Zombie Cliche Lookout: A Logical Explanation
Generally speaking, if you put someone in an extraordinary situation, they’re going to start looking for logical explanations for it. Take the beginnings of a zombie outbreak, for instance. The news isn’t going to immediately report that the dead walk and that they are hunting down and devouring the living. That would be too weird. No, they’re going to report on sudden violence, riots, mass hysteria, a disease outbreak. Something that sounds plausible, even if it’s not terribly likely.
Zombies are just sort of a hard sell. If the evening news anchor starts talking zombies, it’s either Halloween, or some sort of weird joke. People aren’t going to buy it until they’ve had to tangle with a zed or two, and by that time it’s probably too late for Brian Williams to give them a whole lot of insight on the matter.
On a side note, I’d love to see Brian Williams do a zombie movie.
About this Episode:
I really like this character in the Hawaiian shirt. His name is Marcus, although I don’t actually have that in the script anytime soon. I envision him as the office joker. He probably doesn’t get as much work done as the other guys, but you never have to wonder if he’s in the office.
In real life, guys like that tend to annoy me, at least if I need to work with them. In LEGO®? It’s a whole different story
Discussion Question: Pets
In the event of a zombie apocalypse, what’s going to happen to all the pets we keep? Do the zombies eat dogs and cats (and snakes, rats, chinchillas, etc.)? Are they able to escape? Can they go feral? Find their own food? Will packs of wild dogs be just as dangerous as the hordes of the walking dead?
I dunno, I would think many pets would flee the walking dead. I mean, I don’t see my cat as wanting to cuddle with something like a zombie, I’d actually expect the zombies to never see her or see her as a galloping fat cat barreling to the nearest cover.
Anyway, any pets who didn’t avoid the zombies would soon leave the gene pool…
So in your world, zombies will eat non-humans as well? I tend to think along the same lines.
My biggest concern besides finding zombies, other people, and shortage of supplies would be a pack of furiously hungry dogs. Specially bigger dogs such as a german shepherd or maybe a rottweiler. Zombies might get interested in pets, but that would be once humans start become a smaller portion of their general diet. Dogs might mistake their former owners for humans and get themselves eaten but as regards to cats, I’ve never had one nor do I intend to, but can’t be so sure they would do the same mistake.
Long story short, I’m not planning to go full retard against dogs or any large amounts of animals at any time soon.
Packs of dogs would indeed be terrifying. They’re faster than you, can use pack tactics, and would likely be hungry, territorial, or simply aggressive.
The worst scenario would be all of the above together.
Can’t argue with that.
For me, the mice and rat infestation would be the scariest in the long run. Yep, I do agree that many dogs would go feral and return to their pack- hunting ways. I can wrap my brain around that. But, nasty rat vermin, that eat anything, attack anything, and reproduce quickly, would thrive as infrastructure and sanitation services collapsed. I can zombie herds taking on & culling dog packs; but not rats. Ugh!
Oh man, Luis, excellent point. I didn’t even think about vermin. That’s a huge, nasty mess, and could be a huge spreader of disease as well.
I wonder how long they would last? I mean, there’d be lots of abandoned food in the immediate aftermath, but it wouldn’t take long for the perishables to go bad. Do rats eat dried food? We’ve never had a problem with them, so I don’t know, but it wouldn’t be that long before all that’s left is dried and tinned food, and they wouldn’t be getting into tins. What I’m getting at, is that we’d not be hunting them any more, but we wouldn’t be feeding them either. I don’t know how big a population could survive without us.
Cant see Zeds getting thier hands on many dogs or cats. Most are too quick and would flee like hell from something that smells dead but is still moving. Animals have amazing instincts and, unlike humans, arent burdened by rational thought. If it looks/smells/sound wrong, then run like hell. Domestic livestock, on the other hand, will become zombie chow. To my thinking, zombies will eat anything warm blooded so that means all the cows, horses, sheep, pigs etc all nicely fattened up and in thier pens will be easy prey. Although it would be kinda fun to see a bunch of zeds going after a bull and getting the spit stomped out of them. As far as dogs go, there was a series on the History Channed a while ago called “Life After People” that addressed the dog issue. Turns out most domestic dogs arent suited to live wild. Centuries of breeding for selected traits have left them so specialized that they cant hunt efficiently anymore. Some of the mid sized mutts may do OK, but your rottweilers and your labs and such will starve. As far as rats are concerned I dont know how well they would do without humans. So much of what they eat is what we throw away that Im not sure how many would be around without a large human population to support them. Think about it, most of the rats you see are around dense human populations. What would really be scary is if the carrion eaters could become zombified by eating infected flesh. Zombie dogs, rats, crows, etc….that would be REALLY scary.
I was hoping someone would talk about Life After People. I remember watching that episode, but my memory wasn’t clear enough on it to not get things all mixed up.
Yeah, Ive got a great memory for irrelevant minutia not associated with real life.
Hah!
I generally do too. Important stuff, like the address of my office, I just can’t seem to get down. I’ve only worked there four years, and only give it out on a monthly basis or so.
I had the same issue Dave, then after 5 years I finally managed to remember the address (meaning there’s hope for you!).. that’s when my company decided to move! Not too far though, two numbers down the same road but I’m sure I’ll need another five years to register the change…
My company is considering a move right now. There’s no hope!
Life After People- I loved that show! Lacy dogs for the win!
And also Dave, if you haven’t noticed by my previous comments, I’m starting a tiny Lego Armoury. Brickforge plain Tactical Vests, Helmets, Sidearms, and some Shotguns for good measure.
Hoping to make it like the one Rick visited in The Walking Dead comics.
Sounds awesome; I’ve wanted to do up an arsenal for a while now too.
I always envisioned zombies as eating whatever living “creature” they could devour. (ie..Zombi/film the shark etc) After a while zombies would and could eat cats, dogs and other domesticated animals easier since they have no person to feed them and they have no opposable thumbs for all those doors. The idea of animals becoming zeds I don’t subscribe to but if I did… Bore are a natural predator in the southern US. And let’s not forget other countries animals like Elephants, lions and bears ..oh my.
I’m actually planning to review the film you’re referencing pretty soon here.
Well, looking at the zombie doge in black ops, along with a verity of fan fiction, i think its safe to say that all animals will be zombiefide at some point or another. Then again maybe the virus only affects humans.
Well, looking at the zombie doge in black ops, along with a verity of fan fiction, i think its safe to say that all animals will be zombiefide at some point or another. Then again maybe the virus only affects humans.
Well, looking at the zombie doge in black ops, along with a verity of fan fiction, i think its safe to say that all animals will be zombiefide at some point or another. Then again maybe the virus only affects humans.
Well, looking at the zombie doge in black ops, along with a verity of fan fiction, i think its safe to say that all animals will be zombiefide at some point or another. Then again maybe the virus only affects humans.