Yet another Walking Dead thread...

[johngalt]

So I caught the new episode, I'm not sure I'll continue watching it. I first started watching because there was nothing better one. Definitely dark and grim. The last season or so have been way over the top with the cruelty.

Breaking Bad took the same turn. It went from the smart but inept chemistry teacher bumbling around to murdering and poisoning, including children.

Anyone else notice this? I guess I don't find dark depressing shows entertaining any more.

I'm hoping Better Call Saul follows a different recipe.

 

[wuluf]

I'm a loyal and dedicated WD viewer, and the season opener last night left me very cold. I don't mind when they kill off regulars, it's part of what makes the show so different and yes, dark. But the "nightmare" tone of the episode was, to me, strange and unpleasant. Hope it doesn't continue or I'll be gone...

 

[mc5aw]

So I caught the new episode, I'm not sure I'll continue watching it. I first started watching because there was nothing better one. Definitely dark and grim. The last season or so have been way over the top with the cruelty.

Breaking Bad took the same turn. It went from the smart but inept chemistry teacher bumbling around to murdering and poisoning, including children.

Anyone else notice this? I guess I don't find dark depressing shows entertaining any more.

I'm hoping Better Call Saul follows a different recipe.

What did you expect from a show about an apocalyptic future filled with carnivorous zombies feasting on humans desperate to survive? I submit that amidst a violent backdrop, the show has done an excellent job of offering character studies in empathy and humanity.

 

[Sconnie]

I guess I wasn't troubled by the hallucinations of poor old Tyreese as he bled out and was succumbing to the evil virus coursing through his veins...

I thought it was clever although I am always sad when a prime character bites the dust...pun intended.

Anyway, I miss Dale and Hershel. Good riddance to the Gov and Shane. And why more of them are not looking for swords is beyond me. Put a little distance between themselves and the goo.

For the life of me I cannot understand why I watch but I am addicted. I think if they kill off Daryl I might have a stroke.

 

[Arik]

So I caught the new episode, I'm not sure I'll continue watching it. I first started watching because there was nothing better one. Definitely dark and grim. The last season or so have been way over the top with the cruelty.

Breaking Bad took the same turn. It went from the smart but inept chemistry teacher bumbling around to murdering and poisoning, including children.

Anyone else notice this? I guess I don't find dark depressing shows entertaining any more.

I'm hoping Better Call Saul follows a different recipe.

I never watched BB with any consistency but from my understanding it was a progression in his psyche. He only started that so his family had money when he died. So once he was in remission you'd think he'd stop right?!? However the power, money and danger became like a drug and he became (evolved) a kind of a drug kingpin.

With the Walking dead you have to start from the beginning to see why it's the way it is. Here is what people thought of the first 3 seasons

It was like a soap opera that was filmed on the wrong movie set. It also showed some of the character evolution. You should see how Rick was...and Andrea. ..should have been called As the Zombie turns.

 

[Arik]

I'm a loyal and dedicated WD viewer, and the season opener last night left me very cold. I don't mind when they kill off regulars, it's part of what makes the show so different and yes, dark. But the "nightmare" tone of the episode was, to me, strange and unpleasant. Hope it doesn't continue or I'll be gone...

What Tyrese was going through wasn't a nightmare. It was him trying to figure out what and if he did anything wrong. Should I have been meaner, tougher, less forgiving. Or maybe I walked the right path. Or maybe it wouldn't matter which path i took because sooner or later this was inevitable. These thoughts were represented by the people who had an effect on him. With Bob saying that you did the right thing and The Governor saying you were a coward while the 3 girls were his calm.

 

[Straightshooter2]

Anyway, I miss Dale and Hershel. Good riddance to the Gov and Shane. And why more of them are not looking for swords is beyond me. Put a little distance between themselves and the goo.

For the life of me I cannot understand why I watch but I am addicted. I think if they kill off Daryl I might have a stroke.

I never could warm up to Dale's character (too whiny to me) but I'm with you about Hershel.

As far as killing Daryl goes, it's funny that he's one of, if not the most popular character in the show because he wasn't even in the books. Norman Reedus auditioned for the role of Merle and when they chose Michael Rooker for that role, they had been so impressed with Reedus they created the role of Merle's brother just for him.

CW

 

[mc5aw]

I never watched BB with any consistency but from my understanding it was a progression in his psyche. He only started that so his family had money when he died. So once he was in remission you'd think he'd stop right?!? However the power, money and danger became like a drug and he became (evolved) a kind of a drug kingpin.

Much of the character's obsession with success grew from him being haunted by selling his stake in the grad school bio-tech business for $5,000. He knew he should have been the Bill Gates of bio-tech, and couldn't come to grips with losing that opportunity. Becoming a latter day Scarface validated him to the extent that he finally realized his potential, and reaped the financial rewards he felt he rightly deserved.

 

[GatorFarmer]

It served as a goodbye episode for Tyrese. He died, in the end, because he lost the will to go on. Hence the turning off of the radio.

 

[speedyquad]

the characters have mentioned it. in one of the episodes, abraham said only strong people are alive now. rick's said many times, we don't get to be that way any more(meaning nice) etc.

if it continues to follw the comics, it will get even more dark.

 

[johngalt]

What did you expect from a show about an apocalyptic future filled with carnivorous zombies feasting on humans desperate to survive? I submit that amidst a violent backdrop, the show has done an excellent job of offering character studies in empathy and humanity.

I expected dark and violent, but not the level of depravity of the last couple seasons. I guess the cannbalism last season got me questioning it. The pointless killing of Beth also. The conflict was settled, then they killed her anyway. It looks like they tried to imply it was unintentional.

 

[just jim]

Some people invest way too much empathy into a TV show.

 

[Sconnie]

Some people invest way too much empathy into a TV show.

And this is a new phenomenon?

 

[just jim]

And this is a new phenomenon?

No but 15.6 million viewers last night so the phenomenon is growing.

 

[labworm]

After watching ‪Bela Lugosi‬ and ‪Lon Chaney, Jr.‬

I'm scared to watch that stuff.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I expected dark and violent, but not the level of depravity of the last couple seasons. I guess the cannbalism last season got me questioning it. The pointless killing of Beth also. The conflict was settled, then they killed her anyway. It looks like they tried to imply it was unintentional.

Technically, there was always sort of cannibalism on the show...zombies are nkt vegans.

Beth chose her own fate, she hated Dawn and so stabbed her. Reflexively, Dawn killed her, only to be shot in turn.

 

[Eagle 477]

There's a new guy where I work that Kinda looks and acts like one of the Walkers, several of the guys call him "the dead guy" and he's about as fast as a walker too.

 

[the ringo kid]

I never could warm up to Dale's character (too whiny to me) but I'm with you about Hershel.

As far as killing Daryl goes, it's funny that he's one of, if not the most popular character in the show because he wasn't even in the books. Norman Reedus auditioned for the role of Merle and when they chose Michael Rooker for that role, they had been so impressed with Reedus they created the role of Merle's brother just for him.

CW

Its because of Michael Rooker--that I watched the show--otherwise--id-a-never seen it. they kill Daryl off--im done with the show.

 

[johngalt]

Technically, there was always sort of cannibalism on the show...zombies are nkt vegans.

Beth chose her own fate, she hated Dawn and so stabbed her. Reflexively, Dawn killed her, only to be shot in turn.

I forget the exact details, but didn't Dawn goad Beth into attacking, so she would have an excuse to kill her?

Daryl is my favorite character that is left.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Walking Dead is the first show that I have watched since MASH.

 

[vonn]

Never would have thought it but I am hooked. Some strange turns but it makes you think. Would not want to live next door to one of the writers. Sometimes it is hard to know who the the Walking Dead are,the zombies or the living people.

 

[Straightshooter2]

...Sometimes it is hard to know who the the Walking Dead are,the zombies or the living people.

I thought that was obvious. The Walking Dead are the survivors not the walkers.

CW

 

[just jim]

I thought that was obvious. The Walking Dead are the survivors not the walkers.

CW

Interesting how some people take it literal or metaphorical. How can the survivors be dead? unless of course you want to change the name to Dead Men Walking

 

[don5]

I was watching the Talking Dead show afterwards and they had the writer on. He explained that at this point in time the group is at its darkest. He said the group has been on the road for awhile and are very tired. He also mentioned to pay close attention in the background as the next problem for the group has been hinted at. I don't want to spoil it but I saw what he was talking about during the show. I don't want to say any more about it.

 

[vito]

I've watched since the very beginning, and have been pretty much intrigued with it all along. But I think the writers are running out of ideas. This season opener was a bit slow, in my opinion, and makes me wonder if the show will just sort of fade away. I know realism is not to be sought out in a zombie show, but why haven't they figured out that it might be worthwhile to wear thick leather sleeves since getting bit on the arm seems to be pretty common? And a decent spear or sword would make a lot more sense than a hunting knife or hammer. I'm still impressed with how they create the realism of the zombies and their destruction.

 

[don5]

^I agree. I keep waiting on Darryl to find an SOG tomahawk and show Carl how to throw it. I thought that would have been a good scene for the show.

 

[Arik]

I doubt they are running out of anything since this is based on a graphic novel which is still way ahead of where the show is now. They do change some things but it generally follows the plot in the book.

They don't heave leather arm covers or spears in the book either. But they did use the swat gear and did have pikes at the prison.

 

[speedyquad]

I've watched since the very beginning, and have been pretty much intrigued with it all along. But I think the writers are running out of ideas. This season opener was a bit slow, in my opinion, and makes me wonder if the show will just sort of fade away. I know realism is not to be sought out in a zombie show, but why haven't they figured out that it might be worthwhile to wear thick leather sleeves since getting bit on the arm seems to be pretty common? And a decent spear or sword would make a lot more sense than a hunting knife or hammer. I'm still impressed with how they create the realism of the zombies and their destruction.

the writers have a lot of ideas. the show is based on a graphic novel that has been out for years(2003). there are around 135-140 issues(and still being published) and even though the show is not following exactly, it is fairly close. in the comics, the prison gets destroyed around issue 48 and they group begins to travel to dc with eugene. so following that time line, the show is around issue 55-60.

 

[vito]

I guess I need to get out more often, since I had no idea the show was based upon a graphic novel until I read this thread. I guess I can look forward to several more seasons of the show. It seems whenever I really like a show on TV it disappears pretty soon afterwards. Although the Sopranos lasted several years, as did Breaking Bad. One of my favorite was The Wire on Showtime, but that only lasted about 5 seasons (I think).

 

[Frank237]

I watched it for a few years. But lost interest as I felt there were smarter courses to take from a common sense and tactical standpoint. Yet they never seemed to see these options.

That said....I'm addicted to "Downton Abbey" so what the heck do I know?