The Walking Dead Show Discussion - with potential spoilers

[dbuck]

One critique of this episode...just how is it that zombies are still able to smell things?

Well, hasn't that always been the question. We nitpick like we usually do with movies or shows, whereas we happily pick on some character performing in some way we don't agree with, we have a tendency to skip over there are huge biological issues with zombies.
Why feast on the living only? Exactly what does the infection do to the tissue that makes other zombies unpalatable?
How slowly do these things rot? You think all you'd have to do is be able hole up for a month or two and then the zombies are pretty much mulch except for any newer ones. What functions do/don't work? Can they taste? How well can they see? Do they have a sense of touch? How in the heck do they have any electrical activity in their body at all, creating the ability to move?
If they are 'mostly' dead, then that means they are still 'alive' or functioning to some degree and therefore aren't rotting, meaning they can also starve...uh....to death.
My brain hurts now. Yummmm, brains. Oh yeah, wrong zombies.

 

[MooCriket]

I'm not trying to overly critique, don't get me wrong. Just trying to think of some theories. Maybe they can smell becasue the particualr virus does not kill the senses. I mean they are dead...but they still see, etc.

 

[dbuck]

I know. Just running with your thoughts. Covering yourself in zombie guts is a good idea, the rain washing it off a bit too much. I think it would have been better to just have the zombies get more and more excited without really knowing why during the journey.

I have the feeling every episode might just raise all sorts of questions about zombie abilities. Climb a fence but not a ladder?

 

[MooCriket]

Good point. Maybe, that zombie was pushed over the fence by the other hungry zombies Also, does'nt Glenn look alot like Short Round from Temple Of Doom?

 

[darthgordon]

Well, smell is highly reliant on nerves in the olfactory system. Since, it appears that a zombie's nervous system is still functioning, then it stands to reason that the olfactory receptors and nerves could still work. Since their hearts no longer function, it stands to reason that they do not need to breath. However, we see them do so. So it may simply be one of the autonomic functions that did not cease. That would still cause air to flow over the epithelium.

They eat for the same reason a gold fish eats. They have the need to feed on flesh. Even without a stomach they're still hungry for it.

Scientifically, there are obviously a lot of problems with zombies. There would have to be a lot of circumstances involved in infection that would be more than simply causing the dead to move.

 

[themanwoaname]

its a theory zombies go back to our very primal urges. so, while they may not have a decent react time, they can still use their five senses; touch, sight, sound, taste, smell. they may not be fighting for survival, but their urge to eat is a primal urge that they easily give in to.

i would argue they dont use their senses indiscriminately either, notld shows them eating bugs and tree bark, walking dead shows them eating a horse. basically if they can get their hands on it, it will go into their mouth.

my minor nitpick of the story would be the zombies running and climbing the fence, are they "fresh, and will eventually slump" or are we seeing full on running zombies here? outside of the remake dawn of the dead, ive never seen a "walking" zombie climb a fence. the zombie survival guide says they cant, but they can pile up so much they make sort of a ramp they can walk up.

that poses a greater threat if they went that route, as later in the series there's "herding" which is just an incredibly large number of them roaming started by one zombie that may have made a noise or heard a noise and another hears that zombie hearing that noise, etc X infinity.

my second minor nitpick would be the ones banging on the windows with the rocks. thats using tools. i havent seen that in the comics yet, then again, im open to zombies having a very small bit of their memories, like dawn, day, land, and survivor of the dead, they just dont know "what" it is they're doing.

 

[darthgordon]

You'll notice that only one in each instance was able to use a rock or climb a fence. Perhaps these were things those particular zombies did a lot of in life. It was shown already that memories of common tasks seem to be ingrained enough for them to do. Things such as walking or turning door knobs... even sitting. In Dawn, the mallrats are seen just hanging out a mall. Also in Dawn, Stephen leads the other zombies upstairs... although zombie behavior and abilities are different from series to series and movie to movie.

 

[themanwoaname]

yeah totally.

but i noticed two were using rocks to break the doors, and there were a bunch trying to climb the fence, only one was successful.

 

[patsmear]

In the Original night of the living dead, a zombie uses a rock to smash the car window. So they can still use tools to a degree.

 

[dbuck]

Don't forget about Bub. He could salute and shoot. I also think he was more articulate than my teenager.

 

[themanwoaname]

In the Original night of the living dead, a zombie uses a rock to smash the car window. So they can still use tools to a degree.

thats right! i keep falling back on that one for them eating everything. every time i watch it i see another new thing!

Don't forget about Bub. He could salute and shoot. I also think he was more articulate than my teenager.

yes. at this point in the series they were figuring out what zombies can do, and dawn touched on them sort of acting on memories, where bub was proof that they had memories and knew what certain tools were for.

just the whole "rock" breaking a window thing requires a little thought. you dont walk by rocks knowing what you're going to do with them, you have to figure out that you're going to break a window with that rock. if they had a hammer in their hand when they wanted to break the window and smashed the window, i can agree with, but they have to want to break that window, find a rock to do it, pick that rock up, remember they wanted the rock to break the window, and then break the window.

bub had those things handed to him, and mimicked before he shaved, brushed his teeth, pulled the gun, read the book, pushed the play button.

 

[Kerr Avon]

Another brilliant episode, loving every minute of this!!!!

 

[EvilRocketeer]

Another brilliant episode, loving every minute of this!!!!

I am too...kinda sad when you realize the season is already half over

 

[DARTH SABER]

Does anyone know if they're going to film more episodes for this season?

Sometimes first season shows only film a few episodes to test the waters, and then film more episodes if the demand is good.

 

[EvilRocketeer]

well, amc said 6 episodes for this season...i am sure they are filming some right now, but it would be considered season 2..

 

[EvilRocketeer]

On August 31, 2010, Darabont reported that The Walking Dead had been picked up for a second season, with production to begin in February 2011. On November 8, 2010, AMC confirmed that there would be a second season consisting of 13 episodes.[3] Darabont, who wrote and directed the pilot, spoke of his plans to introduce fan favorite Michonne early on in the second season's run. He would also like to include some of the "environmental elements" that take place during Volume 2 of Kirkman's book.[16]

 

[the_batdemon]

I wondered if she'd be included. I'm glad she's not one of the characters that has been deleted or changed. Now, is T-dog supposed to be Tyreese?

 

[Probe Droid]

I just started watching this last night, as AMC was rerunning the initial episodes before the new one. Got through 2 of them. I'm in.

 

[firesprite]

Love it, love it, love it. I can't even say how much I'm really enjoying this show.

Highlights for me included

Spoiler

Ed getting his ass BEAT (though Shane's ******-bag status just keeps getting reinforced for me as we go along) and the reunion of Rick, Lori, and Carl (beautifully portrayed and shot, in my opinion).

Oh, and I got 'Youthful Sidekick' in the survival test!

 

[Sigma-LS]

My only question is when did hacksaws stop being able to cut through steel? My guess is sometime in the production of Saw 1.:rolleyes


Even barring that, ladies and gents do I have to bust out my Moh's scale of hardness again? Why is it these guys can never make the connection between sand and sandpaper?