Friday Film: The Walking Dead Season 4

10/10/2014 2 Comments

My latest DVD boxed set is The Walking Dead, Season 4.

The first few episodes felt like a bit of a re-run of the thrid season on the first viewing but they built up wonderfully to the (not) Governor having a major set to with Rick et al in the prison.

Carol, whom I commented on previously really went for the survivalist mode indoctrinating the kids in knife craft before being kicked out, but then re-surfacing in the later episodes and being on full survivalist mode.

The second half of the season seems a bit bitty at first, but slowly the threads gather together at Terminus.

LONG PIG

Its an excellent programme and worth every penny to buy on DVD and watch again and again. Chock full of ideas for scenarios for RPGs and skirmish games.

As commented, this programme is relatively free of profanity, the DVD final episode breaks with that:

Also, the final line of the season is uncensored, with Rick saying “They’re fucking with the wrong people.”

These are the things that were and shall be again…

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The Walking Dead Season 3

28/10/2013 1 Comment

Hot on the heels of the zombie arguments from the climate change deniers, here’s a review of The Walking Dead, Season 3.

As you can see from the montage of mugshots, there are a few new faces, and a few missing faces.

After Season 2 which was very slow up until the rather violent ending, Season 3 starts as it means to go on – the walkers/biters are far more frequent and they are the least of Rick’s worries. Establishing themselves in a prison with its sturdy wire fences and watchtowers, and dealing with most of the remaining prisoners, the series switches to Andrea, her saviour Michone and the community of woodbury lead by The Governor.

Michone is immediately wary of him, not least because Merle is one of his henchmen and pulls a gun on the pair of them.

Merle is less than impressed when Andrea talks to him, but they both bond over the fact that Rick’s group left them for dead (in both cases that is false but hey neither of the characters believe that analysis). Michone leaves town the hard way, retrieving her katana, finding the Governors collection of live and dead heads in fish tanks (yeah, lovely) and then hooks up with Rick’s group though Rick is very reluctant. He’s already kicked out one other group of stragglers.

Angela, with Milton have uncovered the Governor’s antics are beyond the pale. Both take covert actions to try and patch things up with Rick’s group and Woodbury. Both fail, both are caught and set upon each other by The Governor, as are Merle and his brother Daryl after Rick’s group raid Woodbury to rescue Glenn and Maggie who were captured.

The season ends with a big shoot out as the Governor attacks the prison, is driven off and goes mad shooting his own side, the survivors joining Rick’s group.

That’s a very brief synopsis of the plot, but what did I think of the series and other things I didn’t mention ?

Lori: I commented that Lori was a very unsympathetic character in Season 2. Well she gets it in Season 3 – and in a horrible way that made me almost feel sorry for her. She dies in childbirth as Maggie, Carl and she are escaping zombies.

Rick: He starts seeing and hearing Lori after her death and almost ignores his new daughter (born by c-section performed by Maggie). Some people might think this is far fetched – sorry No, been there seen it done it with the Late Queen In Yellow. But this undermines his self-faith and he abdicates responsibility at the end of the season. A bit disappointing but I can understand.

Carl: Both growing up fast when he locks the stragglers out, but worrying when he shoots a surrendering Woodbury soldier.

Herschel: Loose the pony tail !

Carol: Comes out fighting ! She’s turning into a very interesting character. I hope she doesn’t get killed off in Season 4.

Other than those character notes – this is a much more action packed season. Character development is in no way ignored but there are a lot more zombie incidences along the way, and the tension between the surviving groups is great. Fights over supplies are inevitable in any post apocalyptic situation.

I’m looking forward to Season 4 already. Long may this series continue. 🙂

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The Walking Dead

07/09/2012 1 Comment

I’ve seen all of the 13 episodes of the second series of The Walking Dead. Spoiler Alert

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

(Copplestone Future War Zombies)
Based on the cartoon series of the same name, this is a high quality programme full of surprises and thoughful characterisation.

The group lead by Rick Grimes, manages to avoid a herd of Zombies (for those observing Zombie herds, just go down to your local shopping centre and watch them, especially when they grind to a halt and gaze around disconsolately RIGHT IN THE DOORWAY of every shop blocking your access).

(GW Necromunda Zombies)
However, one of the kids (and it is always kids) runs for it and gets lost in the woods. Surprisingly, experienced Police Officers (Rick & Shane) fail to organise a coherent search. More insanity continues as the group splits up and does the inevitable “let’s go for a walk in the woods on our own and/or unarmed”. Ok, in between that there are some really sensible moves like keeping look outs posted and injured people back at ‘camp’. Then after the inevitable ‘accident’ they hook up with weirdo Herschel and his group.

Now in most games I play you have to be prepared for Zombies. Byakhees Rich and Jim, plus Glenda and friends are all going to a Zombie Boot Camp, so I’ll guess I’ll get my come uppance.

(GW WHFB Zombies)

I mean does this look like a defensible house to you ?

Wooden, with wide bay windows all round. The only good thing is that it has a wide and open range of fire from those windows. Pity Herschel’s lot didn’t bother to tool up with any guns nor mount a watch.

Talking of tools, the biggest tool in the series is Lorri, Rick’s wife.

Yes, the most stupid character in the series (No offence to the actress). You can forgive her for shacking up with Rick’s best mate Shane when everyone thinks Rick’s dead. But hen when he turns up she doesn’t confess to anything causing problems:

(a) In their personal relationship;
(b) In the group.

Ok, so everyone keeps stumm for a bit. Even Dale who finds Shane aiming a gun at Rick’s back. Ok, mistakes are made and if I were Rick, I’d forgive her if they’d come clean ASAP. A harmonius group ? In the middle of the Zombie Apocalypse. Hmm possibly something you could get away with…

Then Lori goes on to:
(a) Continue to NOT mention that relationship even as Shane and Rick butt heads;
(b) Finds she is pregnant, but not tell anyone other than dropping Glenn in it, a medical condition that threatens the entire group;
(c) Not tell Rick she is pregnant threatening their relationship;
(d) Repeatedly confuse Shane as to her feelings;
(e) Let Carl go off with Shane and Rick into Walker infested woods;
(f) Hare off into the night to get Rick, poorly armed (a pistol lying loose on the passenger seat), with no idea of where she is going, on her own without telling anyone, and try to read a map whilst driving;
(g) Not notice Carl has again wandered off into Walker infested woods, on his own, at night when Rick, Shane, Daryl & Glenn are all hunting an escaped prisoner…
(h) Get all huffy when Rick admits he shot Shane, and that Carl subsequently shot Shane when he came back as a Walker…

I guess I wasn’t the only one who thought this character was terminally stupid and a liability for the entire group.

I’ll have to do a list of film / Tv characters that DESERVE TO DIE soon, as Lori is up there with Tom Cruise’s family in War of the Worlds as the ones that provoked a foul mouthed tirade at the screen whilst watching this programme.

Lori aside, The Walking Dead is an excellent series, I have both sets of DVDs and whole heartedly look forward to Series 3 of this programme – its pushing the boundaries of otherwise insipid TV programming.

In the meantime, give your local Zombie a hug !

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