Episode Commentary: Seed
The long-awaited Season Three of The Walking Dead has finally arrived, and if it continues with the same pace and energy of its first episode then fans have a thrilling season ahead of them. It was great that the gang had Herschel’s farm as a safe haven, but the audience paid the price for it in a story line that was as sluggish as a starved Zombie. How many times did the audience need to hear Shane insist that he can be a better husband and father than Rick?
Well, that is all over. Now, we have a group of people who are determined to live. There was no mourning for fallen comrades by these people. Survival is the name of the game and they will not let anyone get in their way. This group has spent a winter outrunning Walkers. In that time they have become hardened people. The writers make this abundantly clear in Carl, who was once a little boy afraid of guns, but now will not blink when shooting a Walker in the head. Even Carol, who was mainly known as a timid, abused wife, mourning the death of her daughter, has picked up a rifle and enjoys shooting at walkers.
But as hardened as they are, they have grown close to each other. They trust each other with their lives. And they all look to Sheriff Rick Grimes to lead the way. The doubts about his ability to guide them to safety are gone with Season Two.
This Season’s Rick no longer doubts and questions himself. This is the Rick who declared,”This is not a democracy.” In a scene with no dialogue, we see the hunger ridden group ready to eat a can of dog food. Rick picks the can up, looks at it and throws it away. There is no preaching and no arguments. Only a clear message from their leader : You will not lose your humanity on my watch, even if I have to watch you starve to keep it.
And speaking of the starved: there are plenty of hungry Walkers in this episode, perhaps even a baby Walker. A possibility that Rick’s pregnant wife, Laurie, announces to Herschel, since it is now the case that everyone is infected with the virus that turns people to Walkers.
The creators of the show move into the gore fest very quickly. Rick and his crew have set their sights on a prison surrounded by walkers. Like a well oiled machine, they work together to shoot, stab, and gut their way inside the prison. The many hallways and corners of the prison keep the tension and fear going as we follow the group around in dimly lit areas. There is plenty of running around and getting lost in dark corridors with just a flashlight to help them see. And the adrenaline is pumping because any wrong turn, can lead to a herd of Walkers. And this is one large prison.
Like most first episodes of a season, this one sets in motion the storylines that will unfold in future episodes. What makes it a success is that it does it in a pace that is both thrilling and keeps the story fresh.
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