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I've never read the graphic novels, but this TV show has me hooked! Season one set up a terrifying world, with more gore and action than season two, but the first set of episodes of season two contain a relative calm that contrasts well with the violence that the group has been faced with daily since the zombie "epidemic" began. The show may be in a lull in terms of action/fighting/slaughter, but it maintains the fear within this lull through the scene at the school and the occasional walker, and is improving character development and the growing friction between members of the group when they are not fighting for their lives all the time. Although Herschel's place appears to be a safe haven, the world outside is extremely dangerous and this security can't last while so many walkers are still out there. This backdrop is maintained through the differing opinons of Shane and Rick, and the whole idea of a new baby coming into a world so devastated with horror.
Since a big theme in season two so far is whether to stay or go, the "security" of Herschel's farm is a good contrast to the constant danger in the city. I am frustrated, however, that no one in the group has discussed with Herschel and his family the findings of the scientist at the research center. As a veteranarian, Herschel ought to understand that if all of the brain is dead aside from activity in the brain stem, that he is not getting his wife and step-son back as people. The personality, the emotions, speech and memory centers--the stuff that makes a person human is dead and decaying. I find it interesting that he considers zombification an illness, but it's a brain destroying illness, and it gives pause to think about it compared to other brain illnesses. For example, if a person in a non-zombie controlled world was to get a very bad brain illness in which their whole brain would decay away except for their lower brain and brain stem, would they want to live this way? I would guess that many people would say, "Pull the plug," especially knowing that they would also become bloodthirsty killers and try to eat their loved ones if they didn't. If Herschel was informed about the scientific experiments that were done before the CFC shut down, might think differently, being a scientist himself. However, the way they have done the plot allows Herschel to firmly add a new way of thinking about the zombies, and I enjoy the new depth this brings to the whole idea.
I am intrigued by what the added characterization is bringing out in the group. I think Rick, Lori, Glenn, Carl, Carol, Andrea and T-Dog are building on the previous characterization from series 1 and so far don't see much change from them. However, Daryl, Shane, Dale, and Herschel are being explored and changing very much in the first section of season 2.
DARYL: Daryl is definitely getting more likable, caring, and showing innate intelligence that was not always clear before and distinguishes him from his brother significantly. It was interesting how Daryl kept himself going while injured with hallucinations of abuse and taunting. It made me wonder how much he really misses his brother and family, and whether he could use the end of his previous life with that abuse to make himself a better person. His knowledge of the Cherokee Rose, his kindness to Carol, and the fact that he twice saved T-Dog's life, despite being raised racist and T-Dog being responsible for his brother's death, is an important signal that there is more to him than the the hick tough guy he showed at first. He almost dies finding a doll. He brings Carol out to the rose and explains it to her. He actually apologizes for calling Carol a bitch. This man is now able to explore parts of himself that had been forced inside in his old life.
SHANE: I feel that Shane is getting a raw deal in his characterization overall in season 2 so far. He is portrayed as becoming more and more out of control, murderous, and selfish and there is overshadowing that he may kill Rick to get Lori back. I don't think this is fair as he obviously cares a lot for Rick, Lori, and Carl. Think of his support of Rick when Carl was shot and Rick was in shock, particularly the scene in which he holds Rick's face to his and talks sense into him about keeping it together for his boy. This scene between the two men is extremely moving and appears to be legitimate emotion on Shane's part. Carl looks up to Shane, and although Lori is in denial of it, he is a great father figure to Carl, especially when Rick seems too busy leading to spend much time with his son, and was a big support to Lori in the beginning. It takes two to have an affair, and I think Lori is being unfair having so much anger towards Shane when she does owe her life to him and as far as I can tell from the scenes at the hospital, I believe that Shane thought Rick had no chance. Shane risked his own safety when tried to help barricade Rick's room as best he could before he had to leave to save himself and Rick's family. I think the anger Shane shows is expected when Lori goes from loving him to hating him, and I will be disappointed if Shane becomes the "bad guy" in the show, suggested by the fact that he shot Otis, his dark secret that Dale throws at him telling him he is a dangerous man. However, logically, he wouldn't have made it back alive with the necessary supplies to save Carl's life if he hadn't shot Otis, and he is trained as a cop to know what to do in situations like this. Also, half of the group seemed to want to kill Otis for shooting Carl in the first place. I don't think Shane is perfect--he flies off the handle too much and is on the offensive pretty much all the time. However, he has done a lot of good for the group, leading them to safety in the first place, and has to control tons of emotion and joy lost and gained when Rick came back. He is a trained policeman, used to using firearms as a way to resolve conflict, and is bound to have mixed emotions with all that has happened between him, Lori, Carl, and Rick. To Lori, he has gone from appreciated hero to deceptive creep, and this is all due to the return of his best friend, whom he would have done anything for, but through his relationship with Lori, he will never again have the same kind of friendship with Rick and has in a way, lost him again. I was touched by the look of joy on his face when he learned about Lori's pregnancy and his care for Carl is extremely obvious and not creepy at all. I hope they are not going to turn Shane evil on us.
DALE: Dale is showing more of his fatherly instinct to Andrea, although she is not appreciative of it and that seems to hurt him more than it should. He always seems strong and kind, almost to the point of irritation, but it is getting over the top now now, verging towards becoming a weakness. What do we know about him besides that he is a "nice guy" and he lost his family? People turn to him for help with their problems, and he seems to think about things slowly and in a larger context than the present. I like him and agree with his peaceful ideas in general, but I also think he is becoming more fragile this season. He shouldn't have taken the guns and tried to bury them in swampland--whether he believes in them or not, the guns are an essential way to take down walkers from far away and half of the group risked their lives going back to the city to retrieve them. Herschel is on the fence about letting them stay anyway; getting rid of the guns is a rash idea that seems to stem from his protective feelings for Andrea and not wanting her spending more time than necessary with Shane. This goes against my perception of Dale from season 1--season 1 Dale would have discussed the guns more with the group--why is he trying to make decisions on his own, based seemingly on Andrea and her rejection of him as a parental figure and friend? He is making rash decision based on emotions in the same way that he criticizes Shane for doing. When he went to the woods, I didn't realize he had the guns but thought he was going to take his own life. Dale is confusing, and changing from what he was, and I liked what he was.
HERSCHEL: I already discussed my interest in Herschel's way of viewing zombification as an illness that could have a cure. I thought he had a solid, respectable character until the last episode before the break (aka, when they find Sophia). He appears to be a smart man; a man who saves lives and cares about people he knows whether or not they have become zombies. I try not to apply frightening television to my own life, but I think I would be with Herschel on keeping my family alive as zombies. It goes along with his apparently caring personality. What doesn't make sense is that he is so opposed to the group staying on, aside from the fact that they could draw more zombies, however, episode 7 brings out a major secret as far as Herschel. The discussion with his daughter hints at a perhaps less than kind Herschel in the past, but the main slap is Sophia. Here are a group of people, risking everything daily to try to find her, and all along she is in the barn. As it is Herschel and his grandson (I think) who seem to be the people who put the walkers into the barn, I just don't believe that he didn't think of saying, "Wait, we picked up a little girl of that description in the past few days. She's a walker now and in our barn." What does that say about him? I know he doesn't want to have more people on his farm and wants to try to ride out the "plague" with his family close and safe and hopefully find a cure. But to allow the group to risk their lives and Carol to continue her hope when he has very recently put Sofia in with the zombies in the barn, show that there is a side to Herschel that is completely different. I am waiting to see what happens after the break and who in the farm family knew about Sofia.
Overall, season 2 is keeping my attention as much as, if not more than season 1. If you have missed it, you can purchase both season 1 and season 2, so far, and I would recommend it. This show has something for the action-lover and for the emotional watcher, while also showing solid characterization and great acting. Each episode unravels more of the plot and characters, and there has not been an episode this season so far that I have come away from thinking just, "that was okay," because each episode has something in it that is thought provoking and hooks you, waiting for the next installment! Watch it--it's worth your time.
| Additional Blu-ray options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
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August 28, 2012 "Please retry" | BLURAY | 4 | $13.53 | $2.83 |
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August 27, 2012 "Please retry" | — | 3 | $24.34 | $16.19 |
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Reviews with images
TWD season 2 bluray
I like the show from the beginning and I'm buying these on bluray because wifi/internet is unreliable where I live so this makes sense to not rely solely on services physical copies are a smart buy as a back up when internet is not working or spotty at best
