I thought the initial intro worked well. Reminded me a bit of "Lost" with the one of the leads waking up, confused as to what happened/would happen. As a viewer, though aware that FTWD takes place pre-zombie outbreak, I thought we were seeing a post-outbreak survivor camp that was compromised - and the show would ultimately be about how Nick and L.A. got there. Clearly, that was the intended message given how after Nick was struck by a car, various people came flooding in to assist in a very tight aerial camera shot which ultimately pans to a busy L.A. street. I had high hopes.
Then came the classic bullshit/idiocy we've all come to expect from TWD writers and it all went downhill for me.
(i) Travis(step-father), going into a known heroin house alone and unarmed. Also, Nick just told Trevor that a massacre took place inside. So, at best, you have the jump-scare heroin addict just chilling in the abandoned church; at worst (and more likely) you get fucking murdered and nobody knows where you are. (Spare me the "Travis did this as a means to bond with Nick." Call the police).
(ii) Nick, who is clearly a heroin junkie (hell, he had his own little set-up in the church), is perfectly normal in a hospital bed. How about those withdrawal symptoms, kids? Doubtful "a little banged up" warrants painkillers to a heroin addict. Great writing. . .
(iii) "Leaked footage" of the attack on PD/FD/EMTs. Given the angles, the footage could only be obtained by either the PD helicopter and someone/thing (dashcam) on the ground in extremely close proximity to the event. Taking that into consideration as to who was present, such footage would not get leaked overnight, if at all.
(iv) Travis and the mother, Madison, going back to the church. . .Travis saw the gore in that place, yet he brings Madison there. I can't even. . .
(v) Calvin reanimated. OMFG. Travis and Madison just witnessed their son commit homicide - which should be startling enough. But, then all three see Calvin moving on the ground: bones exposed, bloodied, parts of his face torn off. And...we stand there. Umm, how about pants-shitting screams and fleeing for your life?
Couple all the above with ridiculous anti-climactic tension builders (police motorcycle zooming by and the, wait for it, principal hunched over in a chair listening to his teachers) and the needless narratives (did they really need to drag out the daughter's relationship with her boyfriend?) and this show is going to be fun to hate watch.
Shame that this is the best TV can offer for the zombie-genre.
Oh, and next week, apparently a homeless man (zombie, but unknown to the public) gets killed by the police sparking an anti-police rally. FTWD taking on current national issues. Okay. . . #zombielivesmatter
