Walking Dead TV Show **Spoilers** (comic talk only in spoiler tags)

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**KamikazeCanuck**

Well it’s finally over I guess. I did like the last two episodes of the season more.

**Wyrmalla**

jmurph wrote:
Yep, it was pretty inexplicable why a bag of guns was there, but I am taking the view that this is all just some group RPing PA based on the WD survivors and he spent a character point or something. Rick's player is really hack n slash but RPs it up so the DM doesn't make him go evil. It makes alot more sense when you think of it this way- ass pulls when characters need it, never kill off the main group, filler sessions, I mean episodes, etc.

Feth, now I kind of want to read a comic strip based on that. Like those old Lord of the Rings/ Star Wars strips. What were they? DM of the Rings & Darth and Droids?

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Halfway through the finale, couple of truly excellent scenes so far.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Overall, I largely enjoyed that as a finale.

But, common complaint is common - the sudden shift at Hilltop at the end. It feels like there's a scene been cut somewhere, where the roots of that disagreement began.

But onwards and, hopefully, upwards. New Showrunner for Season 9, in the shape of regular writer for the series Angela Kang.

**Kanluwen**

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Overall, I largely enjoyed that as a finale.

But, common complaint is common - the sudden shift at Hilltop at the end. It feels like there's a scene been cut somewhere, where the roots of that disagreement began.

But onwards and, hopefully, upwards. New Showrunner for Season 9, in the shape of regular writer for the series Angela Kang.

The "disagreement" began when Rick let Negan live.

**Hulksmash**

Problem with the new show runner is Gimple is still in charge of everything. Hopefully he's more directional and less hands on. I used to love the guy but this season and parts of last season made me basically just stop watching about 3 episodes before the finale. I plan on watching the finale and then Fear which was excellent last season. I'm hoping Gimple keeps his mitts off it.

I think a lot of the problem has been them reaching so hard to maintain their ratings. I don't think they need to work this hard and it's making them do stupid things and not focus on the right things. Since Fear has never been a blockbuster ratings wise I'm hoping they mostly let it keep going on a show by show basis the way it has been. Far, far better characters overall.

**gorgon**

The finale went mostly as expected for people who know the comics.

I still wish the characters of Rick and Negan had been handled more like the comics. But at least they didn't have show Negan ponder whether Rick was right about all the communities working together. Show Negan wasn't as bright or stable as books Negan.

I also still don't like Eugene's heel turn. It didn't add any drama when his sabotage got a big reveal, because they'd already made him too unlikeable. But maybe that's just baggage from Gimple that the new lead writer will clean up.

I maintain that the second half of the season was a marked improvement from the disastrous first half, mainly because they smartly focused on character interactions instead of lamely-shot action sequences. It wasn't the best that the show has been, but it was a little better, and started to feel more like TWD again.

A heel turn for Maggie and Jesus would be incredibly unfortunate though, and feels like Eugene redux. Perhaps the end goal is Ms. Cohan's exit from the show, since her contract is apparently an issue.

@Hulk -- Fear has been really good, and I liked the opener. Sure, it's contrived to force Morgan onto the show, but they managed it as well as they could have IMO, and the end result should be a really solid cast of characters.

**Hulksmash**

gorgon wrote:

@Hulk -- Fear has been really good, and I liked the opener. Sure, it's contrived to force Morgan onto the show, but they managed it as well as they could have IMO, and the end result should be a really solid cast of characters.

Glad to hear it. Haven't watched it yet and I am leery of getting him onto the show. I think he'll be fantastic in a much less....judgy....group. And the fact that we don't see the same characters make the same stupid mistakes over and over again in that show is such a relief so far. With so much of the original cast gone from TWD and so much of the remaining cast not getting a ton of development time plus the killing off of Carl I'm not sure I'll turn on TWD next season. But Fear still has me excited. Like Into the Badlands does

**Azreal13**

Here's a thing, and I've not read the comics so I don't know how feasible this might be, but did anyone else notice that thanks to Rick's cut, Negan can now only speak in a... whisper?

**Wyrmalla**

Azreal13 wrote:
Here's a thing, and I've not read the comics so I don't know how feasible this might be, but did anyone else notice that thanks to Rick's cut, Negan can now only speak in a... whisper?

Spoiler:

**Mysterio**

Yeah, he gets better here too, I'd think.

**Wyrmalla**

Negan's not had any flash back scenes has he? Do we think that he'll have some in the next season?

Spoiler:

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Not that I can think of, no.

**nels1031**

Andrew Lincoln leaving the show, and Norman Reedus to take center stage!?

Mild spoilers ahead for folks who aren’t caught up on The Walking Dead.

We’re hearing that, by the end of Season 9 of AMC’s hit drama series The Walking Dead, Rick Grimes himself will be walking away. That’s right TWD enthusiasts, Andrew Lincoln will be growling his way through the post-apocalyptic setting for just one more season before calling it quits. And while we won’t be spoiling just how the series’ founding character makes his exit, we do know that fans can only expect to see Lincoln in half-a-dozen episodes of the upcoming season.

Any time a major character from the show shuffles off this mortal coil (or heads to a spin-off series), it’s a big deal, but for the characters who have been there from the beginning like Rick Grimes & Co., their loss is catastrophic. We saw that effect when Chandler Riggs left the show just last season and we’ll likely see an even bigger fan fallout when Lincoln leaves in Season 9. To fill the void in the show’s leading man status, we’re also hearing that AMC has offered substantial compensation to long-running series star Norman Reedus to not only stay on board, but to take over the show’s leading role.

Off-screen drama has been fairly common for The Walking Dead this off-season with star Lauren Cohan, who’s not quite a TWD original but close, making waves across social media by holding out for a better contract. Her case was strengthened by the Season 8 finale, which put her character Maggie in a position of power that ironically mirrored Cohan’s own bargaining position at the negotiating table. Cohan is confirmed to be back for Season 9 of The Walking Dead, though it’ll only be for six episodes as well; her ABC pilot Whiskey Cavalier has been ordered to series, keeping her plenty busy. It’s possible that AMC will cut ties with both Lincoln and Cohan this season … or vice versa. Lincoln has been relatively locked down in the eight-plus years of starring on The Walking Dead, and while it’s a lucrative job, it limits the versatile star from taking on other creative challenges. Cohan, too, has been a sought-after talent during the recent TV pilot season and has increasingly high-profile films on deck at this stage in her career.

Don’t worry though, fans; Daryl Dixon is here to stay for the foreseeable future, so there’s no need to riot just yet.

**Hulksmash**

Meh, I couldn't finish last season. Honestly my moment I decided I was done was when they killed carl.

**Shadow Captain Edithae**

Wirhout Carl, Ricks story going forward lacks it's raison detre. Might as well kill off Daddy too.

**gorgon**

Without Rick, Carl, or Maggie...it might just be time to call it a series. I don't see how 'The Daryl Show' will be compelling. Daryl is a great supporting character, but not a lead character.

**Hulksmash**

Personally I think a lot of this is coming from several factors;

-Andrew Lincoln isn't enjoying the show anymore
-Andrew Lincoln probably isn't happy with how they handled Chandler after Chandler had made huge changes to his schedule to continue on the show.
-He's probably not happy with the jerking around they are doing with Maggie's actor.
-His "Family" has been removed. Outside of a couple of people the cast that made it a family have been taken out back and shot essentially. There is only Maggie, Daryl, Michonne, and Carol left. And they dusted half of the longer running cast members over just a season and a half.
-I feel there is a bit of discontent at how the entire "project is being run". I'll explain in the spoilers below. (Do not read if you care about spoilers for FTWD and haven't at least watched the first 3 episodes of the new season)

Spoiler:

**gorgon**

I think there's plenty of reason to question Gimple at this point. That being said, I thought FTWD has been good again this season, although I question the logic of the event you referred to there.

Again, I don't see how 'The Daryl Show' works. AMC and Gimple seem content to ride TWD all the way to the bottom and milk every dime they can out of the show even if it means ruining it as a franchise. The thing is going to look a lot like Happy Days after basically every character of consequence left except Fonzie, an all-time great supporting character that can't carry a show on its own.

**KamikazeCanuck**

Fine by me I hate Rick the most of everyone on the show so I think its a good thing. Now they can really go off in a different direction which actually seems to work better for this show anyway.

And yes FTWD has become good again. I actually had to stop watching it last year the second half got so bad which is a shame because the first half of the season was decent.

**Mysterio**

Maybe Maggie and Rick will ride off into the sunset together?

**Nightlord1987**

My favorite episode of this season was the one with the odd intro Title cards that separated each Character arc.

**Wyrmalla**

Reading the comics first then watching the show gives you a definite disconnect. Its like they took every major plot point, turned it into an action scene, then threw in some more action scenes between those as filler. The comics were written fine, but they feel the need to change things unnecessarily, with the endless violence just being boring.

Not to mention all the plot holes that they induce in order to facilitate a show piece. That last scene in the Saviour's arc where the majority of them kill themselves was ridiculous. Apparently out of the, what hundreds (?), of guys there, not one of them fired their gun that day. Or all those scenes where they fire their guns on automatic whilst not being able to hit anything until the plot dictates (I remember watching one scene thinking "they're going to make them all shoot on full auto randomly aren't they? Its going to be ridiculous, but they're going to do it). ...Ah, nobody told the writers that there probably isn't that many select fire AKs in the whole State its set in at the time of writing.

The comics aren't much better to be fair. Characters at this point seem interchangeable in how they act, all pulling the same gormless facial expressions on queue and with dumb one page cliffhangers that're quickly resolved on the next page over with no dramatic effect (its like they're doing it as a joke). Kirkman's new series Oblivion Song is better, but I'm wondering if that's just because its in a new setting and in fact we're just seeing the same characterisation again, though haven't noticed yet.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Well folks, we’re a smidgen over a week away from the new season, so I felt it was time to awaken Ye Thread Of Olde.

New show runner, outgoing main character (though whether through ded or just departing remains to be seen) and some stuff readers of the comics will know of. Also a time jump from the end of the last season.

I’m pretty excite for this, having enjoyed even the slower seasons. Interested to see if a new head honcho can put some verve back into it.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

First episode in, and it’s showing some promise.

Not only are the ‘wars’ over, but we’re following True Survivors. The logic of what and why they were doing in the museum works. It’s people with time to breath and actually think doing sensible things, even things that won’t pay off for a while. That is a big change, and one I welcome. Short termism is over.

The time jump is clear, but I feel fairly nearly glossed over.

We’re also seeing tensions between the settlements and colonies. Questioning of Rick’s decisions. I happen to agree with Rick’s approach (think of the graffiti. Rick’s plan helps show you don’t have to be Negan to be fed and safe). And it was immensely gratifying to see Maggie ‘Doing What Actually Needed Doing A Long Time Ago’. But clearly stating she wants and needs that act to be a one off.

Suffice to say it’s not quite the full shilling yet, but I’m genuinely intrigued to see how this goes, and how it all develops.

Here’s my bet. Rick and Maggie will be written out, but not killed. Instead I think we’ll see and then follow a group that can no longer return to civilisation. The Carols, The Daryls, the Morgans. Those that have just spent too long on the road, too long fighting tooth and nail to settle down. I suspect they’ll put their skills to use expanding the alliance of survivors. Heading it into the wilderness where they thrived and found themselves as they try to find other enclaves, and contribute that way.

That could give the show a far tighter focus for at least a season or two, before returning to the established settlements.

Either way, it’s a glimmer of hope.

**Ratius**

Thought it was ok. Certainly better than some of last seasons episodes but cant say it was a super opening.
Hope they dont get too caught up in the whole internal politics thing between camps although no idea where they could take it without that. Feck it, just bring out some super zombies at this stage.

Plus they so need to utilise the guy who played Captain Vane in BlackSails!

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

I think they may be aiming for a few transition episodes. Start moving it to the new show runners vision. WD doesn't suit the sort of 'clean break' you can get with Dr Who after all.

I feel the internal politics may actually stand to save the show. Give us tension between previously good friends, as they start to rebuild civilisation. After all, they were friends of convenience to start with - all survivors thrown together, who had to get along.

Now peacetime has come? Some may struggle to adapt back (hence I feel Daryl, Carol and Morgan may go off a-wandering, giving the show a chance to refocus, or at least vary), the Ricktatorship can no longer being A Thing - and we're seeing elements of that.

Show us how people come back from the edge. Show the better nature of Maggie and Rick compared to Negan and The Governor. A period of adjustment and negotiation could be just what we need.

**Mysterio**

...to kill the ratings more than they've already managed.

This show has maybe one more year after this one, and then it will end, finally.

**gorgon**

I think the new showrunner is an improvement, and I think we saw her influence in the back half of last season. Like those episodes, this season opener isn't nearly the best TWD has been, but it's better than the drek that we saw in the first half of last season.

Regarding where the show goes from here -- as I know I've said before in this thread, TWD isn't a story about the end of the world, but the beginning of a new one. Each adversary they've faced represents a different approach to the new world. That was lost on the show somewhat when they portrayed Negan as too much of a Governor-styled despot. Comics Negan is a much shrewder guy and more complicated (and funnier).

Anyway, the catch is that I think both the comic and show have fans that would prefer the crew to be in desperate circumstances and on the run all the time. That's not quite what's going to happen, so I expect that the show will lose viewers just as the comic seems to have lost readers.

Personally, I still like the comic. It's just at a much different place in the story. The next group they encounter on the show should be an interesting one though, provided that the do it justice (they really didn't with Negan and the Saviors).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Mysterio wrote:
...to kill the ratings more than they've already managed.

This show has maybe one more year after this one, and then it will end, finally.

Maybe, but Happy Days limped along for a couple years after almost every important character left and it became the Fonzie show. TWD is on a similar path and not coincidentally has a bike-riding, leather-wearing, tough guy with a kind heart who's a *great* supporting character but not a character capable of carrying a show. They ought to just embrace it and have Daryl jump a pit full of zombies on his bike.

We did see him working on a bike, and there's a bridge that's out. Just saying...

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

They definitely undersold Negan to begin with.

Whilst the actor absolutely made Negan incredibly charismatic, they took too long to explain why he chose that approach - he’s vicious and brutal, because he genuinely believes he knows best. He doesn’t necessarily like what he’s doing, but like King Ezekiel (sp?), he puts on his front, because he needs people to believe in the legend.

And because they didn’t get to the core of that quickly enough, the impact of why Simon utterly failed as his replacement just didn’t land.

I’ve never read the comics (I’m not one to mix media. It’s a quick), so I dunno how it played out there. But on the show I feel the frustrating thing is we do see glimmers of potential brilliance that don’t quite manifest.

I’m totally in for this season, and the one after. From there, I may give up if it’s the same old same old. Much as I enjoy it, you need changes of pace and direction periodically. Lest you end up like a Soap Opera, where Dispoable Villiain A is finally dethroned, only to be replaced with Disposable Villain B, that’s pretty much Disposable Villain A, just in a slightly more fetching suit.