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‘The Walking Dead’ Season 4 Anticipation Thread of Stuff and Thaaangs

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C

cynostic

Member
RatskyWatsky said:
The first set of webisodes are fucking terrible
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Oh god yes. They made very little sense, or rather they had extremely little plot. Shame really, could have been better. Second was better, but not really eye opening. Thought the ending was a bit too dramatic. But I enjoyed it, regardless.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
First review of Episodes 401 and 402 by Brian Lowry from Variety: http://variety.com/2013/tv/reviews/the-walking-dead-amc-1200672046/

(Minor Spoilers)

Brian Lowry (Variety) said:
The premiere, directed by makeup effects wizard Greg Nicotero, does feature one impressive action sequence, as a group leaves the compound to forage for supplies.

Still, the most compelling portion of these hours is more philosophical than visceral — hinging on the notion that death has become such an ever-present part of their lives, some survivors are so numbed they must question whether they can still care, feel or allow themselves the luxury of grief. That’s played out in part through Rick’s relationship with his young son Carl (Chandler Riggs), who has grown up mighty fast, both literally and figuratively.

The second hour, meanwhile, features a new threat inside the prison, while the sword-wielding MIchonne (Danai Gurira, looking pretty striking on horseback) continues to search outside for the Governor — with her evident discomfort around people reflecting one of the stronger moments.

The cast, in fact, seems to be at an especially good juncture with Gurira, Chad L. Coleman as Tyreese and fellow “The Wire” alumnus Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as part of the group.
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Edit: Also, AMC released a new TV spot for Season 4: Nowhere Is Safe
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Cornballer said:
He has reviews here from 2011 and 2012 if you want to do some tea-leaf reading.
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Thanks. From his season 2 review:

90-minute premiere that niftily reestablishes the premise and characters while containing one sequence that’s a modern gem of prolonged suspense.
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Season 3:

"Glen Mazzara makes season three less surprising but no less riveting, with the first couple of episodes offering a buffet of character, tension and the inevitable can-you-top-this, stomach-churning gore. The series features plenty of moving parts — some less satisfying than others — but far from lumbering like one of its zombies, “Dead” is now gliding along like a well-oiled machine."
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His season 4 review offers up no such declarations. It's much more opaque that the other two.

The new season’s first two episodes move much more assuredly than the zombies who populate the program, reflecting minor stylistic changes, perhaps — with a higher horror/splatter quotient, as if someone got that memo — but nothing that threatens to prevent fans of AMC’s blood-soaked gravy train from dutifully answering the dinner bell."
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Which I guess translates to 'more of the same'?

Also, he ends all this TWD reviews with:

appears to have a whole lot of life still in it. - season two
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is clearly a series with a whole lot of life left in it. - season 3
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and unlike those zombies, has a whole lot of life left in it. - season 4
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Which is weird.
 
H

Horseticuffs

Full werewolf off the buckle
Still working at it, though I've been busy! Just completed the first episode of season 2. Holy fuck, that end!

Can't wait until I get a chance to watch episode 2 hopefully tomorrow :-/
 
Z

zeroeffect

Member
I think Walking Dead is a shining example of anything zombies sells. I like the show and it's entertaining...but the highest rated show on cable? It's not that good. I just don't understand that. What is it about this show that makes it to where everybody has to see it no matter what's on TV? Is it because it's unique in that it's the only zombie show on TV?
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
zeroeffect said:
What is it about this show that makes it to where everybody has to see it no matter what's on TV? Is it because it's unique in that it's the only zombie show on TV?
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That pretty much nails it.

I think it also has a lot to do with the fact that no other TV show or movie has really taken an extensive look into how people would try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by zombies. Most shows/movies/games have only really focused on the initial impact of an outbreak, never months or years into it.

That's really what draws me most to the show.
 
T

Toa TAK

Banned
SamuraiX- said:
That pretty much nails it.

I think it also has a lot to do with the fact that no other TV show or movie has really taken an extensive look into how people would try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by zombies. Most shows/movies/games have only really focused on the initial impact of an outbreak, never months or years into it.

That's really what draws me most to the show.
Click to expand...

Same here. While the show doesn't have the greatest characters, it tries to develop and focus on them in a zombie-filled story/world.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
Forever said:
You haven't seen much zombie media then. Even Romero did it more than a few times.
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I know Romero had movies like Land of the Dead where it showcased how people remade a life for themselves and such, but I guess it's not fair to compare TWD to movies since they are limited by length.

What I mean is following a group of survivors from the day/month of the outbreak watching them evolve as characters and adapt to be able to survive in the new world.
 
S

someday

Banned
I would love to see a TV series based off of World War Z. They could do a chapter an hour or something. Eh, maybe that wouldn't work but I just read the book and feel like the movie really dropped the ball.
 
H

hey_monkey

Banned
The movie was a terrible adaptation, I think. The one thing they did that was cool, the super crazy fast zombies, was under-utilized AND made up wholecloth. Would love to see WWZ on HBO.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
MTV News has seen the first two episodes of 'The Walking Dead' season 4, so here's 14 (non-spoilery) things you're dying to know.

(Some of them are kind of minor spoilers)

MTV said:
1.
Farm Life
Fans of the comics know that a big part of the prison arc is the survivors' ability to farm. Well, good news, farm fans: Rick and company are growing veggies, and even raising some animals as the season opens up. As we know from seasons' past, idyllic farm life does not equal safe haven...

2.
Shades of Morgan
Credit to new howrunner Scott Gimple for letting our characters learn from their experiences. By the time episode one opens, Rick and the gang have already set up defenses similar to the ones Morgan set up in last season's seminal episode "Safe." With more people in the prison, there's more resources and hands to work with — and they've been busy making their home as Walker-proof as possible.

3.
The Council
If last season was all about the Rick-tatorship, this season is taking a far more democratic approach with the ruling body taking the form of a Council. Who's on the Council, and how they work, you'll just have to wait until episode two to see.

4.
Who Says Romance Is Dead?
Shippers take heed: not only are Glenn and Maggie still going strong, when we open up there's several more couples blossoming. And as we all know, in the world of Walking Dead, love triumphs over all. Oh, sorry, we meant love is a joke and hope dies. Our bad.

5.
Carl & Michonne, Comic-Book Readers
In a not so sly shout-out to the show's origins, Carl and Michonne are now in a de facto comic book club. Presumably they're into the same Spanish polar bear comic Walt read on LOST.

6.
Michonne: Evolutions
Speaking of Michonne, her character has gone through a massive evolution in these first two episodes. Not only does she smile and joke, but the most powerful scene in the first two hours is a wordless, two minute bit that completely redefines what you may have thought about the monosyllabic bad-ass.

7.
Rick The Pacifist
Picking up where last season left off, Rick is still having some, let's say... issues... with firearms. We're not in full-on crazy-town anymore, but he's still not shooting with a full barrel (nor would he pick up a barrel, anyway).

8.
Daryl's Job
We're not going to ruin it here, but if there isn't a mash-up video based on what Daryl's pre-apocalypse "job" is within five minutes of "30 Days Without An Accident" airing, we don't know the Internet.

9.
Supermarket Sweep
There's a number of stand-out scenes in the (excellent) first episode, but the biggest and baddest is definitely an extended sequence set in a supermarket. Not to keep focusing on Daryl, but we think there's going to be a new statue made of one particular action pose the crossbow wielding hero takes. It's just that good.

10.
'The Wire' Reunion
Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. and Chad Coleman, both of HBO's seminal 'The Wire,' meet up pretty quickly in the first episode. Which is surprising, because they never actually met on 'The Wire'! Though we don't learn a ton about Gilliard's Bob Stookey, we do learn enough to know he's going to be a character to watch. Meanwhile, Coleman's Tyreese gets to step up this season in a big way.

11.
The Gore
In case you were worried, FX supervisor (and Director of the first episode) Greg Nicotero has found plenty of new ways to make Walkers totally disgusting. A scene with a Walker on the Prison fence, and the whole sequence in the supermarket in particular are stand-outs.

12.
What's In A Name?
A major theme of the first episode is names, and naming things... And the theme pays off in big ways, and in small. Gimple (who wrote this season's first episode) proves himself quickly not only as the right choice for showrunner, but perhaps "The Walking Dead's" strongest asset in the writing department, too.

13.
New Threats
All the marketing has emphasized new "threats," for our survivors and they weren't lying. That's threats, plural. There's The Walkers of course, and then there's one inside the prison, and then there's one inside the... Well, that would be telling. Suffice to say that by the end of Episode 2, our little group might be in even bigger trouble than when they were facing down against the Governor.

14.
Shirtless Rick Is Back
Because you demanded it... Ladies.
Click to expand...

I'm liking everything I'm hearing. :D
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
#6

m4kVVy5.gif


#InGimpleWeTrust!
 
RPGCrazied

RPGCrazied

Member
Less than 2 weeks away! I hope they get away from woodberry and the jail this season. I like the show more when they are on the road and in cities.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Cornballer said:
- AMC on Youtube: The Walking Dead Webisodes: The Oath, Part 1
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Definitely more enjoyable and more focused than the first two webseries, but in the end it still wasn't that great. Also,
the ending was sort of open ended, which makes me wonder if the characters are maybe going to appear in season 4 at some point or maybe star in another set of webseries.

The acting was easily the most obvious improvement over the first two series (though the characters were very bland). They even got Ellen Greene (one of the crazy aunts from Pushing Daisies!) to play the doctor!

The writing and the story were both kind of sucky and derivative and "The Oath" didn't really have anything new to say or reveal about this universe. Zombies are everywhere and everything is scary and shitty and everyone dies and there's no hope and death horror gloom sadness, etc. etc.

I did, however, think that the new name for zombies - "DKs or Decays" - was sort of clever. Better than "Geeks" or whatever.
 
TheSadRanger

TheSadRanger

Banned
I'm watching it now, ya Ellen Greene is pretty good as the doctor. Also is what she saying canon that
people can recover from the virus?

I really cant stand the writing or acting in these webisodes. Yes we know! Everyone dies or gets eaten sheesh. This universe would really benefit a Woody Harrelson type of character from Zombieland. Merle was kind of that to an extent.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
TheSadRanger said:
I'm watching it now, ya Ellen Greene is pretty good as the doctor. Also is what she saying canon that
people can recover from the virus?
Click to expand...

I don't think she was referring to
zombie bites. He gashed his abdomen open and she stitched it up and said that she's seen people recover from similar wounds in the past, that's all.
 
TheSadRanger

TheSadRanger

Banned
RatskyWatsky said:
I don't think she was referring to
zombie bites. He gashed his abdomen open and she stitched it up and said that she's seen people recover from similar wounds in the past, that's all.
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Well did they even show how he got the wound in the first place? Why did he lie about cutting himself on the car window if it wasn't a bite.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
TheSadRanger said:
Well did they even show how he got the wound in the first place? Why did he lie about cutting himself on the car window if it wasn't a bite.
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Nope.
They kept the origins of the wound secret and he lied about it because it was more dramatic and suspenseful that way.
 
A

Alpende

Member
I'm not joining the hype train just yet, I'll stay pessimistic. I do have a lot of faith in Gimple though, he did the best episodes of season 3.
 
H

Horseticuffs

Full werewolf off the buckle
Oh my fucking hell!

I just finished the episode where Shane killed Otis. Man, I can't believe that! I mean damn it was brilliant but cold-blooded as HELL, son.

This show is really growing on me!
 
Y

y2dvd

Member
Is there going to be a separate spoiler thread? I'm glad people are using spoiler tags but I would hate for someone to slip up.
 
R

RichardAM

Kwanzaagator
Going to be watching cautiously. Season 2 was great with all the farm stuff, but the production in the last season was all over the place.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
y2dvd said:
Is there going to be a separate spoiler thread? I'm glad people are using spoiler tags but I would hate for someone to slip up.
Click to expand...

There is a spoiler thread, but it's mainly for leaks and the like. Comic-->TV show discussion and comparisons belong in the main show thread just as long as everything is properly tagged and as long as the spoilers don't take over the thread (walls of black text, etc.)

RichardAM said:
Season 2 was great with all the farm stuff
Click to expand...

It...was?
 
R

RichardAM

Kwanzaagator
RatskyWatsky said:
It...was?
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Well, the second half was once they opened the barn, before that it was pretty slow. Definitely a much better run of episodes than the first season.

Season 3 didnt feel right. The prison scenes were empty and boring to watch with no story progression at all, and I still don't know the names of any of the new characters introduced other than the Governor or Michonne. Hope some kind of emergency means they have to move out of there and go back on the road again.
 
TheSadRanger

TheSadRanger

Banned
RichardAM said:
Well, the second half was once they opened the barn, before that it was pretty slow. Definitely a much better run of episodes than the first season.

Season 3 didnt feel right. The prison scenes were empty and boring to watch with no story progression at all, and I still don't know the names of any of the new characters introduced other than the Governor or Michonne. Hope some kind of emergency means they have to move out of there and go back on the road again.
Click to expand...

I always found it odd that there was this kind of subplot that the zombies were getting smarter in the first season. The zombies using a rock to smash a glass door and trying to open door handles. Only to have that subplot completely abandoned during the later seasons.
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
RichardAM said:
Well, the second half was once they opened the barn, before that it was pretty slow. Definitely a much better run of episodes than the first season.

Season 3 didnt feel right. The prison scenes were empty and boring to watch with no story progression at all, and I still don't know the names of any of the new characters introduced other than the Governor or Michonne. Hope some kind of emergency means they have to move out of there and go back on the road again.
Click to expand...

Season 2 and 3 were mirror opposites of each other. Season 2's first half was mostly awful while the second half was excellent if a bit rushed. Season 3's first half was excellent but also a little rushed, and the second half (with the exception of clear) was utter dogshit.

TheSadRanger said:
I always found it odd that there was this kind of subplot that the zombies were getting smarter in the first season. The zombies using a rock to smash a glass door and trying to open door handles. Only to have that subplot completely abandoned during the later seasons.
Click to expand...

This is what I'm hoping for when Gimple talks about making the zombies more menacing.
 
H

Horseticuffs

Full werewolf off the buckle
TheSadRanger said:
I always found it odd that there was this kind of subplot that the zombies were getting smarter in the first season. The zombies using a rock to smash a glass door and trying to open door handles. Only to have that subplot completely abandoned during the later seasons.
Click to expand...
In the Romero universe people explain that away by continued decay. Like they lose even the few basic human instincts they have still eventually.

Of course, then you had Romero himself go and shit the bed all over his own legacy and it's too painful for me to keep up with anymore.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
Horseticuffs said:
Oh my fucking hell!

I just finished the episode where Shane killed Otis. Man, I can't believe that! I mean damn it was brilliant but cold-blooded as HELL, son.

This show is really growing on me!
Click to expand...

If you're already enjoying it that much then you're really in for a treat when you get to the second half of Season 2 and first half of Season 3. :)
 
TheSadRanger

TheSadRanger

Banned
Horseticuffs said:
In the Romero universe people explain that away by continued decay. Like they lose even the few basic human instincts they have still eventually.

Of course, then you had Romero himself go and shit the bed all over his own legacy and it's too painful for me to keep up with anymore.
Click to expand...

I assume you're talking about Land of the Dead..... Ya man, that was bad lol.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
Eschaton said:
We gonna start a new topic or just change the title of this?
Click to expand...

I'm working on it. Hope to have the Season 4 thread up before the end of this weekend.

Which reminds me... if anybody has any favorite .gifs from Season 3, post them and I'll add them to the OT. :)
 
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