Here is the promo and both sneak peeks of episode 211 titled Judge, Jury, Executioner which airs next Sunday, the 4th March.
Daryl is extremely pissed with Randall, Rick is trying to keep his leadership in check, Shane seems to be planning something major and Dale is trying to keep whatever humanity is left alive.
Excited? Oh hell yeah!
Here is the Promo
Sneak Peek #1
Sneak Peek #2
Up until recently, the defining aspect of Hershel’s character has been his staunch belief that Walkers are in fact sick people who could potentially be cured some day. Although he has come away from that way of thinking following the barn incident, the idea of a cure is one worth pondering. On the surface, finding a cure would seem to be the best possible outcome of such a terrible situation. People no longer having to live fear. Walkers becoming human again. The world beginning to rebuild itself to some fraction of its former glory. However, this idealistic vision thinly veils what truly would be a horrific reality.
The most basic problem is the severe deterioration Walker bodies undergo in the time since they have died and been reanimated. Millions of former Walkers would be short digits, limbs, chunks of flesh from all over their bodies. The best case scenario is the group who could live without the parts they are missing. The worst case scenario are all the ones who would suffer in agonizing pain before dying because their bodies are so far gone. It is a safe bet that by the time any sort of cure is discovered Walkers would vastly outnumber the uninfected, so the logistics of simply providing medical care are unimaginable. Considering how we are always hearing stories of nursing shortages here in the United States, and that without any global-wide disaster, there is no way adequate medical care could be given to all that would need it.
Even though a significant number of Walkers would survive the transformation back into being human, from there the problems just grow. Assuming that they regain use of all of their faculties, these former Walkers would have months, even years, worth of memories of brutally murdering innocent people and engaging in cannibalism. Many, if not most, would be unable to live with themselves knowing what they did. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can be seen in those having experienced a wide range of trauma, from house fires to sexual abuse to war, so it is a sure bet that incidences of PTSD would skyrocket to unseen heights in former Walkers and surviving uninfected alike, both having experienced such horrific events. Cases of depression, violence, self-medication, and flashbacks (among others) would also crop up, whether as a result of PTSD or independently. As with the physical maladies discussed, the shear enormity of the psychological care needed would be insurmountable.
Another volatile issue in a world with the cure is handling the relations of uninfected and former Walkers. Reintegration would be a nightmare. Can you imagine living down the street from the person who tore apart your best friend with their teeth? Or moving back in with the spouse who ate your children alive? Violence between groups would be commonplace, as uninfected sought revenge for a loved one’s death or even just a way to release all of the anger. It would be the Truth and Reconciliation of Rwanda, but to the umpteenth degree.
As much as Hershel seemed to think that a cure would solve all of the post-apocalyptic word’s ills, in reality it would just create a whole new set of problems. Problems that could not be dealt with through a simple bullet to the brain. In the end, it seems the only sort of cure that would suffice is one that put Walkers out of their misery.
Here is an interview with Andrew Lincoln on the David Letterman show. He reveals to Dave his real name, plus Andrew tells of finding out about his famous father-in-law.
British actor, David Morrissey, has been cast as the governor for The Walking Dead TV series. Morrissey is best know for playing Stephen Collins in the TV mini-series ‘State Of Play‘. He was also in the Doctor Who Christmas special in 2008, as well as various other shows over his career. Others will remember him better from movies such as ‘Basic Instinct 2‘ and ‘Derailed‘. If you want to see how Morrissey has handled his darker stuff over his career, then make sure to check him out in Red Riding.
This news means that Merle Dixon will not be Governor of Woodbury, despite what many Dixon fans had hoped for. I guess we will just have to keep waiting until more news on the return of him pops up.
We won’t be seeing any of the governor until the third season, surely this means that Michonne can’t be far behind. The question now is, how true to the comics will the governor remain? The TV Series has been pretty dark in some places so far, but nowhere near as dark as the comics. So I ask you this, just how far do you think the TV Series will go in portraying the true evil that is the governor?
Yes, our prayers have been answered, there is going to be a Walking Dead Game. The game is currently still in development, which when released will be available on PC, PS3 and Xbox360.
You will play as a brand new character to the walking dead named Lee, a convict who was lucky enough to escape imprisonment when the cop car delivering him crashed. Well, at least he thought he was lucky until happening to realize that the zombie apocalypse was upon him.
The Walking Dead Game is based on the comics and takes place in the greater Atlanta area. It follows along the same timeline as the comics, this allows you to see what the world was like for others while Rick was in a coma. We will get an insight into characters such as Glenn and Hershel in the early stages of the apocalypse. This sounds like a really interesting idea, which if done correctly, could be one of the games strongest points.
The great news for fans of the series is that Robert Kirkman is heavily involved with the production of this game. Telltale and Kirkman have been working together, sharing ideas and story notes back and fore. At least this means the game will do justice to both the comics and TV series. When I heard Kirkman was involved with this game, I got much more excited.
The gameplay will focus on you walking around an extremely detailed 3D world that is inspired by the comics. You will be interacting with characters, solving problems, scavenging supplies and generally trying your best to stay alive. This is not your usual zombie themed game were you kill horde after horde of zombies, if you want that go play some L4D2 or Dead Rising. The Walking Dead Game is instead heavily focused on the characters and the choices that those characters make. This leads me into one of the biggest features with this game – Your Choices.
We are told that every choice you make will have an effect. Now this isn’t the first time we have seen this done in a game, however, with this game the consequences and effects are apparently much more major than with others. Also, the choices won’t just carry on with you for a few chapters, but instead they will stick with you through the entire experience. I am not 100% sure how they plan to carry this out considering the game will be released in parts, much like the comic and TV series, however it is definitely an exciting idea.
Telltale really focused on the look of the game, making it extremely bold and unique, much like the comics. It has the same principles as 2D art, yet it is thrown into a 3D world. The screenshots so far look very promising and so far I love what I have seen.
Telltale are going to release the game episodically through platforms such as Steam, Xbox Live Arcade, PSN Store and also the iOS app store. Each episode gives you roughly 2 hours of gameplay. This may seem extremely short to some gamers, but we have to remember that the game is split up over numerous episodes, not just one solid play through.
Find out more about the walking dead game by watching the Playing Dead below, a video series that takes you behind the scenes of the game with the writers and developers.
Find out more on the official Walking Dead Game Site: Telltale
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!
Looking for a board game that is actually exciting for a change? Well look no further – you have found one!
The Walking Dead Board Game is almost at much fun as the TV Series itself. It is completely based on the show meaning you get the same characters, locations and weapons. It is classed as a co-operative game for 2-4 players, however, once the supplies start getting low it, it’s every man (or woman) for themselves.
The game is set in and around Atlanta, true to the first season of the show. You are based at survivor camp up in the hills, however you have to make runs into the city for supplies, weapons and also to scout for other safe places. You will encounter familiar places such as the Department Store, the CDC and the Vatos nursing home. This is why the board game is so great for fans of the TV series, it remains so true to it!
If you fail at the combat battles in this game when you encounter a walker, there is a possibility that you could take a bite. If you haven’t got any of your allies to help protect you and you happen to take a bite then you will turn into a walker. This doesn’t mean game over, far from it in fact. Instead you now play as the walker on the zombie team and start stalking those who use to be your friends and team mates. You can use surprise attacks and try and take down the rest of the camp, forcing them to join you on the zombie team.
This game is recommended for ages 13+ and obviously for those who are fans of the show. The playing time on average is 45-60 minutes, however this can change depending on the circumstances of the game.
You can buy the walking dead board game from various places online, however I have found Amazon to be the cheapest.
*Update* Amazon currently have this on sale, saving you $10.24! Buy It Now
In a world ruled by walkers, survivors must surround themselves with those they trust and who can help keep them safe. Bad choices are often made, leading to betrayal or fatal mistakes. With my slightly skewed priorities, this makes me ask one question: Where are the dogs?
In our reality, every time a major natural disaster occurs, there are people who refuse to evacuate because many shelters don’t accept pets. Others leave behind nearly everything else, but pack their vehicles to the dome lights with animals.
So far in The Walking Dead, we’ve seen virtually no dogs. I believe there were a few shown slinking around the streets of Atlanta, but the only ones I remember being the focus of anyone’s attention are the “little-fluffies” tucked in their doggie bed at the nursing home protected by the Vatos. Is this how it would be?
Many dogs would fail to survive the early days. Their owners might be unable to return home, and some would flee without their pets. If the dogs were unable to escape their houses, they would eventually perish. Some pets who were outdoors or able to find a way out would become prey to other animals. We’ve seen walkers eat horses, rats, woodchuck, and (sadly) at the beginning of season two, dogs. (Thanks Iain for finding that reference – and disturbing photo – for me!) So perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised not to see many dogs wandering about, but I would have expected to see more.
In urban areas, where wild game doesn’t exist and food sources are dwindling, survivors would eventually begin to hunt dogs. I imagine they’d be relatively easy targets, given their ingrained inclination to trust humans. In fact, I wrote this element into my own apocalyptic novella. I hated it. You might not believe me, but I’ve given this way too much thought. I would honestly starve before I would kill and consume a dog. Still, I recognized it as a likely scenario in the story, so I included it.
Cats are another story. Feral cat colonies exist nearly everywhere, in both urban and rural areas, but they are way harder to catch than most people realize. Which makes me also wonder why we aren’t seeing more feral cats slinking around.
Felines aside, I’m a true-blue dog person, and I know you can never discount people’s devotion to their canine companions. Shouldn’t we see at least some dogs accompanying groups of survivors? I would certainly try to bring my dogs with me and keep them safe. Yes, I’d have to find a way to feed them, but it would be worth it.
Wouldn’t it?
On one hand (or paw, as the case may be), dogs could be a huge liability. In addition to feeding them, most dogs bark. In the case of my dogs, they bark a lot. We know walkers are attracted to sound. What would the primitive survival instinct sparking in their brain stems tell them about barking? It could be “Yay, sound! Let’s eat!” But in their human lives, walkers would have known the sound of a barking dog served as an alarm. This might continue in their primitive reptilian brains as “Uh-oh. That sound means our snack-packs know we’re coming, so we should shamble as fast as our decomposing joints will allow in the opposite direction.”
That being said, babies and small children make noise and are hard to control, too, yet everyone seems determined to haul them along through the countryside.
On the other hand, dogs could be a significant benefit. Sure, not a crazy, out-of-control yap-monster…but perhaps a more cooperative canine? Dogs are our companions, giving us comfort and acceptance when no one else does. But they also evolved to work by our side.
Dogs have senses which greatly exceed ours. Their eyes are sensitive to movement, their ears are far more acute than those of humans, and their noses are so much more advanced it’s hard to calculate. Many breeds, especially if trained, could be of enormous benefit in the quest for game.
In the area of security, their eyes would detect a rustle in the woods or the flicker of movement between buildings which would be invisible to their bipedal companions. This would be especially true at night, when people are nearly blind. Their (adorable, scratch-worthy) ears would pick up the distant shuffling of festering walker-feet while they were still far enough away to allow the luxury of escape. If the humans were attuned to their dogs and paying attention, this early alert system could save many lives.
And those wonderful doggie noses! I must assume walkers don’t smell all that great, what with the rotting and absolute absence of personal hygiene.
This brings me to a quick side note. Where does all the flesh the walkers eat end up? Does it just sit and rot in their stomachs? They’re dead, so I’m guessing “no metabolism.” I’ve never seen a walker, um, eliminate digestive byproducts, so I’d expect them to eventually swell up and burst from all the yummy, bloody goodness they’ve consumed. But enough about that, as I’m grossing myself out.
Back to those dog noses. The advantages of having these marvels of evolution working for you would be immeasurable. Dogs would quickly develop an aversion to the undead, especially if their people knew anything at all about training and reinforced appropriate responses. Imagine approaching a building full of food or supplies and knowing well before you enter whether there are “Dead Inside.” And, as previously mentioned, dogs would be valuable when it came to detecting and locating delicious, roastable wildlife.
I’ve been surprised by the lack of dogs in The Walking Dead, even on Hershel’s farm. It’s true the wrong dog might get you killed. But the right dog might be the thing that tips the survival scales in your favor.
What do you think? How else might dogs be beneficial (or detrimental) to a group of survivors? Larger dogs could be used to help carry things, like water. Could they be trained to attack walkers, taking out the legs and hindering their ability to reach you? Could they guard injured people or small children, giving an alert if walkers ventured into the vicinity? Would you take your dogs with you?
I certainly would.
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The Walking Dead Compendium introduces the first eight volumes of the fan-favorite best selling comic book series by Robert Kirkman.
It compiles issues #1-48 all into one massive paperback collection. Just to let you know that’s over 1,000 pages of Walking Dead goodness! (1088 pages to be exact)
===> Click Here To Get The Walking Dead Compendium & Save 10%
Even if you are not a huge fan of the television series I still think you should give this a look. Many of the hardcore fans value the comics way over the series on TV. The comics themselves are all done in a gritty black and white style. They really do make for some of the most disgustingly gruesome yet utterly fantastic illustrations I have ever seen. Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn and Tony Moore have done a truly epic job on the drawings, and they really help focus the reader in on the true devastation of a zombie apocalypse.
Check out this video so you get an actual idea of the size of this book:
As I mentioned before, this book contains chapters 1 – 8. Here is a title by title breakdown of those chapters. Fans of the TV series will recognize Days Gone Bye.
This compendium really is your perfect chance to experience The Walking Dead comic book series for the first time. It gives you a massive chunk of story in one place, ultimately saving you from having to buy multiple issues. If you enjoy the television series, then I highly recommend you pick this up.
You can purchase The Walking Dead Compendium from various places online, however, the cheapest place I have found it for sale is from Things From Another World. They currently have 10% off! You can Read more about it here
I’ve read a lot and heard a lot about the Shane, Lori and Rick triangle. Here’s my two-cents about it:
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?
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 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.
