S01.E03: The Dog

[Sakura12]

What was with that maze thing in their neighbors house? Is that a California thing? Or did the writers go, Writer 1: "you know what would be really cool? If the characters had to run thought a maze from a walker. Writer 2: "why would there be a maze in a suburban neighborhood?" Writer 1: "I don't know lets just put one in because it would be awesome and scary".

Edited September 14, 2015 by Sakura12

[Raven1707]

The part that I found confusing is that when they were in the Tran's house retrieving the shotgun, they could see directly into the sliding door of Travis' house -- and there was no fence in the way, and certainly no weird garden maze.

 

I'm going to have to watch again, then.

 

I guess we aren't supposed to notice such things.

[JennyMominFL]

My husband thought it was for vines,,, For grapes. Someone making wine. He's from wine country CA

Edited September 14, 2015 by JennyMominFL

[Texasmom1970]

 

The clothing choices by Nick and Alicia annoyed me. Nick, take a shower and put on a clean change of clothes. Alicia, you saw dead people trying to eat people. Shorts are so not a good clothing option.

I agree Alicia looks like she's going hang out with her friends at the beach or something casual like nothing odd is happening.

Nick and the old man clothes looks like he us ready to go play shuffleboard on the Lido deck. But I guess when you are a junkie going through withdrawals hygiene is not a big concern.

Does anyone else find if funny that out of two teachers, a nurse, and his supposedly smart sister the teenage junkie is showing the most smarts!

[Brooklynista]

Next time your neighbors are getting their faces eaten off, please remember to put the Monopoly game away, cause that's important.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Ok, so everything is where it makes sense now - they know what's going on, ALL of them do.

 

But Travis, Travis, Travis.  Oh my goodness, buddy.  After the things you've seen, "they're just sick, possibly curable".  Not dead?  Well then this 'sickness' makes them damned near invincible then, considering what Nick did to Cal and 'Cal' was still "ticking" at the end.  And sorry pal, but I can't begin to imagine any (physical) sickness that makes a person want to dine on raw dog, fur and all.

 

Speaking of which, whyTF did Nick (or Madison, or Alicia) not close and lock the patio door immediately after letting the dog in!?  "Come on in.  How you doing, buddy!?  Hey, did you happen to bring along any of your zombie friends to visit??  We'll leave the door wide open, just in case!"

 

And speaking of zombies, don't get me started on the completely grand show of stupidity of not putting 'Susan' down, immediately, if not soon after rescuing Alicia from her.  And Travis turning his back on her to bury the dead zombie?  Pretty damned cavalier there, tough guy.  All it took was one loose board or a bigger hole somewhere for her to stumble through to turn him into a breakfast buffet.

 

Also,  we need to see more of what's happening in the 'wider world', too.  I mean, I find it a tad slightly bit difficult to believe that the military just decides to "secure" that specific little suburb at that specific time range. 

 

 

Slowly getting better, with each successive episode, but god darn it - the STUPIDITY is still alarmingly OTP!

Edited September 14, 2015 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[ottoDbusdriver]

I'm also curious how Susan managed to get out of the house so quickly and track down Alisha in the garden maze -- I thought walkers moved kind of slow.

Edited September 14, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[CletusMusashi]

I think Madison was in charge of Alicia's clothing choice. Madison, you will note, is dressed in blue, which blends into ninety per cent of this episode's scenes. Alicia, meanwhile, is not only kept clueless about the zombies for as long as possible, but is dressed as meat-exposingly as possible. It's a lot easier to outrun a herd of zombies when they're busy eating one of your kids.

[raven]

 

I'm also curious how Susan managed to get out of the house so quickly and track down Alisha in the garden maze so quickly -- I thought walkers moved kind of slow.

Plot!  The tracking down part I believe - the really fresh zombies can have some "live" behaviors - I remember Morgan's wife trying the doorknob way back in Ep 1.  So there might not be so much mindless shuffling like in the TWD universe. 

[High Ewe]

It's funny how the characters vacillate between sensible and maddening. Nick is the only one who truly understands what the walkers are (though Daniel, and Madison to some degree, seem to get that things are seriously going to shit fast), yet his junkie ways has made him such a liability. He's being so selfish. Frank Dillane is killing it. Totally reminds me of this alcoholic I once knew; nobody and nothing matters except the next fix, even at the end of the world.

[CletusMusashi]

My husband thought it was for vines,,, For grapes. Someone making wine. He's from wine country CA

For about ten seconds, I thought the scene was suddenly taking place under the school bleachers, and I was very confused. 

[Raven1707]

Does anyone else find if funny that out of two teachers, a nurse, and his supposedly smart sister the teenage junkie is showing the most smarts!

 

Nick is the dog. That's my theory and I'm sticking with it.

Frank Dillane is killing it.

 

He's pretty damned great.

[Bad Example]

Ruben Blades is already making moves like a post-apocalypse pro, he should do well.

 

No, he's too cool too early on.  Someone else is going to get him killed just to piss me off.  

[Straycat80]

I couldn't understand why Susan didn't just walk through the entrance of the garden and go on a rampage through the neighborhood. There was no fence on what appeared to be the homes driveway. When Patrick came home he walked right into the backyard entrance and Susan walked right up to him. Right? Or did I miss something?

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I'm also curious how Susan managed to get out of the house so quickly and track down Alisha in the garden maze -- I thought walkers moved kind of slow.

 

Holy shtuff, yes this!!  Was just coming to post about it.

 

Not only that, but isn't it ingrained in human nature to put as many obstacles between ourselves and the thing(s) chasing us as possible?  Are you telling me that 'genius-level smarts' Alicia didn't think to slam the door shut as she ran through it to get back over to her own yard/house??

Edited September 14, 2015 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[raven]

I think Susan came out of the maze because Patrick was calling her.  She stuck around in the maze becaue Madison, et al were there.

[DixonVixen2359]

Greetings all. I come seeking refuge from the AMC forum, the new format is hard to navigate from my phone. I like the Salazar family, especially Daniel.Madison can take her Monopoly set and run off to the desert with her kids...she annoys me. Travis has the mindset of TWD's Hershel in the first half of Season 2 when it comes to the dead but I love his truck. Hoping for Tobias to make an appearance next week.

[InsertWordHere]

I thought they buried them both and just put the bloody blankets and stuff in the trash. But yeah, what's with that other neighbor taking the trash out like everything's normal? And why didn't either of them say, like, "Dude, did you see the dead people walking around the neighborhood last night? WTF is that about?"

I might be reading too much into things, but I thought the long look between the two men was supposed to imply that the neighbor also had bloody curtains or other zombie-stained items to throw away. However, I was surprised that both men assumed trash would just be collected like normal amidst the riots and blackouts. 

 

 

Nick is the dog. That's my theory and I'm sticking with it.

Did they say who had which token in Monopoly? I only recall someone (Nick?) having the car. If someone had the dog they're probably screwed. 

Edited September 14, 2015 by InsertWordHere

[sluggish neko]

Maddie is driving me nuts! She knows what's up, but decides that Monopoly is the best use of their time. MONOPOLY?!? How about stocking up on supplies? Or cleaning up her drug addict son who is probably covered in dry vomit and whatever else after shooting his dealer? If it is a disease, shouldn't everyone be burning their clothes or at least bleaching and taking showers? Do they not understand infection? But the most glaring waste of that time is NOT explaining to her daughter WTF is going on and letting her wander ignorantly in their neighbor's creepy, empty house. ARGH!

 

When Maddie asked Liza to kill her if she ever got zombified, I was hoping Liza would just do it then and there. No need to wait for zombification.

 

Salazar is right. These people are weak. The only useful one is the nurse.

Edited September 14, 2015 by sluggish neko

[tennisgurl]

I`m really amused by the fact that Nick seems to be the only person (except maybe the Barber) who has seen a zombie movie before. 

[Raven1707]

Hmm, on rewatch, there's another house BETWEEN Madison's house & Patrick's house!

[Macbeth]

That outfit Nick is wearing.  I swear Depp wore something like it in a movie - maybe "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?"

 

 

[Amelie06]

What about that scene where Travis drives by the hospital! I was so annoyed. That's the fun stuff I want to see. These characters have a curious habit of driving by places right when shit is getting real. I want more! From what we could see, there was utter madness as the hospital was overrun by zombies. Awesome.

 

How did Susan die? Natural causes? She seemed like a nice old lady that was just in her house, still wearing slippers. There's no way she was bitten.

[High Ewe]

Nick is the dog. That's my theory and I'm sticking with it.

 

He's pretty damned great.

I agree, on both points. Once--or if??--he gets straight, Nick may be one of their strongest assets. It's strange to think that his myopic, utterly self-destructive behavior in the normal world could very well be what gives him an edge in surviving its downfall.

[Yolapukka]

I loved the sense of excitement in this episode and the way it is building from episode to episode, unfortunately there is just too much dumb fuelling the action, not so much that it's taking me out of scenes, but I'm certainly questioning everything I just saw immediately afterward.

 

You know someone's toast when one character says to the other, "I'll never leave you." I don't know if it's going to be Travis or Madison, but one of them is doomed.

 

 

Well, they both equally annoy me, so I could live with a farewell to one of them. Not Liza though, she's on my MVP list.

 

 

Asian guy named Patrick? Someone had to ask.

 

Anyone? I've been acquainted with more than one asian guy named Patrick, is that just random coincidence, or is it one of those names swapped in for something that has a similar sound?

Edited September 14, 2015 by yuggapukka

[HalcyonDays]

I haven't watched this yet, and haven't gone through the thread yet (bloody Cowboys are pathetically losing).

 

Did a dog die or get hurt? Please tell me no. I need to know, to prepare myself.

[raven]

 

Did a dog die or get hurt? Please tell me no. I need to know, to prepare myself.

If this ep were rated on doesthedogdie.com, we'd have the crying doggie face :((

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I haven't watched this yet, and haven't gone through the thread yet (bloody Cowboys are pathetically losing).

 

Did a dog die or get hurt? Please tell me no. I need to know, to prepare myself.

 

Get a big box of tissues ready.  Sorry.  :(

[Macbeth]

Did a dog die or get hurt? Please tell me no. I need to know, to prepare myself.

 

Sorry HalcyonDays.  TWD universe remains as unoriginal as always.  Of course they killed off the dog.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Macbeth

[ottoDbusdriver]

How did Susan die? Natural causes? She seemed like a nice old lady that was just in her house, still wearing slippers. There's no way she was bitten.

 

I think when Alicia found that bottle of pills by the coffee cup in the Tran's house that implication was that Susan Tran killed herself.  But why would she kill herself if as far as she knew her husband was simply at the airport and she just hadn't heard from him.

[raven]

 

Nick may be one of their strongest assets.

In spite of his selfishness, he's one of my favorites right now; he thinks fast and is accepting things and Frank Dillane is doing a great job.  I was liking Alicia too until she elbowed Chris in the face (though, funny) and left the door open.  Madison being zombie-practical, I'm slowly warming to her.

 

I like Mr. Salazar getting shit done, though I wonder about his reaction (and Madison's a bit); WE know it needs to be done, and these characters jump right to the brutal solution pretty quickly.  For self defense, sure.  Travis looks frustratingly clueless to us, but should THAT be the reaction?  Just as a general question.  It takes all kinds and that. 

 

That's why I'm liking the show, I think about these things, in TWD that question has been answered for most situations - you kill to survive, no one's coming to help you.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Ok, from here on out, I'm calling Madison Ms. Dull Surprise.  "Oh, Susan.  Lady who watched my children during such a tumultuous time.  How can this happen to you.  I will wrench my hair and strike my breasts and wail in mourning.  Oh, the army's here."

 

And of course the dog had to die.  Because we can't have nice things.  BTW, what happened to the lady across the street?  The one who had the birthday party for her little girl in the last episode and was attacked by a Walker at the end?  Is she dead?

 

It doesn't mean 100% indication of events, but as the camera panned out as they attempted to drive away (to the desert?), they showed the back side of the still-some-air-in-the-bounce-house and it was drenched in 'fresh' blood.  So, going by that, I'm guessing the lady didn't make it out of the attack alive.  Zombified later maybe, but not the 'normal' alive.

[HalcyonDays]

If this ep were rated on doesthedogdie.com, we'd have the crying doggie face :((

Get a big box of tissues ready.  Sorry.  :(

Sorry HalcyonDays. TWD universe remains as unoriginal as always. Of course they killed off the dog.

 

Thanks for the heads-up. Aw man, seriously. Spoilers I don't mind. Honestly. I don't even want to see this episode anymore....

This husky is not impressed with this news.....

 

 

[Yolapukka]

I hope Alicia is really pissed when Mom finally sees fit to explain things to her. Good for her that she seems to share her brother's instincts and peeled out of there when she saw Susan's feet under the door, Too bad they had to make the dumb plot-point move of having her fail to shut the exterior door as she fled. Of course, we all have to wonder just where Susan was when all three Clarks were in her house making noise.

 

 

I think when Alicia found that bottle of pills by the coffee cup in the Tran's house that implication was that Susan Tran killed herself.  But why would she kill herself if as far as she knew her husband was simply at the airport and she just hadn't heard from him.

 

Maybe. I thought the idea behind the pills was it showed someone was likely home, perhaps unwell and they weren't responding to normal cues. Alicia wouldn't know that unwell meant danger (Thanks, Mom!) but she did know that something was badly off and acted on instinct, unlike her Mom and Travis who seem to want to chat with approaching walkers, like they are misunderstood or something. " Are you alright? are you alright? Can I help you with anything? You don't look Ok. ........ Hey dude, not cool!!!"

Edited September 14, 2015 by yuggapukka

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

 

Sorry HalcyonDays. TWD universe remains as unoriginal as always. Of course they killed off the dog.

 

 

Thanks for the heads-up. Seriously. Spoilers I don't mind. Honestly. I don't even want to see this episode anymore....

This husky is not impressed with this news.....

 

 

 

 

For the love of Dog, lock your yard and house up to protect that canine if a ZA breaks out.  Hate to see it on the menu at ZombieCuisine Cafe.

[maystone]

I liked Travis until this episode. It's one thing to be the guy who wants to make everyone feel good and everything seem OK, and it's another whole terrible thing to be the guy who clings to his own delusions in the face of overwhelming evidence.  I hate willful ignorance. He said two things that sound like he's got some major back story coming into play fairly soon. 1) "You know how I feel about guns." 2) "Stop before you do something that can't be undone." (Paraphrased from when he stopped Maddy from doing the humane thing for Susan.)   Maybe he witnessed a family member shoot another family member in a heated moment? Maybe he panicked at some time in the past and killed someone himself? I don't know, but it's something - I can just feel it.  Also, I think that warning about making a decision about something that can't be undone is going to come back to bite him. Pun intended.

 

I'm still loving Madison. I know I'm in a very small club on that point, but then I never did like crowds :)

[ChardeeMacDennis]

I hope Alicia is really pissed when Mom finally sees fit to explain things to her. Good for her that she seems to share her brother's instincts and peeled out of there when she saw Susan's feet under the door, Too bad they had to make the dumb plot-point move of having her fail to shut the exterior door as she fled. Of course, we all have to wonder just where she was when all three Clarks were in her house making noise.

 

She left the sliding door open, too. Holy shitballs, were you born in a barn, Alicia?

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I hope Alicia is really pissed when Mom finally sees fit to explain things to her. Good for her that she seems to share her brother's instincts and peeled out of there when she saw Susan's feet under the door, Too bad they had to make the dumb plot-point move of having her fail to shut the exterior door as she fled. Of course, we all have to wonder just where she was when all three Clarks were in her house making noise.

 

Dumb writers make characters/situations do dumb things.

 

Especially doesn't make sense when she didn't find them almost immediately, when she was on Alicia like sand on a beach at the fence line.

[HalcyonDays]

For the love of Dog, lock your yard and house up to protect that canine if a ZA breaks out.  Hate to see it on the menu at ZombieCuisine Cafe.

 

*cries* This is exactly what my doggie looks like.

 

Since dogs are loyal and humans are not, if a ZA breaks out, I'm going all Insane!Rick on their asses.

[Raven1707]

 Thanks for the heads-up. Seriously. Spoilers I don't mind. Honestly. I don't even want to see this episode anymore....

 

I can't even count the number of times I've rewatched "Days Gone By," and after all these years I still get up and leave the room when I know the horse scene is coming...and yet I watch the other 99% of the episode without hesitation.

 

Of course, "The Dog" is nowhere near that brilliance, but it's worth watching nonetheless.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Raven1707

[High Ewe]

I thought they buried them both and just put the bloody blankets and stuff in the trash. But yeah, what's with that other neighbor taking the trash out like everything's normal? And why didn't either of them say, like, "Dude, did you see the dead people walking around the neighborhood last night? WTF is that about?"

 

I might be reading too much into things, but I thought the long look between the two men was supposed to imply that the neighbor also had bloody curtains or other zombie-stained items to throw away. However, I was surprised that both men assumed trash would just be collected like normal amidst the riots and blackouts. 

I also thought the neighbor had his own horror from the night before. They're acknowledging that something has gone very, very wrong, they've (presumably) had to do terrible things, but what can they say? "We had to kill our neighbor last night." "Yeah, so did I." I think it's a combination of shock and fear. Civilized people don't blow their neighbor's heads off; if things ever go back to normal, what will the authorities do to me/us if we confess what we've done (even as they have the bloody evidence right there in the trash cans in front of their house)?

 

As far as taking out the trash is concerned, I also saw that as a by-product of shock; they both looked dazed and confused (alright alright alright ;). It's something you do without thinking, a normal, everyday task. The contrast of clinging to normality in the face of unspeakable horror...it worked for me. I thought that moment was well done.

Edited September 14, 2015 by High Ewe

[raven]

 

*cries* This is exactly what my doggie looks like.

Beautiful!

 

Yes, anyone coming NEAR my dog gets the red machete, no question. 

 

 

The contrast of clinging to normality in the face of unspeakable horror...it worked for me. I thought that moment was well done.

Agree with your whole post High Ewe.  Now the family's thinking they were right to stay, the authorities are here, things got crazy but we'll have some normalcy soon. 

Edited September 14, 2015 by raven

[natyxg]

Maddie is driving me nuts! She knows what's up, but decides that Monopoly is the best use of their time. MONOPOLY?!? How about stocking up on supplies? Or cleaning up her drug addict son who is probably covered in dry vomit and whatever else after shooting his dealer? If it is a disease, shouldn't everyone be burning their clothes or at least bleaching and taking showers? Do they not understand infection? But the most glaring waste of that time is NOT explaining to her daughter WTF is going on and letting her wander ignorantly in their neighbor's creepy, empty house. ARGH!

 

That or at least turning off the damn lights and pretending no one was home. It bugged me so much to see them standing by the window with freaking flashlights or with the lights on. They had already seen a zombie roaming.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

*cries* This is exactly what my doggie looks like.

 

Since dogs are loyal and humans are not, if a ZA breaks out, I'm going all Insane!Rick on their asses.

 

Oh dear.  Better make that the Ultra Sized box of tissues you have at hand, then.  *cringes in sympathy*

[HalcyonDays]

Oh dear.  Better make that the Ultra Sized box of tissues you have at hand, then.  *cringes in sympathy*

 

*weeps*. Why, WHY always the GSDs....I'm gonna to need therapy after this episode. *hugs my furry baby*

[NorthstarATL]

With a nifty tank top!  I was like WTF is it supposed to be 110 degrees or something?

 

And yeah, I can't quite believe Madison didn't make Nick take a shower. 

I applaud her outfit! She has glommed onto something TWD folks rarely get right: layering. She can presumably run in shorts, and the two shirts give her a couple of temperature options, as well as providing protection against biting should she realize the need. Plus, she'll be needing a new love interest soon.

 Depp, unfortunately, will not start thinking about hygiene or appearance until after he's over  the need for Oxy, and by then it will be too late.

  I'm excited by the military's arrival, as that means we should start getting some answers as to how much was actually known about the contagion level,  or whether they are just acting without a clue as to what they are doing. The name taking was scary. When the AIDS crisis first began there was talk of quarantining gay men, and no one could believe that it would be possible. Who would readily give out personal information about their sexuality? Those who had been in the Government back then are probably kicking themselves over not having thought up gay marriage at the time! No. They are never there to help.

[Iguessnot]

I'm kind of hating this show. The whole city is going through blackouts, but we haven't seen any unmanageable zombie hordes. On top of that, the show is implying TPTB know what's happening yet electric/communications are failing without seeing much of the threat.

 

There was only one damned zombie in the street, yet Madison chose to waste time going through the maze to warn Travis instead of heading out the front door. 

 

There is no excuse for the writers keeping Nick in the old man clothes when he's at home and his sister change into booty shorts for a survival trip to the desert.

 

The pacing was better but the weak writing is killing the show.

 

Ex wife is my favorite. Ofelia is likeable too since she has sense. I like El Salvadoran papa; he's a lot like Rick. But I fear albatross "Mama" will be the end of him.

[TexasChic]

So the lady with the crushed leg is named Griselda, like Mika named her doll. I don't know if there's any significance to that (probably not), but it stood out to me for some reason.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

So the lady with the crushed leg is named Griselda, like Mika named her doll. I don't know if there's any significance to that (probably not), but it stood out to me for some reason.

 

Maybe she'll be this show's "Walker Whisperer"... before she becomes one, that is.

[Bryce Lynch]

I liked Travis until this episode. It's one thing to be the guy who wants to make everyone feel good and everything seem OK, and it's another whole terrible thing to be the guy who clings to his own delusions in the face of overwhelming evidence. I hate willful ignorance. He said two things that sound like he's got some major back story coming into play fairly soon. 1) "You know how I feel about guns." 2) "Stop before you do something that can't be undone." (Paraphrased from when he stopped Maddy from doing the humane thing for Susan.) Maybe he witnessed a family member shoot another family member in a heated moment? Maybe he panicked at some time in the past and killed someone himself? I don't know, but it's something - I can just feel it. Also, I think that warning about making a decision about something that can't be undone is going to come back to bite him. Pun intended.

I'm still loving Madison. I know I'm in a very small club on that point, but then I never did like crowds :)

I think Travis just has an irrational fear and dislike for guns, like many people who have no experience with them do.

As for not wanting to put The Walker Formerly Known as Susan out of her misery, I can understand that much more. They really don't know exactly what is going on, so holding on to the vain hope that she could be cured wasn't totally crazy. Herschel did the same thing for a much longer period.