The Walking Dead is one of the best programmes on TV. Watched by millions of fans around the world, the hit show from AMC has become a global phenomenon. However, things don’t always go to plan (anyone remember that deer?). So let’s look at five of the strangest and most unrealistic aspects of The Walking Dead.
Excellent Dental Hygiene
The Walking Dead takes place in an apocalyptic world. We often see Rick and the rest of the gang move from place to place, scavenging for food and supplies for survival. Food and water are pretty scarce, so it’s strange that every single character has perfect teeth. Seriously, every person on the show has teeth as white as milk.
While everyone is trying to survive and find food, they must stop off and pick up a load of Oral-B ultra white and Listerine: Complete Whitening mouthwash. Either that or they have absolutely horrendous breath.
We’ve never, ever seen Rick and his gang of survivors pick up a load of dental hygiene products. I mean, do they even have toothbrushes anymore? If so, we haven’t seen them. Its an aspect of the show that just makes no sense. We need answers!
Unlimited Supply of Petrol
In every series of The Walking Dead, we have seen Rick, Daryl, and a host of other characters drive around in vehicles to get from point A to point B. In all eight series’, there has never been a time where petrol was an issue.
There seems to be a never-ending supply of petrol and diesel for the various vehicles the characters use. Where does all this come from? Do they siphon it from other cars? If so, which ones. It was more believable in Series 1 when our gang of survivors were on the road and came across abandoned cars all the time, but now, nope.
They’ve only got a handful of vehicles they use and they can’t go about sharing fuel from one to another and I highly doubt they pop over to the local petrol station to fill up (just leave the cash by the register, folks), so how do they never run out of fuel?
Characters Never Wear Armour
In The Walking Dead, a single scratch from a walker is deadly. A single scratch. So why do the characters never seem to protect themselves? You could argue that armour is hard to come by, but the folks over in the Kingdom seem to have loads available, so why not use it?
Remember that time Carol was rescued by survivors from the Kingdom? They were protecting themselves pretty well. Once all the communities came together, did they not share? Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and everyone else just ride into battle wearing jeans and a t-shirt. But why?!
Never mind the danger of getting shot by The Saviours, what happens if you come across a walker? Sure, chances are that a walker will be shot or beheaded, but why take the risk? If all it takes is a single scratch to die and let the virus take over, surely it would be wise to suit up?
Why Is the Grass Not Overgrown
Gardeners in The Walking Dead must be super busy throughout the year. Every location we visit on the show seems to be pretty well looked after. Take the prison for example. It’s filled with walkers, the interior is dark and damp, and there’s a sense of misery surrounding the place.
Then you look outside and it’s almost perfectly preserved. The grass is always perfectly mown. Perhaps the survivors use grass cutters every day to keep it tidy, but considering survival is of paramount importance, it’s highly unlikely that lawn styling is at the top of their to-do list.
What about lawnmowers? These machines are so noisy that they would attract attention in a heartbeat. Rick and the gang of survivors should be climbing through jungles at this point. Considering no-one looks after the environment, it seems pretty well kept.
Accurate Headshots. Every. Single. Time.
Almost every episode of The Walking Dead features some kind of combat, either between groups of survivors or against the reanimated dead. This, in itself, is to be expected. What’s not to be expected, however, is how good everyone seems to be at shooting.
All of the survivors seem to have insane skills when it comes to bringing down the enemy. It’s hard enough to hit a target when standing still, so the fact that Rick and the other group members can run and hit their target in the head perfectly is just so unrealistic.
It goes even further. Many people don’t have the training and skills to handle weaponry and are thrust into the story simply by chance. Yes, they must have been able to stay alive and survive by having at least some skill, but the fact that everyone can shoot a walker or another human in the head perfectly is silly.
The Walking Dead has reached its eighth season, and while it remains excellent television, the show can often leave you thinking “Really?” It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should offer at least some explanation for things that seem impossible.
