S01.E02: So Close, Yet So Far

[sacrebleu]

I'm worried that Alicia hasn't been clued in, so she can be the idiot who insists that Matt is still Matt and won't leave him. (Just look at the flowers, Alicia/ tm Carol)

 

I'm also hoping that Madison and Travis have a plan beyond 'going to the desert' do they have a destination? a summer rental? or is their only idea 'get out of LA" because that's a recipe for zombiehood. 

[Haleth]

#1 rule during a ZA:  When you hear someone shuffling around in an otherwise abandoned building, you do not go look to see what/who is making the noise, Maddie.  Sheesh.

 

This was bad.  I can't stand the teenagers and the adults aren't much better.  These people are just not reacting in a natural way, like Maddie killing her zombie boss is no biggie.  Ho hum.  Dump the Clarks and let's follow the Blades family instead.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Haleth

[ghoulina]

These people are just not reacting in a natural way, like Maddie killing her zombie boss is no biggie.  Ho hum.

 

I didn't think she was acting like it was no big deal. She's obviously not the over-the-top, screaming, hysterical type (which I could honestly do with less of), but she was crying in the bathroom when she got home. I think she's freaked out, but she's trying to hold it together for her kids. 

[ghoulina]

When Madison was at the school and she glanced over and saw the school bus, did she even think of taking it? Steal the school bus, load it with all the food out the school, head home and pack instead of just waiting around.

"We have plenty of food." Was an incredibly stupid thing to say when you're heading to the desert with six people. You never have enough food or water.

 

It really bothered me that they left that cart of food behind! We get it, you're traumatized. But damnit, you will regret not having that food later. I was also telling her to take everything in that medicine cabinet, because you never know what you might need. 

[The Mighty Peanut]

I tend to cut the writers a lot of slack, and I can fan wank with the best of them, but I laughed every time Travis told Madison to go to the desert without him - he'd meet her there. You know - in the parking lot. Ha! Could we be just a little more specific about a meeting place in the freaking desert? Maybe: the third prairie dog village past that ant hill that looks like a volcano. Or something.

IKNOWRITE!? "The desert is obviously the safest place being that it's a barren wasteland with little in the way of markers to alert dangerous people to our existence. Go there, family who is precious above all things! I'll follow and meet you at the 304th cactus on the left between a mirage and a tumbleweed. Don't bring a lot of food and water."

[loki567]

I'm actually like this more than I like TWD. Setting it before the ZA is giving things a strong forward momentum, something that TWD always struggles with. If FWD can keep up the pace and direction as it moves on to seasons two and three, I don't know. But right now, it's good.

 

And I like the fact the family aspect of it. It makes the characters feel more complex, compared to TWD where 90% of the cast feels like fodder we're all just waiting to die in some gruesome way. The fact that they're all connected means the writers can't quite be as cavalier when it comes to killing them off. 

[Sakura12]

If Madison telling the neighbor was anything like she told her own daughter then I imagine she just went over there and stared at her blankly then left. 

 

I get not saying there are zombies running around. But there are way to get your point across. Say the world's gone to shit, people are getting sick, turning dangerous and hurting people so we need to stay inside for now. Or you know turn on the big box thing with moving pictures in the living room where I'm sure the riots are being covered by the news (since the ZA isn't real for these people yet)

 

I also think Travis' first wife is much smarter than Madison. At first she was all pissed then she saw how freaked out he was and started listening to him. Then when she saw the shot up homeless person, she immediately started helping him get their son out of there. She also called him out when he was acting like a crazed asshole to the family that gave them shelter. She knows even less about what's going on, but knows enough that something else is going on over typical police brutality and riots.

 

I hope the families are not reunited, it's the ZA. What are the chances of them finding each other while the world they know collapses around them? Especially with the meeting place as vast as the freaking desert. 

Edited August 31, 2015 by Sakura12

[JackONeill]

We're only a few days into it (two weeks viewer's time), and our people are already split into two groups. Just like Camp Dinner Bell. I swear if one of the characters picks up a cross-bow, I'm gonna . . . .

 

(And pimply-kid needs to get a better knife. Borrow one from Gibbs on NCIS.)

Edited August 31, 2015 by JackONeill

[snowwhyte]

"You call that a knife? This is a knife!"

[Tippi Blevins]

I was cringing the whole time Alicia cleaned up the vomit with her long, long hair practically dangling in it. Then she touched her hair with her barfy gloves. Gah.

[molshoop]

We know that peoples don't have to be bitten to catch the virus. Everyone ends up being infected and turns when they die, regardless of what they die from.

 

I wish they would show people sneezing, because that is the quickest way to spread any virus.  Sneeze droplets travel an average of 50 feet.

[ghoulina]

I'm actually like this more than I like TWD. Setting it before the ZA is giving things a strong forward momentum, something that TWD always struggles with. If FWD can keep up the pace and direction as it moves on to seasons two and three, I don't know. But right now, it's good.

 

My husband said the same thing after only one episode. I think it's still too early to tell. I definitely enjoyed this episode a lot more than last week's. Seeing society fall is pretty interesting. But I'm just still not connecting with any of the characters, so we'll see. 

 

We're only a few days into it (two weeks viewer's time), and our people are already split into two groups. Just like Camp Dinner Bell.

 

Ha, right?! I was like, "Why are you guys separating? Let the junkie detox in the back of truck, but damnit, you do NOT split up". 

[kdm07]

So after a night to sleep on it, here are my thoughts:

 

I liked the first episode (one of the not so many I gather) but this episode was definitely better. The unease I got from the first episode just got ramped up and now people are beginning to realize something isn't right (and by people I mean the main characters). That shot with the cop stuffing his trunk with water was...chilling. It also confirms that the higher ups know what's going on but they're not telling anyone (which isn't all that surprising considering governments past and present). I have a feeling we will see some government intervention at some point and it probably won't go well.

 

Also, I think the show timeline has been about 48 hours so far? With the main family finding out about zombies in less than 24 hours? If that's the case (I could be wrong) it would explain why the characters reactions and thought processes seem so...slow and illogical.

 

One thing I hope they don't dismiss is Nick's withdrawal. He may be the only one who's awake to the situation but withdrawal is messy and a withdrawal in a ZA would probably be nightmare for him and everyone around him.

 

Nitpicks: I already mentioned the sheer frustration I had at no one informing Alicia about what's going on. You don't have to spell it out but by not telling her ANYTHING, it's making everything worse and for someone who clearly doesn't trust her mother, not telling her will not help in that department. I also include Travis and her brother in this. They all had opportunities to tell her something but no one did. I'm hoping that since each episode seems to be following each other that the next scene we'll get is Madison finally saying something to her daughter. And why didn't anyone say "Hey Matt, we can see you got bit, who bit you?"

I was cringing the whole time Alicia cleaned up the vomit with her long, long hair practically dangling in it. Then she touched her hair with her barfy gloves. Gah.

 

To be fair she does have glorious hair so maybe the show-runners want to show it off?

Edited August 31, 2015 by kdm07

[Primetimer]

The undead outbreak gets real for Travis while Nick deals with the super-flu blues.

Read the story

[diebartdie]

First of all Maddison, take all the drugs, dont ponder and hem and haw, just take all the freekin drugs. Second, give Kid Acne the biggest freekin knife you've got, he deserves a chance. Third, after you kill Zombie Obama, take all that food you ran through the halls with!!! Im over the trope "go on dangerous mission to get desperately needed supplies and then abandon those supplies after the danger is over" because it is bullshit. Also, even if you dont actually want to say "dead people are rising up and attacking living people and eating them"  just say "people are getting very sick and it's making them violent, avoid slow moving people at all costs. Just like...jog or something and you'll be fine"  Anyway, I know people riot over any little thing but that was so over the top I thought it was funny. OH! You know what else was funny? The bouncy house! That was clearly an homage to the kid birthday party with zombie clown in Diary of the Dead.

[lulee]

You know, the timing of this show and the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina makes me think a lot about the fear and desperation when everything's falling apart.

 

I was completely, "Take everything from the school, Tobias! Take! Take!"

[Tippi Blevins]

So far, Tobias and Nick are the only ones I care about surviving. Well, and I guess Alicia, too, even though if she keeps walking down the freaking middle of the street with her ear buds in she's going to end up run over like her brother.

 

When Cal died last week, I thought they were carrying on the original's tradition of one black man out, one black man in. I thought that meant the boyfriend would be surviving. Haha I was wrong.

[editorgrrl]

That shot with the cop stuffing his trunk with water was...chilling. It also confirms that the higher ups know what's going but they're not telling anyone (which isn't all that surprising considering governments past and present).

I have a feeling we will see some government intervention at some point and it probably won't go well.

Last episode, hospital personnel knew corpses were reanimating. Now a cop is hoarding bottled water. TPTB are definitely withholding information—like Tobias tried to tell Maddie.

I was puzzled by what Nick said just before he convulsed: "You don't get what it makes people do. You don't know what I had to do, Alicia! Matt will hurt you. He will kill you, Alicia."

Does Nick think this is all about drugs? It's a reasonable inference: Gloria was a junkie; Calvin was a dealer.

But what terrible thing(s) did Nick do—besides that shrug?

[The Mighty Peanut]

Of all the people for FTWD to emulate....Lori fucking Grimes. Silence is the new "stay in the house". Literally in Alicia's case. Daughter wants to know why her neighbor is being attacked and her boyfriend is dying from a mysterious bite wound, and why she shouldn't help either? Say nothing. It's not like as a teen she's more connected to viral social media and might have an idea already like Tobias did, you know, Tobias, who reminds you that the authorities have done fuck all to inform or contain, to which you say nothing. When your husband says he's somewhere and he'll meet you somewhere else? Don't press for specifics.

I can't wait until she tells Travis to kill someone and then gets mad at him for listening. Or goes off in a car by herself while pregnant and cannot be bothered to pay attention for the one walker in the middle of the road. Or tells the wimmins to stay in the kitchen and chop vegetables. I am enjoying the series, but both episodes have me getting progressively angrier with Madison. Travis' misgivings seem a little more forgivable since his survival and son's/ex's survival depend partially on what he chooses to disclose. Though, as others have pointed out, he doesn't have to say people are dying and coming back as cannibal monsters. Fast-spreading contagion that causes extreme violence and an adrenaline surge would do nicely.

Edited August 31, 2015 by The Mighty Peanut

[Boofish]

I know chances are slim but I'm really hoping Little Eugene (Tobias) and his butter knife make it. I would stand firmly behind him, the boyfriend, the ex-wife, Nick and the store owner being the focus of the show

 

I actually like the show even though most of the characters just aren't that likeable. I'm glad the daughter's boyfriend will not be part of Team Desert because I am not interested in watching Zombie 90210/Pretty Little Zombies teenage angst every week. I also hope Tom Cruise Oldest Son in War of the Worlds Hero Acting School Graduate (Travis son; name escapes me) get bit sooner rather than later

[morgankobi]

We know that peoples don't have to be bitten to catch the virus. Everyone ends up being infected and turns when they die, regardless of what they die from.

 

I wish they would show people sneezing, because that is the quickest way to spread any virus.  Sneeze droplets travel an average of 50 feet.

 

   That reminds me. Aren't we supposed to assume the neighbor they watch attack the lady across the street was the same one they saw loading his car and coughing earlier? That seems to imply he got sick and turned from the flu, essentially. There was no other reason to show him coughing. Did he die from his cough? Is this show trying to keep up the suspense of how they turn?

   That seems ridiculous for a spin-off, especially when they turned around and used the "oh, noes is the guy being still with his back to the camera totally a zombie?!?!?" a bunch in the first episode, before zombies had really been established in this show. 

 

I'm kind of disappointed that it seems that our group on this show will be mostly made-up of this blended family. Boring. One of the great things about CDB was watching a group of strangers work together.

Edited August 31, 2015 by morgankobi

[Cthulhudrew]

Two episodes in, and the thing that most draws my attention about this show is the ongoing continuity gaffes with the truck's cracked/not cracked windshield.

[kj4ever]

I think I understand the one bite thing going around.  Since society hasn't fallen yet there are many more sounds and smells.  The zombies are distracted quite easily when they see/hear something else, so I think that is partially why. 

 Also they haven't "herded up" yet.  I would think it would be way easier to get away from one then when they gather together.  Once they herd up that is when people are really in trouble. 

 

Also even though i think Madison is a complete idiot/tool it would be hard to see someone you know and register them as "dead".  Now considering what she saw before this should not have surprised her, and she put one of the only characters worth caring about in danger because of it.

 

The whole keeping vital information secret is one of the few times that the peeps from TWD franchise have managed to keep continiuty going strong.  ha!

 

I did like this episode better than the first, but my Madison hate has reached new heights.  I cannot stand that character.  One saving grace is since these are not walking comic book characters maybe they'll kill her off once they really how truly horrid the acting is.

 

I can totally see this becoming the Nick show.  They can kill everyone else off, and considering I was not looking forward to all the kid characters I'm surprised how much he holds my interest.  I want a show with him, Tobias, and the ex wife.  I think she might be quick on her feet and jump into the situation feet first.

 

 

[LVmom]

My only objection, and I know that this is how things work in the "deadverse" but it takes me out of it- is that I can't really root for Madison. I love the actress, the character makes sense on paper, and I like stoic do what you have to action heroes. However, the show is making Travis and Madison's romance ambiguous. Travis is telling the barbershop owner that he needs to save his family. Who's your family, Travis? This one or the other one across town?

 

They're not at the point yet where polygamy makes sense for survival, so who has to die?

[cynic]

Nick sounded hella British when he was trying to convince his sister not to leave. His accent is usually pretty good. I was surprised they let that take stand.

[LadyArcadia]

   That reminds me. Aren't we supposed to assume the neighbor they watch attack the lady across the street was the same one they saw loading his car and coughing earlier? That seems to imply he got sick and turned from the flu, essentially. There was no other reason to show him coughing. Did he die from his cough? Is this show trying to keep up the suspense of how they turn?

   That seems ridiculous for a spin-off, especially when they turned around and used the "oh, noes is the guy being still with his back to the camera totally a zombie?!?!?" a bunch in the first episode, before zombies had really been established in this show. 

 

I'm kind of disappointed that it seems that our group on this show will be mostly made-up of this blended family. Boring. One of the great things about CDB was watching a group of strangers work together.

 

I'm making a large assumption, that we're supposed to believe he was bitten previously and that made him sick.

 

I like the fact that it's a family. There's a stronger sense of keeping each other safe and a stronger emotion when one of them dies. It's sad when a stranger dies, but it won't have the same emotional impact. However, I wish they would have had a better family. I'm not digging them. 

[The Mighty Peanut]

Meanwhile, the entire worldwide Asian community minus Glenn is in an underground city somewhere like "sorry, everyone else."

Edited August 31, 2015 by The Mighty Peanut

[NorthstarATL]

 

And I like the fact the family aspect of it. It makes the characters feel more complex, compared to TWD where 90% of the cast feels like fodder we're all just waiting to die in some gruesome way. The fact that they're all connected means the writers can't quite be as cavalier when it comes to killing them off.

There are/were decent family dynamics in TWD, and they often did inform the impact of a loss: The Grimes, The Greenes (even though Maggie seemed to forget her sister existed for a time), the many sibling pairs, etc. We're just seeing the family units pre-ZA, which we did not on the other show.

 

Of all the people for FTWD to emulate....Lori fucking Grimes

Lori makes sense, IMO, as she was the main character most unable to adapt, who tried desperately to maintain the rules and behaviors of civilization, even when it was counterproductive. These folks are more likely to have her mind set than to be the hardened survivalists that we have met elsewhere.

  

 

They're not at the point yet where polygamy makes sense for survival, so who has to die?

As I often say about TWD, after a period of no showers and no privacy, polygamy vs monogamy should be the last thing on any of their minds.

 

 

Elsewhere, the entire worldwide Asian community minus Glenn is in an underground city somewhere like "sorry, everyone else."

There's a tasteless joke about Asian food there somewhere, but I refuse to touch it.

[JusLaugh]

 

I don't fear anything that may happen on this show more than the very real possibility that Nick might not shower and change clothes before he no longer has the opportunity to do so.

 

ME TOO! While watching TWD, I am always alternating between yelling "Take a bath!" and snarky comments like, "Oh, look. There's a house. Bet they might have some clean clothes in there. Maybe something with some color." Now, I get to yell at a whole new non-hygienic show with beige clothing. Ugh.

 

Nick's filth made me so disgusted that I made it clear to my husband last night that if any of our kids come home to go through withdrawals, they will NOT be touching my furniture until they take a damn shower. Zombies, or no zombies. I can't believe Madison didn't insist that shower and change be the first thing he do. Don't get me wrong, I can understand not bathing when there isn't water or the opportunity but that is so not the case here and most times it isn't the case on TWD.

 

Do they even have any women on the writing staff on these shows? My guess is no.

 

 

[Irishmaple]

For some reason I caught up on season 2 episode 1 of Halle Berry's show Extant before watching this episode. A general played by David Morrissey (the Governor!) made Halle lie under oath to a public hearing on the alien threat because he said the public was easily spooked and then did irrational things. I think this might explain the lack of credible information getting to the FTWD characters. The first responders are clearly informed, going for head shots instead of centre mass, stockpiling water and thoroughly wrapping up before approaching a corpse. The authorities are probably heading to bunkers and waiting until it's too late to say anything useful.

I have my fingers crossed for Tobias. His idea to stockpile and hunker down isn't the worse short term plan. I hope he makes it. I really dislike the name of this show. Fear The Walking Dead just isn't working for me. I like the show but the title is annoying.

[JackONeill]

The title The Walking Dead: Los Angeles was sort of already taken.

[bangs]

I haven't read all of the posts in here yet so I apologize if this was already covered but it's clear after ep 2 that the cops have definitely been given direction because they shot the homeless guy and that goth looking walker girl in the head (through their eyes). Maybe the homeless guy was a walker too.

 

I would have loved for the show to show us scenes of the authorities learning about and discussing the "virus". Ugh, so many missed opportunities or maybe they assumed that too many red tape scenes with no zombie activity would bore the viewers. Whatever, I am still enjoying the show.

Edited August 31, 2015 by bangs

[blaksheba]

This episode didn't help me like Maddie in any shape or form, she is super dry and not endearing, hopefully her characterization improves by the time they get to the desert. Nick and Tobias, I like a lot and am interested to see where their characters go. 

 

I, like others, was really disappointed that the Artie, the principal met the fate he did. We didn't see what happened to him, but I guess he was bitten by someone early on, possibly the person that was on the other end of the walkie. I knew he was a redshirt from the time we met him in the pilot, but I figured he would make it at least another episode.

 

 

Gloria was white, wasn't she?

Yes, Gloria was white, I believe. That said,  I am almost certain that Gloria was a walker/zombie from the moment we met her. She didn't have any lines, nor did we get to know anything about her. She was already turned and eating someone when we met her. She wasn't someone we got mildly interested in, then blam --- zombified. I am not planning to go back to watch the pilot to verify this, so if I missed that, please let me know.

 

What stands out about the other character deaths is that those three men were actually walking, talking characters when we met them, and were given some semblance of a personality and purpose even in the short time that we met them. So it seems more glaring that they pretty much became a part of our 150 mins FTWD universe for about 20-30 mins in the case of Calvin (I can't remember if this is his name) and Matt, and maybe about 40 mins for the principal, Artie. I don't think people just want to gripe about their deaths just to do so, but it is something that kind of jumps out at you. 

[Ronin Jackson]

World building and attention to detail has never been a strong point for this franchise (at least not since the pilot of the mother show), but since part of what separates this show from the mother show is that it is chronicling the beginning of the outbreak, it's an even bigger missed opportunity. I don't get the sense that the writers broke down the stages of the how the apocalypse unfolds. Or at least for some reason they've chosen to focus on characters who are so out of the loop that we're not really going to see that part of it.

 

In principle, I can see why they chose to focus on one family, but that only works if we care about them, and so far these people seem entirely unremarkable and uninteresting. And it doesn't help that the story is being propelled by classic idiot plot mechanisms (take the scene where Kim Dickens is stealing the drugs... she leaves the door open. Even though she is unaware of all the dangers of the ZA that the audience is, she's still stealing drugs and you know, might want to close the door so you don't get caught with your hand in the cookie jar... but then we wouldn't get that oh so effective fake out when pimple face shows up for his knife, because, you know, can't find another knife in the entire city of Los Angeles).

 

It may not be what they wanted to do with the show, but it seems like a missed opportunity not to give the narrative a little more scope so we can see the apocalypse unfolding. While people would probably initially have the wrong idea about what is going on, that the primary reaction the show has depicted so far is anger that cops are shooting unarmed zombies seems false and disingenuous. Sure, folks would get angry, but is NO ONE noticing that the zombies keep advancing when they get shot? And there would be more reports of attacks right... even if the government and media is sitting on info, these attacks would be widespread enough that it would spread on social media. Yet the only thing we see is riots over cops shooting zombies. Frankly it seems to trivialize real life anger over police brutality. Having at least on character in a situation to experience what is happening... for example someone who worked in a hospital... would have been far more interesting. It's nice that the central characters are educators but it'd be nicer in a show about educators.

 

For those keeping count, I do believe the list of characters who we've seen as humans than turn to zombies is exactly the same as a list of black male characters in the show (yes we haven't seen the boyfriend turn but we know he will). So I guess that isn't going to change from the parent show. But still both this show and the parent show deserve credit for having prominent minority characters (Glenn and Travis). 

[JackONeill]

A lot of people have spoken of missed opportunities, and I think that was bound to happen no matter how well-conceived and well-written the show. You can't cover everything. But, one thing (and maybe I should move this to another thread, but what the hell do I know): maybe TPTB should have had one of the characters a doctor or nurse. Maybe not at a big hospital, but at a small town near LA. Maybe (shades of Herschel) a small-town vet. That way we could have seen it through someone's quasi-medical eyes. Then again, I'm not sure if TPTB even fully understand what this "thing" is all about, so they may not want to get into it in too much detail. Then, if they do on this show, then they have to live with the repercussions( If any) on the other show. Best to play it loose, I guess.

[kj4ever]

I'm making a large assumption, that we're supposed to believe he was bitten previously and that made him sick.

 

I like the fact that it's a family. There's a stronger sense of keeping each other safe and a stronger emotion when one of them dies. It's sad when a stranger dies, but it won't have the same emotional impact. However, I wish they would have had a better family. I'm not digging them. 

I'm really starting to wonder about the "origins".  I know they don't care whatever but I wonder if maybe at first the virus was all it took for some to turn, and the rest became carriers and it became active upon death.

 

I could totally see the govenment keeping people in the dark because they wanted to avoid wide spread panic.  I mean Ebola, yes they know what that is and how to contain/treat.  But let them get a hold of something like this that they can't explain and I can totally see them keeping it from us "for our own good".  Yeah, I don't trust the government much.

 

As far as reports about it going unnoticed....It was funny because my nephew and I were talking about when they had those reports about the "zombie" virus a few years ago.  I remember it was all over social media but it just received a lot of eye rolls.  So much untrue crap is posted on the Internet that I could see people completely ignoring it except for the true preppers like Tobias.

[Kellyee]

This show is starting to grow on me. I hope they keep Tobias around for a while. I really like his character.

 

Speaking of race, has anyone else noticed the complete lack of any Asian people in the apocalypse besides Glenn??? I figured it was okay in Georgia, but in Los Angeles???? There are no Asian people in this franchise besides Glenn, zombified or otherwise. Like, at all. I know they keep killing/zombie-ing off the black actors, but at least they hired them for an episode. They're ahead of the Asians.

[morgankobi]

I'm making a large assumption, that we're supposed to believe he was bitten previously and that made him sick.

 

I like the fact that it's a family. There's a stronger sense of keeping each other safe and a stronger emotion when one of them dies. It's sad when a stranger dies, but it won't have the same emotional impact. However, I wish they would have had a better family. I'm not digging them. 

That would make a big difference!

[ghoulina]

This show is starting to grow on me. I hope they keep Tobias around for a while. I really like his character.

 

Me too! I was hoping he would take Maddie up on her offer, because that family kind of sucks right now. 

[snowwhyte]

When I saw the young black guy in the barbershop my first thought was, here's a new black character for them to introduce and then zombiefy. I was glad when he left.

They do seem to be killing off characters who have potential while keeping the most annoying ones. I was hoping we'd at least keep Matt.

[nachomama]

I knew I missed a little bit because the weather screwed up my satellite but I guess I missed the whole principal and food thing. I'll rewatch. I get the sense that "the desert" does mean a specific place, like their vacation destination. 

 

I'm rooting for barber shop family, not so much Traviseses family.

[Omar G.]

Speaking of race, has anyone else noticed the complete lack of any Asian people in the apocalypse besides Glenn??? I figured it was okay in Georgia, but in Los Angeles???? There are no Asian people in this franchise besides Glenn, zombified or otherwise. Like, at all. I know they keep killing/zombie-ing off the black actors, but at least they hired them for an episode. They're ahead of the Asians.

 

There was one police officer who had a line or two during the protest, but as far as central characters, you're right.

 

I appreciate the casting of Latinos on the show, but will probably reserve judgment until we get a sense of what the whole season looks like.  I definitely am in favor of diverse casting, but I'm not crazy about filling character slots based on quotas or a sense of obligation that's not narrative-driven.  I think the "Walking Dead" original flavor team has done a really good job in terms of creating showcases for African-American characters (and yes, Glenn as an ongoing character for five seasons+), so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt for now. 

Edited August 31, 2015 by Omar G.

[bmoore4026]

Well this was the happiest-go-pukiest episode ever in the history of TV, wasn't it?

 

Might as well add me to the "I hate Madison and the bitch daughter" camps.  Though Bitch Daughter did want to go out there and save that lady (or was it a little girl) from being attacked, so that's a plus in her column.  Maybe if Madison had some acting lessons and another expression on her face other than "paralyzed and not from fear".

 

Poor principal (or is it principle - I get those confused all the time) got taken out early.  Which is a shame because I liked him.

 

And it just wouldn't be TV Los Angeles without a wise looking Hispanic woman praying to The Virgin Mary while shit hits the fan. Because Hispanic = super faithful Catholic.

[Irishmaple]

Why were they so worried about Matt in the first place? He's a kid with the flu. I know there have been exceptions but otherwise healthy young males are not usually killed off by flu. The elderly, hospitalized, very young and immuno-compromised are generally more likely to be at risk. As a viewer, I know Matt's doomed but as a character I'd be dosing him with Advil and wrapping him to go. If the flu is targeting young adults, that's valuable information for the viewer and would explain why the parents were freaking out about Alicia being that close. Flus don't usually have 100% fatality rates either so why write him off so quickly? They saw Cal come back but Cal was shot; he didn't die of the flu. And, again as a character, maybe he didn't die at all. Nick is historically unreliable; I'd take everything he said with a huge pile of salt and one hell of a side-eye.

And why not ask Matt what bit him? Maybe it's not the flu, maybe it's rabies. It would be a huge leap to who bit you, but what did seems an obvious question. That whole scene in Matt's house didn't hang together well for me.

[Timetoread]

Last week I wrote an impassioned declaration that I can live with slow and boring and will give this show a chance.  This week I declare that I want these dumbasses off of my tv screen! I'm pissed that in 2 episodes they have killed off three black characters.  I'm annoyed that I have to suffer through teenagers being teenagers. We get it.  They are teenagers and all dumb things they do from here on out should be explained by that categorization.

 

So what explains the dumb things that the adults do?  I simply can't with Madison.  Time for her to die for all the reasons posted here.  I hate lazy writing when people don't say the things that normal people say and do the things that normal people do.  For instance:

 

Mad: Honey come away from Sam.

Daughter: No.  Anyway, why?

Mad: ....I got nothing.  Travis?

Travis: He's sick.

Daughter:  Duh, that's why I'm taking care of him.

Travis:...I got nothing.  Go get some water.

 

Really?  No wonder the youth of America is going to hell, the parents are a bunch of idiots!  Juxtapose this scene as it would have gone down with MY parents.

 

Mom:  T2R get away from Sam now!

Me: I don't want to...(voice trailing as I read my mother's face)

Mom: ...scariest face ever warning of doom until eterinity... no words necessary

Me:  I gotta go Sam.

Parents (on car ride home):  We don't know how or why but people are getting sick and becoming violent.  Even after they die - or seem dead, they just get back up and keep attacking.  Your brother had a run in with one, we saw it.   For the record, we don't like you skipping school and having underaged sex and after we get the F out of dodge, you're grounded for a very long time.  When we get back home, pack your S, grab the dog and we are out in T-minus.  Understand?

Me:  Yes...

 

See, parental guidance, zombie neutralized, teenager neutralized, exposition and action all in the same scene.  It's not really so hard!

Edited August 31, 2015 by Timetoread

[Timetoread]

Belief in a higher power screws you over in the ZA. No exceptions.

 

It's not that, it's that people who have belief in a higher power are always written for tv and movies by people who don't and they always write them as stupid and weak.  Yes the mom may be a practicing Catholic, but so is the entire Italian Mob.

[halkatla]

The mom and daughter are so clueless and annoying. Which going by the main walking dead show signals their seasons long survival, while other more deserving characters go down.

 

I wish someone would make a show about smart and interesting people in a ZA, like Darryl, Carol and Dale.

 

I was so sure that Tobias would die when the momma was being nice to the zombie, maybe he got bit, that would be so typical of these shows.

Edited August 31, 2015 by halkatla

[Boofish]

Mom:  T2R get away from Sam now!

Me: I don't want to...(voice trailing as I read my mother's face)

Mom: ...scariest face ever warning of doom until eterinity... no words necessary

Me:  I gotta go Sam.

Parents (on car ride home):  We don't know how or why but people are getting sick and becoming violent.  Even after they die - or seem dead, they just get back up and keep attacking.  Your brother had a run in with one, we saw it.   For the record, we don't like you skipping school and having underaged sex and after we get the F out of dodge, you're grounded for a very long time.  When we get back home, pack your S, grab the dog and we are out in T-minus.  Understand?

Me:  Yes...

 

See, parental guidance, zombie neutralized, teenager neutralized, exposition and action all in the same scene.  It's not really so hard!

Momma Boofish - Get away from Matt

Me - NO!

Momma Boofish - What the (@&% did you just say to me

Me - *now a chalk outline on the floor*

Momma Boofish - One less mouth to feed; let's roll

[Andromeda]

I want to see a fat or heavy-weight zombie. It's like people suddenly become emaciated once they turn. That might be the case in Walking Dead (but their clothes still fit), but fresh zombies should look like regular people, so I'm looking forward to a 300-pound zombie. Maybe they become snacks for the other zombies?

The daughter annoys me to no end. She's well past the age to be all "teen rebellion." I want to smack her. But I also think people need to talk more. Part of the reason they don't in the show, I think, is because it's hard to make the dialogue sound realistic when they're talking about dead people attacking. But the dad could have told his ex it was an emergency, and dangerous outside, and pushed back a lot harder when he called her to get his kid. In the real world, we'd be talking about all the weirdness non-stop, in a frantic way, sharing personal accounts, and the news would be blasting it 24/7. They don't talk much in The Walking Dead, either, though, about what's really going on. It's all subtle nuance and silent understandings.

I also wondered what they meant by "the desert," like it's the name of a facility or town. It's a big-ass place, "the desert" east of LA.

 

I'm enjoying the show. I really wanted Tobias to go with them.

[Raven1707]

Her keys got her in the front door, then she got keys to the other room from the Principal's desk (she was putting them back again when she heard the noise from the large, eavesdropping machine). In non-LA schools, many teacher's have codes to get into the building during off-hours (I did), but in a high school, off-hours are sparse. Many school don't officially lockdown until after 8 because of after-school activities. Besides, it looked like it was early afternoon. Perhaps it was a school day, but no one had showed up (principals aren't often roaming the halls on weekends).

 

In the Pilot, the school distract had decided to make it a half-day, so students and faculty were sent home. I imagine the principal, security, and perhaps maintenance were the only ones left in the building.

 

 

Oh and do these walkers seem extra strong to anyone or is my memory failing me as to their strength on TWD?

 

As others have mentioned, it's presumably because they're "fresh."

 

I was puzzled by what Nick said just before he convulsed: "You don't get what it makes people do. You don't know what I had to do, Alicia! Matt will hurt you. He will kill you, Alicia."

Does Nick think this is all about drugs? It's a reasonable inference: Gloria was a junkie; Calvin was a dealer.

But what terrible thing(s) did Nick do—besides that shrug?

 

Well, he did shoot Calvin in the first place -- although that was clearly a case of self-defense -- killing him and rendering him a zombie. The suggestion was that Nick & Calvin had been friends for many years, so...yeah, I can see how Nick would consider that a terrible thing. As for running zombie Calvin over with Travis's truck, eh, not so much.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Raven1707