Walking Dead Discussion Thread: S3, E1: “Seed”
*Spoiler Alert: Do not read this post or the comment section if you have not seen the show. Also, for those who have read the comics, please do not discuss plot elements not revealed on the show.*
So the Walking Dead kicked off tonight and I thought I would restart my weekly posts. Tonight’s show jumped ahead several months from last season’s finale. The survivors are hungry and tired when they find the prison. The hard task of clearing walkers from the grounds begins. As they penetrate deeper into the prison they find themselves surrounded by walkers and Hershel gets bitten on his leg. Rick reacts quickly and cuts Hershel’s leg off with a hatchet.
There are also a few brief scenes with Andrea and Michonne. It seems they survived the winter together and Andrea is now sick. They seem to have developed a strong bond that I am sure will be explored more throughout the season.
As the show ends, the survivors learn that there are non-walker prisoners still alive. All in all, the show packed as much as they could into a season premier. We’ve got fifteen more episodes to see what the prison holds for the group.
it is useful to meReport
It was a good episode and since I read the comics I can appreciate how some people just have to end up screwed the way they were but I didn’t like the decision process here very much. Why on earth would you move beyond your chain link fence and engage the walkers in hand to hand combat? Simply stand behind the fence and do exactly what they were doing: stabbing the zombies in the heads through the chain links as the shuffled up (to say nothing about how much ammo you would save by doing this)?
Why on earth would you go creeping around in the dark corridors and then run franticly when walkers jumped you? Set up a defensible position with a clear retreat to a solid door behind you (and no extra entrences you can be flanked through) then set up a racket and kill the walkers as they shuffle up to investigate. Individually the zombies aren’t that threatening. It’s only by surprise attack, panick or swarming that they nail people.Report
As far as the corridors go it think they each should have scavenged a shield then traveled 300 style stabbing walkers in the head as they went.Report
Precisely. Their unit discipline which was demonstrated in a more dangerous environment (open area, high zombie count, multiple vectors of attack, low equipment) was vanished in the interest of narrative suspense.
Realistically a group that could take the courtyard would cakewalk the corridors:
-They had gained posession of at least a couple riot shields.
-They had obtained enough full riot gear by my count to equip all of their members.
-The corridor, despite being dark and scary, was actually a lower risk environment. The number of zombies present were limited and the vectors they could attack from were enormously more limited. With shields, armor, melee weapons and the discipline they previously had the humans should have been able to slowly move through that block like a slow metholodical armored zombie killing machine.
Apparently sleeping on prison matresses transformed them into brainless scatterbrains who ran around the halls like a bunch of half drunk chickens*.
*And yet I watch the show loyally, I even watch the adds.Report
I was wondering why someone didn’t say, “Hey, let’s throw one of our newly-acquired flash bangs at the mob,” and then counter-attack.Report
Would zombies give a damn about a flash bang? Regardless, zombies would give a hell of a lot of damn about a truncheon to their spongey noggins while they were gumming uselessly at a wall of riot shields. Really when you think about it riot gear/riot tactics may be some of the most practical equipment and strategy to have when facing a zombie mob~ a zombie horde and a rioting mob share a lot of similar threats though if anything a rioting human mob would actually be more of a problem for a riot squad than a zombie mob would.Report
It’s clear the walkers rely heavily on sensory perception of their prey – sight, sound and smell.
A flash bang would seriously disrupt two of them unless the show writers wanted to magically make their senses different. I wouldn’t put it past them, but everything they’ve shown so far says they should be super effective.Report
Fair enuff, I just haven’t seen any indication of light or sound perception on that level of sensitivity. Walkers hear noises and see things and they respond to them but I’ve never seen them respond to light by squinting nor startle or wince from loud noises. They react to being touched but that doesn’t mean beating their bodies will cause them pain. Similarily while they react to sound and light I am not convinced that extreme levels of either would effect them in a negative manner.Report
When Sophia came out of the barn last season she shielded her eyes briefly.Report
Ooh that’s a good point. Maybe they are light sensitive?Report
Do they appear to fear flame at all? I can’t remember.Report
I thought the head popping maneuver through the chain link fence was pretty handy. Like North, I think I would have spent a few days exploiting that before venturing into dark cell blocks.
Overall, good episode. And I’m excited to see what happens next.
Oh, and poor Virgil…Report
I find it interesting how unconcerned they are about walker blood all over them. Very unlike 28 Days Later, for example. The pole-through-the-fence maneuver seemed..messy.
I think the reason they were more aggressive is that Rick was desperate to get to the medicine and food he thought would be inside. Killing them through the fence would have taken a bit longer.Report
I have this problem too (Glen inspecting Maggie for scratches, then kissing her blood-smeared shoulder – ugh!). Seems inconsistent. But I explain it to myself by, Rick has already explained that everyone is infected – so presumably, the zombie virus itself doesn’t kill you, just reanimates your corpse when you do die (though in that case, scratches and even minor bites are basically no big deal so long as you don’t get a regular-old septic infection of some kind from them – so just keep some rubbing alcohol handy. And for god’s sake, wear a long-sleeve shirt and gloves or whatever. Like I do when I am just doing FREAKING YARDWORK).
Whatever. Am I expecting TWD to make sense? The action/gore/scary scenes are always well-done, but does anyone else spend a fair amount of time yelling at the characters, like Herschel, who for some reason decides to tempt fate by GETTING AS CLOSE AS HE CAN TO A CORPSE IN AN OTHERWISE EMPTY HALLWAY?
AND WHY WON’T LORI DIE ALREADY. PREFERABLY AT THE HANDS OF A ZOMBIE FETUS.
Sorry. So, so sorry. I’ll see myself out.Report
My understanding of the ‘science’ in the show is that a zombie bite will kill the person. Hence Rick cutting off Hershel’s leg in order to try and save him and also in Season One when Jim, an early member of the group, gets a minor bite but becomes sick and is left on the side of the road on the way to Atlanta.
Hershel getting too close was a zombie in the well moment, but I guess necessary to create drama. I like his character though so I hope he makes it.Report
Hmmm. So it’s only in the zombie saliva then, and when you get bitten you get a bigger dose of the virus than you are already carrying via airborne intake, which overwhelms your immune system?
But then, why does Glen care about scratches? And you’d think with all the blood and pus (and heck, presumably even saliva) flying all teh time, you’d at least want a pair of sunglasses, and to keep your dang mouth shut.
Yeah, Herschel is a character who could have been irritating, but that actor really gives him a dignity/gravity and pathos that I like. He’s a smart/tough old guy. Which is why I was surprised that he’d make such a dumb mistake.Report
Yeah well it wouldn’t have killed them to throw in a line like “fence stomping them is safe and easy but it takes too long and we need XYZ from within the prison soon or else we’re boned”.Report
I loved the new episode last night. I’m glad to see they have included more zombie killings. For a while last season I felt it was getting kinda soap opera-ish. I can’t wait for next Sunday night!!!!!Report
I’ll also add they’ve amped up the makeup a lot. That zombie in the gas mask was flat out mind-blowingly disgusting.Report
That, and the leg amputation.
Hey, do you think that right before they started filming this ep, the writers told the actor who plays Herschel to “break a leg”? 😉Report
The zombies in riot gear was in general pretty awesome. I loved the comedic effect of them whacking them in the heads with a machete and nothing happening and then the look on Maggie’s face when she figured out how to kill them.Report
Yeah, Daryl hits one with a crossbow bolt and it bounces off the faceplate and he just gets an “oh s**t” look.
Of course, if they were in full riot gear, HOW DID THEY BECOME ZOMBIES? ARGH, WALKING DEAD!Report
It’s okay dude. They could have been bit -before- they put on riot gear. They could have been bit on a hand or on the face. There’s a plethora of ways that they could have been infected prior to donning the protective armor.Report
North, I need you to keep me calm. Thanks man.
If we are ever in an actual zombie apocalypse I will definitely want you at my back, otherwise I’ll totally get eaten because I’ll keep pausing to scratch my head and say “wait a minute, that makes no sense…?” (CHOMP!)Report
You’re welcome.
If, god(ess?) forfend, a zombie apocalypse then I can think of very few groups of people I’d like to survive it with more than the Leaguers. The campfire conversations would be pretty good*.
*We’d probably end up schisming over what kind of post zombie society to establish.Report
NO WELFARE FOR ZOMBIESReport
If we didn’t have welfare for Zombies, they’d attack us.Report
One question about those zombies in riot gear though…how do you think they got infected? Could a zombie have bitten through riot gear? Did they die of starvation or disease and then become a zombie?Report
The show has never substantively dealt with this problem. Whenever we see zombies overwhelm a human, they consume the human. Which then doesn’t leave anything to be a zombie. What we’re asked to believe, apparently, is that each of those zombies in riot gear was bitten, then got away, then stayed in their riot gear as they zombiefied*. In other words, this:
“Oh my god, I got bitten, but I got away. Now I’ve got this horrible fever.”
“So you’re really hot and turning into a zombie?”
“Yep.”
“Want to take off that riot gear?”
“No, I’m okay. I’ll just keep this on while my temperature spikes. It makes perfect sense.”
“You’ll sure be a cool once you actually zombify** huh? Like, if they were making a television show, and you were in it as a zombie in that riot gear, that would get people talking!”
“Yeah, no doubt. BRAINS!”
*scientific term
**also a scientific termReport
Sam – good points. Couple more:
1) How much of a person has to be left for them to still become a zombie? I’m thinking specifically about ‘bicycle girl’ from Season 1. She was half-eaten and still a zombie. Also, could there be a mutilated Otis running around?
2) At what point during the initial zombie plague do people still not figure out that a bite = zombie and start killing themselves? Are there religious objections to suicide? Hope for a cure? Hope that the nasty fever is going to pass?Report
Sam, lol, I see your points. I thought the same thing at first.
But keep in mind, everyone has this “disease” in their blood. We’re not sure when it started or how it came about. It may have even been airborne since they don’t mention any possible way of everyone all of a sudden contracting it through a shot or pill like a vaccination gone terribly wrong (see “I am Legend”). So, although I agree there should be less walkers, especially in this prison and condensed areas because they get overwhelmed and literally eaten to shreds, remember that many people die other ways. We may have had people stabbed or shot to death and come back as walkers, like Shane. Others may have dehydrated or starved to death. So it is possible that these riot officers were killed a different way and then became walkers without the bite marks like we’ve seen before (the two cops at the high school).
Still, it leads us to believe that all of the dead people in season one outside of the hospital were not infected? Or else they would’ve been walkers right? I mean they were covered in what looked like white hospital bedding sheets and were lying on the ground in rows. Or were they all struck in the head as walkers and killed (for a second time) that way then laid to rest lined up in the back of the hospital? Which doesn’t make sense either way. Especially they didn’t appear to have their heads stabbed or smashed in.
As seen here:
http://anythinghorror.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/the-walking-dead-20101028030237569.jpg
So I guess what I’m saying is, it has been inconsistent, but remember it’s in their blood. And yea, inside the prison it’s hard to believe based on the premise of the show that there would be that many walkers all in a confined a secure facility. Unless, they all became walkers around the same time…but then how is there a group of survivors? Maybe this week will answer these questions, but I highly doubt it.Report
Without going too deeply into my own nerdery, I have written all of this about the show: http://darkbrownwaffles.tumblr.com/search/walking+dead That said, I’ve always balked at the infection mechanism. If the idea is that all human beings are infected, then fine, but that hasn’t played out throughout the show. In fact, it only started mattering when Rick shot Shane, who then magically turned into a zombie without any exposure that we knew of. Because, DAMMIT, Carl had to have the opportunity to shoot Shane, his one-time hero.
It’s easier to think about the show if you focus on what’s most advantageous for the show’s producers, and not what’s most advantageous to what makes sense. For instance, you can’t have a super-cool special effect of a zombie tearing in half unless you have a character voluntarily go into a well after a zombie. It’s just like you can’t have a super-cool special effect of a zombie’s face being torn off by a helmet unless he’s actually wearing a helmet.Report
A few random thoughts on last night’s episode:
* I think I’m on the opposite side of the fence (HA!) from everyone else hear regarding the group going deep into the prison. All I could think when they were in the courtyard yard was that they had just trapped themselves in an enclosed area with almost no food and ammo. What were they going to do in the a day or two when they started starving, and had almost no ammunition to shoot their way out? They went in in the hopes of finding supplies, I assumed, because they really had no other choice.
* I get horror cliches, so I know the co-ed always has to go into the dark cellar unarmed wearing only her neglige when she hears a suspicious sound, but… As the scouting party passed all the obvious zombies just lying on the floor, their heads all still intact, I couldn’t figure out why they didn’t chop an poke as they went by. You knew the moment they just walked over the first someone was gonna get bit.
* That hatching through through the leg? That stuff was nasty.
* So too was the kid opening the cat food. Probably not great survival instincts, but I was glad Rick threw the stuff away. I’d rather watch someone chopping a fake leg off than someone eating fake cat food on camera.
* I like the zombie fighting ninja woman, but what’s up with the pet zombies? I kept trying to make up some kind of rationale as to why she has them, but I can’t think of any. It looks like some amazingly creepy necrophilia/S&M fantasy being played out, and I found it unnecessarily weird and distracting.Report
Didn’t they figure out in S1 or S2 that the ‘scent’ of live human can be covered with zombie scent? So in addition to using them as pack animals, she’s using them as a ‘cloaking device’.Report
You know, on further thought I am not sure this really works. In any other situation where there’s a live human within 5 feet of 2 zombies, this doesn’t confer immunity on the live human, it just attracts more zombies. So I don’t really know. As pack animals, I would think zombies are certainly tireless, but sort of slow.Report
‘immunity’ should be ‘invisibility’.Report
Not to mention, they have no arms. So when they fall over, which they probably do a lot (zombies don’t seem especially coordinated nor athletic), does she pick them back up to their feet again? I think this is another one of those things that looks cool at first, but makes absolutely no sense when you think about it. These things would just slow her down.Report
I’m not sure if you noticed but in the scene where Andrea and Michonne where leaving town, the camera pulled back and you could see that the zombies were carrying their supplies via backpacks. So they basically act like mules for the girls.Report
CJ has hit on the answer. The zombies, once rendered harmless (with teeth and arms removed, are turned into effectively tireless (and per the previous seasons rather physically strong) pack mules. Plus with their hunger instincts they’re also fearless (no bolting or running) and they are drawn to chase after Michonne even without the chains. It’s macabrely practical.Report
If their hunger instinct makes them follow Michonne, if I were Michonne I would use solid poles rather than flexible chains, so they aren’t crowding me and getting all up in my grill with their stinky zombie faces all the time.Report
Possibly but there’s practical concerns as well, poles are just too clunky.Report
Yeah, I mentioned pack animals above. But again, if they trip and fall over while wearing heavy packs – which I expect they would do approximately every 2 minutes, being slow clumsy zombies, with no arms to use for balance or to get back to their feet with – this seems pretty useless. And hopefully they don’t take you, who is holding their chains, down with them when they do fall.
Looks cool, makes no sense when you think about it. Like TWD, basically.Report
Pack carrying are pretty much the only practical explanation for their presence that makes even remote sense even if there is significant “oh damn the zombie is tipped over again” issues with it.
The only other reason I’d see for having em around would be creepy psychologic. Either they were company of sorts for when she was solitary (creepy) or she knew them when they were alive (I note with great trepidation that both of Michonnes zombies look like they shared her ethnicity in their previous life).Report
I just read the (completely unrelated) Sandman story ’24 hours’, so certain horrible possibilities along the lines of RTod’s initial comment do suggest themselves, and I just want to say…ecccch.Report
Due to Jay and you I read the first Sandman collection book in a bookstore when I had some free time. I was quite charmed. Seriously considering jumping into the series.Report
Please do! We just started the read over at JB’s place, and we’d love to have you.
I’ll warn you, if you haven’t hit ’24 Hours’ yet, it’s dark. Really, really dark. But not representative of the series as a whole, so don’t let it turn you off.Report
Wait, you said you read the first collection so you must have read it. Never mind 🙂Report
I’ve gotten as far as him hanging with his sister. What happens in 24? I was reading a collection so I payed scant attention to the titles. Was that the one with Dr. Dee?Report
yeah, the one in the Diner.Report
Ah yes, well I’ve read a lot of comics so I don’t squick easily.Report
You might when you read my notes on it 🙂Report
Michonnes zombies are One is her boyfriend and the other is her boyfriend’s best friend. I read this after last season when they introduced her on the season finale.Report
I don’t want to ruin the show for you so I will try to go into as little detail as possible.
Those two zombies are close people to Michonne. Pack Mules, yes. Someone earlier eluded to using them as a ‘cloaking device’ and later on in the show I think they will delve into that a bit.
There really isn’t much more that can be said that wouldn’t tell too much of the story.Report
This may be an odd thought but, since we don’t know much about Michonne’s back story, for all we know they could literally be some of her family or friends. Kinda sick but with all that is going on, not out of the realm of possibility…Report
Not at all. Herschel was keepin’ family close too for a while there…Report
Great discussion here. We all seem to agree it was a good episode. You gotta like that Daryl has grown to be a character the group likes and trusts. Carol jokingly flirts with him, but don’t you get the feeling she’s serious? He’s a leader but with Merle around the corner I’m excited (and concerned) to see how that may all change. Anyone else get the feeling that Andrea and Michonne like each other, you know, like more than a friend?
As for the prison, I have a feeling that Rick’s quick thinking and actions may have saved Hershel. Afterall, every group needs a doctor, veterinarian or not. He’s no Jack from Lost, but he’s evolved into a pretty cool and helpful old man. I’d hate to seem him go. Lastly, any thoughts on the other survivors in the prison? I mean, after all, they are criminals. Not like the fake gang that were just nursing home workers from season one. These guys could be hard core criminals that survived. I got a feeling they’re not, or maybe just hoping they’re good guys…Report
I’m interested to see what happens with Carol and Daryl. The way he puts her off makes me wonder if we will find out he is gay or maybe has some sexual damage (molested by big brother when they were kids?) It’s open to complete speculation since his charater is not in the comic book. But I agree, she wasn’t really joking.Report
RE: Herschel – he’s their only medical man. Why is he going out on sorties anyway, he’s way too critical? Clear the hospital, find the infirmary, THEN bring Herschel around.Report
ugh, ‘prison’, not ‘hospital’. Dunno what is up with me this AM. Need more coffee.Report
Since Dale was killed at the farm this isn’t a TV spoiler, but in the comics Dale was bitten on the leg and survived an amputation. Maybe the show writers decided that was too good of a plot point to give up so they went with Hershel getting bit instead.Report
I agree. Why did they take Herschel with them? Dumb move on Rick’s part he is too important to their survival.Report
The sortie was fundamentally idiotic to begin with (ignoring the supposed corpses on the floor, ignoring the endless maze like deathtrap with the near infinite potential for flanking, the ludicrously limited use of available riot gear armor) so why not take Herschel?Report
North, you should write AMC’s ad copy, as you have just described my feelings perfectly, and why I can’t seem to stop watching, despite my overwhelming need to endlessly criticize the thing.
The Walking Dead
fundamentally idiotic…so why not?
🙂Report
I’ll mail them my suggestions post haste.Report
Every week, I turn that show on, and every week, it begs me to break my television into a billion pieces. I understand we’ve discussed this elsewhere in the thread but:
1. The fence technique worked great. Keep doing that instead of engaging in hand-to-hand combat, especially since ammunition was “running low.”
2. Don’t leave a courtyard full of zombies alive if you can very easily kill them all by using the aforementioned fence technique.
3. Don’t go on missions with the one guy who can deliver the stupid baby.
4. Don’t go into dark catacombs when you can open the doors and let the zombies come to you (slowly).
5. Don’t ask me to believe that you’re eating catfood and owls if you’ve still got plenty of fuel.Report
RE: #4, that was my question. Rather than move through each block, open one door or gate, get a tin cup and rattle it on the bars like any good prisoner would, and kill the noise-attracted zombies one by one as they come through the narrow opening, with a fire-bucket-type line to pass the zombie corpses out of the way.Report
Here’s the worst part: we’re expected to believe that these idiots have lived for six months engaging in tactics that can only be described as “insane” or “crazy” or “mind-bogglingly stupid.”Report
Looks like North just found his ad partner.
The Walking Dead
insane…crazy…mind-bogglingly stupidReport
Sam and I can start an agency.Report
As previously mentioned – it was clear that Rick wanted to move things along quickly to get supplies. Also, as Hershel found out, killing every zombie that answers their noise-bait doesn’t mean the area is clear.
I took the plan to be, “Let’s explore this next block and see what we need to do to clear it.” As soon as they made contact they retreated which stuck me as being part of the plan. Maybe Rick figured they could kill a few but if it was a big group they would fall back. Of course, if that WAS the plan…taking Hershel is even more stupid.Report
This time issue is also ridiculous. It would take a shambling zombie, what, five minutes to get over to the fence? “Guys, WE CAN’T WAIT FOR FIVE MINUTES! GET IN THERE NOW AND START RISKING LIVES!” Rick is the Zapp Branigan of strategery.Report
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What I am saying is, I LOVE Zapp Brannigan. If I am surfing past Futurama and I see him on, I will stop, every time, even if I have seen that episode before.Report
Any interaction between Zaap and Kif is magic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCKWIzmauQEReport
I have totally been on IMDB’s Zapp quote page and laughing my butt off for the last 5 minutes, because I hear them in his voice. That voice is so perfect (and obviously Hartman-esque); I always love an authoritative, manly voice saying things that are just completely nonsensical/idiotic, going all the way back to the narrator in ‘Take The Money and Run’. Dependable comic gold.Report
My favorite Zapp moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kWmlpSCHAIReport
I can’t find the clip, but I love this one:
Kif: Sir, remember your course correction?
Zapp Brannigan (sharply): No.
Kif: Well it’s proving somewhat more suicidal than we’d initially hoped.
Zapp then immediately puts Kif in command, and we see Zapp speed away in an escape pod.Report
Mr. Peterman on Seinfeld is another good example of this type.Report
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The only thing I can offer in defense is that the comic did eastablish that zombies come in a number of flavors of behavior. Walkers are highly sound sensitive zombies that do respond to sound but at the other end of the spectrum are lurkers who essentially just sit inert until food is very proximate. The doc fell to one of the latter kinds of zombies which suggests to me they’re following that division even if they haven’t actually talked about it yet.Report
North – that is an eloquent defense, one that would make more sense within the show if we weren’t being asked to believe that these idiots had survived for six months. Surely it would have registered by now…and now that I’m thinking about this, it clearly had registered, because Rick poked at the dead body in the guard tower to see if it was a zombie.Report
Yes, as I noted above Sam the odd thing is that this episode showed us two groups of people. The first group was a disciplined skilled fighting group which defeated a significant threat: the multi-attack-vector zombie horde in the courtyard while equipped only with limited gear. The second group were scatterbrained idiots who, despite posessing armor, shields and truncheons, responded to a less significant threat: a limited vector zombie attack in the hallways- by running around like lemmings.Report
Am I the only one that was thinking Benny Hill when Glenn and Maggie ran into the room to avoid the herd? It seems the prison is ripe for the old hallway chase gag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7ACUJ-0ARYReport
To me it makes sense enough that he overlooked the ankle biter zombie. Wasn’t it right at that moment when he realized his daughter wasn’t with them anymore & became concerned & turned back for her? How many of us would be on our best if we are having a moment of fear & panic at the loss of a loved one? & it wasn’t a situation where there was gonna be a good amount of time to stop & poke every zombie on the route to look for her. Things had just gotten pretty chaotic & he may have assumed it had been out down by the group before he traced back to holler for her.
Also…I reckon I disagree with the prison halls being an easier place to pick them off. I understand there is limited space so it would seem easy enough to think of it like an assembly line of zombies easily getting butchered one by one….but I think it would be like underestimating the power of the pack…like assuming there aren’t that many ants underground because you only saw a few outside on the top of the hill…but then you get careless & go in to be swarmed with thousands. No matter how good a strategy or great the gear…they will eventually take you down by shear weight in numbers. Ever tried to get out of a mosh pit real fast? It doesn’t happen. I’d personally take my chances in the yard where I can hop around & run.
I guess what I’m sayin is that I think it’s still realistic for being so unrealistic.Report
And I’m excited for the next episode!Report
When the zombies attack I suggest going to the museum and getting Chain mail and thick leather. I’d like to see them bite through that.Report
Roger – that stuff is heavy. I’m heading to the sporting goods store.Report
I’m grabbing a ladder and heading for the second floor.Report
Yep, riot gear’d beat chain mail easily. You could probably ditch the armor plating in it and still be pretty much zombie proof and much lighter.Report
I recall we had a very good discussion of weapons last season. My thoughts on melee weapons lean towards clubs because the last thing you want in a zombie attack is for your ax to get stuck in one of their heads. I also think T-Dogs fireplace poker is ludicrous for that very reason. Any new thoughts based on last night?Report
Something three to four feet in length that’s simultaneously strong and bladed. A sword, a knife, a machete, etc. Something that can pierce skin and be withdrawn quickly.Report
I thought you were firmly on the edge weapons side of things last season, Mike?
The poker just seems stupid, it’s gonna get stuck at some point.
Naturally under duress you make do with what’s on hand, but once you’re in this world weapon choice seems like it ought to be a primary consideration for life.
Keeping distance ought to be the first goal since the walkers are only dangerous when in biting range. I’d be giving serious consideration to polearms, staffs or clubs – bashing seems more reliable than stabbing and keeping them a few feet from you seems less risky.
Michonne’s katana makes sense as long as she can keep it so sharp, but anything remotely dull would be too dangerous for melee against groups because you’re defenseless if it gets stuck, and at some point it’s gonna get caught in bone somewhere.
Keep shorter edge weapons if they get close or you manage to lose your primary weapon.Report
I’d still like a good tomahawk for one-to-one work… but given that they seem to only be fighting them en masse lately I’d want something that I could swing quickly with no fear of getting it stuck. A nice war hammer would do that, although for that to work you might have to penetrate their head which means the same problem.Report
The show hasn’t entirely addressed this, but are these zombies rotting at ALL? Is the virus keeping them “intact” as they were when they were infected? That seems important when discussing weaponry, surely, as Michonne’s sword is having literally NO problem going straight through spines. Maybe she’s keeping that thing that sharp, but it seems like degradation might explain some of her success.Report
They certainly appear to be decomposing, otherwise the show would be less gory. Which brings up a couple questions. One, would it be better to live in a warm humid climate like GA, where presumably, even if the zombie virus slows decomposition, it’s still faster than in cool dry climes? Or is it better to live in very cold climes, where zombies get frozen solid for at least part of the year?
And, wouldn’t decomposition eventually lead to enough zombie attrition that the population would be more manageable? I guess if it’s slowed enough, say on the order of a lifespan of 70 yrs, maybe not.Report
An ideally equipped survivor would want an assortment of weapons.
I’d submit that a club/truncheon/bat would be an idea primary weapon which allows zombie dispatching at arm’s length.
Edged weapons would have significant maintenance issues which make them inferior to a club but a simple spearing weapon would also have utility for situations where you’re trying to dispatch zombies through a barrier (partially broken/open door, barred or chained fence etc). This may sound situational but in TWD world getting cornered by a modest number of walkers in an ad hoc refuge would be a significant concern and with a reliable thrusting weapon it’s possible you could literally poke yourself out of such a pickle. If you ground off the hook a poker hammered into a point would have much to recommend it for that purpose, just the right handy size too.
A knife would be essential as an OMG I got jumped melee fighting weapon. A rifle and a pistol would also be desirable, the former for precision ranged elimination and the latter serving again as an OMG I got jumped safety weapon. Silencers would be vital for a rifle and desirable but not mandatory for the pistol (if you are in the pistol using situation silence is a secondary concern). Bows/crossbows deserve a mention with their quiet renewable ammo but frankly without significant training they’re just not a practical choice*.
*Early firearms were massively inferior to bow weapons initially in terms of accuracy, range and fire rate. Their primary appeal was that you could train a squad of peasants to fire a gun volley in relatively short order whereas training a lethal bowman could take years.
So, your well equipped survivor would have slimmed down riot gear, a truncheon, a custom poker with a rifle, pistol and knife.Report
I can pretty much go along with that. And of course for guns, I’m still favoring this guy:
http://www.colt22rimfire.com/index.php?page=colt-m4-carbineReport
On gun specific I would happily bow to your infinitely superior knowledge.Report
Compound bows are considerably easier to learn and handle than a long bow – I’d have them up high on my list of things to have with you.
They’re clearly situational as you can only carry so many arrows (and might be nigh useless under real duress), but silence and reusability seem pretty important factors, especially if you’re planning for the long term. It doesn’t seem likely anyone’s going to be making ammunition any time soon.Report
Possibly so, but if we’re talking modern compound bows with the pulleys and stuff don’t you have a fragility concern as well? A survivor in TWD world is going to be going through a lot of temperature changes and humidity swings I’d expect.Report
Not to mention actual weapon swings when you get caught unawares and have to swing the bow to try to brain a zombie.Report
Compound bows themselves are pretty tough. The larger problem is keeping the sights lined up. Those are pretty fragile. Honestly if someone wants to go the bow route they might be better off with a longbow and learning to shoot by instinct Robin Hood style.Report
I’d go with a halberd with a solid butt. Everyone gets one, with melee and one-on-one practice drills. I’ve seen large-scale pole arm drills and those suckers can be quite effective. Even if the edge gets dull, you can do a fair amount of damage with a bash.
Crossbows (leg-pull variety) for ranged weapon. The bolt doesn’t have be as precise as an arrow, and the stock makes a decent blunt-force weapon.Report
I Just received this in my email… good stuff.
http://uncrate.com/stuff/essentials-zombie-hunter/Report
Where is the second episode’s open thread. I want to be angry RIGHT NOW!Report