The Walking Dead: 5 Things Self Help Did Right (And 5 It Didn't)
1. The New Status Quo
The Walking Dead has been coasting by on a familiar premise for its first four seasons. Rick Grimes, former lawman, leads a perpetually expanding and contracting number of survivors through the zombie-infested United States, occasionally settling in one location until it all inevitably goes wrong (either because of zombie or human intervention, or some combination of the two), and they have to depart in an action-packed finale. Season five has been very different, with the supposed big bad having been dealt with in the first three episodes, and the following two heading off in very different directions. It hints at a different status quo for the show. Now its not so much the Rick Grimes Show as it is about a bunch of intersecting groups, each with their own unique dynamics and missions, which can make for some different stories. Ricks group are staying put, fortifying themselves; Abrahams are seeking out some sort of hope, headed out on the road; Beth is trying desperately to escape. Thats three different kinds of show, and thats super exciting. Self Help is another huge step in the right direction for The Walking Dead.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
