The Walking Dead!

[Clipper]

To avoid extra wordage in these writeups just assume that there are the usual dodgy Walking Dead bits with characters doing daft things now and then. I'll mention when they are absent or particularly egregious. It just saves time as we all know that even the best episodes has a bit of this

 

I am also putting 0-5 ratings on episodes that are ratings in context of walking dead (otherwise I'd rarely use a 5 if ever )

 

Season 5 continues pretty strongly after the shitshow of S4.

 

S5E3 - the one that is brutal

 

Really strong episode, the Terminus cannibals are still a little bit cartoonish but the dread is still there. Gabriel's confession is great too (yes I know he is hated) and at this point I like the character, flaws and all. Bob drags things down a bit.

 

The attack/stand off by the Terminus Cannibals is tense and pushes on lots of themes with "who are the real bad guys" and "there but for the grace of god go I". The denoument of that is absolutely brutal and shocking.

 

Great episode but the end hints at a return to the dreaded Beth.

 

4/5

 

S5E4 - the one where even Beth can't ruin it

 

This episode isn't quite as good as the last one and the splintering of the series into separate groups is both inevitable and disappointing. However the new group in the hospital carry on the season 5 vibe of piling on the creepiness and disturbing side of things.

The atmosphere in the hospital is well realised and gives a really unsettling feeling. The acting isn't always perfect, Beth is still weak (but better here) but it is a very good episode. The gradual reveal of the full extent of abuse and slavery is well done. The new characters are obviously not going to stick around but I liked the Doctor (his actrions are quite shocking) and the "cop" in charge.

 

4/5

 

S5E5 - the one where  Eugene confesses

 

Ooof this episode is almost good at various points but it stumbles and falters and flubs each step. Abraham's backstory doesn't land well for me - too much cliche, the creepy spying on sex scene doesn't work (apart from Tera taking a cheeky look at the end which is quite funny) and makes me realise that Rosita exists purely as male gaze type fodder at this stage, the dialogue seems quite wooden - the chummy stuff about Eugene's mullet feels really forced as do many other elements. All of this adds up to Eugene's confession not having the impact it should - the build up over episodes was fine but the pay off falters badly. That isn't to say there aren't bright spots but it is just too meh.

 

2/5

[Clipper]

Seasons are following a pattern now - first few episodes good then a dip and then maybe it'll recover or not in the 2nd half. So

 

S5E6 - The one where Carol and Daryl try to save Beth

 

This is a whole lot of nonsense. They track the car with a cross in the back window to Atlanta, who seemingly doesn't notice he is being trailed by a car that is no more than 100m behind him in a post apocalyptic world where cars are rare. Carol/Daryl only come unstuck because their car runs out of petrol but no problem. I understand Atlanta to be a pretty big city but they then proceed to find all they need within a few blocks. They stupidly crash off a bridge, are stupidly caught by Noah, who then stupidly gets caught by them again. Then they finally realise they are all friends of Beth and decide to do soemthing.. Then the cops arrive and run over Carol so they can take her to the hospital?

 

Mixed in we have some heavy themes surrounding Carol with regard to her loss of her "new daughters" the loss of Sofia and the abuse she and sofia suffered at the hands of Ed. Unlike the critics, I don't think they are well explored at all - the only touching point in the episode is when they shelter in the women's refuge and Daryl deals with the walkers inside who were likely women staying in the refuge with their children

 

2/5

 

 

S5E7 - The one where another rescue is mounted.

 

Two of the parties come together! Rick's church group and Beth's new cop friend storyline combine!  It isn't very good as they get to Atlanta (the city so small you can't walk two blocks without tripping over who you are looking for) and plan to rescue Beth and Carol. They capture some cops then lose them then get them back then get told the leader won't trade prisoners anyway meh meh meh

 

Beth sneaks meds for Carol but the hospital stuff that was so effective in previous episodes feels neutered in some way. The unease and atmosphere have gone it now feels like all the tension drained out after the events in the previous episodes leaving the Hospital cops looking pretty useless.

 

The group left behind in the church have some screentime but it is also dulllll. Gabriel is scrubbing the floors and the rest are trying to teach him to defend himself.

 

The group with Eugene are sitting around (literally in Abraham's case) seemingly unable to move their plot forward until they have had some long chats and caught some fish and filtered some water.

 

This episode feels like stalling tactics before we get the mid season finale!

 

1/5

[Captain Kelsten]

Started watching through this again. Think I finished season 4 before I bailed last time - just burnt out binging it. 
 

Already up to s2 and it’s such good television. I know it goes shite towards the end or whatever, but that first season? Goddamn. 

[Clipper]

S5E8 - THe one where the midseason finale is actually good!!!

 

Yes that's right. I mean its not great but I like the fact it is quite lowkey and depressing. Noone wins everyone loses something which is a nice dystopian tone deserving of an apocalypse.

 

The hospital cops plotline ends with no bang but instead a whimper of despair. It opens with Rick in brutal form which mirrors much of the season and it lulls you into thinking that this will be the part where the unrepentant "goodies" brutally deal with the "baddies". There is way more nuance here and it quickly goes sideways.

 

The distraction back at the church is wholely unnecessary and weakens the episode but not too badly.

 

3/5

 

Overall the first half of season 5 easily outclasses season 4. In fact you could watch season 3 - replace the finale with the midseason finale of season 4 (which is a rerun anyway)  and then watch the last episode of Season 4 before embarking on 5 and you wouldn't miss much of anything!

 

(on another note I need to find where Fear the Walking Dead streams as I fancy rewatching season 1 as I recall that had a nice edge to it.

[Clipper]

S5E9 - The one where we slowly lose a character and it is brilliant* and I might get lynched

 

This might be unpopular as I don't recall what people thought of this at the time as it is one episode in the middle of a season.

 

After the decent ish mid season finale the group go 500 miles to find Noah's family/community. I like this and the theme of them trying to find their humanity and not lose themselves due to the brutality of the outside world is a good theme.

 

However , and yes I might have been drunk when I watched it, but I think the loss of Tyreese is superbly handled (and I thought so on my first non-drunk viewing as well). Walking Dead loses characters all the time, usually ones with a backstory you only find out in that episode to the extent that if a noname character gets a backstory in an episode then you think "oh you are DEAD".

 

Tyreese was badly served by the Walking Dead writers, I like the actor's portrayal of the inner conflict but he never had the scripts to back it up. They never really knew what to do with him - they tried to make his conflict work but he was too disconnected from the other characters. However when they come to finish him off I love the way they did it. We slowly lose Tyreese over a 30 minute or so period and it is gradual and painful and we get the attempt to rescue him with dismemberment and we think "oh that old trick again". But this time as things go on we know it's not right and won't work. More importantly with Tyreese's "visions**" we know that , as a man, he was ready to lay down and rest. Seeing that in a zombie film/tv show is unusual - protagonists fight and enver give up - so to have one who is ready to lay down his head is quite touching

 

It may not be for everyone and Tyreese was a badly served character but I really enjoyed this episode and found it quite affecting.

 

 

 

5/5 (in context of Walking Dead)

 

 

 

*With provisos - I mean it is the Walking Dead

 

** I loved the cameos in the visions even if I didn't like their characters by their "end"

[Clipper]

S5E10 The one where we see reality of a zombie apocalypse

 

This is how Season 2 should have opened. A slow burning episode that shows us the gruelling existence on the road as the survivors continute to only survive. Desperate for water and food they shamble along like the Walking Dead thewmselves (which is rather clumsily referenced as we can't trust the audience to work it out for themselves).

 

This will not be everyone's cup of tea but I enjoyed it.

 

4/5

 

 

S5E11 - the one where they might have been out here too long

 

It's a phrase coined originally by Michonne but fits here as well. The encounter with Aaron shows that Rick is almost "gone". The lack of trust despite evidence is really well played and only Michonne manages to get things on track.

 

This is obviously the introduction of Alexandria via Aaron and the mistrust leads to endangering the group on the road. Being Walking Dead there are contrivances but it is actually again a decent well executed episode

 

4/5

 

S5E12 - THe one where they move into a mansion

 

THis is the setup and proper introduction of Alexandria. Some good new characters introduced, I like Deanna as the ex congresswoman who now runs the place. Her dodgy son is less interesting and too much of an obvious setup for conflict later. Similarly Jessie is a good addition but the abusive hubby subplot is a retread of Carol.

 

Speaking of which Melissa McBride totally over does the playacting as the homemaker - too ham by half. The rest of the cast do well in their establishing scenes in Alexandria as they try to adjust to "normal". It is great finding a community of people who are "weak" and don't know how hard it is - again contrived but well done. I don't often praise Carl but his reaction when offered videogames or pool by people his own age is surprisingly touching  as we see a glimpse of the boy inside.

 

3/5

 

 

[Captain Kelsten]

I’ve almost caught you up! I’m onto S5E2 now. I’ve quite enjoyed it all so far. 

[Hanzo the Razor]

I gave up at the mid-season point of Season 9 but I'm enjoying @Clipper's reviews. Keep them coming good sir!

[Clipper]

For the following episodes I will not  be mentioning Sasha's storyline as it is a pointless endeavour. YEs she lost her brother and Bob but the way she goes off the deepend is just not compelling. Fortunatley they don't spend an episode on it they just pop in the odd scene with her acting sad/unhinged etc. The fact I can happily ignore these moments tells you ll you need to know about how connected it all feels

 

S5E13 - The one where they settle in(or not!)

 

This one is a setting up episode, it gives more context for Rick, Carol and Daryl as they conspire (or not). It isn't bad but there are no standout points. Daryl's connection with Aaron and how that changes his attitude to taking back weapons is good. Rick's dalliance with Jessie is just a bit of a weird fit - I can see why they do it as it creates a conflict when he finds out Pete is abusing her - but it is a really clunky moment at the party. Its as if the writers needed a reason for people to think Rick was lying about Pete ands so they put in this attraction. Carol is a bit off beam as she has been since she arrived in Alexandria, the direct threat to a child shows her ruthlessness but I don't think it adds anything.

 

3/5

 

S5E14 - The one where everyone (in the writer's room) hates Chris

 

It was inevitable that we needed to lose a cast member to ramp up the tension between Rick's group and Alexandria, if it was all one way it could make you possibly turn against Rick's group. Fortunately there are wronguns (or more accurately very scared people) in Alexandria and so we lose one from each side. It is a well constructed supply run with nice action scenes and some gory endings. Good stuff and gives us part of the friction we need between Rick's group and Alexandria to drive us to the finale

 

THe Jessie/Pete abuse becomes more obvious and it is still a little stale and staid. I like Carol's involvement and it's the first time we have seen her in Alexandria being herself.

 

Abraham has some good scenes helpng out the construction crew as well.

 

Strong episode leading story with the B stories propping up the rest ok.

 

3/5

 

S5E15 - THe one where tensions come to a head

 

This is basically a lot of fluff that is building towards Rick losing it. A lot of mistrust is sewn all over the place. Both groups have lost people, some are in conflict, some have scores to settle - it all gives us a decent recipe for disaster.

 

There are obivously also sections where Rick's group want to make it work, Daryl being one of them is a strong move and has been for last few episodes. He is pitched as being sceptical but he is brought round by Aaron very nicely in their scenes.

 

I am being a bit cruel but it feels like an episode that we need to get to the finale.

 

2/5

 

 

S5E16 - THe one where Rick becomes executioner

 

Good finale in that instead of there being a BIG BAD intent on destroying their camp/outpost/way of life it is an intense struggle internally inside the community of Alexandria.

 

The whole episode is building towards a town meeting - that is the finale. It sound rubbish but is, in fact, really strong. All of the pieces of the puzzle like Abraham constructing and Glen and his beef with Nicholas and Rick/Jessie/Pete and Carol/little boy and GLen/Nicholas all come home to roost effectively.

 

The ending is shocking and bluntly brutal and I loved it. Until the camera panned to reveal Morgan, it wasn't necessary and devalued it. I love Morgan as a character and episodes with him have been amongst my favourite but this was a misstep.

 

4/5

 

Overall Season 5 gets a 4/5. I think it is the best season since Season 1. The first half leading up to the hospital cops was strong witht he cannibal group used well and some genuinely creepy stuff from hospital cops later. 2nd half was a great character study fromt he gruelling life on road to a grizzled hardened group meeting a naive one and how they rub along working really well. The lack of big bad helped it as well.

 

as I didn't rate previous seasons I'll have a go now

 

Season 1 - 4/5

Season 2 - 2/5

Season 3 - 3/5 (this might be generous)

Season 4 - 1/5

[Clipper]

Season 6!

 

Realised that I never mentioned the "wolves" once during the 2nd half of season 5 even though they do appear. The reason is because I found some of the scenes compelling (Morgan at the fire for instance) but as a rival group they were too much on the edges to be of much impact to the central theme. All that changes with the first half of season 6.

 

S6E1 - The one where there is a suddenly a massive horde

 

FFS. Lazy lazy lazy writing. You know they told us that the walls were the reason that Alexandria had never struggled with walkers, they had great defences that was what we were told. Turns out that wasn't true and the real reason was they didn't get many walkers as the main route to them was blocked. This isn't a road - no we know that one road is clear and the other one is more dangerous, they told us that in season 5. No, this is a road leading from a quarry where hundreds of walkers are milling around. So we are meant to believe that the main roads (i63 and i90 I think) are the land of milk and honey and this dodgy road to a quarry is the way walkers always approach like they all have the same zombie satnav. I call shenanigans.

 

The actual action is fine, the use of black and white is really not giving the audience any credit (black and white is flashback to plans and colour is NOW). I'm not sure it needed a double/extended episode to tell this story and it felt padded at times.

 

2/5

 

S6E2 - The one where they trim the cast budget again...

 

I thought it was going to be an Enid backstory episode for a horrible minute but fortunately they keep that brief. Then we are into a domestic chat about what to cook with the "ladies of Alexandria" with Carol mugging them off as ever. Again this is mercifully brief and it does lay on thick the idea that the community is staid and "safe" and unprepared for the real world out there.  Then we are onto the meat of the episode which is an invasion by "the wolves". 

 

Now I have said the wolves feel unfocused and unconnected and I think that is intentional. The group is like a pack of rabid wolves so it fits. Their attack is confused, sporadic, brutal and indiscriminate. I quite like the chaotic feel, we lose track slightly of the big picture because the action shifts alot but that works (compare and contrast with the prison where it didnt work at all on a smaller scale). You can't get away from the fact that the writers can happily chop up/burn/stab swathes of the community as it is just people we don't know and it looks shocking. It is nicely done though.

 

I love Morgan, but his pacificist stuff doesn't quite land yet. I wonder if it should have been used more sparingly (TWD hit you over the head too hard at times) and then we get the reveal

 

3/5

 

S6E3 - The one with the worst Glenn cliffhanger ever!

 

I can't ignore the awful Glenn cliffhanger as it just makes the episode feel terrible. The angle they shoot his "death" at is suspect and there is obviously an attemtp to hoodwink us here. It is so poorly done.

 

THe rest of it is pretty good if obvious. The group led by Michonne and Glenn is the whole of the Alexandria/Rick's group friction distilled down to a microcosm. Will the Alexandrians learn in time, will Rick's group leave them etc. It is well done but I feel like we are repeating themes a little too much now and the story needs to move on. Part of the issue is our rabid wolves currently, by design, have no depth they are pure savage. So we have to concentrate on our guys as there is nothing to hang the story on with the wolves as they are purely antagonists with no substance.

 

2/5 (I might be being a bit unkind but I thinkt he show needs to change pace/theme at this point).

[Captain Kelsten]

I’m up to S6E2 myself. 5 was interesting but it was mad how quickly the group went saft once inside Alexandria, like any attempt at a normal life before now hadn’t ended with half the people dead. You’d think they’d be more on their toes but nah. 
 

I think the whole cannibals in terminus thing was so quickly rush over after spending so many episodes getting all the characters there. I’d have done it so that they stayed there longer, it seemed idyllic but people were going missing and eventually it’s one too many so the group investigate and Bam! Cannibals! As it was, it was over and done with in fewer episodes than it took bloody getting there. 

[Clipper]

10 hours ago, Captain Kelsten said:

I’m up to S6E2 myself. 5 was interesting but it was mad how quickly the group went saft once inside Alexandria, like any attempt at a normal life before now hadn’t ended with half the people dead. You’d think they’d be more on their toes but nah. 
 

I think the whole cannibals in terminus thing was so quickly rush over after spending so many episodes getting all the characters there. I’d have done it so that they stayed there longer, it seemed idyllic but people were going missing and eventually it’s one too many so the group investigate and Bam! Cannibals! As it was, it was over and done with in fewer episodes than it took bloody getting there. 

Yep Season 4 was a clusterfuck. However the cannibals were too one-note to last much more than a couple of episodes - they are underwritten and we take too long navel gazing amongst the Rick's group. The cannibals community was literally "we eat people that is baaaaad" there was nothing more to say about them as there was no build up. However this is a common issue with The Walking Dead and you can lay it at the feet of the source material. Often the comic books are similarly structured and antagonists are just a big idea hanging off some bad guys. I shorthand them in my own roundups because they are all one-note we have the Hospital cops (creepy abusers) we have the cannibals, we have the wolves (brutal animals), we have THE GOVERNOR (as they didnt bother to flesh out Woodbury), the group Daryl joined (rednecks a-go-go). The saviours is the first time The Walking Dead give us more meat on the bones of the antagonists. I am intrigued to rewatch their development to see how it stacks up.

 

As for Season 5, 4/5 might be a touch generous but I do like it as it is recovering from a very poor dip. Also I don't agree that they went soft in the new community. They found the new community was very soft and they split into a mixture of a) trying to adapt to the new life or b) trying to toughen up the Alexandrians. Also in most of the deadly encounters where there was a mix of Rick's Group and Alexandrians the latter were usually dead meat apart from Noah and that was done to create the Nicholas/GLenn friction.

 

The problem with Alexandria is it does not stand up to any scrutiny at all. The walkers quarry reveal in S6E1 is utterly daft as I have pointed out but there is a lack of consistency between seasons as if the writers just pivot to what they need ALexandria to be. At tail end of season 5 Aaron tells them that they have kept i63 clear of walkers but i90 is not safe. Then in Season 6 we find the majority of the people in Alexandria couldn't clear out a gutter let alone an entire road full of walkers. Even the hardened residents that go on "runs" are useless and mostly dead by s6e3.

 

In some ways it is a good thing that TWD does keep moving with regard to bad guys and good guy groups because if you poke even slightly at the edges of it you can see it is built on sand.

[Broker]

I started watching this about a month ago, never seen it before except maybe the first few episodes 15 years ago. I was fully prepared for it to be shite, but possibly going in with low expectations has done it a favour because I’m enjoying it a lot. Thought I’d check out the thread and god damn, people here really hate it

 

What surprised me most was the relatively positive reception to season 1, and people in here repeatedly mentioning it as a higher point. Outside of the first episode, season 1 did nothing to dispel my expectations of it being shite. Season 1 had the clunkiest dialogue of the series and was intensely expositional. Constant moments where I was just like “have the writers somehow never heard humans speak?”. I feel like the dialogue has improved pretty consistently as I’ve been watching it, as has the general quality of the performances. Even Norman Reedus (who I knew was the big hit of the series), was pretty terrible in season 1.

 

I actually quite enjoyed the farm season. I like Hershel a lot and I thought the pacing was fine if you’re watching it all as one chunk. One thing season 2 introduces with Shane and Rick is an interesting dynamic where one character is sympathetic and pleasant but wrong, and one character is abrasive and horrible but they’re right, which creates an interesting conflict. Later seasons rely more often on situations where there’s no clear right answer, though this season 2 dynamic comes back in Alexandria with Rick on the other side. 
 

Season 3 was less engaging for me, not super into the prison and the governor was stupid, unthreatening and weird tonally. The first half of 4 also followed this, though I enjoyed the more character focused episodes in the second half. Since the second half of season 5 I’ve been enjoying it a lot, I finished season 7 last night and enjoyed the ending. I’m pretty fond of most of the remaining characters and their interactions and relationships. Negan really gives it a push into being a much better show as the threat of the zombies wore thin a long time ago and all the other human antagonists have been really thin. 

[Captain Kelsten]

6 hours ago, Clipper said:

The problem with Alexandria Walking Dead is it does not stand up to any scrutiny at all.

FTFY

 

Im with you, @Broker, I’m part way through s6 and I’ve been enjoying it a lot. It’s easy binge watching. 

[El Pibe]

The posts in here are making me feel like I need to go back in and finish this off.

 

I can't remember exactly where I am, possibly season 8. I just keep seeing how many episodes there are and then run away!

[Hanzo the Razor]

39 minutes ago, El Pibe said:

The posts in here are making me feel like I need to go back in and finish this off!

 

Like a bad wank.

[Captain Kelsten]

Started season 7 last night. Got halfway through the first episode before I had to turn it off and go do something else, but keen to get back and finish it off. 

[Capwn]

Was that the episode where Carol needs to find some ingredients for her soup?

[Hanzo the Razor]

4 hours ago, Captain Kelsten said:

Started season 7 last night. Got halfway through the first episode before I had to turn it off and go do something else, but keen to get back and finish it off. 

 

Like a really bad wank.

[El Pibe]

Checked last night and it turns out I slogged through more of this than I'd thought. I'm halfway through season 10.

 

Going to try and finish it off.

[El Pibe]

On 01/03/2023 at 12:12, El Pibe said:

Checked last night and it turns out I slogged through more of this than I'd thought. I'm halfway through season 10.

 

Going to try and finish it off.

 

Blimey. I've watched 3 episodes since this post and they were pretty good!

 

Back in the game. Let's do this!

[Broker]

Season 9 was not great, especially after the time skip. Really felt the loss of a few major characters, and the ones we had left were scattered across too many places. Felt kind of directionless, and the new bad guys aren’t very compelling. 
 

Spoiler

After the wild ride of the saviours, the whispering people suck balls. They’re really boring and there were way too many episodes focusing on them. 
 

I’m also really feeling the loss of Rick. Without an obvious protagonist to anchor things around it’s all just all over the place all the time. 

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

I think the quality drops massively at this point. Tbh I enjoyed most of the series up until then, and spent most episodes after this wondering why I was still bothering. It almost seems like a natural end to the whole thing & nothing interesting ever happens again. 

[Clipper]

I had a short break but I'm back with the next 5 (which I might do quicker than usual as there is a definite theme).

 

S6E4 - Morgan guest stars in an episode of Kung Fu

 

I know many hated this episode but I really liked this. It should have been a normal episode length but that is a nitpick as the material is good. The story of how Morgan became a pacifist is (as with everything in TWD) full of holes but Lennie James is very watchable and both actors in this do a good job of sustaining the drama. Some great scenes and you don't often see character study as good as this in TWD

 

5/5

 

S6E5 - The one where the horde is at the walls

 

This is a decent catchup episode in Alexandria. There aren't any real clunky bits and flipping between Alexandria residents is well handled and keeps us from dawdling too long with one pairing. Ok I lied Spencer is clunky but I honestly think the writers just needed a stooge from the Alexandria residents to do stuff and they only found one they had spent any screentime on so Spencer is both clever/stupid inspiring/drunk in the same episode.

 

The theme of the Alexandrians being soft is tired as all hell by now but I prefer the 2nd half of this half of season 6.

 

3/5

 

S6E6 - The one where it is a tale of two halves

 

Well this episode is a rollercoaster ride. Within Daryl's "half" of the episode we get our first sight of the Saviours (well their lower legs), Dwight and Sherry (and disposable girl). This is mostly very good stuff - the end of the disposable girl is one of the daftest deaths in TWD but the rest makes up for it. Daryl is good value even if the action scenes are a little off at times. Dwight and Sherry were good as well I liked the way they switched back and forth and their ultimate decision is understandable but has power as we know they will come to regret it.  If the rest of the episode was like this it would be a 3/5 or maybe squeak a 4 if they upped their game a touch.

 

The other "half is the PTSD twins of Abraham and Sasha. I always try and put a positive spin on things but this is shit, just shit. The pairing of these two lost souls struggling with loss just doesn't work as it was written by someone who had never heard humans talk before. The scenes with them are directionless and tell us nothing other than "struggling". I think the upshot is that Abraham now loves Sasha and is going to ditch Rosita but I am guessing as fuck all in the episode did that, but by the end there was a weird chat between them that indicated it might.

 

2/5 (and that's generous as I liked the Dwight stuff)

 

S6E7 - The one where (SHOCK) Glenn is still alive.

 

FFS.

 

I like Glenn and I like the actor but his "half" of this episode is a slog due to a badly written Enid (who saves him). As cheesey as it would have been they could have had Enid/Glenn play his rescue like Glenn/Rick did in the pilot when he rescued Rick - they sort of mirrored it but didn't do the reference, sigh.

 

The other half is very good, if a little too on the nose with the foreshadowing! The siege of Alexandria continues and we see more Morgan (great) and more Carl/Ron (Nooooo). Spencer is hilariously used again in his stupid guise. Overall a solid build up to the mid season finale - however if they showed that old tower creaking one more time I was going to scream.

 

3/5

 

 

S6E8 - The one where it's all buildup and cliffhanger

 

And no payoff. Hohum. I quite liked it as the tension ratcheted up as Alexandria is invaded but I think they needed something beyond Deanna being bitten. Various groups being shuttered in houses surrounded by the dead was a strong visual but they didn't quite make the most of the claustrophobia. They could have done with having one night of holding out inside houses like a sort of Night of the Living Dead homage with more conflict to really build it up to a crescendo before they leave. It felt like they were inside for 20 mins mid afternoon, two teenagers had a tiff, then had to leave and face the danger for "reasons".

 

3/5

 

Oh and in the age of streaming and "next episode" buttons I hate post credits bits because I don't get to see them usually as the button appears and I just switch over. So top tip, force it to carry on through credits to see Daryl, Sasha and Abraham on the road getting their stuff taken by Saviours as it "belongs to Negan".

[Captain Kelsten]

I’m up to S7E5 and Negan, who I’d heard so much good about…I dunno, man. He’s like a panto villain. I know the apocalypse has been going on a while and food is scarce but this dude is chewing so much scenery. 
 

S6 was…I dunno. Fine, I guess? They don’t seem to know what to do with Rick. He wildly oscillates between fair-minded man of the people to feral nut job. Why anyone is still following him at this point I don’t know! 
 

Also, I didn’t know about post credit bits. I did wonder how Morgan had somehow ended up a few hundred miles up the road in the exact same place as Rick et al but apparently it was covered in post credit scenes. 
 

 

[Clipper]

3 minutes ago, Captain Kelsten said:

I’m up to S7E5 and Negan, who I’d heard so much good about…I dunno, man. He’s like a panto villain. I know the apocalypse has been going on a while and food is scarce but this dude is chewing so much scenery. 
 

 

In my memory of my first viewing he is easily the best villain in TWD* and yet he is, in actor's parlance, really relishing his part

 

The problem is that the Saviours "premise" is outlandish in terms of the resources, dodgy personnel and the organisation they have. The place is a super organised crime syndicate that has dozens of killers in the palm of its hand that manages to control and tithe two large communities (3 once Alexandria is added). Having one man being in control of that makes no real narrative sense as any ordinary man would be usurped/killed and the place taken over and turn to chaos. Look at all the scenes where Negan could be killed by any of his lackeys, this isn't like the Governer where he was controlling mostly soft townsfolk and had a small cadre of violent criminals to control - that's easy. With the saviours they have to buildup Negan as this almost messianic figure that commands respect from this army of violent criminals so they won't usurp him.

 

I'm not saying they had to make him a panto villain as with proper buildup and brilliant writing they could have done it - but this is TWD so we get a big brash bullish arsehole. Jeffrey Dean Morgan takes that script and chews the scenery and makes it work (albeit panto).

 

I am looking forward to rewatching the Negan era to see how it holds up.

 

(and no spoilers but Negan's character does get better** as the seasons go on

 

* if the scriptwriters could have given David Morrissey better material The Governer would have wiped the floor with Negan.

** yes I know many will disagree

 

[Captain Kelsten]

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is amazing. It sounds daft to say in a show about zombies, but his character is so outlandish it jars a bit and yes, totally agree that from what’s been shown it makes no sense that this one dude with a bat is in charge and no one is (yet) bothered by that. 

[El Pibe]

In a shocking turn, I'm really enjoying season 10 after picking it back up.

 

Genuinely surprised.

 

Just noticed that Season 11 doesn't appear to be included with Prime. That's annoying.

[Clipper]

2nd half of season 6 and there a nice payoff for the cliffhanger if not outstanding and then building up the saviours and hilltop threads

 

S6E9 the one where mistakes are made

 

Among the characters and the writers and the director. Any episode when a kid gets eaten by zombies is always going to be good but this one is a little on the variable side.

 

The surviving "wolf" sections are strong but also predictable, kindness does work guys - well I mean he is zombie food but just before he was he was good.

 

The crew led by Rick who are going to try and find a car to draw the walkers away has troulbe and loses Jessie and her kid and then the older son aims at Rick and Michonne has to kill him which was a bit of a damp squib of an ending for that storyline (no more than it deserved tho). At some point they decided they can beat the walkers and so the Alexandrians start killing them all - this a decidedly stupid plan and proves so because if Abraham and Sasha didnt turn up they would all be dead.

 

The major problem that takes me out of it , and again if I am picking out the dumb stuff it means it is very dumb as I let lots slide. How long does it take them to leave Alexandria and how long is that "wolf" and Denise sitting on that stairwell? WHen they first emerge it is a nice afternoon with good light and the next shot its night and they are still wandering through the dead , no wonder the kid freaks out and gets eaten they have been wandering through the streets of dead in Alexandria for a few hrs.

 

3/5 (I know the review sounded harsh but the action was good)

 

S6E10 The one where it is a buddy cop film

 

I like this silly  episode, less angsting and moping  in our A story as Rick and Daryl go on a supply run. This is a fun little outing for the bromance boys and it is played with a light hand which is unusual. Nice character touches throughout and good chemistry. Introduction of Jesus is very well handled as he is a very slippery customer. Big thumbs up

 

The B story, such as it is , is very low key and shows Michonne and Spencer finding Deanna as a walker and killing her.

 

Good stuff

 

4/5

 

 

 

S6E11 - the one where they are way too cocky

 

Jesus takes half of Rick's group to hilltop which is a mansion surrounded by fences and populated by people who can't fight. This is a common thread in these communities, mainly so the saviours can operate

 

Gregory is hilariously overplayed as a mysoginist arsehole who is a terrible negotiator. He starts with we have everything and you have nothing and very quickly has to revert to we are in the shit and need your help have half our stuff.

 

Obviously not all is as idyllic as it seems and we find out that Hilltop pays a tithe to the saviours under Negan which is crippling them.

 

The best part of this is Rick just saying we've dealt with groups like Negan's we'll go and kill them and all will be good. It is played a little too arch so even on first watch you know it might be pride before a fall but it is a good setup

 

4/5

 

 

[Clipper]

Strong episodes heading towards the finale of s6 and two 5/5 in a row which is a first.

 

I will not be mentioning the utterly rubbish Abraham/Rosita/Sasha love triangle other than to say that Sasha is terribly wasted in TWD and the tension between the three is laughable. the additon of Spencer into the mix is baffling.

 

S6E12 - The one where they are brutal

 

Rick is uncompromising and a stone cold murderer in this one. The agreement with Hilltop is debated and some strong character based scenes in the first act. Morgan's reaction is spot on. Carol's performance is great but they don't quite sell me on Carol's conversion.

 

The remainder of the episode is a nasty, grubby, uncompromising, vicious attack on the saviours outpost and I loved every minute of it You know all those characters yuo got to know and root for over the last 5 years? They murder people in their sleep! You can square the circle morally if you think about it but it doesn't feel good at all.

 

5/5

 

 

S6E13 - The one where Carol finds "god"

 

Or at least a sharpened crucifix to aid her escape! Maggie and Carol captured by four saviours and it is a "bottle show". Most of it in one set/location and lots of talky scenes and not much action. However that sounds boring and it isn't by any stretch of the imagination.

 

The four saviours are more fleshed out for us in this episode than quite a few of the Alexandria residents. We get hints of the life they have had to lead both before the event and after with the saviours. it is our first peek behind the curtain of the saviours and it shows that they aren't too different to RIck's group - there but for the grace of god go I.

 

Strong performances, great drama and a sickening and depressing conclusion. Great stuff.

 

5/5

 

 

S6E14 - The one where we know what is going to happen when a minor character gets some focus and backstory

 

This time poor Denise. This is a pretty weak episode in comparison to the last two. The writing is weak with Denise suddenly doing silly things. I liked the actor and her performance but the rest of it felt like a sleepwalking pace drop before the big climax.

 

Stronger ending but that's easy when you kill off a character, it always lifts the episode. The intention with the last episode and this one is to show the saviours are strong and have their own vicious streak. But they fluff it a bit , so far anyway. As we know it is a false sense of security though and they can be very competent.

 

3/5