"The Walking Dead" Season Five Special Event

I am hardly surprised by the general excitement surrounding this coming Sunday night's Season 5 premiere episode of AMC's massive genre hit, "The Walking Dead." Nor am I in the least surprised by my personal excitement. The consistently excellent writing (yes, even Season 2), acting and production values on the cable original all combine for a show that (love it or hate it) will certainly go down in the annals of Television History (as long as such things exist, anyway) for so many reasons.

If you were with me back then, I would re-cap and comment on each episode during Season One and some of Two. I sort of miss doing that, but don't have the time to do so, anymore. But I still love the show and realize that Season Five is a milestone and I want to commemorate that for a couple of reasons.*

Sunday, October 12th from 9:30 PM Eastern to 11:05 PM Eastern, Uncle P will be Live Tweeting leading up to the premiere and during commercials! It will be the only episode I'll watch in real time this season (or maybe the season finale if this goes well - we'll see...). I hope I have enough to talk about! 

Don't already follow me on Twitter? You should. @Caliban761. 

*All of this, I think, is part of a new enthusiasm inspired by several recent events in Uncle P's life that are pretty much the exact opposite of the events around the same time last year (more on that in my next post). My 'New Normal' continues to become a more level and increasingly positive place that makes me want to get back to writing and expressing myself more. When I thought of doing the Live Tweet thing, I got excited about writing again and I can't wait to see what happens! Hope to see you on Twitter on Sunday night. I'll try not to be too spoilery!

More, anon.
Uncle P

TV Review: "Z Nation"

SyFy, in an effort to compete with AMC's blockbuster "The Walking Dead," has debuted their own zombie series, "Z Nation." Set 3 years after the Zombie Apocalypse, "Z Nation" concerns the efforts to get the only known bite-survivor to a virology lab in California to use his blood to develop a vaccine. The survivor in question is a non-willing prisoner participant in a trial study which killed everyone else it was tried on. Meanwhile, at a remote polar military installation, a lone soldier who calls himself  'Citizen Z,' tries to coordinate the effort to get that survivor where he needs to be.

Two episodes in and I can assure you that AMC has nothing to worry about from this shoddily-produced effort. Cheesy CGI, ridiculous dialog and some truly terrible acting are the culprits, despite featuring some seasoned veterans like DJ Squalls (The Abyss), cutie Keith Allen and star Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do; An American Werewolf in Paris). Allen, looking particularly scruffy and beat, is the survivor, Sqaulls is Citizen Z and Scott is the guy who has to get him to CA after the guy who was supposed to get him there ("Lost" alum Harold Perrineau) is killed in the pilot (oops - not too much of a spoiler - though to be honest, he was probably smart to collect that paycheck and move on). The rest of the cast is made up of folks you probably have seen before, but wouldn't be able to name if a gun was held to your head. 

Created by Eric Bernt (Romeo Must Die) and consequently written by a passel of writers with mostly minor credits, "Z Nation" squanders whatever potential it may have had on really bad makeup and CGI effects that look like they were made on a teenager's MacPro. Personally, I've seen better zombie makeup on my local Trick or Treaters. Most of the cast look like they know they are in a crappy show and seem almost apologetic for it. What a shame...

Unlike SyFy's better original series ("Battlestar Gallactica;" "Warehouse 13;" "Haven"), I really don't see a full five seasons out of "Z Nation." And that's probably not a bad thing. Most of these folks have better things to do with their time and talents. I certainly have better things to spend my time watching, as do you.

0 Stars Out of Four.

"Z Nation" airs Friday nights at 10 on SyFy and is repeated throughout the week, should you have nothing better to do (though I have to imagine - and hope - you must).



Zombie fans should stick with "The Walking Dead," which is about to begin it's fifth season on AMC.



My sister and I (along with many others) can't wait!

More, anon.
Prospero

TV Review: "The Walking Dead" Season 4

Where's Beth?

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! If you're not caught up, don't read this post.

Among my many friends, family members and coworkers who are fans of AMC's "The Walking Dead," the consensus seems to be that Season 4 has been the best since Season 1 and I must say that I whole-heartedly agree. 

Season 2 was a slow (albeit necessary) build to an astonishing finale, establishing plenty of relationships between the many characters and culminating in a rather distressing end, sending it's survivors back into the wilderness and giving us the first glimpse of the comics' fan-fave character, Michonne. Season 3 was spent exploring the haunted-house horrors of the prison; the seeming banal horrors of Woodbury and introducing the Governor, who (as evil and twisted as he was) is probably one of the lessor villains in the comics. 

Season 4 started out with a glimpse into what the Governor went through after Woodbury was lost; how Rick and Carl redeemed their humanity and the battle against a viral infection that both decimated the prison population and resulted in Carol being expelled by Rick. The mid-season finale was nothing less than devastating. Hershel was killed by the Governor/Phillip/Brian and the prison overrun with Walkers. Rick's group was separated and scattered and it was anyone's guess as to when and if they might reunite. Then came the amazing 'Back 8,' in which our heroes and heroines spent time trying to find one-another, resulting in some amazing character and relationship developments. Rick first encounters the 'Claimers;' Carl and Michonne bond; Daryl and Beth bond; Carol and Tyreese bond and Glenn meets Abraham and Eugene. As events played out, Carol discovers that young Lizzie has lost her mind (ending in a rather devastating episode); Beth is kidnapped by an unknown assailant (who I am guessing is The Reverend - a character from the comics we have yet to meet); and all of the survivors are drawn to Terminus, a place found only in the video game.

Personally, I can't imagine a more satisfying season. Back-stories told; conflicts resolved (while new ones arose) and the creepiest place we've seen since Rick first awoke in the hospital all led up to the best season of "The Walking Dead" yet. There were some of the series' best performances by the exceptionally talented cast, combined with some awesome special effects; intense Walker kills (Michonne and the Walker on the post); lots back-stories the fans needed to see and several of the show's best cliff-hangers yet. Trapped in a railroad boxcar in the VERY creepy Terminus (Mary!), Rick has once again found the warrior within ("They screwed with the wrong people!"). And don't even get me started on the neck-biting and attempted child-rape in the finale.

Waiting six months to find out what happens next is anguishing, but understandable. Shooting on Season 5 is scheduled to start later this month. October seems so far away. At least the summer promises the return of  "Falling Skies" and the final season of "Warehouse 13"  for genre addicts like Uncle P... 

***1/2 (Three and a Half Stars Out of Four).




If you're half the fan of this show as Uncle P and his sister, you are chomping at the bit for Season 5!

More, anon,
Prospero

I. Can't. Wait.

Click Image to Enlarge

FOX's "Sleepy Hollow" was a happy surprise for both myself and many people I know, and while I am looking forward to several other new shows this season there are a few returning favorites that have me absolutely chomping at the bit to see. 

First up is Ryan Murphy's amazingly-creative-and-creepy television experiment's third season which starts on October 9th. "American Horror Story: Coven." is set in both contemporary New Orleans and Historical Salem, exploring yet another Horror trope with what looks like another season of amazing; puzzling; creepy; original and arresting visuals, story lines, characters and performances from a cast that makes me just a little more excited than a man my age should ever get over a TV show. Returning are the astonishing Jessica Lange; Lily Rabe; Francis Conroy; Taissa Farmiga; Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters. And joining them are some powerhouse talents: Angela Bassett; Kathy Bates (!!); Christine Ebersole (!!) Emma Roberts; Danny Houston (!!) and Pattie effng Lupone (!!!!!). Add a war between Good & Evil Witches to the potential for exponential insanity and you have yourself what has so far been one of the best and most provocative genre series, ever.

Here are all seven Season 3 teasers:



And the first Season 3 promo with dialog, "School:"

And I don't think I need to say how much I am anticipating the Season Four premiere of AMC's "The Walking Dead" (the producers of which just announced a spin-off - oh, excuse me: "Companion" series - for 2014). While I will happily admit that Season Three was better than Season Two, neither was as good as the amazing Season One.It seems like the producers are listening to the fans and upped the ante this season. My mother is actually antsy for it's return.

NBC's dark-humored fantasy "Grimm" ended with our beautiful intrepid hero zombified while in the clutches of a voodoo priest. A co-worker whom I truly adore watches because her husband watches and calls it "The Grimm." It's another show Mom surprisingly loves - and I love that she's finally come to appreciate quality genre works. She was a huge "Fringe" and "Lost" fan and I'm so glad she's expanded her horizons. We know Nick is going to escape and recover from whatever Baron Samedi has done to him, but that's hardly the point. It's clever and campy and imaginative with a terrific ensemble cast and usually well-executed (and often hilarious) CGI transformation FX. But like any good show, story is king and the mythology is both well-constructed and unfolding in a way that makes complete sense. But most importantly, "Grimm" never takes itself too seriously, which helps to make it both endearing and interesting.

Outside of Genre shows, I am also looking forward to the return of CBS's Law and Politics drama, "The Good Wife." Another dream cast of exceptionally talented actors and a brilliant writing team make "The Good Wife" so worth DVR'ing. 

There are a few others I'm looking forward to seeing return and at least one or three I don't understand why they are returning at all. There are also lots of new shows this season that I'll write about the next time I write about TV (which will probably be soon).

In the meantime, what shows are you excited to see returning this fall?

More, anon.

Prospero

8 Sundays

That's right. There are only two months to go before the return of television's most audacious drama "The Walking Dead." Immeasurably better than Season 2, Season 3 ended with the defeat of  the Governor; the death of Andrea (as much as I hated what she had become as a character, I still hated that she went, as well as how. Andrea was once much smarter than that); the death of Lori (happy the idiot is gone, but sad for Rick and the baby); the death and reanimation and destruction (at the hands of his own brother) of Merle and the incorporation of the survivors from Woodbury into the prison. Every single character was tested last season. Not all of them passed.

The teasers and interviews and con panels all promise not only deadlier (faster? hungrier?) Walkers but a new threat that is neither human nor Walker. Huh? I'm guessing the return of bubonic plague. Or cholera. Or maybe the whole thing will turn out to a live-action version of 'Oregon Trail' and they'll all die of dysentery. 

Regular readers know that "The Walking Dead" is one of my Malaprop Mom's favorite shows, hooked when I basically told her she had to watch the pilot when I re-watched it on DVR the next day. This helped open the floodgates, paving the way for "Falling Skies" and "Grimm" (all of which have some very interesting characters who grow and change with the plot lines). 

An acquaintance, who shall remain unnamed and only somewhat shamed, told me thought the failure of World War Z meant the end of the genre. I laughed and pointed toward not only the unprecedented success of "The Walking Dead," but any number of other upcoming zombie projects. World War Z failed for the same reasons most of this summer's movies failed: Lack of story and characters no one cares about. And I've always thought adapting Brooks' rather clinical novel was an exercise in futility. The ravenous flesh-eating 'Romero' zombie will be around as long as horror movies, doing what horror movies do best: remind us of how much worse our lives could be. Oh, glorious schadenfreude! And maybe too, they remind us to not let ourselves go dead inside, something too many people seem to do these days.

Uncle P and more than a few people he knows are all chomping at the bit, counting down to the big chow-down on October 13th. The official trailer (which I'm too lazy to bother checking to see if I've posted it before, so I'm posting it anyway) is pretty intense.

What did Tyreese see? And while Big Spot! may be a thinly disguised version of Big!Lots, I imagine those would probably be among the last stores looted along with any number of dollar stores. And who are all these new former Woodburians? Are the Walkers getting smarter, or just hungrier? Won't the Walkers just eventually rot away? Honestly, I'm just looking for a rousing and exciting season to rival Season 1. Here's a little bit of behind-the-scenes with cast commentary:

More, anon.

Prospero

4.5 Minutes of Intensity and Genius

I know, I know. Anyone who cares has probably already seen this. In fact, I'm not even sure where I foumd it - probably via Facebook on the 'I Love The Walking Dead' page. It doesn't matter, really, anymore.

What matters is how amped up Season 4 seems to be, at least from the ComicCon trailer embedded below. To this I say: "HELL YES!!"

If you know me at all, you know I love horror movies and especially zombie movies. And I cannot wait until AMC's "The Walking Dead" regains the top spot on my Top Ten TV Dramas list this year (if I end up doing one... who the heck knows, anymore?). TWD's astonishing 6-episode Season One was truly ground-breaking television and deserved every accolade afforded it. Season Two was... slow, I suppose (hey - even "Lost" had Nicki and Paolo), but built to a very intense second half. Season Three was better than Two, but not up to Season One's quality, which I ascribe to the firing of series creator (and the single best film interpreter of the works of Stephen King), Frank Darabont.

Now under the direction of chief make-up designer Greg Nicotero, the folks at AMC certainly seem to have listened to the fans and considerably  raised the stakes for Season Four. Why do I doubt the trailer's final message? See for yourselves (and watch Full Screen):

Damn! I don't know who is more upset about waiting until October: Uncle P; My Sister; My Mother; My Coworker; My Other Coworker; My College Friend or My College Friend's Daughter. It doesn't matter because even after 3 seasons, I am stupefied by the fact that TWD (along with several other Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi shows) is Mom's favorite TV drama. She may not always understand the supernatural/Sci-Fi elements in many of these shows, but she sure appreciates compelling characters and exciting story-telling. The apple doesn't fall far... though it seems I've actually turned her opinion about genre entertainment, even if I have to explain it to her at length.  But that's not a bad thing at all.

More, anon.

Prospero

Sick

"Sick" picks up right where "Seed" left off as Rick amputates Hershel's lower leg while five surviving prisoners watch, unsure of what's happening. Glenn grabs a wheeled serving table and as the men rush Hershel back to Cell Block 3, the survivors follow them. Led by an obviously unstable Latino with a gun left to him by the guard who locked them in the cafeteria, the surviving prisoners demand to know what's going on. As Carol and the others try to stop Hershel's bleeding, Rick explains to the five what's happened outside. Eventually, they come to an agreement: the men will share half their food in exchange for Rick and company clearing a cell block for them.

They head out into the prison and Rick explains what needs to be done to kill the Walkers. Of course, as soon as they come upon some, the five go nuts, ignoring Rick's advice. Rick, TBone and Daryl just watch as the men attack the Walkers in all the wrong ways. One of the prisoners, 'Big Tiny,' backs away from the fight, only to be cornered by two Walkers. He takes out one, but another, tearing its hand loose from the handcuffs he wears, manages to bite Tiny on the back before the Latino guy shoots it. While arguing about what to do with Tiny, the Latino attacks him, brutally beating his brains in. Rick and Daryl agree to take the Latino out if he causes any problems.

Meanwhile, Carl shows up with a bag full of medical supplies, telling Lori and Carol that he made his way to the infirmary on his own, taking out two Walkers along the way. When Lori castigates him for going off alone, Carl lips off to her; "Get off my back!" Beth yells at him for talking so disrespectfully to his mother and Carl takes off in a huff. Carol has managed to slow Hershel's bleeding and Glenn handcuffs Hershel to the bed, in case he dies and comes back. 

In the prison laundry, Rick throws the keys to the Latino, who balks at opening a set of doors behind which Walkers are growling hungrily. When Rick insists, telling him to open only one door, the Latino opens both and throws a Walker on Rick. Luckily, Daryl takes that Walker out and after they have killed the Walkers, the Latino says "Sorry. He was coming at me." Rick says "Stuff happens" and promptly takes the Latino out with a machete to his head. One of the three remaining prisoners takes off with Rick in pursuit while prisoner Axel begs for his life and his friend Oscar says "I've never begged for my life. Do what you gotta do." The running prisoner ends up in a courtyard full of Walkers and Rick closes the door on him, leaving him to his fate.

Carol and Glenn head out to find a Walker on whom she can practice Cesarian surgery, as she fears Hershel will no longer be able to assist in Lori's birth. Maggie asks for time alone with her father, telling him it's okay to let go. When he stops breathing, Lori administers CPR and Hershel revives, scaring them into thinking he's come back as a Walker. 

Rick, TBone and Daryl lead Axel and Oscar to a cleared cell block, telling them that if they so much as smell them near their people, they will will be killed. Rick and company return to Cell Block 3, where Hershel awakes, apparently having survived the amputation. Later, Lori and Rick meet outside where Lori tries to apologize for being a bad wife, while Rick touches her for the first time months, saying "We're all grateful for what you did," in reference to saving Hershel. In the yard, as Carol practices surgery on the Walker she and Glenn killed, someone (or something) watches from afar.

So, what have we learned? Rick is clearly concerned about losing his humanity, though Lori insists that she knows he's still a good man. Quick action on Rick's part may well have saved Hershel from the fever that usually follows a Walker bite. Rick obviously has no problem killing to protect those about whom he cares. Carl is still a willful little brat who thinks his new-found bravado will protect him, while Maggie and Glenn are obviously growing closer. Carol, while stronger than ever, still has some trepidations about her ability to help Lori deliver her baby. But just who (or what) was watching her perform 'surgery' on the Walker?

From the trailer, it seems that next week's episode will focus on Andrea, Michonne and the Governor, who is apparently not a very nice person.

More, anon.
Prospero

Seed

Season 3 of AMC's "The Walking Dead" opens several months after the Seasson 2 finale in which the barn burned down and Hershel's farm was overrun with Walkers. Our intrepid band of survivors enter a home, taking out the Walkers inside and looking for whatever food they can find. Daryl kills and plucks an owl roosting in an upstairs bedroom while Carl finds a few canned items in the kitchen. But before they can enjoy their finds, Walkers move in and the group moves on. 

Stopping to reconnoiter, Daryl and Rick head out to hunt ("That owl didn't exactly hit the spot"), finally discovering the prison hinted at in the last episode and Rick formulates a plan. Rick, Glen, Daryl, TBone and Maggie slip inside the outer yard as the others distract the Walkers. Eventually the Walkers in the yard are all destroyed and the group spends the night in the relative safety of the yard, where Hershel suggests they could plant tomatoes, corn and soy beans. Beth and Maggie sing "Parting Glass" around the fire, while Rick formulates a plan to take over the prison as a safe refuge. It soon becomes clear that Rick and the very pregnant Lori have not overcome the problem of her baby's uncertain fatherhood and Carl has not yet forgiven his father for having to 'kill' Shane.

Elsewhere, Michonne (who has yet to be named) sneaks into a pharmacy, killing three Walkers (two with one stroke of her sword) and snatching up a packet of aspirin.

The next day, the group moves into the inner perimeter of the prison, taking out dozens of Walkers in hand-to-hand combat. Several of the Walkers are prison guards in riot gear and have to be taken out under their helmets. When Rick pulls a gas mask off of one them, it's face literally comes off with the mask, leaving a snarling, chomping skull behind. Eventually, they make their way into a cell block that is full of dead bodies, but free or Walkers. The group settles in to the cell block, though Daryl is uncomfortable sleeping in a 'cage' and Carl appears to have a crush on Beth.

Returning to the bar where she has her armless and jawless Walkers confined, Michonne delivers the aspirin to an obviously sick Andrea, who admonishes Michonne for staying to take care of her. We must assume that Andrea has some kind of flu, though it isn't made clear. Michonne asserts "We'll leave in a few days," while Andrea says "If we stay, I'll die."

In the morning, Lori is scared because the baby has stopped moving and worries that it is already dead and may rip its way out. Hershel tries to allay her fears and Rick; Hershel; TBone; Glenn; Daryl and Maggie head deeper into the prison in search of food and an infirmary. Glenn marks their way with spray-paint arrows on the walls. When they encounter a mob of Walkers and attempt to escape, Hershel is bitten on the calf and the group is forced into what appears to be the prison cafeteria. Rick finds no other way to save Hershel than to amputate his leg with an ax. 

Michonne and Andrea (and Michonne's 'pet' Walkers) head out from the bar's receiving dock, cautiously making their way through what looks like an abandoned lumber yard.

Back at the prison, where Rick has just cut off Hershel's leg, TBone notices a group of figures behind a chain-link wall, which they assume are Walkers, but who turn out to be several living survivors who are just as surprised to see them.

Filled with loads of zombies, 'Seeds' showed just how callous the group has become about taking out the Walkers. Even the formerly meek Carol and Beth have no problem stabbing Walkers in their heads. I can only imagine that the (as yet) undocumented winter have turned all of them into expert Walker killers and can't wait to find out how Michonne and Andrea have survived. And who are the people still alive in the prison? How have they survived and how will they effect and interact with the central characters? What's wrong with Andrea and how have she and Michonne bonded? And when and how will we meet 'The Governor?'

Here's a look at next week's episode, 'Sick:"

More, anon.
Prospero

17 Days and Counting

Sunday, October 14th. 

I'm still not sure how a television adaptation of a graphic novel about flesh-eating zombies (or 'walkers" as they are called in the books and the show) caught fire the way AMC's "The Walking Dead" has. It was risky from the start. 

Sure, zombies have been increasingly popular since George A. Romero created the genre in 1968. Still, many critics dismissed Romero's low-budget shocker. But it spoke loud and clear to a group of disenchanted young people who saw the living dead as an analogy for the 'establishment.' And by the time Romero released Dawn of the Dead in 1979, it was clear that he had a message to impart. 

Over the last 10 years or so, zombies have become more popular than ever, moving from a rather obscure sub-genre into the mainstream and Romero's message of "They are us" resonates with more people than ever before (especially given the current economic and political climate). And then there's the classic escapism provided by horror. "At least my life isn't that  horrible (though at the drop of a hat, it could be)."

But I think that at the heart of it all, despite the political and social commentary the genre provides, good story-telling and compelling characters are what drive great drama and "The Walking Dead" provides both in spades. Whether or not you hate Lori and/or Carl or love Daryl and Carol or you're just rooting for the return of Merle and the inclusion of the bad-ass Michonne; the show's fans have become fully invested in what happens next. And that's a testament to both the great writing and the amazing performances to which we are treated in each episode.

In any case, you can expect my usual Monday recap and commentary starting Monday, October 15th, along with my Shocktober post. 

More, anon.
Prospero

This Is Why...

AMC's daring and often brilliant The Walking Dead ranks as my number two show on TV. Season two was... interesting. And despite protests of the show taking too long to get going, you can't deny that the last three or so episodes were nothing less than spectacular. 

Somehow, a certain red-headed auto-enthusiast scooped me on the Season 3 trailer that was presented at the "Walking Dead" Comic-Con panel. But I've stolen it from him (I know he won't mind) and posted it, below.

The other day, while watching "Falling Skies" with my mother, I said "I can't believe that two of your favorite shows are Science Fiction and Horror."

"What Horror?" she asked, puzzled.

"'The Walking Dead,' silly."

"Oh, that's not Horror. That's drama."

And of course, she's right. If I were to say the word "sub-genre" to her, Mom would cock her head and be off thinking about something else entirely. For her to be able to lump in her beloved procedurals; hospital dramas; law firm dramadies and cooking shows alongside "The Walking Dead;" "Falling Skies" and "Fringe," is nothing less than amazing to me (though I often have to explain what's happening on "Fringe" - a show she likes, but isn't quite sure why, Of course, she even surprised herself by falling in love with "The Walking Dead" almost against her wishes. Yes, I sort of forced her to watch that first astonishing episode and she was, like millions of people, desperate to know what happened next. 

TV's most ambitious thriller, ever, returns this October.  Excuse me for drooling.

More, anon.
Prospero

Zombie-licious!

Michael Rooker as Merle Dixon on AMC's "The Walking Dead"

Okay - enough with The Theatre (for now, anyway). Let's talk about Zombies (one of Uncle P's favorite topics), shall we?

First off, AMC has released the first photos which confirm the return of Michael Rooker as Merle in Season 3 of "The Walking Dead." Merle was last actually seen in Season 1, handcuffed to a rail on the roof of an Atlanta department store (he made a minor appearance as his brother Daryl's hallucination in Season 2). Merle's amputated hand was later found by Rick and company, but they had no idea if he had actually survived. From the looks of the photo on the left, he did. I can't wait to find out where he's been and what he had to do to survive. I'm also interested in seeing how he and his brother Daryl will reconcile their relationship with the people who essentially left Merle to die on that rooftop.

In other Zombie news, my friends know (and mostly approve of) my obsession with the cannibalistic resurrected dead, and share some hilarious things with me on Facebook. Fellow Secular Humanist Diana M shared this image with Uncle P, today:

It combines Zombie imagery with one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, and I love it. Though I can't decide if it should be called 'Soup Zombie' or 'Brains Nazi.' What do you think?

Finally, appearing on CNN's satellite network HLN today, was a story about ammunition manufacturer Hornady who has introduced a new line of ammo intended for use against Zombies only. What? Ridiculous, you say? Well, I must agree with you. As I blogged just a few days ago, there are no (and never will be) real Zombies, despite recent and exploitative news which may seem to the contrary. Hornady is simply taking advantage of recent tragedies and many folks' overly obsessive fascination with Zombies to sell ammunition to people who don't actually need it. Is any rational person really anticipating the Zombie Apocalypse? Yes, AMC may be offering a Zombie obstacle course as part of their San Diego Comic-Con experience, but come on.

Okay - I may love Hornady's hilarious disclaimer at the end of that clip, but seriously... If you are purchasing ammunition in anticipation of the Zombie Apocalypse, I recommend that you seek out a the services of a competent psychotherapist or psychologist immediately, if not sooner. As I've said before, ZOMBIES ARE NOT REAL! Nor will they ever be, despite the actions of a few depraved individuals who may or may not be under the influence of one or more of any number of chemical intoxicants. As for cannibals... well, that's another topic for another post.

More, anon.
Prospero

"Better Angels"

Walker Shane (Jon Bernthal)

SPOILERS BELOW:

So, the season's penultimate episode opened with Rick delivering Dale's eulogy. Carl cried, feeling guilty (as he should - that little brat needs to learn to listen to his elders). Hershel decided to finally move the group into the house and Rick went back to his original plan of driving Randall far away and releasing him. Naturally, this didn't sit too well with Shane, who had been advocating Randall's execution from the time Rick, Hershel and Glenn brought him back to the farm.

While attempting to move Dale's RV closer to the house, Andrea and Glenn take a moment to grieve and assess, while Maggie doesn't understand why Glenn doesn't want to move into her room ("With your Dad right here in the house?"). Carl confesses to Shane that it's his fault that Dale is dead, because he didn't shoot the Walker when he had the chance. He gives Daryl's gun to Shane and asks him to return it. Meanwhile, Daryl reinforces a possible escape route on top of the shed as Randall works furiously to get free from his chains. Shane builds a lookout on the windmill and Lori forces him to talk to her, admitting she doesn't know who is the father of her baby.

Shane then goes to Rick and tells him he needs to talk to his boy, while still bemoaning the plan to release Randall, though he offers to accompany Daryl on the trip in Rick's stead. Rick tells him "I need you here." Rick then goes off in search of Carl, who is keeping watch in the barn loft. Rick gives Daryl's gun back to Carl, telling him he wished Carl "could have the childhood I had." Shane then visits Randall in the barnand comes very close to killing him. As Rick and Daryl prepare to leave, T-Dog goes to get Randall, only to discover that he is gone.

Shane has Randall deep in the woods and convinces him that he wants to join Randall's group. "I'm done with this group." he tells him. But once Randall revealed the last known location of his group, Shane snaps his neck, bashes his face against a tree and then returns to farm with a story of being caught by surprise and smashed in the face by a rock-wielding Randall. The alarm is raised and Rick, Shane, Daryl and Glenn set off in search of the 'escaped' Randall.

Daryl and Glenn come across evidence of a fight and Shane's blood on a tree-trunk. Just as they are getting suspicious, they are set upon by Walker Randall. Glenn takes Randall out with a knife to the skull and Daryl realizes that he died from a broken neck, rather than another Walker's bite and they begin to put two and two together. 

Shane and Rick find themselves in a secluded glen, where Rick finally figures out what's going on. Shane pulls his gun as Rick puts his away and Rick tries to convince Shane to not shoot him. Rick, always the rationalist, tells Shane he'll be killing an unarmed man as he slowly hands Shane his gun. At the last moment, Rick pulls his knife and stabs Shane, crying "Damn you for making me do this, Shane! This is you! Not me! Not me!" Shane's gun goes off, but no one is hit. Rick screams and howls and carries on as Shane dies. Carl appears and as Rick approaches him, Carl draws Daryl's gun. Thinking Carl means to shoot him, Rick approaches, readying another speech. But Carl shoots, taking out Walker Shane just before he reaches his father.

Of course, all this noise has attracted the attention of dozens of Walkers in the woods and we are left with Rick and Carl heading toward the farm as the Walkers approach.

Whew! I knew Shane was going to die. And it happened in much the same way as in the graphic novels, only a bit later than in that storyline. I was almost surprised that Shane killed Randall. I almost believed he was going to actually take up with Randall's group, though I knew he couldn't just leave Lori, especially after she told him that she didn't know whose baby she was carrying. Of course, it seems obvious that the group will now have to leave the farm, either with or without Hershel (though I suspect it will be without, given next week's preview). It seems fitting that Season 2 should end like Season 1, with the group back on the road in search of a safe haven. I'm just hoping that next week's finale will finally reveal what Jenner whispered in Rick's ear, what seems so long ago at the CDC.

More, anon.
Prospero

TV Review: "Judge Jury Executioner"

Carl Wusses Out

Having only seen this week's episode of "The Walking Dead" tonight, it's much too late for a simple recap, so I thought I'd review this game-changing episode, instead. Still, if you haven't seen it, SPOILERS LIE AHEAD!

"Judge Jury Executioner" was one of the most brutal episodes yet, starting with Daryl beating information out of Randall and ending with... well, I'll get there.  A mini-recap, first.

Rick, second-guessing himself (as usual) has sided with Shane in the decision to execute Randall. Dale, the group's Jiminy Cricket asks Rick to hold off until he's talked to everyone about this. An-almost defeated Hershel defers to Rick, more concerned with retrieving some escaped cattle. Meanwhile, Carl has confused bravery with bravado. He visits Randall, despite being told not to, and after stealing Daryl's gun, has a near-fatal encounter with a mud-stuck Walker. As sunset draws near, Dale keeps pleading for Randall's life, despite the fact that everyone else (except Andrea) appears to be in favor of execution. "I don't want to live in a world like this," Dale says. "I want no part of it." He storms off in to the growing darkness as Shane, Rick and Daryl escort Randall to the barn where they plan to kill him. Rick has his gun pointed to Randall's head when Carl appears. "Do it, Dad! Do it!" A horrified Rick relents (much to Shane's dismay) and Randall is returned to the shed. After Rick and Carl return to camp with the news that Randall is not going to die, Andrea sets out in search of Dale, to relay the good news. Dale, stomping angrily through the fields, comes across a dying cow that has obviously been ravaged by one of more Walkers. As Dale turns around, the Walker that Carl let live is upon him, tearing open his stomach before help can arrive. Carl can't look and Rick can't shoot, so it is up to Shane Daryl to do the right thing. 

Wow. Powerful stuff in this episode, with some powerful moments. Carol finally showed some spine and Daryl proved he hasn't completely abandoned the 'broken' group. Personally, I'm waiting for Lori or Carl to kick it, because I've really come to hate their characters. And I must admit that the scene in which Hershel gave his grandfather's watch to Glen got me little misty-eyed. Tense moments, poignant performances and some very smart writing made "Judge Jury Executioner" the season's best episode, yet. **** (Four Out FourStars).

I hope all the folks who nay-sayed the first half of this season are enjoying their humble pie. With less than a handful of episodes left (and the already-spoiled death of another major character yet to come), I am excited to see where television's 2nd best show is headed. Here's a look at next week's episode:

More, anon.
Prospero

"Triggerfinger"

Steven Yeun as Glen

No one can say that "The Walking Dead" isn't exciting anymore, especially after last night's episode. As always, SPOILERS AHEAD.

As Lori lay unconscious in the wrecked car with a Walker gnawing its way through the broken windshield, Rick, Glen and Hershel are preparing to leave the bar where they have just killed Jimmy and Tony. But a car pulls up outside and three men get out in search of the now-dead duo, trapping them in the bar.

Lori awakes, just as the Walker breaks through the windshield. She searches for the gun she brought along, but finds a screwdriver which she jams into the Walker's eye. Once out of the car, she attacked from behind by another Walker. This time she finds the gun and takes the Walker out with a single shot.

Back at the farm, the group realizes Lori is missing when she doesn't join them for dinner. Carol finds out from Daryl that Lori left in search of Rick and soon Shane is off in search of Lori. At the bar, Rick tries to get the three strangers outside to agree to a ceasefire, but it son becomes apparent that isn't going to happen. Rick hatches a plan in which Glen makes a run out the back for the car, as Hershel covers him. Glen is almost immediately fired upon and Hershel wounds the shooter, whose howls of pain soon attract dozens of Walkers. As the Walkers tear him apart, his companions decide to leave. Randall, who had taken up a sniper position on a nearby roof, jumps and impales his calf on a decorative fence post. His buddy takes off, leaving him to die. 

Carol tries to engage Daryl, but his grief over the death of Sophia manifests itself as anger and he wants nothing to do with her or the others. Shane finds Lori on the road and lies to her, telling her that Rick and the others have come back to the farm. When they arrive and she discovers the truth, Shane blurts out "I had to make sure you and the baby were safe," shocking everyone, especially Carl, who is hurt that his mother didn't tell him she was pregnant. Shane tells Lori that he loves her and Carl and what they had while she thought her husband was dead, was real. She rebuffs him again, though it was quite apparent that Shane believes the three of them should be together. 

Rick and company find the impaled Randall and attempt to free him, though Hershel advises the best thing to do is "put him down." Rick can't do it and convinces Hershel to amputate Randall's lower leg, but the noise has attracted even more Walkers. As Hershel and Glen head to the car, Rick violently yanks Randall's leg off the fence post.

The next morning, as Shane, Daryl and Andrea prepare to find the missing trio, Dale again tries to warn Andrea about how unstable he thinks Shane is. Andrea defends Shane, saying he's done more to keep the group alive than Rick. As they are about to head out, the trio returns with a blind-folded Randall in the backseat. They plan to nurse him back to health and then drive him out to the road and let him go, despite Shane's very vocal disapproval. After reminding Shane that the farm is still his, Hershel tends to the catatonic Beth while Glen admits to Maggie that his feelings for her got in the way of protecting Rick and Hershel. Alone again, Lori tells Rick she's afraid that Shane loves her and will do anything to make sure he gets her and the baby he thinks is his. 

As tensions continue to rise at the farm, I imagine things can only go from bad to worse. And now that we know there is another (apparently violent) group of survivors in the area, will it be long before they arrive at the farm to cause even more trouble? I don't imagine Shane will survive the season (especially since actor Jon Bernthal is reportedly being courted by show-creator Frank Darabont for a new series he's developing for a rival network). I do know that the second half of this season is a far cry from the relatively actionless first half and we're only two episodes in. A friend recently complained that the show is "... just a soap opera with zombies." Maybe. But what an intense soap-opera it is. Here's a sneak peak at next week's episode:

More, anon.
Prospero

Secrets

SPOILERS AHEAD...

To all those complaining that nothing has really happened this season, I hope "Secrets" shut you up.

After discovering the barn full of Walkers at the end of "Chupacabra," Glenn is too full of other people's secrets and his head is about to explode. As Lori and the now-recovered Carl are feeding chickens, Carl notes the chicks they are feeding have no mother. "Maybe she got eaten," he says. Lori looks at him and he nonchalantly says "Everything is just food for something else." Cut to Patricia breaking a chicken's legs and throwing it into a sack which she wheels out to the barn, dumping several crippled chickens down to the hungry Walkers trapped inside.

Maggie brings Glenn some peaches and jerky and he tells her he can't keep a secret. "I"m a terrible liar. I can't play poker..." She tells him he has to keep quiet. He shares the peaches with Dale and T-Bone. When T-Bone innocently asks "What's up?" Glenn nervously replies "Nothing. Nothing's up. Why?" When pressed by Dale, he spills the beans about both the barn Walkers and Lori's pregnancy. 

Andrea apologizes to Daryl for shooting him. Daryl forgives her. "You were trying to protect the group. But if you shoot me again, you better hope you kill me." Lori visits with Herchel, who tells her that he expects they'll be moving on now that Carl has recovered. She then confronts Rick, who tells he's working on a way to get them to stay.

Meanwhile, Shane is going to give shooting lessons to Andrea, Patricia, Beth and Jimmy. Carl asks Shane to teach him to shoot but Shane is reticent, especially when he discovers Carl has stolen a gun from Dale's RV. After a mildly heated discussion during which Rick convinces Lori that Carl should be able to defend himself and the group, they all head out to shoot bottles on a fence. Andrea proves to be a very apt student and she stays behind with Shane for an advanced lesson. Dale confronts Herchel about the Walkers in the barn, saying he discovered them while on a walk in the fields. Herchel asks for Dale's discretion, which is reluctantly granted.

Meanwhile, Glenn and Maggie ride back to the pharmacy to get more items requested by Lori. Maggie is attacked by a Walker, which Glen partially decapitates with a shelf and then finishes off with a wicked-looking blade. When they return to the farm, Maggie freaks out on Lori, throwing the Morning After pills Lori requested in her face and telling her that the next time she needs something, Lori should get it herself. Glenn follows Maggie after she storms off, and after kissing him, Maggie tells him "You're a leader, but none of them treat you like one. Dead guy in the well? Send Glenn." Poor Glenn has no idea just how Maggie feels about him, and her mixed signals are no help. While lunch is being cooked, Lori becomes ill at the smell of the meat and Dale tells her a story his wife's similar aversion during her pregnancy. He also tells her not to blame Glenn for spilling the beans: "The boy has no guile in him."

In the woods, Shane is trying to teach Andrea to shoot a moving target with little success. He pushes her too far and she storms off (there seemed to be quite a bit of storming off, this episode). He follows her in the car and gives her a roundabout apology before inviting her to accompany him to look for the still-missing Sophia in a nearby suburban neighborhood. Glenn returns to Lori and gives her a bag of prenatal vitamins, advising her that she shouldn't make the decision to abort the baby on her own. 

Deciding they need to search each house, Shane and Andrea enter one to discover a group of people who tried to barricade themselves inside, only to die there. They suddenly find themselves under attack by dozens of Walkers and Andrea discovers she can shoot a moving target target afterall. As they are driving back to the farm, Andrea is overcome with emotion and horniness, grabbing Shane's crotch lustily. He stops the car and she climbs on him, accidentally honking the horn as they bump uglies.

Lori swallows a bunch of Morning After pills, but realizes she can't go through with it and runs off into a field to force herself to throw them up. Andrea and Shane return and an obviously jealous Dale confronts Shane, telling him he should follow through with his plan to leave the group and indirectly accusing him of causing Otis' death "I wasn't there. But I was there when you aimed your gun at Rick!" Shane warns Dale, "I wouldn't shoot Rick. I love him like a brother. But what do think I would do to a man I didn't even like?" 

Rick returns to the tent where he finds the empty Morning After packets and seeks out Lori to confront her. Lori tells him she threw-up the pills, but can't bear the idea of bringing a baby into a world of fear and pain. Rick sees the baby as hope for the future, but presses her to tell him what else she might be holding back. She confesses to having slept with Shane, which he accepts because he knew both of them thought he was dead.

An emotionally and action-packed episode, "Secrets" leaves us hanging until February when I'm sure some questions will be answered, while more are asked. leaves us asking questions that may or may not be answered before themid-season break. What will Rick do when he discovers the Walkers in the barn? Will Sophia ever be found? If so, will she be alive? When the group leaves, the farm will Maggie join them? Are Shane and Andrea now an item, or was their car sex a one-time thing? And what will happen when the barn walkers escape (because you they will)? I'm so glad I was mistaken and that there's one more episode before the break.

More, anon.
Prospero

What Lies Ahead

Tonight saw the 90-minute Season Two premiere of AMC's amazing zombie apocalypse series "The Walking Dead" and I just couldn't wait until Monday to post my recap and comments. As always Here There Be Spoilers. Do not read ahead if you haven't seen tonight's episode.

At the end of Season One, Rick; Lori; Carl; Shane; T-Dog; Darrell; Dale; Andrea; Carol and Sophia were prepared to leave the about-to-explode CDC, just as Andrea and Dale emerged. In 'What Lies Ahead,' not everyone is happy to have been rescued, though the group is now heading for Fort Benning in the hope finding a living military presence there. As they pick their way through the stalled, wrecked and otherwise incapacitated traffic, the radiator hose on Dale's RV breaks and the group is forced to stop for repairs. 

As the group sets out to scavenge parts and supplies from the vehicles surrounding them, they are set upon by a 'herd' of walkers. Rick orders them to hide under the cars and for the most part, the ruse works. Of course, the mounting tension as the seemingly endless herd shuffled by was almost unbearable. Am I the only one who found himself holding his breath during this scene? T-Dog suffers a major wound to his arm and Darrell saves the both of them by hiding beneath the corpses of two actually dead people. Andrea, trying to rebuild her pistol after Shane cleaned it, is trapped in the RV's bathroom by a walker. Dale slips a screwdriver to her through the skylight, which she plunges into the zombie's eye. Just when it seemed all was clear, poor Sophia is discovered by a walker and she takes off down an embankment, pursued by two walkers. Rick immediately takes chase, hiding Sophia in the roots of a tree by a creek, while drawing the walkers away from her.

Meanwhile, tension is mounting between Shane and Lori and Carl has begun to notice. When Carl retrieves a cache of bladed weapons from a corpse in a car, he proudly displays his find to Shane who blatantly dismisses him in front of Lori. Confused, Carl takes the weapons to Dale as Lori admonishes Shane for being cruel to her son, which leads to a discussion about Shane's attempted rape of Lori at the CDC. 

Having dispatched the walkers who chased Sophia into the woods, Rick returns to the root cave only to find her missing. He enlists Darrell to help him search for the girl, but the trail goes cold as dark starts to descend. They return to the group with the intention of resuming their search in the morning. carol blames Rick for losing her daughter and fears Sophia won't survive a night alone in the woods. The next morning, as they prepare to continue the search, Dale refuses to give Andrea her gun and she admonishes him for forcing her to not commit suicide at the CDC along with Jennings and Jacqui. She joins the search party, resenting the fact that she still doesn't have a gun.

The party comes upon a tent in which they hope Sophia is hiding, only to find the body of a camper who "opted out." Darrell takes the man's gun and the continue on, led by the sound of a church bell. Inside the small church, they find three walkers seated in the pews but no Sophia. I immediately associated this scene with the zombies in Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," who gather at the mall because it's a place they used to go. Of course, no Baptist church would have a full crucifix behind the altar, as this one did. While there, Shane revealed to Lori that he was planning on leaving the group, which was overhead by Andrea, who asked to go with him. Carol prayed for forgiveness and the safe return of Sophia, while Rick prayed for yet another miracle to keep the survivors going. 

With no sign of Sophia, most of the group heads back to the highway and Lori admonishes all of the blame for looking to Rick for leadership and then blaming him for things beyond his control. Rick, Shane and Carl remain behind to continue the search. When they come upon a deer in the woods, Sane is tempted to shoot it, but Rick stops him as Carl approaches the deer, a symbol of hope for all of them. The deer is wary of the boy's approach, but doesn't flee as Carl gets closer. Suddenly, a shot rings out and both the deer and Carl are felled. 

Whew! A thrilling, compelling and exciting premiere which sets up the season almost as well as the pilot did. Will Shane and Andrea leave? Where is Sophia? Will Carl survive? Will T-Dog's wound lead to infection, death and zombification? And where is Darrell's brother Merle, who cut off his own hand to escape the walkers on the department store roof? Thankfully, we only have a week to wait for some of the answers, unlike the year we waited for Season Two.

More, anon.
Prospero

17 Days

Via Etsy Seller dougfx

On October 16th, AMC will premiere Season 2 of its groundbreaking zombie series, "The Walking Dead."  Fans know all the sturm und drang that followed the firing of showrunner Frank Darabount. But the Golden Globe nominated series seems to have weathered the storm and from all appearances, will continue to be the critically acclaimed show that made even Uncle P's mother (who, BTW, turned 70 this week - Happy Birthday, Mom!) love a show about zombies (no easy task, let me tell you).

New showrunner Glan Mazzara has promised to follow Darabount's lead and continue to provide fans with a high-quality show that's about so much more than just zombies. If you're not a zombie fan, and have not seen "The Walking Dead," I urge to check out Season 1. I'm not kidding when I say that the 2 hour premiere episode alone turned Mom, who always thought horror was silly, into a rabid fan who was actually disappointed that she had to wait almost an entire year for Season 2. And if the Season 2 trailer is any indication, the wait will have been well worth it. See for yourself (don't be a chicken - check it out):

I, for one (I'm guessing among many), can't wait.

More, anon.
Prospero