Giles

you could have just watched the last five minutes of the show and not missed anything of importance IMO.

mcnabb

I'm not a regular complainer as I usually avoid this weekly thread because it gets so negative after every episode.

Last nights episode I cannot defend against the regular complainers, because there was nothing to it. I have no problem with slow episodes, as I really liked last season when they were developing characters like Beth. They just showed Sasha, Beth and Darryl grieving as they could have developed that much better.

They have screwed up Maggie's character in the past year, and last night could have been her episode. But we get a few comments here and there, but nothing memorable.

I think next week will be alot better because it looks like this character they encountered will drive some new plot for the rest of the season?

TGM

I can't imagine they could kill off Glenn anytime soon at this point without setting Maggie completely off the reservation.

mugwump

Now we're supposed to believe that not a lick of water is to be had during the summer months between Richmond and DC? In one of the most humid, swampy, and creek-filled areas of the country? Really? Maybe all of that lush green vegetation was too subtle a hint that water was every freaking where. I can handle the Hand of God tornado premise and the need to eat feral dogs but the water thing was just lazy writing.

fumanstan

Fairly boring episode, but I didn't think it was the worst ever. I kind of assumed there was going to be an episode like this to truly deal with the aftermath of Beth and Tyrese, since we didn't really see that last episode. I know some others have said it previously, but i'm starting to tire of the same type of setting over and over again as far as empty roads in the forest.

I thought it was funny that this horde of zombies come to their barn and only Daryl notices and he doesn't immediately yell out, instead everyone just notices one by one.

dhmac

I liked the episode. The character stuff was ok and I liked seeing the show having the group so run down that they seem to be on the edge of giving up.

I thought the attack on the barn was done very well in how it was filmed. And I thought the fake-out where it seemed like Maggie dreamed the attack then to see that it happened but a tornado saved them by taking out the walkers and missing the barn. (I'm surprised Gabriel didn't go all prayer-happy claiming divine providence saved them.)

(I also liked seeing the kind of torrential deluges that happen in this area from time to time. I know that within the show's plot they aren't technically in the Atlanta area anymore, that was genuine Atlanta weather.)

Raul3

Really boring episode. At least it wasn't "The Fly", oh wait...

Sometimes it seems like an episode is a patchwork, different writers, different ideas. Just ideas, patched together. And like with this episode, sometimes that doesn't works.

I see the group of people, and I'm thinking, who's going to die next? The group is too big, a lot of disposable characters, at least 4 that can easily die.

mcnabb

I spoke about this in other TV show threads (i wont name them in case you aren't watching them), but I think that 'killing' characters is starting to a negative effect on these shows.

Killing characters should be something that comes out of nowhere and really shocks you. But killing characters on shows today has become norm so we are essentially watching them now waiting for the next victim, so it has took out some of the suspense.

Baron Of Hell

I thought the show was slow but I didn't hate it. The only really bad part was when the zombies showed up a the barn. The zombies should have been scattered in all directions from the noise of the storm. Then the cut to calm was off putting because it makes you think it was a dream until you they go outside and we see a tornado had hit the area or a storm strong enough uproot trees. I wouldn't be surprise if the same person that edited that stupid van scene from way back when edited this episode.

I see a few people talking about the Daryl and Carol kiss as budding romance. Seemed pretty motherly to me so the idea of them getting together is barfing to me.

The title is interesting. I'm not sure who the them is. Maybe it refers to Rick's line of stating they are the walking dead. Or in other words they are them, the walkers.

dhmac

I honestly had no problems with the tornado behaving like that in the episode, because about 20 years ago when I lived in Montgomery, Alabama (which is roughly 150 miles or so from Atlanta), there was a bad storm and a tornado cut through a forest of trees, leaving a path just like the one in this episode, that looked as if they cut the trees down to install power lines or something.

And not too far to one side of the path of the tornado were completely untouched houses as well as a private fenced-in field where someone kept bison (aka American Buffalo) and deer that people could stop and feed. All untouched by the tornado and its precise as a knife path of complete destruction so close by.

Coral

Don't need to see a zombie massacre every 5 minutes, but there are far too many episodes where the characters are being introspective, feeling guilty and trying to make sense out of stuff. We've heard it all many times before... this is the new world you live in... you have to try and survive... there are no rules any more... you are/aren't human, etc. etc. It's bad enough that this stuff is brought up often, but dedicating the lion's share of the episodes to it really make it monotonous.

Thought it was weird that Sasha wouldn't think to do anything with those dead frogs she saw. I saw at least 12 of them - and there were probably a lot more. Not good enough to eat? The dogs seemed to be good enough.

dhmac

Why motherly? The actors are less than 4 years apart in actual age.

Paff

I actually enjoyed this episode too, as it dealt with the very real situation of no food or water (although Mugwump's point about a lush green forest MUST have a water source somewhere is certainly a valid one) That's always been one of the gripes about TWD for me; there always seems to be a never-ending source of food, water, vehicles, gasoline, etc. If all you're doing is scavenging, eventually those sources will run dry (not to mention that gasoline will lose its volatility over this time too). I liked seeing the lack of food taking its toll on the group, and you need at least an hour's worth of screen time to properly convey this.

If we'd had more episodes like this, it would have better explained why some survivors have already resorted to cannibalism.

Shannon Nutt

There were points in last night's episode when everyone was walking slower than the walkers. I know they were supposed to be tired and thirsty, but sheesh - I kept thinking at this pace they weren't going to make it to Washington until Season 10.

I did like how the van ran out of gas, though. Five seasons worth of seemingly unlimited fuel for these characters and FINALLY a gas shortage!

I figured Daryl was crying not because of Beth, but because he realized nothing was going to happen in this episode.

dhmac

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing! They were starving and she just kicks dirt on possible food for them. I've eaten frog legs before and they're okay to eat (they actually are something that does taste like chicken) and a few southern cuisine type places even have them on the menu.

dhmac

I thought the mangy dog scene was pretty significant in this episode. There are so many dog owners and if the vast majority of owners zombified, what would happen to the dogs? That they would go feral and become their own wolfpacks (at least the larger dogs) seems likely to me. The show needs more stuff like this showing the side effects of the collapse of society.

(Although when the scene started, I thought "are they just mangy or have they zombified too?")

PhantomStranger

I skipped through any scene that didn't include Daryl. For the time being, that is how I will watch The Walking Dead. As someone else said, I see so much potential death fodder amongst the current group of characters.

I think the writers have let this show's popularity in the ratings get to their heads. Every scene does not need to be written and directed like they are going for Emmys. They need to block out their seasons far better in terms of plotting. I guess the split season structure poses difficulty but AMC is making millions from the show, figure it out.

Coladar1

Umm... 'kay. I'm either super retarded, this show is atrocious, or both and they intentionally did this:

Eugene. Watching last night's episode, I was literally shouting, "What. The. F***?!?" at my TV as Eugene showed up in the background. Is he a ghost?!? Are they doing something insane, is this an alternate universe where he's still alive?! What the what the?! Have I totally flipped out and lost it, dreaming up an entire thing that never actually appeared on film?!

Please, please tell me I'm not the only idiot that's been thinking Eugene was dead. Hell, I even remember them covering him with a white sheet or something! Then, I Google and watch the scene again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwu9sOOZ658

I don't even know what to say. You pull *that* - then, nothing further for several episodes... yep, he's definitely dead! Then, *poof*, he basically shows up again with zilch in the way of explanation. Apparently I deserve an award for Idiot of the Year, thinking Eugene has been dead for several months now.

Abob Teff

The grammar may be off, but the thought is 100% accurate!

PhantomStranger

I think we were supposed to assume he was alive, since they didn't have a very special "mourning" episode right after that scene.

kstublen

I never once thought Eugene was dead, just knocked out cold.

rw2516

Was thinking about this too. What other natural threats would emerge without humans to keep nature in check. Like a small town that's become one big spider nest.

Coladar1

Like I said, given no one else on the Interwebz seems to have shared in my reaction last night, I obviously deserve "Idiot of the Year" accolades. Still, watch that ten second YouTube clip I linked to... knocking him about? Alive. Head slams into fire truck? Alive. Head hits the pavement with a sickening crack/smoosh? Buh-bye, world.

Seeing the clip again, even knowing he survived... I don't know how anyone thought he did once he hit the pavement. This, only intensified by the fact the dude is suddenly, permanently MIA for *several* episodes worth - immediately afterwards, no less!

Raul3

My wife thought Eugene was dead too.

TerryW

I really don't know what show you're watching if you think Eugene is dead.

After Abraham knocks him out and he hits the pavement, Maggie covers him to protect against the sun then, when Maggie is talking to Abraham, Eugene wakes up. Later, we see him and his facial wounds are clearing up.