The Walking Dead ***please use SPOILER tags***

[Dana Jean]

Cool shirt from a couple of seasons ago.

Spoiler

I'm thinking if I pulled that shirt up over my head like that, nobody'd be looking at Coral.

 

[Lepplady]

Wee-eell, it wasn't quite as turd-tastic as I'd feared. Or I might be wrong about that. I did go in with very low expectations, after all.

But as before, dumb stuff.

Spoiler

Such as, how TH did the Saviors break out of the Sanctuary (apparently using most/all of their ammo, as per Eugene's comment in the previous ep) and counter-attack so swiftly and effectively? In previous eps, they were openly saying to each other that there was no plan. We, the audience, never saw or heard any post-breakout plans being formed, let alone nailed into place. They also seemed to have plenty of rounds left, so either Eugene was wrong in his estimate (probably not) or he was cranking bullets out like a bar-steward, because in the space of a few hours there was apparently ammo a-plenty.

"Negan wants Rick, the King and the Widow". Right. So why does Simon let her go, then? Even if we overlook that for a teeny-tiny second, he lets her go back without an escort! That there? That's stupid, that is.

As is Enid and Aaron's road trip. "Let's lure the Oceansiders out!" What a good idea! They only told you to stay away. Oh, and you attacked them before and nicked their arsenal. But yeah, good idea. Blowing Granny away when she finally turns up, less so. But hey ho, thanks for trying.

Rick and Negan's "fight". FFS, Rick, man, don't dab at the MF with the handle! Swing it around and tw*t him one with the business end! You know, the end that's only got barbed f***ing wire wrapped around it! Make it so he'd come second even to "Popeye" Glenn in a beauty contest!
And if you do have to dab at him, for Christ's sake blow him away when you fall through the window and come up with your gun in your hand. IIRC that thing fires .357 rounds. One or two of those and Negan's leaning back, "Oh, sh!t"ting days are over. I mean truly.

That right there blew away any ability I had to suspend disbelief and enjoy this show. There's no way in the WORLD that

Spoiler

Rick wouldn't swing at Negan with Lucille's business end. None. Or that he wouldn't have taken a shot. Those two fails on Rick's part blew the show out of the water for me, long before Coral's bite.

Spoiler

Carl getting bitten. OK. Yes, he should have been nibbled a few eps back, as I said at the time. But come on. That whole thing is clearly something that got bolted on in the writers' room at some point. Either that or Chandler Riggs really can't act, because there was no reaction at all. Nothing. Zip. Nada. Yet bites hurt. Surely he'd at least wince a bit and look pained?
And the bite...on his side? Really? When his arm was right there, begging to be chewed, and his legs were offering a much more accessible target?
Anyway, it is what it is. There just better not be a magical miracle escape for him. Glenn's Magic Dumpster was bad enough (I mean, most dumpsters I've seen have small wheels and 2-3 inches ground clearance at most; they really don't need much/any more, they're not supposed to be moved around a whole lot, or easy to move around), but if, somehow, we get a chopper landing and someone telling Negan to stop being so naughty, now can we please help the boy (well, "boy") in the Magical Ever-Expanding Sewer System, then...yeah. Phuket.

While I'm thinking about the helicopter...I'm telling' ya, all this should be in Rick's head. That chopper is a medevac, all right, but it's for him, because in reality he's still lying at the side of the road having just been shot, and Shane and the rest of the deputies are huddled around trying to save him.

Genius. I love the Jacob's ladder approach in this situation. Sure, it would be a tad nauseating. Think "It was all a dream." Like they did on Dallas. *urp* But it would be a lot more believable than what they've got going on now. Maybe

Spoiler

All of the people on the show were people from his real life. The Governor carried himself like an officer, so maybe a boss Rick didn't particularly like. All the kids on the show could be kids from the neighborhood. Carol could be a domestic abuse call Rick Answered. And, maybe in the ultimate twist, Carol was killed by her shmuck husband. That would explain why Rick would ressurect her in his mind and make her so strong. If we thought about it, we could explain how he knew all of them in his real life.

And I'd really enjoy that.

Spoiler

And of course he doesn't make it, dying in the hospital room he was lying in back in S1. We then get the closing shot of the series. Rick in the morgue. His body bag gets zipped up and the attendants leave the room, talking. The body bag begins to move. Zombie noises come from within. Yep, Rick is actually Patient Zero.

I. Love. It. This would be the absolute BEST ending they could give it.

Spoiler

Cap TWD, switch to FTWD...in which Morgan turns out to be part of the medical team that first experienced/tried to save Rick and are therefore technically the experts. Or something. Anything. Just make stuff start making some kind of sense.

We'd have to explain how

Spoiler

Rick could be patient zero and how Nick's girlfriend got infected. We're assuming she died of an overdose, so she would have to have been infected before that, somehow. We'd also have to explain how the virus got from Patient Zero (Rick) to other cities and countries around the world. Sai King provided the perfect scenario for it: One of the first responders ran, lighting the infection along the way like a wildfire.

Spoiler

Best bits were when the Trash Pandas did their 'Brave Sir Robin' bit - hopefully for good - and Rick's "Don't you ever shut up?" to Negan.
Apart from that, I feel we've really just come full circle back to how the cards lay at the midpoint of S7. It's almost as if Gimple (a pox be on his house) has decided to ignore the back half of last season but had to burn the first half of this one as well to make it happen.
Tbh, if I were in a position to do so, I'd be handing the bloke his P45 with his next payslip and getting someone else in. But unfortunately, I'm not, so...

I'm with you. Gimple needs to go. Even so, I don't think the show would survive, but I do think the blame lies squarely on his shoulders. He didn't just ignore

Spoiler

The back half of the season, but also the entirety of the comic book's narrative from that point forward. The whole (comic) series revolved around Carl. Killing him off now creates a complete departure from the comics. There's just no way to reconcile that.

I just don't think there's any coming back. I'll watch the first episode in February, but unless they come up with something that's truly dazzling (without being a cheat), I'm done with it. I've enjoyed the series. I'm glad I watched it. But that's the end of it.

 

[fljoe0]

Wee-eell, it wasn't quite as turd-tastic as I'd feared. Or I might be wrong about that. I did go in with very low expectations, after all.

But as before, dumb stuff.

Spoiler

Such as, how TH did the Saviors break out of the Sanctuary (apparently using most/all of their ammo, as per Eugene's comment in the previous ep) and counter-attack so swiftly and effectively? In previous eps, they were openly saying to each other that there was no plan. We, the audience, never saw or heard any post-breakout plans being formed, let alone nailed into place. They also seemed to have plenty of rounds left, so either Eugene was wrong in his estimate (probably not) or he was cranking bullets out like a bar-steward, because in the space of a few hours there was apparently ammo a-plenty.

"Negan wants Rick, the King and the Widow". Right. So why does Simon let her go, then? Even if we overlook that for a teeny-tiny second, he lets her go back without an escort! That there? That's stupid, that is.

As is Enid and Aaron's road trip. "Let's lure the Oceansiders out!" What a good idea! They only told you to stay away. Oh, and you attacked them before and nicked their arsenal. But yeah, good idea. Blowing Granny away when she finally turns up, less so. But hey ho, thanks for trying.

Rick and Negan's "fight". FFS, Rick, man, don't dab at the MF with the handle! Swing it around and tw*t him one with the business end! You know, the end that's only got barbed f***ing wire wrapped around it! Make it so he'd come second even to "Popeye" Glenn in a beauty contest!
And if you do have to dab at him, for Christ's sake blow him away when you fall through the window and come up with your gun in your hand. IIRC that thing fires .357 rounds. One or two of those and Negan's leaning back, "Oh, sh!t"ting days are over. I mean truly.

Carl getting bitten. OK. Yes, he should have been nibbled a few eps back, as I said at the time. But come on. That whole thing is clearly something that got bolted on in the writers' room at some point. Either that or Chandler Riggs really can't act, because there was no reaction at all. Nothing. Zip. Nada. Yet bites hurt. Surely he'd at least wince a bit and look pained?
And the bite...on his side? Really? When his arm was right there, begging to be chewed, and his legs were offering a much more accessible target?
Anyway, it is what it is. There just better not be a magical miracle escape for him. Glenn's Magic Dumpster was bad enough (I mean, most dumpsters I've seen have small wheels and 2-3 inches ground clearance at most; they really don't need much/any more, they're not supposed to be moved around a whole lot, or easy to move around), but if, somehow, we get a chopper landing and someone telling Negan to stop being so naughty, now can we please help the boy (well, "boy") in the Magical Ever-Expanding Sewer System, then...yeah. Phuket.

While I'm thinking about the helicopter...I'm telling' ya, all this should be in Rick's head. That chopper is a medevac, all right, but it's for him, because in reality he's still lying at the side of the road having just been shot, and Shane and the rest of the deputies are huddled around trying to save him. And of course he doesn't make it, dying in the hospital room he was lying in back in S1. We then get the closing shot of the series. Rick in the morgue. His body bag gets zipped up and the attendants leave the room, talking. The body bag begins to move. Zombie noises come from within. Yep, Rick is actually Patient Zero.
Cap TWD, switch to FTWD...in which Morgan turns out to be part of the medical team that first experienced/tried to save Rick and are therefore technically the experts. Or something. Anything. Just make stuff start making some kind of sense.

Best bits were when the Trash Pandas did their 'Brave Sir Robin' bit - hopefully for good - and Rick's "Don't you ever shut up?" to Negan.
Apart from that, I feel we've really just come full circle back to how the cards lay at the midpoint of S7. It's almost as if Gimple (a pox be on his house) has decided to ignore the back half of last season but had to burn the first half of this one as well to make it happen.
Tbh, if I were in a position to do so, I'd be handing the bloke his P45 with his next payslip and getting someone else in. But unfortunately, I'm not, so...

Spoiler

I think Carl got bitten an episode or two back when he was taking food to the guy in the woods his dad chased off. There was a zombie fight and Carl was in a pretty intense battle with a zombie. I'm guessing that's where it happened.

 

[Doc Creed]

"It was all a dream." Like they did on Dallas. *urp*

 

[Doc Creed]

Cool shirt from a couple of seasons ago.

Spoiler

 

[Doc Creed]

I'm thinking if I pulled that shirt up over my head like that, nobody'd be looking at Coral.

 

[arista]

 

[cat in a bag]

Spoiler

 

[cat in a bag]

Spoiler

We finally got to watch last night. I am not pleased!! Carl was such a little pain in the arse the first few seasons but darn it, he's grown on me. I cried!! Cried!! Even though I knew something was wrong with him the whole episode. Cried!! My husband was highly amused. "I can't believe you're crying."

I did not cry over Glen. I felt sick and more than a little disgust. But no crying. Damn you, Coral!!

I completely forgot about all the cryptic "W's" left all over and did not know who the heck you all were referring to by Whisperers. Is that where the W comes in? I have not read the comics. But, I am holding out hope that it does end up being a "cheat" this time and is a Whisperer bite.

 

[Lepplady]

Spoiler

We finally got to watch last night. I am not pleased!! Carl was such a little pain in the arse the first few seasons but darn it, he's grown on me. I cried!! Cried!! Even though I knew something was wrong with him the whole episode. Cried!! My husband was highly amused. "I can't believe you're crying."

I did not cry over Glen. I felt sick and more than a little disgust. But no crying. Damn you, Coral!!

I completely forgot about all the cryptic "W's" left all over and did not know who the heck you all were referring to by Whisperers. Is that where the W comes in? I have not read the comics. But, I am holding out hope that it does end up being a "cheat" this time and is a Whisperer bite.

I think all those W's were for the Wolves.

 

[skimom2]

Meh. Some good performances in a ok episode. Better than the last couple, but the dumb was strong with this one as well. A few instances:

Spoiler

aside from what Mr. Nobody mentioned, why the HELL did the stupid Hilltoppers jut hand over their guns in the first place? THERE WERE MORE OF THEM THAN THE SAVIOURS! I was liteally yelling at the TV (again), "JUMP OUT OF THE DAMN CARS AND FIGHT YOU STUPID (redacted)!" And lets just talk about the King. Thanks, Ezekiel. Great job blowing up your town when you could have, you know, SNIPED THE FEW SAVIOURS IN THE TOWN FROM A WINDOW! Seriously, that was just idiotic. Only headscarf lady apparently has an ounce of self respect, because she's the only Kingdom person to show any spine at all. And Maggie? Letting her go was just dumb, but why wouldn't she shoot plaid shirt Evil Shaggy? He's the most dangerous guy in their stupid people pen, and she let him live. Wait. I do have something to say about the RIck/Negan kerfuffle: WTH? I like Negan (well, it's a love hate relationship), but that smarmy SOB should have been dead at least 20 times since the beginning of last season.

This is just an awfully written season so far. Hoping for better, because I genuinely like the actors and the characters they play. I'm like Jake Gyllenhall in Brokeback Mountain, "I cain't quit you, Rick! I cain't !" (BTW, people in WY do NOT have the pseudo hillbilly accents that infested that movie)

 

[Lepplady]

I keep hearing that it was

Spoiler

a Whisperer that bit Carl. People are posting pictures of the "walker" before the bite, saying: "Look at the teeth! They're white! Look at the eyes! You can tell it's a mask!"

Spoiler: walker photo

I dunno. I hope it's a whisperer bite, even though that's a HUGE cheat. But, yeah. I think he's a goner.

 

[lovely1]

Finally got to watch episode 8

Spoiler

The whole time I was thinking: what is wrong with this episode? It was lacklustre at best. It's like the writers and producers aren't even trying anymore. Negan and gang, how the heck did they escape with their flimsy plan? Why did Carl have to get bitten? Although it looked like an outline of a bite. Eugene needs to go, never warmed up to this character, when I feel he finally has some redeeming qualities he just sucks, even if he did help the priest and the Hill Top Doctor. All I can think of was where would they live now that Alexandria is toast? Michonne went a little crazy. Felt sad for Rick and Carl that was it. They're getting rid of all the likeable characters. I think it's getting close to the show ending too.

 

[arista]

 

[cat in a bag]

I think all those W's were for the Wolves.

Ahhh. So who are the Whisperers?? I mean, I understand they are not Walkers but have I just missed this along the way or they are new?

 

[Lepplady]

Ahhh. So who are the Whisperers?? I mean, I understand they are not Walkers but have I just missed this along the way or they are new?

The whisperers are

Spoiler

survivors who wear walker skin to blend in. Unlike our gang who have done it from time to time, Whisperers stay like that all the time. That's how they live. They're the next group the gang encounter.

 

[cat in a bag]

The whisperers are

Spoiler

survivors who wear walker skin to blend in. Unlike our gang who have done it from time to time, Whisperers stay like that all the time. That's how they live. They're the next group the gang encounter.

Thank you!

 

[Mr Nobody]

Ohhhhh,

Spoiler

I really love your rick as patient zero scenario. I would love that. The Jacob's Ladder situation would be perfect too.

That right there blew away any ability I had to suspend disbelief and enjoy this show. There's no way in the WORLD that

Spoiler

Rick wouldn't swing at Negan with Lucille's business end. None. Or that he wouldn't have taken a shot. Those two fails on Rick's part blew the show out of the water for me, long before Coral's bite.

Genius. I love the Jacob's ladder approach in this situation. Sure, it would be a tad nauseating. Think "It was all a dream." Like they did on Dallas. *urp* But it would be a lot more believable than what they've got going on now. Maybe

Spoiler

All of the people on the show were people from his real life. The Governor carried himself like an officer, so maybe a boss Rick didn't particularly like. All the kids on the show could be kids from the neighborhood. Carol could be a domestic abuse call Rick Answered. And, maybe in the ultimate twist, Carol was killed by her shmuck husband. That would explain why Rick would ressurect her in his mind and make her so strong. If we thought about it, we could explain how he knew all of them in his real life.

And I'd really enjoy that.

I. Love. It. This would be the absolute BEST ending they could give it.
We'd have to explain how

Spoiler

Rick could be patient zero and how Nick's girlfriend got infected. We're assuming she died of an overdose, so she would have to have been infected before that, somehow. We'd also have to explain how the virus got from Patient Zero (Rick) to other cities and countries around the world. Sai King provided the perfect scenario for it: One of the first responders ran, lighting the infection along the way like a wildfire.

I'm with you. Gimple needs to go. Even so, I don't think the show would survive, but I do think the blame lies squarely on his shoulders. He didn't just ignore

Spoiler

The back half of the season, but also the entirety of the comic book's narrative from that point forward. The whole (comic) series revolved around Carl. Killing him off now creates a complete departure from the comics. There's just no way to reconcile that.

I just don't think there's any coming back. I'll watch the first episode in February, but unless they come up with something that's truly dazzling (without being a cheat), I'm done with it. I've enjoyed the series. I'm glad I watched it. But that's the end of it.

I know an "It was all a dream" ending would tick a few people off, but I honestly can't see one that doesn't have something of a "What? That's it?!" quality to it.
The possibilities (as I see them) are:
1) More or less as I've outlined (I think I've mentioned the pre-death dream/hallucination idea before, too. Maybe a couple of seasons back);
2a) Our Heroes(?), or at least some of them, survive and find a true sanctuary, where they live happily ever after (even if zombies still roam);
2b) As above, but the zombies die off/a cure for (what I think of as) the Lazarus Disease is found;
3) Everybody's dead, Dave, and we get a Cell-type ending (film) in which they're all zombies.

Given what we know about the world as depicted, 2a isn't very likely (no way would they be able to fit in or trust anyone implicitly), 2b...not a fan of 'and suddenly, as if by magic, a cure for this unknown thing was found' approach, and 3) too nihilistic; someone would have to survive, but then to what purpose? To just wander away to survive some more, fate unknown?

Spoiler

Unless that someone was Morgan, which might tie into FTWD. But then, what would compel him, the last survivor (or one of the last survivors) in that part of the former United States, to hike all the way to sunny Baja or wherever?

Granted, there'd be a possible second spin-off series there, but I don't think it's a coincidence that TWD has suffered since FTWD has been on air, even if they have separate showrunners, crews, etc, so trying to keep two plates spinning again should probably be avoided.

But yes, I'm with you, Lepplady: while I'd sack Gimple tomorrow, if not right this second (I'd say sooner, but time machines haven't been invented...yet), it's hard to see how it can ever get the lost audience back. Maybe if it was a slightly younger show there'd be a chance. Big maybe. But if the rule of thumb for a TV show is usually 7-8 seasons before audience exhaustion sets in, with a ninth or (just about) a tenth to bring everything to a close...yep, it's done.

Spoiler

I think Carl got bitten an episode or two back when he was taking food to the guy in the woods his dad chased off. There was a zombie fight and Carl was in a pretty intense battle with a zombie. I'm guessing that's where it happened.

Yeah, it's got to be.

Spoiler

But as I mentioned Carl's arm and both his legs were more accessible targets. Yes it would have made the bite more overt, but tbh to take a bite like he seems to have done and not even flinch...well, either he's got some big brass ones or his nervous system's on the blink. Either way it could have been handled better and it felt like a bit of a cheat or artificial cliffhanger/'dun-dun-duuun' moment

.

(BTW, people in WY do NOT have the pseudo hillbilly accents that infested that movie)

Well, you would say that, wouldn't you?

General point: talking with my nephew yesterday reminded me of two or three other moments of dumbf...oolery that I'd thought to mention while watching. Then I promptly forgot what they were again.

 

[arista]

 

[arista]