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[Escape Goat]

I'm curious, what would make them not bland? Different professions?

Funny thing is that if, let's say the dad was a cop or a soldier or the mom was a nurse, or something like that, people would be complaining that the characters were cliched, rather than complaining that they're bland

What about their profession makes them interesting? Those dont matter. The characters have nothing to react to. Mom says to do something and they whine like kids do. Theres nothing interesting about these characters as members of this family. Theyre passive. Theyve tried to generate tension with the kids drug use but you cant carry the show with that. The sister is just sort of there to take up space. The mom had an experience at the school but shes so slow in processing it we have no idea what effect its had on her.

Theyve got to open this up and allow these characters to react to situations and adversaries according to their own personalities without doing what mom says or to react to everything with mild confusion.

 

[SURGEdude]

Was the new episode good? I kind of lost interest with the break over Labor Day.

Man that break was really poorly timed I think. Especially when (many) other networks aired regularly.

Entertaining so far, but I still don't know how that zombie managed to kill that dog. If you put me and a dog in a fight to the death but I could only bite it, I'd lose. Badly. Haha.

Wasn't it his dog that he killed? Might be easier to get a confused dog close enough to bite.

So.. You're just here to talk shit since the show was obviously never for you. Got it.

Meh, he doesn't like it and it's fine for him to say so. It's not like he's trolling the thread or anything. And at least he watched the show before he opined.

 

[More_Badass]

What about their profession makes them interesting? Those dont matter. The characters have nothing to react to. Mom says to do something and they whine like kids do. Theres nothing interesting about these characters as members of this family. Theyre passive. Theyve tried to generate tension with the kids drug use but you cant carry the show with that. The sister is just sort of there to take up space. The mom had an experience at the school but shes so slow in processing it we have no idea what effect its had on her.

Theyve got to open this up and allow these characters to react to situations and adversaries according to their own personalities without doing what mom says or to react to everything with mild confusion.

The thing at the school happened mere hours again. This episode was the same night as when she got home from the school. I don't that's a fair criticism. And given how she was ready to bash in the neighbor's head, I think we can say it affected her, in that she realizes that the undead aren't people who can be saved.

 

[Escape Goat]

The thing at the school happened mere hours again. This episode was the same night as when she got home from the school. I don't that's a fair criticism. And given how she was ready to bash in the neighbor's head, I think we can say it affected her, in that she realizes that the undead aren't people who can be saved.

Making the audience guess at what characters are thinking/feeling is part of why they are so bland. Not everything needs to be articulated to a point but when its your opening 6 episodes you need something.

 

[More_Badass]

Making the audience guess at what characters are thinking/feeling is part of why they are so bland. Not everything needs to be articulated to a point but when its your opening 6 episodes you need something.

How are I guessing? She goes from trying to help the princess to being ready to smash the neighbor's head with a hammer. I'd say it's clear that she's changed. Does she need to actually articulate that she's changed?

 

[jb1234]

The military really seems to have things handled. I'm curious to see how uncontrollable chaos breaks out to where even they can't deal with it.

I'm surprised they have the manpower to cover major cities like Los Angeles.

 

[Escape Goat]

How are I guessing? She goes from trying to help the princess to being ready to smash the neighbor's head with a hammer. I'd say it's clear that she's changed. Does she need to actually articulate that she's changed?

Thats exactly what I just said.

 

[Interceptor]

One day after the breakout and the zombies are already not scary anymore. Families can defeat them and accept them walking the neighbourhood and the military already sweeps the area fully aware you have to shoot the head.

Ricks team can take out dozens. A fully aware military should clean things up pretty fast. It already doesn't make any sense.

 

[The Artisan]

I can't tell if this is a positive or negative comment

negative, lol

 

[PopeReal]

One day after the breakout and the zombies are already not scary anymore. Families can defeat them and accept them walking the neighbourhood and the military already sweeps the area fully aware you have to shoot the head.

Ricks team can take out dozens. A fully aware military should clean things up pretty fast. It already doesn't make any sense.

The "fully aware" military are not aware at all. They have no idea what is happening. It is a guessing game to them at this point. They think it spreads some how, hence they took away the neighbor who was showing no signs of infection.

Ricks team is obviously pretty bad ass but they have been through the shit. No one has even seen the real shit at this point.

 

[chefbags]

I want tobias back. With his cold dark stares hes the next rick. He can get shit done more than these families.

 

[wenis]

So what is GAF's opinion on this?
Any good?

It's only three episodes in. Too soon to tell. Everyone ha some weird expectations coming off of walking dead. This'll need a full season to figure out from a viewers perspective what it's doing. It can't be the other show (yet, but it will. It's inevitable), but it also hasn't identified itself. It's just a show with a lot of baggage.

 

[L.O.R.D]

i don't get some comments here
the people in the show is normal people , some with issues and some without
they are in different universe where they didn't heard the word "Zombie" or what is un dead man

now imagine in our world , where some new infection start to spread , and people dies but when you look at them they seems normal with no blood or any thing weird ... but they are DEAD

 

[Funky Papa]

i don't get some comments here

Same.

So far I find FTWD much better than TWD in pretty much all accounts. It's not flawless, but its ability to create tension is really good compared to pretty much anything else on TV and it's always great to see shit going down on normal folks as oppossed to living in a world already savaged by zombies and full of hardasses.

 

[Plasma]

Zombie outside what should we do? Lets play Monopoly!

 

[crazyrabbits]

Same.

So far I find FTWD much better than TWD in pretty much all accounts. It's not flawless, but its ability to create tension is really good compared to pretty much anything else on TV and it's always great to see shit going down on normal folks as oppossed to living in a world already savaged by zombies and full of hardasses.

Compared to the first three episodes of TWD, Fear is about on par. TWD's pilot was incredible, but the second and third episodes were basically bottle episodes. Here, Fear's pilot was good, while the second and third have been slowly ratcheting up the pace.

it remains to be seen how the rest of the season fares. TWD was all over the place with the Vatos and CDC storylines, but the fish fry attack was one of my favorite moments of the series by far.

Also, it's clear that some of the characters just don't understand what's happening. Travis seems to think things will go back to the way they were, to the point that he (and his neighbour) put out their garbage in the morning. Travis basically had/has Hershel's mentality of believing the infected can be cured. Daniel (the barber) and Nick are the only ones who seem to comprehend just how bad things are right now.

 

[Setsuna]

Zombie outside what should we do? Lets play Monopoly!

Not worse than beth singing outside in the dark around a campfire

 

[Heimbeck]

Zombie outside what should we do? Lets play Monopoly!

It's okay! Even though a riot is going on outside my truck is totally fine!

I don't know what it is but I much prefer TWD to this, not to say it's bad but I fell like I'm not enjoying it as much.

 

[Marty Chinn]

Zombie outside what should we do? Lets play Monopoly!

It's weird how many people jump on this without giving it much thought.

1) They don't know what a zombie is, how they work, how they spread, etc

2) The daughter has no knowledge of what the mother and brother knows

3) The mother wants to keep the daughter in the dark thinking this will all blow over and no need to expose her to this because it will pass. She doesn't want to cause the daughter to panic if she doesn't have to. Ignorance is bliss sometimes.

4) They're waiting for Travis to come back, so she's trying to distract them to keep their minds off of it. Better than running around in panic and all tense when you can't leave anyway.

5) People complaining are also doing so based on the fact that have a ton of knowledge of what's going on and know that this is the end of the world. Neither of these are known to the characters. So people are complaining in hindsight.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I want tobias back. With his cold dark stares hes the next rick. He can get shit done more than these families.

I'm sure he'll pop back in at some point. He's this show's Morgan.

 

[DedValve]

Agreed on both counts. That's why I'm interested to see them tackle it here.

I think the Walking Dead already tackles this with everyone being infected.

So everyone right now in the show is most likely infected and they are aware that a bite spreads the disease but aren't aware that everyones already infected and they'll turn anyways after they die.

That or the virus mutates which explains the "we're all infected" thing.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

One day after the breakout and the zombies are already not scary anymore. Families can defeat them and accept them walking the neighbourhood and the military already sweeps the area fully aware you have to shoot the head.

Ricks team can take out dozens. A fully aware military should clean things up pretty fast. It already doesn't make any sense.

1. Everyone is infected. Even if they took out the existing Zombie's as soon as someone dies they will turn

2. It would be a lot harder than you think to keep tabs on anyone dying or infected in this situation

 

[poppabk]

One day after the breakout and the zombies are already not scary anymore. Families can defeat them and accept them walking the neighbourhood and the military already sweeps the area fully aware you have to shoot the head.

Ricks team can take out dozens. A fully aware military should clean things up pretty fast. It already doesn't make any sense.

In the regular US there are roughly 3000 sudden deaths a day. Imagine a couple of thousand outbreaks spread across the country happening everyday. The military would eventually be overwhelmed. I expect that the next episode will occur in a military safe zone and show what happens when someone dies without being bitten and how quickly a safe zone collapses from the inside.

 

[Hidden One]

I think the Walking Dead already tackles this with everyone being infected.

So everyone right now in the show is most likely infected and they are aware that a bite spreads the disease but aren't aware that everyones already infected and they'll turn anyways after they die.

That or the virus mutates which explains the "we're all infected" thing.

I wonder how this team will find out that everyone is already infected and if they die they turn? They probably never will lol.

 

[Somnia]

In the regular US there are roughly 3000 sudden deaths a day. Imagine a couple of thousand outbreaks spread across the country happening everyday. The military would eventually be overwhelmed. I expect that the next episode will occur in a military safe zone and show what happens when someone dies without being bitten and how quickly a safe zone collapses from the inside.

You know I'm kind of surprised we haven't seen any rogue military groups roaming together or in a hide out on TWD. I know we saw what the Governor found that one time, but still. You'd think a small unit or two would break off when it really got bad and survive based off their unique abilities.

 

[dork]

I get so sick and tired of the drug addict angle in these shows. The show is decent so far, but nothing great. I hope it goes 2 seasons and ends somehow connecting to where The Walking Dead started. They all get mowed down in the hospital..camera pans to rick laying in bed.

 

[John Rabbit]

this show is bad, the people in it are bad (save Rubén Blades, his daughter, the dog, the junkie and that heavy kid from the school that they ditched in 5 seconds), the decisions they make are bad, the motivations for their behavior are bad, the writing is atrocious and the amount of shots of people sitting in cars looking nervous at what were obviously green screens is mind-numbing.

the angle of people coming to terms with whats happening stopped being interesting in zombie fiction years ago. the daughter's mini freakout over her boyfriend was embarrassing and insipid. teacher Dad getting his undies in a wad over more impressive barber Dad showing the kid how to use the gun was pointless and only undermines teacher Dad's character. teacher Mom is cool because she's obviously seen some shit in her day, but her flip-floppy demeanor just sucks all around.

this show is already worse than anything from TWD Season 5. even the one episode where they walked for 900 miles and then Daryl cried next to a tree.

 

[FafaFooey]

this show is already worse than anything from TWD Season 5. even the one episode where they walked for 900 miles and then Daryl cried next to a tree.

Dead.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

I haven't been reading this thread, and didn't much care for the pilot, but 2 and 3 have me thinking there's some upside to the casting choices, more-so than how I felt about the original TWD early on. I'm also hopeful, after it gets going a bit, it doesn't turn out to be as insanely inconsistent as that show is, or you know to put it a bit more bluntly, as downright shitty and wheels spinning as it sometimes could(can) be.

I get so sick and tired of the drug addict angle in these shows. The show is decent so far, but nothing great. I hope it goes 2 seasons and ends somehow connecting to where The Walking Dead started. They all get mowed down in the hospital..camera pans to rick laying in bed.

You're kidding right? This is gonna get milked.

 

[DrBo42]

You're kidding right? This is gonna get milked.

I'm surprised they didn't milk the "No one believes the junkie kid that saw his girlfriend eating people." plotline for another episode longer.

 

[John Rabbit]

also wtf was that garden death maze in the neighbor's house? first it took them like 30 seconds at most to get from the back wall to the house, then when they have to run back through it (because apparently teacher Mom feels the situation is dire enough to steal a shotgun but not open/smash the fucking window to shout for teacher Dad) they're suddenly unable to find their way out.

then slow zombie lady somehow beats the daughter outside (despite the fact she's running).

also, teacher Dad's truck survives the riot unscathed but the show goes out of it's way to show people setting cares on fire twice.

 

[Zalasta]

I actually like the show at the moment, but I don't care for the characters. Having 3 teenagers in the cast is probably one too many, can't stand any of them so far.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

also wtf was that garden death maze in the neighbor's house? first it took them like 30 seconds at most to get from the back wall to the house, then when they have to run back through it (because apparently teacher Mom feels the situation is dire enough to steal a shotgun but not open/smash the fucking window to shout for teacher Dad) they're suddenly unable to find their way out.

then slow zombie lady somehow beats the daughter outside (despite the fact she's running).

also, teacher Dad's truck survives the riot unscathed but the show goes out of it's way to show people setting cares on fire twice.

My wife asked about the truck, too. Like "oh sure his truck is there and just fine." To which I said, "Do you see that truck? Fucking thing looks like it's already been set on fire."

And yes, this show (and TWD) have a problem with teleportation. The Governor is able to teleport to the prison to capture Andrea despite her leaving him surrounded by walkers.

Now we have Susan (the neighbor walker) basically beating the teenager out down the stairs and out into the maze to grab her hair. Yes, the teenager got turned around a little bit but c'mon.

Edit: I actually do like the way they're working the characters. I like that not every damn thing is spelled out for me. I like that her reactions for her kids are protective and that she is keeping some info from them. As a parent, you don't share every piece of info about stuff, especially stuff like this that could be terrifying. The stepdad is basically assuming that the government can get things back to normal and that bashing people in the skull with a hammer at this point is a bad idea. And yet he buried his neighbor whose head had been blown off. Not sure why he wouldn't have called the cops... So a little character consistency issue with him so far. That being said, we have an interesting mix of things going on and I'm invested in them enough to see where they take it. I hope drug kid stops being both the smartest and the douchiest character on the show though.

 

[tbd]

This is so bad it makes we wish I was watching The Walking Dead which I also hate.

Do you really watch TV shows you don't even like all day and then shit on them on the internet? Or is your tag and your behaviour here misleading?

That would be weird. I understand finishing video games you don't really like that much or movies so you can join the conversation, but huge ass TV shows?

 

[phaonaut]

This past episode was the best so far. I really felt like things are going sideways right before the military showed up.

 

[Herbs]

Do you really watch TV shows you don't even like all day and then shit on them on the internet? Or is your tag and your behaviour here misleading?

That would be weird. I understand finishing video games you don't really like that much or movies so you can join the conversation, but huge ass TV shows?

he's got a hobby. a weird one, but it's a hobby.

 

[mm04]

I enjoyed the last episode. Wasn't a fan of the stupid decisions by characters in the first 2 episodes and I'm sure that'll continue, but I'm interested to see where this goes with the military now actively involved.

 

[Jobbs]

I was feeling ambivalent about the show at first, but episode 3 was absolutely sublime. Probabably the best Walking Dead episode ever (yes, counting every season of vanilla TWD).

 

[dead souls]

he's got a hobby. a weird one, but it's a hobby.

I actually like the vast majority of shows I watch, it's just more fun to post about the ones I dislike.

 

[Lorcain]

After a second watch that hospital drive-by scene was really well done. It's worth watching again just to pick out all of the details, like the abandoned ambulance. It's become one of my favorite WD scenes out of both shows.

As veterans of the show we know that the recently deceased come back as zombies, but the hospitals don't know yet. They will be a major source of the outbreak.

Hopefully the producers will have more scenes like the hospital drive-by in store for us.

 

[Somnia]

After a second watch that hospital drive-by scene was really well done. It's worth watching again just to pick out all of the details, like the abandoned ambulance. It's become one of my favorite WD scenes out of both shows.

As veterans of the show we know that the recently deceased come back as zombies, but the hospitals don't know yet. They will be a major source of the outbreak.

Hopefully the producers will have more scenes like the hospital drive-by in store for us.

Actually watching earlier episodes it was clear some of them had an idea. As soon as that old man died they were all "GET HIM DOWNSTAIRS NOW" with no hesitation. The nurse was also mentioning how hectic it had been due to some other people dieing.

More than likely the riot caused more people than expected to be brought into the hospital and it all went to hell fast.

 

[Herbs]

I actually like the vast majority of shows I watch, it's just more fun to post about the ones I dislike.

yeah, like a said a hobby but a weird one.

 

[Man Called Aerodynamics]

this show is bad, the people in it are bad (save Rubén Blades, his daughter, the dog, the junkie and that heavy kid from the school that they ditched in 5 seconds), the decisions they make are bad, the motivations for their behavior are bad, the writing is atrocious and the amount of shots of people sitting in cars looking nervous at what were obviously green screens is mind-numbing.

Pretty much where I am after the third episode. I'll continue watching vanilla TWD but this series has just completely failed to interest me in any way.

The writers had a blank slate basically, they could have come up with any characters, any scenario, any angle on this story... and THIS pile of nothing is what they decided to go with. It's remarkable.

 

[jelly]

It suffers greatly from people not saying the obvious or talking to each other but I'm still enjoying it. You have to first put Zombies aren't a thing to the characters which helps, why the writers do this, I dunno, maybe don't want to say Zombies or the rules that go with them in pop culture. Characters not communicating is very annoying, that is just bad writing.

 

[Vagabundo]

Loving this show. A lot better that TWD. I'll still watch TWD though. Its good popcorn zombie tv...

 

[jay23]

Funny how they skipped labor day in fear of views going down but they come back on first week of Sunday night football.

I didn't get to watch the third episode till today and gotta say I don't care for any of the characters except for the old Latino guy. The mom treating her daughter like she's 7 doesn't make sense either.

 

[santi_yo]

I just need a grown up Tobias in TWD.

Even a violent version of Travis would be ok.

 

[More_Badass]

Funny how they skipped labor day in fear of views going down but they come back on first week of Sunday night football.

I didn't get to watch the third episode till today and gotta say I don't care for any of the characters except for the old Latino guy. The mom treating her daughter like she's 7 doesn't make sense either.

The Walking Dead has crushed Sunday Night Football in the ratings before so I guess they feel confident

 

[Sadist]

Okay, the truck being intact during the riots is stupid as fuck. But the monopoly thing?

I dunno, it's a way of distracting yourself. Sure we as show watchers will roll our eyes and yell "you bunch of idiots, there are dead people walking around!", but honestly... people distracting themselves from unexplainable events sounds about right. So far in the series we haven't seen any newsreports talking about weird deaths or the dead walking again. It's mostly talks about unexplained acts of aggression or violence, massive riots and the police trying to keep a clear head. There will be enough folks around who understand the current situation and are trying to prepare themselves, but those are in the minority. The general public will just wait for official news from the government or trusted news outlets. All you can do untill then is lock up your home, be wary and focus on something else.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

Assuming I lived in a world where zombies as a concept does not exist, I would be more freaked out, not less, once people were eating other people and coming back to life and shit.