The Walking Dead Season Finale
By Wyatt Earp | December 6, 2010
Wow, that may have been the quickest six weeks in television history. Before I get to the discussion, I wanted to make a few points.
First, this first (short) season has been rock-solid. Sure, there have been points to nitpick, but every time an issue comes up, the writers give a decent explanation later – like last night when some light was shed on Rick’s hospital stay.
Second, the cast is really coming together nicely. There is no one I really want to see killed off. There are characters I hate, but they’re great characters, integral to the show. It is going to be difficult waiting a year for Season 2, but I think it will be well worth the wait. With that, let’s get into the nitty gritty. So you know, there are a few spoilers below the fold. Read at your own risk.
Okay, here are the points I want to address:
1. Shane is a scumbag. No, Shane is a hero. Personally, I don’t know what to make of Shane. He comes of as a hella-douche by boinking Rick’s wife and telling her he’s dead. Last night, we find out that Shane did everything possible to get Rick out of the hospital – to no avail. Then, we cringe as Shane tries to rape Lori inside the CDC. Shane is the example of what I wrote above. I hate him, but his character is fantastic.
2. Dr. Doom and the Exploding Building. I felt badly for Dr. Jenner. I figured TS-19 was someone close to him, and understand why he was so depressed. Locking down the CDC and waiting for sweet, fiery death wasn’t cool, but I understand why he did what he did. When Jacqui said she was staying for the barbecue, I actually whispered, “No.” When Andrea joined her, I said it again, only louder. Jacqui wasn’t the strongest character, but I liked her. And God forgive me, I love Andrea – even thought she can be a dolt sometimes.
For me, the saddest part of the episode was when Dale told Andrea he was staying, too. Dale is fast becoming my favorite character next to Rick. If they killed him off, I would have been really pissed. Thankfully, Andrea wised up and she and Dale escaped. Jacqui? May she rest in peace.
3. The Secret. What did Dr. Jenner whisper to Rick? My thought is that he saw Shane try to rape Lori on the security camera and wanted to let Rick know. That’s only a guess. I could be wrong, and I’m interested in your thoughts.
Overall, it was a pretty strong episode. We learned a few more things, and there wasn’t a cliffhanger, per se, which is good since there is such a long break until the next episode. So, questions? Comments? Criticisms? Have at it.
Topics: The Walking Dead | 19 Comments »
December 6th, 2010 at 7:36 am
First off Wyatt, thank you and curse you for getting me hooked on this show, a year is going to be a long time
to wait. Talk about the first season going out with a bang,
great FAE reducing the CDC to a pile of slag, and of course with it, one of the last hopes of humanity. I don’t think what the good Dr. whispered to Rick was so mundane, perhaps it was something which could be found outside of the CDC to possibly grant immunity, or at least his best guess, based on the petri culture that looked promising that was destroyed earlier. Or maybe a door code to another bunker located outside the city?
Damn its going to be a long wait.
December 6th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Wyatt:
I’ve been a sucker for zombie flicks since WAY before George Romero came along.
I even predate Tom Savini (Night of the Living Dead),
Try The Last Man of Earth (Vincent Price – 1964), so I just KNEW this show was going to take off like gangbusters!
1) Agree 100% about Shane…damn it I WANT to like this guy, as he’s good in a gunfight, BUT…he’s got raging hormone syndrome.
2) Had a STRONG feeling the CDC was going “boom” after I saw the video with the WILDFIRE mention (The Andromeda Strain – place goes boom, wipes out disease)
Glad Dale made it out alive…character’s got a LOT of potential and savvy.
3) As to what was whispered to Rick?
You could be right about the sec/cams.
Doc did whisper more than just a few words…that’s for sure.
I just wish they would have grabbed some Humvees w/ the 50 cals on board.
I mean the Hummer DOES have a diesel…easier to run on a lot more stuff that just gas.
And maybe NEXT season, they can boost a few GANDER MOUNTAINS or BASS PRO SHOPS…
I’m just sayin’…
(and definitely check out the NG armories, or at least the PDs)
A pair of NVGs would go a long way, too.
(zombies are like crime, never take a holiday)
I wouldn’t mind some more practicality tossed in…for the hell of it.
Best cable drama on…period!
Roll safe out there.
December 6th, 2010 at 9:45 am
The season finale rocked. The characters are all complex and three-dimensional and the storylines have yet to falter. I agree with you about Dale, he has an air of dignity and quiet courage about him that you can’t help but like. I can’t wait until next season!
December 6th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Wyatt, i can tell you EXACTLY what Jenner said to rick…but will keep to myself. Aaaannnnd Wyatt, you completely missed something!
Dale, “you don’t come into someone’s life and make them care and then get to check out..” AND, “…I don’t want to face what’s out there alone…”
Old man robbing the cradle????
December 6th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Jon – Yeah, it’s gonna kill me to wait this long for the new season, but it should be well worth the wait.
Bob G – Agree with the arms. Stock up, lock and load, because you never know when you’re gonna need them.
John D – I love the guy. Great character, great actor.
Dr. Evil – I read that at Ace of Spades. Someone commented that Dale’s relationship with Andrea and Amy was a little too close. I like him even more now. Heh.
December 6th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Want a disturbing mental image? Zombies chomping down on Andrea and Dale while doing the horizontal limbo. eeeewwwwwwwwwww
December 6th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
I loved it! The entire finale episode!
I’m sorry, I just can’t stand Shane, even though he did try to get Rick out, he seemed to move in pretty fast, EVEN if his partner was dead. And that’s the same reason I don’t really care for Rick’s wife either.
After all of their blood tests came back normal at the CDC I figured that Andrea was pregnant, and that the baby pretty much had to be Dales, especially after he opted to stay with her when the clock was ticking down.
I think in this episode it really brought them together as a group and the characters seemed to be better rounded than in previous episodes. I’m sorry that one lady stayed behind to get blown up, I liked her and was looking forward to her character being featured more.
Darryl and Glenn are my two favorite characters. If it was the end of the world and they were the last two men on earth, it would be a toss up who I’d pick.
As for what was whispered into Rick’s ear, I don’t know what it was, but now I’ve got MONTHS to think about it. Ughhhh I can’t wait until the next season. Best series on television (besides Dexter).
December 6th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
I loved it, the series is actually doing stuff the comic books didn’t do, but doing it well.
I wonder how many people will go postal when Carl gets a gun? {GRIN} I expect they’ll get onto that section in next season.
Dale and Andrea may seem like an odd couple, but they have one of the best love stories ever.
They will be very pragmatic about scavenging for stuff, just be patient.
Just remember, one thing about the comic book series is that anyone can die. And it will hurt when they do.
The original writer is very good at this sort of thing, you’ll find there are parts that may make you cry. I know one panel from one comic haunted me for over a month… I don’t think he’ll pull a lot of punches for TV.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Dr. Evil – Yeah, not exactly appetizing.
DL474 – Andrea knocked up by Dale? *Shudder* I agree with Daryl and Glenn, though. Great characters, especially when Glenn was hung over after the wine bender.
PhillipC – I was really sad last night when Jacqui decided to stay and die. I was worse when Andrea wanted to join her.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Great show — really enjoyed it. As for nitpicks, well, almost hate to mention it, but I laughed a bit at the huge explosion that obliterates the huge CDC complex and sends a ginormous fireball up but doesn’t even scorch the paint, blow the windows out, or even gently rock the RV and other vehicles parked just out front.
Still, freakin’ awesome show. Can’t wait for season 2.
December 6th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
I laughed at that too. Not only were the RV and other vehicles unscathed by the kiloton-range blast wave and all the debris flying around, but so were the surrounding glass-fronted office towers.
On the plus side: Every walker for at least a half-mile radius would have been turned into zombieburgers. Unfortunately, so would Rick and his band of suddenly former survivors, so…quick, give me rewrite!
Myself, I’m wondering if the good doctor told Rick that there were signs that the virus was making the jump from human to animals. Which means you’d have to avoid zombie dogs, cats, birds…
December 6th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
I recorded it on the Media Center. Can’t watch it that late on Sundays… I have a hard enough time sleeping at night without watching zombie flicks just before bedtime!
I’ll peep it out tonight. Sucks that it will take so long to get back on the air. Must be because it takes time to recruit new cast members and let them rot for awhile…
December 6th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Hmmm. Everybody’s blood was tested…I now find myself wondering if the sample belonging to Rick’s wife reads positive for pregnancy…
December 7th, 2010 at 10:34 am
Record.
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/07/the-walking-dead-finale-breaks-ratings-records/?hpt=Sbin
December 7th, 2010 at 11:22 am
Jim – Yeah, I can forgive things like that because the plot and the acting is so good.
Wes S – And they can’t eat meat anymore. That would be a fate worse than undeath.
Woody – They probably cast people who already look like zombies . . . like Alan Greenspan.
Wes S. – Oh, that would suck.
Randal – 6 million viewers? Holy crap!
December 7th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
I get the show on iTunes so I’m a day later than most.
A few thoughts:
I’m trying to think of the first modern zombie movie outside of the ones from the 30s and 40s. “Last Man on Earth” was mentioned which was based on Matheson’s “I Am Legend,” but before that there was “The Invisible Invaders” which is almost like a good remake of “Plan 9 From Outer Space.” In Invaders aliens take over the bodies of the dead and wreak worldwide havoc. Survivors end up in a bunker-like lab similar to the CDC installation from “Walking Dead.” It’s not a great movie, but it did scare the crap out of me as a kid.
I have to give the last episode another view. I was hoping it would be as strong as the first episode which really knocked me on my ass. I was expecting a little more out of this finale.
This show may be the end all and be all of the flesh eating zombie genre just as the Sopranos pretty much capped off the mobster genre.
Interesting thing about the show is that the survivors are survivor types. Cops, first responders, hunters and hard asses. Not a lot of file clerks, hair dressers and human resource representatives among them.
I don’t read the comic and will probably stay away from it not wanting to spoil the show, but I’m wondering where this is all going to go. I can see it lasting as long as Galactica although I hope this winds up a lot more satisfying than that show. My theory is that if the living can hole up in a fortified area, they can wait out the zombies who are in a constant state of decay and aren’t getting any fresher. Eventually, the zombies will rot away.
This show is like Lost although there’s no big mystery.
December 7th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Just watched the last three episodes. Been busy. Read the comics, and so far I can say this is one of the relatively few instances where the “movie” is better than the book. (The Road being another …). This series, quite simply, kicks butt. The explosion at the end sure is a point to quibble. At least let them get a few hundred yards in the RV and other vehicles before surviving the big, hyped-up, short-of-nuclear boom … but hell, quibbles is quibbles.
Great stuff.
December 10th, 2010 at 11:14 am
I *finally* got to this on my DVR – I agree was great!
I love Shane, there I said it! He’s a bad bad boy.
I’d bet the good Dr. told Rick that his wife was pregnant . . . and of course who is the daddy? Shane had quite the little “love camp” going on didn’t he?
How funny is it that they would all be dead if it weren’t for Dale asking about the clock? Dr. J wasn’t going to tell them. And they probably shortened their clock with all the looooooong showers . . .
December 10th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Crankipants – I worshiped BSG when it was on, but they killed it for me in the last season. Terrible ending.
Centaur – And I’m not gonna crucify them for that. Yeah, it’s improbable, but I look at the show as a whole. The sum is much bette than the questionable parts.
Orchid – Dale strikes again! He is quickly becoming my favorite character.