I enjoyed it. And I agree with some of what y'all have said, and disagree with some. I know they're leaving things up in the air but if you follow any of the WD media or watch The Talking Dead, they've said that the first four episodes will be almost completely action, because they are at war, per their new season slogan, "All-Out War." I'd much rather see this than more of Negan cowing people or killing them because he feels like it. We've got our big villain, we've shown what lengths he'll go to, so let's give him a taste of some of what he's been dishing out.
BUT I agree with what one fan said on The Talking Dead via a Tweet: "Scott Gimple, why didn't Rick just shoot Negan when he first appeared?" Chris Hardwick jumped in and said, "Because you'd have a two-minute show!" Well, I disagree with that. But Gimple answered and said, "Because there are innocent people inside the building, workers, women and children, etc. Rick wanted to give them a chance." Yeah, I understand Rick's viewpoint but No, Rick, you take Negan out, I think the rest will fold. I don't think they're going to slaughter the good people inside once Negan hits the floor, dead. This is after Rick said "Only
one person has to die." So, he waited until the cowed people inside didn't make a move for fear of Negan. I think, take him out,
then deal with his lieutenants. But a part of that plan was to lead the walkers to Negan's Sanctuary so Rick's crews could take out the remaining outposts.
Well, the writers had Rick open fire only after Negan's "people" wouldn't shift sides (of course they wouldn't! Not while he's alive!) So, Rick waited until they said "no" and
then started firing. Negan didn't die but he was trapped and Rick still shot at him, but Negan of course is still alive, Rick you missed your chance. And now Negan has Father Gabriel as either hostage, food for walkers, or bargaining chip.
And now Jesus is letting captured bad guys live against Tara's judgement and I don't agree with that. That especially is going to give some of The Saviors a chance to come back. Despite my disagreement about all this, and despite Rick saying over-and-over that they're not going to lose, it's showing that Rick really is a good guy (and still a bit soft) by showing mercy, Jesus, too. I mean, deep down in their hearts. On the surface they kill, yeah, but not this time. So, maybe they're not that great in a war scenario with humans. A few at a time, I've seen Rick not flinch. But this time, he is. And why did they have to show that baby sleeping peacefully to ocean sounds on some sort of sound system? That's what the guy Rick killed was really fighting for...the child. And Rick couldn't hardly stand it afterwards. Yet, he walked away from the baby. And people on The Talking Dead asked about that and Gimple said, "You will see the ultimate fate of that baby." Well, that doesn't sound good. But we'll see.
As far as where Rick and Daryl are, they're at one of the outposts (I don't remember which) but it's one where Dwight said a cache of weapons are kept. And so far, they've found none, so that puts Dwight's loyalty to Rick & co. in question. But, the Saviors could have moved them, and kept moving them. That's a good tactic---never leave your goods in one place, at least split them up in different places. Just to give a stupid personal example---when my Mom died, I had an Aunt who loved to take family pictures away and never return them. So, before she even showed up, I had four boxes and gave one each to my siblings and myself so they'd be scattered to the four winds and my Aunt wouldn't get her hands on them. She's the kind of person that would go, even when we said "no," into my late Mom's bedroom looking for pictures that weren't there. So, I was kind of thinking of that when they couldn't find the weapons.
ynwtf, I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean when you're talking about the gunfire and people not getting hit, and all. The main part I remember is when Tara and Jesus were "dealing" with the pants-wetter inside that room, and the people outside were pinned down, and when they thought the gunfire ceased, they'd fire, and it went back-and-forth. Is that what you mean? I guess that was a little tiresome if you've seen it a million times on various TV shows but it really didn't bother me. I think it was a plot contrivance just to give Tara and Jesus showtime to deal with that d-bag in the room. And all these people are not experts at warfare. Remember them showing one of those guys with Morgan shaking over and over? He wasn't used to war and was scared. I don't know if it was hesitation or what that got him shot. His friend got killed also, and Morgan did get shot---he was just wearing armor. He said before all the gunplay, "I can't die." Like someone on The Talking Dead said, that may come back to bite him. I don't think they'd hesitate to kill Morgan off the show. I think it was a way to throw a little scare into people thinking Morgan was killed, but I didn't for a minute think he was dead. As for him walking down that hall and around corners killing people left-and-right, he was behind the people that ran away after shooting him and the two guys. So, he was at their back, although a few jumped out at him when they saw him...but he was ready for them and they weren't---they thought they'd killed him. Plus, I think it was another instance of the show giving examples of how Morgan went from non-killer to total killing machine. When he invests, he goes all the way. Anyway, that's just my take.
And I'm saying this knowing some spoilers, at least comic-book spoilers that should happen on the show. Showing Rick alive two years down the line is very much in keeping with what happens in the comic. I don't know if the comic just jumps and then stays there, but I don't think so...they're showing what happens
before the two-year jump on the show, so I would guess the comic did the same thing. I do know a few BIG things that happen two-years from now in the comic but I won't reveal that. I have a feeling that the show is waiting for the end of the season to give that reveal.
My favorite part of the episode was Aaron and company hitting that outpost, where that woman leader kept saying they were too cowardly to rush them, then realized that they didn't have to, they just had to not kill people with head shots so they'd turn and kill the Saviors. And right after she sees that guy reanimating, she is surprised by a different walker coming around the corner, giving her a big bite. I do like this part of the war a lot---using walkers as weapons. I liked the preview scene they showed on The Talking Dead where
WARNING: spoilers below
the good guys are walking along with the people they captured at the satellite station outpost, and suddenly some Saviors push walkers down the hill towards them as weapons to attack them. I like that tactical stuff.
the good guys are walking along with the people they captured at the satellite station outpost, and suddenly some Saviors push walkers down the hill towards them as weapons to attack them. I like that tactical stuff.
I'm still not sick of the show. I've got characters I'm invested in till their end so I'm staying. And I'm a zombie freak, so no matter what they do, as long there are zombies, I'm there.
I mean, I even watch that crazy
Z Nation show on the SyFy Channel and it rarely makes sense. Not comparing it to TWD at all but just showing how much I love the Z's.