Nebraska (The Walking Dead)
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Episode 8
| "Nebraska" | |
|---|---|
| The Walking Dead episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Clark Johnson |
| Written by | Evan Reilly |
| Featured music | "The Regulator" by Clutch |
| Cinematography by | Rohn Schmidt |
| Editing by | Nathan D. Gunn Julius Ramsay |
| Original air date | February 12, 2012 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Nebraska" is the eighth episode and mid-season premiere of the second season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on February 12, 2012. In the episode, the survivors deal with the aftermath of the barn shooting, which causes Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson) to order Rick's group to leave and then start drinking and disappear from the group, leading Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) to try to find him. Meanwhile, Dale Horvath (Jeffrey DeMunn) becomes more suspicious of Shane Walsh's (Jon Bernthal) actions.
"Nebraska" was written by Evan Reilly and directed by Clark Johnson. Two trailers were released as part of promoting the episode; the former aired shortly after the broadcast of its predecessor, "Pretty Much Dead Already", while the latter premiered a month preceding the airing of "Nebraska". Following the broadcast of the episode, The Walking Dead took a three-month hiatus from television. It features guest appearances from Michael Raymond-James and Aaron Munoz, as well as appearances from several recurring actors and actresses including Lauren Cohan, Scott Wilson, Emily Kinney and IronE Singleton.
The episode received general acclaim from television critics, who praised the episode's concluding scene alongside the character development and storylines. Upon airing, it attained 8.10 million viewers and a 4.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic, according to Nielsen ratings. "Nebraska" achieved the strongest demographic ratings out of any basic cable telecast in history until the airing of the series' second-season finale. The episode became the highest-rated basic cable television program of the day, as well as the most-viewed cable program of the week.
This episode marks the final appearance of Madison Lintz (Sophia Peletier).
Hershel Greene's reanimated wife is discovered to have survived the walker massacre and attacks Beth before Andrea finally puts her down. With all of the barn walkers subdued, Hershel demands Rick and his group leave the farm and insists that he didn't know about Sophia being in the barn, suggesting that Otis must have found her before his death as an explanation. Rick confronts Shane regarding his actions leading to this, but Shane considers Rick as delusional as Hershel and berates him for wasting time. The group decides to bury the walker bodies of Hershel's wife and stepson as well as Carol's daughter Sophia, while burning the rest of the walkers. They hold a makeshift memorial service for Sophia, but Carol refuses to attend. She falls into a deep depression, going off into the woods to pull up flowers, including a Cherokee Rose that has been a sign of hope for her. Shane finds her and helps return her to the camp, apologizing to her that he had no idea Sophia was in the barn.
Hershel throws out his wife's belongings and then disappears. His absence is not noted until his younger daughter Beth collapses and goes into a catatonic state. Hershel's family believes he may have started drinking again as Hershel is an alcoholic who has been sober for a number of years. As the others tend to Beth, Rick and Glenn travel to a nearby town to look for Hershel.
Dale talks to the others to try to get a sense of Shane's actions. He later speaks to Lori about Shane's erratic behavior, his suspicion that Shane had killed Otis to escape a walker horde, and his fear Shane may kill someone else soon. As Beth's condition worsens, Lori asks Daryl to drive into town to check on Rick, but Daryl refuses, saying his days of searching for someone are over. Lori opts to go alone, but en route, her car hits a walker and is overturned.
In the town, Rick and Glenn find Hershel alone in a tavern, drinking and lamenting the loss of his family members. Rick eventually convinces Hershel to return, but as they are about to leave, two suspicious men from Philadelphia enter the bar—Dave (Michael Raymond-James) and Tony (Aaron Munoz). They reveal that Rick's goal of Fort Benning may be overrun and try to goad where the group's farm is, looking for a safe haven. Suspicious of their behavior, Rick refuses to disclose the farm's location. The two men try to kill Rick, who kills both of them in self-defense, marking the first time he'd killed living people since he woke up from his coma.
The episode ends with the remaining group burning the rest of the walkers.
Production
"Nebraska" was written by Evan Reilly and directed by Clark Johnson. Following the broadcast of the previous installment, "Pretty Much Dead Already", The Walking Dead took a three-month hiatus from television.[1] Two trailers were released as part of an advertising campaign for the episode; the first was broadcast after "Pretty Much Dead Already" aired, while the second aired in January 2012.[2] A promotional image was released shortly thereafter, which featured Rick Grimes holding up a gun at Sophia.[2] The first three minutes of "Nebraska" were leaked online.[3]
The episode introduces two new characters to the series, portrayed by Aaron Munoz (Tony) and Michael Raymond-James (Dave).[4] Although they were killed off in the episode, writer Robert Kirkman wanted to evoke a reaction that the characters would recur throughout the series. "With the casting of those two guys and everything involving that scene we were really trying to convince the audience that they were going to be new regulars, so the end would be that much more shocking."[5] Kirkman felt that Tony and Dave represent new threats and anxieties for the group. "I think this was a particularly good episode coming back because the two guys in the bar represent new threats and they are really just the tip of the iceberg," he stated.[5] "It's really good to come back and be off of the farm and see that there are more dangerous things out there than the zombies. Things just keep getting worse from here.".[5] "The Regulator" by Clutch was the song used as the closing title sequence.
Johnson devised the scene in which Rick shot and killed Dave and Tony in a bar, and presented it to Reilly. Johnson sought to authorize man's animalistic qualities during a state of disaster.[6] Reilly contacted showrunner Glen Mazzara via cell phone, and wanted to add the scene to the episode's script.[6] "That was an incredible scene," reflected Lincoln.[7] "We were so lucky to get such cracking actors. And we didn't play the problem, we just played the fact that this is a reunion of human beings. The tension is inherent in the fact that they encounter this other group."[7]
"Nebraska" contains a stunt sequence, in which Lori Grimes slams into a walker, causing her to swerve on the side of the road and overturn her car.[5] Kirkman said of the scene: "I had nothing to do with it. But it did turn out really well. I love the trailers for this season where it's like, "This is happening: People shooting guns! Cars are flipping!'"[5]
Title reference
Tony shares with Rick the rumors survivor groups have circulated about safe destinations. Nebraska is one such rumored location, considered safe – Dave explains – because of its low population and numerous guns. When Rick refuses safe haven at the farm to Dave and Tony, Dave asks where else he would suggest they go. Rick's reply, "I don't know, I hear Nebraska's nice", triggers Tony and Dave to draw their guns on Rick, who shoots them first.
Nebraska was also notable as "Ground Zero" (i.e., the target of) Russian nuclear bombs in the 1950s and '60s, in the event of a nuclear war. Therefore, the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) devised plans that would give civilians a chance to survive a nuclear war, and cartons of "Nebraskits" (compressed biscuits made from grain) and dairy-based milk bars, collectively designed to satisfy survivors' nutritional requirements during a stay in a fallout shelter, were stored in fallout shelters throughout the United States.[8]
