The Walking Dead (TV Series) Tell It to the Frogs (2010) User Reviews

Character Building Episode

[slightlymad22 · 8/10 · 18 October 2014]

After two action packed episodes, we get a more character driven episode. There is a lovely scene when Rick arrives at the camp. Lincoln has already shown he can be tough, here he is vulnerable.

We get a better look at the people in the camp, we get new characters such as The timid Carol, her abusive husband Ed and their daughter Sophia. We also get introduced to Merle's brother Daryl Dixon (who seems to be as hot headed as his brother) and we see Morales has a family too. Characters like Dale and Carol clearly are good people, and we see Ed is the rotten apple of the group, whilst Daryl is understandably furious about what has happened to his brother.

Lincoln is still the top performer, Jon Bernthall is given more to do as Shane here and Jeffrey DeMunn shines as Dale, while Daryl's anguish at the end of the episode was great, well done Norman Redus.

One of my problems with the cast is Sarah Wayne Callies. I didn't like her in performance in "Prison Break" and again, I find her unlikeable again here too.

Reunion and Despair

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 8 October 2011]

Rick and the survivors return to the camp and he meets his wife Lori and his son Carl. Lori does not tell him about her affair with Shane and is upset and angry with Shane, since he told her that Rick was dead. The survivors have to face Merle's brother Daryl Dixon, who is also a violent man, to tell him that his brother was left behind. Rick decides to return to Atlanta to rescue Merle and his bag of arms and ammunition with Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog. However, when they reach the rooftop, they only find Merle's hand.

"Tell It to the Frogs" is a dramatic episode of "Walking Dead". Lori's embarrassment with the return of her husband that was presumed dead and Merle's despair are very dramatic situation. Shane is emotionally lost and frustrated with the arrival of his best friend and husband of the woman that he loves. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Tell It to the Frogs" (1.3)

Note: On 08 April 2016, I saw this show again.

The debut of Daryl & Carol.

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 30 November 2020]

Rick is here reunited with his wife & son, and gets to know some of the people in the mountain hideout. However, Shane had told Lori that Rick had died, leading to some friction between them, and her issuing an ultimatum: stay away from the Grimes family or else. Ricks' comparative safety and satisfaction are short-lived, as he and others in the camp are feeling guilty about leaving Merle behind. So, they soon launch an expedition into Atlanta to find and retrieve him. We meet Daryl for the first time, and since he is Merles' brother, he's more than a little perturbed at his siblings' treatment.

What made this series so compelling in the early days was a rich assortment of engaging characters and performances. Some of the regular cast members from this era, like Dale, get a little more to do. 'Tell It to the Frogs' is noteworthy for introducing the character of Carol, who is a background player here, albeit one with some dramatic weight (she's involved with a do-nothing, cigarette-smoking chauvinist who is obviously an abuser as well). You can't help but feel some satisfaction when Shane (still smarting from being told to hit the highway by Lori) administers a beating to the guy.

Some horror fans may find episodes like this rather lightweight, since there is precious little zombie carnage. This one is more about character development and situations rather than action. However, when the acting is this good, it's hard to complain too much. Michael Rooker delivers a real tour de force performance in the opening minutes as Merle; he really does look like a guy going mad from desperation, isolation, and fear.

The title stems from a conversation between Lori and Shane, after the latter has tried to reach Carl how to catch some amphibians.

Eight out of 10.

Character-centered!

[and_mikkelsen · 8/10 · 2 January 2024]

After two tense first episodes where our characters had to figure out how to surrvive and escape, we slow down for a bit and focus on our characters!

Despite its slower nature, i still enjoyed this episode as it contained some heartwarming and emotional moments and introduces one of the BEST characters in the show.. Daryl Dixon! This guy steals the show from his first scene!

This episode stands as an important episode for Rick as well as giving us the first glimpse of the path that Shane will go down!

The end was satisfying and I really enjoyed the soundtrack!

Overall a slower but still strong episode!

A Little Slow, But Still Intense!

[g-bodyl · 9/10 · 15 August 2013]

The Walking Dead gains traction as it goes deeper into the story. After the last episode, things slows down a little bit but not the intensity. We see some more heartfelt emotion especially the scene in the beginning where Merle is delirious due to exposure and the reunion scene between Rick and his family.

"Tell It To the Frogs" has Rick finding his family again due to the dismay of his best friend, Shane. After telling Merle's brother the bad news, Rick and some others head back to the city to rescue Merle. But a little surprise is in store for them.

Overall, this is still another good episode despite some slowness. But the slowness is good because we can see the way the people live in times of disaster. The shoe is getting better and better with each episode. I rate this episode 9/10.

Tensions Build at Camp in Good Episode

[wnfwyhp · 8/10 · 5 August 2020]

In Tell It to the Frogs, we start off by seeing the mental deterioration of Merle Dixon and see him at his worst. He looks weak and is merely a nobody to the ungodly world he is now living in. This opening scene displays what the apocalypse can do to even the worst people.

Rick reuniting with his son, Carl, and wife, Laurie back at camp was so sweet to watch. It was an emotional moment played out in a great way.

Most of the episode is decent. Other than some interesting and awesome moments like Shane teaching Carl to catch frogs or Shane beating the crap out of Ed, the episode did not have to much value.

Shane and Carl's relationship is clearly developing and as a child Carl probably expects it to be a good mutual friendship. However, with a character like Shane, it is hard to tell if he is genuine as well.

Ed's comeuppance for being a jerk around camp is one that I enjoyed viewing. Although I wish there was a better and more deserving lead up to it, it still felt justified from what we have seen so far in the episode.

The episode mainly focuses around conversations of heading back to Atlanta to get Merle of the roof of the building he was handcuffed to and there isn't too much else to it.

Overall, this was still a very enjoyable episode that had some cool moments in it. Even though some potential for more drama was washed away in conversation, it is to be expected as sometimes we need to get to know our characters more. It is basic world building that we need to accept and hope it doesn't drag on. For those reasons, I give this episode an 8/10.

The Frogs are Very Much Alive

[bobwattheheck · 8/10 · 22 March 2020]

The third installment is another great episode with solid character development and emotional revelations that fans wanted to see. Daryl Dixon and the great Carol Peletier made their first appearances, and Rick reunited with his family with a silent conflict at hand.

Strong episode with good character moments

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 29 July 2021]

Rick reunites with his family and other survivors.

This is a strong character focussed episode that establishes some interesting dynamics.

The story moves fairly slowly but the focus is on a number of good interactions between characters such as the Grimes family, Shane, Daryl and others. It establishes solid drama with the relationships established since Rick has been presumed dead and the nagging guilt associated with leaving Merle handcuffed to a rooftop.

I particularly enjoyed the social themes shown in a number of scenes depicting humanity reverting to its primal state. The visuals of female characters doing the washing and foraging work as the males either hunter-gather, protect or general laze about is good. The exchange of dialogue between the ladies discussing the various technologies they miss is great. With all the social constructions in ruins it will be interesting to see what kind of society grows throughout the show.

It ends with a taster of what is to come in the next episode which works well to make you want to carry on watching.

The visuals are strong, with some good images of people living in the survivors camp. I like the shots where some characters are centre strange but you also see others busy in the background either watching or doing other things.

The horror effects are brutal as ever, but there is more focus on the living in this episode with less action and zombie bashing.

Andrew Lincoln leads the show well again with good support from the other cast members, such as Norman Reedus, Michael Rooker, Jon Bernthal and Sarah Wayne Callies.

Showing no signs of croaking

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 7 May 2018]

Had heard nothing but great things about 'The Walking Dead' from friends and IMDb reviewers. It took a while to get round to watching, both from being busy and also not being sure whether it would be my cup of tea. Finally getting round to it a few years ago and slowly working my way through it, having had a very long to watch and review list, 'The Walking Dead' turned out to be very much my cup of tea and as good as the hype made it out to be, have found it extremely addictive.

"Tell It to the Frogs", a return to the slower pace of "Days Gone Bye" but with even more character building and a full establishment of tone, in no way disappoints, quite the opposite. And a strong reminder of how Seasons 1-5 of 'The Walking Dead' to me were absolutely brilliant and seeing the show in its full glory days (Season 6 was uneven, Season 7 was a huge disappointment and am still debating whether to watch Season 8). It is as emotional, complex and as tense as the brilliant first/pilot episode "Days Gone Bye", at the same time it has "Guts" adrenaline and guts.

It still shocks me at how an intelligent, well-made (so much so that it is easy to mistake it for a film) show about zombies could be made when so many films have tried and failed abysmally to do so.

Like all the episodes of the show, "Tell It to the Frogs" is incredibly well made in the production values, with gritty and audacious production design, photography of almost cinematic quality, effects that look good, have soul and are not overused or abused and pretty frightening make-up which helps make the already freaky zombies even freakier. The music is haunting and affecting, having presence but never being too intrusive.

The writing is intelligent and thought-provoking, with lots of tension and emotional resonance and already showing signs of character complexity and multiple layer storytelling. The more eventful scenes are thrilling and terrifying as well as uncompromising.

Particularly found Daryl's anguish very touching. Do think though, and it is my only real minor niggle with "Tell It to the Frogs", that Sarah Wayne Callies didn't show enough personality or sense of ease here.

It's all thrilling and tautly paced without rushing through the more important parts. The world building is already stunningly immersive and effective. Direction is smart and atmospheric while the show throughout has been strongly acted especially by Andrew Lincoln.

Overall, really excellent and a big turning point for 'The Walking Dead' in terms of characterisation and tone. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Taking A Breath

[Deadlyknights · 7/10 · 3 November 2022]

Not as action packed or thrilling as the last 2 episodes but none the less, much tension and great writing. We explore the group making it back from Atlanta, we get to see Rick reunite with his family with some amazing acting. An episode about the characters, we get to see their personalities and their thought processes as they try to make decisions for the group. Questions get posed such as, should we try to save everyone? What risks are worth taking when your life is on the line? Will we be rescued? Are we truly safe? When the tension decreases, we get shown the the morals of a group of people in a very dark situation. There's conflict everywhere, even when the threat is not right in front of you.

The Hope

[friannk · 10/10 · 25 September 2018]

TWD's third episode delivered the emotional reunion between rick and his family, and it did it in an amazing way! Character of The Episode: Shane Walsh

This 3rd episode focuses on the emotional aftermath of Rick's reunion with his family and his integration into the survivor group

[fernandoschiavi · 7/10 · 28 February 2024]

Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton, the third episode of "The Walking Dead" focuses on the emotional aftermath of Rick's reunion with his family and his integration into the survivor group. Set against the backdrop of the survivors' camp, the episode delves into the complexities of human relationships in the face of catastrophe.

One of the standout moments in this episode is the confrontation between Rick and Shane, his former partner and best friend, who has taken on a leadership role in Rick's absence. Their tense exchange highlights the simmering tensions within the group as they struggle to navigate the uncertain terrain of their new reality.

"Tell It to the Frogs" also explores the theme of hope amidst despair, as Rick's reunion with his family provides a glimmer of light in an otherwise dark and unforgiving world. But with hope comes new challenges, and the episode ends on a cliffhanger that sets the stage for the conflicts to come.

Overall, "Tell It to the Frogs" is a compelling exploration of the human condition in the face of adversity, blending moments of heartbreak with glimpses of resilience and hope. It's a testament to the series' ability to balance action-packed thrills with thought-provoking drama.

Going downhill

[rwk2 · 5/10 · 18 November 2010]

The beginning five or so minutes are good and the last five or so minutes are good. Not great, not awesome, perhaps slightly cool, but certainly good.

I simply don't understand why at this late stage in the game everyone is still acting like things just went to seed yesterday instead of the weeks past they keep talking about. The attempts at characterizations are OK, but seriously, wouldn't the breakdown of order and airing of family laundry happened quite some time ago? (For that matter I REALLY want to see flashbacks of the world ending.) I don't understand why that whole group went to Atlanta for supplies and came back with nothing; why anyone who knows sound attracts walkers would drive a car alarm right into camp (stop BEFOREhand somewhere and get in the cube van dude!); why a man rejoined with his family would take off the next day to go back for an idiot (collateral damage, if Merle had to be sacrificed so the others could get out, such is life); why someone in handcuffs doesn't try to saw off the smallest diameter pipe they're attached to first, then the bolt, the bigger pipe, then his thumb, and THEN maybe his hand. The zombies couldn't get him (and did they just give up after he left their line of sight?), what's the rush? Maybe that he's mentally deranged. Maybe. Any why, oh why, after his speech about saving the other father and his son from Atlanta didn't they go for the bag FIRST before the roof? If it means doubling back, then double back WITH GUNS. It's not even like this show is sacrificing gore for writing. It's not giving us either.

Oh, and the line about "you told me my husband was dead you SOB!" just makes it look like she's putting all the guilt on him. It was a 99% chance he was dead and you already stated how tough it was to get out of your own smaller town, even with help, so it stands to reason he WAS, without it. She seemed to be a bit too harsh on the man who helped get her family out alive. It takes two to tango the dance of adultery lady.

If you have a DVR I recommend watching the beginning, the Norman Reedus parts, and the end. That's it. Save yourself 35 minutes in the middle.

I cried after watching this episode!

[ConfusedRoulette · 10/10 · 1 October 2020]

One of the most emotional episodes of The Walking Dead. I am re-watching all episodes from season 1 which I last watched in 2013, almost 7 years back! Oh boy! It feels so emotional to watch all the characters again! I just couldn't stop watching Rick's reunion with his son, how Carl runs to his father after seeing him and Rick's reaction is just heartwarming!

Reality Check

[inefableataraxia · 9/10 · 18 December 2018]

Lori, Carl and Rick reunites again. While Shane is left behind, this will surely stir some drama. Also the group leave Merle behind because he would had been a liability for them, but Daryll is not okay with it. And Rick being the hero and departing from his family again, trying to save Merle. Meanwhile Ed fight with the girls like a coward, even slapping his wife. That is until Shane beat him up.

Rewatch, 8.65/10

[dcdude-26988 · 9/10 · 26 August 2023]

Worst episode in the first season? Most likely yeah. Still an amazing episode? Definitely yeah. Honestly this was still an amazing episode of television. This was definitely worse than both episodes one and two combined, but this was still pretty good. When I really think about it, I don't think this show will become my favorite ever again, but I will probably think that it is one of the greatest shows. Some episodes, like the first one, can probably be a bit shorter, but these are still some pretty good episodes. I just realized, my favorite characters in this episode were Rick, Daryl, and Glenn. My favorite things about this episode were the Protagonist, the action, and the ending.

Deceptive love

[yvolpe-97559 · 8/10 · 5 July 2023]

It was sad to see Rick reunited with his wife Laurie who basically runs on fear and seeks Shaun's protection already she is a weak character. She easily bought Shaun's story that Rick is dead. She is out for her own survival by clinging to Shaun who also betrays Rick to get his prize that being Laurie. And to take over the power position he perceives Rick to have since he is the Sheriff deputy. Shaun's jealousy of Rick will be his demise. The group tries to over come the walkers who are near thanks to Greg's blasting the horn of hIs new race car. Daryl shows up from his hunt and learns about Meryl Rick's introduction to b the group is difficult has he still acts like a cop.

An emotional reunion, and a daring rescue.

[mikeamber-36157 · 8/10 · 28 September 2020]

While this episode is not as captivating as the first two, it manages to deliver some great scenes and characters. Both Daryl and Carol make their first appearances here. Daryl gets an especially fitting introduction.

Rick gets a happy, emotional reunion with Lori and Carl, in what is the best scene of the episode. Merle's rescue operation provides a brief bit of intensity to the episode, which is otherwise focused on catch-up for Lori and Shane.

Saw hand or chain?

[wptoler-720-106218 · 10/10 · 16 November 2010]

So he saws his hand off on the roof... Now why the hell didn't he saw off the chain instead? I know it's all about the gore factor but still. (They) built this up in this episode and all we get is a hand and the cuffs. The chains were on the door which were mentioned at least twice in the second and third episode. I just don't get why anyone would saw off their own hand in such a short period to get out of a situation where they were not in danger. I'm guessing we will find out next episode. As far as his character goes, I think he will be killed off the show for obvious reasons if he isn't already dead. For his next of kin....... He's dead soon as well. Give your feedback... go......

A slower but more emotional (character building) episode

[MovieGeekBlog · 26 November 2010]

It's interesting to see how different these last three episodes have all been. The first one (arguably the best) has been setting up a perfect eerie and uneasy mood. It was truly scary despite the fact that it was marching through a very well-known territory (both the settings and the actually zombies themselves are nothing new and yet it was all terrifying). The second episode went for the gore and it felt almost like a parody of the genre itself (by saying that I don't mean to criticise it, however some of the "yuk factor" was so over the top that somehow it became less scary).

Now, having set up the main story and the characters, finally this third episode can afford slow things down a bit. Gone is the eerie atmosphere and the splatter factor (a part from one scene, where a head gets chopped off). Gone are also the big action set pieces and they all seem to have given way for more character-building scenes. The makers are obviously aware that this is a TV series after all, where from episode to episode we get to know more and more about each character and they have decided to exploit the format to their advantage by pushing all the right emotional buttons at their disposal. Last week in my review I wrote that I was afraid the series might end up looking more like a soap opera, but I now happy to say that I was wrong. What could have been really cheesy sequences about a family being re-united and about a wife betraying the memory of his dead husband by cheating with his ex best friend, in this third episodes exploded into some of the most emotional sequences in the whole series yet, mainly thanks to a particularly well handled direction and some excellent performances. I must confess , when or main character, Rick Grimes, finally sees his wife and child again, I was almost brought to tears One also has to appreciate the boldness of the makers who mercifully went straight for the punch lines and the "big reveal" without over-stretching the storyline of the return of the thought-to-be-dead-husband into 3 or 4 episodes. Let's just see how will they now handle the "betrayal" stuff and let's hope they'll be able to keep the pace up.

On the downside, I still have some problems with predictably of some of the set ups; for example (SPOILER AHEAD) the fact that the guy on the roof would have use the saw to free himself from the handcuffs was basically telegraphed from last week.

However, for the time being, I'm still hooked to this.

My review is here http://wp.me/p19wJ2-5u

Like reality t v with zombies.

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 2 May 2012]

Tell it to the Frogs episode is like reality T V but with zombies. The characters are typecast as red nicks, intellectuals, etc as a plot device to create differences which creates personality clashes for drama. Then the show tries to give a message about assumptions at the end which I find ironic. However, Frogs is an interesting show where the viewer wonders how the group is going to get it guns and ammunition form another group of survivors. The show winds up into a nice package like most t v show do, with the usual resolutions for the episode's conflict. A positive ending about people trying to get along. The Frogs episodes is fun to watch. I give Frogs a seven out of ten.

8.9

[CillianMurphyEnthusiast · 9/10 · 13 August 2023]

"Choke Holdings Illegal" -Daryl Dixon. Another great episode. Rick reuniting with his family is such a great scene. I'm on my second rewatch, (I'm probably going to stop after season three, when the show starts to get bad) and Andrea is not a bad character. Maybe she becomes worse as the show progresses, I don't remember. Her sister Amy is the annoying one. I loved Daryl's introduction in this episode. That scene where Rick is in bed with Lori was very boring to get through. Rick kept repeating that he found them and he knew he would. I agree with Lori. He was getting cocky and it was the worst scene in this episode.

A bit cold, but not bad! A fine episode.

[XueHuaBingYu · 6/10 · 25 June 2019]

When I watched this episode, when it was in the middle, I had some thoughts about Lori's affair. When it is revealed that Shane told Lori that Rick was dead, I didn't even know what to say. They could make the audience speechless. Not so bad!

What I love to see is Carl's absolute faith on his father even his mother has doubt. And I must say that Carl is so cute. Rick has such a cute and great son. I'd say he's very lucky.

Although the episode is great, it's somehow predictable. I thought Merle will cut off his hand to get out the handcuffs. My guess was right. He did the exact same thing. He was so unlucky that Zombie got him from the other way around before they arrived. Otherwise he would be okay. No matter he's turned into Zombie or not, even if he did, I think he deserved it. His character is so bad. If I were them, I wouldn't save him. And also I think that wouldn't make me a bad person because he's totally a bad guy. He doesn't deserve to be saved.

All in all, I want to watch what would happen next, such as the affair, that father and son who saved Rick and of course, Merle and all. The walking dead really makes me to continue to watch next episodes. Well done!

Clunky writing, poor character development.

[jonolafjohnson · 4/10 · 16 November 2010]

It seems although viewers are currently in the "honey-moon" stage when it comes to this TV show. The rating for this show is currently abnormally high. While I will certainly admit the series premier was strong, this show is off to a pretty shaky start. Episode Three showcases the program's serious faults. "Tell it to the Frogs" was full of wasted dramatic space, and demonstrated the show's uninspired character development.

The opening scene hit the mark. Merle's opening monologue was unsettling and provided excellent insight into the psychological realities of an individual in such a dire situation. The image of the 'walkers' attempting to break through the door in conjunction with Merle's howls of desperation and terror was truly haunting. Immediately following this, however, the episode flopped. While the reunion between Rick and his family was touching, the emotional resonance failed to extend throughout the rest of the episode. The tent scene between Rick and Lori was painfully circular and clichéd. The dialogue went no where, and the phrase "I came back for you" or something to that effect was uttered repeatedly like a dull mantra. This scene combined with Episode Two's laughably bad wallet eulogy pre-hack scene demonstrates how the writers and actors within the show are inept at handling emotionally turbulent situations.

In order to sidestep simply being a "Zombie Show" and to be taken seriously, "The Walking Dead" will have to prove itself to be a compelling human drama which just so happens to take place in a post- apocalyptic zombie infested world. Characters will have to be developed fully and uniquely, clichés will have to be avoided, and relationships will have to be carefully crafted and executed. Unfortunately, so far, this is not the case. The show is almost entirely composed of predictable character archetypes. We have the ghettoized African American male (Offensively named T-Dog), the racist redneck (Merle), the wife-beater, the submissive wife, the (once) rich/successful black female with just a touch of "soul", the geeky Asian kid, and so on. These characters are uninteresting and strictly adhere to preordained cinematic archetypes. Unless characters are developed more fully and creatively, the show will invariably be placed within the mostly uninspired and repetitive action genre, where it will sit alongside sophomoric and soon-to-be forgotten cinematic bores such as "Lost", "Heroes", "CSI" and the like.

The Dixon Brothers.

[devinpbuffington · 10/10 · 27 June 2023]

We meet up with Rick and the gang as they make it back to camp from Atlanta.

Rick makes trouble for Shane in the Lori category of life. Glenn's new toy could spell out big trouble for the groups safety, Daryl has to get the news that Merle was left up on that roof in Atlanta, and the guns are still laying on that street corner.

This episode was really great looking back because it was a perfect introduction to Daryl, and a good confirmation of who Merle was even just in a brief opening scene.

Merle is a hard man to care about due to a list of bad traits, but for someone who grew up in the south it's impossible to not know someone like Merle. Strong to a fault and more resilient than rod-iron. He is a survivor.

Daryl is a loyal brother who cares about his take as long as it means the ones he cares about are safe. He is just as strong as Merle, but where Merle is resilient in a screw you and die sort of way Daryl is more emotional. He is the softer of the two brothers, but it doesn't mean he won't take your head off for acknowledgement of the fact.

Just a great continuation of the season.