The Walking Dead - The Morning After

One of the herd

I didn't realize how much I missed The Walking Dead until a few minutes before the season 2 opener began.  I was excited about it but until yesterday afternoon had almost forgotten it was on.  If you are on the interwebs as much as I am and additionally are a fan of the show then the hubbub surrounding the change in leadership did not escape your notice. I wasn't worried.  I am sure Frank Darabont had a lot to do with the first season but it's a solid show based on solid material and I had faith that this season was going to be fine.  I'm sad that things didn't work out that he could be around in a more hands-on way but I had a feeling the show was going to be ok.

It is.  In fact it was more than ok last night.  I could still be proved wrong but I suspect this is going to be a very good second season.  Speaking of season 2, here's what happened:

The countdown on AMC ended and the 90 minute episode began with a short but precise recap of what took place last season.  I had forgotten that Laurie Holden's character, Andrea, wanted to stay behind at the CDC and end her life in a way that was her choosing.  I don't blame her one bit.  But I also don't blame the other characters for not trusting that giving her a gun might end in her using a much needed bullet on herself. 

Anywhoodle we hear from Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, that since things didn't work out at the CDC they are heading to Fort Benning.  The tiny caravan encounters a mass of cars stopped all over the highway and end up having to stop due to an overheated radiator on the RV.  There's no way the RV was going to get through so they would have had to stop anyway. While stopped they spot a herd of walkers (zombies!!!) headed their way.  Everyone dives under cars and tries to stay as quiet as possible.  This could have worked but for a few reasons (nosey zombie checking out the inside of the RV, a bit of noise from young Sophia, and T-Dog ripping his hand to shreds all on his own).  Sophia makes a run from under the car and into the woods and is chased by two zombies, er, walkers.  Rick goes after her and dispatches of the two walkers but in the meantime had give Sophia directions that, for whatever reason, were not followed.  The gang spends the rest of the episode trying to track her down and at the same time, work through their stuff.

What I loved:
- The idea of the zombie herd was great!  We see it often in zombie movies but I don't remember ever hearing anyone refer to it as a herd. Also this part had me REALLY stressed out and nervous.

- When Rick caught up with the running Sophia she immediately went for his gun in order to shoot the walkers herself.  You gotta love a spunky kid.  Thankfully he reminded her that using the gun would make a loud enough noise to attract the herd.

- They show up at a church and hung on the church's larger sign was a smaller one that read: Welcome Bikers.  Nice.

- The shock of what happened with the deer.

*********SPOILERY BITS**********SPOILERY BITS***********SPOILERY BITS*******

DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE SHOW YET

As soon as the deer's ear perked up I knew something was coming.  I assumed a walker was going to jump out and grab Rick's son.  I really didn't think it'd be a gunshot from somewhere deep in the woods.  That was beyond shocking.  It was such a beautiful and serene moment and they pulled you right out of it but in a totally unexpected way.  I can't wait to see how this plays out and who was on the other end of that gunshot.

YAY!!! WALKING DEAD IS BACK!