Walking Dead (could have spoilers)

[7oddisdead]

amen, bullethead

I think too often people try to take any story within the television medium too seriously. the walking dead (t.v.) is based from a comic book. the storytelling within that medium is nowhere near as intense as -say- novels...or even a properly written, scripted movie, or hell-an original story'ed television show for that matter. the idea of the show has been flawed from the beginning of season two in my opinion. when frank darabont left the show, the whole "too many cooks spoil the soup" factor kicked in...and this show went from something possibly great to what could arguably the best shitty show on television.

that said, I liked season three...and ive liked everything we have gotten in season four, including this last episode. why? how? I don't take a show like this too seriously.... this show is good eye candy. for me its never going to be something amazing. if I want amazing television, ill watch x-files reruns.

Question for you litmaster. have you read the novels? I personally have not either, and im only mid-way through the actual comic series...but one thing I do hear consistently is ; Robert kirkman is not actually a good writer..he's just telling a unique story. from what ive read in the comics, I would tend to agree.....and THAT is (some of) the source material for the show

[Bullethead]

I've never read the comics. I started with watching the show and I'd like to live in that "reality" same with Game of Thrones (although my lady is slowling trying to convert me to a book reader).

That said there are plenty of things I find that I don't like about the show. (Where did the Winter go? We just glossed over that at the start of Season 2. I find that not many would survive when you can't grow crops and your food started to die off or what have you in the winter) But I have come to terms with what the show is and what it isn't...Still an enjoyable 45 minutes of my Sunday.

Now would anyone (mostly a show watcher not a comic reader as you know about everything I could possibly theorize) like to discuss the show? What were your thoughts of the first two episodes?

Anyone happy that Bob made it? I am. Sure he put lives at risk, but I can't get mad at a man wanting to get his drink on. Its the end of the world dangit, I'd be looking for liquor every night as well. We can't all be Daryl.

[Litmaster]

I don't expect everyone on this forum to be in love with TWD. It's like expecting everyone on the Coca Cola forums to love Pepsi. But good lord Litmaster lol.

I get it this show is annoying more often then not, but if its not a show your liking, you have to do yourself and your stress a favor and stop watching ha. I am giving this show some more leeway as there is a new show runner. And FINALLY some new characters. Abraham and the Hunters have arrived.

Heh heh.... yeah, sorry. I was again annoyed at the show and had no one else to rant to so I just crapped out all my aggravation on this thread. You made some good points, but I guess Todd is right in that I'm just expecting too much from the show and taking it too seriously. I guess I WANT to like the show more than I actually do. Or, maybe I just feel some perverse satisfaction from hating the show's stupidity.

Question for you litmaster. have you read the novels? I personally have not either, and im only mid-way through the actual comic series...but one thing I do hear consistently is ; Robert Kirkman is not actually a good writer..he's just telling a unique story. from what I've read in the comics, I would tend to agree.....and THAT is (some of) the source material for the show

I read about half of "The Road to Woodbury" last Christmas when I went to visit my sister's family. Also, I read through all the comics up until about last October (I rent them free from the library; wouldn't actually pay for them myself). I agree that Kirkman is not really a great writer, but he has come up with a compelling (if not unique) story concept [zombie apocalypse]. Perhaps that is part of my frustration: here you have an interesting story concept, but a poorly told (TV) story, disrupted at various points with some poor acting, poorly setup scene situations, inconsistent character development, story decisions being influenced by economics and not story (i.e., lingering at the Farm and the Prison because new sets are expensive), etc.

The comic books are better than the tv version of TWD, but I have never really gotten much of the emotional impact reputed to be conveyed by the story, for all their graphic-ness at times (the Michonne torture scene, etc.). I think the comic format is just a weak medium to convey a serious, well-told story. It's like trying to paint a realistic portrait with finger paints...

In my opinion, no art form is perfectly able to tell a story, but if I had to rank some of them, I'd have to go with
1. the novel (especially for its ability to convey the thought of characters and potential for omniscient narration)
2. oral storytelling (live in a room with a skilled teller)
3. long-form motion pictures (i.e. mini-series or full series)
4. film (meaning a typical 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hour movie)

Keep in mind this is best forms FOR TELLING A STORY. If conveying an emotion is the goal, then I would say music is the strongest art form in this regard. I know many would claim that film is best for storytelling because it combines both audio and visuals, with embedded music, etc. However, I disagree because film invariably forces things to get cut from the story and the pacing generally moves too fast to adequately develop character and situations. Also, film can't get around the reality that, no matter how good the story being told, it is limited by the fact that it is visual in nature: the audience is still watching everything on a rectangular box (whether in a theater or on a TV at home), which by it's very nature distances the viewer from the story. With literature, on the other hand, the story is created largely in the mind of the reader, and so it can be far more immersive than film can ever be.

With that in mind, I'd say video games are a medium that have a lot of potential to tell a great story, although this has largely gone underutilized, with most video games historically consisting of flashy visuals and exercises in hand-eye coordination. With advances in graphics and technology, video games are evolving to the point where they actually can be a vehicle for telling a great story, and are more 'immersive' than film in that the 'viewer' actually participates in creating the outcome of the story. I'd say Naughty Dog's "The Last of Us" is a good example of this trend:

Of course, the Walking Dead again fucks up in this department, with their stupid "Survival Instinct", a half-assed release panned by the majority of reviewers for being what it was: a quick money-grab. The Tell-Tale version was much better.

[Grognaurd]

I still do not think Carol murdered those two people that were sick. I think she was covering for the psycho child. Both of the people that were killed were fence duty and killed "Nick" the one with the name tag that the psyco child was infatuated with.

[Litmaster]

I still do not think Carol murdered those two people that were sick. I think she was covering for the psycho child. Both of the people that were killed were fence duty and killed "Nick" the one with the name tag that the psyco child was infatuated with.

Yep... I think so, too. Looks like they're setting it up that psycho Lizzy is going to kill her sister, or maybe even Judith (?!), then Carl is going to kill her off while the grown-ups are trying to figure out what to do.

Let's see how much I end up ranting about the stupid shit in tonight's episode...

[Windsor995]

I have to agree, Lizzy is a little psycho. I think she will kill again before Carol does something.

[Bullethead]

That scientist...me no trust...him have something brewing in head.

[Litmaster]

That scientist...me no trust...him have something brewing in head.

His bitch ass has got to learn to wield a rifle before spouting off any of his scientific theories.

[Bullethead]

His bitch ass has got to learn to wield a rifle before spouting off any of his scientific theories.

Part of me thinks he did that on purpose. The other part of me thinks I'm going too far down the rabbit hole on that one. He did have an issue just priming the rifle. We're a year or so into the Apocalypse, you've used a gun once or twice ok.

[REZombie]

Best episode of the season tonight...