The Walking Dead returns...

So, in the vein of how it all started:

How would a zombie apocalypse start? We always see an apocalypse after it has gotten going in movies, TV, etc., but how would you imagine a patient zero?

1. Superbug created by some government gets out. (Think The Stand by Stephen King.)
2. Virus mutation and/or combination.
3. 1 & 2

A lot of the older movies used radiation/radioactive materials, an astronomical event (comet, etc.), or supernatural event. However, since we can pretty much rule these kinds of events out, are viruses really the only way this could happen?

or the Andromeda Strain variation on #2 -- virus from outer space.

If there was ever a "zombie-like" event, I think it would be more like the 28 Days Later. They're not undead, but people have stopped being... well... people. But unless the infection takes a while to incubate, controlling the outbreak might not be as difficult.

If, like in 28 Days Later, the infection is nearly instant, well, it might spread fast at first. Eventually media coverage would allow for people to set up blockades before the infection reached their location. At first a lot of people would be lost, but you could catch up to the diseases pace since zombie-like behavior isn't intelligent. It would have to spread on foot, and that buys people time to protect themselves. And, unless they're smart enough to eat food, the infection would die out eventually as zombies die out.

BUT! If the infection took time to incubate. Say, a 24-48 hour period, well, you could have a global pandemic much more easily. You'd have people infecting people before anyone saw the first zombie. Then you'd hear about a few weird cases here and there. In different cities. People going crazy and attacking others. But it could still take a day or two before someone connects the dots. At that point, you've got a contagion you can't keep track of because so many people have been exposed at this point who seem perfectly healthy. And worse, you've got a planet of 7 billion in mostly concentrated areas. It'd be pretty bad.

I think I've been thinking about this too much...

Heard a radio interview with Kirkman this morning. He basically reiterated what was posted earlier, that the story isn't so much about trying to solve the mystery as these aren't the type of people for that kind of story.

But he said that their writing team does have a pathology behind how the zombies work.
For example, why some people on the highway apparently died in their cars but didn't become zombies.

While other people seem to take longer to turn than others, like Shane becoming a zombie so quickly. There's more to that than simply because they were in a crunch for time to fit that in.

Also, while we won't ever see marathon sprinter-zombies, "fresh" corpses will tend to be more agile and retain more motor functions than those of more rotted corpses that will mimic the old Romero style zombies.

Tonight **** gets real. I am really excited, especially after what I've read.

Well, that's one plot thread that's not-gunna-happen.

Did you see who came up to Andrea?

Pretty much played out the way I expected.

Meaning, we shouldn't have a weak start up to season 3.

Well, that was a pretty epic ending of the season.

By the way, if a zombie infestation ever breaks out, I want Herschel's gun. What was that, 50 shots from a shotgun? Yes, please.

I admit it. I squeed when Michonne was on screen.

And Rick grew a pair. Finally. Though, I wanted him to say to them, "What would you have done if I had told you? Huh?". Him telling them that would've killed the last bit of hope that they had. I don't fault him in the slightest.

And Laurie. Acting all high and mighty after finding out he killed Shane.

Ya, I lol'd at that. I can't hit the broadside of a barn when I'm in the passenger seat in a Warthog in Halo 3, yet these guy are plugging 'em like it ain't no thang.

And Rick's right, in a way. In a situation like that, a democracy just doesn't work. You can't sit and debate while Rome is burning around you. When you're deciding what crops to plant and people are voicing their opinions? Ya, that's fine. People need strong leaders to take charge of a situation. I think he did the right thing by telling them his way or the highway.