[boatbums]

I did go back and watch the first two episodes. They really were essential to getting the rest of the series, especially about Morgan - who only shows up again in season three. Also, about why Merle was so angry. What I don't get - and I guess there must be some dramatic license - is, who was taking care of Rick in the hospital while he was in a three month coma? He had no IV fluids or catheters and he looked pretty clean for someone just laying there all that time by himself. The last time Shane went to see him, the outbreak had just started and he thought Rick was dead. He DID push a bed against the door so no walkers could get it, so that did save his life - or at least prevent him from being fresh meat.

[ConjunctionJunction]

I thought Rick was only in the hospital for 1 month. And the zombie outbreak happened towards the end of that time. More time passed as he left the hospital, found Morgan, and made his way towards Atlanta.

[Vince Ferrer]

Yes,you have to not think too hard about how long he was in the hospital for all the world to fall apart while he was there. There's definitely bedpan issues to consider as well.

But I think the first episode sets the mood better than any other zombie film, expect perhaps Vincent Price's Last Man on Earth, which was a model for the later zombie movies. Most zombie movies have zombies as anonymous monsters, but in the Walking Dead (and LMOE), it doesn't gloss over that the dead have families and people that cared about them. The two scenes where Morgan is trying to kill his wife but can't , and when Rick kills the Bicycle zombie, are very strong scenes that don't take away the former humanity of the zombies.

[MacMattico]

One thing that's always bothered me was that they never boarded up the windows on the house when they were on the farm. Or were at least allowed to camp in their tents inside a barn. Come on people, there's Zombies everywhere!