Death of Innocence

Rick, Lori and Carl

Lori Grimes‘ perception of Carl Grimes is one of innocence on the cusp of corruption. This is a sad, but true assertion. It’s evident in Chandler Riggs’ portrayal of the character, especially in episodes like Secrets and Pretty Much Dead Already.

In the opening of Secrets, we find a completely recovered Carl helping his mother feed chicks on the Greene farm. After some light banter, Carl comments about the location of the mother hens. Lori, in an attempt to reassure her young son, replies that maybe they are off somewhere, implying a necessary and inevitable return.

What Carl says in response surely caught his already ailing mother off guard: “Maybe they got eaten.” Immediately Lori reveals a sense of mingling shock and surprise at her son’s words; no doubt this walker-filled world is beginning to rob her son of his innocence and happiness. What is most surprising is not the accuracy of that thought, but the answer Carl provides to his mother’s worried countenance. “Everything is food for something else.”

That singular statement reveals Carl’s awareness of not just his current surrounding, but of life in general. Whether he lives in zombie land or reality, he is not wrong in his assertion. He is maturing at a rate not yet understood by his parents; now whether or not that is in correspondence with the current crisis in which the world finds itself is debatable.

But what we can be sure of is his desire to prove himself, and to not remain a helpless victim. We see that again in Secrets, after he promises Lori that he understands the gravity of possessing a firearm. Carl is growing up, steadily coming into his own and asking for the opportunity to do what he feels is right for his family.

Carl staring on in amazement at the deer

We can’t forget however, that he is still just a boy, and one far removed from his comic counterpart at this point. It’s this innocence that people like Shane look to manipulate in their favor, a tactic seen in Pretty Much Dead Already.

Shane knows that Carl looks up to him. It was a bond he attempted to break early in the second season, though that failed miserably when Otis shot Carl. So when Carl confronted Shane about his reluctance to search for Sophia, calling it “bullshit,” Shane saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, (metaphorically of course). If Shane could turn Carl over to the dark side, so to speak, he could potentially win Lori as well. Shane used his charm and power over Carl’s remaining innocence and convinced him that saving Sophia meant securing their place on the farm, at all costs. How could Carl disagree?

He couldn’t because he sees the hardship his father has to endure as leader of their group. So Carl wants to prove himself capable of protecting what is his. He is maturing in a world that is all but corrupted by pain, sorrow and death; a world his mother views as being without joy. She struggles daily with the very idea of letting him live in this world because of the havoc that corruption may wreck on his impressionable psyche. We see it already at work on those of considerable experience: Shane, Andrea, even Rick.

Especially Rick, the man that Carl adores and worships like a god among men. When Rick killed Sophia, Carl immediately backed his father’s decision, saying he would have done the same thing himself. What a thing to say to your mother; that you would readily kill your best friend’s walking corpse without a second thought.

It must be difficult for Lori to watch her son lose his innocence this way. How painful it must be for both Rick and Lori, the knowledge that they are unable to protect their child from the horrors of the “real world,” and let him resume his childhood care-free. Sadly, it is a pain they must embrace in order to move on and truly protect him from harm. In zombie land, he could just as easily become a casualty like Sophia.

Now from a parental perspective, especially a Western parental perspective, Lori does not want Carl to grow up this way. She does not want her baby boy to brandish a weapon, let alone a loaded firearm. She does not want him to live in fear of an uncertain death or of debilitating loss.

Carl almost met his end with the swamp walker

The problem is that neither Rick or herself can protect him the way they could in the old days. Hell, even in the old days it would prove difficult to preserve his innocence. The main difference between then and now, is that those that are corrupting her son are the same people that wish to protect him.

Children are very observant; it’s a trait we all pick up early because we are a social animal. We want to understand what is happening around us, to take part in it and have a hand in our destiny. We listen and we learn. Sometimes we pick up bad habits or overhear negative conversations. Since children lack the mental capacity to truly understand “adult” situations, they are left to perceive any given situation as best they can.

Carl sees the nervousness of a group unable to carry weapons; he sees the slow degradation of his father’s indomitable spirit; he sees the anger the grips Shane’s heart. He sees his family dynamic slowly dissolving, and he wants to help fix it. Would you deny him?

"Do it Dad!"

Admittedly, he has a long way to go before he actually proves himself useful for killing walkers and not group members.

Daryl’s Ascendency

In “Judge, Jury, Executioner” we fully see for the first time the new role Daryl is taking within the group. The episode opens with him torturing Randall for information. There is no indication of enjoyment in this repugnant task for Daryl, but instead a willingness to do what is necessary to protect the group, which he has come to view as a surrogate family despite all his protestations. Trusting him with this task shows Rick’s increasing trust and reliance on Daryl to get things done. After all, Rick is waiting in camp to base his entire decision of Randall’s execution on what Daryl has to say. This lets us know several key things.

Firstly, Rick is confident in Daryl’s abilities to get the information out of Randall without going too far and killing him. It would be easy to be caught up in the violence and cause mortal damage. Conversely, if he did not have the stomach for the calculated infliction of pain, the prisoner would gain the upper hand and ruin any chances of getting real intel on the hostile group. That Rick is unable to do this task himself is an interesting thing. Despite his insistence in “18 Miles Out” that he is no longer a good man, Rick shows conflict throughout this episode between the police officer he used to be and what he has to do now to survive.  Shane has proven to be capable of violence, but Rick did not look to him for this.

Secondly, Rick knows Daryl will not be fooled by disinformation or be suckered in by a sob story. We have seen from the beginning that a lot of people underestimate Daryl’s intelligence, whether due to his accent, appearance, or “redneck” background. However, as the show has progressed, it has become quite apparent that Daryl, while socially awkward and emotionally stunted, is very observant of others and we see in this episode especially that he knows a lot more than he lets on.  Daryl was never fooled by Shane’s rather weak story of how Otis died and knew before anyone else that he was not to be trusted.  That he did not share this information with anyone reinforces how isolated he has felt from the rest of group.

Lastly, and most importantly, Rick trusts that Daryl will be honest. Daryl lays out plainly exactly what kind of threat this other group is and what will happen to everyone should they attack. If Daryl was really some psycho he could have lied or left to join Randall’s people, but Rick obviously knows that Daryl is not that kind of guy.  The expressions on the faces of everyone else in camp when they realize how Daryl acquired the information show how little they understand his motivations and it is a slap in the face to Daryl, yet again.

However, Rick is not the only one to show Daryl a new level of respect in “Judge, Jury, Executioner”. When Dale is going around trying to convince others to keep Randall alive, the first person he goes to see is Daryl. Instead of launching right into a spiel, Dale expresses concern and conviction that Daryl is more important than he believes himself to be. Despite claiming to want to get away from everyone, Daryl listens and does not become combative with Dale. Carol is the only other person that has said something like this, but Dale takes it a step further by saying that he is in fact a better man than Shane. Daryl’s frustrated, bitter insistence that he does not have Rick’s ear, that Rick only listens to Shane, shows how much Daryl really likes and respects Rick. He wants to be that right-hand man, but feels inadequate and shunted to the side.  He desperately wants to be part of the group, but by saying it is “broken”, exhibits the fear that it will turn out to be the disaster his real family was.

At the end of the episode we see Daryl’s true colors and they are beautiful. When Dale screams, Daryl does not hesitate a second in sprinting to his aid. Daryl literally throws himself at the Walker to get it off of Dale. There has never been so much emotion towards another of the group from Daryl as in this scene.  Jumping and yelling for the others to come and help, he drops to his knees beside Dale and says an agonizing “Hang in there, buddy”. It is then we know what a profound effect Dale’s earlier words had on Daryl and how much he truly views the group as his people. The angel wing vest has never been more appropriate than at this moment. Daryl is willing to be the angel of mercy in place of Rick, willing to take on the burden of putting Dale out of his misery when no one else could. The compassion and sacrifice Daryl exhibits is heartbreaking.

This is the turning point. There is no denying now that Daryl, though rough around the edges, shows the qualities of a genuine leader, a much more fitting second-in-command to Rick than Shane has ever been, as we once again see Shane not step up when the times call for a true leader to do so. It is interesting to note in the trailer for “Better Angels” that Rick is taking Daryl to set Randall loose, rather than Shane. Despite what Rick said to Lori about Shane no longer being problem, he obviously trusts Daryl more to have his back on this issue than Shane, considering that both Daryl and Shane wanted Randall dead. In the coming episodes, I fully expect Daryl to assume more responsibility and become Rick’s go-to guy. How this will play into Shane’s power struggles remains to be seen.

The Lone Walker

The Lone Walker in "18 Miles Out"

The Lone Walker is a cold, distant figure moving through an empty field. We see it as Shane does: gazing through a car window, sitting next to the man who should be his best friend, following a day filled with regrettable actions. It is far enough away to make distinguishing any features impossible.

The Lone Walker is anonymous and unknowable, but it is difficult to not feel sadness rather than fear while gazing upon it.

This is a mirror for what Shane has become. He has finally been told, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Rick’s family is just that: Rick’s. He has relentlessly beat on the man he calls brother. He has attempted to murder two people and subsequently been rescued by them both. When Shane is looking upon the Lone Walker he feels a kinship. He was alone before, but it is painfully obvious now that there are so few people in the world. He has no more purpose than a mindless corpse shuffling through the dying grass.

This moment in the car is perhaps the first time we see Shane look utterly defeated. In what is a moment of synergy, the song playing over this crisis of mind is “Civilian” by Wye Oak.

I don’t need another friend
When most of them
I can barely keep up with
I’m perfectly able to hold my own hand,
but I still can’t kiss my own neck

Shane observing the lone walker roaming through the field

In a different man, this may have been the turning point back to humanity. However, like the Lone Walker, Shane will not remain an object of pity for long.

He has become a creature driven by survival and possession. The enormity and emotions of the day in “18 Miles Out” tapped him out, but his slide into something less than human began long before and shows no sign of stopping. Once he has a chance to regroup, Rick’s unequivocal claiming of Lori, Carl and the baby will be taken as a gauntlet thrown and Shane’s efforts to wrestle control of the group will be renewed with a sense of vigor.

The Lone Walker is not merely a lonely traveller.

The Lone Walker is the harbinger of the threat of Walkers to come and the danger of Shane’s continuing deterioration.

It is the calm before the storm and the sky is starting to look awfully cloudy.

The Influence of Lori and Andrea

The big brawl between Rick and Shane looms on the horizon, and at the center are two of the show’s most polarizing figures.

In this post-apocalyptic word, most of the skills and jobs held before are completely irrelevant. For someone like Lori, who has no outstanding capabilities to fight walkers¹ or survive in harsh conditions, the only option is to attach herself to someone who is capable of those things. Enter Shane who, if inferences made from their conversation in Triggerfinger are correct, has had a thing for Lori since long before the virus happened. He is strong, a fighter, and willing to do anything to keep Lori and Carl safe, even if to the detriment of others. Then there is Rick. Her husband, also strong and capable, and a natural leader. Both of these men, although different in approach, are very much the alphas of the group.

Under these circumstances, it would be difficult to find a sense of self-worth, as Lori’s entire existence depends on another person. This all has led me to believe there is a part of Lori that enjoys having two alpha males fighting over her. It may be disingenuous to say it is a conscious feeling, but there is at the very least a sub-conscious pleasure to be had from the turmoil. Lori’s helplessness and neediness has fed into both men’s love and desire to protect, who then spend most of their waking energy on her. The majority of their decisions, especially of late, have been based in some way on Lori and, to a lesser extent, Carl. It would be difficult not to get an ego boost from such hyper-aware attention from the two most desirable men around². Despite being the one protected, Lori wields a very real power over them, and seeing as she has little control over the rest of her life, it is little wonder that she would sub-consciously revel in it.

Despite clinging to certain pre-apocalypse societal norms, such as honoring marriage by sticking with Rick, Lori shows a new level of ruthlessness in Triggerfinger. Shane’s increasingly aggressive way of handling things and obsessiveness towards Lori finally has her worried, and the way she approaches this situation is really what cemented my belief on Lori’s enjoyment of wielding power. She pulls a Lady Macbeth and essentially tells Rick that he needs to kill Shane before Shane gets him first. Although this showdown has been a longtime coming, Lori provides the tipping point for Rick.

The other player in this tableau is Andrea. She was in the same boat as Lori, but showed from the beginning an intense desire to be able to fight and has been reckless in its pursuit. Andrea has alienated herself from most of the group through the attempted suicide and endangerment of others by using a weapon without training, so when shown the least bit of consideration from Shane, she grabs onto it with a death grip. He has provided the means for her to finally be a contributing member of the group, as well as validation that she has some worth. Because of this, Andrea has been willfully blind to any indications that Shane is unstable. It of course doesn’t help that Dale is the one attempting to convince her of Shane’s duplicity, as she remains resentful of his interference at the CDC.

Andrea is not the only one getting something out of their relationship. In Andrea, Shane gets outside reinforcement in his belief that he is the only one that really takes care of the group; that the actions he takes are the correct ones. Although Shane does not need nearly as much outside influence as Rick does to come into conflict with each other, Andrea unwittingly provides it. When Shane says that their group is being put in danger and Andrea replies “Well, then we need to stop it”, she undoubtedly means making sure that Randall’s group does not find them. However, in Shane’s mind the real danger, the one who is standing in his way, is Rick. This constant affirmation from Andrea for his every action just cements in Shane’s mind that something needs to be done about Rick, both to protect the group and so he can claim what he believes to be rightfully his: Lori and the baby.

Based on the previews and sneak peaks for 18 Miles Out we will most likely be seeing the big confrontation between Rick and Shane and I for one cannot wait to see how it plays out.

1. Obviously Lori had her first Walker kills in Triggerfinger and did so fairly competently. However, I will postulate that this happened because there was literally no other option. She has shown over the course of the show a distinct unwillingness to learn survival skills. In any other situation we have seen where Lori come into contact with Walkers she has let someone else take care of her. The biggest instance of this was when the heard attacks camp in season one. All Lori does is scream “Shane” and hide behind his back. Perhaps with these recent kills we will see her evolve into someone that is not content with being saved, but as of now she is firmly in the role of the protected.

2. Although Daryl is the most capable of anyone in the group to survive, he is still viewed as a second class citizen by most of the group and not as a leader. At least, not yet!

Post-Apocalyptic Love Triangle: Shane, Lori and Rick

I’ve read a lot and heard a lot about the Shane, Lori and Rick triangle. Here’s my two-cents about it:

Shane

He loves Lori. From what I’ve seen, he has loved Lori for years. Long before the apocalypse drew her to him. As much of a “prodigy, banging 30-year olds on the regular” as he was, I believe he was always jealous of Rick for finding Lori. Of course, modern society left Shane at a disadvantage, because Rick was his best friend. Then Rick and Lori eventually married and had Carl. But I believe Shane always envied Rick because of that, and always saw what Rick had as his.

I mean he essentially saw Rick come into his own as a man and a leader, (this requires some assumption, based primarily on Rick’s authoritative demeanor in Days Gone Bye and Shane’s proceeding subservience leading into Season Two). Shane possesses the drive and natural protective instincts that a leader needs, but he does not have the right attitude nor the much-needed ability to detach his feelings and look at things as right versus wrong. I’ve said it before, and I thoroughly believe it: You need more than guts and determination to live in zombie land. You need compassion and good character. Just because the world’s gone to hell doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. Fair enough?

Lori

Her relationship with Rick was rocky before the introduction of walking corpses. Can you imagine that in your wedding vows? ‘Till death do we part, in sickness, health, and ravenous walkers.’ Married with zombies is a bit of an understatement. I believe she wanted Rick to be more assertive. To “yell at me when he’s mad,” and not take her crap all the time. Hell, she gave him permission to yell at her after the morning after pill fiasco. How twisted is that?

That is one of the reasons why I think she was drawn to Shane after the apocalypse. Yeah, he lied to her about Rick’s death, though in his defense, that hospital was a hell-mouth. But I think she was too quick to believe him. Again, the introduction of zombies kind of forces one to deviate from ‘normal behaviors,’ but I believe it does that for the already weak. I think Lori was looking for a way out of that relationship when Shane offered her salvation.

There’s no doubt that Shane and Rick are two different men; Shane is the aggressive, ‘inherent’ alpha male that reacts; Rick is the passive, unlikely alpha male that thinks. They each have desirable qualities, but as a woman, I think Lori most identifies with Shane as her close to perfect mate. I think she loved him. But when Rick turned up alive, it through everything into question. Does she love Rick because she cares deeply for him? Or because she’s married to him?

I definitely believe she is torn between both men, and while her motives may not be pure, her actions are necessary to push Rick into a final confrontation with Shane. Tell it to the frogs.

Rick

Rick is a man that does not encourage his violent side. He is by no means a coward; he showed that in the closing minutes of Nebraska. But I do believe he needs to brazenly meet confrontation with the same determination he had when confronting Dave and Tony. Namely, those choosing to challenge his leadership; in a word, Shane.

Now just because modern society has vanished doesn’t mean everyone has to follow Rick. They are free to make their own decision to leave. But since no one is attempting to go it alone, they all need to respect Rick. He is making the tough decisions, considering right and wrong in a world where most would pick wrong over right in an attempt to survive. Now I do not agree with all of his choices; for example, I would have shot Randall in the head and moved on.

But I respect what he is trying to do. He is trying to hold on to humanity in a world that forces most to abandon it. Now Rick has been trying to avoid a fight with Shane because Shane is his best friend. He values Shane’s commitment to the group and the necessary skills he brings to the table. But just like a wolf pack, there can be only one Alpha. And when an Alpha is challenged, like Shane has been subtly, (and not-so-subtly) doing, a fight is inevitable. We are, after all, animals.

So when it really comes down to it, this Rick versus Shane issue needs to be resolved. Not just for Rick to reclaim his family, but to show Shane that he needs to either respect Rick and his decisions or get out. I hear Nebraska’s nice.

Sometimes You Gotta' Shoot Your Own Dog

As the final scene played out in the 11/27/11 episode (Pretty Much Already Dead) and Rick was forced to shoot Sophia, I immediately thought of a classic movie I watched years ago. The moment was so reminiscent of Old Yeller that I am afraid this blog post may be telling people what they already know, but I simply can’t discuss the two and how they relate.

Old Yeller, released by Disney in 1957, is based on the book of the same name by Fred Gipson. Set just after the Civil War, it is the story of a rural family and the dog that wanders onto their property. Younger son Arlis loves the dog. Teenage son Travis, the man of the house while his father is away, immediately dislikes the dog, but ends up developing a close bond with it. Yeller is bitten by a wolf while protecting Arlis and the dog contracts rabies. In what is often described as “one of the most tearful scenes in cinematic history,” Travis must put Yeller down, both to put the animal out of its misery and to protect his family. Travis knows that you have to live up the responsibility thrust upon you and do what needs to be done whether you want to or not. Sometimes that means shooting your own dog. In doing so he leaves behind the boy he was and becomes a man.

Like Travis shooting Yeller, Rick steps up and puts Sophia down. He does what we’re not sure we could do. We all thoughtlessly yammer on about how “I’d shoot every walker; I don’t care if it was my Mother,” but this scene forces us to question whether we’d really have the stones to do it. Could we be that kind of man? Even as the scene brings us to those questions, it shows the kind of man Rick truly is. He feels to blame for Sophia having been turned. As much as it hurts him, as much as he doesn’t want to do what has to be done, Rick shuts down that emotion and lives up to the responsibility thrust upon him. This is the mark of a true leader, of a real man.

He does what Shane talked so big about being able to do while teaching Andrea to shoot. Shane yelled at Andrea to turn off her emotions and take the shot, but was unable to take the shot himself when doing so was crucial. When Sophia emerges from the barn, Shane bows his head and does nothing. Rick, who had been on the sidelines in this scene, moves figuratively and literally from observer to participant. He sets his jaw and casts his eyes sideways, in what appears to be Shane’s direction, seeming to acknowledge his duty. He then steps forward, unholsters his Python, and does what has to be done. He shoots his own dog.

This act is part of what sets Rick apart from Shane. Shane is an immature teenager, trying to get everyone to follow him into action by forcing a confrontation with Herschel and Rick about the barn walkers. Rick is a man, trying to stop Shane’s ill-conceived plan and when that fails, stepping in to clean up Shane’s mess. Shane will never be half the man Rick is.

Andrew Lincoln played the scene well, probably better than any other we’ve seen thus far. Lincoln's shifting facial expression - as Rick steps forward and draws his weapon - emphasises the enormity of the action that Rick's sense of responsibility requires him to do. The resignation rolled across his face like a storm cloud rolling across a clear June sky. His face showed - more than any dialogue could tell - that Rick was at a turning point. Does this indicate the much hoped-for shift from the overly cautious, often unsure of himself man we’ve seen in the TV show (childhood) to what readers of the graphic novels say is a much more decisive leader (adulthood)? I hope so. I look forward to a Rick who has more confidence in his leadership abilities, but he still tempers himself with compassion, maturity, and purpose.

It's About Time!

Well it’s about time. That’s all I can say after watching the 11/20/11 episode, Secrets. It’s about time that two things happened: 1) We finally saw women (and men) with some balls, and 2) Several characters finally said things they’ve needed to say for weeks.

In my last post, I complained rather loudly about the fact that none of the women seemed to have any balls, that they were all whiny scream queens doing little more than laundry while hiding behind the menfolk. I should’ve just waited a few days. On Sunday night, I was thrilled to see Andrea had gained control over her new skill. (Did you see that grouping she shot in the “o” on the “No Trespassing” sign during target practice?) She is well on her way to becoming the sharpshooter known and loved by readers of the graphic novels. All I can say about this development is HOORAY! Whiny, angst-ridden Andrea has begun to fade; she’s found her inner warrior now. Once her bad judgment issues are resolved, she’ll finally be of real use to the group.

Andrea’s sexual aggression with Shane showed she’s not stopped at being able to defend herself and the group; she’s taken more control of everything. Why the two of them hooked up has been of great interest to fans online. I believe the reasons Andrea took matters into her own hands with Shane are multiple: 1) The rush of power after proving that you’ve perfected a new skill, especially when releasing so much pain and rage in the process, can be a huge aphrodisiac; 2) Violence and sex can become very intertwined for us humans, especially when our emotions are already in overdrive; 3) Bad Boy Syndrome: even though or perhaps because he’s such a dick, Shane reeks of sexuality. Of course, he was the perfect target for Andrea’s, uh, affections. 4) When we are forced to stare death in the face, we cling even more to that which makes us feel alive. What makes you feel alive more than sex? It is the very act that can lead to life after all. This is something I’ve said for years and that was hinted at during Lori’s conversation Dale when she said she was with Shane because she needed to “feel something, anything.”

But Andrea isn’t the only one to grow a set. We saw even the minor female characters of Patricia and Beth as well as Carl grow some balls too in regard to firearms training. They, and even Herschel with his aversion to guns saw the importance of being able to defend themselves and the people around them. It’s about time.

This was not only the “grow a set” episode; it was also the “get things off your chest” episode. So many characters said things they’ve been thinking but keeping to themselves, both secrets and opinions. The most obvious example was Lori’s secrets, but I think the more important for far as character development were the things Dale said to Shane and Maggie’s ranting to Lori and Glenn.

Dale unloaded on Shane about the kind of man he believes Shane to be and that was the highlight of the show for me. Granted, it was because Dale didn’t like Shane and Andrea becoming involved and Dale probably needs to keep his nose out of most of the places he seems to be poking it. Still, he needed to know someone was on to him. Shane’s response, however, showed that he didn’t care. His character has been at a turning point for some time. The writers need to push him through it soon or it’s going to become the search for Sophia all over again. He needs to decide if he’s going to face off with Rick for control of the group and whether he’s going to accept that Lori chose her husband or continue his obsession with her and Carl. His decisions about those things will determine if he descends completely into madness or if he pulls himself back from that edge. Dale may have pushed him in one of those two directions.

Maggie found her voice as well and watching her stand up to Lori was priceless. It may have felt petty in some ways, but these are the day-to-day conflicts that would arise in such circumstances. Lori struck me from the beginning as spoiled. Maggie’s rant about Lori sending Glenn to get her “lotion and conditioner” showed us that Maggie, seeing Lori from outside the group, thinks of her this way too. Damn near becoming lunch for a walker certainly didn’t quell any of Maggie’s anger about the situation. Maggie’s shift in perspective about walkers was a big point in her character development and I think in the end it will make her character a stronger dramatic element. Her speech to Glenn emphasised that his place in the pecking order of the group is not fair. It was good to see him being told that the others don’t appreciate him for the intelligence and heart that he possesses. Let’s hope he remembers that. Maggie’s turning point about walkers and her verbalization about her view of Glenn are bound to bring conflict with her father. It may even act as a catalyst for her to go with the group when they leave the farm.

Lori and Rick’s scenes were interesting and made for good drama, but I didn’t see real character development in them. Rick stayed level-headed Rick when Lori confessed she’d been with Shane. Regardless of how much he may have figured out on his own, Rick reacted, unlike most men I know would have, no matter how reasonable they normally are. I wanted to see him lose it, yell at her, call her names, and tell her he didn’t care if she’d thought he was dead, but Rick disappointed me. Lori stayed hypocritical Lori when she went off on Rick for not telling her about Herschel’s expectation that the group leave soon while she still was keeping her own secrets from him. “I don’t understand how you could keep something like this from me.” Really, Lori? He should have given you every detail of this situation but you didn’t feel it necessary to tell him that you’re pregnant and the baby may not even be his? I’d thought earlier this season that I might be able to force a little sympathy for her, but that exchange killed it deader than one of Daryl’s squirrels.

And speaking of Daryl, no matter what I try to write about, he always seems to push his way to the front and demand my attention. This episode was no different. Although he was on screen for only 40 seconds - yes, I timed it - we saw a pretty significant leap forward for Daryl. When he told Andrea that he wasn’t holding it against her that she shot him since she was trying to protect the group, it indicated that he is focusing less on his ever-present anger and more on the group. (I can’t imagine the Daryl from season one taking such an event in stride.) Maybe Carol’s words did sink in and he is starting to see that people value him and that he is every bit as important as everyone else. I think Daryl’s assimilation into the group is important for his character to develop because if he continues to hold himself completely outside of it, he will never be able to become what he is capable of becoming. That said, I was still pleased to hear his parting shot to Andrea: “Next time you shoot me, you best pray I’m dead.” It shows that the writers are keeping his edges sharp. Good. We still need Daryl to be a badass.

I for one sincerely hope the forward momentum of character development we saw in this episode continues. After some dry, almost boring, episodes earlier this season, it was refreshing that the last two gave us so much meat to chew on. I am concerned, however, that after what is promising to be an excellent mid-season finale next week, things will drop off again and we’ll have less high drama to entertain us when the show returns in February.

Skeletons

Well, it seems someone finally cleaned out the skeletons in the closet. We’ve been waiting for this for some time now. Some aspects have been hidden longer than others. Shane and Lori’s “relationship” dates back to early in season one. We’ve all wondered how the affair would develop or end. It was only a matter of time before Rick would become aware of it. I had hoped Shane would’ve been the one to tell Rick himself. I know their friendship is strained as it is and Shane has shown a side of him that might not allow him to come clean about this or other events. Now he doesn’t have to.

Glen is such a great person. I really like him and his honesty, his simple sense of humor and compassion. He accepts his various roles within the group with grace and humility. By telling Dale everything he knew, he helped to protect the group. He put the group first before lesser, independent issues. Glen enabled Dale to confront Hershel about the walkers in the barn and may have pushed Lori to open up about her pregnancy.

I’m thinking that with Maggie being attacked in the drug store, it may bring her to understand more about how dangerous the walkers really are and that there is likely no cure for them. I like Maggie. She has spunk. I hope if the group has to leave, she goes with them.

The standoff between Shane & Dale is interesting in that now Dale may be more concerned for his own well-being. Shane is a loose canon in some ways. Certainly a bit unstable as we’ve seen
lately. He is capable of anything. I like Shane for his sort of “Git ‘er done” attitude. You need someone like him in any survival group. At least I’d want a Shane on my team.

Speaking of Shane, he seems to have brought Andrea around. Nothing like standing in the
middle of a street full of walkers to get your game on. Once she cleared that jam in her pistol,
she was calm and methodical in her killing of zombies. She seemed to enjoy it and wanted more. Perhaps Amy played a part in her mindset as well. Shane’s gun class has paid off.

In this episode, Daryl took a back seat for the most part. Although I loved the apology from
Andrea and his response. “Next time you shoot me, best pray I’m dead” On a side note, Daryl & Carol seem to have similar personalities, in a way. If they find Sophia, they would do well by being close.

That leaves Rick & Lori. I’m glad that Lori came clean about everything. I’m not sure how that is going to play out as the show progresses. If I were Lori, I’d have to give serious thought to the notion of bringing a baby into the world at this point. I know she wrestled with her choices.

There are practical and moral issues here that require her and Rick to come together on this, get on the same page. We have no idea how things will play out or how it will all end up. I just don’t think keeping the baby is a prudent thing to do. There are arguments to be made about Lori’s choices. Having the child in the midst of a zombie apocalypse is crazy at best. But another new child to help perpetuate the human race is a good thing. The dangers a baby would pose to the group would be formidable. Just the baby’s medical & nutritional needs would almost be too great to adequately sustain the child.

I doubt if Rick really accepts his own justification for Lori’s actions with Shane. He wants to be able to accept it but he is hurt and torn now. We’ll have to see how that unfolds in E-7.

The zombie factor was decent in this episode. I enjoyed the scene in the pharmacy with Maggie. Seeing the walker with its head dangling off by a few strands of muscle was great. This shoot out in the development was worthy of my respect as well. Shane at his best in his element and Andrea coming into her own on the weapons and gaining control of her emotions in a stressful situation. Very well-done. I like those two together. It would be nice to see some more cohesion between the members of the group like that.

So, what did Dr. Jenner say to Rick back at the CDC?

All in all, it was a very good episode.

Secrets

After watching this episode my heart is breaking for our hero Rick Grimes. After everything he has been through already here comes not one, but two massive blows.

Finding out your wife is pregnant during the zombie apocalypse would be bad enough but to then also find out that she slept with your man-whore of a best friend because she thought you were dead would be devastating. Poor Rick just takes it all in stride, he doesn't scream at her just asks a simple question: "The world went to shit and you thought I was dead right?" But Lori hesitated on answering this question. Maybe it's just me, maybe I look too much into things but I was wondering on what this pregnant pause (pun intended) meant? Were Lori and Shane having an affair prior to Rick getting shot? Does she realise what she could have lost and not want to tell him this part as it would be the last straw? Is that why she was so unhappy and caused an argument with him about nothing like we saw in the flashback? I don't know but it is definitely some food for thought.

I am so glad that Dale confronted Shane in this episode. About Otis and sighting his gun on Rick. Those two things had been bothering me as I knew Dale had caught on. Dale doesn't seem like the type to beat around the bush, so I am glad he didn't here. All though now I think he has to live in fear that Shane is going to turn him into barn bait. Shane and Andrea getting it on bugged me even though I saw it coming. I haven't had a problem with Shane, I just feel like he says what he wants to suit him. Like last week when he told Lori all that mattered to him was keeping her and Carl safe. Obviously, having a quickie with Andrea doesn't hurt his feelings any either. And yes I know Lori told him to move on but I don't believe he did. This was Shane being self-serving as always. As for Andrea, I am still mad at her for grazing Daryl last week. I see where they are trying to go with her character and Shane seems to keep on heading downward.

As for Glenn and Maggie, I wish she would stop being so mean to him. You'd think she was in grade school the way she love/hates on him. But I guess Glenn likes the abuse. Can't be too picky during the end of the world anyway, am I right?

Even though Lori made a bad decision when she thought Rick was dead, I hope Rick forgives her and they stay together. I feel like she loves and respects him because he is a reasonable, law-abiding, upstanding man. Even though some of those things cause him to make decisions that get on her nerves. She knows he does what is right for everyone, her and Carl included.

Season 2, Episode 6 Promo - "Secrets"

And here is the sneak peak as well ;-)



Post your thoughts and predictions for this episode below in the comments section!

Season 2, Episode 5 Promo - "Chupacabra"

Here is the promo for next weeks episode. Look who happens to make an appearance again near the end!

My Thoughts on episode 4 'Cherokee Rose' *SPOILERS*

Just finished watching episode 4 for the second time and I thought I would share some of my thoughts on it.

Firstly, it is good to see Carl is all better now. I know a lot of viewers really didn't want to see Carl die, and to be honest I thought it was pretty obvious he was going to pull through, which is exactly what he did.

Secondly, moving onto Shane again. It is obvious he is struggling with what he did to Otis, you can tell in nearly every scene when he is on screen. He really is an excellent actor and I think he is doing a fantastic job playing the part! The opening to episode 4 when Shane spoke on Otis's behalf was extremely convincing. Also the scene with Andrea where he is talking about turning off the switch in your head that deals with your emotions. It is fairly obvious that Shane was talking about Otis there!

Thirdly, the zombie in the well, or as I call it the Boomer (you will know what I mean by this if you have played the Left 4 Dead games). That thing was a mess! It has obviously been stuck down in that well for a hell of a long time. The way it split open after getting pulled out was awesome! Shame it completely ruined their ideas of getting it out without contaminating all the water. Although the way T-Dog killed it shows he is possibly developing into a stronger, more violent character. This would be good if so because up until now T-Dog has been shown to be one of the weakest in the group.

Fourthly, Glen got lucky! Oh yeah, the asian kid managed to hit it off with Maggie the farmers daughter in what was a fairly awkward but hilarious scene. Poor Glen was so caught up in the moment that he had no idea what to say.

Fifthly, lets move onto everyone's favorite character, Daryl Dixon. Wasn't he just an amazing character in this episode, oh wait he is like that in every episode, my bad! The cherokee rose that he brought back for Carol was just so thoughtful, along with the story he told her to try and comfort her a little. Who would have pictured Daryl having a soft side like this back when we first got introduced to him in season 1, not me that's for sure!

Finally, Lori Grimes and the pregnancy test. So now we know that Lori is pregnant, and we can tell by her reaction that she is extremely upset by this. To be honest I saw this coming way back in episode 2 of season 1 when we first got introduced to the fact that Lori and Shane are having an affair after they had sex in the woods. Lori is now obviously regretting this a great deal, especially since Rick is back on the scene and alive. How long til everyone else finds out her secret?

Episode 4 Tonight, Excited?

Not long to go now fans, episode 4 'Cherokee Rose' is upon us. Are you excited? I know I sure am!

What are you hoping for from this episode? Do you think they will get any more clues to Sophia's whereabouts, if she is still alive that is. What about Shane and his shaven head, will questions be asked and doubts be raised over that?

Post your predictions, comments and thoughts below and let us know what you think tonight's episode will bring :-)

Catch a sneak peak below ;-)

Season 2, Episode 4 Promo - "Cherokee Rose"

Here is the promo for episode 4 of season 2, titled "Cherokee Rose" Enjoy!



It looks like a boomer from Left 4 Dead at 27 seconds in, who agrees with me?

Episode 3 - Save The Last One

Save The Last One

I just got round to watching episode 3 of season 2 "Save the last one" and I must say I am shocked!

It was as usual a brilliant episode, that took a very dark turn near the end. If you have seen the episode you will know what I mean. My question to you is, would you have done what Shane did? I really didn't see that coming. As soon as it happened my thoughts towards Shane changed and I can honestly say I no longer like him a great deal...

As you can see I am trying  not to give away too much because I know there is still a lot of people who have not got round to watching it yet, so I am trying to keep it 'spoiler free' so to speak :P

Leave your comments below regarding what you thought of this episode. Where you as shocked as me?

Episode 3 Out Tonight, Excited?

Episode 3 of season 2 is on tonight, are you excited? If not here is the promo video again to get you hyped up!



What do you think will happen in this episode?

Episode 3 Promo - Save The Last One!

Here is the promo video of next weeks episode, I can't wait!

Inside The Walking Dead Cast - Season 2

Check this awesome video out, really gives you a much better insight into each of the characters!

Opinions?

The Walking Dead Season 2 Trailer

I love how much of a bad ass Shane looks when he's shooting off with that shotgun, shame that entire scene never made it's way into the season.