S02.E09: Los Muertos

[xaxat]

17 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

It made me wonder if he wasn't killing two birds with one stone. Because, yea, he could have easily thrown the treat for the little girl into that cart. So maybe he stole intentionally. He saw the leader's sister was an addict and knew just how valuable that Oxy was to them. So he planned the entire thing, to be able to bargain for the extra cart. Risky, for sure, but that's Nick. Since HE'S no longer on drugs, he's got to get his high somehow. 

I actually though about that possibility. That would mean he was willing to risk his life, Luciana's life and all of the medicine/water all for a freaking cake!

So yeah, selfish asshole.

About the oxy, the settlement doesn't actually have any right? So now they can't return to the market to "shop"?

Luciana should have let them chop off Nick's hand.

[shrewd.buddha]

10 hours ago, xaxat said:

I think Nick is a selfish asshole whose ongoing survival is based solely on plot armor at this point. It's boring and annoying. 

I can watch Nick with no concern for his safety .. I'm okay with any bad thing that happens to him. I feel about the same for the rest of the cast, too. It's almost a relief not to care very much about them.

If the ratings get low enough, I wonder if TPTB would consider dumping the entire original cast. That would be ballsy.. 

Most of the stories on this show are just some slight variation of what we've already seen on TWD.  Just following another group of people around is getting boring.   I think I would prefer a show called Tales of the Walking Dead that jumped around to different locations and different times during the Z.A. Maybe have a fresh cast of characters each season. 

Edited August 29, 2016 by shrewd.buddha

[English Teacher]

14 minutes ago, shrewd.buddha said:

I can watch Nick with not concern for his safety .. I'm okay with any bad thing that happens to him. I feel about the same for the rest of the cast, too. It's almost a relief not to care very much about them.

If the ratings get low enough, I wonder if TPTB would consider dumping the entire original cast. That would be ballsy.. 

Most of the stories on this show are just some slight variation of what we've already seen on TWD.  Just following another group of people around is getting boring.   I think I would prefer a show called Tales of the Walking Dead that jumped around to different locations and different times during the Z.A. Maybe have a fresh cast of characters each season. 

I would love for them to kill the entire group off at the end of the season and then start fresh with a new team in a new city at the very beginning -- and actually show what happened during the "9 days" that were so crucially missed.  If they don't change this soon, this is just going to forever be the very weak shadow of the mother ship.

[ghoulina]

28 minutes ago, CloudySky said:

Nick had to walk quite a ways from the living area to the wall so I think there's a bit of space between the fence and where the people actually stay so the zombies wouldn't be interested until everyone's at the fence chanting to attract them, feed them and then people scatter. Maybe if they're fed on the regular they're not as feral as when they're hungry.

On the main show. walkers piled up on that prison fence like mad. despite the fact that most people stayed way up near the prison. I would just like some consistency on walker behavior. But I know that's asking too much. 

[diebartdie]

This show (and the mothership) just outright refuses to play wounds with any realism. The gov would aim his pistol using the eye that had been gouged out. Herschel would kneel using his peg leg as the lifting leg. Whatever else I cant think of....and now there is the pharmacist of the apocalypse, carrying on about how we all come from death and will return to death (what a fucked up way of looking at life) and he has a huge chunk bitten out of his shoulder. Now I think it's interesting that there may be people immune to the zombie bacteriumvirusprion, it's something that ought to have been introduced much earlier but anyway, here it is. You know what bugs me though? How can you have a wound that freekin serious and still have full use of that arm? I mean look at this thing!

[CloudySky]

Jeesh that bite looks gnarly.

24 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

On the main show. walkers piled up on that prison fence like mad. despite the fact that most people stayed way up near the prison. I would just like some consistency on walker behavior. But I know that's asking too much. 

Yeah but I mean walkers were able to turn doorknobs at one point so I'm willing to let this one slide ;) I wish they had shown some infected chained along the fence though as a means to keep the others away from it since they're aware of the smell trick.

There has to be another way in the Colonia (someone was wondering how they got the carts inside) because Nick came in another way. I wonder how that side is protected because Nick walked right in and Luciana + 2 scouts aren't much protection against an armed gang.

The Abigail is gone so how are we going to catch up with Alex and Jack? I can't imagine that was the last we saw of them. Or are they somehow going to end up on their boat by the end of the season and head to Madison's family farm in Alabama then trek their way to Georgia for some cameos.

[Ocean Chick]

So.... this show has me sooooooo frustrated.  Why can't Nick use his words like the big boy he pretends to be?  Why couldn't he have just TOLD Luciana why he wanted to take that snack cake back, and for whom?  It was small, and I'm sure Luciana would have agreed once she knew, as it would have fit into the cart.  And yes, what happens to the carts after they're emptied back home?  How did they push those squeaky carts through the undead wall without having walkers trying to eat them?  Why AREN'T the undead trying to get to the living to eat them, since surely they can hear them from time to time, if the wind is right?

This whole mishmash of cult belief is just weird.  The Day of the Dead is to pay homage to those who are DEAD, not the undead.  Mr. Pharmacist is a whack-a-doo.  I'm sure this colony will be decimated by Nick by the end of the season, just like Woodbury.

Why are the Falling Dead stymied by the bar?  We saw walkers climbing over a chain metal fence to try to get Rick and Glenn, for goodness sakes.  What's a little bar top to that?  Also at this stage on The Original, we saw walkers turning door knobs and using rocks to break windows - these Mexican walkers are lazy bones compared to the Georgia walkers!  And yes, why was Alicia bothering to fill her bag with clothing when they're more in need of food and water?  Get with the ticket, girl!  I guess Strand and Maddie now know the rule - you NEVER get drunk during the zombie apocalypse! 

[candall]

1 hour ago, JackONeill said:

My problem, and I think other people share this, is these dead people are EATING living people. And just because you're his brother Bill, your zombie brother is still going to eat you (if given a chance). These "spirits" are anything but benevolent. Remember: they can't recognize who you are. They feel no sympathy or empathy. They would just as soon eat you then a freshly cooked chicken. In fact, they wouldn't eat the chicken. Instead, they'd wait for you to come strolling along whistling the Day of the Dead theme song.

I think instead of keeping them undead, you should be putting them out of their misery. That would be an act of mercy. Plus, if you're Catholic, there has to be death so the soul can go to rest. Shambling along  and eating anyone that comes along IS NOT a religious thought.

The dearly departed's tendency to eat you has been taken under advisement by even the most generously disposed, hence the fences.  But the long cultural tradition of Dia de los Muertos doesn't have the dead relatives showing up once a year in the form of snuggly puppies, either--they're clackety de-meated skeletons, rendered marginally more agreeable with flowers and top hats.

And there's really no "remembering" zombie characteristics for these people, such as whether the resurrected recognize them or prefer chicken.  It would be pretty much a learn-as-you-go situation.

 

I'm only saying that moving the cast and the "co-exist?" stories to Mexico--a country accustomed to celebrating the dead coming back to life on a regular basis--is far from the dumbest thing this show ever came up with.  Si'?

***********

I get your point about mercy.  (In Z-Nation, a lot of brains are punctured on behalf of mercy.)  Personally--while I'd feel sad for any creature spending eternity on a showerhead--I'd resist the impulse rather than risk a close encounter that wasn't absolutely necessary.

[diebartdie]

13 hours ago, Iguessnot said:

The first scene again is bogus. Why don't the walkers make any move towards the folks at the wall? They kindly take the given sacrifice then just go about their shambling business. Then the lady with Nick rubs a couple of token swipes of zombie goo on her forehead and she's walker proof? Balderdash. 

<SNIP>

Supposedly suicidal husband story was underwhelming. She said she told the kids he fell asleep. Unless he called her at the time to tell her he was going to cross the divider, how does anyone know otherwise? I don't think the subject will come up again.

Well, (mothership reference hidden)

Spoiler

Michonne has been known to walk through giant herds of zeds with only two walkers held by chains, two walkers that drift several feet away from and usually even behind Michonne who also wasnt wearing ANY gore so you know,

whatever.....

ALSO, I was really getting the vibe from both Nick (last episode) and Maddie this episode that dead husband was a junkie, just like Nick. "Sleepy Daddy", always nodding off as soon as he got home from work...

Back to my pet bug about injuries on this show...they showed multiple zombies tumbling off the hotel from many stories up, saw them just get blasted when they hit the ground, arms and legs just busted all to hell....and yet they can then stand up and walk? Seriously? Just let the fuckers crawl for satan's sake. Maybe show one or two of them fall on their heads and not get up at all. Sigh, why do I even bother getting bothered?

[ChipBach]

1 hour ago, diebartdie said:

Well, (mothership reference hidden)

  Reveal hidden contents

Michonne has been known to walk through giant herds of zeds with only two walkers held by chains, two walkers that drift several feet away from and usually even behind Michonne who also wasnt wearing ANY gore so you know,

whatever.....

ALSO, I was really getting the vibe from both Nick (last episode) and Maddie this episode that dead husband was a junkie, just like Nick. "Sleepy Daddy", always nodding off as soon as he got home from work...

Back to my pet bug about injuries on this show...they showed multiple zombies tumbling off the hotel from many stories up, saw them just get blasted when they hit the ground, arms and legs just busted all to hell....and yet they can then stand up and walk? Seriously? Just let the fuckers crawl for satan's sake. Maybe show one or two of them fall on their heads and not get up at all. Sigh, why do I even bother getting bothered?

I was thinking the same thing...  I know you have to suspend belief on these shows or I would drive myself crazy watching a mob of zombies (made up of more than 90% water) walk 100 miles in blistering heat without a drink and not turn to dust...  However, the  two plus story falls should snap a neck or two, at the very least there should have been some massive head wounds...  ESPECIALLY when their heads cannot tolerate a beer/booze bottle as Maddie kept blowing them up with an empty glass bottle... 

[tvsoothesthespirit]

Maybe they should just change it to a zombie fails video format. See zombies fall from balconies, crash through roofs, get stuck in wells, etc.

Quote

Who makes sure the basket come back?

I was so distracted by this question, I missed 1/2 of the Nick beat down.  I like Nick and his dirty, shambling ways but I'm getting tired of his magical junkie instincts always saving the day.

Is it possible the pharmacist was bitten and then just cut out the infected section? I mean I know it's not possible but in this show is it possible?

I cast my vote with the kill off the entire cast and start again. I don't need to know the origins of the virus or anything like that. I would just really like to see some stuff I haven't already seen.  I realize these characters are at the beginning and don't know, etc., etc. The thing is, I do know. I can't unknow it, so I need to see something new to not be bored.  I'll probably forget how bad it is by next summer, though.

P.S. Maybe there's a tiny, little space under the bar where Maddie and Strand can hide!

[nitrofishblue]

Wow, was that sad!!! I sure hope that the writers aren't getting paid for the word count of the scripts. Why oh why do the folks all just stand there staring off at who knows what with a blank look on their face. Even my husband (who doesn't watch like I do) commented on how stupid the folks are. It is amazing that they survived from baby to adulthood. I watch now for the humor of it all. Just how dumb can they be????? Madison can go fall off the earth as fast as possible. What a waste of air.

[SnarkyTart]

1 hour ago, tvsoothesthespirit said:

P.S. Maybe there's a tiny, little space under the bar where Maddie and Strand can hide!

Brilliant!  Then we could go several episodes of thinking they're both dead until the surprise reveal...they're back again! :-)  

[Ohwell]

I think Madison's husband was driving home from work, thought about coming home to that jaw of hers, and decided to just end it on the road, right then and there.

And Ophelia just might as well wave her hands in the air, jump up and down, and scream "I'm gonna die real soon!" 

[nodorothyparker]

If there's a handbasket to hell, this is the episode that made me realize I'm in it because the reveal that Madison's husband may have chosen to drive into a highway divider rather than coming home to one more night of one facial expression didn't strike me as much of a tragedy as I think they were wanting me to think that it was.  Her own kid chose to go all Dances With Walkers rather than spend any more time with her.

I'll be in my handbasket if anyone needs me.

Edited August 30, 2016 by nodorothyparker

[SnarkyTart]

8 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

If there's a handbasket to hell, this is the episode that made me realize I'm in it because the reveal that Madison's husband may have chosen to drive into a highway divider rather than coming home to one more night of one facial expression didn't strike me as much of a tragedy I think they were wanting me to think that it was.  Her own kid chose to go all Dances With Walkers rather than spend any more time with her.

I'll be in my handbasket if anyone needs me.

Just how big is that handbasket, cuz I think you're going to have lots of company.  Dances With Walkers...ha!

[Ohwell]

I think that's gonna be one big-assed handbasket!

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

Fear The Walking Dead Takes On Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt In The Battle Of The Abandoned Hotels

The service is terrible, but if nothing kills you, you can take what you want from the minibar.

[Ohwell]

I noticed that even Alicia seems to be sick of Madison.  I mean, it's pretty bad when your own daughter would rather dodge walkers than be with you.

[raven]

19 hours ago, mightysparrow said:

 Did he even consider what might happen to her if his cake-napping was discovered?  As for the little girl, he dropped the cake at her feet and walked off when she didn't do cartwheels.  

When he took it, he showed it to Luciana as if "can we take this" and she said no.  He would have gotten away with it but one of the gang members saw it in the back of his pants when Nick bent down and put water in the bottom of the cart.  He didn't walk away from the girl when he tried to give it to her, he set it next to her and was sitting with her when she picked it up, then Luciana came and told him the pharmacist guy wanted to talk to him.  I think taking it was an impulsive move; risky and dumb but I don't think he planned it for any kind of high.

 

11 hours ago, CloudySky said:

Nick had to walk quite a ways from the living area to the wall so I think there's a bit of space between the fence and where the people actually stay so the zombies wouldn't be interested until everyone's at the fence chanting to attract them, feed them and then people scatter. Maybe if they're fed on the regular they're not as feral as when they're hungry.

Yes, plus Nick and the girl were on a hill or platform.  There's some distance there, so if everyone at the compound was just going about their business the zombies wouldn't get antsy.

I think the pharmacist is lying about the bite; it's just his story as far as I remember, no one saw it. 

Liked the view of the foggy bridge and hotel.  It's nice to have different visuals in this one.

12 hours ago, ghoulina said:

I also enjoyed Alicia and Ophelia's scenes together. I like when this show touches on the sadness of walkers, of who they once were and how they went out

  Yeah, I liked those quieter bits instead of random band of crazies (again).  I also wonder what caused them all to fall over the balconies at the same time.  Maybe Ofelia did jump first.

[Ohwell]

8 minutes ago, raven said:

I think the pharmacist is lying about the bite; it's just his story as far as I remember, no one saw it. 

I think he's lying, too.  

[SoSueMe]

I am starting to wonder if TPTB aren't running out of ideas and starting to cannibalize (if you'll pardon the expression) Z Nation. If the pharmacist is immune to the virus (highly unlikely) it would open up a lot of plot development. A la Z Nation and Murphy. I already noted a similarity with the outlaw barter system.  

Only my opinion but Z Nation does a whole lot more with a whole lot less than this turkey. But I am a glutton for punishment, I watch them all.... 

[ottoDbusdriver]

14 hours ago, JackONeill said:

I'm really tired of subtitles.

and talk about a tax write-off for TPTB: the yacht. I remember all the hoopla about it last year. Now, all of sudden ------- gone. Gee, I guess it didn't lend itself to sterling storytelling (like many said would be likely).

I'm really tired of white sub-titles on a white background.  Or no sub-titles at all when there is another language being spoken on-screen.  

Agree with the poster upthread that I shouldn't have to tune into the aftershow to figure out what the crowd was chanting.

[mightysparrow]

6 hours ago, nodorothyparker said:

If there's a handbasket to hell, this is the episode that made me realize I'm in it because the reveal that Madison's husband may have chosen to drive into a highway divider rather than coming home to one more night of one facial expression didn't strike me as much of a tragedy as I think they were wanting me to think that it was.  Her own kid chose to go all Dances With Walkers rather than spend any more time with her.

I'll be in my handbasket if anyone needs me.

Save me a seat.

[Save Yourself]

With regards to Maddie's husband killing himself I thought we were basically told that last week: when Nick was talking about his dad (during the confrontation role-play) it was clear he was suffering from depression. Then Maddie came to rehab and told Nick that his father had died in a car crash and I assumed it was suicide but given Nick's youth and state of mind that didn't occur to him and both he and Alicia were probably in denial about it, no one wants to think a parent killed themselves.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Save Yourself

[JackONeill]

1 minute ago, Save Yourself said:

With regards to Maddie's husband killing himself I thought we were basically told that last week: when Nick was talking about his dad (during the confrontation role-play) it was clear he was suffering from depression. Then Maddie came to rehab and told Nick that his father had died in a car crash and I assumed it was suicide but given Nick's youth and state of mind that didn't occur to him and both he and Alicia were probably in a bit of denial about it, no one wants to think a parent killed themselves.

I sometimes find myself wondering if the writers leave things vauge because they haven't thought throw it or if it's because they don't want to paint themselves into a corner with a definitive explanation of...well, anything.

It's always interesting to hear various actors from both TWD and FTWD when they're on TTD (enough initials for you?) and they'll sometimes say something like "we have no idea what's going on." Yes, I know they are told NOT to reveal spoilers, but this is something a little different. I mean, I truly get the sense the actors (even the leads) have no (or little) idea where the show is going (except maybe in a global sense).

[TattleTeeny]

While I can possibly forgive the ill-advised urge to get loaded on free booze (though who in their right mind wants to risk a hangover in this situation?), I feel like Madison and Strand's wanton olive-eating was irresponsible! Madison's remaining kid is scavenging for food for their group, while her mother and Strand eat it during impromptu happy hour?!

[Save Yourself]

24 minutes ago, JackONeill said:

I sometimes find myself wondering if the writers leave things vauge because they haven't thought throw it or if it's because they don't want to paint themselves into a corner with a definitive explanation of...well, anything.

It's always interesting to hear various actors from both TWD and FTWD when they're on TTD (enough initials for you?) and they'll sometimes say something like "we have no idea what's going on." Yes, I know they are told NOT to reveal spoilers, but this is something a little different. I mean, I truly get the sense the actors (even the leads) have no (or little) idea where the show is going (except maybe in a global sense).

Absolutely agree about the vague thing and even more cynically:

MOTHERSHIP SPOILER:

Spoiler

I don't think they'd even decided who Negan was going Lucille when they filmed it, I really think they wanted to focus group some characters before  writing the next season. Wish I didn't think like this about a show that I love but the creatives seem so stifled by AMC that I often assume the worst!

Yep, I'm pretty sure the FTWD actors have NFI what's coming up or their back stories; on TWD it sounds like AL gets a good overview but then he has the most clout of the actors. I get so pissed off when I hear the actors from both shows on TD or other media saying how this means that or this was what was intended or the motivation was this. If we can't figure that out by watching the show IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!!! I haven't watched last night's TD yet but read they translated the wall scene on it, that's just bullshit.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Save Yourself

[ChipBach]

49 minutes ago, TattleTeeny said:

While I can possibly forgive the ill-advised urge to get loaded on free booze (though who in their right mind wants to risk a hangover in this situation?), I feel like Madison and Strand's wanton olive-eating was irresponsible! Madison's remaining kid is scavenging for food for their group, while her mother and Strand eat it during impromptu happy hour?!

Maybe the big reveal is that Madison and Lori are actually sisters and their shitty mothering is DNA linked?  Or they are sorority sisters from "BMU" (Bad Mothers University)?  I can only hope Madison is as tasty as Lori was...

[diebartdie]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

While I can possibly forgive the ill-advised urge to get loaded on free booze (though who in their right mind wants to risk a hangover in this situation?), I feel like Madison and Strand's wanton olive-eating was irresponsible! Madison's remaining kid is scavenging for food for their group, while her mother and Strand eat it during impromptu happy hour?!

I found it even harder to believe the kitchen had been picked clean but the bar still had booze.

[Muffyn]

With all the other things covered, may I add, if you are allowed to take a shopping cart full of water, pack efficiently.  An extra minute spent arranging what you  have put in the cart can make room for much more water.  Even with two carts of water, that is not going to last long so try to make the most of it.

Like many of you, I thought when will they return the cart and did they have to pay a deposit in the bottles?  Do any of the dead scrounge for recyclables or is it only the living that are hoping to bring in some cash that way? 

When picking people to go on a zombie stroll with you to get water, pick the ex-junkie with a dog bite on his leg that doesn't speak the local language.  I see no red flags there.  If she had taken him out  to roll him down a hill it would have made more sense to me.

New ZA tip, even if you think no one is/no dead are around, don't play the piano.  I don't care how drunk they were.  That's just stupidity taking over. 

Anyone else think of Shaun of the Dead when they were in the bar?  Will they be escaping through a trap door into the basement?

I would like to know how people in/from Mexico feel about the representation of Mexican culture and people on this show.    

[smartymarty]

Forget leaving that water bottle behind in the hotel hallway; forget not packing the shopping cart more full of water. What about the hot water shower?? You know that water is limited, yet you find a hot water heater full of clean water, and you take a shower? You should be filling jugs up!

[Gobi]

23 hours ago, SnarkyTart said:

Brilliant!  Then we could go several episodes of thinking they're both dead until the surprise reveal...they're back again! :-)  

I'm pretty sure I saw  a dumpster next to the bar

[piequinn35]

One season of Tales of the Walking Dead... 

in Canada during winter...

frosty zombie :)

[Raven1707]

The Sunday Cable Ratings are in for "Los Muertos":

“Fear the Walking Dead” was steady week to week with a 1.6 (although that ties its series low). [3.661 million viewers]

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/08/30/sunday-cable-ratings-vmas-tumble-from-2015/

And here are the Live + Same Day ratings for Season 2, so far:

04-10-16 “Monster” 6.674 million
04-17-16 “We All Fall Down” 5.581 million
04-24-16 “Ouroboros” 4.726 million
05-01-16 “Blood on the Streets” 4.803 million
05-08-16 “Captive” 4.414 million
05-15-16 “Sicut Cervus” 4.486 million
05-22-16 “Shiva” 4.388 million

08-21-16 “Grotesque” 3.864 million
08-28-16 “Los Muertos” 3.661 million

[Madding crowd]

The falling dead was a good visual but I don't buy the walkers would hear the piano from various floors of the hotel. Think of all the times you stay at noisy hotels with numerous weddings and other things golng on and you don't hear a thing if you are on another floor. I understand it is quieter there but no way they heard that piano on floors 3 or higher. 

I really keep trying to like this show but it is too much like the original with lesser people. It's like if they took my favorite show of all time Lost and created another show with a different group of people stranded on an island, meeting the others etc but just slightly different. Once you go through the story it just doesn't feel right to do it again. 

I don't have much interest in Nick and the Day of the Dead People. I would assume there would be enough intelligent people in the group to understand the walkers are nothing but dead bodies without their souls and are not deserving of any kind of honor. As for the giant grocery store: it looked like a very huge store stocked with tons of stuff. A lot of the food in the store will quickly go bad and be useless for trade and if everyone is taking the water they will soon be left high and dry. I wonder if the druggie guys who run it couldn't find some more profit in trying to give the quickly deteriorating food to a whole community in exchange for a home, leadership positions or something more than just drugs. I found the short scenes with Madison and Strand way more interesting than anything with Nick. 

[BetyBee]

The writing on this show is absolutely terrible.  I would guess that we're supposed to think of Madison and Nick as super cool, bad-ass survivors.  Not buying it.  They both just seem stupid and ridiculously angsty for people who are (supposed to be) fighting for their lives every minute of every day.  Alicia seemed more of a survivor this episode, but with these writers, she could be suicidal next episode.  I guess Luciana (is that her name?) is supposed to be another bad ass, though she's too stupid to fill the cart and she's buying (and possibly selling) the ridiculous cult of the week.  I don't care about any of these people and I don't care who survives and who doesn't.  

It's fairly interesting that Dr. Pharmacist might be immune, but what good is immunity if you can still get eaten?  Since the cult is bogus, I would guess that his immunity is also bogus, so this plot device will probably fizzle out as soon as Nick gets a clue.  Maybe he'll murder Dr. P like his mom murdered Celia.  Lather. Rinse. Repeat.  

One more thing.  If Dad Steve did kill himself via a head on collision, that makes him as selfish as his wife and son, assuming that head on collision was with another car containing humans!

[Gobi]

The whole water thing bothered me. Clean drinking water would have to be one of the most valuable commodities in the ZA, yet these doofuses sell two shopping carts full of it for some oxy? And by the way, since there's no power, how was there any water pressure for a shower in the hotel? A hot shower, no less.

Edited August 31, 2016 by Gobi

[JackONeill]

3 hours ago, Gobi said:

The whole water thing bothered me. Clean drinking water would have to be one of the most valuable commodities in the ZA, yet these doofuses sell two shopping carts full of it for some oxy? And by the way, since there's no power, how was there any water pressure for a shower in the hotel? A hot shower, no less.

I agree with you. And this is one big reason why this show has failed. Remember, unlike TWD, this show was specifically sold on showing the early days of the apocolypse. Yes, some things have been shown, but -- seriously -- how much does our team, or anyone, actually know. Yes, you can intuit, but that doesn't mean much. The world's a big place. For instance, some fans have postulated that being in cold places might be better because the Walkers would get "frozen." Well, sounds stupid, but maybe not. My point is there's NO sharing of information or attempts at sharing. (Except on The Talking Dead, which is really, really aggravating. Fiction writers note: That's not the way to write a story!)

In the first season of Lost, they made it a point to get to the top of a mountain so their phone (or whatever it was) would. Meanwhile, our people just wander around looking for out-of-tune pianos to play.

We've seen sporadic things: showers still working, people pulling together in certain areas, the military in certain places (but usually played evilly). 

I yell at the characters for not making plans (yes, getting to Mexio was a plan), but it's really the writers' fault. The writers keep the characters stupid, that way the writers can have them do whatever stupid thing they want.

why can't the team sit down and say: Let's go north . . . Or let's go south . . . And here's the reason. Discuss it. Show us you're smart, even though you may make a bad decision.

instead, we have these really stupid "family" issues affecting everyone's ability to think. 

(0f course, over on TWD, it took them five years to decide to leave the pine trees of GA for Washington.)

[MissScarlett]

I actually enjoyed this episode. Much better than last week's! I am starting to see character and story growth (though still a ways to go).

Things of note:

- Luciana is infinitely interesting at this point. You can tell she has a story to tell. A great love most likely .... alive or dead - too soon to tell. She's a badass through and through though and that is what our main group in the show desperately needs at this point.

- I like Nick best when he's being a selfless, clever fox. I like how he scopes things out before reacting. You can tell that he's not quite sure what to make of this new community he finds himself in. However, when he and Luciana went "shopping at Drug Lord's" -- he seemed alert and smart enough to know how to play the game. Though it *seemed* like an act of impulsiveness, I have a feeling the whole "steal the cake" move was more calculated than impulsive. Especially, given this was once his world.

- Obviously, I love Strand. He's a survivor. He's a charmer of people. He makes others around him instantly more interesting. I like his bond with Madison. I like that they got drunk together in the middle of ZA when they were feeling "safe". I like that he started to play the out-of-tune piano and that zombies were dropping everywhere to get to the noise. The first body drop was freaky, actually.

- I think this drunk / piano / zombie-dropping plot was essential for two reasons:  1) It showed the characters how naive they have been to what is actually happening in the world now. 2) It gave them more insight into the zombie mind (so to speak). So now they know that loud noise is a zombie-attractor. 3) it put them in a situation where they have to fight to survive -- not just drift from place to place as they had been.

- I like Maddy much more this episode. We were able to get a better sense for her character. Husband drives truck straight into traffic and commits suicide? No wonder she's been fairly stoic up to this point. Life has not been kind. Doesn't surprise me that her southern accent came out when she was drunk. I like her bond with Strand.

- I genuinely liked Ofelia before this episode but with her defeatist attitude so early in the game... I just dunno. Right now, we need people who want to survive. Like Alycia for instance, who just sort of adopted Enid's "JSS". If we wanted to see a depressed couch fart we'd watch Travis...

Speaking of ... I did not miss either Travis or Chris this episode and i'm kind of bummed that they are going to be part of the focus of this Sunday's episode (per the preview). Here's to hoping they are zombie chow soon!

ETA: Not digging the apocalypse preacher or that portion of the current storyline but definitely want to know what's going on with his shoulder! Zombie bite or self-inflicted so that people think he is the next savior?!

Edited August 31, 2016 by MissScarlett

[MissScarlett]

48 minutes ago, JackONeill said:

I agree with you. And this is one big reason why this show has failed. Remember, unlike TWD, this show was specifically sold on showing the early days of the apocolypse. Yes, some things have been shown, but -- seriously -- how much does our team, or anyone, actually know. Yes, you can intuit, but that doesn't mean much. The world's a big place. For instance, some fans have postulated that being in cold places might be better because the Walkers would get "frozen." Well, sounds stupid, but maybe not. My point is there's NO sharing of information or attempts at sharing. (Except on The Talking Dead, which is really, really aggravating. Fiction writers note: That's not the way to write a story!)

 

I agree! I had hoped they would have showed the beginnings of this at the CDC level. Ideally, I think we should have had one season where this was discovered and then all hell breaks loose. We don't have an answer yet as to whether or not this was this predicted or just a complete freak of nature surprise.

[Gobi]

1 hour ago, MissScarlett said:

I agree! I had hoped they would have showed the beginnings of this at the CDC level. Ideally, I think we should have had one season where this was discovered and then all hell breaks loose. We don't have an answer yet as to whether or not this was this predicted or just a complete freak of nature surprise.

I think that is a principal source of disappointment with the show. All the  people I've spoken to about it were expecting the show to be about the onset and development of the crisis. We got a little of that, then right into full-on ZA.

[maczero]

On 8/28/2016 at 11:34 PM, candall said:

This particular group of zoms seemed highly motivated when they were flinging themselves off balconies, but now they're completely stymied by a bar-height barrier.  (I eyerolled when the walkers couldn't scrabble their way over the top of the bar to chomp Mads and Strand.)

Actually, this makes sense to me.  It doesn't take much coordination to fall over a balcony rail.  All you have to do is bend over the railing and gravity will do most of the work for you.  Climbing over a bar requires using your hands to pull yourself forward.  Walkers only seem to use their hands for grabbing potential prey.  And yes, season 1of TWD did have walkers turning door knobs, climbing fences and picking up rocks.  We haven't seen these behaviors since then so I'm going to say the show has scaled back on Walkers having these abilities.

On 8/29/2016 at 0:46 AM, Maverick said:

 Where did Madison's Southern drawl come from?  Are we supposed to believe she's been suppressing it the whole time (and presumably since she left Alabama)?  It wasn't the liquor that brought it out because Strand expressed surprise at her being a "Southern Belle" before they started their party. 

I can buy this.  The other day my mom told me she just came back from the "liberry".  I've never heard my mom pronounce library like this before but I've heard plenty of my relatives from the country say liberry.  I'm guessing my mother has been making a conscious effort all these years to pronounce the word correctly.  

On 8/29/2016 at 4:11 AM, placate said:

I've found this show to be completely boring but I'll still watch it because my DVR is barren on Sunday until fall.  Can someone remind me how Nick met the pharmacist (sorry, bad with names)?  I was playing video games and looking up chicken and dumpling recipes and not watching the sub-titles can anyone tell me why all the Mexicans speak English, even if they're like 7?

I'm guessing since you weren't paying attention you may have thought there were several bilingual characters.  So far it's only Luciana and the pharmacist.  Every other Mexican character spoke Spanish this episode.

14 hours ago, BetyBee said:

It's fairly interesting that Dr. Pharmacist might be immune, but what good is immunity if you can still get eaten?  

Hey, it's one less way to die.  So I'll take some of that immunity from zombie bites.

I agree with those that said there's something off with the death cult zombies.  As noted in the past, zombies see humans or hear them then they'll head toward them.  Well a large crowd of humans was standing only fifty feet from them and the zombies seemed content to stare at the ground or at the shed structure they were surrounding.

I admit I'm not particularly knowledgeable on religious matters but is the Rapture the inspiration behind zombie apocalypse fiction?  IIRC, those that accept God as the savior die quickly and go to heaven.  Those who haven't, stay on a hellish Earth filled with monsters.  Does this sound right?  If it isn't, don't laugh at me.  What I know of the Rapture comes from something a friend told me long ago and a bad Seth Rogen film.

Edited September 1, 2016 by maczero

[TattleTeeny]

On August 30, 2016 at 4:36 PM, smartymarty said:

Forget leaving that water bottle behind in the hotel hallway; forget not packing the shopping cart more full of water. What about the hot water shower?? You know that water is limited, yet you find a hot water heater full of clean water, and you take a shower? You should be filling jugs up!

That might not have been potable water; last time I was in Mexico, the bathrooms in the resort had little plaques saying not to drink it. But I suppose they could have boiled it?

[North of Eden]

When the show opened up with Nick again....I was like wow...they are really doubling down on pushing this guy as the "star" of the show.

Not sure what to make of the death cult and the faux-Governor. Will miss the ABIGAIL....it was a great idea to move the characters from location to location and set it apart from TWD Prime.

For all the shows flaws that everyone likes to lay out here I want to say a couple of positives.

First I was excited last week when I saw Danay Garcia in the guest star credits. She was the BEST thing about PRISON BREAK season 3 and its foray into a Central American prison. I was dissapointed when she was dropped for the mess that was season 4...and then I never saw her again in anything until now. I swear that woman won the DNA lottery...she is so easy on the eyes...hope she stays for a while.

and my favorite thing about the show is the Maddison/Victor friendship. It's really great to see two people that can become good friends with a neat connection that doesn't have to be romantic. They had some good bits in the first half of the season...such as "Maddison what did you do now?!" and Victor talking about going back to the boat and casually (and clearly hopefully) "Interested?" to Maddison because he's grown attached to her,

The adventures of Nick aside folks its not all bad.

[Nashville]

On 8/28/2016 at 9:05 PM, NorthstarATL said:

Better than last week. LOVED the Falling Dead!

My first thought upon seeing the bodies falling to their undeath: "Yes, Strand, your piano playing is JUST THAT FUCKING BAD."

 

On 8/28/2016 at 10:22 PM, mightysparrow said:

Edited to add:  From now on, Kim Dickens is only allowed to act with Colman Domingo.  He really brings her to life both on and off camera.

Make that "Colman Domingo and tequila", and I'd be inclined to agree.

[BetyBee]

I was thinking about the opening scene where Nick woke up in the infirmary, beside the woman who was coughing up blood.  Wasn't there quite a bit of coughing in the supermarket too?  I wonder if another disease like tuberculosis is creeping into the picture.  People would certainly die of other things besides getting eaten or shot, so that could be interesting, especially with a contagious disease in a religious cult.  The dad who was sent through the school bus didn't appear sick to me, but either Dr. Pharmacist or Luciana said that he was.  

[ghoulina]

11 hours ago, North of Eden said:

 

When the show opened up with Nick again....I was like wow...they are really doubling down on pushing this guy as the "star" of the show.

 

Wouldn't you? After seeing how miserably Maddie and Travis failed to gather a following? He's about the only slightly interesting character they have left. 

[RustbeltWriter]

Madison was the most likeable in this episode than she has been for the whole series. Kim Dickens really stepped it up so maybe there is some hope.

Falling dead will always be fun, even if the showrunners insist they can walk with busted femurs and spines.

What's up with Ophelia taking off when Alicia was in the shower? Unless it was nefarious, like someone kidnapped her, it just feels contrived.

[Lamima]

2 hours ago, ghoulina said:

Wouldn't you? After seeing how miserably Maddie and Travis failed to gather a following? He's about the only slightly interesting character they have left. 

He WAS...and then we got a full hour of Nick a la Cast Away....ruined.