Tales of the Walking Dead..... AMC announces yet another spinoff

[beat_truck]

https://deadline.com/2021/10/tales-of-the-walking-dead-anthology-spinoff-series-amc-the-walking-dead-1234854559/

Just what we didn't need. And apparently, Gimple will be heavily involved.:rolleyes:

[JDP]

"Milking the zombie coooow!"

***Said in the same manner as the "Super Fine!" line of Cutter from Death Wish II***


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpKutk-C9f0&ab_channel=StonedGremlinProductions

@0:38

[Neil]

I like the idea of it being stand alone stories. Gives them far more opportunity for vareity in the stories...

[bassman]

I rolled my eyes when I first saw headlines about this. However, like Neil, I’m intrigued by it being an anthology series. At least that’s a slightly different spin on this worn out IP.

[Neil]

Mind you, JDP prefers the term, bunch of self contained short stories to anthology.

*sneaks out before JDP punches me*

[Moon Knight]

This was first announced back when the series finale and the Daryl/Carol spin-off was announced.

Not too thrilled with this unless some of my favorite characters are involved.

[Neil]

This was first announced back when the series finale and the Daryl/Carol spin-off was announced.

Not too thrilled with this unless some of my favorite characters are involved.

I actually like the idea of stories having no baggage, and being able to be in any part of the world, at any time, with any characters to make the most out of the situation.

[MinionZombie]

This could have potential, like Neil is saying, more potential to not get bogged down - tell a story, move on.

Hopefully there'll be an air of brevity about it.

Initial season of six one-hour episodes (the standard procedure at AMC, it seems). I'd prefer shorter seasons, quite frankly. 16 episodes has really been too long for TWD for several years now, and I think 10 episode seasons could have really helped the show's longevity from the get-go.

I do worry that there's too much going on in the TWD world, and that the audience isn't going to really get a breather. I don't bother with World Beyond as it was beyond fucking awful, and I persevere with FearTWD watching them sped-up just to grind through them for the occasional good parts.

I'll watch this anthology series and hope for the best, and I'll watch the Daryl & Carol spin-off as well with interest.

And WTF is going on with the Rick Grimes movie? I thought it was three films, now when I do hear about it it seems like just one? The main show's gonna be finished by the time anything happens with those. They might as well just loop Rick back into the main show and leave it at that, never mind any TV movies.

[shootemindehead]

I'd say that the so called "Rick Grimes movie" is probably dead in the water despite what some people are saying. Once 'The Walking Dead' is finished, I doubt there'll be too many people interested in such a thing and it will show up Lincoln's idea to...ahem...walk away to be the exceptionally bad move that it was. I think old Andy got a few delusions of grandeur with his stint at the top of a popular TV show and probably had one or two execs blowing smoke up his arse too about being a movie star, which is at the centre of every TV star's heart I spose. I seriously think Egg may have scuppered his entire career. I may be wrong, of course, but I will very surprised if this "Rick Grimes movie" ever sees the light of day.

As for future projects, the Walking Dead universe would be wise to take a leaf out of Black Summer's book and keep things moving along at a faster pace with shorter series runs featuring fewer episodes. Maybe not as few as 'Black Summer' though. Keep things flowing at around 10 episodes a series. I agree that that sounds preferable. Tell your story, don't dwell on boring shite, and fuck off to the next scenario. A good idea would be a zombie road movie, of sorts, featuring a small band that comes into contact with various groups as they journey across the country. Which was sorta how 'Black Summer' played out.

Thing is, I think the producers have just run out of ideas for this "universe" and that was the case the moment they decided on the first spin off, 'Fear the Walking Dead', which became redundant after about 4 episodes.

[beat_truck]

I have my doubts that this will be any good. I think what it will boil down to is the episodes being 1 hour long, low budget / quality, made-for-TV movies of the week. I will give it a try, though.

I'm kind of hoping the the Daryl & Carol BS doesn't see the light of day. Every new Walking Dead related thing AMC tries just gets worse and worse. They need to just call it quits already.

[Moon Knight]

Just give me a damn good quality send off to the main series- that hits the right feels. That’s all I need.

[MagicMoonMonkey]

I hope these stories are set during the first weeks of the outbreak. I really can't be doing with any more mad and bad people in a post apocalyptic world setting.

I know I am going to be disappointed though...

[beat_truck]

I hope these stories are set during the first weeks of the outbreak. I really can't be doing with any more mad and bad people in a post apocalyptic world setting.

I know I am going to be disappointed though...

This.

Hopefully, we don't get more of the tired "psycho villain of the week" BS.:bored: Time for something new already.

[MinionZombie]

Yeah, we don't need more of that - rushed through in 45 minutes nonetheless.

This is an opportunity to tell curious and strange stories, little side events ... like a lone survivor who just can't shake loose one determined walker who's out to nosh on their innards.

Small and contained little stories. If you're trying to bash out an entire arc inside 45 minutes then you can't get too large with it, otherwise it'll be as rushed and slapdash as an episode of Doctor Who, which has suffered for years with trying to introduce new characters and a new setting, get them together with the Doctor and their assistant(s), find out what's going on, kill a few red shirts off, and then wrap everything up - as a result you so often ended up with sloppy writing with bland cookie cutter characters whose names you never knew with no time for tension or any sense of rich storytelling. Just wham/bam/fuck it we're done.

So - hopefully Tales of TWD will avoid this!

[paranoid101]

I would love to see the story of that Army unit that sadly ran afoul or the Governor, seeing them survive in the early days and ending the episode with a figure in the background approaching them.

[MinionZombie]

I would love to see the story of that Army unit that sadly ran afoul or the Governor, seeing them survive in the early days and ending the episode with a figure in the background approaching them.

Yeah, that'd be cool.

Did they say these little stories were going to link to events in the main show? I have a vague memory of that.

[MagicMoonMonkey]

Yeah, we don't need more of that - rushed through in 45 minutes nonetheless.

This is an opportunity to tell curious and strange stories, little side events ... like a lone survivor who just can't shake loose one determined walker who's out to nosh on their innards.

Small and contained little stories. If you're trying to bash out an entire arc inside 45 minutes then you can't get too large with it, otherwise it'll be as rushed and slapdash as an episode of Doctor Who, which has suffered for years with trying to introduce new characters and a new setting, get them together with the Doctor and their assistant(s), find out what's going on, kill a few red shirts off, and then wrap everything up - as a result you so often ended up with sloppy writing with bland cookie cutter characters whose names you never knew with no time for tension or any sense of rich storytelling. Just wham/bam/fuck it we're done.

So - hopefully Tales of TWD will avoid this!

This was in a movie. It is called 'It Stains the Sand Red'. I said this decades ago on the old forum, but I would love to see a story from the perspective of a newsroom as everything teeters on the edge of collapse, like in Dawn of the Dead. I would like to see what happened to the President.
I'd like to see what happened in that hospital in the first season of Fear the Walking dead where the SWAT team were lined up outside.
I'd like to see scenarios where Cobalt was in play. There's so much that could be done during the early days of the outbreak. I will never get my head around why Fear the Walking Dead had to time jump. I still re-watch the first season as there was a lot more good about it than bad.

As I said earlier, I know I will be disappointed because AMC think a Daryl and Carol Spin-off series would be a great idea. It will be cheap easy to produce post apocalyptic stories much like the pish served up in season 10.3

[facestabber]

I have my doubts that this will be any good. I think what it will boil down to is the episodes being 1 hour long, low budget / quality, made-for-TV movies of the week. I will give it a try, though.

I'm kind of hoping the the Daryl & Carol BS doesn't see the light of day. Every new Walking Dead related thing AMC tries just gets worse and worse. They need to just call it quits already.

Ive always been a fan of Daryl since he proclaimed, "you got something to say to me, Rick Griiiimes" HAHAHa. And I always root for Norman Reedus. But I too think this idea needs to go away. Let both of them live and have Daryl run into Rick for one last bro hug.

[MinionZombie]

Ive always been a fan of Daryl since he proclaimed, "you got something to say to me, Rick Griiiimes" HAHAHa. And I always root for Norman Reedus. But I too think this idea needs to go away. Let both of them live and have Daryl run into Rick for one last bro hug.

I see what you mean. I'm in two minds. On the one hand I'm a big fan of those characters and would be interested to see what they do with the idea, but the spin-off could also end up feeling like the 'hanging chad' of TWD, a lingering post-script that doesn't allow for complete conclusion and that in itself would be irritating.

[Daoyinyang]

I didn't even know they were making another spinoff. Are they going to include the running zombies?

[paranoid101]

August 14th is the premiere date.

https://www.ign.com/articles/tales-of-the-walking-dead-series-premiere-date-announced

[MinionZombie]

Hopefully it won't be shit like World Beyond. :p

Still, Terry Crews in the ZA? Worth checking out for that alone. :D

[MinionZombie]

3DqSLbCSt-M

Not entirely sure why we need another Alpha/Lydia backstory episode ... we already had one or two of those ... still, might be worthwhile regardless.

[beat_truck]

Not entirely sure why we need another Alpha/Lydia backstory episode ... we already had one or two of those

More of that crap?!? Ugh.:rolleyes:



... still, might be worthwhile regardless.

Doubtful.

After what they did with TWD: Millennial Edition, I won't be wasting my time on any of more spinoffs except maybe for the 6 episodes that will include Rick and Michonne.

[MinionZombie]

It's a different showrunner to the dreck of World Beyond, so that's good, although the showrunner of TWD:WB had written some great episodes of the main show in the past, so it was even more stunning and surprising just how terrible World Beyond was.

Seems this show is taking ideas that they could never quite find room for in the main show, so hopefully there'll be some value to it. Being quite episodic, too, if you don't like one episode you might like the next, as it's six different stories, a new one each week.

[WalkerFan101]

Wonder how this will turn out have to wait and see

[paranoid101]

https://www.ign.com/articles/tales-of-the-walking-dead-premiere-review-evie-joe

IGN gave the first episode a 6.10 says its the first walking dead rom com.

[beat_truck]

.... first walking dead rom com.

:barf:

[MinionZombie]

Although, this first episode has got Terry Crews in it, so that accounts for something.

At least each episode will be a new story with new characters.

We'll probably see some stories that just would never have fit in with the main show.

I'll check them out, but will be expecting quite variable quality from episode-to-episode. :shifty:

[Moon Knight]

Let’s not forget the musical episode!

[MinionZombie]

Let’s not forget the musical episode!

For real? :rockbrow:

*sigh*

Unless it's truly well made and composed, lower tier musicals just make me cringe ... I always hate it when non-musical shows/movies suddenly try to do a musical number. It's rare that it works for me, personally.

[JDP]

For real? :rockbrow:

*sigh*

Unless it's truly well made and composed, lower tier musicals just make me cringe ... I always hate it when non-musical shows/movies suddenly try to do a musical number. It's rare that it works for me, personally.

Hopefully, it is just a joke. There is just no way that anything having to do with decaying reanimated cannibalistic corpses can somehow fit into a "musical" format. Can you imagine?:

(sung to the tune of "Memory" from "Cats")

♫Memory♫
♫Turn your rotting face to the moonlight♫
♫Let your hunger for warm flesh lead you♫
♫Rip open the abdomen, enter in♫
♫If you find intestines there♫
♫The meaning of what happiness is♫
♫Then a new undead life will begin♫

[beat_truck]

Let’s not forget the musical episode!

Shhh.... Don't give AMC any ideas. I wouldn't put it past them to try it at this point....:confused:

[MinionZombie]

So watched the first episode ... it was okay.

There's certain moments that feel lazy or contrived or just silly screenwriting (e.g. why not destroy the brain of someone you just killed who you are still in close proximity to?), but there's also things that are enjoyable (e.g. Joe's zombie killing defence circle). I enjoyed Crews time on screen, but didn't feel the story really served his character well enough. Perhaps this is set to be an issue with these one-shot stories (not enough time to tell a story that's impactful enough).

After so many seasons of TWD (and FearTWD), it's hard to find new set-ups.

[Neil]

At least each episode will be a new story with new characters. We'll probably see some stories that just would never have fit in with the main show.Waiting for the ISS episode then (based on my story) :)

[JDP]

Saw the first episode. It was OK. As usual with zombie-themed shows and movies, though, characters often make the dumbest and most unrealistic decisions that no one in such situations would actually make. For example, the two main characters of this story could easily have ended up just taking over the batshit crazy girl's bunker. They have a very secure and stocked place to call a new home now. But no, instead they bizarrely just leave and rather take their chances out there with the zombies and who-knows what other hostile elements they might stumble upon. Absurd.

[Harleydude666]

Saw the episode last night and it was garbage. A crap fest. The story is beaten to death. Not a single ounce of tension and both leads were terrible actors

[Neil]

Saw the episode last night and it was garbage. A crap fest. The story is beaten to death. Not a single ounce of tension and both leads were terrible actors

Oh dear!

This series should allow for uber duper results. Single short stories set in any phase of the out break... Anywhere...

[MagicMoonMonkey]

Prepare yourselves for the second episode. set right at the outbreak, I was enjoying it and then I was left wondering what I had just watched.

I look forward to your thoughts on it, but this was a horrible idea in my opinion.

[JDP]

Prepare yourselves for the second episode. set right at the outbreak, I was enjoying it and then I was left wondering what I had just watched.

I look forward to your thoughts on it, but this was a horrible idea in my opinion.

Judging by the first episode, I bet that characters making illogical counterintuitive decisions will be the order of the day. It seems like zombies somehow magically screw up people's capability for rational thinking and self-preservation instincts. "Oh look, we have a safe place here with everything one needs to be able to survive... so, let's go out there in the open, where the zombies and hostile marauding survivors are, and continue to unnecessarily expose ourselves to more danger" (?!?!?)

[MagicMoonMonkey]

Judging by the first episode, I bet that characters making illogical counterintuitive decisions will be the order of the day. It seems like zombies somehow magically screw up people's capability for rational thinking and self-preservation instincts. "Oh look, we have a safe place here with everything one needs to be able to survive... so, let's go out there in the open, where the zombies and hostile marauding survivors are, and continue to unnecessarily expose ourselves to more danger" (?!?!?)

I am still not sure what was going on. As it stands I think it makes a mockery of the whole franchise. There is a line said at the end of the episode where I think it alludes to some kind of symptom of the phenomenon that brings folk back but if that is indeed what they are trying to portray then it is a massive own goal in my opinion. I like that Posey Parker and love the outbreak part of the genre but that episode is not how I imagined it would be from the preview.

[MinionZombie]

So the second episode ... ... what a load of fucking shite.

Basically a really crap version of Final Destination in the TWD world.

Now, if you're going to set stories within the same world as TWD then, you know, the same rules of that world should apply.

Two thoroughly uninteresting protagonists, as well, and some of the shoddiest green screen work I've seen in a very long time. I mean, truly, astonishingly poor. I've seen sitcoms in the 1990s pull it off better than that.

Also, so many moments where you think "why would they do that?" (e.g. why would the kid get in the gas truck?) ... and also, why would you decide to steal a gas truck any way? It's not like you can just hop in and drive off with it easy peasy as if it was a fucking Prius ... speaking of, it was clearly not in the slightest bit blocked in that parking lot. You could have easily got that shitbox out of that space. :rolleyes:

So episode one was thoroughly mediocre, and episode two was fucking awful ... ... episode three is an Alpha/Lydia flashback episode ... *fingers crossed* they can at least get that right!!! :stunned:

[Neil]

Sheesh, you'd think they'd want to land running with this new series so be careful about the quality of the first episodes...

[JDP]

Actually, this second episode is more like the basic premise of the 1997 movie Retroactive (which, incidentally, Sherman "Bub" Howard was in), except that there is NO time-machine here to explain the going back in time many times in order to try to correct the disastrous turn of events in the time-line. It was great for that sci-fi action movie, since it is about an experimental time-machine, but it falls flat here in this TWD setting.

[MinionZombie]

Actually, this second episode is more like the basic premise of the 1997 movie Retroactive (which, incidentally, Sherman "Bub" Howard was in), except that there is NO time-machine here to explain the going back in time many times in order to try to correct the disastrous turn of events in the time-line. It was great for that sci-fi action movie, since it is about an experimental time-machine, but it falls flat here in this TWD setting.

And it doesn't make any sense for it to be in this TWD universe, which is supposed to basically be 'our world but with zombies in it (and nothing in pop culture about "zombies")'... :rockbrow:

You'd never have this story take place on the main show, so it makes no sense for it to be in this one, which is in the exact same universe. When all that silly bullshit was going on Rick Grimes was lying in a coma.

[Neil]

Rick Grimes was lying in a coma.
Maybe that's it? In a Bobby Ewing moment these episodes will all be just a dream when Rick wakes up... :)

[MagicMoonMonkey]

Groundhog Day of the Dead...

[JDP]

Also, so many moments where you think "why would they do that?" (e.g. why would the kid get in the gas truck?) ...

The kid knew what his father was planning (i.e. steal the truck for themselves.)


and also, why would you decide to steal a gas truck any way?

It seems like all the characters who wanted to steal the truck wanted it to secure a large supply of fuel. They don't know how much they will have to move around in order to try to escape the situation.


It's not like you can just hop in and drive off with it easy peasy as if it was a fucking Prius ... speaking of, it was clearly not in the slightest bit blocked in that parking lot. You could have easily got that shitbox out of that space. :rolleyes:

The part that made the least sense was the one about the wounded man in the car turning into a zombie and attacking and killing the woman driver. They keep "reliving" that moment but they do absolutely nothing to stop it, and instead keep stupidly staring at it, as if they had never seen it before. I can understand the "I am so shocked by what I am seeing that I can't do anything" factor the first couple of times around, but once you are well aware of what's going on, you obviously would no longer be surprised and shocked that zombies do exist. You would not just stand there staring and doing nothing, you would go to the car and tell the woman to get out before the guy turns into a zombie and kills her, or just shoot the guy in the head straight away before he turns, period. Problem solved.

[MinionZombie]

The kid knew what his father was planning (i.e. steal the truck for themselves.)

Was that the case? :confused:

Also, it's such a last second 'plan' if that's the case, as the fuel truck turns up after all these people have arrived at the service stop. :confused:


It seems like all the characters who wanted to steal the truck wanted it to secure a large supply of fuel. They don't know how much they will have to move around in order to try to escape the situation.

However, like in Dawn when one of the fleeing police guys says he won't get in anything he can't drive for himself, you can't just hop from a regular car to a fuel tanker and go charging off. The gears and brakes are much different to operate, and it's not exactly an incognito vehicle, nor is it easy to pilot about the place (moreso for a newbie), and if it's that easy to hijack then you've just painted a massive target on your back - in a lawless society what guarantees do you have that the first person you try and barter with doesn't just blow your fool head off and take the whole thing for themselves?

It's a dumb ass plan that never made a lick of sense whatsoever.


The part that made the least sense was the one about the wounded man in the car turning into a zombie and attacking and killing the woman driver. They keep "reliving" that moment but they do absolutely nothing to stop it, and instead keep stupidly staring at it, as if they had never seen it before. I can understand the "I am so shocked by what I am seeing that I can't do anything" factor the first couple of times around, but once you are well aware of what's going on, you obviously would no longer be surprised and shocked that zombies do exist. You would not just stand there staring and doing nothing, you would go to the car and tell the woman to get out before the guy turns into a zombie and kills her, or just shoot the guy in the head straight away before he turns, period. Problem solved.

Agreed. That was just repetitive and ultimately quite extraneous. They tried different things with other parts of the puzzle, but didn't bother with that one. :rockbrow:

[shootemindehead]

This series sounds worse than The World Beyond.

:lol:

[MinionZombie]

This series sounds worse than The World Beyond.

:lol:

The second episode certainly was. Full blown garbage, and frankly infuriating to see people paid a nice chunk of change to write that dreck.

I gave up on World Beyond after only two episodes because it was so crushingly awful with such poorly written characters and such incessantly annoying teens. Utter shite.

[beat_truck]

I gave up on TWD: Millennial Edition after the first 5 or 10 minutes of the first episode. It was getting on my nerves that fast. I'm glad I decided not to waste 5 seconds on this piece of shit.

[JDP]

World Beyond's only redeeming factor were the last few episodes, which reveal what Jadis has been up to.

[beat_truck]

A while back, I cheated and watched a Youtube recap of World Beyond that condensed the whole thing down to about 20 minutes.:)

It didn't appear that I missed a whole lot besides teenage drama, retardation, and some woke BS.:barf: My give a damn level is so low that I already half forget the Jadis tie in and the "big" reveal at the end.

[Neil]

Bit sad now there's entire TWD shows I can't be bothered to watch.

[MinionZombie]

World Beyond's only redeeming factor were the last few episodes, which reveal what Jadis has been up to.

What's the cliff notes version?

[JDP]

What's the cliff notes version?

Don't want to spoil it. It's not that many to watch. The Jadis related episodes are the last 5 or 6 (can't remember right now the exact number.) Rick is also briefly alluded to, BTW. See if you can catch them.

[MagicMoonMonkey]

Bit sad now there's entire TWD shows I can't be bothered to watch.

In the 90s we'd have collectively sold our souls on here for a show like TWD. It's quite amazing how the writers and producers have bored us with it.

[MinionZombie]

Don't want to spoil it. It's not that many to watch. The Jadis related episodes are the last 5 or 6 (can't remember right now the exact number.) Rick is also briefly alluded to, BTW. See if you can catch them.

If I couldn't manage two episodes, I certainly won't withstand five or six. :lol:

Just use the [SPOILER] tags and dish the deets, dude. :p

[JDP]

If I couldn't manage two episodes, I certainly won't withstand five or six. :lol:

Just use the [SPOILER] tags and dish the deets, dude. :p

Yes, the regular episodes are tedious to watch, but these last episodes concern Jadis and what she has been up to after she & Rick disappeared from the main show, so I think you will find them easier to watch.

[shootemindehead]

Thought Jadis was a shit character myself, and she didn't get any better in The World Beyond. So I don't think Mini is missing that much.

[MinionZombie]

Thought Jadis was a shit character myself, and she didn't get any better in The World Beyond. So I don't think Mini is missing that much.

Aye. Just gimme the jist and that'll be fine.

She was pretty bad in TWD Season 7. All that stupid talk from the trash heapsters was just an annoying affectation out of some Z-grade European post-apoc rip-off from the 1970s and was totally ill-fitting.

They at least utilised the character far better in season 9, albeit in just a few episodes.

- - - Updated - - -

Episode 3 ... ... another big shrug.

The river boat setting was interesting, the idea of these people living decadently as the world crumbled (not that that hasn't been explored elsewhere before), but it had some potential that was ultimately squandered on a rather confusing collapse of that little enclave.

After that it felt really pointless and the introduction of The Whisperers felt super rushed and super underwhelming, particularly as the origin of Alpha's mask was barely even enough to be labeled as "throw away".

Quite disappointing, but generally on-trend for this swing-and-a-miss spin-off. :(

[JDP]

This episode was actually better than the first two, but rather unnecessary. We already had a "background story" for Alpha and Lydia (and Beta.)

[shootemindehead]

Aye. Just gimme the jist and that'll be fine.

She was pretty bad in TWD Season 7. All that stupid talk from the trash heapsters was just an annoying affectation out of some Z-grade European post-apoc rip-off from the 1970s and was totally ill-fitting.

They at least utilised the character far better in season 9, albeit in just a few episodes.

So Jadis has managed to get out of the wild and become a top dog in the Civil Republic's police force where she holds enough sway to be of importance. She's dropped "all that stupid talk"* and has a kind of Gestapo presence around the place. She also mentions that she made some "alliances" while part of the trash street kids and it didn't turn out so well. But she implies that she was instrumental in handing over Rick to the CR, which was nothing that we didn't already know, and because of that it has allowed her to survive further. She says of Rick in TWD that she had "an A" , which meant a subject A. I think this was because the CR were looking for subjects to study the effects of reanimation in their experiments, but I can't recall the details of that. She says he's a B later on so he would avoid bested tested on. Being "tested on" meant getting bitten and using a gas to prolong the turning in the hopes of finding a way to stave off reanimation. We don't see Rick in 'The World Beyond' though.

There's absolutely no reason at all to watch 'The World Beyond' because it was, at best, a 6 episode story dragged out, ahem, beyond stretching point and laced with teen angst and other crap that never needed to even exist. It was ok seeing what the Civil Republic were up to with regards to the experiments, but...again ahem...beyond that it had nothing to offer.





*She mentions that the new language and theatre was all part of her creating her own mini civilisation (but this was something that never worked for me in TWD).

[MinionZombie]

Thanks for the mini briefing, Shoot. :thumbsup:


This episode was actually better than the first two, but rather unnecessary. We already had a "background story" for Alpha and Lydia (and Beta.)

I was thinking about it last night. It takes place after the episode in the basement (in which "Dee" kills Lydia's father), but it seemingly takes place before the episode where she first encountered Beta.

This episode feels like it actually takes power away from Dee/Alpha, because I'd always assumed that she was the originator of The Whisperers, not someone who just stumbled across them and then something happened between the (very few and rushed) lines of the final moments of Tales of TWD 1x03. :confused:

The climax was handled so sloppily that it was barely comprehensible and, I feel, damaged Dee/Alpha's story and it certainly didn't jive at all well with the flashback episode to the introduction of Beta. That episode really seemed to introduce the idea of wearing a dead person's face, as if that was the beginning of The Whisperers, so this dodgy mid-way prequel just muddies the waters and feels like it was based on what someone could remember of past episodes of TWD rather than reviewing them very closely for exactly what happened and when.

It just felt muddled and I never really understood the relationship between Dee/Alpha and the lady who ran the river boat. I never really understood the dynamics of that boat at all, and then I don't really get how/why the lady of the boat specifically failed Dee/Alpha and Lydia. She wasn't the one trying to take over the boat while shooting a load of random cannon fodder characters, leading to its downfall.

Felt pretty pointless, really. I would have much preferred an episode that followed on from that flashback episode with Beta, to see them actually creating The Whisperers ... or, you know, how about instead an episode following on from the Negan prequel episode that showed a more fleshed-out version of the creation of The Saviours (as seen in the Here's Negan graphic novel)?

[JDP]

Thanks for the mini briefing, Shoot. :thumbsup:



I was thinking about it last night. It takes place after the episode in the basement (in which "Dee" kills Lydia's father), but it seemingly takes place before the episode where she first encountered Beta.

This episode feels like it actually takes power away from Dee/Alpha, because I'd always assumed that she was the originator of The Whisperers, not someone who just stumbled across them and then something happened between the (very few and rushed) lines of the final moments of Tales of TWD 1x03. :confused:

The climax was handled so sloppily that it was barely comprehensible and, I feel, damaged Dee/Alpha's story and it certainly didn't jive at all well with the flashback episode to the introduction of Beta. That episode really seemed to introduce the idea of wearing a dead person's face, as if that was the beginning of The Whisperers, so this dodgy mid-way prequel just muddies the waters and feels like it was based on what someone could remember of past episodes of TWD rather than reviewing them very closely for exactly what happened and when.

It just felt muddled and I never really understood the relationship between Dee/Alpha and the lady who ran the river boat. I never really understood the dynamics of that boat at all, and then I don't really get how/why the lady of the boat specifically failed Dee/Alpha and Lydia. She wasn't the one trying to take over the boat while shooting a load of random cannon fodder characters, leading to its downfall.

Felt pretty pointless, really. I would have much preferred an episode that followed on from that flashback episode with Beta, to see them actually creating The Whisperers ... or, you know, how about instead an episode following on from the Negan prequel episode that showed a more fleshed-out version of the creation of The Saviours (as seen in the Here's Negan graphic novel)?

Dee/Alpha is a bit nutty. She tries to blame the boat lady for all of what happened because she felt that she was "stealing" Lydia from her, and then to top it off, she would also not believe her when she caught the bartender guy signaling his confederates lurking around the swamp waiting for the right moment to try to take over the boat. It turns out that Dee/Alpha was right about that one, but she is wrong about the boat lady wanting to steal her daughter. Lydia is terrified of her mother and wants to distance herself from her, the boat lady was just complying with what she wanted. Dee/Alpha obviously refuses to acknowledge the situation and places the blame on the boat lady.

[MinionZombie]

Dee/Alpha is a bit nutty. She tries to blame the boat lady for all of what happened because she felt that she was "stealing" Lydia from her, and then to top it off, she would also not believe her when she caught the bartender guy signaling his confederates lurking around the swamp waiting for the right moment to try to take over the boat. It turns out that Dee/Alpha was right about that one, but she is wrong about the boat lady wanting to steal her daughter. Lydia is terrified of her mother and wants to distance herself from her, the boat lady was just complying with what she wanted. Dee/Alpha obviously refuses to acknowledge the situation and places the blame on the boat lady.

Aye, that's what I was figuring. The storytelling was just sloppy and rushed, though, too scattered at times, and woof, those closing few minutes just stank.

[Harleydude666]

Jesus, why are you guys torturing yourselves watching this crap

[MinionZombie]

Jesus, why are you guys torturing yourselves watching this crap

:lol:

I suppose with this particular one it's the fact that it's a different story each week, so there's a weird kind of hope that there's be a good one or two to come along soon. Although three duds in a row isn't a great record, is it? To be fair, 1 and 3 weren't as stupendously awful as episode 2 ... but they weren't much cop either.

Only three more to go ... ... we'll see if they can go for six duds in a row. :p

[MinionZombie]

So - episode 4...

Probably the best so far, but that's not saying much. I enjoyed the idea of a guy studying the walkers like a species of animal, figuring out their migration patterns and so on, using tech to follow them and so on (although surely a drone flying that close to a walker(s) would actually distract them???)

However, it doesn't quite sustain the episode, especially as I didn't really gel with the other character introduced ... I just didn't get much out of their interactions, and each of them seemed to flip-flop their attitudes an awful lot. I think this is going to be the problem with these episodes as there's not enough time to really get to know anyone, so you can never connect with them, their stories become a bit generic or even cliched, and boom it's all over. They're trying to put too much into an episode almost, if anything they need to strip back on some stories and really keep it quite simple, a very small idea, where 45 minutes feels like a full telling of that very small and contained idea.

These stories, though, feel a bit rushed for 45 minutes, but also not interesting enough for anything longer.

Anthony Edwards' character would've been a nice supporting character in the main show, for instance, as part of The Commonwealth so they have the best information available to avoid and deal with hordes of walkers - even re-directing them, which could lead to interesting story potential of sparing one area but destroying another and the collateral damage that results. That could've been really cool on the main show.

The bit I liked most was his hideout, stacked on top of those shipping containers - although, really, a knife piercing the side of it to make for a foot hold??? Hmmm...

Also, when he pushed the ladder up and then left the hook in full and reachable view - eh? Just have a little nook that'll hide the hook lying horizontal so you'll know where it is but nobody else will.

[Neil]

When there's actually episodes worth watching, let me know... In the meantime I'll carry on watching For All Mankind :)

[MinionZombie]

When there's actually episodes worth watching, let me know... In the meantime I'll carry on watching For All Mankind :)

You'll probably be waiting a while... :p