Carl Alves's Blog, page 34
November 11, 2015
The Walking Dead: Now
Now was an opportunity for the show to take a step back and take inventory before the next explosion of violence, and unlike last week’s episode, it wasn’t a complete waste of time.
Rick Returns from Alexandria
Although most people were more interested in finding out whether or not Glenn was alive or dead, I was more interested in seeing what Rick’s fate was. My opinion on Glenn is that if they bring him back, I’ll be very disappointed. It’s not that I dislike Glenn, who I find to be a compelling character. It’s just that doing so will be cheating the audience.
As it turns out, Rick made a mad dash from the broken down RV that was surrounded by zombies, dodging and hacking his way through them in order to get back home. This provided the opening of the episode with a dramatic moment. Once Rick was back, he restored order and gave the troops a motivational speech. I think just his presence alone makes a difference to the people of the community, although some of them seemed on the verge of giving up hope.
The Journey Through the Sewers
Although some of have given up Glenn for dead, which none of the people have any way of knowing if this is the case or not since they did not see what happened to Glenn, unlike the viewers of the show, Maggie will not. She is convinced that she can find Glenn, which is completely illogical since she would have no idea where to look, let alone that she would have to fight her way through a zombie horde. The whole story line is a bit non-sensical, especially since she’s pregnant. Aaron played the role of the good guy and showed her the way through the sewer system that bypassed going over the wall. It also didn’t make sense that she would plan this illogical journey only to give up at the point where they reached the end of the sewers and make noise to attract the zombie, which in effect aborted the mission. The only upside to this is that we got to see some pretty nasty sewer zombies.
Deanna Continues to be Useless
Deanna had a lot of screen time in this episode but did very little other than some crash community planning, which seems silly in light of recent events. She was mostly wandering around like a travelling gypsy. At least she recognizes her own uselessness and tells Rick that he should take the leadership helm in the community.
In the end, this was a bit of a slow episode. I think it would have worked better if we didn’t have the Morgan backstory episode last week, which really took me out of the story. Next week will prove to be more action packed as we see the fates of Darryl, Abraham, and Sasha.
Rick Returns from Alexandria
Although most people were more interested in finding out whether or not Glenn was alive or dead, I was more interested in seeing what Rick’s fate was. My opinion on Glenn is that if they bring him back, I’ll be very disappointed. It’s not that I dislike Glenn, who I find to be a compelling character. It’s just that doing so will be cheating the audience.
As it turns out, Rick made a mad dash from the broken down RV that was surrounded by zombies, dodging and hacking his way through them in order to get back home. This provided the opening of the episode with a dramatic moment. Once Rick was back, he restored order and gave the troops a motivational speech. I think just his presence alone makes a difference to the people of the community, although some of them seemed on the verge of giving up hope.
The Journey Through the Sewers
Although some of have given up Glenn for dead, which none of the people have any way of knowing if this is the case or not since they did not see what happened to Glenn, unlike the viewers of the show, Maggie will not. She is convinced that she can find Glenn, which is completely illogical since she would have no idea where to look, let alone that she would have to fight her way through a zombie horde. The whole story line is a bit non-sensical, especially since she’s pregnant. Aaron played the role of the good guy and showed her the way through the sewer system that bypassed going over the wall. It also didn’t make sense that she would plan this illogical journey only to give up at the point where they reached the end of the sewers and make noise to attract the zombie, which in effect aborted the mission. The only upside to this is that we got to see some pretty nasty sewer zombies.
Deanna Continues to be Useless
Deanna had a lot of screen time in this episode but did very little other than some crash community planning, which seems silly in light of recent events. She was mostly wandering around like a travelling gypsy. At least she recognizes her own uselessness and tells Rick that he should take the leadership helm in the community.
In the end, this was a bit of a slow episode. I think it would have worked better if we didn’t have the Morgan backstory episode last week, which really took me out of the story. Next week will prove to be more action packed as we see the fates of Darryl, Abraham, and Sasha.
November 8, 2015
Bloodroom by Naima Haviland
In Bloodroom, Julian Mouret is a powerful vampire who is required by the laws that bind vampires to kill Natalie, a ballerina, because she saw his true vampiric nature. The only problem is that Julian has fallen madly in love with Natalie. Even though he knows what he must do, he can’t get himself to kill his beloved as they start to develop a physical relationship. Meanwhile, as Natalie’s memory of the events leading up to this situation start to clarify, she starts to suspect something isn’t quite right with Julian. To make matters worse, one of her ballet partners is being visited/attacked by one of the vampires in Julian’s brood, and another goes missing.
Bloodroom presents some interesting elements in vampiric lore. One of them is the room that gives this novel its title, which is a room of people being cocooned by spiders, which allow the vampires to feed upon them. It was an interesting concept that I had not seen before. I’m not sure that the logistics would completely work in terms of secrecy and other aspects, but I applaud the author’s originality. Setting plays a big part in this novel, and I think the author really incorporates the setting well, creating atmosphere and soaking it into the fabric of the story. The characters were compelling. The parts that I thought could have used some work is that beyond the relationship between Julian and Natalie, the plot is a little thin, and the chase between the two main characters got a bit repetitive in spots. Otherwise, this was an enjoyable vampire novel that fans of paranormal romance will enjoy.
Bloodroom presents some interesting elements in vampiric lore. One of them is the room that gives this novel its title, which is a room of people being cocooned by spiders, which allow the vampires to feed upon them. It was an interesting concept that I had not seen before. I’m not sure that the logistics would completely work in terms of secrecy and other aspects, but I applaud the author’s originality. Setting plays a big part in this novel, and I think the author really incorporates the setting well, creating atmosphere and soaking it into the fabric of the story. The characters were compelling. The parts that I thought could have used some work is that beyond the relationship between Julian and Natalie, the plot is a little thin, and the chase between the two main characters got a bit repetitive in spots. Otherwise, this was an enjoyable vampire novel that fans of paranormal romance will enjoy.
November 5, 2015
Movie Review: Goosebumps
I was excited to see the Goosebumps movie because it gave me an opportunity to take my young children to watch a horror movie—granted one that was a bit light on scares and heavier on laughs—that is unless you’re six-years-old, in which case it’s terrifying. It was a neat idea. High School student Zach Cooper unwittingly opens one of RL Stine’s books and unleashes the abominable snowman, starting a chain of events that is about to destroy the town of Madison, Delaware. Stine, who is expertly played by Jack Black, is going under a false identity and moving from town to town with his daughter, Hannah. He has to keep all of his original manuscripts locked up, lest the creatures he writes about get unleashed, which is what happens with the abominable snowman and a host of creatures such as werewolves, killer garden gnomes, an invisible boy, and a giant praying mantis. Slappy, a ventriloquist’s dummy, is leading the cadre of villains as they attempt to destroy Stine and the town.
Although the movie is meant for kids, it’s also enjoyable for adults. The story may not be the most original, but it was effective. I liked the unleashing of all the different monsters and what they brought to the table. There was some silliness to this movie, which didn’t always work, but for the most part there was good tension, good acting performances, and a reasonably intelligent plot. I could have done without the Disney ending, which really made no sense nor was it well thought out, but that tends to be typical of Disney endings. If you are like me, this is a good movie to share your love of horror with your children.
Although the movie is meant for kids, it’s also enjoyable for adults. The story may not be the most original, but it was effective. I liked the unleashing of all the different monsters and what they brought to the table. There was some silliness to this movie, which didn’t always work, but for the most part there was good tension, good acting performances, and a reasonably intelligent plot. I could have done without the Disney ending, which really made no sense nor was it well thought out, but that tends to be typical of Disney endings. If you are like me, this is a good movie to share your love of horror with your children.
November 3, 2015
The Walking Dead: Here's Not Here
All I can say is what an utter letdown and disappointment the episode “Here’s Not Here” was. There are a number of reasons for considering this episode to be a disappointment. Let me list the ways, but first a basic premise of the episode. This was Morgan’s backstory from the time we last saw him with Rick visiting batshit crazy Morgan in that house, to the time when he helps out Darryl and company against the Wolves.
Why Morgan?
For starters, I don’t even like Morgan, so to devote an entire episode on him is a waste. He’s not that compelling of a character. His response to Wolves invasion made him dead to me. He was not only useless, but his actions put the others in danger. If you check out my blog of that episode, I named him the least valuable person in the defense of Alexandria. In this episode, they showed how he went from batshit crazy Morgan to wannabe Jedi Morgan through the intervention of a man named Eastman, who brought him from the brink of insanity. Oh, by the way, Morgan cost the man his life with his inability to kill the zombie of a man who crazy Morgan killed in life.
Akido Doesn’t Work in the Zombie Apocalypse
The principal of Akido as explained in this episode is that all life is precious, and therefore, you shouldn’t kill anyone regardless of the circumstances. That may work in the real world (although I personally don’t agree), but it sure as hell doesn’t work in a zombie apocalypse. In a world where survival is your biggest day-to-day concern, and where there are people who want to kill you and those you love to take what you have, this brand of pacifism doesn’t work. I realize Morgan went through some rough spots in his life, but this isn’t the solution. And, oh by the way, Eastman, the proponent of his system, didn’t even follow it when he killed the serial killer who murdered his wife and children.
What About Rick?
The last episode ended on a cliff hanger with Rick being stuck in a broken-down RV that was surrounded by a zombie horde. They didn’t even show what happens to Rick. The idea of a cliffhanger is that you have to wait in anticipation to the next episode to see it resolved. For there to not only be no resolution, but no mention of Rick and his fate is just weak.
After the last few, butt-kicking episode, this one was an epic fail.
Why Morgan?
For starters, I don’t even like Morgan, so to devote an entire episode on him is a waste. He’s not that compelling of a character. His response to Wolves invasion made him dead to me. He was not only useless, but his actions put the others in danger. If you check out my blog of that episode, I named him the least valuable person in the defense of Alexandria. In this episode, they showed how he went from batshit crazy Morgan to wannabe Jedi Morgan through the intervention of a man named Eastman, who brought him from the brink of insanity. Oh, by the way, Morgan cost the man his life with his inability to kill the zombie of a man who crazy Morgan killed in life.
Akido Doesn’t Work in the Zombie Apocalypse
The principal of Akido as explained in this episode is that all life is precious, and therefore, you shouldn’t kill anyone regardless of the circumstances. That may work in the real world (although I personally don’t agree), but it sure as hell doesn’t work in a zombie apocalypse. In a world where survival is your biggest day-to-day concern, and where there are people who want to kill you and those you love to take what you have, this brand of pacifism doesn’t work. I realize Morgan went through some rough spots in his life, but this isn’t the solution. And, oh by the way, Eastman, the proponent of his system, didn’t even follow it when he killed the serial killer who murdered his wife and children.
What About Rick?
The last episode ended on a cliff hanger with Rick being stuck in a broken-down RV that was surrounded by a zombie horde. They didn’t even show what happens to Rick. The idea of a cliffhanger is that you have to wait in anticipation to the next episode to see it resolved. For there to not only be no resolution, but no mention of Rick and his fate is just weak.
After the last few, butt-kicking episode, this one was an epic fail.
October 31, 2015
10 Questions with Jason Rizos
1. What has been the reaction from your students to your writing and how has it helped you in your teaching?
First off, thanks for inviting me to participate in this interview on your blog! Interestingly enough, I don’t teach creative writing at Portland Community College, mostly because there are instructors for that already that are doing a wonderful job. I teach basic college composition, which translates to “writing for people who hate writing” in 90% of the students I see, but that’s great! Because it’s a fun challenge to be dorky and geek out on writing and win people over with that kind of attitude. I don’t get much of a reaction from students when they hear about my publishing, and I think it is because they are concerned about what it means for their own accountability--“Oh shit! This guy is serious about writing! Now I have to try!” I remind my students that writing is a process, and a long one, and if they are unhappy with first drafts, so am I! If they think I’m really good at it and they aren’t I tell them it’s only because I’ve spent so much damn time practicing, and that’s it. That’s it. That’s all it is. I tell them, don’t expect everything to be perfect the first time through, always strive to become better, and above all else, have fun!
2. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
As much as I’d love to pick a writer, there has always been something about the works of David Foster Wallace that has affected me each and every time I read him. Of course, it was his writing that first made me think that my off-beat, meta-fictional hijinks could find a market in the first place, and I was reading him voraciously since about age 20, my Junior year at UM-Columbia. It’s not just his verbal pyrotechnics, either, it’s also his humility and bravery in being honest with himself, and this shines through in his prose.
3. What sort of statement regarding commercialism and specifically big superstores were you trying to make in Supercenter?
I basically see my function as a writer as somebody who can hold a mirror up to society and say, “If X is the present course we are on, expect Y as the future,” and then I enjoy projecting a kind of warped and distended vision of that future. I don’t really think we’ll see these futures, but it all about the emphasis of our values in the present. Take Donald Trump, for instance. It’s not a national embarrassment that he could become President of the United States, its plenty a national embarrassment that he can run for President of the United States. We have this entire Mass Media system in America that functions by telling the public what it wants them to want, that right there is your Big Superstore world, one in which there is no more accountability to the public, or the consumer, as it were, we are stuck with these unfortunate and unpleasant corporations that make all of us miserable, and yet we are convinced there is no better way of going about the world. That’s Supercenter, a bunch of people committed to a system they know is inherently broken, but they are just so vested in it, they can’t go back now.
4. Who is your favorite writer?
No doubt, Brian O’Nolan, aka Flan O’Brien, he’s got the Irish lyricism of a Joyce, but the wit and humor of a Vonnegut. I also love the early magical realists, and you can definitely see shades of Borges and Marquez in Supercenter, but I wouldn’t call myself a Magical Realist, I just can’t do that even when I sit down to do that, I’m not sure why.
5. If Hollywood was casting a movie adaptation of Supercenter and the director asked you to cast the role of GE, who would you choose?
When I was writing it in 2010, I kept imagining a young Giovanni Ribisi, so I guess I would have to update this for a young actor today. I’ll go with Evan Peters. A smartass with a lot of heart.
6. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
Action in slow motion, something that provides plenty of room for narrative intrusion, but the action is so strong, the narration carries right through. Sort of like when Edward Benson goes for a stroll in Supercenter and winds up drinking the Tile Melt, it’s all about one single, simple act, but so much surrounds it, so much emotion and meaning.
7. What made you start writing?
Self-entertainment. I could see these silly stories taking life in my head, but found out that when built into a story, they were just so much richer and more vivid. Coming to terms with the fact that my writing is not commercial, it’s not mainstream, or what editors-and-agents believe audiences want, well, that doesn’t bother me. I’m writing for an audience of me, and that’s just the way it goes, it’s not a decision, it’s just what I do. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m not always getting bent out of shape about adapting to shore up my weaknesses. I mean, I’m not a jerk about it, I don’t tell people I’m some sort of misunderstood genius, I guess it’s just that I hate 95% of “novels” out there and I’m not really doing what most writers are doing.
8. What is your best quality as a writer?
Visual writing. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to work on doing what you do poorly, better. But other times you have to work doing what you do well, better. I think too many writers get obsessed with conforming to some kind of Bogeyman Reader in their heads, I prefer to just kick back and have fun, and I keep the pace brisk. I like to build complex, visualisable worlds, rich with color and sound. That audience-of-one I mentioned earlier also happens to suffer from ADHD, so you can think of me as the Anti-Dostoevsky, plot-wise.
9. What is the best piece of writing advice anyone has ever given you?
“They don’t want you to write.” In this case, they is the world. Catherine Rankovic told me this, and she is awesome and her writing is awesome. And she’s right. It’s true, the world just wants you to quit, and you’ve got every goddamn reason in the world to quit, but you’re not going to give THEM what THEY want, now are you? No, fuck them. Am I saying I write as some kind of warped, paranoid antagonism against an invisible opponent? Kind of.
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
Patrick Bateman, for the etiquette lessons, Joe Rogan, so I can get back to remembering what it means to be a real Bro, a Bro kind of Bro, David Backes, St. Louis Blues hockey player, so I can learn about dedication and discipline, Sarah Silverman, because I love funny girls, Cat Power, because I love musical girls. Imagine trying to see all these people get along with one another? Man.
First off, thanks for inviting me to participate in this interview on your blog! Interestingly enough, I don’t teach creative writing at Portland Community College, mostly because there are instructors for that already that are doing a wonderful job. I teach basic college composition, which translates to “writing for people who hate writing” in 90% of the students I see, but that’s great! Because it’s a fun challenge to be dorky and geek out on writing and win people over with that kind of attitude. I don’t get much of a reaction from students when they hear about my publishing, and I think it is because they are concerned about what it means for their own accountability--“Oh shit! This guy is serious about writing! Now I have to try!” I remind my students that writing is a process, and a long one, and if they are unhappy with first drafts, so am I! If they think I’m really good at it and they aren’t I tell them it’s only because I’ve spent so much damn time practicing, and that’s it. That’s it. That’s all it is. I tell them, don’t expect everything to be perfect the first time through, always strive to become better, and above all else, have fun!
2. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
As much as I’d love to pick a writer, there has always been something about the works of David Foster Wallace that has affected me each and every time I read him. Of course, it was his writing that first made me think that my off-beat, meta-fictional hijinks could find a market in the first place, and I was reading him voraciously since about age 20, my Junior year at UM-Columbia. It’s not just his verbal pyrotechnics, either, it’s also his humility and bravery in being honest with himself, and this shines through in his prose.
3. What sort of statement regarding commercialism and specifically big superstores were you trying to make in Supercenter?
I basically see my function as a writer as somebody who can hold a mirror up to society and say, “If X is the present course we are on, expect Y as the future,” and then I enjoy projecting a kind of warped and distended vision of that future. I don’t really think we’ll see these futures, but it all about the emphasis of our values in the present. Take Donald Trump, for instance. It’s not a national embarrassment that he could become President of the United States, its plenty a national embarrassment that he can run for President of the United States. We have this entire Mass Media system in America that functions by telling the public what it wants them to want, that right there is your Big Superstore world, one in which there is no more accountability to the public, or the consumer, as it were, we are stuck with these unfortunate and unpleasant corporations that make all of us miserable, and yet we are convinced there is no better way of going about the world. That’s Supercenter, a bunch of people committed to a system they know is inherently broken, but they are just so vested in it, they can’t go back now.
4. Who is your favorite writer?
No doubt, Brian O’Nolan, aka Flan O’Brien, he’s got the Irish lyricism of a Joyce, but the wit and humor of a Vonnegut. I also love the early magical realists, and you can definitely see shades of Borges and Marquez in Supercenter, but I wouldn’t call myself a Magical Realist, I just can’t do that even when I sit down to do that, I’m not sure why.
5. If Hollywood was casting a movie adaptation of Supercenter and the director asked you to cast the role of GE, who would you choose?
When I was writing it in 2010, I kept imagining a young Giovanni Ribisi, so I guess I would have to update this for a young actor today. I’ll go with Evan Peters. A smartass with a lot of heart.
6. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
Action in slow motion, something that provides plenty of room for narrative intrusion, but the action is so strong, the narration carries right through. Sort of like when Edward Benson goes for a stroll in Supercenter and winds up drinking the Tile Melt, it’s all about one single, simple act, but so much surrounds it, so much emotion and meaning.
7. What made you start writing?
Self-entertainment. I could see these silly stories taking life in my head, but found out that when built into a story, they were just so much richer and more vivid. Coming to terms with the fact that my writing is not commercial, it’s not mainstream, or what editors-and-agents believe audiences want, well, that doesn’t bother me. I’m writing for an audience of me, and that’s just the way it goes, it’s not a decision, it’s just what I do. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m not always getting bent out of shape about adapting to shore up my weaknesses. I mean, I’m not a jerk about it, I don’t tell people I’m some sort of misunderstood genius, I guess it’s just that I hate 95% of “novels” out there and I’m not really doing what most writers are doing.
8. What is your best quality as a writer?
Visual writing. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to work on doing what you do poorly, better. But other times you have to work doing what you do well, better. I think too many writers get obsessed with conforming to some kind of Bogeyman Reader in their heads, I prefer to just kick back and have fun, and I keep the pace brisk. I like to build complex, visualisable worlds, rich with color and sound. That audience-of-one I mentioned earlier also happens to suffer from ADHD, so you can think of me as the Anti-Dostoevsky, plot-wise.
9. What is the best piece of writing advice anyone has ever given you?
“They don’t want you to write.” In this case, they is the world. Catherine Rankovic told me this, and she is awesome and her writing is awesome. And she’s right. It’s true, the world just wants you to quit, and you’ve got every goddamn reason in the world to quit, but you’re not going to give THEM what THEY want, now are you? No, fuck them. Am I saying I write as some kind of warped, paranoid antagonism against an invisible opponent? Kind of.
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
Patrick Bateman, for the etiquette lessons, Joe Rogan, so I can get back to remembering what it means to be a real Bro, a Bro kind of Bro, David Backes, St. Louis Blues hockey player, so I can learn about dedication and discipline, Sarah Silverman, because I love funny girls, Cat Power, because I love musical girls. Imagine trying to see all these people get along with one another? Man.
October 29, 2015
Movie Review: The Martian
I’m generally a fan of outer space movies, and this one looked especially cool after watching the trailers, even if it starred Matt Damon, one of my least favorite actors, in the lead role. Matt Damon plays Mark Watney, the baddest botanist on the planet Mars. He’s left behind in an expedition to Mars during a storm when his crew think he’s dead. As it turns out, it was just a flesh wound, something that Watney extracts in excruciating fashion. Watney has a whole host of problems. He has to make communication with NASA to let them know he’s still alive and stretch out his food supply to last over a year, something he does by growing potatoes by using his own feces as fertilizer and creating water through the combustion of hydrogen and oxygen. He accomplishes all of this by thinking seriously outside of the box and solving one problem at a time, and there’s no shortage of problems for him to solve.
This was a great movie. The cinematography of the Martian landscape was really something to see. Normally Matt Damon is little more than a cardboard cutout, but he actually showed a little personality in this movie. The rest of the cast led by Sean Bean, Jessica Chastain, and Jeff Bridges was top notch. There was a great deal of tension, even though it was obvious that he was going to make it out alive. Mostly what I liked was how Watney and his NASA counterparts go about solving the many problems he faced. It was well written and well-conceived. This is a movie worth watching.
This was a great movie. The cinematography of the Martian landscape was really something to see. Normally Matt Damon is little more than a cardboard cutout, but he actually showed a little personality in this movie. The rest of the cast led by Sean Bean, Jessica Chastain, and Jeff Bridges was top notch. There was a great deal of tension, even though it was obvious that he was going to make it out alive. Mostly what I liked was how Watney and his NASA counterparts go about solving the many problems he faced. It was well written and well-conceived. This is a movie worth watching.
October 27, 2015
The Walking Dead: Thank You
After the carnage that was the Wolf attack of Alexandria, this episode shifted to what happened to Rick and company while that was going on. I was wondering what had taken them so long to return, but the episode showed they more than had their full with a portion of the zombie horde they were trying to lead out of the area and away from their community.
The Alexandrians
What a useless bunch of humanity these people are. They have no concept on how to survive in the zombie apocalypse as well as an unwillingness to learn. If I were sheltered from zombies then came into contact with seasoned zombie warriors, I would want to learn as much as possible from them. You have Sturgess complaining that all of this was Rick’s fault, only to misfire and shoot someone on their side, flee like a scared rabbit, and then get himself turned into zombie chow. Also on the idiot list is Heath, who expresses his distrust to Michonne when he heard Rick tell her they may have to leave some behind in order to get back to the community. Heath has never had to make the hard choices required for survival, so he should listen to those who have. What they did wrong was try to make it back with the injured. The better strategy would have been to find a locked area inside of the building where they could have stashed the injured, and come back to get them later. That leaves Nicholas, but I’ll get to that moron later.
Rick’s plan
Rick ran like a madman in order to get to the RV and lead the zombies away according to the original plan. In doing so, he ran into the Wolves that Morgan didn’t kill. As I predicted, Morgan’s move would haunt them as these same people now attacked Rick. The scene ends with Rick in the RV, which now won’t start. He’s facing a dire situation. My prediction is Rick starts the RV and leads the horde away. The show’s producers won’t kill off Rick. He’s one of two characters (Judith being the other) who won’t get killed, so I think he’s safe. That leads me to who wasn’t safe.
RIP Glenn
As I predicted two posts ago, Glenn should never have left Nicholas off the hook. Once an idiot, always an idiot. His plan to put a building on fire to attract the zombies backfired when the building they were going to use was already burnt out. They got trapped, and Nicholas, in his astounding brilliance, shoots himself in the head, leading Glenn to his death. Ultimately, it was highly improbable that he would have gotten himself out of that situation, but the way it ended was an inglorious death for a character like Glenn.
The Alexandrians
What a useless bunch of humanity these people are. They have no concept on how to survive in the zombie apocalypse as well as an unwillingness to learn. If I were sheltered from zombies then came into contact with seasoned zombie warriors, I would want to learn as much as possible from them. You have Sturgess complaining that all of this was Rick’s fault, only to misfire and shoot someone on their side, flee like a scared rabbit, and then get himself turned into zombie chow. Also on the idiot list is Heath, who expresses his distrust to Michonne when he heard Rick tell her they may have to leave some behind in order to get back to the community. Heath has never had to make the hard choices required for survival, so he should listen to those who have. What they did wrong was try to make it back with the injured. The better strategy would have been to find a locked area inside of the building where they could have stashed the injured, and come back to get them later. That leaves Nicholas, but I’ll get to that moron later.
Rick’s plan
Rick ran like a madman in order to get to the RV and lead the zombies away according to the original plan. In doing so, he ran into the Wolves that Morgan didn’t kill. As I predicted, Morgan’s move would haunt them as these same people now attacked Rick. The scene ends with Rick in the RV, which now won’t start. He’s facing a dire situation. My prediction is Rick starts the RV and leads the horde away. The show’s producers won’t kill off Rick. He’s one of two characters (Judith being the other) who won’t get killed, so I think he’s safe. That leads me to who wasn’t safe.
RIP Glenn
As I predicted two posts ago, Glenn should never have left Nicholas off the hook. Once an idiot, always an idiot. His plan to put a building on fire to attract the zombies backfired when the building they were going to use was already burnt out. They got trapped, and Nicholas, in his astounding brilliance, shoots himself in the head, leading Glenn to his death. Ultimately, it was highly improbable that he would have gotten himself out of that situation, but the way it ended was an inglorious death for a character like Glenn.
October 25, 2015
Supercenter by Jason Rizos
The supercenter is a massive all-purpose department store, whose inhabitants live in the store and never see the outside. Some of them have spent their whole lives there, which is pretty depressing to think about. I try to spend as little time in Wal-Mart as humanly possible. G.E., named after the company, and his sister Nestle(seeing a pattern here) are life-long inhabitants of the Supercenter. G.E. is a star in the siege arena, a high tech video game that simulates real life combat. He is under the belief that his people are at war with Schwags, fighting at the planet Pepsicon—until he leaves the Supercenter and finds out otherwise.
I had a hard time getting into Supercenter at first because the story seemed so absurd. The concept of the war was silly. They were supposedly fighting against hippy types who rebelled against commercialism and fighting it out on some foreign planet. The information didn’t jive with other pieces of information in the story. The moment of clarity for me came when I realized that G.E. was an unreliable narrator, because he had been fed misinformation his whole life. In actuality there was a civil war going on in the country, and the Supercenter was being used by the government to breed soldiers and create weaponry. There was a lot of complexity in this story, and it was far more than it initially seemed. The reality of what the government and military were doing to these kids was pretty cruel. The way that they were preparing them for war would lead them to certain death, because a simulated video game can no way prepare someone for the horrors of actual combat. In the end, this was an enjoyable novel that fans of science fiction will enjoy.
I had a hard time getting into Supercenter at first because the story seemed so absurd. The concept of the war was silly. They were supposedly fighting against hippy types who rebelled against commercialism and fighting it out on some foreign planet. The information didn’t jive with other pieces of information in the story. The moment of clarity for me came when I realized that G.E. was an unreliable narrator, because he had been fed misinformation his whole life. In actuality there was a civil war going on in the country, and the Supercenter was being used by the government to breed soldiers and create weaponry. There was a lot of complexity in this story, and it was far more than it initially seemed. The reality of what the government and military were doing to these kids was pretty cruel. The way that they were preparing them for war would lead them to certain death, because a simulated video game can no way prepare someone for the horrors of actual combat. In the end, this was an enjoyable novel that fans of science fiction will enjoy.
October 20, 2015
The Walking Dead: JSS
Episode “JSS” is simply the most brutal and violent episode in the history of The Walking Dead, a television show that has a long history of brutality and violence. Some of the violence felt a bit on the gratuitous side, and I can’t say I’m entirely digging the Wolves storyline. My biggest issue with it is that it seems so unnecessary and not entirely realistic. The show has gotten to the point where simply fighting off zombies isn’t enough. It’s hard to sustain six seasons of battling zombies, so they have to move onto fighting against other humans. To a certain extent, I understand that people would be fighting over limited resources. However, in the post-apocalyptic zombie world, just surviving against zombies who want to eat you would be enough. I can’t fathom that there would be a group like the Wolves—who exist on brutality simply for the sake of being evil. What would they even gain by taking over Alexandria? It’s one thing to kill people, and it’s another to hack them up into small pieces because it’s a fun thing to do. They’re weakly developed and unrealistic, and I expect more from The Walking Dead.
In this episode, we finally got to learn what JSS means. It ties back to Enid and it means Just Survive Somehow. They showed Enid’s difficult path to Alexandria. We also learned that the horn that led the zombies away from the paths of the Pied Pipers and back to the community came from the truck horn of one of the Wolves.
MVP of the defense of Alexandria
No question here. Carol by a mile. As soon as she saw what was happening, she stepped into action, killing a Wolf and disguising herself as this person. She showed what I like so much about Carol. She is practical and no-nonsense, doing whatever is necessary for survival. She is the perfect soldier. I guess the jig is up so to speak with pretending to be a vulnerable housewife.
LVP of the defense of Alexandria
The easy answer would be the original members of the community, but that would be too easy. I mean, I knew these folks were useless and pathetic, but not this useless and pathetic. At least Deanna acknowledged the fact that she would serve no purpose in a fight and stayed out of it. If not for the few remaining members of Rick’s group, they would all be dead.
No, the real least valuable person is Morgan. I was really liking his character until this episode. Morgan refuses to kill people. Sorry, pal, but in zombie apocalypse world there’s no room for pacifism. He let members of the Wolves escape—with a gun no less. These people he let escape are just going to come back and kill members of the community. By letting them live, he is sentencing members of his community to death. This is beyond foolish, and I lost all respect for Morgan. On the other hand, he did provide the best moment of the show, when he subdues a Wolf and ties him up, only to have Carol come by and shoot him. That was pretty awesome.
The Traitor
Someone from the community had to betray them to the Wolves. It can’t be a coincidence that they knew the exact moment that Alexandria was going to be vulnerable to attack because all of the best fighters (Carol aside) was away. So who was the traitor? Enid. I don’t think it was a coincidence that they gave her backstory at the beginning of the show. My theory is that she is a Wolf plant who they sent to infiltrate Alexandria. She even provided some hints such as when she said this place was too large to defend. She also didn’t join in on the fighting. Enid is the traitor.
Random Thoughts
What the hell took Rick and company so long to return? Even by the end of the episode, they still hadn’t returned. I get it that they have a zombie horde to contend with but they should have made it back by then.
Denise, the psychiatrist turned community physician, needs to man up. I mean her patient was going to die anyway. What was she worried about, getting sued for malpractice? These Alexandrians are pathetic.
If this skeleton group of defenders can fend off the Wolves, what chance are they going to have when Rick, Darryl, Abraham, etc. join in on the fight? Not a very good one.
Not my favorite episode by a long shot, but certainly an entertaining one.
In this episode, we finally got to learn what JSS means. It ties back to Enid and it means Just Survive Somehow. They showed Enid’s difficult path to Alexandria. We also learned that the horn that led the zombies away from the paths of the Pied Pipers and back to the community came from the truck horn of one of the Wolves.
MVP of the defense of Alexandria
No question here. Carol by a mile. As soon as she saw what was happening, she stepped into action, killing a Wolf and disguising herself as this person. She showed what I like so much about Carol. She is practical and no-nonsense, doing whatever is necessary for survival. She is the perfect soldier. I guess the jig is up so to speak with pretending to be a vulnerable housewife.
LVP of the defense of Alexandria
The easy answer would be the original members of the community, but that would be too easy. I mean, I knew these folks were useless and pathetic, but not this useless and pathetic. At least Deanna acknowledged the fact that she would serve no purpose in a fight and stayed out of it. If not for the few remaining members of Rick’s group, they would all be dead.
No, the real least valuable person is Morgan. I was really liking his character until this episode. Morgan refuses to kill people. Sorry, pal, but in zombie apocalypse world there’s no room for pacifism. He let members of the Wolves escape—with a gun no less. These people he let escape are just going to come back and kill members of the community. By letting them live, he is sentencing members of his community to death. This is beyond foolish, and I lost all respect for Morgan. On the other hand, he did provide the best moment of the show, when he subdues a Wolf and ties him up, only to have Carol come by and shoot him. That was pretty awesome.
The Traitor
Someone from the community had to betray them to the Wolves. It can’t be a coincidence that they knew the exact moment that Alexandria was going to be vulnerable to attack because all of the best fighters (Carol aside) was away. So who was the traitor? Enid. I don’t think it was a coincidence that they gave her backstory at the beginning of the show. My theory is that she is a Wolf plant who they sent to infiltrate Alexandria. She even provided some hints such as when she said this place was too large to defend. She also didn’t join in on the fighting. Enid is the traitor.
Random Thoughts
What the hell took Rick and company so long to return? Even by the end of the episode, they still hadn’t returned. I get it that they have a zombie horde to contend with but they should have made it back by then.
Denise, the psychiatrist turned community physician, needs to man up. I mean her patient was going to die anyway. What was she worried about, getting sued for malpractice? These Alexandrians are pathetic.
If this skeleton group of defenders can fend off the Wolves, what chance are they going to have when Rick, Darryl, Abraham, etc. join in on the fight? Not a very good one.
Not my favorite episode by a long shot, but certainly an entertaining one.
October 17, 2015
The Walking Dead: First Time Again
After having to suffer through that dreadful Fear the Walking Dead spinoff, it was a relief to finally get back into the show that made that abomination possible. The zombies were back in full force in a way that has never been seen on the show in “First Time Again.” This was certainly the largest and most epic episode in Walking Dead history in terms of the sheer number of zombies. In the aftermath of last season’s finale, Rick and Morgan discover why the community in Alexandria has been safe. A horde of zombies are stuck in a quarry, being blocked by a couple of rigs, and they have only been able to trickle in to this point.
Rick comes up with a plan to create the biggest zombie parade ever, with Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha leading them off like the pied pipers of zombie land. All is going well other than with Carter, who earlier opposed Rick and his plan, getting his face bit off by a zombie, until a horn blares, leading the zombies off their parade and toward the community. Who was responsible for the horn? My guess is that it was the Wolves with some help from an insider within the community, because unless it was pure coincidence, it would have to be someone with inside knowledge of their plan. The show is clearly gearing up toward a confrontation between Rick’s group and the Wolves, so that would make some sense.
I like the interchange in this episode between Rick and Morgan. They clearly have some differences in philosophy. Rick is on the verge of going off the deep end Governor style, and I think Morgan, who has become like a wise jedi/sensei is going to have to be the one to reel him back in. Rick was about to shoot Carter, who had a gun to everyone’s favorite mullet man. I liked Rick’s prediction that he didn’t have to kill Carter, because his foolishness would lead to his demise anyway.
Random Thoughts
Even though Glen has forgiven Nicholas for trying to kill him out in the woods, I don’t trust the bastard a little bit. This will not end well.
Pete’s son, Ron, who followed Rick and Morgan when they went to bury his father, is going to be nothing but trouble. There’s some thought that he could have used the horn, but that would endager his mom and brother.
A strong way to start this season, and I’m looking for more to come.
Rick comes up with a plan to create the biggest zombie parade ever, with Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha leading them off like the pied pipers of zombie land. All is going well other than with Carter, who earlier opposed Rick and his plan, getting his face bit off by a zombie, until a horn blares, leading the zombies off their parade and toward the community. Who was responsible for the horn? My guess is that it was the Wolves with some help from an insider within the community, because unless it was pure coincidence, it would have to be someone with inside knowledge of their plan. The show is clearly gearing up toward a confrontation between Rick’s group and the Wolves, so that would make some sense.
I like the interchange in this episode between Rick and Morgan. They clearly have some differences in philosophy. Rick is on the verge of going off the deep end Governor style, and I think Morgan, who has become like a wise jedi/sensei is going to have to be the one to reel him back in. Rick was about to shoot Carter, who had a gun to everyone’s favorite mullet man. I liked Rick’s prediction that he didn’t have to kill Carter, because his foolishness would lead to his demise anyway.
Random Thoughts
Even though Glen has forgiven Nicholas for trying to kill him out in the woods, I don’t trust the bastard a little bit. This will not end well.
Pete’s son, Ron, who followed Rick and Morgan when they went to bury his father, is going to be nothing but trouble. There’s some thought that he could have used the horn, but that would endager his mom and brother.
A strong way to start this season, and I’m looking for more to come.
