"The Walking Dead" and Moping Around Herschel's Farm: A Television Review ("Secrets")

Director: David Boyd.

Writers: Frank Darabont, Robert Kirkman, and Angela Kang.

So, in Epis. 6 of "The Walking Dead" ("Secrets") this mopey gang of survivors are still looking for Sophia and still talking of Ft. Benning. There is no movement in the plot development and the plotlines lines are completely static or as Hitflix says: "season 2 so far has been wheel-spinning." And really these reviews of Seas. 2 are getting a little too repetitive. In case, you have not heard the 28DLA party line: the show needs more thrills and less drama.

Here in Epis. 6 Glenn (Steven Yeun) spills the beans on the zombies in the barn and Lori's (Sarah Wayne Callies) pregnancy. As well, a trip to the pharmacy for abortion pills creates an opportunity for a predictable zombie attack. Shane (Jon Bernthal), meanwhile, takes Andrea (Laurie Holden) out to the 'burbs fro some real life target practice and some canoddling, while Lori breaks her silence on her infidelity with Shane. Yadda, yadda yadda...where are the zombies? And where is the excitement.

And this reviewer's excitement for the show is waning. The previous epsidoe "Chupacabra" blended action with drama to excellent effect. This latest showing stuck primarily to the drama and dialogue, while the
zombie apocalypse seems to be a pleasant ranching vacation for most of the survivors. As well, the AMC seems to be using this strategy of creating thrills in one episode and then cooling down in the next. Apparently, this strategy is working as "The Walking Dead" has held steady at 6 million viewers each week (Bythenumbers).

However, this reviewer is not a huge drama fan. After watching Darren Aronofky's Requiem for a Dream, drama has left a bad taste in this zombie fans mouth. So, the search is on for thrills and chills. Unfortunately, this episode delivered very little tension and a whole lot of eye-rolling. The very real life issues of pregnancy, romps in the woods, and infighting around camp just does not create any real reason to keep watching. Maybe by Seas. 3 the survivors will have found Sophia, but this reviewer is not holding his breath.

"The Walking Dead" has a large following and this reviewer admits to liking the characters more for all the interesting interplay. However, it is the same complaint every week, more thrills and horror are needed. Hitflix sums up this season very well with: "the show needs a kick in the ass, and soon." After "Pretty Much Dead Already" airs next week the show will go into hiatus for two months and this zombie fan might need a kick in the ass to come back to watching the show.

Overall: 6 out of 10 (there is no shortage of great drama and characterizations in the show, but this showing was almost all drama, action sequences were tacked on and unthrilling).

More on Epis. 6 at the AMC:

"Secrets" at the AMC

A second review of this episode at Hitflix (Alan Sepinwall):

"Secrets" Hitflix

Ratings for the show are here:

"The Walking Dead" Ratings at TV By The Numbers

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Posted in: 2011,amc,horror television review,television review,the walking dead,the walking dead season 2,zombie television recap,zombie television review