# The Walking Dead; 1.03 "Tell It to the Frogs" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697 "2010-11-15T02:03:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/81 "2010-11-17T04:19:59Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > Did nobody else notice? > > When Glenn was introduced I remember thinking he was a dead ringer for an older [Short Round](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Round#Short_Round) from the Indiana Jones flick [Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Doom). Young asian guy, baseball cap, adept sidekick. > > In _Tell it to the Frogs_, when they pull up back into Atlanta, Glenn announces: “We walk from here” which was a memorable quote from _Temple of Doom_. > > I got a smile from that. You call him Deputy Grimes, lady! ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/82 "2010-11-17T05:21:11Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Any idea what Merle was rambling about when he was sitting there out of his head? It was interesting to see the sudden onset of fear when he came back to his senses and realized his predicament. Especially since the geeks hadn’t started howling at the door yet. I just did the subtitles for this episode. This is his whole spiel: That’s right. You heard me, bitch! You got a problem? Bring it on if you’re man enough, Or take it up the chain if you’re a pussy. You heard me, you pussy-ass noncom bitch. You ain’t deaf. Take it up the damn chain of command or you can kiss my lily-white ass. (LAUGHS) That’s right. That’s what I said. You heard me! And then this idiot, he takes a swing, you know, and well… (LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY) You should’ve seen the look on his face when I punched out his front teeth. (LAUGHS) Yeah, five of 'em! Pow! Pow! Just like that. Oh my God. 16 months in the stockade… Oh, that’s what them teeth cost me. (SIGHS) That was… That was hard time, But by god, it was worth every minute of it just to see that prick spit his teeth out on the ground. (CHUCKLES) Yes sir, worth every minute. Mmm. (Then he looks down, notices his arm and remembers where he is). Oh no. No no! No no! No no! God! God! No no! (GRUNTS) God, God! Jesus! No no, merciful Christ! No no. No no. God, help me! God! God! Jesus, please! Jesus, please. Help me! Come on now! Help me. (CRIES) (Then the zombies arrive). No no! Oh, no no. Shh shh shh shh shh. (CRYING) Oh, Jesus, Jesus! (WEEPS) No no no no no no. Please. I didn’t behave, I know. I know I’m being punished. I know. I… Oh, I deserve it! I deserve it! I’ve been bad! Help me now. Show me the way. Go on, tell me what to do. Tell me. Tell me. (WEEPS) God! God! That’s OK. Never you mind, silly Christ boy! I ain’t begged you before. I ain’t gonna start begging now. I ain’t gonna beg you now! Don’t you worry about me begging you ever! I’ll never beg you! I ain’t gonna beg you! I never begged you before. Oh shit. No! He’s on a drug comedown, he’s dehydrated, starving and terrified, and he wasn’t exactly smart to begin with - he’s gone completely out of his tiny little mind. I find it believable that he’d decide to chop his own hand off, stupid as that is. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/83 "2010-11-17T07:20:22Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > My first thought was “Just tell him! Thought you were dead, zombie apocalypse and all, different rules.” > > I may be proven wrong of course, but I don’t think Shane is an asshole. I think he had no reason to believe that Rick would survive, and every reason to believe that going in for him (and trying to drag his comatose ass out) would be suicide. I think he told her he was dead because it was the only way to get her moving towards safety. I agree. I think he essentially lied, but to protect her, not to get in her pants. He had to write Rick off. I think that she probably would have told Rick, but when? He arrives, and the very next morning he’s leaving again. Hard to drop that bombshell in there. As for the hacksaw, I think it would have been a lot more dramatic to show that he couldn’t reach the hacksaw, but instead a pair of utility scissors or something that cuts flesh but not metal, thus forcing him to make the terrible decision to take his hand. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/84 "2010-11-17T13:34:29Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > As for the hacksaw, I think it would have been a lot more dramatic to show that he couldn’t reach the hacksaw, but instead a pair of utility scissors or something that cuts flesh but not metal, thus forcing him to make the terrible decision to take his hand. That’s a good idea. I thought it was pretty cheesy the way they ended on the bloody handcuff. It would have been more compelling to watch Merle go through everything, showing us why it was necessary. In fact, I think one of the flaws in this show is they’re rushing. It makes sense that they want to establish things in their very short first season, but it really would be nice to see a flashback of the fall of civilization, an account of what happened at the hospital, the development of things between Lori and Shane, and stuff like Merle’s struggle on the roof. Hopefully the second season will be more leisurely. After all, that’s what the comics were made for - to tell a zombie story without the time pressure of a 2 hour movie. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/85 "2010-11-17T14:03:49Z")
As I record these but haven’t watched them (and I haven’t read the comics)… Is this show worth watching? I shall attempt to avert my eyes from spoilers as a I look for an answer. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/86 "2010-11-17T14:42:14Z")
There aren’t any spoilers in the polls of the threads for this show, if you were avoiding them. It’s just a count of how many people are enjoying each episode, which should give you your answer. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/87 "2010-11-17T14:54:12Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > In fact, I think one of the flaws in this show is they’re rushing. It makes sense that they want to establish things in their very short first season, Also keep in mind that the producers didn’t know whether they’d even get a second season, so rushing fhrough some aspects of the story may have been a necessity in order to tell a complete story in this short season. I’m with you on hoping season 2 can take the time to flesh out its storylines more. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/88 "2010-11-17T14:56:15Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Does Rick realize that his best friend was sleeping with his wife yet? I mean _everybody_ has got to know; it can’t be long before it slips. He saw a pair of men’s shoes at the end of the bed, so he knows something is up. As for the Reiver/Zombie question, the Reivers are most definitely not the walking dead. They are very much alive, so not zombies by definition. They simply had a bad reaction to the peace drug. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/89 "2010-11-17T15:13:32Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > He saw a pair of men’s shoes at the end of the bed, so he knows something is up. I think those shoes were part of the pile of clothes he was given to wear while his uniform was being washed and dried. I don’t think those were supposed to be “men’s shoes suspicious things are going on!” ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/90 "2010-11-17T15:18:55Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > I think those shoes were part of the pile of clothes he was given to wear while his uniform was being washed and dried. I don’t think those were supposed to be “men’s shoes suspicious things are going on!” You may very well be right. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/91 "2010-11-17T15:22:45Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > You may very well be right. It made the most sense in terms of the scene. He wakes up and sees a pile of men’s clothes - jeans, white t-shirt, shoes. In the very next scene, he’s wearing a white t-shirt and jeans (didn’t see the shoes), and finds the wife of the wife-beater ironing his uniform. He thanks her for washing his clothes. Didn’t see his feet in that scene, but it seems to fit. ---
**Author:** ![acetylene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@acetylene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acetylene)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/92 "2010-11-17T16:40:53Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > This show held great promise. It’s fading fast. This. How could a zombie show not kick ass? I’m rapidly losing interest. I don’t care about any of these characters. Bring back the father and son from the 1st episode. I liked them. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/93 "2010-11-17T19:25:03Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I missed the first show; is Shane really the asshole he appears to be, or was there a genuine mix-up in his thinking that Rick was dead? Just so you know, all of the episodes are available for free on Shaw Video on Demand. I watched Tell it to the Frogs last night. ---
**Author:** ![Silent\_Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Silent\_Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silent_Kal)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/94 "2010-11-17T22:06:52Z")
> [@kathmandu](#): > > Just so you know, all of the episodes are available for free on Shaw Video on Demand. I watched Tell it to the Frogs last night. That reminds me- did anyone see the WD motion comic? I just happened to notice it on Comcast’s on demand. It’s pretty short, covering only about half the first issue (up to the point where Rick gets whacked with the shovel), but Phil LaMarr plays Rick! Don’t know if there will be any more installments. It’s on YouTube [HERE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhhQRkvcJQ4). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/95 "2010-11-18T03:37:21Z")
> [@kathmandu](#): > > Just so you know, all of the episodes are available for free on Shaw Video on Demand. I watched Tell it to the Frogs last night. Good idea! I keep forgetting about things like that. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/96 "2010-11-18T06:36:34Z")
> [@Silent\_Kal](#): > > That reminds me- did anyone see the WD motion comic? I just happened to notice it on Comcast’s on demand. It’s pretty short, covering only about half the first issue (up to the point where Rick gets whacked with the shovel), but Phil LaMarr plays Rick! Don’t know if there will be any more installments. > > It’s on YouTube [HERE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhhQRkvcJQ4). That’s pretty awesome. Any chance they will do more? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/97 "2010-11-18T07:53:29Z")
How would you portray a non-generic racist or a non-generic wifebeater? If the the racist was a flamboyantly gay man with elton john sunglasses would that be a more real character because he doesn’t adhere to a stereotype? There are lots of real people that are like the racist. Or that wifebeater. How would the writers present people like that as part of their story and not have the audience react with “omg what a stereotype”? Do you believe that stereotypes are always false and no one actually fits them? I mean, what, after the racist on the rooftop calls the other guy a nigger, is he supposed to then remind the group about how he spent the pre-zombie period feeding orphans just to show what a complex, nuanced character he is? Lots of very real people aren’t much more complex than what we’ve seen of those characters. Not every person is that interesting. And even if they were - even if the racist did indeed spend his time feeding orphans - how would we know that from our brief interaction with him? We only saw how he was acting at that moment, and it’s entirely plausible that there are lots of people who would act just like that. And the wife beater - a guy who’s a controlling dick in the first place, and now the rules of civilization have broken down and people rely on him? Lots of dicks would react like that in that situation. It’s actually unrealistic to think that every character should be some nuanced, flawed but interesting person with hidden qualities to offset the flaws, because that sure as hell isn’t how all actual people are. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/98 "2010-11-18T08:28:12Z")
Actually, pretty much all the racists and wifebeaters I’ve known have been flawed but interesting people with hidden (or not so hidden) qualities to hide the flaws. That’s how they get away with it. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/99 "2010-11-18T08:31:42Z")
And do they not have 3 minute periods where all you see in them is the racist or wifebeating asshole, or do they always convey their nuanced personality at all times? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697/100 "2010-11-18T08:50:52Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > And do they not have 3 minute periods where all you see in them is the racist or wifebeating asshole, or do they always convey their nuanced personality at all times? Sure, but even then I’m aware that they do have their plus points too. It’s not asking much of a TV programme to expect them to show more than one side to their characters - like having the wifebeater walk onscreen carrying something he’s caught (so he’s at least an effective provider - important in the Walking Dead scenario), say something amusing (being funny lets you get away with a lot) or have him ruffle his son’s hair or something. I actually think they have managed this with the racist brothers; Daryl is fond of his brother and is an effective hunter, and Merle - well, actually, with him I think it’s just that he’s a very good actor. Every single thing he’s done and said has been unpleasant, but he’s still a compelling character. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-1-03-tell-it-to-the-frogs-open-spoilers/560697.md?page=6)