Walking Dead/Season 2

Season Two of The Walking Dead aired on Sunday evenings on AMC from October 16th, 2011 to March 18th, 2012. The season was comprised of thirteen episodes, which was broken up over two half-seasons. The first seven episodes of the season involved the main characters and their search for the missing child, Sophia Peletier. This storyline culminated with the episode, "Pretty Much Dead Already", whereupon the series went into it's mid-season break. The second half of the season, which began February 12th, 2012 with the episode "Nebraska" involved the Atlanta group as well as members of the Greene family and their dealings with a group of rogue survivors who present and clear and present danger to their safety.

All of the regular cast members from season one returned to the series for season two including Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yeun and Chandler Riggs. Actor Norman Reedus, who was a supporting cast member on season one, gained substantial popularity in the role of Daryl Dixon and was added to the main cast for season two. Melissa McBride, IronE Singleton and Madison Lintz all reprised their "also starring" roles as Carol Peletier, T-Dog and Sophia Peletier.

New cast members that had recurring roles in season two were Scott Wilson as veterinarian and farm owner Hershel Greene, Lauren Cohan as twenty-something Maggie Greene, Emily Kinney as Maggie's teenage sister, Beth Greene, Jane McNeill as Patricia, James Allen McCune as Jimmy and Pruitt Taylor Vince as Otis.

Directors

 * Billy Gierhart
 * Phil Abraham

Writers

 * Scott M. Gimple

Notes & Trivia

 * Actors Jeffrey DeMunn and Jon Bernthal were credited in all thirteen episodes from season two of The Walking Dead, but they did not actually appear in all episodes. DeMunn's final episode on the series was "Judge, Jury, Executioner" and Bernthal's last episode on the series was "Better Angels".


 * Although Madison Lintz's character, Sophia Peletier, was the central plot device of the first half of the season, Lintz only appeared in four episodes (not including recaps). She appeared in "What Lies Ahead", "Chupacabra" (in flashback), "Pretty Much Dead Already" and the very beginning of "Nebraska".


 * On March 8th, 2011, series creator Robert Kirkman offered an open invitation to controversal sitcom star Charlie Sheen to come join the cast of the show for season 2. Kirkman is quoted as saying, "Charlie call us, we will totally make that happen. We'll do whatever you want."


 * Actor Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, was voted one of three breakout TV stars to watch in 2011 by Entertainment Weekly readers' choice, owing largely to his performance in season two of The Walking Dead.


 * Glen Mazzara replaced series co-creator Frank Darabont as showrunner for The Walking Dead with season two. Darabont was still credited as executive producer on the episodes however.


 * Greg Nicotero became an executive producer on the series beginning with season two.


 * Paul Gadd, Scott M. Gimple and Evan Reilly joined the show as producers on season two.


 * Angela Kang joined the production crew of season two as a story editor. She also wrote the episodes "Secrets" and "Judge, Jury, Executioner".


 * Season two of The Walking Dead is the first professional acting work for Jane McNeill, who plays the role of Patricia.

Plot threads

 * The Search for Sophia
 * The Fall of Shane
 * The Randall Problem

Notable episodes

 * "Bloodletting": Introduction of Hershel Greene, Maggie Greene and Beth Greene.
 * "Pretty Much Dead Already": Death of Sophia Peletier.
 * "Judge, Jury, Executioner": Death of Dale Horvath.
 * "Better Angels": Death of Shane Walsh.
 * "Beside the Dying Fire": Introduction of Michonne.

Home video

 * Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season
 * Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season/DVD
 * Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season/Blu-ray