Walking Dead

[apocrypha]

I disagree about that actually, from my point of view - having *not* read the comics - it was incredibly tense. It feels to me like they could well kill anyone off at any time, except for Rick ofc. It kinda feels overdue for them to bump off a 'main' character, so I keep expecting it.

I totally agree about Carol though, she's definitely the most interesting character this season.

[Ironwood]

It's not so much about the comics, per se.

It's more the bullshit we've seen this far with Glenn and the fact that there's a main 'core' of characters that I just don't see as likely for the offing.  For example, Darryl isn't even IN the comics;  I'm fairly certain the character is made of Teflon for the purposes of the story.

[Velorath]

Killing off characters to add tension is a bit of a crutch and one that's been used dozens of times in the series already. As it is they've been killing off characters at practically the same rate they introduce new ones to the point where the only arguably interesting character introduced in the last two seasons who is still alive is Aaron. Heath hasn't really been given much to do yet (and with his career taking off might not be long for the show anyway), Denise and Enid don't really do much for me, I couldn't have even told you Tobin's name until I looked it up just now, and Jesus has potential but it's too early to say so far.

In fact the tension for me in that last episode is that I was hoping Alicia Witt would get to stick around for more than one episode as Paula (alas, it wasn't to be).

[Ironwood]

Well, at least she proved on the talk show that she really, really does love the cocaine.

 

[Velorath]

I'm sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you over the red hair.

[Setanta]

Tonight's episode had me wondering if they were channeling MASH with the photos and "hush". Once again I really enjoyed it - plus they switched out a certain death for a bonus. Abe and Eugene have the best lines in the show I swear.

[HaemishM]

Nice fakeout death, substituting one unnecessary death in the comics with another. I'm sad to see that character gone, but not as sad as I would have been if they'd followed the comics. Makes me hope for the season finale to not be the gut punch I'm expecting.

[Threash]

Oh it will be.

[jgsugden]

It may not be the gut punch we're expecting, but it will be a gut punch.  I'm personally thinking that people saying Carol and Daryl are "safe" because the characters they're portraying are not in the comics (Carol is a different Carol at this point) puts one of them in the lineup to meet their maker.

Actually, given the substitution we saw last night, I think we'll get two deaths at once - one that finishes off the character that had their death stolen last night, and one that gets someone that has been with the show a lot longer.

[Cyrrex]

I think they know that if they kill Darryl, there will be a sudden ratings drop as the 30 to 49 year-old female demographic immediately stops watching the show. 

[Ironwood]

Yeah, I've never, ever, ever understood this whole 'Darryl is sexy' but I'd be a fool to deny it exists.

[KallDrexx]

I think I"m done with this show.  Each episode seems to be getting worse and worse writing.

Carol's sudden "I can't stay here because I'd have to kill, even though I've proven over 6 seasons that I will have to kill while I'm out there alone" is utterly stupid and is just coming out of no where.  It's so obvious that something will either happen and she'll come back to save the day or they'll find her out there captured, neither of which seems interesting.

They seem hell bent on making people in situations where they should die live (glen being a bullet ninja when someone is shooting the walker pile on top of him, actually Glen in general) and yet they do sudden stupid deaths in just for the shock factor like the doctor.  It would have been so much more believable if they just came out of the woods aiming their guns and the doctor was killed in the crossfire, because it's also stupid that no one on their side was killed and the only issue was Eugene getting grazed by a bullet. 

And what is up with the whole biting the guy in the dick thing.  Eugene was latched on forever and the guy just stood there being dumb instead of stabbing him with one of the arrows from the bolt in his head or shooting him with the pistol he had with them.

I haven't read the comics, so if it's true that the comics are even more stupider than this then I'm glad I was very reluctant to pay the crazy expensive price for the comics.

[Ironwood]

I personally think the writers just hate the actor.

"What can we get him to do this week ?"
"Oh, I know, how about a long and lingering 5 minute shot of him buried in another guys crotch ?"
"Bingo."

[jgsugden]

In the comics, I think this era was a bit of a bridge era... a valley in quality of story. It was setting up something. It looks like the show is doing something similar... and I'd finish this season and watch the next premiere to see if it pays off before then.

They've thrown a few inside sliders and we're not swinging on them. We're due for some heat... and one solid hit will really get the game going.

[HaemishM]

I haven't read the comics, so if it's true that the comics are even more stupider than this then I'm glad I was very reluctant to pay the crazy expensive price for the comics.

The comics are SO MUCH WORSE. Like "Fear the Walking Dead" bad. The FARM season from the TV show was better than just about all of the writing in the comics.

Just to give you an example, Carol dies in the comics about 30-40 issues in because 1) she tried to kill herself but was saved by the rest of the group and then 2) she wants to marry Rick and Lori (as in some kind of 3-way marriage since there are no rules anymore) because they've been nice to her and she's that needy and 3) finally, she walks up to a chained up walker that one of the doctors from Woodbury is experimenting with and lets it bite her in the neck, screaming "YOU REALLY LIKE ME!" as she gets jugged.

I wish I was making ANY of that up, but I am not. The comic is good in spite of the writing, not because of it.

[MediumHigh]

To put it another way. Remember the governor? Ok his arc was the best arc in the franchise. It goes really downhill from there. Basically to be a true fan of the walking dead you have to continue slugging through this dreck long after


The comic was good only because it appealed to our cynicism. We like the walking dead because a part of our monkey brains wants the walking dead to happen.

[Ironwood]

Even the Negan stuff in the comics was dreadfully dire and very badly written/plotted.

Not going to go into any spoiler territory, to be honest, but the trouble that the whole story really has is that PEOPLE ARE THE REAL BADDIES only really works in two or three instances.  You have the 'fuck it, out for what we can gets' the 'tinpot dictators' and the 'religious nutbags'.

And that's really it.  We've had the Dictators (now on to our second), we've had the selfish and amoral, all the way down to Cannibalism and all we need now are a bunch of Zombie Worshipping Freaks out to save souls by sacrifice to the zombies.  Oh, no, wait, that was the wolves, wasn't it ?   

Once you've DONE those, it's hard to be interesting. Which was why FEAR TWD was something that could have been good because it would have been the breakdown of society, but instead they just went 'oh, right fascist soldiers and government coverups hooray' on us and that, frankly, is hugely boring.

But anyway.  I still wanna know where that Helicopter Rick saw was actually going...

[Triforcer]

Fear the Walking Dead should have been centered on the White House, or maybe some badass but ethical general, trying to hold things together while congressman or corporals in the same bunker plotted coups and stuff.  Basically, BSG with zombies.

[Evildrider]

Fear the Walking Dead should have been centered on the White House, or maybe some badass but ethical general, trying to hold things together while congressman or corporals in the same bunker plotted coups and stuff.  Basically, BSG with zombies.

Well I mean the reason they didn't continue on to Washington on TWD is cuz there's nothing there.

[MahrinSkel]

Yeah, but they could have done something really interesting with "Why?", like the President, VP, and Speaker all becoming zombie chow before they figure out what's going on, and the Cabinet going into a spiral of plot and counterplot that has "nonessential" officeworkers for various departments swarming each other while zombies run amok, and the military attempts to figure out WTF to do, with the pathetic remnant at the end retreating north in hopes that colder winters will be a defense against zombies.

That would have been really interesting. Instead we went straight from SHTF in LA to 28 Weeks Later warlords, and nobody cared.

--Dave

[Selby]

That would have been really interesting. Instead we went straight from SHTF in LA to 28 Weeks Later warlords, and nobody cared.

Yeah, this.  FTWD really annoyed me with how poorly done it was.  I am not even sure I care enough to tune in for the 2nd season.

[Evildrider]

They fucked up by constantly stating that these shows will never intersect.  If there was an eventual bridge between the two shows I would probably try to keep interested, but hell I can't even remember much from the first season.

[MediumHigh]

Remember that opening shot in the first season of the walking dead. When the military is lined up, tanks and sandbags and mounted machine guns. Yet the zombies over ran them? Yeah no. Don't expect a real explanation for why the shit went down hard. Hell our monkey brains don't want one. FTWD skips right to the part we semi like, human dickiery because society is over and you all get to live in the fascist amoral wonderland. 

[HaemishM]

Actually, the season finale of FTWD probably offered a good explanation for just that when the zombies overran the military-controlled hospital. It's just unfortunate that it happened because of literally the dumbest fucking plan ever presented. "I found us a way IN but to get out we'll have to fight the military AND the horde of zombies I just unleashed on them. AREN'T I SMART?"

[Threash]

AMC is just scared shitless of actually spending any money on their best franchise for some stupid reason.  That's why we got the farm season and the planned fall of Atlanta mini series (blackhawk down but with zombies according to the creator) never happened even though the main character was already cast and made a zombie cameo in season 1.  Fear the walking dead was supposed to show the fall of civilization, cept that costs money so nope, can't haz.  Instead we get to skip the week where everything interesting happens and we only hear battles through the radio.

[Ironwood]

Let's create tension with out of character retardery.

Blarg to it, I say.

[Selby]

Yeah I'm kind of over "let's do stupid stuff because it makes tension/advances the plot!"

[Threash]

Yeah, that's two episodes in a row were the entire plot/danger revolves entirely around people being incredibly stupid and doing things completely out of character.

[Setanta]

I was preapered to defend last week's episode but this week's was shit. A total rehash of the last 2 episodes with Carol being a chameleon and the other characters being dumb. That had to be the laziest script writing I've seen in a while.

[Tebonas]

I'm going with "The Food from Hilltop is laced with a Stupidity drug".

Because the people in this episode wouldn't have lasted this long in a Zombie Apocalypse.

[Ironwood]

On the other hand, I do like that they have finally clarified Carols thought processes.  Yes, she is having panic attacks and breakdowns and is NOT putting it on, but once shit starts she's a death machine and can't stop herself.

Somehow, this is the only thing on the show I'm actually liking.  The arrogance of the Saviours swiftly cut short made me laugh my ass off.  The swift move with the car spike was also something we'd expect from The Punisher, not this little old lady.  It's like Granny Weatherwax in one of the Deathwish movies.

[HaemishM]

Carol's crisis of conscience would be good but it's just off to me somehow.

What I'm really getting tired of is "oh look, the Saviors just crept up on our intrepid heroes YET AGAIN with no one seeing a goddamn thing." That shit only works two, maybe three times before it gets old and annoying instead of menacing and creepy.

[Threash]

Specially when the one getting creeped up on is their best damn tracker.  And Carol's crisis on conscience  would be a great plot development and perfectly in line with having had to burn a bunch of people alive, the problem is her fucking idiotic decision to run off on her as the solution.

[jgsugden]

They baited a trap and sprung it. Not silly at all... This is the first time Rick's group has faced off against competent enemies that plan and have skill. The Saviors know what they're doing and are winning some battles against Rick's group, especially when Rick's team makes mistakes.

[HaemishM]

There's knowing what they are doing and there's "How the fuck did these guys continue to get the drop on these fucking people?" It's almost like they are using goddamn Viet Cong tunnels.