Walking Dead - Ben Howard/Black Mountain/Verbena

[Dinsdale]

Insomnia cure.

[Dinsdale]

I did. I'm very sensitive when it comes to lifeless, soul-sucking whining masquerading as music.

[Goober McTuber]

Most disturbing scene I think I've ever watched on TV last night. Unreal shit.

Anyone see what I'm referring to?

You're shooting home videos in your bedroom?

[Goober McTuber]

Most disturbing scene I think I've ever watched on TV last night. Unreal shit.

Anyone see what I'm referring to?

You're shooting home videos in your bedroom?

Yeah, did you see 'em?

Yes. On bestiality.com.

[Carson]

If it was worse than the zombie in the well or the Caesarian by pocket knife, I don't wanna know.

[Goober McTuber]

Yes. On bestiality.com.

My wife's gained some weight, but she ain't no yak......yet.

I was referring to Rover, not your long-suffering wife #3.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Yeah, I saw the episode Sam. It could have been called "Of Mice and Zombies" as it had that whole George and Lennie thing going on, except with kids. (wonder if they thought about that when they used the mouse feeding scene) Very disturbing but brutally honest. What was odd was the "Talking Dead" wrap up show at the end, where WWE representative CM Punk appeared. I'm not sure why they tied him in, but the guy was in tears coming out of the break, as was the rest of the interviewees.

Probably the most uncomfortable show of the season, if not the series. Really ups the ante on the Carol character too, and where they are taking her.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Pretty intense episode last night as well. The tunnel scene was brutal. As far as Terminus, it looks like it could be a whole Children of the Damned sort of place, as I'm thinking it is going to be much worse than Woodbury. The preview for the finale appears as though Rick is about to go through an even deeper hell. Cannot wait.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Exactly, unlocked gates, no walkers and just one person in a completely serene setting? It just screamed creepy. We'll probably get a little more info during the finale next week, but I doubt it will be of much help, just more unsettling teasing. Some tidbits for what Terminus means:

Historically speaking, Terminus was the name of a settlement in the 1830's, at the end of the Atlantic and Western railroad lines. That settlement became Atlanta. From the show perspective, Terminus is in reality, Macon, Georgia. Here is what is seen in the trailer for the last show: Rick and his group arrive, only to be ambushed by Joe and his marauders. The long awaited appearance of the character Gareth from the comic is the one welcoming Rick and waving him in, only to have a sniper start shooting. Whether this is a set up with Mary's approval or has she been coerced is up in the air.

Robert Kirkman has alluded that Terminus is one of the few safe havens in the show's chronology. But of course he said that with a laugh. What is known is that there will be a battle for Terminus, which on the surface does appear to be what it looks like. A refuge. But appearances are anything but what they usually seem and the show turns on a dime, with characters getting whacked out of nowhere, while it doesn't always follow the course set in the comic. There are other people at Terminus, we just haven't seen them yet and we don't know the order of when people arrive and how that plays out. The one upbeat note was the reunion of Maggie and Glenn, which offers hope. Yet, the one intrinsic fact that always plays out is that there is a major death in the finale.

We'll see next week.

[Dinsdale]

The preview for the finale appears as though Rick is about to go through an even deeper hell.

How badly things are going for Rick is in direct proportion to how much of the episode is spent with him wandering about moaning "CAAAAAAAARRRRRRLLLLLLL.... CAAAAAAARRRRRRLLLLLLL." I mean, he spent about 2.5 seasons doing nothing but that, why stop now? Dreadful character -- writers dropped the ball, bigtime.

Fucker needs to strap on some water skis and not clear the shark tank.

At least Carl's fortunately-dead mother has stopped being annoying.

[Carson]

Maybe they both can just look at the flowers.

[Dinsdale]

That episode should have been named Rick's BACK!

For the last couple of years, it was all water off a duck's back. Apparently, it took some dude trying to rape Carl and being locked in a shipping container to get his edge back.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Honestly, I think you guys are being a little too critical of the character development here. Not that Rick wasn't getting annoying, but there was a reason for the turn his character took...so they could bring him back full throttle as a living/walking dead, pissed off badass. Considering everything he went through, his withdrawal made sense, as he was depressed, suicidal and grieving. He was lost and almost lost the group.

It was a natural progression and it made sense and now he's back and looking for retribution.

Can't wait for the new season.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Agreed Sam, that scene cut way too close to the bone...so to speak.

Great opening episode though, lots of creepy bits and damn did the Terminus folk get terminated.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Yep, they're back and hungrier than ever. I guess they got a "leg up" over Bob.

Yummy.

[Bucmonkey]

Thought the same thing watching the first episode Sam.

Also, Anyone wonder why, in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, that Bob went outside, at night, for a good cry? I thought that he may have gotten scratched or bitten by the walker that attacked him in the sludge and was going outside to cap himself, especially after the extra long kiss he requested. Terminus survivors ate some tainted Bob meat maybe??

[Jay in Phoenix]

Same here with Bob. Figured he'd been bitten when he slipped in the cruddy water and was gonna off himself. Never saw the leg loss coming.

Three scenes that have been "groundbreaking" or, at the least, very affecting...three scenes that were freaking unreal...as far as TV goes:

1 - the walker in the well
2 - "Just look at the flowers" (and the killing of the younger sister preceding it)
3 - the bat to the head/slit throats at Terminus

I like the scene list Sam. That throat slitting scene lasted a couple of minutes and each was excruciating. Being as you never know when a main character is going to get whacked made it that much worse. Of course you had to figure in a first episode they weren't going to off Glenn or Rick, but still, very effective. The "Look at the flowers." scene was more tragic than intense and you could see it coming. Still, one of the most heartbreaking moments on any show.

Here's a few scenes you might consider for shock or intensity.

Not in any order.

1. When Merle set the walker on Glenn while he was trapped in the room. Great moment for Glenn kicking zombie ass.

2. Carl getting shot. Absolutely out of nowhere and stunning.

3. Lori surpassingly dies while giving birth. The most shocking moment of all comes when before they leave the room, Carl goes back and shoots his dead mother to prevent her from being reanimated. This is the defining moment that shattered Carl’s innocence.

4. Michonne going cuisinart in the field on a group of walkers. Riveting scene, one in which the power of Michonne's rage and killing ability comes to a head.

Literally.

5. Hershel losing his dome. The wry smile on his face as he faces death tells you everything you need to know about his character.

6. The darkened highway tunnel scene, with Glenn and Maggie trapped with a horde of walkers. Lifted right out of "The Stand" by Stephen King, but still a great turn on that moment. Very intense.

7. The attack on Carl in the car and Rick biting Joe in the throat. Brutal scene that just got worse.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Damn, another great episode with Rick throwing off his final chains of civility and brutally kicking ass. The set-up and slaughter of the Terminus cannibal group was horrible, awesome and satisfying. The group seems to be splintering and coming together at the same time in a very complex way. The final cut-to-black style cliffhanger scene was a great "What the fuck was that?" moment. So who exactly is Daryl hiding behind him? It can't be Carol, or at least she isn't alone, as his expression was filled with too much anxiety. Beth? Not yet, there's too much to be revealed in the upcoming episode for it to be that pat.
Best guess is it might be Morgan, but that would be a little bit of a letdown, as they seem to be setting him up for later, as well as he is too far away from the group to have caught up yet. I'm thinking it is the anticipated addition of Aaron from issue # 67 of the comic, who is in spirit the exact opposite of the character of Gareth. Then again, the moment isn't quite right for him either, not in the context of the comic, so it may well be someone new. In fact, Daryl might even be a prisoner at this point and we have a whole new can of worms to deal with.

Nice break from the zombie action in this episode. The monsters were all human.

[Carson]

Nothing about the midseason finale?

No Country for Blonde Chicks. :(

[Jay in Phoenix]

Nothing about the midseason finale?

No Country for Blonde Chicks. :(

More or less.

The Walking Dead is famous for killing of main characters and now we add Beth to the list. This wasn't as shocking as other deaths, or shootings (Carl being a great example), as it was foreshadowed for a while now. The one aspect of the mid-season finale that was a little cliche and silly was just how quickly Carol came around after being nearly slabbed herself. A little too quick and convenient. I did like the coda (nice use of the episode title) of having Morgan turn up in a parallel image of where Gabriel stood earlier. His return has been drawn out and it is building to something big. The way he quietly kills the downed walker is interesting and I'm curious to see what his mental state actually is.

[Bucmonkey]

So the mid-season finale kills off Beth, then the premier yesterday kills off Tyreese, Walking Dead back to standard operating procedure I see. And WTF is up with Morgan?