TWD 10x01 "Lines We Cross" episode discussion... **SPOILERS**

[MinionZombie]

Please keep all talk of episode 10x01 "Lines We Cross" specifically inside this thread. If you have a theory for a following episode, please use the "spoiler tags" (visit the HPOTD FAQ to find out how to use them if you don't already know). Similarly, if you're going to discuss plot points from the comic book, please use "spoiler tags" - not everyone is up-to-date on them, and some people don't read them at all. Enjoy! Directed by: Greg Nicotero Written by: Angela Kang We pick back up with the group in Oceanside continuing to train in case The Whisperers return. Tensions are high as our heroes struggle to hold onto their concept of civilization. Now, I've heard that perhaps the premiere episode might not be some big impressive thing, perhaps more of a calmer beginning, but that it ramps up in subsequent episodes - so that's worth bearing in mind, so unaligned expectations won't get in the way. This from Insider: While the first episode of the season isn't the best premiere we've ever watched, it is one that will probably make you emotional at least twice. If you're not thoroughly impressed with the first episode, you're going to want to stick around because episodes two and three just get better and better. ... The season 10 premiere, while strong, leaves a little bit to be desired. It's not the best season premiere I've ever watched. It's also not the worst, but it's one of the less memorable ones. ... If you're not completely feeling "TWD" after the season premiere, just hold in there because things are going to start ramping up quickly over the next two episodes. Also it seems that episode two will dig into Alpha & Beta's back stories.

[Moon Knight]

Solid premier. TWD Classic is back!

[MinionZombie]

Yep - a solid episode all-round. Don't know what The Insider was quibbling about, really. It's gotta set everything up for what's coming, but also establish where everyone is after another time jump (somewhere between 8 and 12 months IIRC). Further proof that Kang very much knows what to do with TWD. Good pacing, interesting stories, good character interaction, new ideas etc. Combining 'what would happen in the ZA if a forest fire broke out' and a reason to force our guys to cross the border was very cool. Good action up front. I love seeing them training and putting their heads in gear - particularly in the latter two seasons of Gimple's run there were far too many 'going rogue' or 'doing something stupid' moments from characters, so it's nice to see some organisation. There were lots of little moments that I really dug throughout - like Judith telling little Rick the story of the walker bridge, or Daryl showing off some of the ASL he's learned. So good to have TWD back. Season 9 really freshened things up and brought back the level - and amount - of quality that the show deserves. I'm really looking forward to the rest of season 10, that's for sure! Oh - and TWD was renewed for Season 11 - and more good news: Maggie will be returning in season 11.

[facestabber]

My goodness I loved it. I'm glad Michonne said it out loud, "we are the good guys". I cant believe the work that Nicotero and his company are doing. Walkers have reached such a level of epic that the rules are now rewritten. I'll dive into more later. Cant wait to digest this season with yall

[Moon Knight]

To me it was the little interactions certain characters had that really put a smile on my face. Connie in general is just lovely. Carol and Alpha squaring off at the end with their eyes was awesome. That glimpse of Alpha holding the bloody machete after decapitating the pike victims was chilling.

[MinionZombie]

My goodness I loved it. I'm glad Michonne said it out loud, "we are the good guys". I cant believe the work that Nicotero and his company are doing. Walkers have reached such a level of epic that the rules are now rewritten. I'll dive into more later. Cant wait to digest this season with yall Hell yeah. The 'driftwood' walker that comes out of the ocean was quite something! It's an interesting thing to talk about that perspective, but much like with The Saviours, our gang are the good guys because they're not looking for a fight or doing things to start one (usually!). They respond to a fight, rather than start one. They don't beat their children (the things Alpha overlooks in the comics are pretty grim!), they don't wear walker skin (a big clue that our gang are good, haha!) and so on. But yeah, to the Whisperers our gang are "the enemy", but so too were the Allies to Hitler. To me it was the little interactions certain characters had that really put a smile on my face. Connie in general is just lovely. Carol and Alpha squaring off at the end with their eyes was awesome. That glimpse of Alpha holding the bloody machete after decapitating the pike victims was chilling. You're quite right. Kang has been able to oversee a lot of little details and scenes within scenes that really help flesh out new and old characters alike (e.g. Luke flirting with the new face from Oceanside - the name escapes me). That scene with Connie and Daryl was really nice. I'm a big fan of Connie and really enjoy her scenes with Daryl as well. Funny how Negan was there doing just what Carl had envisioned - gardening.

[Moon Knight]

Hell yeah. The 'driftwood' walker that comes out of the ocean was quite something! It's an interesting thing to talk about that perspective, but much like with The Saviours, our gang are the good guys because they're not looking for a fight or doing things to start one (usually!). They respond to a fight, rather than start one. They don't beat their children (the things Alpha overlooks in the comics are pretty grim!), they don't wear walker skin (a big clue that our gang are good, haha!) and so on. But yeah, to the Whisperers our gang are "the enemy", but so too were the Allies to Hitler. You're quite right. Kang has been able to oversee a lot of little details and scenes within scenes that really help flesh out new and old characters alike (e.g. Luke flirting with the new face from Oceanside - the name escapes me). That scene with Connie and Daryl was really nice. I'm a big fan of Connie and really enjoy her scenes with Daryl as well. Funny how Negan was there doing just what Carl had envisioned - gardening. Funny how Negan also said during 7x01 "I'm not gonna plant a garden." Didn't Daryl also mention NEBRASKA? Another call back to Rick from 2x08. Love little things like that. Like how Luke and Eugene discussed radiation from the satellite. I'm sure all GAR fans caught that nod to NOTLD.

[facestabber]

Funny how Negan also said during 7x01 "I'm not gonna plant a garden." Didn't Daryl also mention NEBRASKA? Another call back to Rick from 2x08. Love little things like that. Like how Luke and Eugene discussed radiation from the satellite. I'm sure all GAR fans caught that nod to NOTLD. I love throw backs to previous seasons. It’s showing respect to their past. Nebraska is one of my favorite episodes. I still have a huge void missing Rick but the fact they kept him alive has allowed me to enjoy this show through a different lens. I also can hold out hope that someday Michonne, RJ, Judith and Daryl meet him again. That will be a tear jerker. Beyond the radiation nod regarding the satellite. It has to have some significance. What is Eugene going to find? Is it possible he could extract photos that show civilizations. Maybe an image that looks enough like Rick that Michonne goes off to discover?

[Moon Knight]

I love throw backs to previous seasons. It’s showing respect to their past. Nebraska is one of my favorite episodes. I still have a huge void missing Rick but the fact they kept him alive has allowed me to enjoy this show through a different lens. I also can hold out hope that someday Michonne, RJ, Judith and Daryl meet him again. That will be a tear jerker. Beyond the radiation nod regarding the satellite. It has to have some significance. What is Eugene going to find? Is it possible he could extract photos that show civilizations. Maybe an image that looks enough like Rick that Michonne goes off to discover? Keeping Rick alive was the smartest thing they could do. I really hope they all get together again sometime before it’s all said and done. Regarding the satellite- I didn’t even think of that. Hopefully it goes a bit beyond just reaching farther communities.

[MinionZombie]

Yeah, keeping Rick alive in the story was absolutely the right move (especially with Carl gone). But Kang & Co also did some wonderful writing that not only rejuvenated the show but managed to - amazingly - ride over the rough seas of losing Rick and come out the other side with a show that made me really eager to see the next episode. I'd love to have them reunite and, considering a certain moment with Michonne elsewhere, there could be something ... I'll theorise below: Comics spoilers/theory:   In the comics Michonne reaches The Commonwealth and there's a big billboard with photographs of people who are hoping someone they love will see their picture - and Michonne sees a picture of her daughter - and they reunite in the Commonwealth. Now, Michonne's child from pre-ZA died, so that's out, but she could reunite with Rick at The Commonwealth instead. That'd be cool! As for the radiation ... yeah, I caught that NOLTD reference, but also isn't there an issue of space radiation anyway? I thought I read something at some point about that, but I really don't know ... not that I think it'd really play into the story. However, it sounded as if the satellite should have some sort of significance to the story moving forward (Kang seemed to alude to that on Talking Dead unless I heard wrong). Interesting to note it's a Russian satellite, but will that play into it somehow? We shall see - it was certainly a cool opening to start in space - a neat reminder that it's a global apocalypse, but also (much like the nuclear power stations issue referenced in FearTWD this season) that there are leftovers of the world pre-ZA that can cause trouble. I really dug this episode. There's so many little bits of wider story going on that are fun, too - like the whole Three Men and a Baby scenario. Rosita's got three dudes wrapped around her little finger, haha.

[Moon Knight]

If Rosita has room for a fourth I would be happy to oblige.

[Zombie Snack]

Angela Kang is the best thing to happen to TWD in a long time. She has really brought back the "feel" to the show.

[MinionZombie]

If Rosita has room for a fourth I would be happy to oblige. Three Men, A Moon, and A Baby. Who's gonna be the spooky 'ghost child' lurking in the window, though? Angela Kang is the best thing to happen to TWD in a long time. She has really brought back the "feel" to the show. Yep. I was very pleasantly surprised by what Kang & Co achieved with season 9. To weather the storm of losing Rick so well and so deftly, while continuing to keep the character's spirit alive in the story (while he is absent from the show for now) and continue to be a part of the characters' inner journeys, is the best way to handle it - and they've done so beautifully. It's also great to see the passage of time. We got to a point where multiple seasons were stretched over, essentially, three months. It was kind of silly when you think about some of the chaos that kept happening. That was one of the more 'hidden' reasons why the pacing felt sluggish at times during Gimple's tenure. Gimple did a great many good things for the show, but his last two seasons (7 and 8) had numerous issues - so for Kang to come in and sweep aside basically every single issue, realign the show's sights, and bring us back the feel of the first 5 or 6 seasons is remarkable at this point in the show's run. It's all the more frustrating, then, to see the show premiere to a LIVE viewing figure of 4 million. While other shows would love such a figure, TWD deserves far more with season 9 greatly improving things and - by the looks of it - season 10 continuing to do the same good work. Interesting to read more comments in various feeds, though, where folks are making it clear that season 9 was a big improvement, or people saying they've heard that season 9 was a big improvement (but that finishing 7 and 8, for them, is something to get out of the way first of all). Anyway, enough of that - Kang & Co have done a great job breathing new life into this show and I can't wait to see the next episode, and then the next, and the next...

[facestabber]

I was skeptical at first of the idea of The Whisperers. Maybe it was shell shock from Negan and the Saviours. To which I struggled to buy that so many people were desperate to survive they were brain washed uttering “I am Negan”. Season 7 and 8 just didn’t feel right to me. BUT the whisperers have added a spooky vibe again. Walkers are once again a relevant threat. This is the ZA. I want that as the obstacle not a guy with a bat and Barbed wire.

[facestabber]

Any one else bothered by the treatment Lydia is receiving? Removing her from a room because Oceanside found a whisperer mask seems over the top. She is the greatest source of intel on the mind of her mother.