Observation Notes

Tuesday, September 15th, 2015

AMCs The Walking Dead
The time span included in this observation is the time that occurs in run time during the episode.
Example: 5:00 would mean five minutes into the current episode.

Background The geographical area in which the 1st episode of The Walking Dead
Days Gone Bye takes place in Kings County Georgia at the beginning of the episode.
Following our protagonist Rick Grimes, we are also lead to an abandoned hospital, a farm
house in rural Kings County, and finally the episode ends in Atlanta Georgia. Rick is
normal everyday Sheriffs Deputy just trying to provide for his family. He has a son Carl,
a wife Lori, and of course a best friend Shane. Rick and Shane have been friends since
high school and still stick together through thick and thin. An example of this is we see
this as they fight right beside one another whenever called up for duty. Concerning the
viral epidemic that ensures in the figured world, no one is quite certain how it came
about. We hear Shane state It just started as a few weird stories on the news. Then it
happened so quick. The Walking Dead is originally a comic book written by Robert
Kirkman which made its debut in 2003. The events from episode follow along closely
with those of the comic book issue of the same name.

Figured World: - The world in which a specific set of rules and regulations attribute
towards and against it. Examples would be ways on how to conduct oneself, what is the
tolerated way of behaving in this world, and what are the means of communication
through actors?
The figured world I am going to be observing is that of AMC top hit T.V. show
The Walking Dead. The Walking Dead takes place in is post apocalyptic Georgia beginning
in 2010. The current story plot has been going on for a little of 500 days according to the shows
official website. The purpose is survival in the South Eastern part of the United States after the
national grid has went down. All forms of government have been abolished since the undead
took over, so now humanity is not at war with not only reanimated corpses, but survivors of an
unrelenting landscape. In this setting multiple activities are taking place all at once. In an
environment such as this one the surviving humans must use techniques that havent been
applied to modern society in years. To list a few our survivors must now hunt and scavenge for
food instead of going to the super market. They must also use fire for a source of lighting and
heating, find adequate shelter to hide themselves from not only the weather but the undead.
Finally, they must learn to form bonds with people they may have met along the way for
survival. Strength comes in numbers for a situation such as this one, but this could also be a
dangerous thing considering the morality of a civilized society is (for the most part) not present.
Rules and conventions of the traditional civilized world can be mostly thrown out. Simple
things such as greeting a stranger on the street may end up in a vicious gun battle. This goes back
to the previous mention of forming bonds with people. Those in your specific group are about the
only people you can trust (if you even trust them) in a world where essentially rules dont exist.
Any sort of activity where any amount of loud noise (shouting, firing weapons, driving vehicles,
etc.) should only be used if the situation absolutely calls for it. These sort of actions not only
alert the undead of your presence but may also blow your cover towards unwanted surviving

guests. As far as communication goes, radios and telecommunications devices are almost
wiped out completely. Even batteries have a shelf life, and even if you are able to use those you
never know who may be listing to a non secure station. Talking--especially--quietly is about the
only means of communication in this world. In terms of human psychological communication, it
may bring you to levels with people you never thought you would reach before. Remember, the
normal world is destroyed. People are loosing sanity by the minute and in order to some what
hold on to that, one must treat their groups as family, because that essentially is what the group
is. Inappropriate behaviors include being secretive from your group --this causes distrust-- not
sticking by regulation the group has set --nobody likes a renegade-- and not treating the group
with respect. Your survival clique whom you meet in a world such as this is your life line. They
increase your chances of survival by a mile.
Communities of practice will be very prominent in a situation such as this. Outside
influences are the key factor in this world. How much food, water, ammunition do we have?
Where will get more? What about shelter? Are there any opposing forces near by (living or
undead)? are all questions a community may raise. The domain of interest for the most part is
staying alive, and staying together. Unlike a business where it may go bankrupt and the
employees head separate ways, if the group goes bankrupt it could end up in death physically,
or the death of the group. The practice itself is composed of many things that have the possibility
to change over time. Most of these are survival skills such as building fires, making shelter, using
weapons effectively, and learning how to scavenge for supplies. Chances are most people being
thrown into a situation like this may only know how to successfully execute one of the
mentioned practices. Some may have no clue how to do any.
As the observer and documenter I am very excited to further my knowledge on not just a
show I love, but I feel as though it could help me in my understanding of survival and formatting
my observations notes into the final product.
I.

Actors: Actors in a figured world are a person who has a role or job in a community. The
actors listed below are the ones that have been encountered so far in the series. The reasoning
for the listing of the specific actors below are that they have the most important roles in the
figured world.
Rick Grimes- Our protagonist of the series. Rick is a Sheriffs Deputy with the Kings
County Sheriffs Department. He is a well rounded officer who uses his moral judgment
to help him solve problems. After being shot in the line of duty he falls into a coma for an
undetermined amount of time. After waking up he realizes that the zombie apocalypse
has already happened and he missed the into to the party. The first thing on his list is to
find his family which he has not the slightest clue where they are located.
Shane Walsh- A fellow officer, and Ricks best friend, Shane is seen as a hyper macho
man who doesnt seem to rely on his emotions as much as Rick. He isnt married and
lives the bachelor life as well as protecting and serving Kings County. After the
apocalypse he leads a group of survivors outside of Atlanta to a secluded area where they
live day by day.
Lori Grimes- Ricks wife and the mother of Carl. Lori is seen as a caring mother who is
trying her best to keep her sanity and raise her son in the post apocalyptic world. Before
the apocalypse she admits to having martial problems with Rick and was questioning
whether or not if she still loved him. After the world collapsed, Shane saved her and Carl

both by getting them out of the city. Around this time, she started to have an affair with
Shane--believing her husband was dead--which was only brief since Rick returned
shortly after. She struggles internally with guilt and turns it to hatred towards Shane since
Rick came back into the picture.
Morgan- The first survivor whom Rick comes into contact with after awakening from his
coma, Morgan is not only a father but a reasonable man once he learns Rick means them
no harm. He survives with his son Dwaine in a house owned by people Rick used to
know before the apocalypse. Morgan is going through some emotional trauma because of
the loss of his wife. He and Dwaine havent moved on because of this incident.
Glen Rhee- The one behind the voice over the radio in the tank. Glen helps Rick escape
certain death by leading Rick to safety. Glen is seen as a fairly young man who is the
scavenger of the group, claiming to have been on runs by himself since the undead took
over. Glen shows leadership capabilities under stress when he directs everyone to a
certain job in he short moments of finding an escape route. He also can be described as
somewhat childish since he displays yells of victory while speeding down the interstate in
his newly acquired Dodge Challenger.
Merle Dixon- We first see Merle shooting Walkers from the top of the building where the
group is held up at in Episode Two. Merle is described in the series as a racist, country,
brutal man who has a problem with authority. He does not seem to care for the safety of
the group, nor is concerned with the fact that they are surrounded by the dead. Merle is
the reason the group has to return to Atlanta because he is handcuffed to a roof for being
so insubordinate. Finally, in the last shot we see of Merle he is attempting to cut his hand
off to escape certain death. This tells us that he is willing to do just about anything to
survive, and is not concerned with the way God views him based on the dialogue he
states.
Daryl Dixon- Merles younger brother, Daryl is first shown in Episode Three. Even
before his appearance the group seems very concerned with the way he will react once
told his brother is no longer at camp but handcuffed on a rooftop. This presents the
audience with his attitude towards others very early in the episode. He reacts just like
they feared as he pulls a knife on Rick. This is done through brotherly love since he is
shown crying after the fact. He is just as rude and demanding as Merle by calling Dale a
old man and taking charge of the rescue operation by leading the way.

II.

Communities of Practice- A group of people who share an interest in serving a purpose they
find useful and beneficial; this includes practices that go along with the interest in terms of
keeping it alive.
Sherriffs Departments The men shown involved in both the Kings County and
Linden County departments are law officers whose purpose is to keep order in their
respective counties. However, as we see in the first episode they will team up and act
as one unit when necessary. The men are brothers in law enforcement and when Rick
is shot down we see both deputies from both departments coming to his aid. The basic

communication is by radio, but a brotherly bond is seen when Shane tries to comfort a
dying Rick as he calls for an ambulance.
Survival Group- Led by Shane, this unknown group of survivors have ban together
after the downfall of Atlanta to do one thing. Survive. Communication is touchy with
this group as they probably don t know one another very well, which concludes they
are not sure how to act around each other. From these events we also see that Shane
has begun a romantic relationship with Ricks wife Lori (who presumes her husband
is dead).
III.

Artifacts- Objects both physical and emotional that have a major significance that affects the
way the figured world works.
Ricks Colt Python- This weapon is first seen being used by Rick in the shootout that
leads to him being put into a coma. He is not only accurate with this weapon but
seems to prefer it since most law enforcement officers of the time carry semiautomatic pistols. After awakening from his coma he retrieves the same weapon from
the Sheriffs Departments armory, again displaying his effectiveness with the
weapon.
Ricks Relationship with his Wife- From the beginning of the episode we can
conclude from Ricks speech that he and his wife are going through a phase. Shane
brushes this off, but we can see by Ricks expressions that it is something that is
having an impact on their marriage. Not long after Ricks supposed death we see
Lori kissing Shane suggesting that she has already come to terms with her husbands
demise.
Merles Attitude- The way Merle first presents himself sets up a big problem for the
group. When Rick and Glenn arrive back to safety and regroup, Merle begins to go
on a racist rampage claiming he will not take orders from two of the group members
specifically because they are of different ethnicity. This tears the group in a sense
because they not only have Walkers to worry about, but now Merle as well.
Glenns Dodge Challenger- The Dodge Challenger that Glenn drives away in was
crucial to the groups escape. Rick tripped the alarm which began to ring out off of
the many buildings in Atlanta. While Glenn was driving the Challenger away, it
posed as an excellent distraction for the Walkers. This allowed Rick to use the UHaul truck as means to load the survivors and make their way back to base camp.
Shane and Loris Relationship- Though romantic in the beginning, once Rick
arrives at camp this relationship is completely destroyed. It causes unrest in both Lori
and Shane as they try to cope and not lead Rick on to what had happened before his
arrival. The first signs of friction because of this is Lori telling Shane to stay away
from Carl, and Shane beating Ed almost to death in order to take out his anger.
Handcuffs- The handcuffs physically bind Merle to the rooftop for sometime. This
has a unruly affect on him as it cause hallucinations, and attempting to bargain with
God. The handcuffs are also the reason he ends up cutting off his hand, and for the
rescue operation ultimately taking place. Because of this specific artifact, it is the
main reason why a few of the men--Rick, Daryl, Glen, and T. Dog--have to go back
to Atlanta to save Merle. This allows them to also retrieve the bag of firearms Rick
was carrying when he first rode into Atlanta. So in a sense, Merle being handcuffed
was a good thing because the group after the fact is stronger with more firearms.

IV.

Domain- A goal deemed severely important by all members of a community. This includes
every member coming together in order to achieve this goal by all means necessary.
Survival- This is the key focus for every group in the figured world. Both before the
apocalypse and after. We see this as the deputies work together to eliminate the
criminal threat that almost ends Ricks life. We also see this in Morgan and Dwaine
teaching Rick how to handle himself in combat with the Walkers. In episode two, we
see this domain again as Glenn leads Rick to safety from the tank in hopes someone
would do the same for him one day. This domain is a very broad one. This covers
everything from scavenging for supplies--food, weapons, shelter--to preventing
Walkers from getting inside the groups perimeter.

V.

Practices of the Community- Essentially ways for the community to accomplish their
domains. This includes anything that could benefit the life of the domain, as well as
destroying any threat that may affect the domains focus. The community should come
together as a group to not only discuss but take the best action is dealing with the situation.
Obtaining firearms- As we see once Rick is one his feet again, the first thing on
his mind is arming himself with weapons to combat the undead. Weapons are an
essential part of survival especially in dealing with the *Walkers. He not only
packs enough for himself, but shares the wealth his Morgan and his Dwaine.
This practice is also seen in Episode Three as it becomes the leading factor in the
group come to terms with the rescue operations. It is because of the bag of
weapons that Shane and Lori--sort of--let Rick go. It is also a barter for Dale in
order for Rick to borrow his bolt cutters.
Behavior Towards Walkers- Likewise, Morgan also gives Rick critical advice on
how to handle the undead. Without it, Rick would have most likely been killed
very early in the first episode. Morgan not only teaches Rick where their weak
spots are (the brain) but also to manage how loud he is since it will draw the
attention of the Walkers.
Camouflage- In order to get passed many of the Walkers on the street Rick and
Glenn needed to be camouflaged. They do this by cutting into a Walker and
coating themselves with layers of its guts. This was a proficient idea as it kept
them hidden for most of the walk.

VI.

Literary Practices- These are ways of communicating through verbal, writing, or by

telecommunication access.
Writing- From the time Rick wakes up from his coma, writing has in fact become
much more important and necessary since the grid went down. The words Dont
Open Dead Inside on a chained door in the hospital lead rick away from a pack
of walkers that had been sealed off when the hospital was over run. We also see
stumble upon God Forgive Us smeared in blood on a wall after a man had

blown his head off with a shotgun. This tells Rick that even people far away from
suburban life have been affected by the apocalypse.
Radio- Right before Rick and Morgan part ways he hands him an old police radio
that will only be able to pick up one anothers frequencies since they are out of
date. The radios provide us hope that Rick will keep in contact with Morgan
throughout episodes and that they will meet back up soon. As seen in episode two,
a CB radio and a hand held provide communication within the survival group and
to their basecamp.
Observation One: Season One Episode One Days Gone Bye
3:00 We see an unnamed Sheriffs Deputy coming up on a abandoned gas station. He searches
for gas seeming confused as to where everyone has gone. Instead he comes up upon a little girl
with the right side of her right jaw ripped off. The girl then attempts to charge at him as the
unnamed deputy pulls his handgun and shoots her in the head, killing her.
5:00/13:15- We learn the Deputys name is Rick Grimes. Rick and his fellow deputy Shane
Walsh are sitting in their police cruiser having a bite to eat and discussing the differences
between men and women. While this is going on we learn that Rick is having marriage problems
with his wife Lori, as they finish the conversation a call comes over the radio requesting their
support in a high pursuit chase. As Rick and Shane arrive at the scene they lay down a spike strip
and what for the criminals to approach. Once they do, the criminals hit the strip which causes the
criminals car to flip multiple times. As Rick and other deputies approach the vehicle Rick is shot
by one of the men. He fades out of consciousness as Shane calls for an ambulance.
16:00/25:00 As Rick wakes up from his coma he immediately notices that something is very
wrong. All of the electricity is out and there are no nurses tending to him. In fact, there isnt
anybody in the hospital at all. Rick stumbles around and finds bullet holes in the walls, blood
stains, and a door that reads Dont Open Dead Inside then we see a very pale, unclean, hand
reaching through the chained door. Rick finds his way outside only to be mortified that the entire
parking lot is full of military style vehicles (Huey 1 helicopters and Humvees 2) and dozens of
dead bodies in bags. Rick finds a bicycle and picks it up beside a half dismembered corpse. To
his horror the corpse turns around and hisses at him, clawing whiling chomping its teeth. Rick
flees from the scene in fear and returns to his house. He finds it is empty as his son and wife are
no where to be found. Rick questions his sanity by asking himself if he is really experiencing
this, or if it is all just a dream.
26:00/36:00- Rick is assaulted by a boy named Dwaine and his father Morgan. As Rick slips into
unconsciousness Morgan hold a gun to his head and demands to know if he is bit or not. Rick
wakes up tied to a bed and is immediately interrogated by Morgan asking him if he is bit yet
again. Rick denies this insisting that it is only a gunshot he caught while in the line of duty.
1 A type United States Army helicopter which has been in use since the Vietnam War.
2 United States Army Armored Personnel Carrier and general transport vehicle.

Morgan releases Rick but promises to kill him if he posses a threat to either Morgan or Dwaine.
While having dinner with the two of them, Morgan explains to Rick about the Walkers 3. The
people who the police, government, and military did not kill. While having a friendly
discussion and debate about how Rick was shot the three are startled when a walker runs into a
car, causing its alarm to trigger. Dwaine suddenly runs to the cot and begins to cry hysterically at
the sight of a specific Walker. Morgan informs Rick that it is his wife whom had succumb to the
fever that apparently is the precursor to the reanimation.
38:00/44:00- The next day the group of three head back to Ricks house where he more clearly
interprets what had happened to his family while he was gone. Rick determines that they must
have fled the home when the Walkers first started to take over due to only a light number of
clothes missing, and theyre family photo albums. Rick then leads the group to the Kings County
Sheriffs Department where they indulge in a hot shower and begin to stock up on the remaining
weapons. As they are about to head out Rick gives Morgan a radio and promises to attempt to
call him everyday at sunrise until they can physically meet again. A fellow deputy turned Walker
stumbles into a fence that catches the groups attention. For pity of the deputy, Rick kills him and
heads off to Atlanta where he believes his family is in safe keeping (due to the rumors of military
personnel and the protection of the CDC).
45:00/48:00- Morgan appears to be grieving over the loss of his wife as he is going through the
many pictures she brought with them when they first evacuated. He then steadies his rifle as he
begins picking off other Walkers in an attempt to draw her out. After attempting to find the
courage to finally kill her twice, he fails. Morgan has not yet been able to emotionally leave his
wife, so drops the rifle and begins to sob hysterically.
50:00/54:00- While Rick is inbound to Atlanta on Highway 85, he keeps trying to reach any
survivors on his CB. A small group of survivors hear his radio transmissions but are unable to
communicate due to interference. We learn that this is the same group that Shane and Ricks wife
(Lori) as well as his son(Carl) have also joined. Lori argues that they need to put signs on 85 to
warn other survivors away from the city due to it being overrun. Shane dismisses the idea
because it will put theyre lives at an unnecessary risk. After Lori storms off in anger, Shane
confronts her only to tell her that he will not allow her to danger herself due to Carl already
being traumatized by the death of his father. We see here also, that Shane and Lori have
developed a romantic relationship in the time that Rick has been gone.
54:00/1:03:00- Rick runs out of gas and attempts to borrow some from a farm house off of the
main road. When he looks in he finds that the inhabitants have taken their own life after having
written God Forgive Us on the wall in blood. Horrified and repulsed, Rick sits on the porch as
he thinks of his next course of actions. Rick then takes the familys horse and rides the rest of the
way to Atlanta with it. As he comes into the city he notices burn marks on all of the buildings
and no survivors to be found. Rick hears a helicopter and quickly rides in an attempt to flag it
3 Term used to describe the undead. Reasoning behind this is because of how slow they move
compared to actual human.

down. In this confusion, Rick rides straight into a mass horde of Walkers. The Walkers then pull
Rick off of his horse and leave him no choice but to climb inside a U.S. Army tank.
1:04:00/1:06:00- After killing a Walker soldier and assessing the fact that he is surround, Rick
lowers his head as he sees no way out of the situation. All of a sudden a voice comes over the
tanks radio addressing Rick as the dumbass in the tank.
Observation Two: Season One Episode Two Guts
1:00/4:00- Episode Two begins with Lori walking out in the woods to ask Shane whether or
not some mushrooms that a group member had picked are poisonous. We come to the quick
conclusion that this is not the reason they have both went out in the woods alone. As they begin
to embrace one another the audience learns that their relationship is further along than previously
thought.
5:00/10:00- As the episode comes back to Rick who is still sitting in the tank, the voice from the
previous episode is still attempting to make contact with him. Having eyes on the outside, Rick is
able to escape the tank and meet up with the man who was communicating with him. They then
flee to an alley way and climb the fire escape to the roof. Once inside, Rick is met with a gun in
his face as one of the members--Andrea--scolds him declaring he has gotten them all killed.
12:00/15:00- While discussing what to do next, the group is startled by a series of gunshots
coming from the roof. Andrea exclaims it is Merle Dixon doing the shooting. Another member of
the group--T. Dog--yells that he is just wasting their ammunition. This causes Merle to go
ballistic, claiming that will be the day that he takes orders from an African American. The two
ensue in a fist fight that is clearly one sided. Merle beats T. Dog relentlessly as the others beg for
him to stop. It is not long after that Rick hits Merle over the head with a rifle and handcuffs him
to a pipe. While doing this Rick makes it clear that there is no more difference in race, only dark
meat and white meat, us and the dead.
24:00/30:00- After their plan to try and escape underneath the city is scratched out, the group
then decides that there is only one way to get back to safety. Someone has to go on the streets
and recover a U-Haul construction vehicle down the road. This is seen as suicide by many, but
Rick comes up with the idea that if the Walkers cant smell them, maybe they wont detect them.
He then leads them in cutting up a Walker corpse and smearing the blood and guts all over
himself and Glenn. While making their way to the truck, it appears as if their plan just might
work since no Walkers are attacking them.
33:00/34:00- T. Dog continues to try and raise the other members of the group back at basecamp.
Due to radio interference only one transmission gets through, it saying that T. Dog and the others
are stranded in the city. Amy, --Andreas sister--makes the claim that they have to go attempt to
save them. However, Shane quickly dismisses this idea as he knows it would be suicide. She
knew the risks Shane puts it as Amy storms off with Lori close behind her.
36:00/38:00- As Rick and Glenn steadily walk towards the truck, careful not to attract attention a
small rain storm occurs. This quickly washes away the stench of the gore on the pair. Walkers

soon figure this out and every Walker in sight begins to charge after both Rick and Glenn. Due to
quick thinking and Ricks accuracy with a firearm, they are able to get to the U-Haul and make a
get away. The remaining members unaware of their intentions believe the two are only saving
themselves as they speed off into the distance.
39:00/43:00- While in the truck Rick tells Glenn that he must make some sort of distraction to
get the walkers away from the building--where the others are--in order for him to save the rest of
the group. Glenn seems confused as what Rick means by this. The next scene shows Rick
bashing the window of a Dodge Challenger RT 4 tripping its anti-theft alarm. Glenn then
proceeds to drive all the Walkers away with the howling vehicle. After Glenn informs the group
Ricks intentions--by radio--everyone begins to grab their gear and head for the loading doors in
the back of the store. Only one problem ensures, Merle is still handcuffed to the roof. T. Dog
attempts to rush and free him only to fall and drop the key down a drain on the roof. Realizing he
cant save Merle, T. Dog chains the door to the roof shut and catches up with the other group
members.
43:00/45:00- Merle screams in agony as he knows he has been abandoned. While the others
make their way back to basecamp everyone sits in silence wondering what happened with Merle.
I dropped the damn key T. Dog says obviously disgusted with himself. The final scene shows
Glenn racing down the interstate--the car alarm still howling--as he expresses ecstatic yells of
joy.
Observation Three: Season One Episode Three Tell It to the Frogs
0:00/4:00- Episode Three begins where Episode Two left off. We first see an unnaturally calm
Merle--still handcuffed on the roof--talking in what appears to be a flashback state. He goes on to
explain about a time in his past when he punched the front teeth out of his superior while serving
in the military. After chuckling to himself about the incident he wakes up and begins to panic
once more. Merle starts to plead with God to save him and show him the way. This commotion
causes Walkers to gather near the chained door attempting to break through. Merle, in a rage then
exclaims he will no longer beg to be saved. He is last seen trying to use his belt to reach a
hacksaw nearby.
7:00/10:00- While the morning starts for the survivor group, Dale looks through his binoculars as
he hears a waling noise coming from the road leading towards their camp. The noise is coming
from Glenn and the stolen Dodge Challenger. After the cars alarm is extinguished, Shane then
criticizes Glenn, asking him if his wish is to get the entire camp killed. Dale mentions that it
would hard to track the noise due to the echo in the mountains. It isnt long after that Rick and
the other survivors drive up behind the Challenger. As everyone gets out, and Glenn introduces
Rick as the new guy, Shane is shocked to see that it is his old partner. Lori and Carl turn
around in amazement as an emotional reunion between the separated family takes place.
4 A 2009 5.7L V8 Hemi sports car. This vehicle produces 372-376 Horse Power, which may
have been one of the factors with Ricks decision for choosing this car for Glenn to lead the
Walkers away.

11:00/15:00- As the group settles down by the fire for the night we are introduced to Rick telling
his story of his journey so far. He tells everyone his first moments after waking up from his
coma, claiming he believed he was in some sort of dream. Rick then begins to publically express
his gratitude for Shane, telling him that he cant thank him enough for everything he has done for
his family. Lori looks down on this because of her and Shanes relationship which has obviously
abruptly ended with Ricks arrival. A rude and jerk of a husband, Ed, interrupts by placing a large
log on the fire. Shane approaches him saying to keep the fires at an ember in order to maintain
secrecy. Ed then makes his wife Carol--whom he is obviously abusive to--take out the log. When
Shane returns the group then discusses how they will tell Daryl--Merles brother--why Merle was
left behind. T. Dog then speaks up, telling the group that he will be the one to inform Daryl since
he dropped the key. He also explains to the group that he chained the door to the roof shut.
Everyone now knows that Merle is still alive up on the rooftop.
20:00/25:00- As Rick wakes up after a much needed rest he comes upon Glenn looking in disgust
as members of the group strip the Dodge Challenger for parts. Vultures he mumbles in disgust
as he tells Rick he wishes he could have driven it more. Rick then sees Lori washing clothes,
once he approaches her Rick informs her that he is going to have to retrieve Merle Dixon. She
becomes upset at the fact that he just found his family and now he wants to go back to the
overrun city. Ricks morality is seen here though since he tells her that being chained up and
exposed is no way for anything to die. Suddenly, Carl and a few other children come running
back to the camp screaming for their parents. A few men--including Shane and Rick--arm
themselves and head to the disturbance. They find a Walker feasting on a dead deer which has
been shot with multiple hunting arrows. The men the proceed to beat the monster to death.
26:00/35:00- Once Daryl arrives back at camp he immediately starts to call out for his brother.
Everyone is silent as they wait for someone to break the news to him. Rick is the one to step up
as he informs Daryl that his brother was a danger to the group and he had to be detained-handcuffed to the roof--. Enraged, Daryl pulls out his knife and attempts to slash at Rick, Shane
gets Daryl in a headlock and Rick tries to reason with him once more. Once Daryl is calm, Rick
puts on his uniform and gets ready to go back for Merle. Shane attempts to stop him claiming it
is a waste of man power and an unnecessary risk since Merle is seen as a douchebag by all.
Rick expresses sympathy once more as it goes against his morals to do such a thing. Rick, Daryl,
Glenn, and T. Dog will conduct the operation of rescuing Merle as well as the large bag of
weapons Rick dropped after he was attacked in Atlanta. After bartering with Dale over his bolt
cutters--which they need to open the door to the roof--Rick tells both Lori and Carl that he will
be back soon and not to worry. While loading up their gear Shane finds four bullets for Ricks
Colt Python in his ammunition bag. Four men, four rounds, what are the odds? Shane says this
as the irony presents itself. The four men then load up into the truck and head to Atlanta.
37:00/40:00- In this scene, Shane is doing some male bonding with Carl as they attempt to catch
frogs. Lori however condemns this, she sends Carl back to their tent and she begins to sternly tell
him to stay away from her son. We learn here that Shane was the one who told Lori that Rick had
died in the hospital. While doing laundry, some of the women in the group express the things
they miss about the old world. As they laugh while reminiscing Ed comes overs to tell them that
they need to focus on their work instead of screwing around.

41:00/45:00- Rick and the other men sneak back into the shopping center where Rick first met
Glenn and Merle. Daryl uses his crossbow to send an arrow through a Walkers head as they
progress to the roof. Back at camp things become violent between Andrea and Ed as an argument
ensures. The women inform Ed that they know he beats his wife and a scuffle breaks out.
Shane--enraged by the conversations with Lori earlier--comes over and proceeds to beat Ed
mercilessly. He tells Ed that if he ever lays his hand on Carol, his daughter, or anyone in the
camp again he will beat him to death. Finally, Rick and the others reach the top of the roof where
Daryl begins to scream No! in horror. In the last scene we are shown the amputated hand of
Merle.
Observation Four: Season One Episode Four Vatos
00:00/04:00- Episode Four begins with Andrea and Amy in a boat fishing. They start a
conversation about how things used to be when fishing with their father. Soon after talking they
realized that their father had taught them different fishing knots. Being born twelve years apart
they start to wonder if their father had begun to take on a change between their births. The scene
becomes emotional as Amy wonders if Florida--where their parents live--wasnt hit as bad as
Atlanta. The scene then shifts to Jim--a survivor member--digging what seems like mass graves
in the distance.
05:00/10:00- As the episode shifts back to Rick and the others--Daryl, T. Dog, and Glenn--Daryl
puts his crossbow in T. Dogs face enraged at the sight of seeing Merles cut off hand. Rick then
puts his Colt Python at Daryls head claiming I wont hesitate, I dont care if every Walker in the
city hears it. Daryl then comes to his senses and lowers his weapon. After putting Merles hand
in Glenns backpack, the group begins to search the other side of the building. Meanwhile, Dale-a group member--comes up to Jim asking if he will take some water since he has been digging all
day. Jim is unresponsive and continues to dig, the concern is seen on Dales face as he walks off.
Dale then tells the other members of the group including Shane and Lori that they might have a
bit of a problem. The group turns to look out at Jim still digging. Back in Atlanta, Rick and the
others are still searching the building for Merle. They come up upon a lit stove and an iron
covered in flesh. He cauterized the wound Rick pronounces.
11:00/14:00- Shane and the others confront Jim as to why he is still digging. Still unresponsive
Lori steps forward claiming that he is scaring the children. Due to a remark about Shane beating
Ed almost to death--in the last episode--Shane takes the shovel away from Jim by force after he
attempted to hit Shane. Jim then breaks down telling the group how his wife and child were
ripped from his hands when the Walkers caught up to them. The only real reason I got away was
because the dead were to busy eating my family.
15:00/18:00- After creating a plan on how Glenn will retrieve the bag of guns Rick dropped, the
group moves into position. A young Hispanic man walks up on Daryl in the process. Daryl
immediately points his crossbow at him and beings interrogating the boy about where Merle is.
Hearing him plea for help the boys friends show up and begin to beat Daryl into the ground.
Glenn shows up at the wrong time as they attempt to take the guns from him while beating him
also. After one of them takes an arrow in the ass by Daryl, the boys friends grab Glenn and hop

in their get away vehicle leaving him. Rick and T. Dog show up seconds after, with Walkers
closing in on them Rick grabs the guns and his hat as they head to safety off of the streets.
22:00/30:00- After talking the boy Rick learns where Glenn is being held hostage at. With new
weaponry the group loads up and heads to Glenns location. The meeting between the two groups
did not get far. Not wanting to do a one on one hostage exchange, the opposing group members
leader Guillermo is more interested in the bag of guns. He tells Rick to either come back willing
to hand over the bag of guns, or come ready locked and loaded. Back at the building Rick
hands T. Dog and Daryl shotguns and pistols as they appear to gear up for a heavy gun battle. As
they walk into the Hispanic gangs hideout, Rick hands over the boy and racks his shotgun. You
said come locked and loaded, okay then were here! Ironically enough, an old confused woman
comes out calling to one of the gang members. She says someone needs medicine. She confronts
Rick and begs him not to take Guillermo claiming he is a good man. Maam Im not here to
arrest your grandson. He is helping us find a missing person. A fella named Glenn. The old lady
then takes rick by the hand and leads him to Glenn.
31:00/35:00- Rick then finds Glenn unharmed helping treating one of the many elderly people in
the compound. You have got to be the stupidest son of a bitch I have ever met! Rick says as he
scolds Guillermo. Rick tells him that he was ready to kill every last one of Guillermos group.
However, he announces that they would have fought back. They have done so in the past to
protect the food, medicine, and weapons according to him. As Guillermo tells Rick his story, we
learn that he is the custodian of a retirement home and stayed behind to helped protect the old
after the staff ran off. Feeling sympathetic, Rick hands over a few weapons and some
ammunition and departs with Glen and the rest of his group. As they head back to their truck-which they used to go back to Atlanta--it is not there. They assume the worst that Merle took it
and is headed back to camp.
37:00/44:00- Back at camp the other survivors are indulging in a fish fry. They joke and enjoy
themselves by a nice fire. After hearing Dale give a speech about how important it is to keep
time alive for the next generation, the scene shifts to a group of Walkers who begin feasting on
Ed. A warzone breaks out as members of the group end up defending their camp to a herd of
Walkers who have stumbled on to it. Rick and the rest of his group finally arrive at camp at with
the new firepower and extinguish the Walker threat. Many lives are lost, including Andreas
sister Amy. Jim then comments that he now remembers why he was digging so much.
Interview
Interviewee- Daniel (fan)
Daniel is a good friend of mine for years and has been a viewer of the show for as long as I have.
He is 18 and has a particular interest in the show because of his love for zombie movies and
firearms.
1. Q: Explain how you feel that the Walker Apocalypse has an impact on the way that
people not only view one another, but also how they interact now. A: I feel as if people

will have to come together in ways that they never would before. For example, strangers
are going to have to create a strong bond between each other in order to survive.
2. Q: Reflect on Morgans actions towards Rick in the beginning. What does this say about
his moral Character? A: Morgan still has faith that there are good people left in the
apocalyptic chaos. Once Rick awakes up, Morgan sees that he is a good man.
3. Q: Describe why Rick tells Merle that he is just a man looking for his wife and son,
and not a Sheriffs Deputy any longer. A: A Sheriffs Deputy doesnt exist in that world
any longer. Rick is essentially now just a survivor in a uniform.
4. Q: Discuss why Shane acted how he did when presented with the idea of going back to
the city to save the others. A: He was only being rational; he knew there was nothing
they could do to help.
5. Q: What could Rick and Glenn have done differently once they retrieved the U-Haul
vehicle? A: Instead of driving off immediately, they could have radioed the other
survivors right then. This would have prevented the panic when they thought Rick and
Glenn were leaving them.
6. Q: Elaborate on what Rick said towards Merle when he mentioned there is only us and
the dead. A: Rick is implying that there is no such thing as race anymore. The
backlashes of race in civilized society no longer matters in this world.
7. Q: Reflect on T. Dogs mistake with dropping the handcuff key. Why would he spend
precious time chaining the door to the roof top shut? A: In the spur of the moment, T.
Dog showed his morality to Merle even though he was racist towards him. T. Dog did so
to give Merle a fighting chance.
8. Q: What different approach could Glenn have taken instead of helping Rick out of the
tank? A: Glenn could have not wasted his time on Rick. But because of his character and
belief in karma, he saved Ricks life.
9. Q: Tell me what you think about Ricks leadership capabilities. A: My first question to
this would be, who put him in charge? Rick just assumed the role. I think Rick lets his
morals get in the way of his decision making.
10. Q: Tell me what concerns you with Shane and Loris relationship now. A: When Rick
returns, I think it was very unfair the way that Lori treated Shane after. She just blew him
off, and I think this will have a substantial effect on them both in the future.
Interview Two
Interviewee- Zachary Burris (fan)
Zach is 17 and enjoys The Walking Dead but just now started taking interest in it. He likes
video games that reference zombies and thought he would give the show a shot since so many
people have been talking about it.
1. Q: Explain how you feel that the Walker Apocalypse has an impact on the way that
people not only view one another, but also how they interact now. A: I feel this is going
to challenge the characters in the show to learn how to come together as a united force.
2. Q: Reflect on Morgans actions towards Rick in the beginning. What does this say about
his moral Character? A: Morgan allowing Rick to live not only portrayed him as a good
man, but as one who is willing to go out of his way to save others.

3. Q: Describe why Rick tells Merle that he is just a man looking for his wife and son,
and not a Sheriffs Deputy any longer. A: Basically he is telling Merle that he will do
just about anything in order to find his family. I would like to think this includes murder.
4. Q: Discuss why Shane acted how he did when presented with the idea of going back to
the city to save the others. A: Shane was just taking the hard role of being a leader.
Leaders have to make decisions that will end up benefiting the entire group. This
sometimes has to be a tough call.
5. Q: What could Rick and Glenn have done differently once they retrieved the U-Haul
vehicle? A: I really dont think anything could have been done differently in that
situation.
6. Q: Elaborate on what Rick said towards Merle when he mentioned there is only us and
the dead. A: Rick is saying that there is no more race in the world. Everyone is either
dead, or alive.
7. Q: Reflect on T. Dogs mistake with dropping the handcuff key. Why would he spend
precious time chaining the door to the roof top shut? A: Even though T. Dog realized he
had doomed Merle. He still attempted to give him a fighting chance with the Walkers.
8. Q: What different approach could Glenn have taken instead of helping Rick out of the
tank? A: Glenn could have not done a thing. Rick is really the reason why the survival
group got into the predicament in the first place.
9. Q: Tell me what you think about Ricks leadership capabilities. A: Rick definitely plays
the good guy in this series. Rick is what is known as the lawful good of a community. He
makes decisions based on moral obligations.
10. Q: Tell me what concerns you with Shane and Loris relationship now. A: As of Episode
Three I think we can make the assumption that the relationship is going to be a recurring
problem as the series moves on. It is not only unhealthy for survival, but is bad for the
groups moral.