TWD 8x01 "Mercy" episode discussion... **SPOILERS*

[Moon Knight]

Shoot, I’m mostly speaking about translating the images. With the exception of the armor on the vehicles, everything else is placed and made to look exactly as in the book. I agree. Should have just had Negan out of sight.

[MinionZombie]

Funny thing is they actually improved on it by having Rick and the group create cover and stand behind it. Originally everyone is out in the open. In short, I agree, I wouldn’t have Negan just stand out in the open like that. It doesn’t bother me as much but I get why people wouldn’t like that. MZ, it’s a shame. This episode has so many homages and Easter Eggs but all fans are talking about is how Rick didn’t shoot Negan haha. 1) I know, right?! 2) I think it has clearly become a distraction that needn't have happened, and while the show makers could have easily avoided it, the viewers could easily drop it and not fixate on it so much and enjoy the other aspects of the show - I'd really like to talk about the other things going on in this episode! Even if Negan had been talking to Rick surrounded by more "innocent" characters, it would have made better sense. I get excited for 'The Walking Dead' each year and then they something really dumb like this and I have to question why I stick with it, when I've let other shows go for less. But they've abandoned that angle long time ago, when they went off in their own direction. There's a ton of different plot lines, scenarios, characters and relationships going on now. 1) That would have been interesting. Have Negan meandering inbetween more innocent parties and sticking to them quite closely as a veiled bit of cover/threat. You could have had him right up beside Eugene (formerly of Alexandria) and Dwight (an inside man). 2) I think you need to ask yourself why you let relatively minor things hold disproportionate sway over a show you otherwise enjoy, which is held to a standard seemingly far in excess of other shows. 3) Certain plot lines, or how those plot lines evolve - but the approach of matching the comic panel-for-panel in certain episodes is very much alive and well. They regularly use panels from the comic as storyboards to match the shots.

[Moon Knight]

Let’s talk about the stranger Carl ran into. “My Mercy prevailed over my wrath.” Carl overheard the man saying this and then Rick repeats it with eyes red with tears in the flash forward; followed by a subtle chuckle. Lots of theory discussions can be had as to how they piece that together.

[zomtom]

I can't help but think it would be great if writers/staff of TWD occasionally showed up on this site and read some of these threads. No matter how you look at it, most of the members of this site; live and breathe zombies and have done so for much of their lives. It just seems some of TWD crew could learn so much by reading these comments. It certainly couldn't hurt the show.

[MinionZombie]

Let’s talk about the stranger Carl ran into. “My Mercy prevailed over my wrath.” Carl overheard the man saying this and then Rick repeats it with eyes red with tears in the flash forward; followed by a subtle chuckle. Lots of theory discussions can be had as to how they piece that together. Ooh, aye ... I've not thought too much about that element. I only watch the episodes once so I don't burn myself out on it within a short time frame (and, so, when I come to get the Blu-Ray boxsets, it's like watching it brand new again ), but who are they, what do they want, how does it pan out from here? It adds some mystery that I hope will linger throughout the season and gradually get revealed (instead of just dumping it all into a single episode as we've sometimes had in the past). The 'red rimmed eyes' scenes, too ... blimey, I don't know what to think about those yet, but they're pretty fraught. Has something terrible transpired, is he wounded, is it the come-down after a traumatic experience? Hmmm...

[Moon Knight]

Rick did say he heard what the stranger was saying, well “most of it”. That’s gonna definitely take on a bigger purpose moving forward.