"What Lies Ahead" follows the adventures--or misadventures, really--of the gang in the aftermath of the disastrous conclusion of Season 1. On the road again, they are forced to come to a halt when they hit a massive traffic jam on the highway. Seizing the opportunity to loot the abandoned cars for supplies, they are suddenly set upon by a massive herd of zombies. Although most of them are able to successfully hide beneath various vehicles, young Sophia is forced to flee into the forest after she is discovered by a pair of Walkers. When she goes missing, the survivors must face the conundrum of just how long they should risk searching the woods for a 12-year old in the zombie apocalypse. This episode is pretty great. Unlike many premieres, it actually feels like a continuation of the Season 1 finale rather than a disjointed follow-up. The zombie herd is a terrifying new twist to the Walking Dead universe, and the issue of pragmatism vs. optimism is tentatively approached in the face of the loss of and search for Sophia. Unexpected characters step up, and others suffer devastating losses as they try to apply civilised logic to an uncivilised world.
Fiction buff and writer. If it's on Netflix, it's probably in my queue. I've bought DVDs for the special features and usually claim that the book is better than the movie or show (and can provide examples). I've never met a TV show that I won't marathon. Follow on Twitter @lah9891 .
