The Walking Dead Season 3

[RJDiogenes]

Scout101 wrote:

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Then again, showing something that clearly makes no sense, and then refusing to explain it in any way, can't fault people for trying to come up with wacky theories to explain it.

Pretty obvious that Rick wasn't in his coma for just a day or two. Honestly, it looks like it would have taken more than a month for things to get as bad as they did when he woke up. Wasn't just an initial outbreak scenario, things had disintegrated into a pretty set-in zombie apocolypse by the time he woke up.

Not that it really matters, because he wouldn't have lasted a week without the support equipment, IV fluids, etc. "He was just lucky" is equally stupid. Because the writers didn't bother to explain the magic scenario, the viewers are trying...

Exactly. I've never read the comics, so I only have the show to go on. Based on that, there either is something funky going on with Rick's coma and recovery or it's the biggest plot hole the show has had by far. When Rick woke up, civilization was completely collapsed. He was weak, but not totally wasted away. He didn't seem to be overly starving or crippled with dehydration. It's a natural assumption to think that whatever caused the zombie plague saved his life.

DarthTom wrote:

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Exactly which is why viewers are equally as confused on the passage of time in the prison. Is Rick still going insane after a week - 2 weeks in the prison - how long?

I believe somebody mentioned in the last episode that the baby is two weeks old.

[Pavonis]

Well, how fast do we think civilization would collapse? And how widespread is this apocalypse? The only place we've seen in the show is Georgia, more-or-less. Has the entire world collapsed? Or are there pockets of civilization still out there, even in the US?

[sojourner]

Scout101 wrote:

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Also, I haven't watched the pilot in a while, but is there any definitive statement about passage of time between Rick being shot and Rick waking up? As long as you can believe that it took a couple months before things got bad enough to be widespread and society to collapse, no reason Rick couldn't have been in the coma for a couple months prior to the hospital losing power and falling.

The only problem with this is his gunshot wound was still fresh enough to re-open and start bleeding when he left the hospital.

Now, regardless of that. I don't read anything into the timing problems concerning Rick and Carl's wounds other than the writers not taking correct healing time into account. It's just your typical serial TV show plot holes.

[JD]

I've always been confused by some of the timeline issues too, but I thought that was just me. I'm thinking that Rick woke up at least a month or two after he was shot and there had been people in the hospital taking care of him until right before he woke up. I always got the impression from dialogue that a lot of time had passed.

Pavonis wrote:

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Well, how fast do we think civilization would collapse? And how widespread is this apocalypse? The only place we've seen in the show is Georgia, more-or-less. Has the entire world collapsed? Or are there pockets of civilization still out there, even in the US?

That has been my biggest complaint with the show, the lack of development for the post-Apocalypse world. I understand that the show just follows this small group of people, but I still wouldn't mind getting at least some idea what is going in the wider world. How many people survived? Is there still any kind of government? Military? How wide spread was the infection? What's happening in other parts of the world or even just the US? I wouldn't think it would be too hard to find away to give an idea of what is happening in the rest of the world without taking the focus away from the group.

[RJDiogenes]

If there was any civilization left, they'd be able to pick up radio or TV or short wave or something. But they apparently haven't even tried anything like that in a while.

[DarthTom]

RJDiogenes wrote:

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If there was any civilization left, they'd be able to pick up radio or TV or short wave or something. But they apparently haven't even tried anything like that in a while.

The President of the United States has extensive use of the airwaves in an emergency and the zombie Apocalypse didn't knock out satellites nor I'd think emergency transmitters at radio stations which IIRC by law have months of battery life to keep transmitting in an emergency.

BTW, now that I'm thinking about it - why wouldn't Rick and group us car GPS systems to navigate to safe havens instead of using maps?

Pavonis wrote:

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Well, how fast do we think civilization would collapse? And how widespread is this apocalypse? The only place we've seen in the show is Georgia, more-or-less. Has the entire world collapsed? Or are there pockets of civilization still out there, even in the US?

I'd think that slow moving zombies would find it difficult to overtake any large military installation based on the amount of fire power they have versus the threat

Also, what about nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers and even the International space station?

[TREK_GOD_1]

JD wrote:

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That has been my biggest complaint with the show, the lack of development for the post-Apocalypse world. I understand that the show just follows this small group of people, but I still wouldn't mind getting at least some idea what is going in the wider world. How many people survived? Is there still any kind of government? Military? How wide spread was the infection? What's happening in other parts of the world or even just the US? I wouldn't think it would be too hard to find away to give an idea of what is happening in the rest of the world without taking the focus away from the group.

That is the horror genre's longstanding problem: avoidance of logic, as they know the second you apply it to their situation, everything falls apart. This is why so many horror stories avoid going into relevant details about an alleged widespread event.

I recall some YouTube guy tried to explain how the military was "overrun" in TWD's storyline, but it did not make a bit of sense, as he was glossing over too many factors which cannot be easily explained away.

No matter how the zombie plague was spread, we live in a 24-hour information reality, so real news, false news, lies and BS can be cleared up quickly, unless the source is spreading disinformation (i.e. the government), and even in that case, leaks, basic detective skills, etc., would clue the population in on the dangers of zombies, the effect of bites, and the best way to destroy the creatures.

TWD's world did not suffer some attack which shut down all grids (and those who run them), servers, etc. Information would spread with the speed of thought, which would give many a tactical advantage regarding heavily populated areas while seeking supplies (increasing the chances of attack), morgues, hospitals, etc.

TWD simply drops the zombie outbreak on everyone like a light switched on, so suddenly, the population is scattered, lost and absolutely no administrative structure exists--even on a fragmented level. Oh, well, there was that little thing with the trained soldiers who were ambushed like rank amateurs by--of all people--the Woodbury goons.

Too convenient.

Sure, the drama is what sells the show, and it works in several ways, but we as an audience cannot divorce ourselves from logical expectations, even in a horror story.

[Dorian Thompson]

Would it have been better to set the story in the 80s or even early 90s before social media? Would it be more believable in terms of a widespread outbreak and lack of information?

[TREK_GOD_1]

DarthTom wrote:

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[I'd think that slow moving zombies would find it difficult to overtake any large military installation based on the amount of fire power they have versus the threat

Not to mention that in the U.S.--where TWD is set--there are more guns and ammo than people. Once the single-shot-to-the-head remedy was discovered, the military (inc. National Guard) and/or police, and /or armed citizens would be able to destroy mass herds, unless one found himself in a 1 human vs. 1000 zombie situation.

[TREK_GOD_1]

Dorian Thompson wrote:

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Would it have been better to set the story in the 80s or even early 90s before social media? Would it be more believable in terms of a widespread outbreak and lack of information?

Probably. That's why the original Night of the Living Dead worked so well, because in 1968, you had TV and radio, but reports were anything other than instant, unless watching/listening to field reports, but information/channels were limited. It was more of a guerilla, daring situation.

[Scout101]

DarthTom wrote:

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The President of the United States has extensive use of the airwaves in an emergency and the zombie Apocalypse didn't knock out satellites nor I'd think emergency transmitters at radio stations which IIRC by law have months of battery life to keep transmitting in an emergency.

They're beyond the 'months' point now, though. Even assuming Rick was only in the hospital a few weeks total, they were somewhere in summer at the point Rick was there (temp was over 100 at one point), lasted the winter, and are now in spring of the following year.

BTW, now that I'm thinking about it - why wouldn't Rick and group us car GPS systems to navigate to safe havens instead of using maps?

Could have found one, but it's easier to plan with a map laid out. Plus can update to NEW info, make notes, etc. GPS will get you there, or at least would have based on pre-disaster routes, but harder to look at and plan.

Plus, satellites aren't permanent, they require upkeep and maintainence. many may have fallen out of orbit, or at least become mis-alligned and no longer work properly. That's likely more than a few month period to decay like that, but the system WILL fall apart without repositioning and adjustment.

I'd think that slow moving zombies would find it difficult to overtake any large military installation based on the amount of fire power they have versus the threat

Yep, logic breaks down zombie outbreaks pretty fast. Which is why most places just focus on a small area, and right at the beginning of the outbreak when people don't know how to act, not to try and save bitten friends, etc. In "reality", zombies would find it tough going, they're not smart/fast/well armed, and their food source is also a better predator than they are.

Also, what about nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers and even the International space station?

Space station has similar issues to the satellites. Will eventually come down, plus needs supplies to keep people alive. The current crew may stay up a while to try and see what's going on, but eventually has to bail out and come home, or die there.

Subs, carriers, and the like would be ok for a long while, supplies are the issue. Nuclear means fuel isn't an issue, just risk of coming ashore for supplies. You'd lose some to taking bitten people onboard, but based on how zombies act in TWD world, they're not patrolling the ocean floor like World War Z, so boats should be ok. WWZ was better in general with showing things go to shit, but at least not having EVERYTHING disintegrate. And maybe it hasn't in TWD, and we're just focused too tightly on our group?

[DarthTom]

Scout101 wrote:

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Subs, carriers, and the like would be ok for a long while, supplies are the issue. Nuclear means fuel isn't an issue, just risk of coming ashore for supplies. You'd lose some to taking bitten people onboard, but based on how zombies act in TWD world, they're not patrolling the ocean floor like World War Z, so boats should be ok. WWZ was better in general with showing things go to shit, but at least not having EVERYTHING disintegrate. And maybe it hasn't in TWD, and we're just focused too tightly on our group?

I just finished reading the book World War Z and yes I agree they deal with a zombie Apocalypse in a far more realistic manner and in Z the zombies are fast.

In fact the seat of US government moves to Hawaii and the new "White House," is an aircraft carrier.

[Scout101]

The long-term of a zombie outbreak is tough to make the logic work for. That's why pretty much every time it's dealt with, you keep the affected area somewhat narrowed, and only deal with the initial outbreak. Just harder and harder to make sense as it goes forward without having a better plan.

[Stiletto]

Any enclosed space could crumble pretty quickly due to the fact that no matter how a person dies (except head trama) they come back as a zombie; especially at the start of the issue when not everyone knew that. One of the astronauts on the ISS knows that his whole family has died and commits suicide then attacks the rest. Closing off compartments on a submarine full of zombies with also be problematical. Still, if it has been only a few months at the start of the show, the military would still be up and running pretty well. Tanks are fast enough nowdays to just plow into herds of zombies and just mow them down, enter back into a fenced area, close the fence, marines kill off the zombies that made it in, refuel the tank, rinse and repeat.

Still, it is their show. A show about zombies. Some suspension of belief comes with the territory.

I predict Daryl coming back rather quickly and finally consummating his relationship with Carol.

[Silvercrest]

And really, there's nothing saying your idea hasn't happened. It just hasn't happened where the characters are. To address JD's post above, leaving it unclear what's going on in the rest of the world allows for that possibility (including the possibility of rescue).

If you actually come out and state (or show) that the entire world is overrun, you're unnecessarily restricting the storytelling options. Right now, it's still possible that the show will wrap up by having the characters escape to the Colorado Safe Zone (or whatever) and live happily ever after.

Well, at least until they die by other means, when a head-shot will still be necessary.