The Talking Fans: Season 3 Episode 1 Discussion / Analysis

The Walking Dead returned to us last night in fantastic form so as part of a project we wanted to make happen last season, Geektyrant is giving TWD fans an outlet to discuss, debate and have some fun with the coming episodes through a healthy fan discussion! LET IT BE STATED HERE TO NOT POST SPOILERS! We won't do anything past the current episode and all that will be posed or stated will strictly be opinion with no foreknowledge of the coming season. When it comes to talking about the graphic novel I say do at your own discretion as readers will know the show has not been too consistent in following it! Sound good? Let's do it!

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So let's just start off with what's changed since the winter! Everyone looks lean, focused, and it seems a lot has changed in the months since Rick has declared dictator rule! The house clearing, the phalanx positioning moving through the jail house, Carl actually being a bad ass?! It seems like since leaving the farm, everyone has more or less learned to pull their weight! When it comes to hordes this time around it looks like the survivors will for once be a force to be reckoned with this season.

This all seems in part due to the tough love approach Rick seems to have taken this season. He is no longer indecisive and looking to please everyone. He's making plans, kicking ass and shutting mouths and while it seems there is some slight resentment by the group judging from the faces in the "cat food" scene early in the episode and the discussion between Daryl and Carol.

Speaking of which, what the hell was up with that? While we did get the interesting note that Carol seems to ultimately agree with Rick's decision to kill Shane, we also got a weird side of her we have yet seen. Something tells me that "fooling around" remark is teasing at a possible romance between the two. Their whole interaction started midway through last season and I'm sure there has to be a reason why they are focusing on those two characters.

Speaking of romance and segwaying into straight awesomeness, who else is psyched that Carl has finally manned up? Dropping fools with precision, trying to share a bunk with the pastor's daughter, I couldn't be more proud of the boy! Something tells me though this huge change in character is going to bring an episode to remind us that despite how far he's come Carl is still a boy.

I asked it last season and I will ask again, what is the point in Glenn and Maggie getting together? Both in the large scale are relatively useless to the plot and the team, so I have to wonder what will happen to the two as the season progresses.

Nothing to report with T-Dog...as always...and I pretend Lori has just as small of a role because I hate every word that comes out of her mouth. You're pregnant get over it.

Jumping ship quickly to talk about Andrea and Michonne, I'll be very interested to see how this relationship plays out. The sword kills are probably my favorite part of their segments, and the jawless and armless zombies are class to say the least. Was I the only one who felt there might be something a little more to the two's relationship? Maybe I'm just crazy...

Back at the prison we have the surprise attack on Hershel which I have to admit I was not expecting at all. What does this mean for him, will he be well enough to deliver the baby? Will he even make it back to the cell block? All questions I asked myself and all of which I expect to be answered.

Which brings us to the final part of the episode in which the survivors run into some prisoners who have apparently survived the outbreak on the prison. I'm just going to assume if these guys have been around for as long as they have they're just as, if not more tough than the survivors, so watch how that goes. The fact that Rick is going to need them to successfully transport Hershel back to the cell block, the remaining rations, and their knowledge of the layout of the prison all leads me to believe things are going to be very interesting for the next few episodes. 

That's all I've got for now! Anything you want to add? Post it below and continue the discussion or throw in your two cents on the stuff we have up above! Also keep with these posts all season to talk with other fans of the show!

Email Me: MickJoest@Geektyrant.com Twitter: @MickJoest