The Walking Dead Thread

[Stoosh]

Gimple said on Talking Dead after either the premier or episode 2 that the first four episodes of this season all dealt with the same raid, and that they were all filmed over the course of eight straight days. I suppose this was done to preserve continuity and lend itself to the story...you'd see the attrition on the actors and it would help explain some of their decisions made as the raids progressed. That seemed to be their intentions.

I don't think it's a coincidence that Gimple and/or Kirkman have been on guests on three of the four Talking Dead shows that have aired so far this season (together after Ep1, Gimple on again following Ep2 & Kirkman was on after Ep4). It sounds like they were aware of the criticism about the way they handled the end of Season 6 and the way Season 7 dragged after Negan was introduced. I think they wanted to start this season off with a bang and this was the best way to do it. I can get what they're trying to do.

Unfortunately, I don't think it was executed particularly well. Gaping plot holes were exposed; hell, the "why didn't they just Negan" thing was asked by Hardwick himself to Gimple. Certain moments that could have been much more poignant -

Eric's death, for example

- didn't really resonate.

Even Ezekiel's breakdown at the hands of that Jim Carrey-looking Savior and the loss of Shiva lost punch because of inconsistencies with the closeness of the walker threat. Jim Carrey monologues for several seconds while appearing to be never be more than 20 yards ahead of a shambling horde of walkers. Jerry & a hobbled Ezekiel dispatch several walkers with a sword and busted axe handle despite being penned in along a fence, but then Jerry & Carol can't navigate a muddy creekbank with Ezekiel in tow AND take care of about 10 walkers already slowed by mud?

All that said, I've still enjoyed much of it. I thought opening Ep4 with Ezekiel's pre-departure preparation & speech interspersed with shots of the Kingdom army saying goodbye to loved ones, then immediately cutting to shots of their bodies shredded by the 50-cal was well done. I also liked the way Episode 2 opened and closed. I'm legitimately intrigued by the flashbacks we saw of Rick during Episode 1 and what may happen (I've read that the flashbacks were sort of a "divergent fates" thing that would be contingent on decisions made during the raids).

[Morkle]

No it lasted a couple weeks IIRC. A few battles took place, Negan returned volley, etc.

this makes me very worried that this is gonna stretch 16 episodes. i said before that i'm out if they don't wrap this up at the mid season break. after these 4 episodes, i'm very comfortable with that plan.

I think you're going to see that spoiler during the MSF and all-out war get wrapped by the end of this season. Gimple said it would conclude this year.

I bet it doesn't conclude this year and the new saviors just become Simon and gang.

nah. they aren't THAT stupid.

what are the beats of all out war in the comic that still haven't happened yet?

the first raid could be the entire first 8 episodes i suppose, and they could spend 6 more episodes with a little more conventional back and forth. and then episode 15, they

capture negan

and episode 16 they

decide not to kill him

obviously it would be better to have those 2 things happen in episodes 7 and 8. i guess if the midseason finale isn't the end of this fiasco, it would possibly be the deaths that rick is mourning from episode 1's mini flash forward?

MSF:

Saviours attack Alexandria, nobody but Carl and Michonne there to defend it - Carl is killed by tainted weapon (that's a scene Negan and group do, but covering their knives/bats in zombie blood to cause infection).

Finale:

They capture negan, Rick cuts Negan's throat and saves him as he's telling saviors they're free and wants to work together,
you end the show with negan looking out of the cell Morgan built.

[shmenguin]

first tolerable episode all year, and we have radio silence ITT.

negan is great. i mean...he's still someone you shouldn't go to heroic measures to save. or not shoot in the face when you have a gun. but he's a great character. so are his henchmen, actually (though the woman is a bit too cartoonish).

so yeah - aside from gabriel being a complete and utter idiot, well done TWD. you did good.

[count2infinity]

I didn't watch... if it was decent, I'll watch tonight.

[nocera]

Also didn't watch. No way in hell would I watch this show live. I generally catch up on Monday or Tuesday.

[columbia]

If was decent, but I'm not sure it advanced much of anything.

[Morkle]

It was decent, I liked it more than the last two episodes. Gabrial getting sick was the progression to the next altercation/escalation, Simon is going to be an issue, Dwight needs to get out.

Should be an interesting show for the MSF.

[shmenguin]

is there any part of "all out war" in the comics where dwight fights for the good guys, or is he just a double agent the whole time?

also...what's the next altercation?

[Morkle]

Yes, Dwight plays a big part in the comics in the end of Negan's main storyline. It's going to be real interesting.

[Morkle]

is there any part of "all out war" in the comics where dwight fights for the good guys, or is he just a double agent the whole time?

also...what's the next altercation?

Gabriel wasn't bit, he got sick from the zombie guts. This leads Negan to have his men cover their melee weapons in the guts of zombies to make them sick/kill them even if the wound was minor. They'll end up smoking Alexandria here, likely at the MSF.

[shmenguin]

is there any part of "all out war" in the comics where dwight fights for the good guys, or is he just a double agent the whole time?

also...what's the next altercation?

Gabriel wasn't bit, he got sick from the zombie guts. This leads Negan to have his men cover their melee weapons in the guts of zombies to make them sick/kill them even if the wound was minor. They'll end up smoking Alexandria here, likely at the MSF.

dammit. this does not bode well for wrapping this up by episode 8. how the frig are they going to stretch this out.

[Morkle]

is there any part of "all out war" in the comics where dwight fights for the good guys, or is he just a double agent the whole time?

also...what's the next altercation?

Gabriel wasn't bit, he got sick from the zombie guts. This leads Negan to have his men cover their melee weapons in the guts of zombies to make them sick/kill them even if the wound was minor. They'll end up smoking Alexandria here, likely at the MSF.

dammit. this does not bode well for wrapping this up by episode 8. how the frig are they going to stretch this out.

I think I said it before, but if the MSF rumors are true and Carl dies - that's likely when they destroy Alexandria, and when Rick decides to end it. It goes and ends with the series finale. Rick spares Negan, Kills Simon, and Dwight leads the newly freed saviors.

[shmenguin]

the big beats seem pretty obvious...which is part of why stretching them out is so vile

[AuthorTony]

I just watched it. Definitely the best episode of the season.

I have to say, after seeing how ridiculously lame the "workers" are, I'm on Daryl's side. Kill them or let them die. Any group that hugely outnumbers the leaders, but still allows themselves to be subservient (and kneel, ugh) to sadistic men like Negan's bunch just so they'll be safe doesn't deserve anyone's sympathy.

[Morkle]

I was also under the assumption after that episode that Negan promised the workers that he'd keep the turds at bay. It was obvious Simon and the rest of the brain trust (excluding Dwight) knew how to lead these people.

[nocera]

That was definitely the best episode of the season. Negan is so much more interesting than Rick or any of his crew. I'm conflicted. I don't want this **** war to keep dragging on but I also don't want to lose Negan in the show. Any chance they could kill off 99% of Rick & crew and the show just follow Negan?

[Morkle]

lol I doubt they lose Negan. I bet they follow the comics pretty closely in that regard.

[nocera]

I would honestly be okay if they killed everyone except Rick, forcing him to join the Saviors after he completely failed and got his entire group killed.

[dodint]

They need to find some sexual harassment in one of these peeps past and kill this thing.

[Gaucho]

Wow, that bad?

[Morkle]

Last night's episode was back to the everyone making stupid mistakes routine. Total filler. Siddiq only interesting thing, and he's never been that interesting.

[Gaucho]

New character or just another forgettable character I had duly forgotten?

[shmenguin]

Last night's episode was back to the everyone making stupid mistakes routine. Total filler. Siddiq only interesting thing, and he's never been that interesting.

like...what were we supposed to feel at the end of that episode? "Ahhhh No! They got Rick!"? he deserved to be captured. it was another dumb plan. so my reaction was, "no doi"...and i'm assuming that's NOT what they were going for

[Morkle]

Last night's episode was back to the everyone making stupid mistakes routine. Total filler. Siddiq only interesting thing, and he's never been that interesting.

like...what were we supposed to feel at the end of that episode? "Ahhhh No! They got Rick!"? he deserved to be captured. it was another dumb plan. so my reaction was, "no doi"...and i'm assuming that's NOT what they were going for

Seriously. "My people know I'm here." 4 of your people couldn't follow simple directions and all left Alexandria. Presumably to make more poor choices and get themselves or others killed.

@Gaucho - he's a new character.

[AuthorTony]

At least things happened and it wasn't 40 minutes of mostly anonymous people shooting and getting shot. That makes it the second best episode of the season.

However, the stupidity was bountiful. Rick's plan was inane. And the fact that the trash people didn't just kill him is equally dumb. People are still killing zombies with knives rather than spears, even though zombies apparently have paper mache skulls. And Michonne has devolved into the shows best ass kicker to someone who can't sneak around a nearly abandoned warehouse without revealing herself and almost getting killed.

At this point, I just want all of the garbage people to die. Their 2 word sentences are ridiculous.