The Walking Dead: Season 2 Review

Movie: The Walking Dead: Season 2
By: Maniac E
Date: August 25, 2012

The Walking Dead: Season 2

Well with one of the biggest sleeper hits ever the Walking Dead season 1 set up some big plans for season 2. But the question remains would they succeed in surpassing season 1 with this 13 episode season? (this review may could contain spoilers)

Most of you know this season was one big rollercoaster season wise and behind the scenes wise. The show's creator and show runner, Frank Darabont, was fired several episodes into the season - his successor, Glen Mazzara, has said the midseason finale, "Pretty Much Dead Already", was the first episode to have no input from Darabont. There was also an especially troubled episode early on where most of the footage was thrown out (which is how the premiere became an extended episode instead of two separate episodes), and the knowledge that Mazzara was finding his footing as the hastily crowned new show runner in the second half of the season was hard to ignore.

It is quite fair to say that the producers of The Walking Dead used the comics to jump start it all but also forget the comics soon after. Going into this new season wouldn't be the best idea if you keep having the comics in the back of your head. Just make sure you try and lose whatever's in your head and try and keep watching this second season as a zombie drama with bits of gore in it. Thankfully though the decision to change up the writing team as well as halving the budget and doubling the number of episodes was made for the second season. The resulting mini-transformation has produced a much more consistent series, enhanced story and character development and allowed for tension to build between major events in the story. Although, things may have gotten a little stale on the farm, this season has needed the change in pace, hopefully now moving forward it can build on this layout and make the following seasons addictively entertaining yet thought provoking and inspiring.

This hasn't been groundbreaking by any means and there were some episodes that just dragged on way too long. The decision to stay on the farm is probably what most fans are annoyed with and I sympathies with them for the most part. Like I said before, it's good that the show has slowed itself down because otherwise there's no way to engage with the characters, instead you'd just have a bunch of 1-hour gore-filled zombie specials with lots of bloodshed and a tepid plot.

Although this was a great idea it didn't quite work, as it should have done. That's where I agree with audiences, especially those who are fans of the comics. There were some great individual episodes such as Save The Last One, 18 Miles Out & Pretty Much Dead Already, which all contained some sort of key incident that injected tension, drama and excitement into the series. Between these though we had some really calm, uneventful 'filler' episodes that dealt with the aftermath of either a death in the group or the consequence of a decision that had been taken. I'm speaking about the Cherokee Rose & Secrets installments that just featured a string of individual conversations that took place across the farm. It's good to calm things down between big events because it allows the characters time to come to terms with whatever has happened. However, this season just took too long in moving on to the next defining moment.

As for the rest of the cast, well again there have been some great additions to the story and then some new faces that may as well have been killed in the first episode. T-Dog is truly unbelievable; this guy for me is becoming nothing more than a mascot for the show, please do something with him next season kill him or set him free! Glenn's relationship with Maggie has been chaotic at times but a touch of young romance is something that can't harm the series. Hershel has made the transition from page to screen well, he doesn't seem as rough and tough as he does in the comics but he's been a strong part of the story and I'm glad he survived the battle of the farm. As for the rest of the farms characters well... who cares? They were there, they did nothing, and they got bitten pure cannon fodder. We've said goodbye to Dale in the most gruesome of ways (boy, will I miss that hat), this was a bit of a shame because although his wobbly head annoyed me when it was giving all those moral-filled speeches he brought another angle of conflict to proceedings. His side duel with Shane was intriguing to watch and his opposing stance to Randall's execution made that episode a lot more interesting. With both Shane & Dale gone it's hard to know where the next source of conflict will come from.

Andrea has toughened up, learning from the best in Shane. She's separate from the group and now she's with the much-welcomed Michonne character that fans will love. Carol's had one hell of a traumatic post-apocalyptic time, losing her husband and daughter in the space of two seasons has put a lot of pressure on her and she's not been able to develop beyond a grieving widower and parent. Now that she has nothing left to lose hopefully we can see her develop and maybe fit more into Dale's role as the moral voice within the group. Speaking of morals, or lack of them anyhow, the character of the season award has to go to Daryl, ironically enough he's one of the few personalities purely imagined for the TV series. He's been a joy to watch, his relentless hunt for Sofia (or "Sofeeeeeeyaaaaaaa" as he pronounces it) followed by his isolation from the others has been a great individual thread within the show. For me the Chupacabra episode was one of the best for pure character development and SPOILER ALERT... when Merle returns next season it will be fantastic to see how these two interact in real life.

The Walking Dead clearly has more work to do to become that truly great show it could be, but still has shown plenty of strengths that make it worth tuning in each week. Let's hope for a more consistent and less turbulent (behind the scenes, that is) situation awaiting for everyone, viewer and creative team alike when Season 3 debuts this fall.

BLURAY REVIEW

Image quality

As for the display quality it is top notch and the 1080p transfer is crystal clear, presented in the series original broadcast 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The image is defined by pale colors that yield a gray, bleak, hopeless sort of visual structure that reinforces the themes of despair and death and emphasizes the general end-of-days misery and defeatism that hangs over every frame.

Sound

Unfortunately we don't get a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack but a 5.1. Why this is done I have no idea but it deducts a point since the US version does have the 7.1. Other than that there is nothing that the sound doesn't do. The shotguns sounds are booming out of the system, moaning dead, and other distinct sound effects easily immerse listeners into every episode, all playing with effortless clarity and pinpoint placement around the soundstage.

Extras

The extras just don't seem to stop! Audio commentaries, featurettes: All the Guts inside, Live or Let Die, The meat of the Music, Fire on Set, The Ink is Alive, The of the Effects, In the Dead Water, You Could Make a Killing, She Will Fight, The Cast on Season, Extras Wardrobe. That is nice is there more? Yes, Webisodes and deleted scenes are also included.

Overall

Yet another great release from Eone this time. Just like last year all the extras are there and this bluray season contains 3 discs. While not the whole season is the best it will still fulfill the zombie lust within most of us. Make sure you

E1 Entertainment