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I've just watched episodes 3-5 (I think episode 6 is just about to air over there in America so I'm a week behind) and I am *LOVING* this season.

I TOTALLY disagree with all those who say this season has been "slow" or that this Sophia sub-plot is "dragging" or whatever. I think the pacing is perfect. That's probably the difference between watching this show week-to-week and watching it all in one hit though. The tension stays up and the story breezes by when you watch it the latter way.

LOVE:

* The zombie in the well! OMG! That was hilarious and gross!
* T-Dog and Daryl! I want them to outlive the main characters now!
* Andrea is showing signs of the comic character I know and love at last.
* I also really like Maggie in the show which surprises me because, like someone else said upthread, in the book she's one of the most "eh" characters for me.
* This Sophia storyline. I may be the only one, but I'm into it. It probably is time it wound down though. Personally, I'd be really happy if we just never find out what happened to her. It would be a totally realistic conclusion. People disappear all the time in the real world. Imagine how many would do so after a zombie apocalypse!

DON'T LOVE:

* What Shane did to Otis. I know that they have to make the audience hate him so that we can forgive you-know-who for you-know-what later on, but I love this character dammit and I don't want them mucking that up! I feel like that whole scene could have been handled a lot better too. a) because it was pretty obvious what was going to happen about half way through the episode and b) because there was really no reason for Shane to shoot him when he did; the zombies should have been a lot closer for it to look like Shane's decision was necessary.
* Dream-Merle. I think 'LOST' is the only show to ever do dream-characters right. I guess he wasn't too bad though. And his re-appearance and reminder to the audience does have me wondering if they are indeed going to go down the 'Merle as Governor' road as some suspect. Not sure how I feel about that.
* Two random people popping up out of nowhere in the past two episodes. HOW HAS NO ONE ELSE COMMENTED ON THIS? Are they Hershel's other children? He seems to act like they are. Where were they during the events of the previous two episodes then? That seemed like really poor planning on the writers' parts. Almost like they knew they wanted to introduce two more characters but didn't want to pay the actors for a couple of episodes. Totally shades of Nikki and Paolo on 'LOST'. If they just haphazardly get killed off in the barn as haphazardly as they were introduced that will just be the sloppiest writing of the season IMO.

That's all I can think of for now. I watch the show with two friends who've never read the books and they are on the edge of their seats the whole time when we watch it. Afterward, they say they love the show but almost can't bear the tension. I find that interesting because, while I love the show, I certainly don't feel anywhere near the tension they do. I guess that's the difference between those who've read the books and those who haven't. I had no fear for Glen during the well scene for example because I know he has a greater future in store, whereas they have no idea who lives and who dies or when, so it's all very nerve-wracking for them. Seeing how invested they're getting, it almost makes me wish I was approaching the show with fresh eyes too. Almost.

I don't think you should put TOO too much faith in knowing the comic... Kirkman has stated that the TV show should be considered a seperate though related entity, which is how I am looking at it this season (and am enjoying it a LOT more because of it).

As for the mysterious extra Greene kids showing up-- Pov, Dev and I definitely commented on that but I guess it was over on Facebook. Everyone in that house should have been introduced from the get-go.

Andrea has arrived in a big way.

They cemented the way the Maggie/Glenn situation is going this week.

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">Andrea and Shane...wow, big deviation there.</span></span>

I still think Carol is going to put a move on Darryl this season.

Especially if/when he finds Sophia... she gonna go Cougar on his fine young self... LD

And re: your spoiler, Dev... yes, but I like it.

So do I actually. Makes sense too with how things are playing out.

Another good episode... I enjoyed the focus on Dale. And I **love** the A and S deviation!

I'm hoping from here on in Andrea will be less insufferable for me.

Also, I'm very glad there's no more secrets between Lori and Rick!

EXCELLENT EFFING EPISODE!!!!

Each scene felt like it served a purpose--it was jam-packed!

Dang, Andrea must have been feeling pretty good after shooting all those zombies... I didn't see that pair-up coming, but I kinda like it... if things play out similarly to the books for the lucky guy whose crotch she grabbed, which they could now that Carl is carrying, Andrea could still end up with Dale... good episode overall, with lots of character development, but a tad slow... can't wait for next week!

Today's the last day to enter this years "Stagger-On Role" sweepstakes. I hope today's extra mojo helps me win but if I have to lose it would sting less if a friend got the opportunity.

Mid-season finale tonight! Let's see that barn door bust open!

EW's Ken Tucker is totally turning agaisnt the show-- I gave him the old what-for.

You guys could too, if you are enjoying this season:


http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/11/27/walking-dead-season-2-episode-7-sophia/

WELL NOW... how was that for a mid-season finale?

I'm loving it. Really excited to see where things go next, but one thing is sure-- the farm is DONE... It will be overrun with zombies now.

Gee... that was smart, Shane.

....devastating....

HOLY CRAP!

That last scene had me on the edge of my seat... wasn't expecting that, though I probably should have... life on the farm ain't gonna be the same...

Mind-blowingly awesome episode!

And for fans of the comic series, the first true 'you don't know shit' moment!

They are off the rails at this point from the books. I can see the broad strokes still out there, but everything else is up for grabs.

I love it that way!!!

Great episode and the last couple minutes were just beyond anything I could have hoped for. The only thing that would have floored me more was if Carl had gotten up and done the deed.

I'm watching the re-run!

Okay, do they deal with the fact that Herschel (at least) had an idea that Sophia was in the barn?

He's not entirely wrong. The first two episodes were great and last night's episode was really good, but the middle four episodes took way too much time to cover the ground they did, with very little to show for it. With few exceptions, character development has been stunted, or at least slowed to a crawl, and the plot floundered. In retrospect, we see it's so the reveal of Sophia would have more impact, but if that's the case they should have factored more into narrative structure other than episode after episode of "holding pattern" while they got there.

It was a good, dramatic episode, but it was at the expense of what could have been a stronger first half of the season.

The show recapper (not Ken Tucker) calls it the best epsiode since the Season 1 premiere.

I myself found season 2 part 1 as a whole to be pretty good overall... there was a long period set in a peaceful setting, with subplots (Carl- shot... missing Sophia of course... walkers in the barn... Maggie/Glenn... Lori PG!, Shane going postal), that built to an exciting finale.

What more can people want? Every episode can't be zombie armageddon.

Oddly enough, I actually thought there was too much zombie stuff this half-season. It seemed like each ep. had the token zombie encounter, and they seemed kind of less menacing. Last season it seemed like whenever there was a zombie encounter, it was a huge deal. Maybe it's just that no one actually got zombie bit except the incredibly predictable fat guy, at least up until the last minute reveal.

The EW reviewer calls the last scene a role-reversal, turning the HUMANS into the monsters... They were never in any real danger... the chain on the barn door ensured only 1-2 zombies could stumble out at a time once Shane smashed into it...

So there go our humans, being judge, jury and executioners while the man to whom they owed their safe heaven could do nothing but look on in horror.

Yeah, our guys-- totally the villains in that moment... excepting Glenn, who DID seek permission from Maggie... Maggie is going to kick ASS on this show it seems.

Anyway, I think the last scene drove home Herschel's point of view exquisitely!!

Herschel fascinates me. I think he is an excellent character.

I'm loving this show.

BTW, I was a previous Shane-supporter.

NO LONGER.

Other than I thought that the Sophia mystery was dragged out over the seven episodes, I thought that the first seven episodes went well.

There were Zombies in each episode, but a lot of them were isolated to characters away from the farm. Shane and Otis, Darryl, Shane and Andrea, Glenn and Maggie.

Sure there was the herd in the first episode, and a few walkers around after that until they hit the farm. But then aside from the well zombie, the ones om the barn...there were only the two that Rick, the kid and Herschel caught.

To me, a nice reminder about the dangers of the world they live in is a good thing, and will prevent some watchers of the show from complaining about there being no zombies. Not saying anyone here, but there are those out there that would complain about it one way or another.