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S05.E02: A New Life

ottoDbusdriver

By ottoDbusdriver
in Z Nation [V]

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rmontro

rmontro

My main reaction to this episode is that wow, they sure got rid of Cooper fast.  Time to get Warren back with the group and move on to the next story.

Murphy being called Lucifer was kind of funny.

Obviously this concept of the dead coexisting with the living isn't going to work.

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UNOSEZ

UNOSEZ

I'm just glad they didn't kill George.. She's cool.. I thought for sure it was gonna be her getting killed while giving the speech... Either by the Zona Guy or that creepy talker.... I gotta hand it to this show they can just change direction and it doesn't seem to slow down... 

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Ohwell

Ohwell

I must have missed something because I don't understand why Roberta had Cooper killed.  Did she think he killed his wife and daughter?  Otherwise, it made no sense.  Also, he said he knew something about her and we never got to know what that was.

I like George and I hope she survives and kills that two-faced woman.

Not looking forward to a love triangle with 10k, Red, and the other woman whose name escapes me, because I like all three and I don't want to see the other woman get hurt.  

Glad to see Citizen Z, although I wonder how many episodes DJ Qualls shot.

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UNOSEZ

UNOSEZ

8 minutes ago, Zanne said:

It's been a long time between seasons so please remind me - what happened to Citizen Z's wife and child?

Well in real life the actress is doing legends of tomorrow.. But I think both shows shoot relatively close to each other so who knows maybe she had time to do an epi or two.. On the show they are at another outpost called pacifica 

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ottoDbusdriver

ottoDbusdriver

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4 hours ago, UNOSEZ said:

I'm just glad they didn't kill George.. She's cool.. I thought for sure it was gonna be her getting killed while giving the speech... Either by the Zona Guy or that creepy talker.... I gotta hand it to this show they can just change direction and it doesn't seem to slow down... 

Definitely creepy talker, Pandora, was up to no good and probably planted the bomb.

I don't trust the Zona guy at all.

1 hour ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

I can't believe they killed off Cooper already. What a waste of MvP. Couldn't they have brought him along to Newmerica? Oh well, at least Citizen Z is alive and kicking.

Smell ya later Cooper.  Roberta's bliss was too good to last.

I liked the flashback to Black Summer with Warren and George.

Lt. Dante is growing on me.

I liked Sgt. Lily's explanation of 10K's bite mark.

So glad to see Citizen Z again, and to find out that Kaya and JZ are alive and well in Pacifica.

And Sun Mei is back as well.  Now, all we need is an Addy sighting and we're good to go.

10K is in a bit of pickle -- he's going to have to make a decision between Red and Lily.

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Ohwell

Ohwell

(edited)

What I still don't understand is why Roberta didn't just leave with Murphy.  I don't think Cooper would have tried to stop them but if he had, only then could I see her putting him in the trunk to suffocate, or for the zombies to somehow get access to.  Sure, Cooper put Murphy in the trunk but I can understand that because Cooper didn't know him, and I was surprised that Roberta got so angry at Cooper for doing it.  

Otherwise, I really liked the episode but that's the one thing that bothered me.

Edited by Ohwell
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rmontro

rmontro

4 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I must have missed something because I don't understand why Roberta had Cooper killed.  Did she think he killed his wife and daughter?  Otherwise, it made no sense.  Also, he said he knew something about her and we never got to know what that was.

He acted creepy stalkerish, and that's one of the worst things you can be in this day and age.  But he isn't necessarily dead, he could pop up again later on down the road.  Roberta said they'd leave it up to Darwin.  In other words, if he was resourceful enough to get out of the trunk and survive, he would live.

It was nice to see Citizen Z again.  People never seem to know whether he's still on the show or not lol.

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Ohwell

Ohwell

15 minutes ago, rmontro said:

He acted creepy stalkerish, and that's one of the worst things you can be in this day and age. 

But see, I didn't see anything creepy or stalkerish about his behavior.  He didn't want her to leave but I don't think he would have stood in her way, especially with Murphy there.  I thought Roberta overreacted, kept hitting him, and he finally restrained her to keep from hitting him.  Unless they show another side of his behavior in future episodes, I don't think he deserved what she did to him.  Hopefully, he did get out of the trunk but the problem is there were zombies surrounding it so I don't see him getting past them.

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raven

raven

32 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

I don't think Cooper would have tried to stop them but if he had, only then could I see her putting him in the trunk to suffocate, or for the zombies to somehow get access to. 

This made me scratch my head too.  Maybe she thought he'd have a better chance in the trunk than if she left him knocked out on the ground? 

I wonder if Cooper was dead.  He could have tried to commit suicide with his family, crawled out of the garage before he died, died outside and than be affected by the black rain.  I hope we see him again; I didn't like the abrupt ending of his character.   It is a waste of Mario van Peebles if that's all we get.

I did like the rest of the ep, esp Murphy on the tractor with Warren "the apocalypse will be over by the time we get there".  Ha!

I hope we don't get a 10K love triangle.  Other than that possibility, I'm liking the direction of the season so far.  Nice to have everyone in the same place, except for Addie, I hope she pops up.

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40Love

40Love

I think Roberta overreacted too.  It's not like he stabbed and beat Murphy to death. Like he said, "Okay I was wrong... I'll apologize to the guy and we can move on". But, she just kept raging at him.  I didn't get it... especially after he says I know something about you that no else does. I wanted to know what he was going to say. Maybe someone she really loved once messed over her in the past and she was afraid of going there again.

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rmontro

rmontro

1 hour ago, Ohwell said:

But see, I didn't see anything creepy or stalkerish about his behavior.  

Not to her directly, but behind her back.  He attacked and hid a friend of hers in order to make sure she stayed with him.  It's taking her freedom in a way because he's depriving her of the right to make her own choice - or tried to, anyway.

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Ohwell

Ohwell

I still wouldn't call that creepy or stalkerish,him wanting them to keep things the way they were.  After all, Roberta did seem happy with him,  Also, we know Murphy but he didn't and he might have even thought that Murphy might harm her.  All he saw was some strange guy walking up on his property asking about a woman he cared about.  

I still don't think he deserved to be put in the trunk and I didn't like Roberta's reaction, but we can just agree to disagree. 

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Dizzychickstar

Dizzychickstar

Warren had already begun to question whether what she had with Cooper was too good to be true. There was foreshadowing that something isn’t altogether square about the two of them, the talk about one being dead and the other—when Cooper says he’s definitely alive.

I think with hitting Cooper, fighting him physically, Warren was drawing a line. If you hide something from her, try to keep her from her path, her friends, etc., it’s over. He knew exactly who Murphy was and he still tied him up and put him in the trunk. (The battle in between-loving and still not trusting—is a fight she will walk away from. And yet, she did not kill him.) She’s been there and done that. She also seemed to not want to know what Cooper knows about her—she shut that down quickly. 

I think he will pop up again. Interesting too, but totally in character, she blows off Murphy’s questions about who Cooper is. I also imagine that fighting him, hitting him, is an attempt to get him to stay away, to not pursue. It’s like once Murphy showed up, a flip was switched. But again, I think Cooper may just make his way to Newmerica.

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Ohwell

Ohwell

(edited)

Even though it's just a tv show, I look forward to it and I like too many of the other characters to get hung up on Roberta and Cooper.  If he shows up again and is made out to be the bad guy, I'd be disappointed because I like Mario Van Peebles. 

Edited by Ohwell
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10kfever

10kfever

Rewatched ep 5.1 again. I found it a little boring, but it set up nicely for episode 2. The production values are very high, kudos to all the crew, the cast and characters are amazing, but as an adult human being, I find the writing to be poor. Whatever, the first episode ranked a few points higher than last season in the key demographic, so I guess this show will have to be my guilty pleasure. Confused when they went after the tractor. “You start the engine, I’ll unhook the tiller.” What? Isn’t tilling the land to grow more food their plan? Without the tiller, the tractor is nothing more than a slow gas hog. Did enjoy the zs  going through the blades, tho.

Ep 2 left me equally confused. When did Roberta get so damn righteous? Putting Cooper in the trunk was a death sentence short of a miracle, and I think her overreaction was completely out of character. The possible explanations from this forum were plausible, but we’ll probably never know for sure. Maybe it was just expedient for the writers to move the plot along. I was really hoping Mario Van P would become a regular.

Lastly, I think 10K’s reaction to Red was great, one of the best moments in an episode full of great moments. Personally, if they keep religion out of the show, Red and Sarge will become friends and decide to share him...whee!!?

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Jordan61

Jordan61

Glad I was wrong about George, she seems like good people. That Zona dude is sketchy as hell though.

It didn't seem like they even acknowledged 10K and Sarge's hookup from last season. Doc acted like 10K was going to be happy to see Red again (before he saw her with the baby) and Sarge was right there and didn't seem upset or jealous or anything.

I don't think we've seen the last of Cooper.

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jhlipton

jhlipton

(edited)

I think 10K and Lily were just a hook-up, not a love relationship like 10K had with Red.  So, hope3fully, no triangles.Evan Hofer

Romona Young (Kaya) is busy -- in addition to jumping to the other craziest show on TV (LoT), she's also done several episodes of Santa Clarita Diet!

Edited by jhlipton
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Ohwell

Ohwell

I thought Sarge did look a bit disappointed when 10k saw Red and I think she tried to hide it, but maybe I misinterpreted her facial expression.  Guess we'll find out soon.   

Aside from the Roberta and Cooper thing, I am glad to see the gang back together again.   I have to say though, my favorite "couple" is Doc and 10k.

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10kfever

10kfever

Oh, heck, yeah...Doc and 10K definitely my favorite duo. Too much Murphy and Doc together, too much Murphy period. Yes, I like him, the character is great, but too much setup for witty one liners at the expense of the rest. Now that we see him eating zombie brains and getting telepathic messages, the one sided “conversations” are probably going to get even worse. I don’t like one of the writers darlings getting all the good lines at the expense of the rest of the characters. 

On the subject of last season’s mass disappearance...a bunch of Marines showed up and saved everyone? And the one guy was so terrified he hid in the cupboard? And the Marines left behind Sarge and the LT (just guessing at his rank), plus other civilians who were out on the woods? Talk about script expediency!

Maybe the Marines were smart enough to get those supply trucks left behind by the others when they encountered the Zona group. I can’t imagine them fleeing in the Jeep when it would have been pretty much as easy to hotwire the trucks and get all those necessary supplies back to camp. Mass panic? I don’t see it with Sarge or 10K, or the LT. They would have had a ton of weapons and ammo to keep the unkillable z at bay.

These glaring plot holes are why I write fanfic when I can find the time!!!

At least 5.2 showed some quality in the writing despite its short comings. I’m hopeful there will be more episodes that don’t cater so much to the creators’ idiocy.

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Ohwell

Ohwell

My last rant about Roberta:  She seems to have forgotten that Cooper saved her life.  He found her alone when the zombies could have eventually found her and eaten her, took her in, gave her medical attention, fed her, etc.  I can understand the relationship as being too good to be true, and wanting to get back with her group.  I can understand her being upset that Murphy was in the trunk.  However, she didn't think about the fact that Cooper could have just as easily killed him out in the field and she would never have known.  She would have heard the gunshot and he could have told her he killed a zombie, and buried him somewhere.  I also don't like the trope that a female thinks she can beat up on a man, knowing that he's the type of gentleman who won't fight back. 

I'm actually beginning to wonder if Roberta and Murphy are going to wind up together at the end.  After all, this is Z-Nation.   

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10kfever

10kfever

I’ve been seeing hints of Roberta/Murphy for awhile in previous episodes. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they became an item. I sincerely hope not, because my opinion of Warren has already dropped a tad after she basically sentenced Cooper to death.

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51Muses

51Muses

Count me as someone else who did not like the Roberta/Cooper resolution. She could have simply left with Murphy. 

However, I can see why Roberta turned on Cooper so quickly. After ZONA, she must have an aversion to 1) being manipulated (even for her own good), 2) used without her knowledge/permission and 3) being confined against her will (she will fight to get free every time). She has told Cooper about her adventures and Murphy. We know this because Cooper said so. Cooper must also have realized that Roberta and Murphy and the rest of the gang have a strong bond. While staying with Cooper, she followed his belief that there could be no one else left after Black Rain, and so was content to stay. Besides she was healing and getting some, why not stay? She's no fool! She had tried to broach the topic of Newmerica with Cooper but he was for staying put.

Enter Murphy. Cooper knows that Roberta will want to go with Murphy. After she hears that everyone else is alive nothing will stop her. She is self-sacrificing. She would want to leave and check on her friends. Would she return to Cooper? Maybe and maybe not.

Cooper could not take the chance that she would leave. He took out Murphy and put him in the trunk. He could have shot him but Roberta would have heard it even with the music on. So, he stashes Murphy until a later time that he could be dealt with. By his actions and words, he had no intention of telling Roberta about Murphy. He wanted Roberta to stay and was making sure that she did. That's manipulative and duplicitous.

However good his intentions were, his actions were signaling "Keep her here with me no matter what." He's a bit of an isolationist. He doesn't even have gas for the car. No way to run from an incoming horde. He wants Roberta confined with him in his bubble. 

He should have taken Murphy straight to Roberta then have her decide. Instead, he took matters into his own hands. Then, tried to be reasonable after he was found out. Who is to say that after Roberta had calmed down, Cooper could have knocked her unconscious then killed Murphy. He could have kept away from her and they could have had a screaming match. Instead, he enveloped her and tried to calm her down. That's like trying to hug a raging volcano to keep it from erupting.

Cooper admitted he did what he did to keep his dream going. Roberta felt betrayal and shock after seeing Murphy. Her survival instincts kicked in. Cooper became an obstruction, no longer a friend. Roberta is a laser beam when it comes to obstructions. If Cooper had been honest with Roberta, he would not be in that trunk.

As for Roberta and Murphy, I hope they do not go there but there was that scene in the church. Possible foreshadowing? Over the course of 4 seasons, the trust between the two of them has grown to an impossible to match standard. In the apocalypse, who do you want beside and behind you - someone you love or someone you trust absolutely?

19 hours ago, 10kfever said:

Rewatched ep 5.1 again. I found it a little boring, but it set up nicely for episode 2. The production values are very high, kudos to all the crew, the cast and characters are amazing, but as an adult human being, I find the writing to be poor. Whatever, the first episode ranked a few points higher than last season in the key demographic, so I guess this show will have to be my guilty pleasure. Confused when they went after the tractor. “You start the engine, I’ll unhook the tiller.” What? Isn’t tilling the land to grow more food their plan? Without the tiller, the tractor is nothing more than a slow gas hog. Did enjoy the zs  going through the blades, tho.

Ep 2 left me equally confused. When did Roberta get so damn righteous? Putting Cooper in the trunk was a death sentence short of a miracle, and I think her overreaction was completely out of character. The possible explanations from this forum were plausible, but we’ll probably never know for sure. Maybe it was just expedient for the writers to move the plot along. I was really hoping Mario Van P would become a regular.

Lastly, I think 10K’s reaction to Red was great, one of the best moments in an episode full of great moments. Personally, if they keep religion out of the show, Red and Sarge will become friends and decide to share him...whee!!?

Maybe he already had a tiller/plow. I think the quick ditching of Cooper was a means to show where Roberta's loyalties and commitment really lie - her posse family. In the early seasons, they were together to get Murphy to the lab. It grew into a friendship for all of them. Now, they are family. Period. For any newbies watching the first 2 eps said a lot of every character. 

 

17 hours ago, Jordan61 said:

Glad I was wrong about George, she seems like good people. That Zona dude is sketchy as hell though.

It didn't seem like they even acknowledged 10K and Sarge's hookup from last season. Doc acted like 10K was going to be happy to see Red again (before he saw her with the baby) and Sarge was right there and didn't seem upset or jealous or anything.

I don't think we've seen the last of Cooper.

Roman Estes the ZONA dude could be a fake out and it is Pandora the half masked Talker who is the Big Bad this season.

TenK and Sarge Lily was a fling. I like the Sarge. I hope she makes it to the end.

Cooper is a resourceful guy. He could get out of the car and decide to go to Newmerica. Prove he's putting Roberta's needs before his own and win her back. 

I'm wondering about the Talkers reaction to Murphy. They don't like him. He is still red. That's got to mean something. There's also the scene where they said more zombies were coming towards Newmerica. Would that be Pandora's doing? 

Love George aka Georgia Sinclair already. Great flashback sequence, too. 

Is SunMei the biscuit maker? I missed it if it was mentioned. Cannot wait to see Addy! Bring her on already!

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10kfever

10kfever

Glad to see you back, 51Muses. You always give us lots to think about. I think some of my confusion comes from my perception of bad writing. All the things I questioned could have been explained with minimal dialogue without lengthening the episode, i.e. we never saw the tractor with a tiller at Cooper’s place. Also there was always that field in the background that looked ready for planting. But it’s a small point and I’m willing to let it go. I just wish the writers would do a better job. 

I think both Zona guy and skinny gal are in cahoots. Also, I really like Dante, hope he doesn’t get killed protecting George, although I really like her, too.

I could probably write a rant about flaws I perceive in every episode, but I’m just going to relax and enjoy the ride. There’s still room for surprises!

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phalange

phalange

Roberta's storyline with Cooper was over pretty quick, but I'm fine with it, and I don't really have a problem with her putting him in the trunk. He showed that she couldn't trust him by keeping Murphy from her, preventing her from making her own choice to stay or leave. I don't blame her for refusing to put up with a dude being possessive like that. Love that they took a tractor to Newmerica. "By the time we get there, the apocalypse will be over." 

I paused the screen whenever it showed Doc, 10k, and Sergeant Lilly's approval papers, and there were hilarious little tidbits. The address for 10k is listed as "cabin in the woods" and shows his name as "Thousand, Ten." On Doc's, there's a box that says "Neck: 1" and "Shoulders: yep." LOL 

Roberta and George having saved each other during the initial outbreak was a nice touch. And CitizenZ and Red are there too! Family reunion almost complete. All we need is for Addy to show up.

I'm betting the explosion has something to do with Pandora and the Zona guy, both of whom are creepy as hell. Trying to prevent Newmerica from existing, maybe?

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Nashville

Nashville

I’d be totally shocked if that’s the last we see of Cooper. I never got the impression Warren killed him; she just knocked him out and tossed him in the trunk.  And car trunks aren’t that difficult to pop from the inside - it’s a simple spring latch.

Nothing against Red, but I think Sarge got it ALL going on.  I’m a sucker for green eyes.  :>

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ottoDbusdriver

ottoDbusdriver

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1 hour ago, Nashville said:

I’d be totally shocked if that’s the last we see of Cooper. I never got the impression Warren killed him; she just knocked him out and tossed him in the trunk.  And car trunks aren’t that difficult to pop from the inside - it’s a simple spring latch.

As long as Cooper quit banging on the trunk and waited out for all the Zs to leave, he could be alright.

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wrlord

wrlord

On 10/12/2018 at 10:06 PM, rmontro said:

My main reaction to this episode is that wow, they sure got rid of Cooper fast.  Time to get Warren back with the group and move on to the next story.

You're kind of new to how these series work, huh.  

On 10/13/2018 at 6:40 AM, Joimiaroxeu said:

I can't believe they killed off Cooper already. What a waste of MvP. Couldn't they have brought him along to Newmerica? Oh well, at least Citizen Z is alive and kicking.

 

On 10/13/2018 at 8:36 AM, Ohwell said:

I must have missed something because I don't understand why Roberta had Cooper killed. 

 

On 10/13/2018 at 10:40 AM, ottoDbusdriver said:

Smell ya later Cooper.

What on earth makes all you people think he's dead?  of course he isn't dead. He's going to show up later and reveal the secret about Warren that only he knows.

whoa. Mario van Peebles is 61????

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Dizzychickstar

Dizzychickstar

More thoughts on Roberta’s punching Cooper. 

I am now rewatching old episodes and it’s the one after Garnett dies, Gun Show Shootout. Roberta uses the bartender zee to work out her feelings-her bitter disappointment in actually believing in hope with Garnett. She eventually begins to punch away at him again and again when she could easily dispense of it in one knife to the head.

That attack on Cooper is definitely, I think, an echoing of this scene. She is once again angry that another man dare give her hope and then take it all away again. And just like in that scene, she gets back on mission again once she physically and vocally works out those feelings. 

It might have been effective to flash on Garnett’s/Charlie’s face to make that connection more explicit, but just my two cents. There should be a Talking Zee after show to discuss this kind of thing. 

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51Muses

51Muses

6 hours ago, Dizzychickstar said:

It might have been effective to flash on Garnett’s/Charlie’s face to make that connection more explicit, but just my two cents. There should be a Talking Zee after show to discuss this kind of thing. 

You're right. A tiny flashback could have helped. As it was, it needed extra explanation as to why Roberta acted the way she did. 

We could always discuss here. I'm going to have to do a full rewatch from Season 1 onward. 

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BasilSeal

BasilSeal

On 11/7/2018 at 7:49 AM, wrlord said:

What on earth makes all you people think he's dead?  of course he isn't dead. He's going to show up later and reveal the secret about Warren that only he knows.

This. Cooper knew who Murphy was and thought he should be blue. we don't see Roberta tell Cooper anything about her past so how does he know this? My Guess is she may have talked whilst unconscious and revealed stuff she isn't aware of to him, he'll turn up later on to deliver whatever plot twist this is.

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