How Far Out is THE WALKING DEAD?

Season 2, Episode 10 “18 Miles Out”

Timothy: Well wonder of wonders, it’s not the day before the next episode and we actually have a review for you. Joined again by Mr. Dustin Adair and Mr. Curtis Smith, we shall endeavor to make sense of the madness that is… AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Dustin: Wait. Before we get started?

Yessir?

I have an idea.

And what would that be?

I am going to predict what I think will happen this episode before it starts.

Intriguing…  but do you think that’s wise?

We have been watching this show since the beginning, I’m not even sure all of the current writers can say that.

This is true. By all means then, please give us these predictions.

Okay, here are my predictions for the next episode of The Walking Dead:

• Carl will say something that shows he is growing up to be a well-adjusted, pragmatic member of the Post-Zombie-Apocalypse world. Lori will interpret it to mean that he is becoming some sort of sociopathic monster.
• They will send an unnecessary and ill-advised away team into town.
• Rick will monologue about something ridiculous like love or hope or what it means to be human.
• Shane’s skull will crack open and a small demon will fly out and try to make angry, passionate love to Lori’s ear.

Yeah, about that one…

Hey! It’s my list!

Fine. Carry on.

And Finally:

• Theodore will have… 3 lines.

[Timothy and Dustin look at each other.]

Both: Nah.

Oh well, on to the recap.

Indeed. Start us off, sir! Oh, as always, spoilers and inappropriate behavior follow.

So we’re dropped right into the middle of Rick, Shane and Randall in the middle of Prediction 2, being attacked by walkers at some sort of… place. Then we jump backwards in time to Rick and Shane are driving down the road.

Rick pulls over, and what do you know, Prediction 3 already. Rick confronts Shane about the ‘Whole Lori Mess’ he says that he knows Shane killed Otis and he’s basically okay with it. Rick tells Shane that in no uncertain terms, all of the craziness is over. Shane seems to agree.
It’s all a lie, of course, but whatever.

While it’s true that Rick continues to use about 20 words when he should use one, it’s nice to hear something of a threat in his voice. Not enough of one, but at least he’s clear to Shane about what he wants to have happen. It’s not going to make a difference, of course.

This is also where we’ll see a recurring visual theme start. Throughout this episode you’ll see Rick and Shane framed together in a close two-shot, facing opposite directions, whether they are talking to each other or not. This would be symbolism.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
I wish Rick and Shane would just kiss already. @scifi4me #thewalking dead

Meanwhile, Lori and Maggie talk about Woman Stuff in the Greene Farm kitchen, all women are good for are is cooking  lunch and waiting for their men to come home.

Lori actually uses the words “the little woman” in a serious way. Ye gods.

Meanwhile, Rick is driving down the street, # 3ing all over the place while Shane watches a walker lazily meander across a field. I wonder how hard it is to shut Rick out? His accent is terrible and that’s got to be distracting.  

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
I think I saw a goblin in that field a second ago.@scifi4me #thewalking dead

Lori brings Daughter Fodder some food and she asks Lori why she dares bring a baby into this world. Lori tells her she ‘doesn’t have a choice.’ So to recap the recap, we’re 12 minutes in, and we have learned that all women are good for is cooking and worrying, and that they are not in charge of their own bodies enough to decide whether or not they want to have a baby.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
The twist at the end of this show is that it’s all Voldemort’s fault. Ah the spare blonde is getting better. Good for her. @scifi4me #th …

This show has brought the Women’s Movement back 50 years.

It’s also kind of a lie, remember Lori and the pills? Why, oh why can’t they write Lori without making her a horrible person?

Rick and Shane are looking for a place to drop Randall; they stop at some sort of gated place with a school bus and look around. Apparently this is where they are leaving him. A walker approaches and Rick stops Shane from shooting it so he can stab it. It’s quieter that way. Another walker approaches and Rick opens the gate. This will end in tears.

Rick and Shane scout out the area… maybe it’s a military base? I really don’t know. They find more burned bodies. Rick is all sad eyed about it. Shane enters the bus he will be intimately acquainted with later. People were living on it, apparently.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
How in the hell does a charred corpse have hair? @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

And there’s a baby seat again. Creepiest image of the show. Shudder.

Shane kicks the dead walkers and calls for Rick. He says there aren’t any bites on it. Rick says they must have been infected with scratches. But we all know the CDC guy told Rick that we are all infected with the zombie virus so that all you have to do is die and you become a zombie (that is why he shot Tony in the head after he killed him 2 episodes ago). Rick has not shared this with us. I know because I read the comic, and Tim knows because he can follow the context clues. I’m sure you all know too, but if not, um, spoilers.

Might be a touch late to bring that up. It does raise a question though. If these guys did die without being bitten, and that’s kind of the point of this scene, that and showing that Rick has his own secrets he’s keeping, then why are they dead? Eh, it’s probably not important.

Daughter Fodder is crying, so Lori goes in to admonish her for not eating. Lori tells her that she knows how hard it is, to be a woman in a Zombie Man’s world.  Daughter Fodder says it’s all pointless, Lori tells her to be strong. Now its Lori’s turn to #3 about living for today.
This will also end in tears.

Lori goes to have a walk, but before she does, she notices that Daughter Fodder’s knife is missing from her lunch tray. She goes and gets it back from her. Lori then runs out to get Andrea to look for Maggie or Hershel so they can start a suicide watch for Daughter Fodder.

Rick and Shane drop Randall off at the Military Base or School or whatever it is. Randall begs them to not leave him. He says he went to school with Maggie. Which means he knows where the farm is, more than likely. Apparently Randall had a little crush on Maggie, he says he would never do anything to them, but Shane pulls his gun. Rick stops him, but not before Shane gets a shot off.

Wait. Damn it. No.

What?

OK, yes, we know that time in the show is messed up, but this is just stupid. Last episode, Rick ripped Randall’s leg off the spike, punching a really big hole in it, AND Hershel said it would be at least a week before Randall would be on his feet again. Which is crazy in itself, by the way, because this wasn’t some tiny flesh wound, this was a GIANT SPIKE THROUGH A LEG, THEN RIPPED BACK THROUGH THE OTHER WAY kinda wound. But hey, this is a world where Carl has major surgery and is up and about by the commercial break, so whatever.

Sad but true.

So, let’s assume Hershel is, in fact, a sorcerer, and has magiked Randall onto his feet in, again, let’s assume, a week or so.

Yes?

Do they really expect us to believe, that in all that time, with Randall’s friends as close as the town, and likely still peeved about the recent body count, this is the first time they’ve talked to Randall? You think Shane, for example, wouldn’t have been trying to grill this kid? Or Rick, wouldn’t Rick, or Hershel, or Glenn or anybody at all, ask this kid something about himself? Now? Now is when they find out he knows Maggie? Really?

This is Team Zombie, Tim.

This is writers setting up a ridiculous situation so they can have a dramatic moment and hoping their audience is drunk. Sigh. Proceed sir, or else I think I could rant for a while on this one.

Oh, I’m sure there will be more chances for you to do that. They do make it kinda easy.

Shane and Rick argue loudly about whether or not Randall should go back to the farm and of course it’s really about Shane not thinking Rick can keep the people safe. So Rick punches Shane in the face. Randall starts edging his way towards the knife.

Guys, are you sure this is the best time for this?

Well, no. But it’s long overdue. It won’t really change anything though; it’s not the season finale.

Oh, hey that’s a pretty nice motorcycle Shane just pushed over on Rick.

Shane gets the gun and goes to kill Randall but Rick stops him again.

Rick punches Shane several times in the face and tells him he is not killing anyone else. Shane, in a fit of insanity, throws a wrench at Rich, which breaks a window, which releases a walker, which Rick stabs.

But what’s that coming out the window? That’s right, all sorts of walkers! Rick covers himself with the walker he just killed while the others go after Shane.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
Cry havoc and release the zombie hoard. @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
You know, I’m surprised they don’t use more zombie meat camo. @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

Meanwhile Maggie is trying to convince Daughter Fodder to live.

The walkers chase Shane away, Randall tries to untie himself and a lady walker attacks him. Randall is a minor bad ass.

And not limping. Bloody sorcery I tell you. Sigh.

This will also only end in tears.

Maggie and Daughter Fodder argue about suicide while Lori and Andrea talk about suicide in the kitchen. Andrea tells Lori that she shouldn’t have taken the knife away. Apparently Daughter Fodder’s name is Beth.

Lori accuses Andrea of shirking her Womanly Duties. Andrea calls a huge amount of bull on that, since she is one of the people protecting the farm. Lori says that because Andrea is off “Sitting on the RV, working on her tan with a shotgun in her lap” the Lady Chores she should be working on are suffering. They fight about how Lori thinks Andrea should put down her gun and get to some damn laundry.

And F— you Lori… sorry, sorry, family site, but still.

Understandable. Lori is pretty unbelievable here. But then we’ve watched her messed up priorities for a while now. I mean, I’m all in favor of clean clothes, and women can choose to be housewives if that’s what they want, of course, but Lori? Zombie Apocalypse? Just saying.

Andrea and Lori argue about who has had it worse, with Andrea telling Lori off for sitting in her Ivory Tower judging everyone and bossing them around. Andrea says that Lori doesn’t know how lucky she is to have her husband and her son and a baby on the way. Not everyone is so lucky. Not Andrea, not Maggie, and certainly not Daughter Fodder. Andrea finally tells Lori off for being a jerk. She even throws Shane in Lori’s her face.  

Well. I guess the question of whether or not Andrea knew about Shane and Lori has been answered. Stab aaaand twist.

Andrea is now my favorite character on the show. Favorite EVER!!

Yeah, well. Andrea’s right about Lori, but her argument for letting Beth kill herself if she wants? I don’t buy it. Her view is that they shouldn’t even try to keep someone they love from killing themselves, and that’s ultimately a pretty cold and selfish view. Very Shane-esque, and I suppose that’s not surprising coming from Andrea. The other thing? Andrea is a grown up. Beth is a kid. And Andrea is applying her worldview to someone she doesn’t know at all.

Rick is a runnin’ and a hiding’ and the walkers are a comin’. Rick shoots a walker in the head and it falls over on him. The he shoots a second one, and it falls on the first, but he can’t get to the third one, which falls on the other two in it’s attempt to get to Rick’s meaty, meaty center. So Rick sticks his gun in the first walker’s mouth and shoots the third walker through the back of it’s head. I know it sounds like a math problem, but it was pretty cool.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
OOOOOOO HEADSHOT!!!! @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

It was pretty cool indeed. And the noise of the walker’s head hitting the ground?

Daughter Fodder and Maggie are talking about her suicide. Daughter Fodder is all ready to die. She has some pretty good points, saying that she doesn’t want to live in a world where she might be gutted by zombies at any moment. Which, yes, I agree. She also says she doesn’t want to have to basically marry Cannon Fodder just because they both survived this long together. I agree with this also. Then she asks Maggie to kill herself with her, to which I say no. Andrea is right, let her kill herself is she wants.

Shane gets on the bus. Oh look, fingers. He cuts his hand to draw the walkers in so he can stab them.

Maggie and Daughter Fodder are interrupted by Andrea who offers to take the next suicide watch shift, this will end in TEARS.

Maggie leaves the Suicide Club together. After about 30 seconds, Andrea offers Daughter Fodder an open door. She leaves her alone telling her that the pain doesn’t go away. You must make room for it if you want to survive.

And that’s why Andrea lost her job at the Suicide Hotline.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
Being lawful evil is no way to make friends, Andrea. @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

Rick and Randall run into each other. They see Shane trapped in the bus. Randall offers to run and leave Shane. Rick takes him up on the offer. Shane sees them leave. Wow, I really did not see that coming.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
That’s what you get for killing Otis, Shane. @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

Well,  that’s the end of Shane. Left behind like he left Otis. Finally! So happy to see his crazy as… oh wait. There’s five minutes left, so maybe not.

Maggie comes in to find Daughter Fodder locked in the bathroom. She tries to get in and Lori joins her, using a fireplace poker to break open the door. Daughter Fodder has tried to cut her wrists with a broken piece of mirror. She looks scared and finally awake. Maggie tells Lori she left Daughter Fodder with Andrea, Lori’s eyes bug.  I guess there goes Andrea’s invitation to join the Junior League.

Rick and Randal end up back at the spot where Rick and Shane killed the original walkers. It makes Rick all sentimental.

Meanwhile in the bus, Shane is fighting the walkers off, but he’s losing. Suddenly Rick arrives in the car to save his ass. They run over a walker on the way out, it’s pretty spectacular.  

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
Rick is such a tease. @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

Randall is driving, he’s super psyched. Rick is not having it.

My favorite part of this shot? Realizing Rick has duct-taped Randall to the seat.

Andrea arrives just in time to try and explain to Maggie that she allowed Daughter Fodder to make her own choice. Maggie is so over Andrea. She tells her to stay away from the house, and her and Daughter Fodder. Lori, proving that all women are fickle, says that maybe Andrea was right. Maybe Daughter Fodder needed to cross the line to see if she really wanted to live. Maggie just looks at her.

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
Andrea is so proud she almost got that girl killed. Psycho. @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

Yeah, I’m with Maggie here. Andrea may have been right, but she doesn’t get to make that decision for anyone but herself, and clearly Beth isn’t the same as she was. As soon as she drew blood and the pain hit, she did wake up, but if she had killed herself? Like Shane, Andrea doesn’t think ahead much and I worry that’s going to come back and bite her. But again, Lori? Could you just, I don’t know… shut up? It might be best all around.

Back at the car, they shove Randall back in the car and Rick tells Shane that if he wants to kill him, he has to do better than a wrench (into a window, letting out walkers who chase them around a gated parking lot.) So Rick gives him back his gun.
Shane looks out the window and sees the same walker walking across the field.

END IN TEARS!! TEARS I TELL YOU!!!

Curtis Smith ‏ @Creepy_Curtis
Rick, are you the new Jesus? You’re so….Jesusy. @scifi4me #thewalkingdead

There you have it folks! An episode chock full of speeches, important and horrible, zombies and fist-fights, symbolism and the like.

So, let’s take a look at how Dustin did in the prediction department. Hmmmm. Well, not so good actually. He was dead on with his third one, and I’ll give him the second, though I could argue it, but as for the others… 20% right. Sorry sir, Nostradamus you are not.

Tears. End. In. Tears.

Well, Rick got to say his piece, Shane got to pretend to agree, Lori got to be horrible and stupid, Andrea got to be just as meddlesome as Dale and just as irritating, although Dustin would argue that…

Tears.

Shhh. And the writers got to insult us again. So all in all? Pretty much par for the course this second half of the season. Equal mixture of entertaining and face-palmingly bad. But what have we learned this week?

We’ve learned that Hershel is a sorcerer. A sorcerer I tell you!

See you next week.

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