# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/81 "2012-11-27T01:52:57Z")
> [@Santos\_L\_Halper](#): > > I assumed it had to do with the Governor hoping there was some chance to ‘cure’ his daughter. > > I was curious why Andrea didn’t mention the time they spent with the guy at the CDC. He talked about (and showed a video of) his study of the zombification process, which would have helped answer what they were trying to figure out with Mr. Coleman.. I also assume it had to do with finding a cure or at least something medical-ish to combat the zombies. I mean he’s a doctor, right? But this little experiment seemed pointless, whether a zombie recognizes it’s name or not does nothing to help fight the disease. Doctors should take blood samples, look at things under microscopes, grow cultures, inject zombies with chemicals etc. Medical/sciencey stuff. I don’t imagine the guys at the CDC said “See if she knows her name!” before Jenner’s wife bit the bullet. And the reason Andrea didn’t mention the CDC is the rule of the show is that information never gets shared. That was one of my nitpicks early on. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/82 "2012-11-27T02:00:44Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > I also assume it had to do with finding a cure or at least something medical-ish to combat the zombies. I mean he’s a doctor, right? But this little experiment seemed pointless, whether a zombie recognizes it’s name or not does nothing to help fight the disease. Doctors should take blood samples, look at things under microscopes, grow cultures, inject zombies with chemicals etc. Medical/sciencey stuff. I don’t imagine the guys at the CDC said “See if she knows her name!” before Jenner’s wife bit the bullet. > > And the reason Andrea didn’t mention the CDC is the rule of the show is that information never gets shared. That was one of my nitpicks early on. I’m not entirely sure he’s a doctor. I mean, clearly he’s educated but…he mentioned telecommuting to work before the world went to shit. I don’t think many doctors do that. I’m thinking he’s doing it more at the Governor’s request than anything. Finding out whether or not they hold any memories after turning would be information he’d want to know, given his daughter’s situation. ---
**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 27, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/83 "2012-11-27T02:11:07Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > But I thought this episode moved the plot along well, with less soulful gazing into space and more shit’s gonna hit the fan next week type action. Any bets on whether Merle takes a crossbow bolt through the skull? And Glenn (or Andrea) takes out the Gov? Glen should take out Merle. That probably won’t happen this season, though. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/84 "2012-11-27T03:13:59Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > I’m not entirely sure he’s a doctor. I mean, clearly he’s educated but…he mentioned telecommuting to work before the world went to shit. I don’t think many doctors do that. I’m thinking he’s doing it more at the Governor’s request than anything. Finding out whether or not they hold any memories after turning would be information he’d want to know, given his daughter’s situation. I think you’re right. The telecommute seemed odd to me but I was under the assumption that he was actually called a doctor on the show. But the Walking Dead wiki says his story isn’t known, but maybe he worked in a science field since he’s nerdy. I think he’s not supposed to be a doctor after all. ---
**Author:** ![running\_piglet\_cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@running\_piglet\_cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_piglet_cheese)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/85 "2012-11-27T04:10:43Z")
Well next week is the finale until summer. Who do you think we’ll lose? I’m going with Meryl and the Gov. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/86 "2012-11-27T04:18:35Z")
Anyone else notice the poll says Mad Men? ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/87 "2012-11-27T05:11:51Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Anyone else notice the poll says Mad Men? Someone’s experimenting on us!! :eek: And yeah, I didn’t get the impression the guy was a doctor. Doctors do not telecommute, and he just seemed very anti-social prior to the zombiefests. Then again, he could be a ringer we won’t find out about until later. (Haven’t read the comics so I’ve no idea) I, too, am waiting for Michone to live up to the bad-assedness of her first appearance last season; if I’d known that was as good as it was gonna get, I’d have skipped to the good parts, whenever those show up. I also was not surprised at her taking out the psycho-billy they found in the shack. He was making noise and bringing trouble; bye-bye. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/88 "2012-11-27T05:45:45Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Anyone else notice the poll says Mad Men? Evidently zombieism is related to lung cancer. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/89 "2012-11-27T05:56:07Z")
Just finished this episode. Some of my thoughts while watching: What happened to the silenced pistols in the season premier? Rick meets Michonne. Ha! Just as I suspected! Rick, after just saving her life: “You want to tell us your name?” Michonne: _Glares_ Rick explains that she’s safe and will receive treatment for her wounds. Michonne: _glare_ “I didn’t ask for your help.” _glare_ How did Andrea put up with her for 6 months!?!? Regarding sexytime with Andrea: I had a huge crush on Marita Covarrubias of The X-Files back in middle school/high school. These past couple episodes have been like an adolescent wish come true. 🆒 I assume the herd Rick and Co encountered when they set off on foot towards Woodbury is “the Red Zone” mentioned by Merle last episode? The Governor and his henchmen missed an inhabited cabin next to a pond within walking distance of Woodbury? I figured they’d have pretty thoroughly explored a day’s walk radius around the town. I guess the “Red Zone” must have kept them away. Interesting that the Gov’s crew seemed to think clearing the prison was an impossibility. I would think that would be far easier than walling off and protecting a few square blocks of a town. The modular layout of the prison allowed Rick’s group to gradually and systematically clear it. Oh man, shootout at Woodbury. Can’t wait for the next episode! ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/90 "2012-11-27T06:10:16Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Has the Governor moved from not doing anything to warrant bad guy status to being a bad guy yet? Ha! I admit, as I was watching him interrogate Maggie I thought to myself “Hmm, I’m going to have a really hard time spinning this in the Governor’s favor on the SDMB.” I concede, the Governor is evil! Actually, I knew all along he was _supposed_ to be evil based on spoilers from the comic and general foreshadowing on the show. But I kept waiting for the moment when all the foreshadowing and general shadiness we’ve seen about him would be crystalized into an unambiguous sign that he’s The Bad Guy. It seems that for many in these threads that moment came when he shot up the Guard unit. For me it came when he interrogated Maggie. > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I think that’s how he gets the human fat for his torches. > > 🙂 Okay, I finally have to ask: In every thread since we’ve discovered Woodbury someone has made at least one comment about burning human fat in the torches along Main Street. Is that something from the comics, or just a SDMB thing? Google is failing me. Someone please feel free to spoiler tag an answer for me! ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/91 "2012-11-27T13:13:58Z")
If I was in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, you can bet I would not bother wearing a bra. And how do they manage to stay so clean shaven? The scene with Glen and the zombie was awesome. Break those model minority stereotypes Glen! RAWR! ---
**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 27, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/92 "2012-11-27T13:51:56Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > Okay, I finally have to ask: In every thread since we’ve discovered Woodbury someone has made at least one comment about burning human fat in the torches along Main Street. Is that something from the comics, or just a SDMB thing? Google is failing me. Someone please feel free to spoiler tag an answer for me! It is an effort to add artistic verisimilitude to my otherwise bland and uninteresting insistence that the Governator is Evile. ---
**Author:** ![BlueOhio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BlueOhio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueOhio)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/93 "2012-11-27T13:58:41Z")
I had 2 problems with this ep, and the both involve smell: 1. A dead dog in a cabin shouldn’t put these guys off as much as it did; they’ve been around decomposing zombies almost non-stop for months. Should be used to it. 2. If the Governor keeps a zombie in the house, shouldn’t his house stink to an unusual level? Surely enough to depress the sexy times. ---
**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 27, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/94 "2012-11-27T14:23:25Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > Ha! I admit, as I was watching him interrogate Maggie I thought to myself “Hmm, I’m going to have a really hard time spinning this in the Governor’s favor on the SDMB.” I concede, the Governor is evil! My take is that they’re all evil, stupid, or both. Rick’s reaction when Michonne withheld information was to press on her gunshot wound, while Daryl held her at crossbow point. Had she remained silent, the torture may well have progressed in the same fashion as it did in Woodbury. > [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > The scene with Glen and the zombie was awesome. Break those model minority stereotypes Glen! RAWR! Agreed; film and television are more locked into stereotypes than the population at large, so I was pleasantly surprised to see Glenn portrayed as a capable fighter, with the toughness to resist Merle’s sustained beating, and The Governor’s threat to kill Maggie. The scene with Glenn taking on the walker alone, while restrained, was one of the two or three best scenes the show has ever done. There was a real sense of danger, of desperation, and it advanced the characterization of Glenn (and that of Merle). Seeing the prison gang take out dozens of walkers with ease, scoring headshots at will, and only taking casualties due to human intervention (Andrew opening fences) or their own stupidity (stepping over a walker, refusing to cover their bare skin), makes the zombies seem like a minor threat, an annoyance. The scene with Glenn, having to use all his wits and the resources of the room, made them seem dangerous again. > [@BlueOhio](#): > > I had 2 problems with this ep, and the both involve smell: > > 1. A dead dog in a cabin shouldn’t put these guys off as much as it did; they’ve been around decomposing zombies almost non-stop for months. Should be used to it. > > 2. If the Governor keeps a zombie in the house, shouldn’t his house stink to an unusual level? Surely enough to depress the sexy times. Do we know that zombies decompose? Milton told The Governor that Michonne’s pet zombies were starving to death, just at a slower rate than humans do. Doesn’t that imply that they aren’t undead as such, and would not decompose while animate? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/95 "2012-11-27T15:19:27Z")
> [@BlueOhio](#): > > 1. A dead dog in a cabin shouldn’t put these guys off as much as it did; they’ve been around decomposing zombies almost non-stop for months. Should be used to it. Well, it wasn’t the dead dog as such, it was the tire tread on burst stomach. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/96 "2012-11-27T15:36:30Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Do we know that zombies decompose? Milton told The Governor that Michonne’s pet zombies were starving to death, just at a slower rate than humans do. Doesn’t that imply that they aren’t undead as such, and would not decompose while animate? I’m unsure what the deal is with this. On the one hand, the zombies’ general appearance suggests they’re decomposing. When sliced open their insides often consist of lots of purplish black goo as opposed to red and white organs and tendons, and at times the reactions of the characters indicate that they smell nasty. On the other hand, if they _were_ decomposing at a normal rate by now most “zombies” would have simply fallen apart. And while it’s clear they don’t smell great, they can’t smell as bad as a normal decomposing body. If they did people would be able to detect a single zombie from a hundred yards off if the wind was right, and they’d be able to identify an area like the “Red Zone” from smell alone. When reading accounts of the aftermath of Civil War battles, the horrible stench is one of the threads common to many/most accounts. For what it’s worth Max Brooks claims in his survival guide that zombies don’t decompose, as the virus makes their flesh poison to even bacteria. I know it’s not canon here, but there’s at least some precedent for Sta-Fresh Zombies. In the end, I figure that the writers are playing pretty fast and loose with the Laws of Thermodynamics and generally try to follow the MST3K rule (“Just repeat to yourself ‘it’s just a show…’”). ---
**Author:** ![atlantic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@atlantic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atlantic)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/97 "2012-11-27T15:52:15Z")
> [@running\_piglet\_cheese](#): > > Well next week is the finale until summer. Who do you think we’ll lose? I’m going with Meryl and the Gov. Ummm … no. Next week is the fall finale. The show starts back up in February 2013. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/98 "2012-11-27T16:00:01Z")
I don’t understand why Maggie didn’t simply tell The Gov about the farm. The bad guys would go there…get overrun by walkers…problem solved. But then I figured that the farm might be too far away to seem plausible. I’m interested to see how they’re going to keep little Asskicker (aka “Judith”) alive and quiet enough to not be zombie bait. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/99 "2012-11-27T16:20:39Z")
If we are going to lose a character in the midseason finale, and it comes down to either the 'Guvna or Merle, I hope that .Gov gets offed, mainly due to the rapey thing with Maggie, but also because he’s become a cardboard cut out bad guy, Merle may be a racist scumbag a-hole, but he has a more compelling backstory It’d be poetic justice if .Gov met his end at the hands and teeth of his Zomdaughter, and then is spiked by Glenn ---
**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 27, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114/100 "2012-11-27T16:37:29Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > It’d be poetic justice if .Gov met his end at the hands and teeth of his Zomdaughter, and then is spiked by Glenn I want Glenn to take out Merle, but I believe Merle and the Gov will both be alive and well at the end of next week’s episode. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-3-07-when-the-dead-come-a-knocking-open-spoilers/642114.md?page=6)