3.01: The Walking Dead - Seed

[FireDragon-16]

That is a good question. I am not a medical professional, so I may be incorrect here, but haven't we seen various states of decomposition? For example: When Shane was killed and turned into a zombie last season, obviously, he was "fresh", for lack of a better word, and thus, didn't look much different than when he was still alive. Thinking back to this scene, I remember Shane's eyes looking very milky, almost like cataracts had sent in. Other than that detail, Shane still looked his typical grumpy self. In contrast, the zombie that was crawling on the ground from season 1, was very much in a state of decomposition. In fact she didn't have any legs (Remeber her? She was the first zombie Rick encountered after leaving the hospital, before he met Morgan and his son.) If I am off base here with my response, somebody let me know. I don't claim to know everything, in spite of my wife's arguments to the contrary!

I think you're completely right. I think how they look all depends on how long they've actually been a zombie. Plus the fact that we've already agreed that they've been moving through the winter months and the cold would have a definite effect on the changing of skin...

 

[ctg]

That is a good question. I am not a medical professional, so I may be incorrect here, but haven't we seen various states of decomposition? For example: When Shane was killed and turned into a zombie last season, obviously, he was "fresh", for lack of a better word, and thus, didn't look much different than when he was still alive. Thinking back to this scene, I remember Shane's eyes looking very milky, almost like cataracts had sent in. Other than that detail, Shane still looked his typical grumpy self. In contrast, the zombie that was crawling on the ground from season 1, was very much in a state of decomposition. In fact she didn't have any legs (Remeber her? She was the first zombie Rick encountered after leaving the hospital, before he met Morgan and his son.) If I am off base here with my response, somebody let me know. I don't claim to know everything, in spite of my wife's arguments to the contrary!

I think you're completely right. I think how they look all depends on how long they've actually been a zombie. Plus the fact that we've already agreed that they've been moving through the winter months and the cold would have a definite effect on the changing of skin...

True, the lady in the pilot episode looked pretty horrendous. And to be honest there has been pretty awesomely decayed people along the course of the three seasons. But...

... it has been almost a year since the outbreak blossomed catastrophically big. So as a writer, I cannot swallow easily the idea that those who are really dead doesn't show much of decay, even if it's evident that the death happened relatively long time ago.

Check for example the prison guard in the box. His clothes look pretty fresh. The blood in the window is still reddish and the skin doesn't show much of decay.

But in the other hand, I do accept that the insect kind wouldn't necessarily lay their eggs in the zombie kind, as you wouldn't want to have undead creepy crawlies going around all over the place. And even then the zombies show decay.

Look for example the two stiffs in the chemist - when Michonne walks in - their eyes have sunken, skin has got quite grey and there's all sorts of viscous things in their bodies.

So maybe I should reframe my question and ask: Why is it that those, who are really dead doesn't show much of decay, even though it has been almost a year since the civilization went down?

 

[Action Avenue]

The only thing I can say is just because civilization went down a year ago, that doesn't mean that everybody necessarily became a zombie at the same time. Perhaps the fresher zombies in the prison haven't been dead as along as the few that Michonne encountered. I don't know if I am answering your question properly or to the degree that you are seeking, ctg, but this is the best response I can come up with at the moment. If anybody else has an opinion, please feel free.

 

[ctg]

Thank you AA. It's a curiosity and I can live with the unexplainable things.

 

[Culhwch]

Good episode, and a strong start to season three. It confused me a little that so much time had passed between the end of season two, when I thought they had seen the prison in that final shot, and the actually finding of the prison in this ep. Perhaps I was mistaken and they didn't see the prison, but we did? It's been a while...

On the decay issue - it's something that piqued my curiosity as well. I would think that with a certain amount of decay would come the inability to use muscles, but even the oldest, grossest looking zombies are still up and about and usually appear quite strong. I'd have thought a year into the apocalypse zombie numbers would be steadily on the decline.

Another thing - has it been established that you can only get infected by saliva, and not ingesting zombie blood or getting it on an open wound? Because one of the things that gets me every episode is how cavalier they all are about beating zombies to death in ways that spreads blood all over themselves and others. In this ep we saw Glen checking his girlfriend (her name escapes me) for cuts or scratches after a fight, which suggests to me that zombie blood to a wound can cause an infection.

 

[FireDragon-16]

Good episode, and a strong start to season three. It confused me a little that so much time had passed between the end of season two, when I thought they had seen the prison in that final shot, and the actually finding of the prison in this ep. Perhaps I was mistaken and they didn't see the prison, but we did? It's been a while...

On the decay issue - it's something that piqued my curiosity as well. I would think that with a certain amount of decay would come the inability to use muscles, but even the oldest, grossest looking zombies are still up and about and usually appear quite strong. I'd have thought a year into the apocalypse zombie numbers would be steadily on the decline.

Another thing - has it been established that you can only get infected by saliva, and not ingesting zombie blood or getting it on an open wound? Because one of the things that gets me every episode is how cavalier they all are about beating zombies to death in ways that spreads blood all over themselves and others. In this ep we saw Glen checking his girlfriend (her name escapes me) for cuts or scratches after a fight, which suggests to me that zombie blood to a wound can cause an infection.

They didn't actually find the prison in last season's finale. The camera just panned to it, trying to give viewers an idea of what was coming.

Technically, everyone's already infected. The zombie bites just kill you and the virus causes you to come back. However, like any virus you can catch it by getting it in your eyes/mouth, cuts, etc. They do beat the zombies in anyway they can and do get blood all over, but they are usually extremely careful to ensure that it doesn't get into their mouths or eyes (Btw, Glenn's girlfriend's name is Maggie).

 

[Culhwch]

Granted everyone is already infected, however that infection is dormant - it isn't actively killing people, just activating upon death. But a bite, even minor, will cause a fairly quick death and and reanimation. It can't be the bite that kills, it has to be the infection. If they were really being careful about avoiding blood to the mouth, eyes, or wounds, they'd be wearing more protective gear - facemasks, goggles, long clothing - but they're not. This is just something that sticks with me and often tends to take me out of the fiction.

If it's only the saliva that causes the deadly infection, that's fine, but they've never explained that. I don't recall anyone getting blood in their mouth or a wound and turning, however, so that tends to support that theory. I don't know, if that was me, I'd be a whole lot more careful. Never mind just turning into a zombie, you wouldn't know what the hell else you'd catch from rotten blood...

 

[JagLover]

I liked the action and how dark Rick is but the boring part for me is this ep was almost a carbon copy of the comics issues it is based on. Understandable it is early,important part of prison arc.

Personally I would like them to make the best tv series they can which imo means keeping as close to the plot of the comics as possible.

Some of the changes they made over the comic in the past worked, like keeping Shane around for longer, but the overall result was a poorly paced second season which was nowhere near as good as it should have been.

 

[svalbard]

I enjoyed the opening episode, although I found it hard to believe they have just come through a winter without losing anyone in the group.

That said the characterization was strong and the deference(even fear) shown by the group towards Rick is depicted well. He is the standout character of the series for me. His strength has shone through, yet his flaws(all so human) have also led the group into terrible straits. This is what TV should be all the time.

 

[rune]

I finally got to see this, as its finally came on a Freeview channel

It is months since the end of season 2, that seemed obvious to me on seeing Lori so far gone with her pregnancy.
Also they seem to be struggling with everything - at least that was my thoughts - nice touch with the Dog Food!

Interesting to see that Lori and Rick arent really getting on. Looks like Shane's death has come between them, and of course Lori's big bump could mean that Rick is feeling the baby isnt his...
I thought Lori's bleating a bit annoying, I felt she brought it all on herself.

The clearing of the prison was fun, and tense. I felt tense, great to see them struggling in the dark and poor Hershel. Wasnt that scene brutal when Rick chopped his leg off - I read somewhere that the Actor - Andrew Lincoln - found that a difficult scene too. - Hardly surprising.

Carl is still annoying, Im not a big lover of child soldiers in anything to be honest.

Nice to see Carol and Daryl getting on, such a nice touch their little flirty scene

 

[ctg]

I'm glad you finally got to see the series. It's wicked isn't it?

 

[rune]

Its definately started off well