TWD Season 11-B & 11-C discussion... **ROLLING SPOILERS**

[MinionZombie]

Love the show, even though its best days are behind it, but it's still got the goods and can still deliver the awesome sauce when required. The discussion on HPOTD for TWD has waned lately, which is a bummer, as it's really the only place where I talk about the show with other folks, and I do enjoy digging over the episodes. Although the last few seasons there's been less to dig over in weird ways, perhaps much of the discussion ground has been covered... Hopefully the remaining episodes bring it and the show goes out on a big old high.

[Moon Knight]

Love the show, even though its best days are behind it, but it's still got the goods and can still deliver the awesome sauce when required. The discussion on HPOTD for TWD has waned lately, which is a bummer, as it's really the only place where I talk about the show with other folks, and I do enjoy digging over the episodes. Although the last few seasons there's been less to dig over in weird ways, perhaps much of the discussion ground has been covered... Hopefully the remaining episodes bring it and the show goes out on a big old high. Yep! I stuck with it even when it was at a low point. How many shows run for 11 seasons and go out on their own terms and aren’t just canceled? TWD still has a strong fanbase and you can see that just by all the post on social media concerning the final day of shooting. Lots of love and appreciation all throughout. End of an era.

[MinionZombie]

Fuck it, let's just roll with the last couple at once - not sure if folks are keeping up via AMC+ (episodes air a week earlier) or just AMC, so... 11x15 "Trust" Directed by: Lily Mariye Written by: Kevin Deiboldt and 11x16 "Acts of God" Directed by: Catriona McKenzie Written by: Nicole Mirante-Matthews

[MinionZombie]

Trailer for the final eight episodes. The only thing that gives me pause is this thing about a different kind of walker being introduced. I believe that's something that was a part of that World Beyond crap? SDCC 2022 TWD Panel:

[MinionZombie]

So here we go ... the final eight episodes of TWD are upon us! 11x17 "Lockdown". Directed by: Greg Nicotero Written by: Julia Ruchman & 11x18 "A New Deal". Directed by: Jeffrey F. January Story by : Corey Reed Teleplay by : Corey Reed & Kevin Deiboldt

[facestabber]

So here we go ... the final eight episodes of TWD are upon us! 11x17 "Lockdown". Directed by: Greg Nicotero Written by: Julia Ruchman I’m ready and caught up. Took a trip down memory lane and watched first couple episodes of Season 1. Halloween night of 2010 was truly a magical night of tv. As the camera panned up and away from the tank with “Space Junk” playing, I grabbed the phone and started calling people. TWD wasn’t a stupid zombie show, it was legit. I was and am still invested in Rick Grimes navigation through this world with his son Coral(F U scott gimple). I hope the show finds a way to end strong. To me that HAS to include Rick and Michonne.

[shootemindehead]

I’m ready and caught up. Took a trip down memory lane and watched first couple episodes of Season 1. Halloween night of 2010 was truly a magical night of tv. As the camera panned up and away from the tank with “Space Junk” playing, I grabbed the phone and started calling people. TWD wasn’t a stupid zombie show, it was legit. I was and am still invested in Rick Grimes navigation through this world with his son Coral(F U scott gimple). I hope the show finds a way to end strong. To me that HAS to include Rick and Michonne. I watched the first series a few months ago myself and was saddened at just how far the drop in quality the show has gone through in the decade it's been on. Hopefully, it can end on a strong note, but the reality is that it really nose dived when Lincoln decided to jump ship.

[MinionZombie]

I watched the first series a few months ago myself and was saddened at just how far the drop in quality the show has gone through in the decade it's been on. Hopefully, it can end on a strong note, but the reality is that it really nose dived when Lincoln decided to jump ship. I reacted quite negatively to the news that Lincoln was departing the show, although I fully understood his reason (to be close to his family, whom he'd been separated from for so much of the preceding years - another reason why I think 10 episodes should be the max for any show, to allow those involved to spend more time either with their families or pursuing other projects on the side, which would likely help stop so many inconvenient departures) ... ... where was I? Oh yeah, I was pissed off hearing the news, but was stunned by how well season 9 managed to cope without Rick. Truly, I was. Season 10 was a mixed bag. The first 8 episodes kinda struggled, but the next 8 episodes really rallied again and boasted some truly awesome all-time great moments (ironically enough, Michonne's final episode - specifically the 'alternate path' Michonne stuff). The tacked-on six afterwards were another mixed bag. The train car episode was so bloody boring, and filler bandied hither and thither, but those six also had some really solid stuff in there. Season 11 has had some excellent material in it as well. The weak point was the religious military leader guy. Just felt too cliched as a character, we've seen his type many times before in the genre, despite the competent actor playing the role. Fingers crossed season 11 can finish off with a strong set of eight episodes. I'm somewhat doubting as to whether we'll get Rick and Michonne back, and even if we do I'd fear it'd be some annoying mere moment with them appearing too late to really enjoy some time with them (there is the spin-off show with those two, though, apparently ... a mini-series, I'd presume?) ... ... to really do it justice, though, we need to close the loop within the confines of The Walking Dead, not a spin-off. I need Rick and Michonne and Judith and RJ re-united and happy, moreso as Gimple fucked over Carl. I mean, seriously, Gimple? A father guiding his growing son through the zombie apocalypse is the fucking backbone of the entire story!

[shootemindehead]

Well, that's the publicity reason Mini. I've always reckoned, perhaps cynically, that somebody waved movie star Andrew Lincoln's face and he got "starry eyed". Whatever the case may indeed be, his departure signalled the end of the show and, frankly, it has limped on, sometimes heroically, but the fatal damage had been done. I thought S09 soldiered on as best it could, but my bar was very low. S10 was meh to poor and S11 has been, for me, the end point. I'll watch til the end of the show because, after all, it's the zombie TV show that I have always wanted to exist...since the 90's. But, really, its time is well and truly up. The characters I don't really give a toss about and there are some I absolutely loathe. But, generally, the writing is just dead in the water at this point. In short, it's blown its load. As for the Rick/Michonne angle, I've always hated that because it never, not once, felt organic. It always came of as "oh yeah, these people are an item now...cos...whatever..." In the end I won't be sorry to see 'The Walking Dead' come to a close, because the producers have really run out of valid ideas at this point. The opportunity is, of course, to expand upon the world, as it were, but as we've seen those expansions have been extremely hit and miss...and that's being very polite.

[MinionZombie]

Well, that's the publicity reason Mini. I've always reckoned, perhaps cynically, that somebody waved movie star Andrew Lincoln's face and he got "starry eyed". As for the Rick/Michonne angle, I've always hated that because it never, not once, felt organic. It always came of as "oh yeah, these people are an item now...cos...whatever..." In the end I won't be sorry to see 'The Walking Dead' come to a close, because the producers have really run out of valid ideas at this point. The opportunity is, of course, to expand upon the world, as it were, but as we've seen those expansions have been extremely hit and miss...and that's being very polite. 1) Considering that Danai was open about wanting to pursue other opportunities, including film and stage work, I don't see why Lincoln would need to lie about his reasons. Also, seeing as he's only done a 'bigger indie' film, a rendition of A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic, and one episode of GDT's new telly show since his departure from TWD, I'd say that he was telling it like it was. His family were in England while he was away for months and months every year for several years in a row, so you're going to be missing out on an awful lot and any sane person would want to be able to spend more time with their family. Who knows, there might have been some problems, or it came to a head and a decision had to be made and he made the correct one. 2) l'm fine with 'Richonne'. Their relationship wasn't rushed into and gradually grew over years, going through stages. So it felt quite organic to me and not some 'ah yeah whatever' thing. 3) FearTWD lost its reason for being after season one and then just proceeded to be a poor man's version of the main show. It has had fits and starts of good material or characters along the way, but it gets far more wrong than right and has really turned into a shitshow lately, squandering some cool story ideas. I mean, fuck me, they had an episode where they went to a mall and they failed to go balls deep on the Dawn references ... open goal, much? World Beyond ... ... no, just no. Tales From The Walking Dead ... I soldiered through four episodes, but have yet to see the remaining two. God awful junk. Truly abysmal despite the opportunity for a fresh start with each episode. ... Anyway, I just watched 11x17 and quite enjoyed it. I had to get back into the groove again, feeling slightly lost since it was last on in the spring and a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then (not to mention a lot of telly has passed over these eyeballs in that time ) ... ... anyway, I enjoyed it. Things are in motion, unrest in the Commonwealth is spilling over, a horde of walkers is closing in - good stuff. Some nice gore moments, too. I enjoyed the jeep action vs the walkers and tearing that guy in half. Milton's son is a scumbag, just like in the comics, so I really wanna see him get mullered.

[shootemindehead]

1) Considering that Danai was open about wanting to pursue other opportunities, including film and stage work, I don't see why Lincoln would need to lie about his reasons. Also, seeing as he's only done a 'bigger indie' film, a rendition of A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic, and one episode of GDT's new telly show since his departure from TWD, I'd say that he was telling it like it was. His family were in England while he was away for months and months every year for several years in a row, so you're going to be missing out on an awful lot and any sane person would want to be able to spend more time with their family. Who knows, there might have been some problems, or it came to a head and a decision had to be made and he made the correct one. Danai wasn't the series' lead though. Viewers would get over her shipping out much quicker than they would with the star of the show who's story TWD basically is. Plus the "he wants to be with his fam" was probably more of an effort from AMC publicity circles than Andrew Lincoln himself. Because Lincoln saying "fuck it, I wanna be a movie star" would have gone over too well with fans. In addition, just because his turn out hasn't been that stellar in the time he jumped ship, it doesn't mean that someone wasn't blowing smoke up his arse about a movie career before he voluntarily walked his own plank. In any case, we'll probably never really know and at this point it doesn't matter anyway. 2) l'm fine with 'Richonne'. Their relationship wasn't rushed into and gradually grew over years, going through stages. So it felt quite organic to me and not some 'ah yeah whatever' thing. They, literally, ended up in the sack in one episode after no "how you doin'" build up whatsoever. I actually recall myself doing a "wait...what?" when I saw that. There was never any indication, at all, that either character had the glad eye for one another. 3) FearTWD lost its reason for being after season one and then just proceeded to be a poor man's version of the main show. It has had fits and starts of good material or characters along the way, but it gets far more wrong than right and has really turned into a shitshow lately, squandering some cool story ideas. I mean, fuck me, they had an episode where they went to a mall and they failed to go balls deep on the Dawn references ... open goal, much? World Beyond ... ... no, just no. Tales From The Walking Dead ... I soldiered through four episodes, but have yet to see the remaining two. God awful junk. Truly abysmal despite the opportunity for a fresh start with each episode. I've never really understood the reason for FTWD's existence. Once the original premise of "let's see society go out of control" got chucked, it immediately became TWD west coast edition as you point out. In fairness, at times I actually found FTWD more entertaining than the flag ship series, once it had gotten a few series in. But I still haven't bothered with the second half of S07. I just can't be arsed. Everything else in the TWD "universe" has been go awful. I can't even bring myself to sit down to 'Tales from the Walking Dead'. What a dumb fucking title. But the story, as a whole, has just shat the bed in any way. I just don't care about the Commonwealth and all that noise in TWD and World Beyond, and what's happening in FTWD is just downright stupid now. It's like a bad version of Fallout and just what the hell is Strand all about now? I cannot understand where the writers are going with him. It's kinda amazing how far the whole thing has fallen in recent years.

[facestabber]

With Lincoln I will refer back to what an old college professor used to repeat ad nauseum. "multiple factors of causation". Im sure it wasnt just one reason or which reason carried the more weight. I will say Lincoln is one of my favorite actors. He is Rick Grimes. My God has he been exceptional. If AMC wasnt full of morons and they pumped money into TWD instead of lessoning the budget in Season 2 AND Frank Durabont stayed on......I dont believe it would have fell apart like it did IMO during/around Season 6 mark. I purchased AMC plus to watch this final set. I guess it comes with the perk of watching two episodes. So I saw 11-17 and 18 last night. I wont discuss 18. I dont want to diminish the actors because they do have a talented group. I love Maggie and Daryl. I cant believe I'm saying this, I like Negan now too. But it feels like I'm watching a retelling of Woodbury. The actors can act but the story just seems stale. Credit to Nicotero and his crew. The level they have reached is something to marvel at. Comparing the soldier getting ripped in half in this episode to Capt Rhodes shows a huge leap IMO. And Rhodes death shook me as a teenager so many years ago. Rosita doesnt age and she is just gorgeous.

[MinionZombie]

They, literally, ended up in the sack in one episode after no "how you doin'" build up whatsoever. I actually recall myself doing a "wait...what?" when I saw that. There was never any indication, at all, that either character had the glad eye for one another. I've never really understood the reason for FTWD's existence. Once the original premise of "let's see society go out of control" got chucked, it immediately became TWD west coast edition as you point out. In fairness, at times I actually found FTWD more entertaining than the flag ship series, once it had gotten a few series in. But I still haven't bothered with the second half of S07. I just can't be arsed. Everything else in the TWD "universe" has been go awful. I can't even bring myself to sit down to 'Tales from the Walking Dead'. What a dumb fucking title. But the story, as a whole, has just shat the bed in any way. I just don't care about the Commonwealth and all that noise in TWD and World Beyond, and what's happening in FTWD is just downright stupid now. It's like a bad version of Fallout and just what the hell is Strand all about now? I cannot understand where the writers are going with him. 1) But they did show Rick and Michonne growing closer. It wasn't necessarily in a outwardly romantic, kissy faces, "do you like me YES/NO" sorta way, but this is the ZA and you don't have a lot of time for that kinda thing mostly. You saw them growing closer and becoming friends and confidants and people who relied on each other and trusted each other, you saw them gain a shared sense of humour about certain things, and then the spark happened on the sofa and they both kinda realised. Michonne had also reached the point where she was essentially a surrogate mother for Carl and Judith, so that alone shows how close she had grown to Rick. I thought they way they got them together on the show worked great. 2) FearTWD season 7 was pretty much shite throughout. It just got worse and worse. They wasted the whole nuclear wasteland + zombies thing on terrible stories and dreadful villains and poor characterisation (which has been a consistent problem with FearTWD). You're not missing much. It was a struggle to get to the end. There were moments, but it handles its stories and characters so clumsily it just feels like a ship in a storm getting thrashed around with no captain at the helm, just getting flung all over. 3) Tales of TWD has been shockingly bad at times. The second episode in particular was astonishingly awful. I couldn't believe how badly written each episode was. Even the fractions of episodes that were okay were ruined by the chunks that were awful. Proper garbage. 4) Yep. Strand is a prime example of how FearTWD has always been hugely inconsistent in its writing and characterisation. That character has flip-flopped more times than a gasping fish washed up on the shore of a medical waste dump. How they angled him in seasons 6 and 7 was particularly fucking stupid, and then comes the inevitable flip-flop back to 'being kind good/regretful' yet again. Rosita doesnt age and she is just gorgeous. Oh, you and your Rosita crush. - - - Updated - - - Right, so I've watched 11x18 as well. Yarrr!   Very pleased to see that little shit weasel Milton's son get chomped. Delicious!

[Neil]

So here we go ... the final eight episodes of TWD are upon us! 11x17 "Lockdown". Directed by: Greg Nicotero Written by: Julia Ruchman Only just realised I was only up to about ep10 I'd got so bored with the series...

[Neil]

OK! Up to date and enjoying it at the moment