Observation NotesTuesday, September 15th, 2015AMC’s “The Walking Dead”

The time span included in this observation is the time that occurs in run time during the episode. Example: 5:00 would mean five minutes into the current episode.

Background – The geographical area in which the 1st episode of The Walking Dead “Days Gone Bye” takes place in Kings County Georgia at the beginning of the episode. Following our protagonist Rick Grimes, we are also lead to an abandoned hospital, a farm house in rural Kings County, and finally the episode ends in Atlanta Georgia. Rick is normal everyday Sheriff’s Deputy just trying to provide for his family. He has a son Carl, a wife Lori, and of course a best friend Shane. Rick and Shane have been friends since high school and still stick together through thick and thin. An example of this is we see this as they fight right beside one another whenever called up for duty. Concerning the viral epidemic that ensures in the figured world, no one is quite certain how it came about. We hear Shane state “It just started as a few weird stories on the news. Then it happened so quick.” “The Walking Dead” is originally a comic book written by Robert Kirkman which made its debut in 2003. The events from episode follow along closely with those of the comic book issue of the same name.

Figured World: - The world in which a specific set of rules and regulations attribute towards and against it. Examples would be ways on how to conduct oneself, what is the tolerated way of behaving in this world, and what are the means of communication through actors?

The figured world I am going to be observing is that of AMC top hit T.V. show “The Walking Dead”. “The Walking Dead” takes place in is post apocalyptic Georgia beginning in 2010. The current story plot has been going on for a little of 500 days according to the show’s official website. The purpose is survival in the South Eastern part of the United States after the national grid has went down. All forms of government have been abolished since the undead took over, so now humanity is not at war with not only reanimated corpses, but survivors of an unrelenting landscape. In this setting multiple activities are taking place all at once. In an environment such as this one the surviving humans must use techniques that haven’t been applied to modern society in years. To list a few our survivors must now hunt and scavenge for food instead of going to the super market. They must also use fire for a source of lighting and heating, find adequate shelter to hide themselves from not only the weather but the undead. Finally, they must learn to form bonds with people they may have met along the way for survival. Strength comes in numbers for a situation such as this one, but this could also be a dangerous thing considering the morality of a civilized society is (for the most part) not present.

Rules and conventions of the traditional civilized world can be mostly thrown out. Simple things such as greeting a stranger on the street may end up in a vicious gun battle. This goes back to the previous mention of forming bonds with people. Those in your specific group are about the only people you can trust (if you even trust them) in a world where essentially rules don’t exist. Any sort of activity where any amount of loud noise (shouting, firing weapons, driving vehicles, etc.) should only be used if the situation absolutely calls for it. These sort of actions not only alert the undead of your presence but may also blow your cover towards unwanted

surviving “guests”. As far as communication goes, radios and telecommunications devices are almost wiped out completely. Even batteries have a shelf life, and even if you are able to use those you never know who may be listing to a non secure station. Talking--especially--quietly is about the only means of communication in this world. In terms of human psychological communication, it may bring you to levels with people you never thought you would reach before. Remember, the “normal” world is destroyed. People are loosing sanity by the minute and in order to some what hold on to that, one must treat their groups as family, because that essentially is what the group is. Inappropriate behaviors include being secretive from your group --this causes distrust-- not sticking by regulation the group has set --nobody likes a renegade-- and not treating the group with respect. Your survival clique whom you meet in a world such as this is your life line. They increase your chances of survival by a mile.

Communities of practice will be very prominent in a situation such as this. Outside influences are the key factor in this world. “How much food, water, ammunition do we have?” “Where will get more?” “What about shelter?” “Are there any opposing forces near by (living or undead)?” are all questions a community may raise. The domain of interest for the most part is staying alive, and staying together. Unlike a business where it may go bankrupt and the employees head separate ways, if the group goes “bankrupt” it could end up in death physically, or the death of the group. The practice itself is composed of many things that have the possibility to change over time. Most of these are survival skills such as building fires, making shelter, using weapons effectively, and learning how to scavenge for supplies. Chances are most people being thrown into a situation like this may only know how to successfully execute one of the mentioned practices. Some may have no clue how to do any.

As the observer and documenter I am very excited to further my knowledge on not just a show I love, but I feel as though it could help me in my understanding of survival and formatting my observations notes into the final product.

I. Actors : Actors in a figured world are a person who has a role or job in a community. The actors listed below are the ones that have been encountered so far in the series. The reasoning for the listing of the specific actors below are that they have the most important roles in the figured world.

Rick Grimes- Our protagonist of the series. Rick is a Sheriff’s Deputy with the Kings County Sheriff’s Department. He is a well rounded officer who uses his moral judgment to help him solve problems. After being shot in the line of duty he falls into a coma for an undetermined amount of time. After waking up he realizes that the zombie apocalypse has already happened and he missed the into to the party. The first thing on his list is to find his family which he has not the slightest clue where they are located. Shane Walsh- A fellow officer, and Rick’s best friend, Shane is seen as a hyper macho man who doesn’t seem to rely on his emotions as much as Rick. He isn’t married and lives the bachelor life as well as protecting and serving Kings County. After the apocalypse he leads a group of survivors outside of Atlanta to a secluded area where they live “day by day”. Lori Grimes- Rick’s wife and the mother of Carl. Lori is seen as a caring mother who is trying her best to keep her sanity and raise her son in the post apocalyptic world. Before the apocalypse she admits to having martial problems with Rick and was questioning

whether or not if she still loved him. After the world collapsed, Shane saved her and Carl both by getting them out of the city. Around this time, she started to have an affair with Shane--believing her husband was dead--which was only brief since Rick returned shortly after. She struggles internally with guilt and turns it to hatred towards Shane since Rick came back into the picture. Morgan- The first survivor whom Rick comes into contact with after awakening from his coma, Morgan is not only a father but a reasonable man once he learns Rick means them no harm. He survives with his son Dwaine in a house owned by people Rick used to know before the apocalypse. Morgan is going through some emotional trauma because of the loss of his wife. He and Dwaine haven’t moved on because of this incident. Glen Rhee- The one behind the voice over the radio in the tank. Glen helps Rick escape certain death by leading Rick to safety. Glen is seen as a fairly young man who is the scavenger of the group, claiming to have been on runs by himself since the undead took over. Glen shows leadership capabilities under stress when he directs everyone to a certain job in he short moments of finding an escape route. He also can be described as somewhat childish since he displays yells of victory while speeding down the interstate in his newly acquired Dodge Challenger. Merle Dixon- We first see Merle shooting Walkers from the top of the building where the group is held up at in Episode Two. Merle is described in the series as a racist, country, brutal man who has a problem with authority. He does not seem to care for the safety of the group, nor is concerned with the fact that they are surrounded by the dead. Merle is the reason the group has to return to Atlanta because he is handcuffed to a roof for being so insubordinate. Finally, in the last shot we see of Merle he is attempting to cut his hand off to escape certain death. This tells us that he is willing to do just about anything to survive, and is not concerned with the way God views him based on the dialogue he states. Daryl Dixon- Merle’s younger brother, Daryl is first shown in Episode Three. Even before his appearance the group seems very concerned with the way he will react once told his brother is no longer at camp but handcuffed on a rooftop. This presents the audience with his attitude towards others very early in the episode. He reacts just like they feared as he pulls a knife on Rick. This is done through brotherly love since he is shown crying after the fact. He is just as rude and demanding as Merle by calling Dale a “old man” and taking charge of the rescue operation by leading the way.

II. Communities of Practice - A group of people who share an interest in serving a purpose they find useful and beneficial; this includes practices that go along with the interest in terms of keeping it “alive”.

Sherriff’s Departments – The men shown involved in both the Kings County and Linden County departments are law officers whose purpose is to keep order in their respective counties. However, as we see in the first episode they will team up and act as one unit when necessary. The men are brothers in law enforcement and when Rick is shot down we see both deputies from both departments coming to his aid. The basic

communication is by radio, but a brotherly bond is seen when Shane tries to comfort a dying Rick as he calls for an ambulance. Survival Group- Led by Shane, this unknown group of survivors have ban together after the downfall of Atlanta to do one thing. Survive. Communication is touchy with this group as they probably don’ t know one another very well, which concludes they are not sure how to act around each other. From these events we also see that Shane has begun a romantic relationship with Rick’s wife Lori (who presumes her husband is dead).

III. Artifacts - Objects both physical and emotional that have a major significance that affects the way the figured world works.

Rick’s Colt Python- This weapon is first seen being used by Rick in the shootout that leads to him being put into a coma. He is not only accurate with this weapon but seems to prefer it since most law enforcement officers of the time carry semi- automatic pistols. After awakening from his coma he retrieves the same weapon from the Sheriff’s Department’s armory, again displaying his effectiveness with the weapon. Rick’s Relationship with his Wife- From the beginning of the episode we can conclude from Rick’s speech that he and his wife are going through a “phase”. Shane brushes this off, but we can see by Rick’s expressions that it is something that is having an impact on their marriage. Not long after Rick’s supposed “death” we see Lori kissing Shane suggesting that she has already come to terms with her husband’s demise. Merle’s Attitude- The way Merle first presents himself sets up a big problem for the group. When Rick and Glenn arrive back to safety and regroup, Merle begins to go on a racist rampage claiming he will not take orders from two of the group members specifically because they are of different ethnicity. This tears the group in a sense because they not only have Walkers to worry about, but now Merle as well. Glenn’s Dodge Challenger- The Dodge Challenger that Glenn drives away in was crucial to the group’s escape. Rick tripped the alarm which began to ring out off of the many buildings in Atlanta. While Glenn was driving the Challenger away, it posed as an excellent distraction for the Walkers. This allowed Rick to use the U-Haul truck as means to load the survivors and make their way back to base camp. Shane and Lori’s Relationship- Though romantic in the beginning, once Rick arrives at camp this relationship is completely destroyed. It causes unrest in both Lori and Shane as they try to cope and not lead Rick on to what had happened before his arrival. The first signs of friction because of this is Lori telling Shane to stay away from Carl, and Shane beating Ed almost to death in order to take out his anger.Handcuffs- The handcuffs physically bind Merle to the rooftop for sometime. This has a unruly affect on him as it cause hallucinations, and attempting to bargain with God. The handcuffs are also the reason he ends up cutting off his hand, and for the rescue operation ultimately taking place. Because of this specific artifact, it is the main reason why a few of the men--Rick, Daryl, Glen, and T. Dog--have to go back to Atlanta to save Merle. This allows them to also retrieve the bag of firearms Rick was carrying when he first rode into Atlanta. So in a sense, Merle being handcuffed was a good thing because the group after the fact is stronger with more firearms.

IV. Domain - A goal deemed severely important by all members of a community. This includes every member coming together in order to achieve this goal by all means necessary.

Survival- This is the key focus for every group in the figured world. Both before the apocalypse and after. We see this as the deputies work together to eliminate the criminal threat that almost ends Rick’s life. We also see this in Morgan and Dwaine teaching Rick how to handle himself in combat with the Walkers. In episode two, we see this domain again as Glenn leads Rick to safety from the tank in hopes someone would do the same for him one day. This domain is a very broad one. This covers everything from scavenging for supplies--food, weapons, shelter--to preventing Walkers from getting inside the group’s perimeter.

V. Practices of the Community- Essentially ways for the community to accomplish their domains. This includes anything that could benefit the life of the domain, as well as destroying any threat that may affect the domain’s focus. The community should come together as a group to not only discuss but take the best action is dealing with the situation.

Obtaining firearms- As we see once Rick is one his feet again, the first thing on his mind is arming himself with weapons to combat the undead. Weapons are an essential part of survival especially in dealing with the *Walkers. He not only packs enough for himself, but shares the “wealth” his Morgan and his Dwaine. This practice is also seen in Episode Three as it becomes the leading factor in the group come to terms with the rescue operations. It is because of the bag of weapons that Shane and Lori--sort of--let Rick go. It is also a barter for Dale in order for Rick to borrow his bolt cutters. Behavior Towards Walkers- Likewise, Morgan also gives Rick critical advice on how to handle the undead. Without it, Rick would have most likely been killed very early in the first episode. Morgan not only teaches Rick where their weak spots are (the brain) but also to manage how loud he is since it will draw the attention of the Walkers. Camouflage- In order to get passed many of the Walkers on the street Rick and Glenn needed to be camouflaged. They do this by cutting into a Walker and coating themselves with layers of it’s guts. This was a proficient idea as it kept them hidden for most of the walk.

VI. Literary Practices- These are ways of communicating through verbal, writing, or by telecommunication access.

Writing- From the time Rick wakes up from his coma, writing has in fact become much more important and necessary since the grid went down. The words “Don’t Open Dead Inside” on a chained door in the hospital lead rick away from a pack of walkers that had been sealed off when the hospital was over run. We also see stumble upon “God Forgive Us” smeared in blood on a wall after a man had

blown his head off with a shotgun. This tells Rick that even people far away from suburban life have been affected by the apocalypse. Radio- Right before Rick and Morgan part ways he hands him an old police radio that will only be able to pick up one another’s frequencies since they are out of date. The radios provide us hope that Rick will keep in contact with Morgan throughout episodes and that they will meet back up soon. As seen in episode two, a CB radio and a hand held provide communication within the survival group and to their basecamp.

Observation One: Season One Episode One “Days Gone Bye”

3:00 – We see an unnamed Sheriff’s Deputy coming up on a abandoned gas station. He searches for gas seeming confused as to where everyone has gone. Instead he comes up upon a little girl with the right side of her right jaw ripped off. The girl then attempts to charge at him as the unnamed deputy pulls his handgun and shoots her in the head, killing her.

5:00/13:15- We learn the Deputy’s name is Rick Grimes. Rick and his fellow deputy Shane Walsh are sitting in their police cruiser having a bite to eat and discussing the differences between men and women. While this is going on we learn that Rick is having marriage problems with his wife Lori, as they finish the conversation a call comes over the radio requesting their support in a high pursuit chase. As Rick and Shane arrive at the scene they lay down a spike strip and what for the criminals to approach. Once they do, the criminals hit the strip which causes the criminals’ car to flip multiple times. As Rick and other deputies approach the vehicle Rick is shot by one of the men. He fades out of consciousness as Shane calls for an ambulance.

16:00/25:00 As Rick wakes up from his coma he immediately notices that something is very wrong. All of the electricity is out and there are no nurses tending to him. In fact, there isn’t anybody in the hospital at all. Rick stumbles around and finds bullet holes in the walls, blood stains, and a door that reads “Don’t Open Dead Inside” then we see a very pale, unclean, hand reaching through the chained door. Rick finds his way outside only to be mortified that the entire parking lot is full of military style vehicles (Huey 1 helicopters and Humvees 2) and dozens of dead bodies in bags. Rick finds a bicycle and picks it up beside a half dismembered corpse. To his horror the corpse turns around and hisses at him, clawing whiling chomping its teeth. Rick flees from the scene in fear and returns to his house. He finds it is empty as his son and wife are no where to be found. Rick questions his sanity by asking himself if he is really experiencing this, or if it is all just a dream.

26:00/36:00- Rick is assaulted by a boy named Dwaine and his father Morgan. As Rick slips into unconsciousness Morgan hold a gun to his head and demands to know if he is bit or not. Rick wakes up tied to a bed and is immediately interrogated by Morgan asking him if he is bit yet again. Rick denies this insisting that it is only a gunshot he caught while in the line of duty. 1 A type United States Army helicopter which has been in use since the Vietnam War.

2 United States Army Armored Personnel Carrier and general transport vehicle.

Morgan releases Rick but promises to kill him if he posses a threat to either Morgan or Dwaine. While having dinner with the two of them, Morgan explains to Rick about the “Walkers” 3. The people who the police, government, and military did not “kill”. While having a friendly discussion and debate about how Rick was shot the three are startled when a walker runs into a car, causing its alarm to trigger. Dwaine suddenly runs to the cot and begins to cry hysterically at the sight of a specific Walker. Morgan informs Rick that it is his wife whom had succumb to the fever that apparently is the precursor to the reanimation.

38:00/44:00- The next day the group of three head back to Rick’s house where he more clearly interprets what had happened to his family while he was gone. Rick determines that they must have fled the home when the Walkers first started to take over due to only a light number of clothes missing, and they’re family photo albums. Rick then leads the group to the Kings County Sheriff’s Department where they indulge in a hot shower and begin to stock up on the remaining weapons. As they are about to head out Rick gives Morgan a radio and promises to attempt to call him everyday at sunrise until they can physically meet again. A fellow deputy turned Walker stumbles into a fence that catches the group’s attention. For pity of the deputy, Rick kills him and heads off to Atlanta where he believes his family is in safe keeping (due to the rumors of military personnel and the protection of the CDC).

45:00/48:00- Morgan appears to be grieving over the loss of his wife as he is going through the many pictures she brought with them when they first evacuated. He then steadies his rifle as he begins picking off other Walkers in an attempt to draw her out. After attempting to find the courage to finally kill her twice, he fails. Morgan has not yet been able to emotionally leave his wife, so drops the rifle and begins to sob hysterically.

50:00/54:00- While Rick is inbound to Atlanta on Highway 85, he keeps trying to reach any survivors on his CB. A small group of survivors hear his radio transmissions but are unable to communicate due to interference. We learn that this is the same group that Shane and Rick’s wife (Lori) as well as his son(Carl) have also joined. Lori argues that they need to put signs on 85 to warn other survivors away from the city due to it being overrun. Shane dismisses the idea because it will put they’re lives at an unnecessary risk. After Lori storms off in anger, Shane confronts her only to tell her that he will not allow her to danger herself due to Carl already being traumatized by the “death” of his father. We see here also, that Shane and Lori have developed a romantic relationship in the time that Rick has been gone.

54:00/1:03:00- Rick runs out of gas and attempts to borrow some from a farm house off of the main road. When he looks in he finds that the inhabitants have taken their own life after having written “God Forgive Us” on the wall in blood. Horrified and repulsed, Rick sits on the porch as he thinks of his next course of actions. Rick then takes the family’s horse and rides the rest of the way to Atlanta with it. As he comes into the city he notices burn marks on all of the buildings and no survivors to be found. Rick hears a helicopter and quickly rides in an attempt to flag it

3 Term used to describe the undead. Reasoning behind this is because of how slow they move compared to actual human.

down. In this confusion, Rick rides straight into a mass horde of Walkers. The Walkers then pull Rick off of his horse and leave him no choice but to climb inside a U.S. Army tank.

1:04:00/1:06:00- After killing a Walker soldier and assessing the fact that he is surround, Rick lowers his head as he sees no way out of the situation. All of a sudden a voice comes over the tank’s radio addressing Rick as the “dumbass in the tank”.

Observation Two: Season One Episode Two “Guts”

1:00/4:00- Episode Two begins with Lori walking out in the woods to “ask Shane” whether or not some mushrooms that a group member had picked are poisonous. We come to the quick conclusion that this is not the reason they have both went out in the woods alone. As they begin to embrace one another the audience learns that their relationship is further along than previously thought.

5:00/10:00- As the episode comes back to Rick who is still sitting in the tank, the voice from the previous episode is still attempting to make contact with him. Having eyes on the outside, Rick is able to escape the tank and meet up with the man who was communicating with him. They then flee to an alley way and climb the fire escape to the roof. Once inside, Rick is met with a gun in his face as one of the members--Andrea--scolds him declaring he has gotten them all killed.

12:00/15:00- While discussing what to do next, the group is startled by a series of gunshots coming from the roof. Andrea exclaims it is Merle Dixon doing the shooting. Another member of the group--T. Dog--yells that he is just wasting their ammunition. This causes Merle to go ballistic, claiming “that will be the day” that he takes orders from an African American. The two ensue in a fist fight that is clearly one sided. Merle beats T. Dog relentlessly as the others beg for him to stop. It is not long after that Rick hits Merle over the head with a rifle and handcuffs him to a pipe. While doing this Rick makes it clear that there is no more difference in race, “only dark meat and white meat, us and the dead”.

24:00/30:00- After their plan to try and escape underneath the city is scratched out, the group then decides that there is only one way to get back to safety. Someone has to go on the streets and recover a U-Haul construction vehicle down the road. This is seen as suicide by many, but Rick comes up with the idea that if the Walkers can’t smell them, maybe they won’t detect them. He then leads them in cutting up a Walker corpse and smearing the blood and guts all over himself and Glenn. While making their way to the truck, it appears as if their plan just might work since no Walkers are attacking them.

33:00/34:00- T. Dog continues to try and raise the other members of the group back at basecamp. Due to radio interference only one transmission gets through, it saying that T. Dog and the others are stranded in the city. Amy, --Andrea’s sister--makes the claim that they have to go attempt to save them. However, Shane quickly dismisses this idea as he knows it would be suicide. “She knew the risks” Shane puts it as Amy storms off with Lori close behind her.

36:00/38:00- As Rick and Glenn steadily walk towards the truck, careful not to attract attention a small rain storm occurs. This quickly washes away the stench of the gore on the pair. Walkers

soon figure this out and every Walker in sight begins to charge after both Rick and Glenn. Due to quick thinking and Rick’s accuracy with a firearm, they are able to get to the U-Haul and make a get away. The remaining members unaware of their intentions believe the two are only saving themselves as they speed off into the distance.

39:00/43:00- While in the truck Rick tells Glenn that he must make some sort of distraction to get the walkers away from the building--where the others are--in order for him to save the rest of the group. Glenn seems confused as what Rick means by this. The next scene shows Rick bashing the window of a Dodge Challenger RT 4 tripping its anti-theft alarm. Glenn then proceeds to drive all the Walkers away with the howling vehicle. After Glenn informs the group Rick’s intentions--by radio--everyone begins to grab their gear and head for the loading doors in the back of the store. Only one problem ensures, Merle is still handcuffed to the roof. T. Dog attempts to rush and free him only to fall and drop the key down a drain on the roof. Realizing he can’t save Merle, T. Dog chains the door to the roof shut and catches up with the other group members.

43:00/45:00- Merle screams in agony as he knows he has been abandoned. While the others make their way back to basecamp everyone sits in silence wondering what happened with Merle. “I dropped the damn key” T. Dog says obviously disgusted with himself. The final scene shows Glenn racing down the interstate--the car alarm still howling--as he expresses ecstatic yells of joy.

Observation Three: Season One Episode Three “Tell It to the Frogs”

0:00/4:00- Episode Three begins where Episode Two left off. We first see an unnaturally calm Merle--still handcuffed on the roof--talking in what appears to be a flashback state. He goes on to explain about a time in his past when he punched the front teeth out of his superior while serving in the military. After chuckling to himself about the incident he “wakes up” and begins to panic once more. Merle starts to plead with God to save him and “show him the way”. This commotion causes Walkers to gather near the chained door attempting to break through. Merle, in a rage then exclaims he will no longer beg to be saved. He is last seen trying to use his belt to reach a hacksaw nearby.

7:00/10:00- While the morning starts for the survivor group, Dale looks through his binoculars as he hears a waling noise coming from the road leading towards their camp. The noise is coming from Glenn and the stolen Dodge Challenger. After the car’s alarm is extinguished, Shane then criticizes Glenn, asking him if his wish is to get the entire camp killed. Dale mentions that it would hard to track the noise due to the echo in the mountains. It isn’t long after that Rick and the other survivors drive up behind the Challenger. As everyone gets out, and Glenn introduces Rick as the “new guy”, Shane is shocked to see that it is his old partner. Lori and Carl turn around in amazement as an emotional reunion between the separated family takes place.

4 A 2009 5.7L V8 Hemi sports car. This vehicle produces 372-376 Horse Power, which may have been one of the factors with Rick’s decision for choosing this car for Glenn to lead the Walkers away.

11:00/15:00- As the group settles down by the fire for the night we are introduced to Rick telling his story of his journey so far. He tells everyone his first moments after waking up from his coma, claiming he believed he was in some sort of dream. Rick then begins to publically express his gratitude for Shane, telling him that he can’t thank him enough for everything he has done for his family. Lori looks down on this because of her and Shane’s relationship which has obviously abruptly ended with Rick’s arrival. A rude and jerk of a husband, Ed, interrupts by placing a large log on the fire. Shane approaches him saying to “keep the fires at an ember” in order to maintain secrecy. Ed then makes his wife Carol--whom he is obviously abusive to--take out the log. When Shane returns the group then discusses how they will tell Daryl--Merle’s brother--why Merle was left behind. T. Dog then speaks up, telling the group that he will be the one to inform Daryl since he dropped the key. He also explains to the group that he chained the door to the roof shut. Everyone now knows that Merle is still alive up on the rooftop.

20:00/25:00- As Rick wakes up after a much needed rest he comes upon Glenn looking in disgust as members of the group strip the Dodge Challenger for parts. “Vultures” he mumbles in disgust as he tells Rick he wishes he could have driven it more. Rick then sees Lori washing clothes, once he approaches her Rick informs her that he is going to have to retrieve Merle Dixon. She becomes upset at the fact that he just found his family and now he wants to go back to the overrun city. Rick’s morality is seen here though since he tells her that being chained up and exposed is no way for anything to die. Suddenly, Carl and a few other children come running back to the camp screaming for their parents. A few men--including Shane and Rick--arm themselves and head to the disturbance. They find a Walker feasting on a dead deer which has been shot with multiple hunting arrows. The men the proceed to beat the monster to death.

26:00/35:00- Once Daryl arrives back at camp he immediately starts to call out for his brother. Everyone is silent as they wait for someone to break the news to him. Rick is the one to step up as he informs Daryl that his brother was a danger to the group and he had to be detained--handcuffed to the roof--. Enraged, Daryl pulls out his knife and attempts to slash at Rick, Shane gets Daryl in a headlock and Rick tries to reason with him once more. Once Daryl is calm, Rick puts on his uniform and gets ready to go back for Merle. Shane attempts to stop him claiming it is a waste of man power and an unnecessary risk since Merle is seen as a “douchebag” by all. Rick expresses sympathy once more as it goes against his morals to do such a thing. Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and T. Dog will conduct the operation of rescuing Merle as well as the large bag of weapons Rick dropped after he was attacked in Atlanta. After bartering with Dale over his bolt cutters--which they need to open the door to the roof--Rick tells both Lori and Carl that he will be back soon and not to worry. While loading up their gear Shane finds four bullets for Rick’s Colt Python in his ammunition bag. “Four men, four rounds, what are the odds?” Shane says this as the irony presents itself. The four men then load up into the truck and head to Atlanta.

37:00/40:00- In this scene, Shane is doing some male bonding with Carl as they attempt to catch frogs. Lori however condemns this, she sends Carl back to their tent and she begins to sternly tell him to stay away from her son. We learn here that Shane was the one who told Lori that Rick had died in the hospital. While doing laundry, some of the women in the group express the things they miss about the old world. As they laugh while reminiscing Ed comes overs to tell them that they need to focus on their work instead of “screwing around”.

41:00/45:00- Rick and the other men sneak back into the shopping center where Rick first met Glenn and Merle. Daryl uses his crossbow to send an arrow through a Walkers head as they progress to the roof. Back at camp things become violent between Andrea and Ed as an argument ensures. The women inform Ed that they know he beats his wife and a scuffle breaks out. Shane--enraged by the conversations with Lori earlier--comes over and proceeds to beat Ed mercilessly. He tells Ed that if he ever lays his hand on Carol, his daughter, or anyone in the camp again he will beat him to death. Finally, Rick and the others reach the top of the roof where Daryl begins to scream “No!” in horror. In the last scene we are shown the amputated hand of Merle.

Observation Four: Season One Episode Four “Vatos”

00:00/04:00- Episode Four begins with Andrea and Amy in a boat fishing. They start a conversation about how things used to be when fishing with their father. Soon after talking they realized that their father had taught them different fishing knots. Being born twelve years apart they start to wonder if their father had begun to take on a change between their births. The scene becomes emotional as Amy wonders if Florida--where their parents live--wasn’t hit as bad as Atlanta. The scene then shifts to Jim--a survivor member--digging what seems like mass graves in the distance.

05:00/10:00- As the episode shifts back to Rick and the others--Daryl, T. Dog, and Glenn--Daryl puts his crossbow in T. Dog’s face enraged at the sight of seeing Merle’s cut off hand. Rick then puts his Colt Python at Daryl’s head claiming “I wont hesitate, I don’t care if every Walker in the city hears it.” Daryl then comes to his senses and lowers his weapon. After putting Merle’s hand in Glenn’s backpack, the group begins to search the other side of the building. Meanwhile, Dale--a group member--comes up to Jim asking if he will take some water since he has been digging all day. Jim is unresponsive and continues to dig, the concern is seen on Dale’s face as he walks off. Dale then tells the other members of the group including Shane and Lori that they “might have a bit of a problem”. The group turns to look out at Jim still digging. Back in Atlanta, Rick and the others are still searching the building for Merle. They come up upon a lit stove and an iron covered in flesh. “He cauterized the wound” Rick pronounces.

11:00/14:00- Shane and the others confront Jim as to why he is still digging. Still unresponsive Lori steps forward claiming that he is scaring the children. Due to a remark about Shane beating Ed almost to death--in the last episode--Shane takes the shovel away from Jim by force after he attempted to hit Shane. Jim then breaks down telling the group how his wife and child were ripped from his hands when the Walkers caught up to them. “The only real reason I got away was because the dead were to busy eating my family.”

15:00/18:00- After creating a plan on how Glenn will retrieve the bag of guns Rick dropped, the group moves into position. A young Hispanic man walks up on Daryl in the process. Daryl immediately points his crossbow at him and beings interrogating the boy about where Merle is. Hearing him plea for help the boy’s friends show up and begin to beat Daryl into the ground. Glenn shows up at the wrong time as they attempt to take the guns from him while beating him also. After one of them takes an arrow in the ass by Daryl, the boy’s friends grab Glenn and hop

in their get away vehicle leaving him. Rick and T. Dog show up seconds after, with Walkers closing in on them Rick grabs the guns and his hat as they head to safety off of the streets.

22:00/30:00- After talking the boy Rick learns where Glenn is being held hostage at. With new weaponry the group loads up and heads to Glenn’s location. The meeting between the two groups did not get far. Not wanting to do a one on one hostage exchange, the opposing group member’s leader Guillermo is more interested in the bag of guns. He tells Rick to either come back willing to hand over the bag of guns, or come ready “locked and loaded”. Back at the building Rick hands T. Dog and Daryl shotguns and pistols as they appear to gear up for a heavy gun battle. As they walk into the Hispanic gang’s hideout, Rick hands over the boy and racks his shotgun. “You said come locked and loaded, okay then we’re here!” Ironically enough, an old confused woman comes out calling to one of the gang members. She says someone needs medicine. She confronts Rick and begs him not to take Guillermo claiming he is a good man. “Ma’am I’m not here to arrest your grandson. He is helping us find a missing person. A fella named Glenn.” The old lady then takes rick by the hand and leads him to Glenn.

31:00/35:00- Rick then finds Glenn unharmed helping treating one of the many elderly people in the compound. “You have got to be the stupidest son of a bitch I have ever met!” Rick says as he scolds Guillermo. Rick tells him that he was ready to kill every last one of Guillermo’s group. However, he announces that they would have fought back. They have done so in the past to protect the food, medicine, and weapons according to him. As Guillermo tells Rick his story, we learn that he is the custodian of a retirement home and stayed behind to helped protect the old after the staff ran off. Feeling sympathetic, Rick hands over a few weapons and some ammunition and departs with Glen and the rest of his group. As they head back to their truck--which they used to go back to Atlanta--it is not there. They assume the worst that Merle took it and is headed back to camp.

37:00/44:00- Back at camp the other survivors are indulging in a fish fry. They joke and enjoy themselves by a nice fire. After hearing Dale give a speech about how important it is to keep time alive for the next generation, the scene shifts to a group of Walkers who begin feasting on Ed. A warzone breaks out as members of the group end up defending their camp to a herd of Walkers who have stumbled on to it. Rick and the rest of his group finally arrive at camp at with the new firepower and extinguish the Walker threat. Many lives are lost, including Andrea’s sister Amy. Jim then comments that he now remembers why he was digging so much.

InterviewInterviewee- Daniel (fan)

Daniel is a good friend of mine for years and has been a viewer of the show for as long as I have. He is 18 and has a particular interest in the show because of his love for zombie movies and firearms.

1. Q: Explain how you feel that the Walker Apocalypse has an impact on the way that people not only view one another, but also how they interact now. A: “I feel as if people

will have to come together in ways that they never would before. For example, strangers are going to have to create a strong bond between each other in order to survive. “

2. Q: Reflect on Morgan’s actions towards Rick in the beginning. What does this say about his moral Character? A: “Morgan still has faith that there are good people left in the apocalyptic chaos. Once Rick awakes up, Morgan sees that he is a good man.”

3. Q: Describe why Rick tells Merle that he is “just a man looking for his wife and son”, and not a Sheriff’s Deputy any longer. A: “A Sheriff’s Deputy doesn’t exist in that world any longer. Rick is essentially now just a survivor in a uniform.”

4. Q: Discuss why Shane acted how he did when presented with the idea of going back to the city to save the others. A: “He was only being rational; he knew there was nothing they could do to help.

5. Q: What could Rick and Glenn have done differently once they retrieved the U-Haul vehicle? A: “Instead of driving off immediately, they could have radioed the other survivors right then. This would have prevented the panic when they thought Rick and Glenn were leaving them.”

6. Q: Elaborate on what Rick said towards Merle when he mentioned there is “only us and the dead”. A: “Rick is implying that there is no such thing as race anymore. The backlashes of race in civilized society no longer matters in this world.”

7. Q: Reflect on T. Dog’s mistake with dropping the handcuff key. Why would he spend precious time chaining the door to the roof top shut? A: “In the spur of the moment, T. Dog showed his morality to Merle even though he was racist towards him. T. Dog did so to give Merle a fighting chance.”

8. Q: What different approach could Glenn have taken instead of helping Rick out of the tank? A: “Glenn could have not wasted his time on Rick. But because of his character and belief in karma, he saved Rick’s life.”

9. Q: Tell me what you think about Rick’s leadership capabilities. A: “My first question to this would be, who put him in charge? Rick just assumed the role. I think Rick lets his morals get in the way of his decision making.”

10. Q: Tell me what concerns you with Shane and Lori’s relationship now. A: “When Rick returns, I think it was very unfair the way that Lori treated Shane after. She just blew him off, and I think this will have a substantial effect on them both in the future.”

Interview TwoInterviewee- Zachary Burris (fan)

Zach is 17 and enjoys “The Walking Dead” but just now started taking interest in it. He likes video games that reference zombies and thought he would give the show a shot since so many people have been talking about it.

1. Q: Explain how you feel that the Walker Apocalypse has an impact on the way that people not only view one another, but also how they interact now. A: “I feel this is going to challenge the characters in the show to learn how to come together as a united force.”

2. Q: Reflect on Morgan’s actions towards Rick in the beginning. What does this say about his moral Character? A: “Morgan allowing Rick to live not only portrayed him as a good man, but as one who is willing to go out of his way to save others.”

3. Q: Describe why Rick tells Merle that he is “just a man looking for his wife and son”, and not a Sheriff’s Deputy any longer. A: “Basically he is telling Merle that he will do just about anything in order to find his family. I would like to think this includes murder.”

4. Q: Discuss why Shane acted how he did when presented with the idea of going back to the city to save the others. A: “Shane was just taking the hard role of being a leader. Leaders have to make decisions that will end up benefiting the entire group. This sometimes has to be a tough call.

5. Q: What could Rick and Glenn have done differently once they retrieved the U-Haul vehicle? A: “I really don’t think anything could have been done differently in that situation.”

6. Q: Elaborate on what Rick said towards Merle when he mentioned there is “only us and the dead”. A: “Rick is saying that there is no more race in the world. Everyone is either dead, or alive.

7. Q: Reflect on T. Dog’s mistake with dropping the handcuff key. Why would he spend precious time chaining the door to the roof top shut? A: “Even though T. Dog realized he had doomed Merle. He still attempted to give him a fighting chance with the Walkers.”

8. Q: What different approach could Glenn have taken instead of helping Rick out of the tank? A: “Glenn could have not done a thing. Rick is really the reason why the survival group got into the predicament in the first place.”

9. Q: Tell me what you think about Rick’s leadership capabilities. A: “Rick definitely plays the good guy in this series. Rick is what is known as the lawful good of a community. He makes decisions based on moral obligations.”

10. Q: Tell me what concerns you with Shane and Lori’s relationship now. A: “As of Episode Three I think we can make the assumption that the relationship is going to be a recurring problem as the series moves on. It is not only unhealthy for survival, but is bad for the group’s moral.”