the potential for corrosion and mechanical failure... why, exactly? In case you meet a magical bad guy who can only be killed by edged weaponry but has no fear of being hit with big-ass clubs?

"Hair-eyes" is an easy one. I thought the way the high school kids had their hair greased down in front of their faces was a pretty funny in-universe joke. Do they all have posters of Daryl in their lockers? Are they smuggling half-rabbits into the school to have claim-fights over?

It's moot now that everyone's blended, but I liked "The Shanes" better than "The Goldbrickers." Felix is is like a plausible, subtle pre-evil Shane-like character, and it works. I know, he's not obsessed with Rick and Lori, because he doesn't have that option, because Rick's not even on the show, but the comparison still feels close enough. And the actor is nailing it. He's literally the only person there who is playing it as straight and earnest as they would if they were actually on a much better show. And then Huck is also  a pre-evil Shane, except from one of those episodes of "Adventure Time" where the Ice King is forcing everyone to listen to his gender-flipped fanfic stories about the other characters.

And then the other group consists of Cowardly Lion, Flying Monkey, Thick Dorothy, and Random Immigrant From Failed Attempt at Gritty Reboot of Tim Burton Universe. So, yeah, the Shanes are mostly the better characters. Not that I mind watching Thick Dorothy, though.

Tell me again, when they were deciding which objects were better than solid pointy sticks, which one of them said "I know the perfect weapon! This really fucking big heavy wrench! I'm sure that no matter how tired I inevitably am I'll be able to swing it around super fast and effectively, because I saw the Joker do it in a 90s cartoon once!"

Yeah, even being spoiled ahead of time by everyone here making fun of it, the lighter thing is beyond stupid. And they wasted so much camera time on it, too, like they were so proud of how brilliant the move was!

Everything else I wrote down is a bunch of drunken squiggly slurs. (Which means I'd probably fit right in with the writers of this silly spinoff.) Maybe I'll remember some of it later.

Oh! I do remember one. Think they milked that fucking tiger poem to fill enough screen time? That was a brilliantly subtle use of "sampling."  Second only to that stupid song from like ten years ago that kept playing the entire "Muensters" theme twice.

Oh, and how could I forget this one? High school super-nerd who presumably had internet access to vast swathes of pre-zombie-apocalypse media doesn't know what the word "ass" means? No. I am absolutely one hundred per cent drawing the line right there. That is the single most implausible thing about this entire show.

 

Edited October 25, 2020 by CletusMusashi

[Mr. Sparkle]

Wut?