I think a big part of the problem is all the story lines so far are based on reaction. For example, they are where they are right now in the show because of two things: the girl being lost and the boy being shot.
So the whole thing has come to a grinding halt while they, and therefore we, wait for those things to be resolved. The characters are reacting to the situation they are stuck in, they aren’t striving for anything.
Everywhere they go, everything they do, it should be their choice. They can’t constantly be getting stuck places because life has thrown them a curveball, that’s unnecessary. They’ve been thrown the ultimate curveball from the start- a zombie apocalypse, they don’t need more.
It should be more that they fight their way to get somewhere or do something, shiat happens, then they fight their way out of it.
That’s one reason I think Daryl comes off so well, he always seems to be doing something or gearing up to do something. He’s not a very static character.
Shadarr
1742
There’s a difference between losing focus on sentry duty and not having sentries posted in the first place. When the farm is inevitably overrun (hopefully next episode, but more likely months from now) I bet they’re going to be totally taken by surprise, even though zombies can apparently wander right into their fields undetected and unimpeded and if not for falling into a well, might’ve walked right into the house.
Seanbaby’s on Walking Dead:
“I… hold on, there was only one zombie in that entire episode of Walking Dead and… I think they tried to rescue it?”
Hugin
1744
I think we’re shooting for somewhere between “Failing to be constantly vigilant” and “seemingly pretty much never being vigilant.”
I mean, for the farm I’d love “If zombies attacked” contingency A, B, and C. Sure, they could always be taken off guard by circumstance D, but I’d appreciate the sense they even thought about it at all.
The ironic thing is a lot of times people are critical about the dialogue and yet the writers leave what should be obvious dialogue on the table. Dialogue that would make the characters sound intelligent.
Such the well incident. How about having a character point out that they will need to arrange well inspections now. This could lead to a discusion about perimeter security. Now you have the characters saying and doing things so the audience is going “yeah, I’d do that too”.
Then, if the writers decide the farm gets swarmed, they have the zombies get in through something overlooked. But at least this way the survivors don’t look like idiots who didn’t even consider the possibility of being swarmed.
Shadarr
1746
Forget swarmed, at this point a lone zombie could wander into the farm, bite somebody who’s outside alone in the dark, peeing or fetching something or just contemplating the darkness, and then that person would turn inside the house and kill a bunch of people while they’re asleep.
garin
1747
I thought they did cover this a little bit in the most recent episode. Herschel doesn’t want his home turned into an “armed camp”, and in general seems to have his head in the sand a bit about the danger. Rick argued for (and won) the right to have one of his people stand sentry.
I think Hershel should be the first to be bitten.
That’s so not going to happen.
Clearly Herschel’s secret is that he is mind-controlling all the zombies. In fact, he’s an alien queen that laid eggs which hatched into zombie-causing parasites.
If I remember correctly, Rick’s request re guarding had nothing to do with the zombie in the well. My point being that, as things change, it makes sense that the zombie in the well would lead to new conversations about inspecting water supplies/perimeter control/etc.
It’s a much poorer way to handle it by having a conversation ‘no armed camp’ and expect that to cover the entirety of their stay there no matter how events develop.
drewl
1751
I think I figured it out.
We’re watching how a bunch of (mostly) idiots handles a zombie apocalypse.
It’d be no fun watching a bunch of smart people who have their shit together making all the correct choices and doing the logical necessary things to survive.
That would be too boring, or easy.
So we get a glimpse of how a dysfunctional group of survivors survive.
Obviously not doing pretty well either.
I love the nerd backseat driving. Personally, I’d be surprised if 50% of the population would maintain their sanity in a ZA.
I wouldn’t be betting on myself to stay calm and cool in that type of situation. Running around screaming your head off sounds pretty damn reasonable. We’re talking end of the world level horrors here.
But apparently in nerd-dom, everyone is a secret SEAL who would create elaborate redundant defenses to trap and confound their undead enemies.
Raife
1753
That zombie has way too many rivets.
A show about zombies needs more zombies, and people running around screaming would be an improvement over the last few episodes.
You make an EXCELLENT POINT!
Tell you what, just for you and just this once I’ll use my super secret super mod powers (powers so secret not even Chick knows I have them) t go back through the topic and remove every instance of someone saying “everyone should be a secret SEAL creating elaborate defenses and traps” and replacing them with simple things like “post a guard” or “build a fence” or “not trip every other episode”!
BAM! Done!
Shadarr
1755
Here’s the thing, and it’s the reason the show is not just aggravating, but unbelievable: hardly anybody survived the zombie apocalypse. Not the CDC, not the military, not 99.99% of the 4 million people in Atlanta. In an area with a population in the millions, we’ve seen about 30 people alive. Which is to say, surviving was pretty fucking hard. These people should be better equipped to survive than a Navy SEAL, because a lot of genuine Navy SEALS didn’t.
Now, after watching them fail to close the door to the camper, or wander off alone in the woods, or trip over their own feet, or cut themselves open on a car somehow, or cover themselves in zombie blood with no face mask, or any of the other stupid stuff we’ve seen, can you honestly see these people surviving the part we didn’t see, when everyone else around them died? Natural selection says these people should be a hell of a lot better at surviving the zombie apocalypse than they apparently are.
Shadarr
1756
No, it wouldn’t, because the whole point of the zombie apocalypse is that it is virtually impossible to survive long term no matter what you do. This isn’t a show about people working at Starbucks, they don’t need to manufacture conflict and tension.
If you haven’t noticed, half of them just happened to be people out camping, away from the major population centers. They’re lottery winners. Millions of people, a few hundred will survive out of sheer luck alone. Walking dead isn’t the Running Man or something. Not everyone was dealt the same hand at the beginning of the ZA. Natural selection doesn’t work on an individual basis- it takes generations. Sometimes, surviving is being in the right place at the right time.
So far, Glenn, Shane, and Daryl are arguably the only guys who have survived on skills. The rest are lucky.
All of the people talking about how they would do this or that, think back to being even in one minor emergency (e.g., some one collapses in restauran). 90% of the people mill around getting in the way. Reacting in the moment is HARD. Adrenaline pumping, confusion, etc. You may think you going to logically do the right thing, but don’t bet on it.
You’re being obtuse on purpose now
Quote of the week. I hate people like me who do this, but the comic is full of people making half-way decent decisions and still getting fucked over because the world sucks that bad.
