Delivering one of the best episodes of the series, the season premiere of the hit series continues right where season one left off. After the explosion of the CDC, Rick Grimes and his group of fellow survivors are making their way out of Atlanta only to hit a road block of about 200+ cars. When a herd of zombies end with little Sophia being separated from the group. Rick and the other spend the next day searching for her.
The show's characters and their development, much like the comics, are what interest me in the series. The series' writers continue to deliver superb dialogue and storyline; the actors and their wonderful performances also really help drive the series forward.
I will admit some of the pacing of the series did slow a bit after they fought off a trio of church going undead, but the episode did pull the rug out from under fans with the final moments of the episode. I was intrigued when Kirkman hinted that they would be getting into the digestion of zombies, but overall when the scene played out I found my self a tad disappointed. While it was indeed gory-goodness, I found no new knowledge in the scene. Maybe I misunderstood what Kirkman said about “getting into” as possibly explaining of how the undead metabolized their prey like they did with the virus affecting the brain; instead I guess it was meant literal that they would be dipping their hands inside of a zombie gut to explore the contents of its digestive tract.
Mixed feeling on writers once again teasing what it was that the CDC scientist whispered to Rick. Many who have read the comics (like me) might have a theory which includes a certain character and the way they acknowledged it then moved on was genius yet torture at the same time.
For those reading who haven't read the comics and don't want spoilers: ignore this paragraph. I'm very excited to see where the storyline will go with Shane still in the picture. His presence will alter various events in the Walking Dead universe and I honestly can't wait to see what it brings and though it can be tiring or cliche I am excited to see where the triangle between Lori, Rick, and Shane will go and how it will affect the group.
Though it had a few slow moments, the episode was still a great opener for the season. I look forward to next week and can't wait to see the cast grow, and dwindle, and see the zombie carnage that is sure to come in this second season.
Rating is 4.5/5:
The Walking Dead tells the story of the weeks and months that follow a pandemic zombie apocalypse. County Sheriff Rick Grimes travels with his family and a small group of survivors, constantly in search of a safe and secure home. But the constant pressure of fighting off death on a daily basis takes a heavy toll, sending many to the lowest depths of human cruelty. As Rick struggles to keep his family alive, he will discover that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be far more dangerous than the mindless walkers roaming the earth.