Walking Dead 2nd half...

‘The Walking Dead’ Gets a 16-Episode Third Season; Kirkman and Mazzara Defend First Half

by Joel Keller | January 14, 2012 at 8:50 PM | The Walking Dead

Rick (Andrew Lincoln) takes the final shot in the mid-season finale of "The Walking Dead" (AMC)

The AMC portion of the TCA press tour started with some news about the network’s highest-rated show, “The Walking Dead.” The zombie drama will be getting a sixteen-episode third season, up three from this season’s total. Before the panel, creator Robert Kirkman and showrunner Glen Mazzara were making their case for the second half of the show’s second season, which saw the forced departure of original showrunner Frank Darabont as that first half was being shot.

Mazzara wanted to put to rest the notion that the second half of the season are “his” episodes, and the first half — spent mostly on the farm of Hershel Greene — were “Frank’s.” “The arc for the second half of the season was developed after Frank. I think that mid season finale was put in production after things went down. That midseason finale and moving forward is the type of story…. I don’t know if you can pinpoint to particular episodes. It is sort of a messy process,” he said.

While Darabont’s dismissal was controversial, it also seemed to be a story that had legs as the first half of the season dragged on, with many episodes exploring character more than seeing the ragtag Atlanta group running from zombies. A few weeks ago, Darabont sent an e-mail to Ain’t It Cool News detailing what he wanted to do with the season two opener, concentrating on the story of the soldier Rick Grimes found in the tank in the first seaosn.

Both Mazzara and Kirkman acknowledge the story was brought up, but it was dismissed early in the writing process. “Internally, we discussed that examined it, felt it was best to open the season on picking up our characters, so Frank moved off of that,” said Mazzara. “If Frank said that was an idea that was written or rejected, that’s not my recollection.”

Kirkman felt that the letter Darabont sent was misinterpreted. “I will say that we didn’t move off of it for the season premiere because of budgetary concerns; we moved off of it because of story concerns. Coming out of the Jenner story and the CBC (in the first season finale), we just felt that it would be more important to start the second season by getting back into it with our characters and getting to know them and starting the season off like that.”

Mazzara, for his part, doesn’t think he’ll do too many flashbacks like that in future episodes, unless it drives the story forward. “I know people may not like that, but I’m hesitant to do that because I feel it slows up the narrative. I feel it breaks the timeframe and it’s not something usually done in horror movies. We want to keep the show scary; we want to keep it driving forward. I think we really pick up the pace, we hurtle to the finale this year.”

Speaking of pace, Mazzara became a bit defensive when the subject of how slow the first half of the season was perceived, thinking that there was plenty of action in the first half, and the episodes built toward the mid-season finale reveal that little Sophia was a walker stuck in Hershel’s barn.

“Let me ask you a question,” he asked. “Here’s how I view these past seven episodes: We lose the girl, there’s a herd coming through, Carl is shot, we need medical supplies, we kill Otis, Daryl’s is injured both with the arrow and being shot by Andrea, there’s the pharmacy attack, the shoot out, then there’s the barn massacre…. where was the slow episode? If there was seven episodes…. tell me what was the slow material, because I feel that material was a very compelling interesting story which had a great payoff. So the criticism is interesting to me.”

Kirkman wasn’t so definitive. “I will say that there are some valid criticisms in there about these episodes, bit I will say that we have to recognize that we’re judging a piece of a whole. Making the farm seem like a tranquil safe place will add value to the episodes you haven’t seen yet in a way that you’ll be unable to recognize at the moment because you haven’t seen those episodes.”

Speaking of the farm, it looks like it will still be the base of operations for the gang in most of the second half , but it’ll become less isolated. “That changes because the outside world comes crashing in, the farm isn’t as safe as people intended, and they’re getting painted into a corner,” said Mazzara.

“I’d say they’re both dangerous people off the farm and dangerous people already on the farm,” he said with a laugh. “There’s more than enough danger to go around in the second half of the season. ” He even called Hershel a “bad-ass,” to which Kirkman half-kiddingly said, “Whoa, spoiler alert!”

If it doesn’t look like the two are on the same exact page, which it seemed like during the interview, then that may bode poorly for the show going forward. However, Mazzara, who called taking the showrunner job “the riskiest gig I’ve ever taken,” thinks that the collaborative environment on the show ensures that fans will watch and enjoy the episodes he runs without worrying too much about who is running the show.

“I’m lucky that it came together. Because for awhile it was a lot of risk and I got lucky that everybody rallied and said we’re going to keep putting on the show. Frank’s contributions to the show are incalculable, and as a showrunner, mine are now, too. And that’s just the job I’ve taken on. This is not a competition between Franks’ vision of the show and my vision of the show. Enjoy the show. judge the work on its own merit, hopefully you won’t know who’s cooking it; you’ll just enjoy the meal.”

Is ‘Walking Dead’s’ Shane a Goner? Bernthal May Join New Darabont Pilot

by Joel Keller | January 24, 2012 at 12:06 PM | The Walking Dead

Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) fighting zombies in "The Walking Dead" (Gene Page/AMC)

We don’t normally dive into the minutiae of casting news, but when we see that the star of a hit show is in any kind of talks to star in another, we sit up and take notice. Variety and TV Guide have the news that Jon Bernthal, who currently stars as Shane Walsh in AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” is on TNT’s short list to star in “L.A. Noir,” the new show from “TWD’s” former showrunner, Frank Darabont.

So, does that mean that Shane is doomed?

Well, let’s just say it doesn’t look good. Shane has been positioned as a wildcard among the ragtag group that have taken residence at the farm of Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson). Opposing the in-control Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), Shane has been portrayed as someone who will stop at nothing to survive, including shooting someone in the knee and leaving him for a horde of zombies.

Both the show’s creator, Robert Kirkman, and the new showrunner, Glen Mazzara, have alluded to the fact that in the second half of the season, the gang will be facing dangers from fellow humans as well as the walkers. “I’d say they’re both dangerous people off the farm and dangerous people already on the farm,” said Mazzara, which is a not-so-veiled reference to the increasingly skittish Shane.

The Variety report mentions that the talks are barely underway, so this may all be moot, no matter what happens to Bernthal’s character on “TWD” this season. But the fact that he’s even being considered for a new pilot shows that the powers that be in Hollywood know something that we don’t.

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John Hawkes a No for ‘Walking Dead’ Governor

by Reuters | February 2, 2012 at 1:17 PM | Celebrities, General, The Walking Dead, TV News

John Hawkes. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

By Kimberly Potts

(TheWrap) — No, John Hawkes will not be playing The Governor on “The Walking Dead.”

Movieweb.com reported that producers wanted the “Martha Marcy May Marlene” star to play the zombie drama’s main villain.

“John is NOT appearing on ‘The Walking Dead,’” publicist Karen Samfilippo said in an email to TheWrap.

Tom Savini, who has appeared in “Machete” and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” told Movieweb that he has been lobbying “Walking Dead” producer Greg Nicotero for the role of The Governor for more than a year. But he said producers wanted Hawkes.

“Last time I talked to him about it, when I was in Los Angeles, he said they were going after a name for that part. I said, ‘Who?’ He said John Hawkes,” said Savini.

A representative for “Walking Dead” executive producer Robert Kirkman (who wrote the comics that inspired the series) did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s requests for comment.

The word from Hawkes’ publicist is sure to fire the hopes of Savini, who directed a 1990 remake of “Night of the Living Dead.”

“Everytime I see the graphic novel, and I see a picture of The Governor, who looks just like me, I send Greg a picture,” he said.

Season two of “The Walking Dead” resumes on AMC on Feb. 12. Six new episodes remain before the show’s March 18 season finale. This is the same night that Emilie is on Once Upon a Time. thank goodness for DVRs.

Remember...tonight.

I reminded Ben it was on tonight. He replied that he wasn't taping it. I said "Why not?" He said "Too boring."

As soon as those two strangers showed up at the bar we knew they were going to buy the farm. It turned out to be sooner rather than later and Rick had to do it for the safety of the rest of the group. Whether there is really another group out there that they were attached to remains to be seen. But Rick's group is going to have to move on pretty soon since the plot lines on the farm have just about played out.

Those two were trouble for sure. Could be the others in their group might come looking for the missing, now dead two. And maybe even find their way to the farm. You would think if there is one farm there may be several other in the area where the others could set up a home base. Let's home they get off the farm soon.

You're right Rus. Rural Georgia is full of farms, whether any others are as hospitable is ... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]....or as free from Walkers. And of course we have the situation with Lori rolling her car after hitting the Walker which implies that more may be in the area and with Rick and the others not knowing about her fate yet, next episode should be interesting.

Last night's episode presented quite a moral dilemma. Whether to save the guy that impaled himself on the fence, shoot him, or leave him alive to be eaten by the Walkers ? Hershel's 'solution' of doing an amputation of his leg on the spot was impractical on the face of it which was quickly demonstrated.

It would be doubtful that he could have survived the amputation even if Hershel could have completed it. Rick's solution of just ripping the guy's leg off the fence and carrying him off before the Walkers could get to him was in hindsight the best choice from a moral and practical standpoint. But again, it's doubtful that he could have survived that treatment, given his blood loss, and did they even put a tourniquet on the leg when they carted him back to the farm? Hershel tells us that "the leg muscle is torn", etc. but he will probably survive. And now what do they do with him when he recovers ?

The "Talking Dead" 1/2 hour program that comes on after each episode is funny and informative. Last night they had Stephen Leun who plays Glenn and "super fan", Paget Brewster who is an actress on Criminal Minds. They had a viewer vote as to what should have been done with the guy on the fence. 37% said to shoot him, the largest %, a smaller % said to rescue him. Paget agreed with the shooters. Glenn told how he's a big celebrity in Korea where he was born, and they gave him a lot of gifts when he visited recently. And how Sarah (Lori) is really buff and can do many chin-ups.

They thought it was interesting how Lori is trying to manipulate Rick into considering killing Shane and Rick's expression in the last scene. Is he considering taking up her 'suggestion?" [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]....things could get interesting....

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

At least she picked off a few Walkers and got out of her own predicament.

On the Talking Dead show after Sunday's episode they had Scott ?, who plays Hershel and the actor that plays Randall the guy that got impaled on the fence. Of course they never give any info on future shows but Scott did have some interesting philosophical observations. His mother who is 97 read some scripts and urged him to take the role.

I am fearless when it comes to spoilers as some of you know much to your regret and mental equilibrium.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]so I post this with suitable, hopefully, "guards"....you have been warned.

It will be interesting to see if they address this development on the live Talking Dead show that follows each episode.

Also, I've been meaning for awhile to point out that Rick's handgun is a Colt Python .357 magnum. If you get shot by one of those babies you ain't gettin' up, walker or not.

Go here for a rundown on the many types of guns used on the show:

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AMC Publishes Major ‘Walking Dead’ Spoiler on its Website


by [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] | March 2, 2012 at 10:30 AM | [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Rick (Andrew Lincoln) takes the final shot in the mid-season finale of "The Walking Dead" (AMC)

[Warning: Do not read any further if you don't want to know what goes on during the rest of season 2 of "The Walking Dead"]

Let’s hope that, if you’re a big fan of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] you didn’t happen to click over to AMC’s website yesterday. If you did, you would have been treated to a [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], right in the description of a limited-edition Blu-ray set.
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In the description for the season 2 set, of which [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
before the network pulled it down, the network mentions a bonus feature
that would discuss “Shane’s last episode.” Considering the season is
still going on and hotheaded Shane (Jon Bernthal) is still alive, that would seem to be a curious choice of words, no?

So now we know that Shane probably won’t make it out of season 2 alive. If you’ve followed the news about [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] in Frank Darabont‘s “LA Noir” pilot, this can’t come as a big surprise, no matter how much “TWD” producers Glen Mazzara and Robert Kirkman
tried to deflect those rumors. And if you’re a fan of the “TWD” comic
series, you’re surprised that Shane has even made it this far.

But for the network to spoil things themselves is unusual. Knowing
how big the audiences have been for “Dead,” we’re sure the network got
more than a few nastygrams in their e-mail inboxes yesterday.

Interesting rundown of weapons. I bet a .22 caliber rifle or pistol would be enough to kill a zombie. Certainly I would feel better about a larger caliber. Not only is the .22 light but the ammo for a .22 would weigh a fraction of the weight of a .357 and you could carry a lot more of it. Certainly you would need to be closer to your target but that can be true of most pistols and shotguns really.

I have fired a number of handguns from .22 up to .41 mag. 9mm are very common as handguns and as a cartridge. Several other guns use the 9mm. I would think that 9mm ammo would be the easiest to find. Maybe I've shot a .357 I don't recall but I know they have a serious punch and enough lead to get the job done. In a hand gun, the smaller caliber makes it easier to hit your target because of less recoil or kick back from firing. With experience people can learn to be accurate but rifles are far more accurate and can be fired from a safer distance.

I have also shot rifles from a .22 up to .30-06. The 30-30, .270, .30 M1, .308 and a .30-06 are all great rifles.

In a zombie invasion I would keep in my car or close to my person:
9mm handgun (because of easy to find ammo) Would I rather have a larger 10mm or a .357, .41. .45 or .44? Yes but ammo is more important than a cooler larger caliber.
30-30 for (timbered areas) without a scope,
SKS 7.62x39 assault rifle (no scope) for mid-range targets (easy to find ammo that is also light weight. Plus these things are dead on accurate from my experience. Also many have a swing out bayonet which could come in handy.)
.30-06 with scope for long range open areas
12 gag shotgun with a WWI style bayonet close quarters fighting

I have one of these. Got it back before the Feds decided we might hurt ourselves with the swing out bayonet and outlawed them.

SKS 7.62x39 assault rifle (no scope) for mid-range targets (easy to
find ammo that is also light weight. Plus these things are dead on
accurate from my experience. Also many have a swing out bayonet which
could come in handy.)

For longer ranges I have Ruger Mini 14 with scope, bipod rest and flash hider. Of course that 5.56mm ammo is readily available since it's the standard Army round and NATO but it doesn't have the knock down punch of the 7.62 but it does penetrate well and would be quite adequate against Walkers especially with the 30 round mag.

But for really long range work my 6.5mm 1896 model Swedish Mauser can't be beat. It doesn't have a scope, there were some made, very hard to find, but if you can see the target at all the bullet will get there. It was designed when armies thought that wars would be fought between infantries arrayed against each other over 1,000 yard ranges across open terrain. WW I put a stop to that thinking.

My K-98 Mauser, 7.9 mm, isn't as much of a ultra long range rifle but the ammo is easier to find.

.22 ammo is made in magnum versions also which would be my choice if that was my only choice against Walkers, but I'd really rather have a bigger caliber. On the show they never fire with the more accurate two-hand grip which controls recoil better, and as a lawman Rick should know that.

For close range work against Walkers I'd want one of these with a slug load:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It's odd that they only have pump shotguns on the show... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

So there you have it ladies, what you need in case of the next Walker invasion...

If you did watch Sunday 3/4 episode yet find another thread. Also other spoilers are possible.

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So Ben is dead. He was the voice of reason and the one person advocating that the group keep it's humanity by not killing the outsider kid who was with a gang of not so nice guys. I personally do not think killing him would be the right way to go. Keep him on the farm and put him to work.

The leak or rumor that Shane was going to be killed off has not happened yet. The leak came from the DVDs of season 1 and should not have been included from what I understand. Interesting that the leak/rumor happened the week that another cast member is killed off. So was this a ploy? I bet the rating were very good for last nights episode. Fans of the graphic novel know that Shane's character never made it this far so announcing his last episode would not be a shock to everyone. If Shane is killed off in the remaining two episodes then we will know that the leak/rumor was unintended. If not, I think it was good marketing and entertainment to kill off gentle Ben.

I'm not a regular watcher, but I guess I can't complain that it is too slow moving this season! R.I.P.

The stability of the American social fabric was teetering on the brink after that episode, that's for sure. Fans were tweeting and blogging in shock during the Talking Dead show after the episode. The question for voting was what Rick should have done with the outsider kid. Most thought he shouldn't be killed. the largest vote, 42%, said Rick should have shot Shane.

The exec. prod. that directed that episode said, "oh no !" when he learned that he would be directing the ep where Dale gets killed. He said that scene took two nights to film and the closeups of Dale's stomach being ripped open were filmed on a separate, small 8 X 8 stage. They used chicken breasts and fake blood for the organs. The cow entrails were bought at a butcher shop and when they were first put in the scene they were still steaming from their heat and the cold temps. outside at the time.

Carl must now live with his irresponsibility and it's questionable if he will ever reveal what he did. Although when the gun is discovered to be missing they will be curious and suspicion will fall on him.

Last night was a pivotal episode for sure. We knew that Shane was going to buy the farm, maybe it happened sooner than we expected but since the season finale is next week they had to do it now or then. When I saw them walking around each other out in the meadow with the full moon shining down (great shot ! ) I knew something was going to happen but then when Rick gives Shane his gun I thought he was wimping out as well as putting way too much trust in Shane. But then when he reached back and pulled out his knife I knew , ah-ha, this is it.

On the Talking Dead several interesting points were brought up that I had misinterpreted without thinking it through. They were brought up by Zachary Levi ("Chuck") who was a guest and a big WD fan. They also had Lauren Cohen ("Maggie") on. I took pics but accidentally deleted them.

Anyway, Zachary wonders why Randall and Shane both turned into Walkers after they were killed. This is a mystery, Zach babbled something about their "souls" being involved which I didn't understand and he pointed out that the two security guards had been found previously as Walkers but without bite marks. I had thought that maybe Randall and Shane had been bitten previously and it took a long time for the effects to set in, but that can't be right because they hadn't been exposed or bitten as far as we know and if Shane had been bitten we certainly would have known. So that remains a mystery that may not be resolved in the finale. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] The actor that played Randall had contact lenses to make his eyes look Walker-like, but they irritated him so much that they had to take them out so they put the eyes in with CGI in post-production.

Lauren has a slight English accent, turns out she was born in Penn. but lived most of her life in England. She said she was getting grief from fans for being so "mean" to Glenn. She said, "What do you want ? I invited him to stay in my bedroom and he turned me down !" They then discussed Glenn's motivations and where he was going in life...she also said that the fog in the meadow scene was real, it was rolling in as they shot the scene.

At the end they showed the Foley artists at work. That was really interesting. They hunch their shoulders and shamble around the sound recording room while watching the screen to create the Walker groans and moans. They act like Walkers in order to get into the proper mind set and synch their voices with what they see on the screen. They also showed how they make the sounds of Walker skulls being split open, they use chicken parts and squash them between their hands or slam them on the table. I'd like to be a Foley artist.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

The theory that the virus is dormant in everyone until they die is interesting but if so it doesn't answer the question of why some people can harbor it without becoming Walkers while others contracted it and immediately became Walkers . [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] I'm going to miss this show. The characters "come alive" no pun... more so than most .

More Big Deaths as ‘The Walking Dead’ Shuffles Towards Season Finale


by [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] | March 12, 2012 at 1:37 PM | [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Shane (Jon Bernthal) gives Carl (Chandler Riggs) back his gun on "The Walking Dead'" (Gene Page/AMC)

When you’re a fan of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
you have to accept some trade-offs. If you want an exciting episode,
one where the ragtag gang of zombie apocalypse survivors do more than
just ruminate and furrow their brows, you have to accept some amount of
plot holes in with your story development. And last night’s next-to-last
episode of the second season had plenty of holes… and not just the one
that Rick (Andrew Lincoln) created in Shane’s (Jon Bernthal) gut.

Yes, we all knew this was coming, but we weren’t sure how: Shane is no longer among the living. Thanks to both AMC and Frank Darabont‘s
casting leaks, we figured it would happen during the final two
episodes. We also thought that having Shane go out in a flurry of walker
attacks wasn’t quite going to cut it as an exit for a character that
has turned from good ol’ boy buddy to Rick to a supposedly “crazy” loose
cannon who actually turned out to be more right about things than the
rest of the brooding gang. No, an epic battle between “good” (Rick) and
“evil” (Shane) seemed to be the proper way to send Shane off.

But, until he led Randall (Michael Zegen) into the
woods and broke his neck, all as part of a plot to draw Rick out and
kill him, was Shane really evil? That’s the problem with this entire
season of “TWD”; we seem to have personalities that shift faster than
what we’ve seen from the kids on “Glee.” It seems to be the only time
during the entire second season when Shane was truly whackadoodle was
right before he died; wouldn’t it have been better if we saw him slowly
go crazy instead of make way too much sense?


[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Speaking of not making much sense, why did Shane lead Rick all
through the woods, only to bring him to a clearing that’s so close to
the farm of Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson) that Rick’s young-and-dumb son Carl (Chandler Riggs)
was able to wander out there with the gun that he wanted to give up a
few hours before, but now all of a sudden can use like a pro? Yes, that was a good one-handed shot in the dark at a small target and at a range that would be iffy at best.


And where did all those walkers in the woods come from, streaming out
of the woods in the final shot after they heard Carl finally put Shane —
who popped right back up as a zombie after being gutted by Rick — come
from? Sure, the river beds and swamps are drying up as we push into
autumn, but you’d think all the shooting we heard earlier in the season
would have motivated a few of them to wade through the muck, like the
walker who got Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) after Carl taunted him.

As for Shane — and Randall, for that matter — becoming zombies
without getting bitten, we got a reference to that in “18 Miles Out,”
when Shane and Rick saw the guards where they were going to dump Randall
had no bites on them, either, even though they had become walkers.
Something tells us that either the virus that creates zombies is dormant
in everyone until they die, which the gang is only finding out now, or
something even more sinister is going to be discovered. Maybe something
along those lines is what Dr. Jenner whispered to Rick as the gang was
about to flee the CDC.

Either way, it’s something to pay attention to as we move towards
next week’s season finale, as the farm gets overrun by walkers. Who will
survive? Will Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) be Lady Macbeth again or nice and apologetic, as she was to Shane right before he finally lost his mind? Will T-Dogg (IronE Singleton) get even more lines than the three he got this week? We’re looking forward to finding out.

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‘Walking Dead’ Star Jon Bernthal Plays a Cop on TV…and in Real Life


by [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] | March 13, 2012 at 12:12 PM | [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Jon Bernthal of 'The Walking Dead' (Photo: Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images)

By Kimberly Potts

LOS ANGELES – (TheWrap.com) – Jon Bernthal: Scourge of zombies and criminals alike.

The “[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]” star, who has played plenty of cops, told David Letterman on Monday’s “[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]” that he once busted a purse snatcher on his way home from work.

“Last Christmas, I was coming off the set, driving home with my dog
Boss … and I heard a woman on the side of the road scream, ‘Stop him! He
stole my purse!’” Bernthal recalled to Letterman.

“I see a guy running down the street with this lady’s purse, and it
was Christmastime, and there was a guy dressed up like Santa Claus … he
gets in front of (the mugger) and the guy with the purse barrels his
shoulder right into Santa Claus and knocks him over … you do not do that
to Santa Claus, man!”


Bernthal’s tale goes on to include how he pulled his truck in front
of the “perp” and flipped him over the vehicle, and how, in channeling
one of his favorite TV shows — “Cops” — he risked getting himself in
trouble for trying to make a citizen’s arrest.

Bernthal, whose Deputy Shane bit the dust in Sunday’s
“Walking Dead” episode, will next star in TNT’s cop drama “L.A. Noir,”
from original “Walking Dead” showrunner Frank Darabont.

That was a pretty good season finale, I'm going to miss the show but I've survived season hiatuses before. The Sopranos were usually gone for 14-15 months between seasons for example and TWD will be back next fall . [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I won't bother to critique the gun play, except to note that they are all dead accurate shots from a moving vehicle and Hershel's shotgun has a magazine capacity unknown in the 'real world', and I assume he's firing slugs rather than buckshot if penetration of a Walkers skull is necessary to 'kill' them. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Ditto with Glenn.

The several 'mysterious' factors aren't really mysterious to fans of the comic book series and the rest of us learned this in the Talking Dead show. Laurie Holden who plays Andrea was one of the guests along with two exec. prods., Mazzara and Kirkman.

The mysterious person in the hood is a woman named Mishown or Mishoen, not sure how it's spelled. They showed a picture of the actress who will play her next season, never heard of her. She has learned how to survive in the 'walker world'. Exactly what utility to her is accomplished by leading two armless Walkers around on chains remains to be seen. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Some things we learned last night on The Talking Dead :

Laurie reported for work at 5am for the "Andrea in the woods" scenes. They filmed until sunset. She ran, fired, stabbed all day. She said she spent the next 3 days in bed.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]People would ask her," How did you manage to act so exhausted?"......"What do you mean "act" ? , she would reply...

The night scenes were shot when the temperature was 27 degrees. The Walkers breath was visible. Being dead, they would have no breath, so it had to be taken out with CGI afterward.

Hershel was to be killed in an earlier episode but when they were writing the scene it wasn't coming together and seemed gratuitous, so they scrapped it.

The actor playing Jimmy was terrified when the Walkers were eating him because he said they seemed really realistic.

During the burning barn scenes, the actors and crew gathered around to watch. One of the assistant directors noticed that the main roof beam was getting ready to collapse. They yelled at the Walker actors, who were standing closest to the barn to get back so they started 'acting' again as Walkers fleeing the burning barn and they rolled the cameras again and got the scene which hadn't been planned.

Why was Lori so P/O'ed at Rick when he told her that he killed Shane after egging him on to do it in an earlier episode ? The prods. said it was because Lori was mad at herself for thinking she had set that whole scenario in motion. How this will play out between her and Rick will figure in season 3.

It is true that they are all infected with the virus but are only carriers rather than displaying Walker symptoms and they were mad when Rick finally told them this. This was revealed by the Dr. at the CDC but at the time Rick didn't entirely believe him because the Dr. was acting weird. Of course the Dr. blew up the CDC along with himself because he knew he would 'survive' as a Walker if he merely committed suicide.

The prison viewed over the hill right at the end will figure prominently in season 3. We can conjecture that it is a base for survivors and Mishown, although the prods. didn't elaborate on its role.

What was the significance of the helicopter flying over Atlanta in the beginning of the ep as the Walkers were starting their 'mass migration' ? Laurie thought it was a symbol of hope. Kirkman said, "Why couldn't you have a helicopter flying over ?"

So there you have it.....now we have to wait until next fall..... I'm wondering if I should buy the comic book series to keep up with the hard core fans... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

This clears up a few things, spelling of Michonne for one, and Keller noticed some of the same things I did...

‘The Walking Dead’: 7 Burning Questions After the Pulse-Pounding Season Finale

by [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] | March 19, 2012 at 10:50 AM | [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Rick (Andrew Lincoln) leads the group out of danger in the season 2 finale of "The Walking Dead" (Gene Page/AMC)

After what could generously be described as a bumpy second season, AMC’s [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
set itself up for an intriguing third season during last night’s
finale. In what was a heart-pounding first half, the surviving members
of the ragtag gang of zombie apocalypse survivors were forced off the
farm of Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson) by a hungry mob of walkers that, as we found out, were lured out of Atlanta by a helicopter.

The crew finds themselves in the middle of nowhere, short a few
members, and wondering if they’ve hooked themselves up with the wrong
leader after Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) admits some things to the group that makes them recoil.

But, amidst all the chatter and running, there were signs of hope
that season three will be filled with more action and intriguing
characters. But first, we have some questions after watching last
night’s finale:

How did everyone in the group learn to shoot so well?
During the scenes where the gang drive around Hershel’s farm, trying to
round up the walkers while picking off the ones they could, everyone
managed to get a head shot off, using short-range shotguns and pistols,
all on the move. We knew Shane (Jon Bernthal) was a good shooting instructor, but we didn’t think he was that good. Too bad he’s not around anymore to see the results of his efforts.

Why did Rick hold on to Dr. Jenner’s secret for so long? “We’re
all infected” was what Jenner whispered to Rick at the CDC in the
season one finale, which was something we had an inkling of once we saw
Shane and Randall (Michael Zegen) pop up as zombies
after dying, even though they didn’t get bitten or scratched by a
walker. We guess Rick didn’t want to concern anyone until he knew for
sure, because he felt it might be easier to control people if they had a
shred of hope, but it seems like a whopper of a secret to keep. It also
makes us wonder how everyone will react if they know that as soon as
they die, they’ll wake up and roam the earth as a mindless walker unless
they get a bullet to the brain.

How long will the group follow Rick now that they know he’s crazier than Shane? After
he admitted to the group that he killed Shane, telling them that “this
is no longer a democracy” and inviting anyone who didn’t want to listen
to him to leave and try to survive on their own, why did everyone stay?
At this point, they can’t see Rick as a stable guy, and they have to
know that he’s made some hairbrained decisions that have almost gotten
himself and everyone else killed in the process. You’d think that, at
the very least Daryl (Norman Reedus), would just say
“screw this guy” and take off on his motorcycle. But everyone stuck
around, even though the looks on their faces said “um, tell us why we
follow this guy again?” It’s a conflict that will make for some
interesting stories next fall.

When will Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) get a consistent personality?
After she more or less told Rick a few episodes back that Shane needs
to be eliminated, she recoiled in horror when Rick told her he did just
that. It really feels like the writers don’t know what to do with Lori,
because in some episodes she’s so dense she can’t even keep track of her
son Carl (Chandler Riggs) or realize Glenn (Steven Yeun)
shouldn’t be sent into town for pregnancy supplies, in others she’s
Lady Macbeth, and now she’s horrified at the very thing she all but told
her husband should be done. We tend to think that if Lori died and
came back as a walker, it would be an improvement for her character. No, I don't think that would be an 'improvement'. Yes, Lori tends to be flaky but that's part of her appeal. Incidentally, Sarah has a masters degree in Fine Arts. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Who is the mysterious hooded woman with the sword? Andrea (Laurie Holden)
somehow managed to outrun the tireless hungry walkers, but needed help
from this mysterious hooded woman who seems to have two walkers enslaved
to help her. Fans of the comic series know this woman is Michonne, one
of the series’ more popular forces of good. Right after the episode, Glen Mazzara and Robert Kirkman announced that Michonne will be played by Danai Gurira, and it seems that she’ll bring a bit of a mystical and mysterious element to the show that has been lacking for some time.

What is behind those prison walls? At the very end
of the episode, we got a shot of a prison that is a few miles away from
where the gang made camp. We imagine that it’ll be where they make a
home for at least part of the third season, which will make them safe,
but also could become a festering trap once people realize that they’re
stuck behind those walls forever… and a walker could be lurking as soon
as someone dies. But we don’t know who’s already fortified themselves
there, so once the gang makes it to the prison, it’ll be interesting to
see what they find.

How does T-Dogg (IronE Singleton) manage to stay alive? And why didn’t he just let Lori and Beth (Emily Kinney) walk when he had the chance? His continued survival despite minimal screen time is becoming the show’s best inside joke.

I never watched Treme so that's why I never heard of this actress...

‘Walking Dead’ Casts ‘Treme’ Actress Danai Gurira as Michonne

by [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] | March 19, 2012 at 9:25 AM | [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]'Treme' actress Danai Gurira (Photo: Matt Carr/Getty Images)

By Tim Molloy
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – “[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]” actress Danai Gurira will play “[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]”
character Michonne, a katana-wielding survivor who is one of he few
people who knows exactly how to stay alive in a zombified world.

The character, who drags along two armless, toothless zombies on
chains, made a brief appearance on Sunday’s “Walking Dead” season two
finale. She arrived just in time to save Andrea (Lori Holden) from a
walker. Her face was barely seen from under a hood.

But in Sunday’s “Talking Dead,” the recap show that follows each
episode, “Walking Dead” creator Robert Kirkman said Gurira had landed
the role.

Fans seem excited for Michonne’s arrival: The character is one of the
most popular in Kirkman’s comics, which inspired the series. And in a
“Talking Dead” poll, 66 percent of participants said her appearance was
their favorite moment of the season finale.

The casting is the second major one announced for the show’s third
season, premiering this fall. David Morrissey has been cast as villain
The Governor, who also happens to keep a zombie on a chain, at least in
the comics.

Must be the hottest accessory for fall.

"I won't bother to critique the gun play, except to note that they are all dead accurate shots from a moving vehicle and Hershel's shotgun has a magazine capacity unknown in the 'real world', and I assume he's firing slugs rather than buckshot if penetration of a Walkers skull is necessary to 'kill' them. Ditto with Glenn."

I had the same thoughts.

The Walking Dead finale breaks records as 9m viewers tune in to season two finale ... but who survived the bloodshed?

By
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

UPDATED:

03:40 EST, 20 March 2012

The Walking Dead‘s season two finale drew in historical ratings for US cable channel, AMC, as it aired last night.

Nine
million viewers tuned in for the episode, making it the highest-rated
in the series’ history with nearly six million of them adults aged 18 to
49.
And so with this huge
success behind them, the focus shifts to series three - but who survived
the zombie feast to fight another day?

Scroll down for video...

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Survivors: Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in The
Walking Dead, the AMC show reached its record breaking finale to season
two last night

Within the first 20 minutes of the
episode alone, Jimmy and Patricia Hershel were killed, leaving Andrea to
fight her way to survival.
It
looked grim until a mysterious cloaked figure arrived to save the day,
this is Michonne, a character from the graphic novels the show is based
upon.

He's played by Treme's Danai Gurira and set to be a major player in the new series.

We
left the group torn as Rick's leadership is questioned and the camera
pans out to reveal a mysterious building, perhaps the setting for series
three.

'I think the
key for season 3 is to open it up. To continue to find new ways to
terrorize the audience, to frighten our fans,' show creator Glen Mazzara
told EW.

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Leader: But Rick is questioned by his fellow survivors as the strains of the bloodshed take their toll

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Everyone is infected: Death means becoming a walker, even if you're not bitten or scratched by a zombie

'I think by the end of this
season, people were saying, "How much more can I take?" We want to
continue that,' he added. 'We want to make sure that you’re really
immersed in the world of The Walking Dead, and you never know what’s
going to hit you.'

The gruesome saga premiered to massive US audiences, appropriately enough, on Halloween night 2010.

The
British star of This Life and Teachers, Andrew Lincoln,38, headlines as
Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead, who wakes up after a
coma in a post-apocalyptic world infested with zombies.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Nobody is safe: The Walking Dead team are going to keep fans guessing about who will survive... and who won't

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Thriller: The show takes place in a post-apocalyptic world infested with zombies

'I think the key for season three is to
open it up. To continue to find new ways to terrorize the audience, to
frighten our fans,' show creator Glen Mazzara told EW.

The series has drawn comparisons to
film cult film 28 Days Later - which starred Irish actor Cillian Murphy -
for its similar start to the storyline.


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Horror: The big budget show premiered in the US on Halloween and is now set to spook UK viewers

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Gory: Lincoln, as Atlanta police officer Rick Grimes, encounters plenty of blood and guts during his search for survivors

But in fact, The Walking Dead, helmed
by The Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont and Aliens producer
Anne Hurd, is based on a comic of the same name that pre-dates the 2002
film.
The gory series, produced by Fox has received a major budget to accommodate the horrific special effects.

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Zombies: The drama actor said the series 'was so different to anything I've ever been cast in before'


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Special effects: But the actor adds, 'You can
throw as much money at a project as you want but if you don't have
characters and stories that people really want more of, then you haven't
got a show'

But Lincoln insists it's not a case of style over substance.

'You
can throw as much money at a project as you want,' he says, 'but if you
don't have characters and stories that people really want more of, then
you haven't got a show.

'I
hope that people really engage with these brilliant (characters). We've
got a brilliant ensemble. All the actors are spectacular in this.'

Read more: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]