The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 2

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The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 2
By Tao Mori
October 28, 2011 - 13:10

Studios: AMC
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Collins, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey Demunn, Steven Yeun
Directed by: Ernest R. Dickerson, Gwenyth Horder-Payton
Produced by: Frank Darabont
Running Time: 60min
Release Date: October 22 2011

Episode 2 of the Walking Dead picks up right when Carl was shot and we see Rick running with his son's body as they head to Hershel's farm house. This episode plays on a lot more heavy emotions, and some emotions that are similar to the one in the previous episode. Yet again one of the kids is put into a vulnerable situation where their life hangs in the balance. (In this episode we still have no idea what happened to Sophie). A lot of reference is made between Carl being shot to when Rick had been shot and put into the hospital. Shane steps up as a friend in this episode, big time. Shane volunteers to go get the medical equipment needed to save Carl's life, and its hard to imagine that this act is going to cause the Rick-Shane relationship to dwindle, if anything, Shane's act is going to reinforce their friendship and cause them to become better friends. In a sense to go back to the relationship they had prior to the zombie apocalypse, or at least I think so.

We meet some new characters such as Otis and his wife, as well as Hershel and his daughter. In the comic Hershel had a few sons and daughters, but this time he only has one daughter. Well that still bodes well for Glenn as those of you who read the comic remember what happens for Glenn. However I think Glenn has some competition with Daryl, as a girl who can ride a horse is going to have a lot more in common with Daryl than with Glenn, sorry Glenn. Then again there's a lot of differences from comics to the show. Otis is not a slack jawed yokel in the show as he's an EMT (ambulance person), which is a step up from the character he was in the original series. He can also run pretty fast for a hefty guy.

Hershel is a hard character to understand in this one episode. The actor they got to play him is rather good and sort of looks like Hershel does in the comic book, which I found rather striking. In the comic Hershel did have a naviety about the apocalypse would eventually be over. In the series he refers to the apocalypse as being nature getting back at humanity (fair enough). Rick disagrees and thinks that it's the end of everything, but Hershel is more hopeful in this sense. Perhaps this will change as it did in the comics, or maybe not.

T-dog touches a little on the dilemma that in the previous season seemed to be taking place. He says how he's the only black man, and that the rest of the group see him as weak. As well he thinks that Daryl, Rick and Shane will turn on him eventually. Dale (rightfully so) tells him that he's wrong and that these guys in fact like him. T-dog is sick, but he's suspicious because he is the last black one in the group. At the same time T-dog is being a bit silly if he would think that Rick or Shane would do anything to him, because they wouldn't. Daryl has also proven to be a good friend as well as he saved T-dog in the last episode. If T-dog doesn't bring up the race things, he is likely to be okay, but his fear of their racism may create a tension that would cause Daryl to not like him as much. I think Daryl is growing into a nicer person, as he's committed to finding Sophie, and helping out the others in the group. Considering what happened to his brother I'm surprised Daryl is as good of a guy as he's turning out to be. Again he's awesome, good job Norman Reedus!

Usually I say more things about how things don't make any sense to me, but this episode was well crafted. I liked the flashbacks mostly because they happened before the events in the show and not in-between events in the show. I felt this really helped to create the emotional atmosphere they were trying to create as well helped to bring Rick and Lori closer together. Also the scene with Shane and Otis going into the high school was good, they used flares to distract the zombies, shame that distraction doesn't work very well. If they had brought a third person with them one of them could have stayed outside to throw more flares, while the others looked for the medical stuff. Oh well hindsight is twenty/twenty right? I did not like the ending of the episode as two men were up against the wall with zombies clawing at them. I hate when tv shows end like that, that drives me nuts. Then again I of course have to watch next week's episode because of that cliffhanger. So evil.

I'm also glad there was a fair bit of looting in this episode too. Oh and of course who had the meds, Daryl. Where would they be without this guy?

I also heard that the show got picked up for a third season, which is exciting news. I hope you will all join me next week when I review the third episode.

Rating: 9.5/10