1. I don’t like the scene at the open where Shane clearly tries to save Rick. I understand it’s to humanize him (as well as explain how unfair his losses are with Rick’s return) and explain how Rick survived, but the ambiguity of only having Shane’s explanation added more dramatic tension.
2. I’m not sure I understand the lack of food. There should be packaged stuff around all over the place, yet no one has eaten for days. However, at least it explains how quickly the group gets happy when the food finally is served.
3. The different shots of each individual in the shower is an excellent way to show the mood without a ton of time being needed.
4. Shane going insane is being done really well. I doubt they’ll have the courage to give him the same end the book does. Still, Shane is the perfect example of the drama coming from the pressure changing those within the group rather than the zombies specifically.
5. I knew we’d get an explanation of the zombie plague when they got to the disease center, but I still held out hope that we wouldn’t learn much about the disease. It doesn’t improve the story in any real way, so I’m unsure why it was added.
6. The timer to get them out of the base is a cheap way to add drama. This is the first episode where the short length of the first season is really showing, as there are numerous more organic ways to proceed with the plot and get them back into the dangerous world.
7. The dispassionate doctor is a cliché, but this series hasn’t shied from clichés to prove a point and, as such, he works as an excellent counterpoint to Rick, who still has everything to live for. The reveal of Subject 19, again, predictable, but, again, compares to Rick.
8. Is it just me or is Lori entirely a hateful shrew in the show? Sure, Shane lied about Rick being dead, but she’s the one who chose to hop into bed with him. Shouldn’t she bear some responsibility for that?
9. Dale and Andrea’s burgeoning friendship is the most compelling subplot of the first season. Both are pitch perfect to their characters in the comic and, along with Glen (who really could use more to do) have been a treat to see come to life.
10. Rating: 8/10. This show really is very good, with the emotional relevance of every action, since everything is life or death, turned all the way up, the show can get away with a few contrived situations and characters. Even those end up working thematically in the show’s favor, as this is the best new show since Sopranos. It’s a shame we have almost a full year until Season 2.
