TWD Season 5 Filming & Coverage! 4-21-14

TWD SEASON 5: Here We Go Again

Well, well, well - here we are again, folks! As the rest of fandom who are not lucky enough to live in the filming areas are waiting until October to get their TWD fix, we are within days of being able to begin going to filming to get ours!

We all now know that the first 8 scripts are completed, a lot of pre-production has been done by the various departments & the read-thrus are most likely already underway. So as location filming begins, you know that I'll be there- along with the usual local group of fans.

This all depends, as it has in the past, on where they shoot & what/who we can see when we arrive. Last years Plant Yates shoot (see previous blog entries regarding that fiasco) was pretty sealed up, as was a number of others compared to years past, so it's a crap shoot as to what we see & who we'll get to meet.

I let up a little last year on releasing pics & videos from our set visits because so much had changed between Season 3 location security & Season 4's. Also, we had a lot of goofball fans pulling idiotic shenanigans it kinda pissed me off to be around some of those dummies. I mean, past locations are still being stolen from, broken into, trespassed upon and many other equally stupid acts.Believe me when I tell you that there's a lot of people getting in trouble that you never hear about (except locally)!

This year for me will be a little more generous with pics & videos again. I say this because I see a lot of fans posting on Youtube  "insider" information & speculations in which most is incorrect. One of the more popular TWD Youtubers lives in California and he reports about filming locations & fan pics of filming...but he's usually  way off base or fail to actually talk to someone who is on-the-spot & is straight up wrong- but he presents it as if it was fact or he was there. Silly. Why say something along the lines of "TWD is allegedly filming at ________, but I don't know for sure." right after people who are at the location begin sharing pics & videos of the locations & interactions? This has led to a lot of his viewers to regard his statements as "fact" and then the info get's distorted into something far different. As an aside, his report is usually off by a couple of weeks and is by no means "real time"!

I like "real time" relaying of information, however this jump-the-gun approach can be misleading as sometimes we don't really know what we're looking at in terms of context. So, I'm going to go back into my "Season 3 Mode" and go to as many location sets as possible this year & get as much visual information as possible to relay to the fans. I'll do so respectfully (and legally) to the production. I'll go ahead and tell you this: the main Terminus building is up in Atlanta, but a lot of the Terminus stuff will be filmed in/around Senoia.

 I'm not going to cover the Atlanta shoots because of the sheer amount of people that will be gawking & that lessens the potential of actually seeing something or meeting the cast & crew. The smaller the crowd near a location shoot, the better the chances they'll stop & take time to talk, give autographs & just talk to you.

Regardless, I'm glad to be going back & actually releasing more like I used to do. It might help clear the air about certain locations & which actors are there. Plus it's fun!

Am I glad that I get to get a TWD fix year round? Hell yes! What are you, stupid?!!!

The Season 3 Set Gang rides again!

TWD Season 4 Finale!

TWD SEASON 4 FINALE EPISODE

OK folks, it's over & done with for this season! Here's what I thought about the series finale episode:

It sure wasn't what I expected, but not in a bad way. I think they way they edited the episode to underscore Ricks evolution (or de-evolution as some might say) wasn't really necessary as we all know what Rick has done. It doesn't make sense to do it that way from the perspective of a new viewer either, as the flash back scenes wouldn't help them at all to understand the transformation without more context.

 Regardless, the episode picked up ques from the comics in the Hunters finding Rick & the gang, which I liked. I really liked the way Rick approached Terminus. That's the way I would have done it. As I stated in my last blog, the other gang just meandered all up in Terminus without a second thought! I was also glad to see that my speculation regarding the memorial room was right, looks like the name of all the people that they've sacrificed or have died are written on the floor.

Further, we know that the cannibal hypothesis seems to be correct, as we saw bloody bones of what appeared to be human remains in one area as the group is being shot at and "herded" to the box cars. Also, the clue of the powered milk and the faint yelling of others in the other train cars can be heard as well. Cramped up, fattened up & slaughtered.

The rear door was obviously the "right" way in, as Mary stated that she thought that Rick and company were smart and could be one of them. Looks like the "dummy" way in is a test to weed out potential members from meals.

Could we finally be seeing the start of Carl's dark descent into that "dark place" that execs, writers & the actors keep alluding to? He's seen his father go there and keep it together, perhaps it's foreshadowing that promised story arc.

Now, the "brutality" part that was highly touted, to me, wasn't there. There has been more brutal moments than Rick biting Joe in the neck and going ape-shit on Dan. To be honest, Dan did deserve everything he got...and more. There's nothing more sickening than a pedophile rapist. Rick flipped the switch and punished him as his conscious would allow. Now, the scene itself put me in an uncomfortable position, as I did not know how they were going to show the act itself upon Carl. I can't watch scenes like that without squirming a little- I just don't like sexual violence in any form- especially when it involves children. However, they conveyed the danger without going to far and for that I'm glad.

As an aside, during filming the box car scene, there was one take where Rick walked up the steps alone, entered the rail car and then we hear him scream. Maybe they shot different things and saw how it played out during editing maybe. Who knows? Maybe they shot something now that will be used in Season 5? Just guessing.

Overall for Season 4? Here's my top four moments:
                                                                           1) Prison attack by the Governor.
                                                                           2) Death of Herschel.
                                                                           3) Carol murders Lizzie.
                                                                           4) Rick inside Terminus.

OK, so with that said, I'm waiting on April/May so we can start going back to watch them film season 5 and get some pics! No hiatus for us here in Georgia for TWD!

TWDSeason 4: Just One Episode Left!

ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH, DEAR FRIENDS

Well, here we are again folks! One more episode left in this season and the wait begins for filming of Season 5 sometime in April (rumored).

This season has been a little unbalanced, in my opinion. It really has. Character inconsistencies, contradictions and a seemingly rushed-to-tie-up-loose-ends situations. There are certain things within the show that just don't add up. So many questions and observations had to be addressed!

 So, a couple of us fans got together and had a healthy discussion regarding the series as it is currently, speculation regarding future events, and all those little details that geeks discuss when talking TWD. Our discussion brought up a lot of different views and pointed out certain things that, I think, should be talked about.

Our round table discussion (sometimes debate!) began with a general consensus that this season has been unbalanced in its narrative and characterizations. The first half of this season has only one redeeming event: the Governors final attack upon the prison & the death of Herschel. Now, I've already posted a blog regarding this first half of S4, so we'll forego any further dissection of it at this point.

Let's move on to the back 8. Where to start? We started with the obvious: the painful fact that about 80% of the episodes consists of the characters walking around in the woods & endlessly talking until a few walkers (or other threat) show up and a scramble ensues. Were there meaningful character developments? Any real surprises about the characters? Not really. Great acting to be sure, but how are we as an audience supposed to try & relate to our heroes when they become downright unsympathetic? How are we supposed to root for our favorite character when they act totally contrary to their growth (their ESTABLISHED character) within the story since the beginning? Especially without being provided a reason!

   The first few episodes were typical of the TWD pattern: a series of "moments" with a wrap-around story. The narrative is not pushing forward constantly and furiously, as it should be within the scenario- but rather it crawls to a predictable resolution without the characters changing. I say they don't change because they may step out of their known characteristics and go nuts or do something totally contrary to what they have learned, they always return to their established characterizations. It's like a character takes a detour, only to arrive right back where they were.

   Carl & Ricks situation is a prime example of this. Carl nuts-up, spews out vileness towards his unconscious father (who had saved his life on many occasions prior) only to tell him that if he died, that he'd be fine with that. The whole "Carl descends into a dark place" promised by Kirkman in Season 3 seemed to have been set up, but then discarded. He simply turned into an arrogant, ungrateful little asshole for one episode. He ate some pudding and he was back to his old self. That's some powerful pudding right there folks.

   The entire set-up of the prison walker feeder was put in place, clues given, Lizzie & Mika alluded to aaaand...well, they wrapped that story up rather quickly. Almost like they had to hurry up & get them girls out of the way so a new direction could be taken. It was a shocking episode, but it wasn't unexpected. Carol & Tyreese wrapped up their situation neatly & cleanly without even a good argument. .

   I mean, why would Lizzie (Borden? A real subtle clue from the jump by the way.) be saving her sister from walker attacks one moment and disemboweling her the next? Feeding walkers one moment & shooting them the next?I agree that the girl was confused and obviously psychotic, which was pretty obvious. Carol admitted she should have known, she saw the signs- while Tyreese had no clue whatsoever about any of it. How could they both be so clueless?

   Again, a series of "moments" until a shock or action sequence. Seemingly endless (and ultimately useless) talking between characters seems like filler material until the next gag. Was new revelations or other character developments introduced through this dialogue? No, ultimately Carol was still able to kill like she did Karen & David. She really didn't change, despite all the crying.Was there another option regarding Lizzies murder? Probably. Tyreese obviously agreed with Carols idea of putting Lizzie down as he did nothing to prevent it, which is against his established nature! No, Lizzie's murder was out of necessity of the writers to get out of that story line and do it with some shock value. Once those sisters were gone, the new story line can be pursued.

Which brings us to the whole "Terminus" story line. We knew from the first second we saw that damn sign that something wasn't right! Somehow, our heroes (even though they had just gotten out of a conflict with Woodbury & the Governor) totally forget about it & follow the signs without too much fuss or thought! Didn't they learn anything? Hell, they walked right in without so much as even checking the place out first. Someone should have questioned their trip to Terminus before even going! I've seen these same characters talk endlessly about matters much less serious than this!

The whole Abraham, Rosita & Eugene scenario are just as ludicrous. I mean, really, Glenn & Maggie were at the CDC for Pete's sake- they know more about the virus than anyone else, so why take old mullet head at his word that he can "save the world" so easily? After they all re-united, someone should have (& would have, if they maintained their established characterizations) stood up & questioned the good doctor & his companions regarding it.

No, the characters are following an automatic course set by the writers to go to Terminus so a new set-up can be established. So, they cut a few corners in wrapping things up at the sake of the characters lack of growth.

I admit that Terminus is intriguing in it's potential. We all suspect that the people there are cannibals or something as just as evil. We know what will happen, we just don't know how or when.

Then again, we were promised the Prison would be an incredible story line, a "new" zombie threat       ( zombies with a flu, btw, where are those zombies now? Seems that was wrapped up without explanation too.)- only to be shown a series of "moments" connected by walking in the woods or corridors talking.

At least Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar, Star Trek: TNG) was there to greet them. That was the biggest surprise of the entire episode!

I'm holding out that the promise that this season finale will be brutal and shocking. It better be, they've got some catching up to do.

"Europa Report" - A Short Movie Review

"Europa Report" - 2013 Magnet Releasing DVD Genre: Science Fiction

Now, I'm sort of an old-school S/F fan. I was watching Star Trek "The Original Series" when that was the ONLY Star Trek on TV! Yes, I'm that old. So, my standards for good sci-fi are variable. I like some cheaply made ones & I like some multi-million dollar ones. There's some I loathe & there's some I love- there's even some I revere!

"Europa Report" is one that I revere. Really.

I've been hearing about "Europa Report" since well before it's release, but only this week have I actually had the time to purchase & watch the movie. The only version I could find was on DVD but I assure you that I will be buying the Blu-Ray disk in the near future!

"Europa Report" was made for about $10 million dollars (chump change compared to other modern SF films), but you can't tell it. I would venture to say that this film is the most realistic depictions of space travel ever made to date. I would compare it to "2001: A Space Odyssey" in it's realism, but in my opinion, there is no comparison. "Europa Report" beats "2001" hands down in the realism department.

Director Sebastian Cordero has taken, what is now coined "found footage" films and actually made it work! The story is complex and told in same manner- you have to pay attention. The SPFX in the film are hyper-realistic and impressive. The plot, as it is revealed, is a monumental in scope but subtly revealed.

I won't go through the entire plot as to not spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. I will tell you that it is firmly based in science fact and the recent discovery of thermal vents & under-ice oceans on the moon, "Europa" orbiting Jupiter. Scientific realism abounds in the film all without boring the viewer. A true achievement in film balance, especially in a SF film.

The music was also a fantastic nuance skillfully crafted by composer Bear McCreary, most known for scoring the AMC series "The Walking Dead". The music fits the film like a glove, but not intrusive.

I'll sum it up like this: If you like cool, interesting S/F- you need to see this film. I'm sure you will not regret it.

-Deadite Joe

TWD: Just a horror soap opera?

         THE WALKING DEAD: THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES

"A soap opera, often referred to simply as a soap, is a serial drama, on television or radio, that features multiple related story lines dealing with the lives of multiple characters. The stories in these series typically focus heavily on emotional relationships to the point of melodrama." (Courtesy Wikipedia)

A soap opera has continuing characters that are constantly being placed into dramatic story arc regarding love, marriage, murder, comas, fights, confrontations, hard decisions, and the usual overly exaggerated daily problems that we all share. TWD has had it all from the jump: cop drama, comas, cheating, pregnancy, betrayals, murders, love blossoms with two young lovers from different backgrounds, madness, death, a bad guy, a good guy, shocking twists & turns...all of the stuff that makes a soap opera!

You know you have to admit that TWD is just a soap opera...with zombies. Now, I'm a fan, don't get me wrong, but it's true. I have to agree with George Romero with this one. The similarities are way too close to really call the difference, if you really examine the episodes of TWD objectively. The characters, with the exception of two, have all been unsympathetic in nature. You really can't get to totally like most of them before they do something that makes you like them less! 

 I  recently read an article where Gale Ann Hurd stated that she didn't want TWD to be a "Run & Gun" TV show because there are a lot of those out there already. However, the very premise that TWD sets up certainly ensures  that it will always end up being a "run & gun" due to the very environment they are in. The difference is that TWD slowly sets up to the one climatic episode that is pure "run & gun" - and those have been the best episodes! TWD is setting itself up into a corner that'll be difficult to get out of. I mean, if every single character could be killed off at any time, who'll fill the slots? Yet again, we get the "Red Shirt Syndrome"! How can the viewer relate to newly introduced characters so often and not lose interest? There has to be a focus, a central character that must remain throughout the entire run for it to even retain viewership. Hell, at least soap operas have their characters "go on trips to Europe" or "get killed in plane crashes", only to have them show back up later! Why? Because viewers can relate to loss, but the loss of main characters will alienate them- so they find ways to bring them back. Loss without loss. TWD does it too. How many times have we heard "If Daryl dies, we riot"? Heh heh- see? Viewer attachment has to be considered regarding the series longevity and, more importantly, it's ability to grow (not expand, grow! The spin-off is another whole blog!) How can the audience measure character growth without having a base-line character in which to gauge the change?

Here's the thing: TWD needs to be more "run & gun"! As I addressed last blog, the episodes of the Governor leading up to the mid-season finale (a "run & gun" episode, BTW) was really unnecessarily dramatic and did not move any part of the TWD TV Canon forward at all! Like I said, it was like someone said "I've got some good zombie gags, let's pad some shit around it!"

Although not all of his movies have been great, at least Romero tries to add some sort of commentary and metaphorical meanings to his "Dead Series". There's a good balance of drama & "run & gun" in each of the installments. That's what I like about it. 

In my opinion, TWD is absolutely a soap opera. No doubt in my mind. The difference to me and will be my main reason to watch it is that it's a soap opera with zombies! That's it. I like zombies. I like people surviving in the ZA. I never thought I'd like a soap opera until "The Walking Dead" came around!

-Later

  

TWD: Mirror Universe, Alternate Historical Timeline or what?

                 "The Walking Dead" : Mirror Universe or Alternate Historical Timeline?

I've been debating with several of my friends about whether or not TWD is occurring in a  Mirror Universe or an Alternate Historical Timeline. This may seem trivial at first, but when you really delve into certain aspects of the show, it become painfully obvious that something isn't quite right. Suspension of disbelief carries a viewer a long way, if it didn't Science Fiction wouldn't have become the juggernaut that it is today.

The central point of debate began when we heard Robert Kirkman on an episode of "The Talking Dead" say that "in this world, they have no concept of zombies, of the dead coming back to life" (paraphrased). This brings up a notable fact that the characters never, ever call them 'zombies'. Not once. They're called everything else, but never 'zombie'. "Walker", "Biters", "Geeks", "Things", etc are the usual vernacular references.

Now, in our real world, we know and can conceive (however improbable) the idea of dead people returning to life. It's not a new idea, right? So, in the TWD 'world', their civilization has absolutely no preconceived ideas regarding zombies. That can only mean that their world is different from ours, as evidenced by the whole "Zed Word" avoidance.This itself brings up another question: Is the TWD world 'our Earth' but in a alternate timeline or is it an entire Mirror Universe?

If it's an alternate timeline, then it should have split off from our own timeline centuries ago when the idea of the dead returning to life was first referenced- which probably meant that other such ideas (especially Religious & Philosophical ideas) were not developed either. The entire world would have been different by the time of the TWD beginning episode- perhaps almost unrecognizable so.But this theory, as I have pointed out to my TWD debate buddies, cannot be correct due to the fact that Religion has been referenced with such specificity within the TWD TV Canon, that even Herschel quoted the Holy Bible and the fact that Christ promised the resurrection of the dead. Therefore the idea of the dead returning from the beyond was in fact an accepted concept by individuals within the TWD World- effectively putting the entire Alternate Timeline Theory into the trash bin.

However, I favor the Mirror Universe Theory. The theory is a simple one and is not new either, but it solves such problems easier that the Alternate Timeline Theory. Mirror Universes are alternate realities in which every conceivable outcome to every decision ever made has been realized. Many science fiction shows have explored this idea. "Sliders" was a great example of sci-fi TV based entirely on this concept of Parallel Universes.

I believe that since no specific historical facts have been directly referenced in TWD TV Canon in regards to past events that the writers can circumvent this issue altogether. I mean, we've seen, the Flag of the United States- (references to other states & countries) but never any specific past history to put the show into a temporal location in which to compare to ours.We hear about what characters used to do, we hear about certain instances in their lives in the past- but without any other frame of reference historically- the exact year and, more importantly, the past history cannot even be guessed at. The vehicles used in the show range from the 1960's to 2013 models, as I have noticed. Another anachronism is the tank used in the mid-season finale for Season 4. The operator clearly stated that he was serving in the modern US Army and took his tank with him when the outbreak began. So why is he operating a 43 year old tank?  So, the probability that the TWD World is a "mirror universe" outcome is more easily accepted.

The "Mirror Universe" explanation cannot however explain why the concept of "living dead" has been developed (thru religion as per Canon), but the word "zombie" has not? Is it simply that this mirror world just never came up with the word "zombie"? I find that harder to believe than the entire premise of the show!

Why avoid the use of the word "zombie" anyway? The answer may lie in the traditional concept of the "living dead" as created & put forth by George A. Romero. The word "Zombie" was only used twice in all of his "Dead" films; once in the original "Dawn of the Dead" (1979) by actor Ken Foree and the second time by Dennis Hopper in "Land of the Dead" (2005). Hell, even "Shaun of the Dead" made fun of the non-use of the word "zombie" by an entire back & forth dialogue between the main characters after one of them references the creatures as "Zombies" & is subsequently chastised to not use the "Zed word" because it's silly.

So, why are they not called "zombies"? Is the explanation as simple as what Kirkman said about it? If it is, that means a Mirror Earth. If that's true, what else could be different?

It's interesting to think about, that's for sure.

.Let me know your thoughts on the possibilities presented in this blog!

-Later

TWD Mid-Season Finale (S4) Speculations/Opinions

Well, here we are again at the mid-point of the TWD season where we'll be left hanging until the second half airs next year.This season, thus far,has been different than the others. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it seemed to take a detour into the unnecessary back story of the Governor after his meltdown last season.

I say "unnecessary" because it really doesn't move the character forward at all. The theme seems to be "can you come back from having to do things that are against your sense of morality". As far as the Governor is concerned, the entire story of him bonding with his new "family" served no purpose except to prove that he could not "come back" from what he had done, that his nature is concrete in it's propensity for doing evil. We all knew that from the beginning. As an audience, we can't dislike him more than we already do, so why delve into a sub-plot whereas the outcome will effect nothing within the character itself?

Now, a real twist would be to show the Governor "come back", become a rational, loving human being again. Have him return to the prison because he wants to keep his "family" safe- only to be cut down by Michonne before his true intentions could be demonstrated. That would have been a true character development & a huge shocker.

As far as the "new threats" that we, the audience, had been promised has simply turned out to be a resurgence of a strain of influenza caused by the lack of medical infrastructure since the collapse of civilization. Interesting as that is, it was simply a plot device to give our heroes an excuse to get out of the prison and into trouble and to place some of our heroes in dramatic jeopardy of succumbing to the disease.
 Which, by the way, gave us our first 'money shot' of a huge undead horde (about 7,500 according to Greg Nicotero). The "new zombie threat" promised has only presented itself as zombies infected with this superflu. I'm still waiting on the original zombie threat of overwhelming numbers! I mean, we all know that zombies are easily defeated singularly, but their invincibility lies in their sheer numbers.

Yes, we still have the unsolved rat-feeder at the prison, however it may be Bob Stookey. I mean he said he was the last man standing out of the last two camps he had been a part of. Him? The last man standing? Hell, he can't pass a bottle of "Boones Farm" without putting everyone's lives in jeopardy.I think he's too self-destructive. You know, it could be someone else in the prison that believes that staying there is a bad idea so they're creating a situation as to where the group would have to leave.

Carol? Eh, who knows? Robert Kirkman has stated that he wants to introduce characters and then have them disappear, never finding out exactly what their fate was. Maybe Carol is the one. Then again, she might be the central continuing character in the proposed spin-off series of TWD. It's possible, but it's all guess work at this point until an episode airs making it official TWD Canon or an official announcement of some kind.

At mid-season, we are where we should have been at or around episode 3, with the old Governor outside the Prison with the tank bargaining with Rick using the lives of Herschel & Michonne .My guess is that Herschel is beheaded and Michonne taken prisoner so the Governor can exact his original plan of revenge upon her (which Andrea almost got in the dentist chair last season).

Hopefully, this mid-season episode will bring it all back together and give us what we want in one tight package.


Later.