The Walking Dead Season 2 Special Edition Blu-ray Review

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by hardtosayx

I guess I should have specified. I meant I read about that character in the discussion thread, I never read any of the comics. I'd say maybe if I had a better understanding of the character it wouldn't be so bad, but I honestly think I'd feel the same way.

I apologize if I've spoiled anything for you, concerning the comics...I misunderstood.
I definitely recommend reading them! There are some neat differences between the show and comic. I hadn't read a comicbook in over a decade until I got the fist Compendium...now I can't put the 2nd one down!

[hardtosayx]

Originally Posted by rickah88

I apologize if I've spoiled anything for you, concerning the comics...I misunderstood.
I definitely recommend reading them! There are some neat differences between the show and comic. I hadn't read a comicbook in over a decade until I got the fist Compendium...now I can't put the 2nd one down!

That's fine, I never really planned on reading them anyway.

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by rickah88

For those that don't like a little thing called character development, you can always watch the alternate version of Season 2...it's called a video game.

+1

Good one.

[Leo76]

Message on Amazon.com for The Walking Dead Season 2 Limited Edition Head!

Item Under Review

While this item is available from other marketplace sellers on this page, it is not currently offered by Amazon.com because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it's described here. (Thanks for the tip!)

We're working to fix the problem as quickly as possible.

[TheBully]

Someone an hour and thirty minutes away from me is willing to sell it to me the limited edition with zombie head new for $45, is this a good deal? How low has its gone? TIA.

[Edword]

Originally Posted by TheBully

Someone an hour and thirty minutes away from me is willing to sell it to me the limited edition with zombie head new for $45, is this a good deal? How low has its gone? TIA.

I can't remember how much I paid during release week, but I'm pretty sure it was around $50-60.

[joltman]

Originally Posted by TheBully

Someone an hour and thirty minutes away from me is willing to sell it to me the limited edition with zombie head new for $45, is this a good deal? How low has its gone? TIA.

Unless you were going that way anyway, you should really factor in gas cost and add that to that $45

[Rick Grimes]

TWD Season 2 came on 2 BD-50 discs in Australia on June 20 (an early release; sort of a way to placate our country for having a very late release for TWD S1). I bought TWD S2, but then purchased the TWD S2 US Limited Edition, to get all the extras and the webisodes. found only on the Region A BD.

Here is a link to Movie-Censorship.com which catalogues the cuts to gore for any Season 1 release that is not Region A BD or Region 1 DVD including apparent changes to ALL Season 2 releases
http://www.movie-censorship.com/series.php?TID=5087
Spoiler Alert: If you go to track the changes in Ep 4, you will see changes to a death scene of major character. Which is a pity because Ep 4 is an example of the worst censorship of any S1 episode.

Other Season 1 changes, that are not listed in the link include changes to music content.
S1 Ep1 - Music plays 30 seconds before the credits roll. There is a shot that pans out directly above the landscape below. Just before the fade to black into the credits. Inexplicably, the music begins again, just before the "funky" song kicks into the chorus! And it plays over the credits, never getting any closure to the music...
S1, Ep2 - Again, changes to music over the credits. As the music begins to play while we watch the end of Ep 2, sometime before the fade to black that precedes the credits, instead of going into the chorus of the song that is playing as the picture fades to black: The title music is heard!
S1, Ep3 - As above, the music that starts to plays at the end of the episode, as we watch the story unfold, is cut short and doesn't play over the fade to black... Replaced my the title music.
S1, Ep6 - Once again, Bear McCreary's fine music choice (Dylan, I think) is cut short and we are left with the TWD title music. Leaving the viewer without the Dylanesque music to recap the events of the episode and ponder, where to now for our characters.
Other Season 2 changes:
The Australian original 2 disc release has no extras at all. I also noticed that at the end of Ep9 (Triggerfinger), the music over the credits is different to the Region A US release.
In the US BD version, TWD intro music is played over the credits.
In the Australian BD version, a gritty, forboding, techno metal type song, is played as we watch a shot of Rick looking just off to the left of the camera.
From an artistic standpoint, I can see why the change may have occurred. The gritty music changes how we may view our protagonists thoughts...

I hope one day that Hopscotch entertainment & Entertainment One release an Uncut version for Region B - that will be the Region A: Anchor Bay transfer or at least a transfer from that master. While it wouldn't probably be a financial success, I think that they owe it to the loyal viewers of the show to fix up their huge mistake (which I can only imagine it was).

[TheCuze]

Hey is anybody willing to part with the digibook packaging that comes with this special edition?

I'm willing to pay a reasonable ammount and will trade my current blu-ray edition (perfect condition with a flawless slipcover), I just want the packaging of both seasons to match up as Digibooks.

PM me if anyone's interested. Thanks!

[ObiWanShinobi]

Got the special edition for Christmas.

As for Season 2 being boring? I didnt think it was boring as much as it seemed to drag on at times. There were a couple of episodes that felt like "filler" to me and while I dug the farm setting for a while I was yearning for them to get the hell away from there and the whole "missing girl" thing be done with.

I guess I preferred the LARGER scale of the first season and the claustraphobic feel of the 3rd more. Season 2 was indeed excellent for character development purposes but that too, at times, felt a little stale like they were re-explaining characters that were explained ENOUGH in the first season.

I'd say the first season is a 5/5 and the second a 4/5. For ME anyway.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by ObiWanShinobi

Got the special edition for Christmas.

As for Season 2 being boring? I didnt think it was boring as much as it seemed to drag on at times. There were a couple of episodes that felt like "filler" to me and while I dug the farm setting for a while I was yearning for them to get the hell away from there and the whole "missing girl" thing be done with.

I guess I preferred the LARGER scale of the first season and the claustraphobic feel of the 3rd more. Season 2 was indeed excellent for character development purposes but that too, at times, felt a little stale like they were re-explaining characters that were explained ENOUGH in the first season.

I'd say the first season is a 5/5 and the second a 4/5. For ME anyway.

I agree with you for the most part. Season 3 went right back up to 5/5 for me though.

[ObiWanShinobi]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I agree with you for the most part. Season 3 went right back up to 5/5 for me though.

You betcha! I'm bursting at the seams for it to pick back up in February.

[rickah88]

I'm actually of the opposite mindset. I think S2, so far, was much better than S3. Granted we still have to see how the remainder of the season plays out, but I thought the changes they made from the comic were not as good as the S2 changes.
I like to see the characters develop & evolve(or devolve in some cases). The further away they get from a video game zombie kill fest, the better. I understand that can happen at any given moment, but it can also be implied through good writing/acting.

[ObiWanShinobi]

Originally Posted by rickah88

I'm actually of the opposite mindset. I think S2, so far, was much better than S3. Granted we still have to see how the remainder of the season plays out, but I thought the changes they made from the comic were not as good as the S2 changes.
I like to see the characters develop & evolve(or devolve in some cases). The further away they get from a video game zombie kill fest, the better. I understand that can happen at any given moment, but it can also be implied through good writing/acting.

I agree but season 2 certainly had its "zombie kill fest" episodes and I thought season 1 had a healthy dose of episodes that didnt resort to that. I recall there being an epsiode or two in season one where you saw maybe one zombie the ENTIRE episode with notta one being killed. Which these were probably meant as "character development" epsiodes in their own right.

I need to go back and watch the first season, then watch the second to get pumped for the return of the 3rd.

Getting my floors done at my house (tile downstairs, new carpet upstairs). So that will delay this venture for a little while.

[charlieray1]

Originally Posted by rickah88

I'm actually of the opposite mindset. I think S2, so far, was much better than S3. Granted we still have to see how the remainder of the season plays out, but I thought the changes they made from the comic were not as good as the S2 changes.
I like to see the characters develop & evolve(or devolve in some cases). The further away they get from a video game zombie kill fest, the better. I understand that can happen at any given moment, but it can also be implied through good writing/acting.

I agree whole-heartedly. The heavy emphasis this season on gore effects (how many more zombies are we going to see get sliced in half?) over character and the cartoon aspects like the Michonne the ninja warrior and the evil governor have been a little disappointing. I certainly enjoy the show, but the feel of "real people" in an incredible situation is missing a bit this season.

[Lemmy Lugosi]

Originally Posted by charlieray1

I agree whole-heartedly. The heavy emphasis this season on gore effects (how many more zombies are we going to see get sliced in half?) over character and the cartoon aspects like the Michonne the ninja warrior and the evil governor have been a little disappointing. I certainly enjoy the show, but the feel of "real people" in an incredible situation is missing a bit this season.

[mzupeman]

Originally Posted by charlieray1

I agree whole-heartedly. The heavy emphasis this season on gore effects (how many more zombies are we going to see get sliced in half?) over character and the cartoon aspects like the Michonne the ninja warrior and the evil governor have been a little disappointing. I certainly enjoy the show, but the feel of "real people" in an incredible situation is missing a bit this season.

Agreed. The most 'reality' we got this season was at the beginning of the first episode, watching them quietly eat the only food they could find. After that, it's all been about keeping us on the edge of our seat via the craziness. I still love the new season for what it is, but I still vastly prefer season 2 for its character work.

Why the poster above me is rolling his eyes based on this opinion, is beyond me.

[Moe Szyslak]

Can you expand on why you feel characterization/development in season 2 was better than season 3?

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Moe Szyslak

Can you expand on why you feel characterization/development in season 2 was better than season 3?

How do you develop characters when everyone is running hacking up zombies?

[charlieray1]

Originally Posted by rickah88

How do you develop characters when everyone is running hacking up zombies?

Can you expand on why you feel characterization/development in season 2 was better than season 3?

For me the second season was more relatable (if that makes sense). It was more about how average people react when pushed to the edge. The growing/changing relationships, the fears, the moments of hope -- the show had more of all that last season . . . interspersed with intense zombie action!

So far the 3rd season has had tons of action, but our heros have become more "kick-ass zombie killers" than relatable people. And the new characters (Michonne and Governor, I'm looking at you here) aren't real people at all -- just comic book cut-outs.

Don't get me wrong, I love the show and I'm really looking forward to the season starting back up, but over all the 2nd season was closer to the mark for me . . . even though it did bog down occasionally with soap-opera moments.