# The Walking Dead; 3.07 "When the Dead Come a Knocking" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 26, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114 "2012-11-26T00:58:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/181 "2012-11-29T18:10:06Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > It seems like it would be a really good idea to find ways to distract zombies in that kind of situation: firecrackers, RC cars, a flare gun, a rabbit…surely something would make them shamble off in the other direction. Of course, these people can’t be bothered to protect their skin from bites. I definitely agree on both counts here. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/182 "2012-11-29T18:56:33Z")
> [@Santos\_L\_Halper](#): > > In the first episode of season one, a little girl zombie picked up a doll or stuffed toy off the ground. The half-zombie from the pilot & 1st set of webisodes managed to crawl to the park where she sent her kids hoping they’d be evacuated. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/183 "2012-11-29T19:53:43Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > I’d have to re-re-rewatch it and time the scene. However, it could have gone down like this: > > Hermit: Get out of my house! > Rick: Ok, let me check the back door or windows. Looks clear, we’re leaving. Want to come with us? Those zombies look really determined to get in here. Yes, and it could have gone like this: Hermit: Get out of my house. Rick: Okay, let me check out the back door and windows for signs of walkers. \ Hermit: BLAMMO! I know we could sit here and go back and forth over what might have happened but that’s not very constructive. I think you’ve got to cut people a little slack when they’re in an extremely stressful situation. You can’t reasonably expect them to take every possible into account within 20-30 seconds > [@](#): > > They didn’t act as if the plan was to GTFO as soon as they could. They took their sweet time exploring the cabin, and pulling the blanket off the bed, when they could have already checked the back door and been gone. I’m pretty sure they were assessing the situation and making sure there were no walkers in the shack. I guess someone could have walked backed there and checked the window but they didn’t. At any rate the decision to examine the interior of the shack versus immediately going out the back door isn’t what I’d call of moral significance. For whatever reason they decided to check under the covers and from there the choices made have moral significance. ---
**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 29, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/184 "2012-11-29T20:11:21Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Are there any other occurances in which a walker displayed human memory or reasoning skills? I seem to recall something in the first season episode “Guts.” When Rick and Glen’s camouflage washes away and they get chased, the zombies do something that made me think, “Really, we’re going to have smart zombies in this show?” But I can’t remember specifically what it was now. Climbing a chain link fence or something maybe? > [@Odesio](#): > > I’m pretty sure they were assessing the situation and making sure there were no walkers in the shack. I guess someone could have walked backed there and checked the window but they didn’t. At any rate the decision to examine the interior of the shack versus immediately going out the back door isn’t what I’d call of moral significance. For whatever reason they decided to check under the covers and from there the choices made have moral significance. That was my interpretation too. It seemed to me like the whole scene was maybe five minutes long. They enter, close the door, and warily survey their new environment. They notice a particularly strong smell of decay, see the dog, and notice a suspicious lump under the covers. At that point I would assume they thought it could well be a zombie, and that’s why they sneaked up to snatch the covers away. As to why they would bother to do that, rather than move through the house to the back, ask Herschel. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/185 "2012-11-29T20:46:06Z")
Awww, you guys crack me up. I have zero problem with the outcome of the cabin and the hermit. I don’t agree with the arm-chair quarterbacking that they should have handled it differently. The minute the hermit pulled the gun and pointed it at Rick, he became a direct and immediate primary threat to one of the group. The zombies were a secondary threat as they were still outside. I give the crew credit that a.) when he was a primary threat to one of the group he had everyone’s attention, the rest of the group was intently focused on the hermit and covered Rick’s back completely and b.) Rick tried to talk to the guy and use non-violence instead of just blowing the dude away. The crew maintained their diligence of mitigating the primary internal threat non-violently until he broke loose and ran for the door. Then he presented a greater risk of increasing the secondary threat of zombies outside to a primary risk to them all by letting them inside. He had to be stopped before that was allowed to happen and violence was the only option left. Sucks to be crazy hermit guy who was just enjoying a nice nap under his blanket but there you go… when in the situation depicted in the show, the crazy hermit guy escalated himself into a primary threat to one member of the group and then to the group as a whole. RIP crazy hermit guy. ---
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/186 "2012-11-30T00:07:51Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > I seem to recall something in the first season episode “Guts.” When Rick and Glen’s camouflage washes away and they get chased, the zombies do something that made me think, “Really, we’re going to have smart zombies in this show?” But I can’t remember specifically what it was now. Climbing a chain link fence or something maybe? I remember that - the zombies were using rocks I think to break the windows of the mall/storefront they were holed up in. There were also some zombies who tried to jump up after/climb up the ladder when Glen and Rick went up the fire escape to the roof. Really bothered me because TWD zombies are NOT supposed to be fast/smart/tool-using, but I think it’s the only time it’s happened. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/187 "2012-11-30T00:41:59Z")
> [@Feyrat](#): > > I remember that - the zombies were using rocks I think to break the windows of the mall/storefront they were holed up in. There were also some zombies who tried to jump up after/climb up the ladder when Glen and Rick went up the fire escape to the roof. Really bothered me because TWD zombies are NOT supposed to be fast/smart/tool-using, but I think it’s the only time it’s happened. TWD zombies are Romero zombies, and Romero zombies use tools and can climb ladders. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/188 "2012-11-30T01:54:27Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Are there any other occurances in which a walker displayed human memory or reasoning skills? If you watch closely, the zombies do a pretty good job of catching and cradling the hermit and laying him on the ground somewhat gently after he gets thrown out the door. Of course that was just a goof, the zombie actors were obviously trying to keep the hermit actor from getting hurt. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/189 "2012-11-30T02:36:31Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, it wasn’t the dead dog as such, it was the tire tread on burst stomach. Dammit, Bryan! Can’t make omelet without breaking few eggs. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/190 "2012-11-30T14:31:05Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > The half-zombie from the pilot & 1st set of webisodes managed to crawl to the park where she sent her kids hoping they’d be evacuated. Wow, really? Are the webisodes any good? > [@Odesio](#): > > Yes, and it could have gone like this: > > Hermit: Get out of my house. > Rick: Okay, let me check out the back door and windows for signs of walkers. \ > Hermit: BLAMMO! Sure, it could have. We’ll never know. > [@Odesio](#): > > I know we could sit here and go back and forth over what might have happened but that’s not very constructive. I think you’ve got to cut people a little slack when they’re in an extremely stressful situation. You can’t reasonably expect them to take every possible into account within 20-30 seconds. People? Sure. Fictional characters are a different matter though, their actions have thematic significance and need not be, and seldom are, bound by such strict realism. > [@Odesio](#): > > I’m pretty sure they were assessing the situation and making sure there were no walkers in the shack. I guess someone could have walked backed there and checked the window but they didn’t. At any rate the decision to examine the interior of the shack versus immediately going out the back door isn’t what I’d call of moral significance. For whatever reason they decided to check under the covers and from there the choices made have moral significance. Sure, I was just responding to **Feyrat** ’s analysis of the scene, which was that the characters intended to flee the shed as soon as possible before it was surrounded, thus the need to deal with the hermit as quickly as possible. I don’t think the scene itself supports that conclusion, but it’s a side-discussion from the morality issue. > [@MeanJoe](#): > > Awww, you guys crack me up. I have zero problem with the outcome of the cabin and the hermit. I don’t agree with the arm-chair quarterbacking that they should have handled it differently. We are here to discuss the episode, so some around of arm-chair quarterbacking is necessary. > [@MeanJoe](#): > > The minute the hermit pulled the gun and pointed it at Rick, he became a direct and immediate primary threat to one of the group. The zombies were a secondary threat as they were still outside. I give the crew credit that a.) when he was a primary threat to one of the group he had everyone’s attention, the rest of the group was intently focused on the hermit and covered Rick’s back completely and b.) Rick tried to talk to the guy and use non-violence instead of just blowing the dude away. The crew maintained their diligence of mitigating the primary internal threat non-violently until he broke loose and ran for the door. Then he presented a greater risk of increasing the secondary threat of zombies outside to a primary risk to them all by letting them inside. He had to be stopped before that was allowed to happen and violence was the only option left. That brings up another wrinkle. To my way of thinking, the hermit grabbing his shotgun is perfectly reasonable and justified. Four well-armed strangers just burst into his cabin, with the intent to occupy it, and discovered his hiding place. Aren’t THEY a direct and immediate threat to HIM? It’s not like Rick’s group is shy about pointing weapons at people; Rick and Daryl do so (at Michonne) in that very episode. And what was the primary internal threat: the shotgun, or making noise? I’ve heard both claims, and find neither compelling; it’s unreasonable to assert that the hermit should have dropped his weapon in the situation he was in, it was his only leverage to keep from being killed by the intruders. > [@MeanJoe](#): > > Sucks to be crazy hermit guy who was just enjoying a nice nap under his blanket but there you go… when in the situation depicted in the show, the crazy hermit guy escalated himself into a primary threat to one member of the group and then to the group as a whole. RIP crazy hermit guy. Rick escalated the incident when he grabbed the shotgun (discharging it, they’re quite lucky it didn’t kill Oscar. Then they’d need a new black guy!) > [@Feyrat](#): > > I remember that - the zombies were using rocks I think to break the windows of the mall/storefront they were holed up in. There were also some zombies who tried to jump up after/climb up the ladder when Glen and Rick went up the fire escape to the roof. Really bothered me because TWD zombies are NOT supposed to be fast/smart/tool-using, but I think it’s the only time it’s happened. > [@Reverse](#): > > TWD zombies are Romero zombies, and Romero zombies use tools and can climb ladders. In-canon with the comics or not, I’d like to see more reasoning and tool use from the zombies, and more traces of humanity. The former makes them more dangerous (which they need, it seems like people only get bitten when they’ve made several stupid decisions first), the latter more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/191 "2012-11-30T14:41:08Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Wow, really? Are the webisodes any good? Oh god no. Amateurish acting and directing, dumb writing, horribly low quality production values. If you’re into “so bad it’s good”, they’re passable. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/192 "2012-11-30T14:50:40Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Wow, really? Are the webisodes any good? I don’t think they’re very good, but they are very short. I don’t remember exactly the part that was referenced with the torso-zombie crawling to the park, but I would imagine that if it was the activation of a memory from her human life, it was more in hopes of finding the children to eat rather than in hopes of seeing that they evacuated. > [@](#): > > Rick escalated the incident when he grabbed the shotgun (discharging it, they’re quite lucky it didn’t kill Oscar. Then they’d need a new black guy!) I can agree that this was an escalation, but I don’t see a need to reference tribalism to explain the escalation. He was dealing with an armed person who did not understand what was happening and who appeared to be a bit twitchy. Grabbing the shotgun was perfectly justified IMO and doesn’t have to be seen as being an action that is inherently against the hermit’s interests. It may have been in his best interests in fact. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/193 "2012-11-30T14:52:47Z")
> [@Reverse](#): > > Oh god no. Amateurish acting and directing, dumb writing, horribly low quality production values. If you’re into “so bad it’s good”, they’re passable. Wow. They’re not _that_ bad. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/194 "2012-11-30T15:06:26Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Wow, really? Are the webisodes any good? Yes, but short, and depressing in that the zombies win. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/195 "2012-11-30T16:17:20Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > \ > It appears that’s what she’s on the show to do, kill things in cool-looking ways. And scowl, she’s the designated scowler ---
**Author:** ![FallFast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba9def/32.png) [@FallFast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallFast)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/196 "2012-11-30T22:01:48Z")
Was just thinking of how they are going to create a cliff hanger for this mid season break. How about this for cliff hanger mid season, Gov and group captures Darryl and they hold one of their fighting matches and it is Darryl vs Merle, so Merle can prove his loyalty to Gov. The show ends with showing the start of the fight with Merle and Darryl. Hmmm? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/197 "2012-11-30T22:06:53Z")
> [@FallFast](#): > > Was just thinking of how they are going to create a cliff hanger for this mid season break. How about this for cliff hanger mid season, Gov and group captures Darryl and they hold one of their fighting matches and it is Darryl vs Merle, so Merle can prove his loyalty to Gov. The show ends with showing the start of the fight with Merle and Darryl. Hmmm? Or they could follow the comic’s lead and [spoiler]Have the Governor relieve Rick of the burden of his hand. Which I am betting they won’t do. Rick’s just lost Lori, and not long before that they had an amputation (admittedly not a sadistic one); it’s too soon for more such torture for him. Of course I could be wrong. I’ve been wrong seven times today. And it would be darkly awesome for the last scene of the mid-season finale to be Rick being tied down and threatened with losing a hand, and then, after the screen goes back, a CHUNK! [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/198 "2012-11-30T22:19:28Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Or they could follow the comic’s lead and I figured that since that already happened to someone, it won’t be done again, he said, speaking cryptically. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/199 "2012-11-30T22:21:39Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I figured that since that already happened to someone, it won’t be done again, > he said, speaking cryptically. > 🙂 I’ve already sent the slapbots after silenus today; don’t make me add you to the list. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/200 "2012-12-01T01:51:50Z")
The Chive has a nice [collection of behind-the-scenes photos](http://thechive.com/2012/11/30/a-behind-the-scenes-tour-of-the-walking-dead-50-photos/). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114.md?page=11)