Yes, I am talking about “The Walking Dead.”
First off, I am a fan of the show, and I understand that some stuff is written based purely for entertainment and drama. However, I get so annoyed at what I perceive to be common sense, it seems to be missing from the survivors.
- Guns: They have a couple of rifles, a crossbow, a shotgun and assorted pistols. This is my biggest pet-peeve. I think the production company must have cut the budget for prop guns, seriously. In a true apocalypse I would imagine that the survivors are good at scrounging… it’s called “survival” people! Even if they didn’t initially have any weapons, or the small amount they did have, how hard is it to get more? There are gun stores everywhere… start taking what you need to survive. Has anyone ever been to a gun shop? There are racks and racks of rifles, shotguns, pistols, knives and archery equipment. Oh, and ammo… that’s important. Some of these stores might have already been looted… fair enough. Are we forgetting the amount of dead soldiers lying around? Chances are, they still have ammo strapped to them. Plus, I’m sure there are military weapons around.
- The RV: Really Dale? A POS Winnebago that is breaking down all the time? I understand the sentimental value, but in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-horde world, now would be a great time to ditch the relic and pick up a nice diesel powered mobile home. And I’m talking about one of those big suckers. Sure it might be less maneuverable, but it’s big enough to just push crap out of the way. Even if it’s not some bus, get something new, make sure it’s diesel and while you’re at it, grab spare parts! You are down south… look for a Camping World!
- Diesel: Diesel fuel gets better gas mileage. Switch to it! Plus, if siphoning gas from cars and trucks, you stand a better chance of getting large quantities from 18-wheelers. They have 300 gallon tanks on average, and there are a butt-load of big rigs on the road.
- Decay: Zombies are dead. There is nothing to keep the flesh alive. The walking dead should be steadily decaying. But what fun would that be? Just hunker down and wait for them to rot-away? That wouldn’t make for a good story-line, so I will concede this point. But in the real world, that’s a different story.
- Andrea’s knowledge of firearms: I fully get that not everyone knows about guns. This is a given. I had to take issue with her reassembly of a Glock. Glocks are built with several features, one of which is simplicity. She kept looking at the magazine, the frame and the slide like she was visiting from another planet. Here is a lesson for everyone that has to put a Glock back together (nevermind how you got it apart in the first place):
- Barrel fits into the slide, it only fits one way
- “Pointy” end of spring goes into the little hole in the slide
- “Flat” end of spring slips into slot on barrel
- Entire assembly fits on to the rails or the frame
- Pull the slide assembly back as if chambering a round (do this a couple times)
- Load magazine with ammunition
- Load magazine into bottom of frame
- Rack the slide to chamber a round.
- Gun Terminology: Stop calling it a clip! Christ almighty! Read this: Clip vs. Magazine
- Other Vehicles: Why are they messing with SUVs, station wagons, etc.? Look around people… how many abandoned military vehicles are around? They are armored, just run the zombies over… simple. And guess what? Chances are they run on diesel (see above).
It’s my understanding that the world in which this show resides has never heard of a “zombie.” According to the creator, this world never had a “Night of the Living Dead” movie. I can understand their unpreparedness, but right now, lack of common sense and survival instincts just raises my blood pressure.
There is something to take away from shows like this. Whether there is an actual chance of a zombie apocalypse or an alien invasion it wouldn’t hurt to have some supplies on hand. This also apples to natural disasters (think Katrina, Irene, Rita, earthquakes, etc.) There are a number of survivalist websites out there. I’m not going to mention any because I don’t endorse one way or the other.
At the bare minimum folks should have a 72-hour kit ready. Most commonly referred to as a “bug out bag.” Do some research and, like the Boy Scout’s Motto: “Be Prepared.”
