The Walking Dead “Nebraska” Review – Where Are The Zombies?

The Walking Dead Nebraska Season 2 Episode 8 (4)

[Editor's Note: Your regular reviewer Axechucker is unavailable this week, so I will be taking over for him this time, but fear not, he will be back next week.]

After an amazing Winter finale (I still have chills), The Walking Dead is back with a brand new episode, “Nebraska.”

Things pick up exactly where we left off, after Rick has just shot zombie Sophia in the head. Unfortunately, while it was a decent episode, not much happens which was a bit disappointing given how last episode left us. Don’t get me wrong, I know that every episode cannot be as intense as “Pretty Much Dead Already,” but I expected more.

And so here we are with all the zombies (Sophia and Hershel’s wife included) dead on the ground. One of Hershel’s daughters, Beth, cries over her zombie mom being killed, except the mom (not totally dead-dead yet) tries to eat her, yikes!

It doesn’t take long for Shane to ask the same question I asked myself at the end of last episode: did Hershel and his family know that Sophia was in there this whole time? They say they didn’t know, but I tend to be a bit suspicious like Shane. And while it’s possible that they didn’t know, they might have thought about given a quick look in that barn of theirs when Rick’s group wasn’t able to find Sophia after so many days.

The group decides to bury some of the zombies that used to be people they loved and burn they others. Maybe it’s because I’m totally paranoid, but I’m thinking burning all of them might be the best choice, you wouldn’t want them to wake up again. Just sayin’!

So what does that mean for the group? Are they ready to move on now? And if they do move on, would Glen go with them or stay with Maggie now that she declared her love for him (awe!). That car scene with Glen explaining to Rick why Maggie doesn’t really love him, was really sweet!

As for Hershel, he decides to go to a bar (after years of not drinking) to drown his sorrow. Really Hershel? This is a zombie apocalypse, maybe going to a bar is not the best idea. Being inebriated to fight off zombies, I’ve never tried it, but I’m guessing the zombies would win. But lucky for Hershel, there doesn’t seem to be a zombie in sight (seriously where are the zombies?!).

Rick and Glen leave to bring Hershel back to help Beth. But wait, why is Lori going after Rick? It’s not going to bring him back faster. Ah got it, it was so she could get into a car accident…

Rick and Glen get to the bar and try to convince him to go back, which he of course doesn’t want to do. And we are introduced to two new characters, “Son of a bitch, they’re alive.” It’s True Blood and Terriers‘ Michael Raymond-James! Unfortunately, this means trouble and Rick smells it too because it doesn’t take long before he shoots both of them. Yep, that’s why Rick’s in charge, because he has to make the tough decisions.

And even though things moved a bit slow this week, this is a great way to end the episode!

Next week on The Walking Dead… wait there’s no preview for next week? Boo!

Random Thoughts/Questions

- Why doesn’t that farm get attacked by zombies?!! It seems so secure in the middle of the zombie apocalypse, yet has no fence or defense around it.

- Where were the zombies in this episode? We only saw one and he got run over.

- Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird Dale figured out exactly what happened with Shane and Otis? I would be ok with him knowing something wasn’t right and that Shane was lying but knowing straight up that Shane shot Otis to get away seems a bit too on the nose. But maybe I’m wrong.

What did you think of The Walking Dead‘s return? Were you a bit disappointed by the pace like I was or did you love it? Did you agree with Rick shooting the two men in the end? Should he have brought them back to the farm? What about Lori, do you think she’s going to lose the baby? Anything that I missed that you enjoyed/disliked? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

By Sandrine Sahakians | February 12, 2012 | 13 Comments

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Hoss1121

Totally agreed with your Random Thoughts and Questions. Here are a few more –
Why doesn’t anyone use the actual word “Zombie” in the show?
Why hasn’t anyone shot/fed to the zombies Dale? His annoying Holier-Than-Thou and need to get in everyone’s business would have gotten him killed in the first 30 minutes of any zombie movie.
Why is Lori so freaked out her son is “becoming hard”? Most of the world is DEAD and most of the dead are EATING the living! Does she want her son to grow up sensitive to the zombie’s feelings?

http://www.tvequals.com/ Sandrine Sahakians

These are good ones too! I never thought about it before but it’s true they don’t use the word “zombie,” how interesting!

And yes, I did think it was weird Lori freaked out because Carl would have shot the Sophia zombie too. Yes, I understand it’s a bit shocking because he’s so young, but she should be glad that he would be able to defend himself against zombies if it came down to it, because she might not always be there to save him.

Thanks for reading and commenting
Danny

I hate dale too haha hes so annoying. Im kinda glad those guys got shot at the end because they clearly had violence on their minds and it was a really big shock when rick outgunned them. Fastest gun in the west.
Anonymous

A producer or someone from the show answered your first question on “Talking Dead”. The Walking Dead universe is sort of a parallel to ours where the concept and cultural folklore of zombies doesn’t exist. This is so the characters have nothing to go on when dealing with their new reality, but must figure everything out as they go. Of course, this can’t ever be addressed directly in the show itself: “Why don’t we call them ‘zombies’, like in the thousands of ‘zombie’ movies?”, demands Shane. “What’s a ‘zombie’ movie?”, replies everyone else.

http://www.tvequals.com/ Americ Ngwije

Thanks for the interesting comment. However,parallel universe or not, I am really surprised that the concept of dead people coming back to life is not part of any culture in which people die. Now that they don’t have to be called zombies but come on, there must be something close to that at least.
http://www.tvequals.com/ Sandrine Sahakians

Oh that’s interesting that they addressed it on “Talking Dead.” However, while I understand the concept of zombies might not exist in that world, I’m thinking they should have some sort of common word for what an undead person is and that would have been interesting to explore in my opinion.

Anonymous

You are dead-on about Lori’s motivation to go after Rick. That was so completely pointless, even for her. Here is Lori’s thought process: “Rick is putting himself needlessly in danger to go after Hershel. He’s such an idiot! Best thing for me to do is to put myself and my unborn child needlessly in danger to go after him!” Very pitiful plot device.
As to where are all the zombies; remember, this is a very rural farming community. Very few people in a very large area of land. Zombies, er walkers, have to come from somewhere. Hell, most of the nearby ones were herded into the barn. That’s why it doesn’t make any sense (to me) for anyone to consider leaving the farm, if pure survival is their goal. But that would be boring (for them and for us to watch), so I’m sure a group will be moving on next episode, for some reason or other.
And your point about Dale seeming to know exactly what happened with Shane and Otis is a bit too “on the nose” for me, as well. He could have put those pieces together – Shane being injured and limping, Otis being a veteran zombie-herder, yet Shane is the one to escape – but the way Dale said it was as if he’d been there and saw it happen.
I was okay with the pace and zombie count in this episode. We did just get a barnful of kills last episode and started this time out with a nice wicked scythe through the head of Mrs. Hershel. That had to be especially disturbing to the family. One lone zombie on the street did make things seem a bit less scary out there, but then those menacing guys at the bar reminded us that zombies aren’t the only things to worry about. Seeing Rick go stone-cold killer on two live humans was pretty intense. And those were only two guys from a group of unknown numbers. There will be trouble from them, to be sure.

http://www.tvequals.com/ Americ Ngwije

Agreed. I like to describe the show to folks who have never watch it as “a series about a world with Zombies where the Zombies are the least of your concern”. Frankly, people are worse than walkers because they can’t be trusted. You can trust a Zombie to do one thing: Wanting to eat you alive.People on the other hand, are far scarier because you don’t know what they want.

Danny

What did those guys say they called the zombies though? I couldnt understand what he said

http://www.tvequals.com/ Americ Ngwije

Good Question. It sounded like lame brains or something like that.

http://www.tvequals.com/ Sandrine Sahakians

I agree with you Bogdobbler, for them to leave the farm doesn’t make sense if they want to survive, but it would make for a boring show, so I think you’re right, someone will be moving on a some point.

As for the zombies, I think I just wished for more “excitement” on that end especially after last episode, but as you said, zombies are not necessarily the most dangerous thing out there and I cannot wait to see what the result of Rick killing these two guys will be.

Nica_licsi

I agree with the Random Thoughts

it seems like the walkers arent getting anywhere near them at all
Dale is becoming so annoying.. cuz honestly I sympathize more with the choices that Shane made. Dale’s getting into everyone’s business first with Andrea and now Shane..like old man, worry about your ass not theirs. don’t say unnecessary shit to anyone just to have something going on for yourself in this story. -____-”
Govegan3

The farm is bordered by a swamp, which traps the zombies like insects on fly paper. I believe that was in the season finale. The farm is also in an area remote from a small town. Less people to start with, less zombies resulting.