Sorry for the paucity of blogs of late. As usual, it means I have been working. I’m still working. I recorded this week’s Telly Addict on Friday, as I had a backlog of TV shows to cover and I wanted to keep yesterday clear of work as it was my birthday. (So, yesterday, I wasn’t working.) And here it is, with belated coverage of Spartacus: War of The Damned on Sky1 (yes, I know I erroneously credit it to Sky Atlantic in the review – forgive me); a mid-season match report of The Walking Dead on Fox; the worst of The Oscars 2013 on Sky Living; Sue Perkins’ new BBC2 sitcom Heading Out; and ghost story Lightfields on ITV. I’m already lining up Broadchurch and Mayday for next week. It’s all go.
Never Knowingly Underwhelmed
Don't look like much here, but we have everything
Never Knowingly Underwhelmed 
Your praise of TWD Season 3 was well deserved but I could have done without reading yet another dig at Season 2. Those record breaking ratings you referred to for the current season opener were built on the strength of the writing in season two.
As much as I enjoy the zombie head cracking elements I’m not a twelve year old boy, so I do need something more after a while. The beauty of Season two was that it took time to explore the characters and if anything the walkers were just a backdrop to the human story. That’s why we care about them now. That’s why Daryl is now the most popular individual in the show. That’s why it ‘hurts’ when they die.
Alright I wouldn’t want another 16 episodes with them all still on that farm but it did provide two of the most compelling bits of drama I have ever seen on any show or film… ever. I won’t go into too much detail in case others haven’t caught up with the show yet but the first was when Rick and Lori finally discussed the Shane situation which was utterly cliché free and brilliantly written and brilliantly acted. The other was the shock at the end of the mid-season break.
Season 3 has built upon all that. That’s why the opening episode where time had clearly passed and none of the characters spoke in the pre-credit sequence made perfect sense.
So… you know… lay off season 2 will you?
Blimey, you’re taking one person’s opinion a bit personally, Richard! You liked Season Two; I got a bit bored of it. I think Season Three is the best season, and whether that’s because of Season Two or not, it’s only my opinion. I said in my review that it’s not the gore but the “human stories” that drive it. I think I understand it. I am not a twelve-year-old boy either.
And I think you are taking my response a bit too personally as well Andrew. Like I said I’m tired of reading the same criticisms of Season 2 – yours was very minimal to be fair – from a myriad of sources. This was just a place to vent my spleen (why does that mean what it means?) and put another perspective on it, it wasn’t necessarily directed at you. So thanks for the opportunity. You never know someone might read it and decide to give season 2 a chance.
And we may not be twelve year old boys but a lot of the most vocal fans on various websites do seem to be and a majority appear to favour the head-squashing elements over the human stories.
I avoid such forums. The older I get, the less I want to hang around near “fans” of anything!
Very sensible Andrew but even Digital Spy (what do I mean ‘even’ DS?) has a fair share of head- squashers only fans. Of course I should have more directly acknowledged that your view of season 2 is the prevailing one, which does mean I could just be plain wrong (I know it’s not wrong to have an opinion!) but me, my daughter Kate and my mate Neill all agree that season 2 was a belter and that’s enough for me, so I’ll shut up about it now. Cheers.
A belated Happy Birthday to you Andrew. Hope you had a fine day.