Jesse Petersen is the author of MARRIED WITH ZOMBIES and the forthcoming FLIP THIS ZOMBIE. Like many of us here at Orbit HQ, she’s also a fan of The Walking Dead on AMC. She’ll be offering recaps of each week’s episode here every Monday. This post will contain SPOILERS (also zombies). For previous recaps see 1.01 , 1.02, , 1.03, 1.04, and 1.05.

Wow, I can’t believe how fast these six episodes have flown by, yet here we are at the finale for the first fantabulous season of “The Walking Dead” on AMC. I’d love to hear what you zombiephiles thought of it and how excited you are for Season 2 (even thought we have to wait until NEXT OCTOBER to see the second 13 episodes, dab nabbit!).

Previously, Rick and Company left camp after much death, destruction and drrrrraaaaama and headed for the CDC where they encountered scientist Jenner, who was studying zombies. I’m not sure this is going to go so well… And now I give you:

The Walking Dead 1.06: TS-19

We open with a flashback of Shane back when the outbreak started and Rick was still in his coma in Atlanta. The army was killing EVERYONE in the hospital and Shane did try to get his friend out and it seems like he legitimately thought Rick was dead, which makes the character a little more complicated. Even if he did think about killing Rick last episode. Ooops.

Now back to present day and the gang is heading into the CDC building where after some tense negotiation about whether or not they can come in, Jenner tells them that once the door closes, it doesn’t open again… which will become very important before our evening is out.  This is “Zone 5” and it’s basically cleared out except for Jenner and the computer (I’m sorry, I can’t let you do that, Dave).

After Jenner runs some blood tests on the group, they share some food and wine and celebration, although their new host is pretty stoic about it all. Shane brings up the question on everyone’s mind, which is what is up with Jenner being the only one left. Jenner explains that everyone ran or killed themselves. Way to be a buzz kill, Shane.

Everyone has a happy shower time, but Andrea isn’t looking so good. Later she’s puking up a storm and Dale tries to comfort her. But she’s pretty inconsolable about the whole “everything is gone ine the world” situation. Drunky Rick comes to thank Jenner and meanwhile Drunky Shane leers at Lori (seriously, her lady parts must be made of GOLD or something since all the boys want her so much). Then he gets kind of rape-y and Lori fights him off.

Next morning everyone is hung over. When Jenner joins them, it’s time to discuss the zombie situation in way more depth. They watch a playback of “TS-19”, who was a test subject bitten and monitored after the bite to see what affect the virus or whatever had on her system. Ah, the birth of a zombie. They’re so cute at this age. Unfortunately Jenner doesn’t really know anything else about the cause of the outbreak… or anything else about the world except that it’s probably pretty much gone.

Then Dale points out that there’s a clock in the system room that is counting down. Jenner says it’s moving toward a “Facility-Wide Decontaminatin”. In an hour. As my husband said, so much for being safe. The group goes to the basement to check out the generator. Yup, it’s dying (and I blame everyone who took a hot shower and the fact that they were running the AIR CONDITIONING… hello!!). Jenner dresses up and mopes and proselytizes about fossil fuel. Thanks show.

Everyone decides to run but Jenner locks them in and tells them that the computer is going to light all the air on fire and there’s really nothing anyone can do about it, so why not just accept their fate. After a whole bunch of breaking shit and threatening Jenner, Rick turns on his awesome powers and talks about hope and chances. This convinces Jenner to let them out, even thought the main facility is in lockdown, so they’re probably going to die anyway, but as the gang runs Jacqui and Andrea decide they’re staying. Jacqui was never developed much as a character, so I guess no one is all that upset, but Dale has something to say about losing Andrea and stays behind to convince her while the others go for an escape.

Unfortunately, the doors really are locked, but Carol happened to pick up a secret grenade along the way and that blows the windows out pretty well, leading to escape for the main bulk of the crew. Dale apparently convinces Andrea to flee because the two of them pop out just in time, too and the building explodes in fantastic fashion. Then it’s off and away for the group back into the great unknown and ultimately, Season 2.

What I Liked: I was especially impressed by the “TS-19” demonstration. It was a nice way to demonstrate what the zombie virus does to a person (in this case, Jenner’s wife) and was pretty cool. And of course, the human element is always spot on in this show. From Shane’s increasingly erratic behavior, to Dale’s pleas to Andrea to stay alive for her sister and for him… the emotions are so raw that they feel believeable.

Bottom Line Grade: A

Season 1 Thoughts:

Holy cow, this was a great season, though far too short. It veers pretty strongly from the graphic novels by Robert Kirkman (read them if you haven’t, they’re great), but it keeps the same tone and the changes made are understandable and I think, in some cases, an improvement. I can’t wait until Season 2, but since the wait is pretty long, I hope you’ll read some great zombie fiction in the meantime. Orbit puts out some good stuff (including my take on zombies, the “Living With the Dead” series).

Happy Brain Eating, Zombiephiles! I hope you’ve enjoyed my recaps!