Tag Archives: The Walking Dead

The Story’s Direction in The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 7

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Warning: This Walking Dead Season 4 post contains spoilers. Please wait until after watching, before reading further.

Toward the end of The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 7, the show’s writers take us back to almost the same place they set up at the end of Season 3. The Governor is poised to attack the prison AGAIN, with another epic showdown on the horizon that could push Rick’s group from their stronghold.

To talk more with me about The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 7, check out my full post on the episode, to let me know what you think.

Uh-Oh SpaghettiOs: Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6 (Live Bait)

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David Morrissey as The Governor in The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6

David Morrissey as The Governor in The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6

Been wondering what The Governor has been up to since he left Woodbury at the end of The Walking Dead Season 3? Good news everyone! The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6 (Live Bait) starts catching you up on exactly where he’s been. First, it flashes back to the moment when The Governor gunned his own troops down for their failure (as if you somehow forgot). Then it shows him camping with his cronies while a dumb freakin’ zombie trips over his campfire. Although Martinez helps out in the moment by shooting the walker, he takes off the next morning, leaving Philip to fend for himself.

It’s entertaining to watch The Governor’s decay over an indeterminate amount of time, as he grows an epic beard and wanders around torching everything in his path. The conflagrations and emo music playing during this sequence are pretty darn funny because they border on melodrama. Thankfully this part of the episode only lasts for a few minutes, since The Governor soon meets Lilly (Audrey Marie Anderson) and Tara (Alanna Masterson), who are holed up an apartment building with their father (Danny Vinson) and Lilly’s daughter Meghan (Meyrick Murphy).

Lilly and Tara are wisely reluctant to trust this haggard guy, who’s going by the alias Brian. They’re not total jerks, so they try to feed him some SpaghettiOs, which he strangely dumps in favor of cat food. What’s the deal with this new self-loathing Governor? Has he truly changed? Does he feel some remorse? It seems like maybe, after he does a number of charitable things for this family. He retrieves oxygen for Lilly and Tara’s ailing father and treats Meghan with soft, gentle kindness. “Brian” cleans himself up, teaches Meghan to play chess, and even deals with killing her zombie grandfather.

The Governor’s acts earn Lilly and Tara’s trust, so he convinces them to hit the road with their supplies. As they travel together, Lilly decides (unwisely) to sleep with him. Gross lady! You’re hooking up next to your own daughter and sister. Anyway, they find themselves in trouble near a heard of walkers and go running into the woods, where he and Meghan fall into a familiar pit filled with zombies. To protect the girl, Brian/Philip/The Governor goes ape shit and destroys those walkers with his bare hands. He scares the living heck out of Meghan in the process, but whatever. And then, to end The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6 with a major surprise, Martinez finds them! Bet you weren’t expecting that.

Did you like finding out what happened to The Governor after Woodbury? And do you think he’s changed? Finally, this week’s poll: Even during the zombie apocalypse, would you be desperate enough for sex that you’d risk doing it in front of your sleeping daughter and sister?

 

The Governor Gets Busy in The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6

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Warning: This Walking Dead Season 4 post contains spoilers. Please wait until after watching, before reading further.

In The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6, The Governor manages to get busy under some rather gross circumstances. Lilly decides to hook up with him while her sister Tara and her daughter Meghan doze right next to them. Nasty right? Or would you not care about doing something like that?

To talk more with me about The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 6, check out my full post on the episode, to let me know what you think.

Walking Dead ‘Honest Trailer’ and Robert Kirkman Plays ‘Zombify This’

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Walking Dead Honest Trailer by Screen Junkies

Honest Trailers by Screen Junkies

Apparently Screen Junkies has a series called Honest Trailers where they lampoon television shows and movies by creating fake trailers for them. Recently I found out that they did one for The Walking Dead, so naturally I decided to watch it. The verdict? It’s actually pretty funny.

There are some obnoxiously humorous lines like “From the network that brought you Breaking Bad, a show you couldn’t stop watching, comes a show so inconsistent you have to keep talking yourself into watching.” And annoyingly honest comments such as “A leader who stands by his decision…until he doesn’t.”

In fairness, I can understand their beef about the show’s vacillating pace, especially in Season 2. Hence why I laughed when they emphasized how boring things were on the farm, “…f*** that farm.” Also they raise a decent point about Rick’s flip flopping. I think that has more to do with circumstances constantly changing though, than Rick’s weak will.

The folks at Screen Junkies make some hilariously astute observations about the weird faces Dale makes, Shane’s nervous tick of rubbing his head, and the number of times people call themselves “the group.” However for my money, it doesn’t get any funnier than when they do a montage of character deaths. What’s your favorite part of the trailer?

Robert Kirkman on Speakeasy with Paul F. Tompkins

Robert Kirkman on Speakeasy with Paul F. Tompkins

I also learned that comedian Paul F. Tompkins (Open Mic Host from Tenacious D) has a web show called Speakeasy for Mademan.com where he interviews celebs over their favorite cocktail. In one of his recent episodes, he plays a fun game called “Zombify This” with Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman.

Although Tompkins is slightly awkward as an interviewer, this amusing segment is worth watching. First Tompkins gives Kirkman a piece of entertainment, then Kirkman has to say how he would integrate zombies into that property. Kirkland choices? Sesame Street, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Mad Men.

Kirkman actually does a great job coming up with ideas on how zombies could be part of those properties. His take on Temple of Doom is probably the best, because he can’t remember the villain’s name, so Tompkins has to keep correcting him. Which zombified piece do you prefer?

FilmInk’s Walking Dead Spread and Season 4 Episode Photos

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FilmInk Magazine's Walking Dead Cover

FilmInk Magazine’s Walking Dead Cover

Not even Down Under is safe from Walking Dead mania. The undead have invaded there too in Australia’s famous FilmInk magazine, which currently has a Walking Dead cover story AND fold out posters. When I found out about this issue, I knew I had to get my hands on it, so I rushed over to eBay to order a copy. Until I get to devour the meaty content and see what the posters look like though, I’ll just have to marvel at their cover.

With the three most badass characters in the show in one shot, I’m surprised the the camera lenses captured them together without exploding from awesomeness. If I was living in the zombie apocalypse, I would definitely want them on my side, especially Daryl and Michonne. I’d feel pretty safe with them around. What about you? Who would you want in your group?

Also this week AMC’s Dead Alert newsletter released a series of photos from Season 4 in another small attempt to whet fan appetite for the rapidly approaching new episodes. Most of them are actually pretty boring, but the one that has Daryl and Carol together is cute and Tyreese looks amusingly stoic in the image with his shotgun slung over his shoulder. There is a photo that cracked me up: Beth is laying on her bed obviously writing in a journal, however it seems like she’s doing homework (not sure what assignments there would be during the zombie apocalypse) and it appears that one of her room’s decorations is a yard gnome. That’s an odd thing to have hanging around right?

Anyway, I’m ready for Season 4 to start. How about you? What are you looking forward to most about this season? Click here and leave me your thoughts.

A Walking Dead Spinoff?!

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Season 3 photo of the cast of The Walking Dead

Image credit: AMC Networks

Holy crap! AMC is creating a Walking Dead spinoff?! It may be old news for you, considering it was revealed last week. Still, I’m in shock because I just found out. It’s unbelievable that such a huge Walking Dead development flew completely under my radar. Normally I watch Facebook, Twitter, and EW.com like a hawk for any information about the show. I thought it was an early April Fools joke when I first saw articles publishing the news like this one in the Los Angeles Times.

The announcements are no prank though. They are very real. Since The Walking Dead is such a cash cow for AMC, right? It’s not surprising that AMC execs are trying to milk the series for all it’s worth. However the idea of a spinoff seems bizarre at this point, considering the current show is still on the air with no signs of cancellation in sight.

This concept is kind of scary because spinoffs are a mixed bag. Some like The Tortellis totally suck, while others like Frasier go on to have almost as much success as their original show. Hopefully this Walking Dead spinoff will be more akin to the latter than the former seeing that AMC president Charlie Collier says it will include “an entirely new story and cast of characters.”

The silver lining about this revelation is that Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman will anchor the project as a producer, and that he’s excited about it. According to the Los Angeles Times, Kirkman said “I couldn’t be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of ‘The Walking Dead’ universe. The opportunity to make a show that isn’t tethered by the events of the comic book, and is truly a blank page, has set my creativity racing.” I’m encouraged by Kirkman’s enthusiasm and excellent leadership on the current show to-date. Maybe this spinoff will provide him the creative energy he needs to tell another gripping saga.

How do you feel about the idea of a Walking Dead spinoff? Click here and leave me your thoughts.

Robert Kirkman’s ‘Cribs’ and A Preview of The Walking Dead Season 4

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Thankfully Robert Kirkman isn’t reviving MTV’s gaudy television show Cribs. The Walking Dead‘s creator only borrows the program’s cheesy format for his recent behind-the-scenes video from AMC’s weekly Dead Alert newsletter. Instead of visiting someone’s extravagant mansion like Cribs does, Kirkman takes you for a stroll around his Walking Dead Season 4 prison set.

This season picks up several months after Season 3. Kirkman shows us what the prison dwellers constructed to make this inhospitable space more homey. Kirkman’s jokes are terrible, but his tour is still exciting for two reasons. First, it piques your curiosity about how the characters will use these new tools in The Walking Dead Season 4. Second, if you’re into Kirkman’s comics, it suddenly makes a two-dimensional world become three-dimensional. The prison grounds that you imagined while reading the comics, become a tangible place that you can visually explore, which gives the story fresh depth and believability.

FYI: Ditching plausibility for a minute, my favorite part of this video is the arsenal of zombie-killing weapons that Kirkman displays. What’s yours?

AMC released via Dead Alert released another video to drum up fan fervor about the upcoming season. From a preview perspective, ‘A Look at Season 4: The Walking Dead,’ doesn’t offer much footage you haven’t already seen in other Season 4 trailers and promos. However, the show’s producers throw you a bone by dropping hints about what’s to come for your favorite characters.

The most insightful morsel comes from producer, occasional director, and special effects guru Greg Nicotero, “What would you be willing to do? And can you come back from the things you’ve done to survive?” These questions cut straight to the core of what makes the show and the comics so addictive. The true thrill isn’t seeing zombies maul people. It’s observing how people struggle to remain human in a world where inhuman choices are required for survival. That’s why I’m captivated by the show and the comics. What about it captivates you? And more importantly, do you think showrunner Scott Gimple is right when he says, “There might not be any hope?”

Click here and share your thoughts.

Walking Dead Season 4 Trailer and EW Cover Story

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Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

Good

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

Better

 

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

Best

My excitement about The Walking Dead Season 4 went from a 5 to an 11 last Friday. It was a great day to be a fan of the show because not only was The Walking Dead Season 4 trailer unveiled at the San Diego Comic-Con, but the issue of Entertainment Weekly that was released had a Walking Dead story and three different collectible covers. A cover features Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), another has Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs), and the third, most badass one features my favorite character Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) on his motorcycle. Sadly I didn’t get the Daryl edition like I had hoped, although I was still pretty happy with Rick.

Based on The Walking Dead Season 4 trailer and EW’s article, the new season, which starts in October 2013, seems like it will be a great mixture of character driven episodes and tense action. Here are my thoughts on the trailer and the article. Be sure to watch the trailer below and let me know what you think about this teaser for Season 4.

When we pick up with the people at the prison, it seems like times are getting extremely tough. With more humans at the prison, resources are probably going much faster. There are multiple shots of Daryl and company risking their necks on dangerous supply runs like the one in the trailer’s opening at a Walmart-type store. It’s definitely unsettling to hear screams of pain without knowing the source. Plus, the conversation that Carol has with Daryl about the increasing number of walkers and the shots of zombies piling up against the prison only add to my anticipation about how the survivors will deal with the growing threat.

Speaking of Carol, I was glad to see her talking more with Daryl. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a total shipper hoping that those two get together. I also thought it was funny that she was teaching a class on knife safety. I’m intrigued to see how that particular portion fits into the coming episodes. Other things that made me curious: the new character played by Lawrence Gilliard Jr., all the emotional reaction shots, the talk about leaving the prison, the scene where everyone is fighting their way from a car through a swarm of zombies, and the final moments when they hear something on the radio.

Lawrence Gilliard Jr.’s character clearly has something dark going on beneath the surface, especially based on the shot where he’s looking in the mirror with his hand shaking. I wonder what potentially dastardly deeds he will perpetrate. Hopefully he isn’t linked to Hershel’s line about two of their own being killed in cold blood or to the shot of dead rats someone has been feeding the walkers on the fence. The emotional reaction shots could be to anything, although to me they signal a lot more character-rich episodes.

The scene where everyone is fighting near the car and Tyreese is battling a cluster of zombies by himself, reminds me of a part of the comic where he similarly fends off a ton of walkers. I cross my fingers that the fight goes in his favor since I like Tyreese. I’m going to guess that his busted eye in the trailer comes from a fight with Rick. I can’t wait to see how their relationship is built up in the show and what will eventually bring them to the same blows that they famously exchanged in the comic.

The Entertainment Weekly Article

The cast of The Walking Dead in Entertainment Weekly

Wicked creepy right? This isn’t a position I’d want to be in.

The main photo for EW’s Walking Dead Season 4 article is amazing. It’s cool toward the beginning of the issue that you see how the photographer was on his back to take the shot of everyone creepily standing over him.

Behind the scenes with the cast of The Walking Dead

Cool to see how it’s done huh?

I enjoyed the piece’s anecdotes about Chandler Riggs (Carl) finally getting to fire a real gun on set after celebrating his 14th birthday. Admittedly I was concerned too about the season would be with its new showrunner Scott Gimble, however the interviews with cast members and reminders of the superb episodes that he wrote in Seasons 2 and 3, assuaged my fears.

EW got me wondering how The Governor will crop up in Season 4 and hooked me with teases about an impending threat scarier than the walkers. It made me laugh though to hear viewers were confused about the Tyreese/Sasha relationship. Even if you didn’t read the comic, I thought it was fairly obvious that they were family. Like the EW writers, I’m speculating nervously on how many characters might get killed off this season.

I say if Daryl dies we riot. Anyone else agree?

Just kidding…or am I? Haha.

Thoughts on AMC’s Interview with Gale Anne Hurd

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Gale Anne Hurd

Photo by Gene Page Copyright TWD Productions LLC. All rights reserved

It’s been a couple of weeks since my last post, which has been partly due to my busy schedule and partly because of the slowdown in Walking Dead news. To give you something new, I thought I’d share my quick thoughts AMC’s interview with Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer of The Walking Dead. The piece comes from this week’s Dead Alert newsletter and gives you a tiny glimpse behind the scenes of Season 4.

I think it’s pretty funny that they do a zombie school every season. That’s an educational institution that I’d love to attend. I’d be super nervous auditioning for a special effects guru like Greg Nicotero though. I also like the bit that Hurd reveals about the zombies being more ravenous in Season 4. I’d imagine food supplies are starting to dwindle with more and more humans joining the ranks of the undead. Less food creates problems for living people too, and forces them to get creative about what they use for food. Anyone who’s read The Walking Dead comics, will know what I’m talking about.

From the interview with Gale Anne Hurd, it sounds like they deal with some nasty weather on set with terrible extremes. It’s crazy to think that a tree falling down could halt production in an area. I’m sure those hot sticky Southern days are a bear too.  I think she has a smart philosophy about keeping people well-fed to make sure they stay happy. I know it would be a lot easier dealing with all the elements knowing that I could have gourmet mac and cheese at lunch.

My favorite questions during the interview with Gale Anne Hurd are the last two. She gained a lot of respect in my book after sharing her mantra: Good enough, isn’t. As a meticulous person myself, I appreciate people who like to do things right and care a lot about doing careful, quality work. And then the final question about which character on the show would make a good producer was fun. I would agree with her that Rick and Daryl have the right personality traits.

Which character from The Walking Dead do you think would make the best producer?