The Mid-Season finale opens with an eerie pan of Sam’s bedroom to Nick Lucas’ “Tiptoe Though The Tulips.” Sam draws (himself?) tied to a tree with walkers around him. An army of ants makes their way down his windowsill to a half-eaten sandwich lying on the ground. Something’s clearly wrong with Sam.
The bell tower plummets through Alexandria’s wall allowing a horde of walkers to breach the community. Chaos befalls Alexandria: Carol and Morgan fight their way inside a house, Rick assists an injured Deanna, and Maggie makes a dramatic escape from walkers to a watch point. Eugene hears Daryl on the walkie-talkie and says, “Help” (that answers that question). Tara and Rosita save him as they barricade themselves in a garage. Jessie takes Rick, Deanna, Carl, Ron, Michonne, and Father Gabriel into her house for safety and walkers comprise Alexandria.
Glenn and Enid watch walkers pour into Alexandria from a safe distance. Enid acts hopeless but Glenn reminds her their friends, including his PREGNANT wife (he knew all along!) are still in there. Meanwhile, Jessie barges into Sam’s room and demands he turn off the music and close the blinds. Sam’s in a fog around the chaos.
Carol expresses to Morgan she trusts him the least but puts aside her differences to let him help her. Denise, who’s holed up with the Wolf prisoner, laments she can’t help the injured Alexandrians. The Wolf explains he didn’t kill people, he was “freeing” them (like Morgan was “clearing” them). While inspecting his wound, Denise whole-heatedly tells the Wolf he can change.
Deanna, who’s been bitten, admits to Michonne she’s happy with how her life turned out and Michonne should discover HER purpose as well. Meanwhile, Ron and Carl fight in Jessie’s garage after Ron calls out Rick for being a killer. The walkers hear the argument and break into the garage. Rick and Michonne save them just in time and Carl lies about the fight. Carl takes Ron’s gun and reminds him his dad “was an asshole.”
Rick almost kills Deanna when he discovers her playing with Judith. Becoming worse by the second, Deanna asks Rick to look after Spencer and reminds him everyone in Alexandria are now his people. Meanwhile, Rosita ponders if Alexandria (and Abraham) are finished. Nearby, Carol blindsides Morgan, steals his keys, and locates the Wolf’s “cell.” Morgan quickly catches up and tries to dissuade her from killing the Wolf. “I will kill you so I can kill him…because I don’t want anyone else to die,” Carol (let’s say) reasons. The Wolf, amused by this exchange, eggs her on and says they’re “all going to die.” Suddenly, Morgan knocks the knife from Carol’s hands and they exchange blows. Morgan body slams Carol to the ground, which allows the Wolf to take advantage and steal the knife. Denise begs him not the kill her friends as Tara, Rosita, and Eugene discover them. Per his instructions, they slide over their weapons and the Wolf takes Denise outside.
Walkers finally break into Jessie’s house as the gang retreats upstairs. Separated by only a couch on the stairway, Rick devises a plan to get the gang to the armory by gutting walkers and making poncho (like Atlanta). “Anyone who stays here is going to die,” Rick warns. Michonne informs Deanna they’re going to leave her behind, which she accepts. “I’m ready,” Deanna replies. Jessie applies the guts to her sheets and explains to Sam they have to go. “Just pretend you’re brave,” she pleads. Father Gabriel vows to Rick to be brave and not turn back out there. Carl covers Judith in a baby walker poncho as the group makes their way downstairs undetected by the walkers. Glenn and Enid discover Maggie trapped on a watchtower as Deanna decides to take out some walkers before she dies. The gang makes their way outside and hand-by-hand walk through the masses. Sam starts calling out “Mom” to Jessie repeatedly as we fade to black.
Coda: Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham drive the truck down the road only to discover a motorcycle gang blocking their path. The main biker threatens them to exit the truck. They do and he demands they hand over their weapons. When they question him he explains, “They’re not yours. Your property now belongs to Negan.”
You can headshot walkers twenty yards away while in full sprint, but a human is 10 feet in front of you and you give up your guns and yield?
Aside from that, good episode.
Who are you talking about? Tara, Rosita, and Eugene or Abraham, Sasha, and Daryl.
Every single one of them. But yeah, Tara and Rosita when they were seven feet away from the Wolf. I could have easily headshot him at that range.
An hour of my life I won’t get back. Not a bad episode – but slow and boring for a mid-season finale.
I can’t believe AMC allowed The Walking Dead to say the “N” word on cable TV. #FreeNegan
I fulljoyed this ep. Morgan has got my last nerve strung!!!
The fact that the morgan episode was extended and this one was not just baffles me… very
disappointing in terms of a MSF… honestly the after credits scene was better than the entire episode.
It’s gonna be a long winter lol
The best thing about this episode was Rick’s hatchet.
Giant plot holes:
No reason for the Wolf to not just kill them all after he gets their weapons in the basement. 2 handguns and a knife? More than enough to take out them all and have ammo for an escape?
Explain how Sam’s calling for his Mom will bring about their downfall. There is no way that they are keeping an infant quiet under a bloody, guts-soaked shawl. Anyone with a child knows they go exactly the opposite of what you want at all times. Judith would never make it through the herd.
1.) That’s not a plot hole, it’s just a thing that happened. He chose not to kill them just as he easily could have chosen to kill them.
2.) Judith has no idea what’s going on. If she doesn’t cry, they’re fine. But the kid yelling mom is going to get them killed. The walkers are “nose blind” to them but if that kid keeps yelling they’ll notice. The scent only protects you as long as you act natural. If you start doing things to get their attention the walkers WILL notice. And no, kids don’t “always” do what you don’t want them to do.
Need the concept of a plot explained to you or…?
I meant to say “plot hole” for that bottom bit. If only we had edit buttons.
“In fiction, a plot hole or plothole is a logical inconsistency within a story. Such inconsistencies include such things as illogical or impossible events, and statements or events that contradict earlier events in the storyline.”
Did you miss every other episode in which the wolves appeared? Their sole focus appears to be to kill everything in sight. Tonight’s actions therefore “contradict earlier events in the storyline.”
And I’ll repeat that it is impossible to keep an infant quiet in those circumstances. Anyone with a child would second that. It’s an “illogical or impossible event.”
Pretty sure the wolf thing was not technically plot hole because he appeared to be possibly taking the doctor with him to keep himself alive. And likely less chance of doing that if he is shooting the gun as it appears people just keep showing up in his little jail cell.
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And as for the being able to keep a baby quiet by simply covering it with a blanket? Sorry but have done that numerous times with my child. The child has no clue what is going on outside of the cover and thus no reason to cry. (now of course some children don’t like to be covered up but my 3 children it worked just fine to sooth them in crowds) Of course my son also liked to ride in the motorcycle side car to calm him down… but he is a unique kid.
Also, note that each previous instance of viewing the wolves in action have been when they are primarily in attack mode. We can simply look at the 5 wolves that ran away from Morgan (one while picking up a gun) to see that the wolves aren’t really as brave and blood thirsty as they appear at times. Otherwise even the threat of Morgan’s hidden sniper scenario likely wouldn’t have worked against the wolves.
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Each opportunity is unique and this wolf though crazed didn’t appear as stupid as we might have otherwise thought? He seemed to be smart enough to egg on Carol enough to get her and Morgan to go at it and give him an opening.
They have been throwing a blanket over Judith forever. Remember when Tyreese would walk around with her in the baby backpack with blankets over her? Never made a peep. Also, she’s totally an apocalypse pro. She will be the last woman standing.
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I don’t believe that Judith will make it out of the herd, simply because Carl will be accidentally shot and he will drop her. She will most likely be lost in the crowd and never be seen again (Because seriously, they wouldn’t kill a baby and let us see it). The Wolf thing was just a crappy “cliffhanger.” I’m going to say that Denise is definitely okay and won’t die, but we know the Wolf will. It only depends on who he kills first. I believe he may kill someone important, but maybe not. He might just be killed by Denise, which would bring her into Rick and the groups world or Morgan will kill him, which would make him realize that he can’t save everyone. Rick might just banish Morgan, like Deana was talking about when she held her interview with Rick.
I’m guessing the wolf give carl his trademark injury while trying to fight off the walkers, allowing denise to escape.
That would be interesting. I don’t really know what they are going to do with the Wolf. It would seem a bit unimportant if he just runs outside and is immediately kill by walkers or humans.
Loved the episode. Morgan has gone from one extreme to the other, eventually he’ll find his happy medium. Lennie is an extraordinary actor and he doesnt disappoint whether you like him or not. Watched the mini marathon. Still didn’t like first episode, loved the Morgan episode and all the rest. Love TWD change up from killing zombies to character interaction.
Thinking he won’t have time to find a happy medium. I picture with so much attention on him this season he is going to die by the end of it.
Hope not, but you never know.
Sam is going to get himself and his mother killed. I feeling like Ron might actually live. As Jessie tries to save Sam, she’s going to pull out her gun, but be attacked in the process. Jessie will shoot Carl by accident as she is forced to the ground by the walkers. Carl will drop Judith and Rick is going to panic. Rick will pick Carl up and rush through the herd. Michonne will rush out along with Gabriel. For Judith, she will either be lost in the crowd (DEAD), Michonne will grab her in time, or Gabriel will grab her and run and never stop. I personally think Gabriel will save Judith and that would fix things between him and Rick.
I hope Carol will be okay. Morgan you seriously broken. I don’t think Denise will die. She will be okay, along with Eugene, Tara, and Rosita. What happened to Tobin, wasn’t he with them? Maybe he ran to his family. I’m also going to miss Deana. I really didn’t want her to die. Some of you are going to say, “We don’t know she’s dead,” but she is. There is no way a sickly woman is going to fight off those walkers. I wasn’t that excited about this episode. It wasn’t really that good, but hey, they’re setting it up great for next year’s return.
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? What a truly meaningless episode. The only bit of excitement was with the wolf, and that whole arc just pissed me off. Hella glad this show wont be on for another couple months, it will give me time to calm down from all the frustration I am feeling after finishing this go-nowhere episode.
What a disappointment. There has been way to much amping up this season and not enough actual action, make me like this show way less….
Are you serious? The action is starting to get old in my opinion. Jesus, every single threat they come across is amped up by x10 from the source material. It’s tedious at this point. Let them breathe and actually try to make a home for themselves. I’m getting burned out from the constant “ZOMBIES EVERYWHERE HOLY SHIT WERE’ GONNA DIE OH WAIT LOL WE DIDN’T” from almost every episode lately.
It does get to be a bit much when you have to combat zombies constantly. That’s why I enjoy character interaction where you learn more about the individuals. And it does get boring when it’s just about killing zombies all the time. I know that’s the premise of the show but I liked the farm season best when they had character conflict, secrets, and great story lines. I’m happy major characters didn’t die this season. Kill off the main characters you lose your audience.
See, I agree with that. I still think season 2 was entirely too slow but people keep expecting everything to be fast-paced tension forever. The comics are having the same issue right now with people bitching. Yes, a story needs conflict, but the story also needs to change. Characters need to change. People and events change in the real world all the time. People act like because their favorite group of killers is actually moving away from killing ALL THE TIME that somehow everything is boring and dull. Is open slaughter really necessary for some people to get their kicks?
People are complaining about the comic?! Wha… who… ?! WTF?!
I see your point, but its the midseason finale, that implies that there will be some climaxing, action filled points, they didn’t need to drag it on as much as they did.It would have been fine for any other episode but finales are suppose to allow some actions, not just a bunch of talking while thousands of zombies are surrounding you.
Can’t believe where they ended it… episode didn’t even have a climax. Big fan of the comics/show, but what a cop out.
I was screaming. Just a few more minutes. Just a FEW more minutes and we would have had a hell of a “big bang.” There was so much left to see of this sequence. There was so much left to witness. And they end it there?!
Waiting until next year is going to kill me.
This is the first time I’ve ever looked forward to Valentines Day.
so in 8 episodes that are about 80% filler, the most crappy ones are extended, while in the mid season finally you are left with cliffhangers? wow at this point the viewers of the show are being absolutely insulted. what a disastrous season this wouldve been for any show. unacceptable
This episode was a good cut for the break to make you see the next one on February. It introduces Negan and kill Deanna, I don’t know where are they going to run now.
They have to kill most of the characters soon, there is way to many and too many sub-stories. I hope half of them die in the next episode! and they start fresh with new arc story less parallel stories
Yes… the language I am going to use is needed to express the stupidity of the episode.
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Morgan = idiot bastard. Yet again puts his group at risk because he is trying to save lives. It’s different if you yourself are not willing to kill to prevent further chaos but to prevent others from doing so is crossing the line. And good on you for quoting your Sensei on not allowing Carol to kill you but allowing the Wolf to gain that option to do so if he so wants.
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On that point though… Carol = stupid arrogant biatch. Feeling for some crazy reason that she need to be judge and executioner in this situation. What is the point of killing him by having to fight through Morgan to do so? Why not just bring it to the attention of Rick and the others?
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Rick = the dumbest leader I have ever seen. At what point did he think that stopping while yelling at others to get inside was bright? He virtually ran himself into trouble with the heard and then had to save an even more ignorant Deanna who thinks she is going to actually help and not be a hindrance?? Glad she will be showing up as a walker when the show starts up again. And come on Rick… what part of leading an entire group of people through walkers is smart? Not rocket science to have 1 or 2 people simply wade through the walkers and cause a big enough diversion to clear the house of walker infestation. It’s like he is putting himself and others at risk for no apparent justified reasoning. Are you telling me there are not enough bed-frames and mattresses to place in that stairwell that won’t stop the walkers from getting upstairs?
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Now the 3 garage hiders (come on… why were they hiding in the garage so long?) lets have two guns on a guy holding a knife and think… hey let me give this guy my gun so he can kill ALL of us if he wants. Just not going to happen… though it always happens in the movies.
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Glenn = how dumb can you be? Really… knowing the Alexandrian’s and his wife are trapped inside the walls and he is thinking about getting inside with them instead of trying to draw the walkers away from the wall while he has that chance from the outside? He knew that he was going to start a fire in the other town to draw attention away, is there some reason a quick fire couldn’t have been made to lure the walkers away from the walls? Nope… he just had to try dying with his wife in Alexandria instead of doing the smart thing and trying to save her and others.
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The only interesting part of the episode. The End. And that is when all character building gets tossed out the window. The 3 of the most able bodied, seasoned, ready for anything, don’t mess with me, I know how to survive, minded people are simply taking a drive down the road as if it another Sunday drive. And see a road block of bikers (not really a roadblock to a truck that size) pull right up to it (not a reasonable distance to force them to move on you) and then simply step out of their vehicle because they say to and not be armed to do anything but pray for mercy. Have they not all just been through huge firefights and realized things are more likely then not going to end up with them dead or in a container waiting to be eaten again? Everyone… and I mean VIRTUALLY everyone expected at least for Abraham to be exiting the cab with RPG in hand, Daryl and Sasha both armed to the teeth. To have the so called conversation on the road. I don’t care if you are outnumbered 2 to 1. You got a truck that could have driven right through those bikers like butter. (and no fuel trucks are not as easy to shoot at and blow up as people think) And/Or could have immediately stopped and parked truck diagonal on road and exited passenger side before they had a chance to ride up on them. And talked from distance with own weapons drawn. The only thing anyone liked about this scene was the mention of Negan. Everything else was complete bullcrap!
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I am just going to have to start treating this show more like Z Nation where everything is just ludicrously setup to tell a story with zero reasoning behind how the story plays out.
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So disappointed it is ridicules.
At least the comics are good… Oh wait… (way too much build up… Like entire issues that are the characters reactions to what happened in the previous issue)
Well now, Z Nation is in its own league, which would be comical. You’re being a bit to critical. It was a bad Mid-season finale, but not completely. The Wolf thing was pathetic and Morgan just needs to die, but I do still like Carol. It would have been a better idea to tell the group about the Wolf, but look at the situation. I think Carol is having a breakdown. She realizes that she will kill Morgan and that scares her. She doesn’t want to, but she sees everything falling around them and she is panicking. The last thing they need is a stray Wolf. Abraham, Sasha, and Daryl were idiots for driving up on the bikers. There wasn’t a tree line, they could have turned back at any moment, but no. You are definitely wrong about Deana. She was a good character and helping Rick was her way of showing that she was changing, and you can hear her yelling “No Rick,” which means, “Rick get your ass inside to safety, these people need you to be there after all this to build up this place.”
And also, Glenn is going to distract the walkers. He and Enid are going to save Maggie, which in turn they can help everyone else. Saying that he is a “dumb ass,” is to much since he shoved himself under a dumpster to survive, while at the same time having a mental breakdown over thinking about the being of Alexandria. He was worried about his pregnant wife and needed to get in there. You have to distract the walkers from the inside and drawl them out.
Sorry. Have to agree to disagree. Every counter point I am in disagreement with. You call me too critical, I say you are too lenient.
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And biggest point… You have to distract the walkers from the OUTSIDE. How does just being more of those trapped on the inside help compared to being a major help from the outside?
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Who even knows? Glenn and Enid really just need to go to the back of Alexandria and open those gates. I didn’t know until recently that they have gates all around the safe-zones, but only the front one has security.
A large contingent of zombies were still outside the fence area. To open them up would seem to just allow more walkers into the mix… not sure that would be such a good idea? Thinking really need to just try and lure them back out the way they came in if possible?
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Really wish I had been given the job of creating a defensive setup for Alexandria. Because this little burb is setup like a walker/wolf buffet.
This was a really frustrating episode to watch.
i spent the majority of the episode checking on my watch to see how much time was left. And I wasn’t thinking “oh my god only 20 minutes left” I was thinking “I wonder if they are going to do anything in the next 20 minutes”.
Honestly both the show and the comics have been at a low point for progression in the story.
Y’all spent 8 episodes getting the herd from the quarry to inside Alexandria but y’all are going to spend 8 episodes next year going from “no way out” to “something to fear”.
I totally agree with BillyHo. This episode was so anticlimactic. WHY did I even waste The time watching, NOTHING HAPPENED!! I couldn’t have said it better than BillyHo.This was totally stupidity. I could have written it better.
I can’t believe that anyone *didn’t* like it, brilliant episode. I was glued to my screen and gutted when I realised there was less than a minute to go. (gutted… see what I did there?)
Seriously though, what a great episode, and I’m seriously disappointed with Morgan. What is he up to?
Alexandra Breckenridge as Jessie – who I suspect is about to be eaten alive because of Sam etc. – is completely believable. And the fight between Morgan and Carol was classic. He’s very lucky Carol’s not well, he’d be toast if she was on form. I even enjoyed Deanna (and no, not because she was dying) find her feet and (finally) begin to fight.
It’s going to be a long Christmas break…
Soooo… All this time I’ve been or punching Negan as “Nay”gan. Last nights prologue has it as “knee”gan. Maybe it was the guys pronunciation but now I have to relearn Negan’s name.
Also, Carl gets badass of the night in a lackluster episode. The thing is, your father was an asshole.
I’m really not sure how that was supposed to calm Ron down
It was’t. It was more or less I have the guns now. I’m in charge, like my dad. Your dads and asshole.
It’s more like a reality slap. Ron is being mopey as Hell so Carl doesn’t take his shit and is very upfront with him–straight to the point.
AMC has utterly destroyed the viewing experience with their insane amount of commercial breaks. WD is the only show I watch ‘live’ but no more. Back to the torrent and a day behind.
I guess this is one of the few lucky breaks I get being overseas. We get the direct satellite feed with no commercial breaks.
Lucky!
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Shittiest mid season finale by far. There were good moments but simply To not have to recall every bad for good moment I was majorly disappointed in the episode. Shittiest episode of the season so far. Season 6 started strong but they better have a great Back 8 because that shit made the show lose major cool points
100% total agreement here!!!
Yep… when the teaser for next episode is more interesting then the episode you jst watched then you have done something wrong. (for the record I got the teaser directly at the end of the episode so thought it was a post credit ending… didn’t realize it was a sneak peek of sorts)
I loved this episode, but I find it a little bit frustrating for those who haven’t read the comics. I mean, I have a small idea of what’s gonna happen next and the hype of watching it on the show is extreme, but if you haven’t read the comics you’ll be like: what a meanless episode, the only thing they’ve done is killing Deanna and expanding some internal fights. Maybe it could have been the best MSF if they ended the ‘walking with walkers’ thing. At least, they shouldn’t stop until February. Just saying…
All of the people hating this episode and saying it was shit, and hating certain characters. Don’t deserve call themselves Walking Dead Fans.
True Walking Dead fans expect better, especially from a mid-season finale.
If it was a season finale I would understand but its a mid season finale. This episode was a good setup for the mid season premier, but people don’t understand that saying it was shit. I mean would you want this episode being awesome but all the other ones being slow and boring I don’t. This episode was still good while setting up episode 9 and the others brilliantly.
agreed. I like that the show and comic have differences and are not perfectly aligned, that doesn’t bother me and its actually awesome to still be surprised by twists in the show that are different to the comics. However this last episode, and most of season six for that matter… weak. Just weak. The comics at this point in the game had me biting my nails, i mean really really amazing storytelling, an emotional rollercoaster… which is why when we see the corresponding moments in the TV series being so damn lame, well its more than just a let down, its upsetting.
What about those that commented the comic is shit right now too?
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Put on a scarf, a v-neck and some ugly tats and tell us more. 😉
Thats there opinion, but the people that don’t even know what will happen on the show saying this episode/setup was shit I would like to hear what they have to say if they also read comic up to this point. Also the picture is just something I found on the internet.
I am not hearing anything from this episodes SETUP. Just in this episodes failure as an episode.
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If you think you have to be a comic fan to be a fan of the TV show then you are greatly mistaken. And if you think you are somehow superior in your fandom because of any toys you have or other activities then you are also greatly mistaken..
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Point is this is a TV show. and people expect something from their show regardless of possibly not having knowledge of the comic path that is taken. NOT knowing the potential path of the show should not have any negative outcome to a persons reaction to an episode they watched. I am pretty sure the vast majority of fans of the show are not in fact fans of the comic. So the episodes need to be able to stand on their own. and each persons reaction to said episodes is well… their reaction. If you don’t like it then sorry your opinion differs from there’s. But it is no more or less valid an opinion… it is still JUST an opinion.
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When you start thinking you are a superior level of fan for TWD then you have lost all reference to sense. Sorry.
I in no way think I’m a superior fan and I don’t know where you came up with that.
Yea most people haven’t even read or heard of the comics and I wasn’t saying that you have to be a fan of the comic to be a fan of the TV version I was saying I would like to see what their opinion would be if they read up to this arc in the comic and if they hate lets say Carl and constantly talk shit about him but then go I love Daryl and defend him no matter what aren’t true fans.
Also I don’t get how this episode was a fail.
Guess we both have different opinions.
“All of the people hating this episode and saying it was shit, and hating certain characters. Don’t deserve call themselves Walking Dead Fans.” – thus insinuating you are a superior fan for not sharing those thoughts.
I was in no way trying to come off that way but I guess I can how you thought that.
See why you thought that.
I respectfully protect the comic to show changes they make. I just feel like this episode could’ve been better and that last part with Sasha Abe and Daryl pissed me off. (Spoiler) They better open the back 8 with them spraying savior blood all over the damn road like the first comic encounter with them. Ijs.
Well now you just likely foretold an even more pissed off reaction from me after the February episode 9 comes about?
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As I was going to mention in my previous comment (note: I am not a TWD comic reader, but still possible SPOILER if I am picking up what you are dropping?) that episode 9 would be nice to at the least see Abraham go back to the truck to hand over the weapons to them but pull out his RPG and put a big hole in the middle of their group of bikes while Daryl and Sasha quickly arm themselves… but realized that would make no sense as the bikers would have no reason to allow them to go back into the truck cab as they are going to take EVERYTHING, even the mints, anyway.
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So if in fact they are able to get back to the truck cab and arm themselves then it jumps the shark of being realistic more so then those that thought Glenn’s survival was.
I think those RPGs are going to be used in a getaway….
Would be nice to see from a ‘I don’t want to see Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha be punked out by bikers on a road when they are the combat elite of Rick’s group’. But still will give me the… ‘why would the bikers let them go back in the truck???’… but I would take it.
I did not know about twd until eric boiling from the 5 on fox news was talking about it and he really liked it.then I watched on netflix I really liked it. and have either watched or recorded it. and then watched it.
While I wouldn’t say that this was a horrible episode, I was a bit disappointed. But I think my anticipation of what was going to happen was way too high going into the episode, and is causing a bit more disappointment with it than had I not read the comics. I don’t think they’ve done the No Way out story line justice though, as of right now. Things aren’t nearly as chaotic, and that’s what made the comic version so intense, so much shit was going down, all at the same time, all over the town, any one of which may have been handleable on their own, but happening all at once they created utter chaos throughout the community and spread everyone out, which made dealing with each individual issue so difficult. I just didn’t get that feeling from the episode, there just wasn’t nearly as big a sense of insurmountable chaos happening across the town. It seems like they dropped so much of the action from this part of the story, all the setup/build up that went into some of the middle episodes of the first half, just didn’t seem like it had a payoff.
And I can see why non-book readers were frustrated, the cliffhanger was only really there for those of us who know what’s supposed to come next.
I am super happy that it does seem like we are getting that scene between Rick and Jessie that I’ve been praying they keep in all season long!! But I did really want to see Andrew Lincoln say that line that went something like, “That’s the thing about other people’s kids… they’re not our kids” just before they bust out of the house. That probably would have saved the episode for me.
I don’t understand why people come on The Walking Dead site to post negative things about this episode. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it then come on here to put what they should of done. They are professional writers not like us and I think they have done a tremendous job this season and season 6 is already one of the best out of all the seasons and I think it’s just going to get better next half. I’m not exactly sure what people expect every episode, do you want everybody to die all the time, bring in more tanks and explosions? Writing is a process and this was only the MID-season finale. There are 8 episodes left for this season. People will always have things to complain about for TV shows, but I just suggest you watch and enjoy it. Keep doing what your doing Scott Gimple and the rest of the crew. TWD gets better and better.
Check this out:
http://io9.com/the-walking-dead-just-reminded-everyone-why-its-the-1-1745242696
People post negative things because they care about the show and have hopes that the comments here are being noticed and taken to heart by the showrunners.
I love the show, but even I found the mid-season finale to be a bit of a letdown. We have come to expect much, much more over the past half-decade. Its not complaining, its a matter of expectations. You set the bar high, you need to maintain it. I really thought they would resolve the walker herd last night and begin with the rebuilding early next year to prepare us for Negan’s introduction.
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Exactly… if people only gave back ‘love letters’ to the showrunners then they would think there are going in the exact route they should be… and that would do a disservice to the feedback process.
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Everyone wants positive feedback but it is the true feedbacks that give producers the most information to what is and isn’t working in their show development. We all know they have to stick to a sense of the comic book storyline but they changing it up enough to make it their own show and not just a rehash of a comic book storyline. And they need to know when things just aren’t making sense or developing in the minds of the masses of viewers.
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I can say Carol and Daryl both likely would be dead by now if it wasn’t for the positive feedback given for each of their characters. Hard to kill off characters that are the reason for many viewers to be watching.
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Though we know that some deaths are inevitable and hard not to allow to occur. And some moments need to happen in the show. Just need to let the producers know via feedback that the way the story is being told is good or bad.
There’s a difference between negative comments and constructive criticism. But, to each his or her own.
I liked the episode from what I saw of it. But as I alluded to earlier. My problem is with the gross overuse of commercial breaks. Literally less than 10 minutes apart. The first salvo coming in at 8:04. Barely into the opening credits. It has destroyed any immersion in the show.
I realize WD is not cheap and commercials are necessary but AMC has gone overboard.
Last night I lost interest after the 4th commercial break and turned it off. Will be watching it tonight commercial free.
Disgusting ….EXTREMELY disappointed. I am very surprised this episode was this terrible.
How excited is everyone for Into The Badlands? (Just kidding AMC lmao.) But really, this entire half-season was a marketing ploy for that show. Think the whole Glenn storyline was ridiculous? It was. It was a marketing ploy. Fake-kill Glenn, make sure the media tells everyone the Talking Dead didn’t confirm his death, now everyone assumes you have to watch the talking dead to confirm character deaths. Now introduce a new show, sandwich it between TWD and TTD. Gain viewers. Historically midseason finales are 1.5 hours, make it an hour, make it end with no conclusion so people are left wanting to watch something, and sandwich Into the Badlands before TTD, gain viewers. AMC sold out half a season of our favorite show to try and make you watch something else. Try and justify it however you like, my opinion of the show has taken a sharp decline pulling a bullshit marketing move like this.
“Into the Badlands” had me at first sneak peek. That show’s badass, regardless of a marketing ploy! I get what you’re saying tho & agree that it was… convenient.
I am not putting badlands and TWD together in that fashion. I am pretty sure that producers do nothing in TWD based off of some other shows debut or simply for the point of trying to make viewers watch some other show?
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Totally out of the hands of the producers in my mind. Any marketing ploy for another show had nothing to do with what producers decided they were going to do with TWD. Just sayin… that is a big reach.
I love TWD show. I think all the actors are superb and I think the writers are very good. I wish they’d calm down on the zombie attacks, just a moment, and get more into character story development and let them enjoy a moment of temporary calm in Alexandria, but I have a feeling that’s not going to happen.
I liked the episode. I think I just needed another five or ten minutes to LOVE the episode. You guys know what I needed to see.
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I have never wanted Valentines Day to get here more badly.
I needed to see the same thing
I see the images on this post were finally updated. I wondered why previously I had seen pictures of characters that weren’t even in the episode? ha
I really did like the episode, I just wanted it to carry on.
I’d just like to put in my two cents and say, even when an episode doesn’t deliver exactly what I wanted or expected The Walking Dead is the best fucking show on television. Nothing compares. I love the writers, cast, crew–the whole lot.
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This was a solid episode. Did I get exactly what I wanted from it? No, because I needed just two more minutes to see what hell Sam is about to unleash on our Survivors. I’ll trust Gimple that this was the place to end the episode though, and eagerly await 609!
I’m in the same boat, while I was thrilled with the mid-season finale, it’s still my favorite show on tv, hands down. But, I actually didn’t mind where the episode cut off, I was kind of expecting it to be right about there anyways. I was more disappointed with everything leading up to the last few minutes, it just didn’t feel as tense or chaotic as I thought it should. And while I didn’t mind that Carol and Morgan had that conflict of interest, I wasn’t super thrilled with how the escape of the alpha wolf went down. It didn’t seem to make much sense to have him always talking about how he was going to kill everyone if he ever got free, then he gets free, has all the weapons in the room and doesn’t kill anyone? WTF? But as you said, all the faith in the world to Gimple and the crew, I know they’ll make up for any shortcomings the episode may have had in my eyes, and I’m sure they have a plan for everything that happened or didn’t happen.
Damnit, no edit button! meant to say “while I *wasn’t thrilled with the mid-season finale”
this episode was just weak. People tripping, turning over and then crawling backwards as the horror approaches… Really? We’re still doing this? Thats the sort of hammy crap you expect films like Cabin in the Woods to be making fun of, and yet we get to see it not once but twice in this episode… IN A ROW. SERIOUSLY?? Carol and Maggie both tripping over as they try to outrun zombies that can nearly shuffle fast enough to achieve what could be considered a slow walking pace.
Rick finds time to have a little tea break chat when he realises his baby’s not getting eaten, because a little heart-to-heart is important when you’re being over run by zombies. 2 people decide to surrender their guns to a maniac armed with a knife because he has it near someones throat… I’m just guessing here, but I don’t think he’d be able to cut her throat fast enough to beat a bullet shot at his head from 2 meters away. But hey, maybe I’m wrong.
And also, when a maniac rushes your throat with a knife and you have every reason to believe that you are about to die, ‘you’re so full of shit’ doesn’t strike me as the choice of words anyone would actually say in that moment.
I’m starting to suspect the whole glenn death fake was a cheap trick to distract everyone from the appalling decline of quality in this show. Well done guys, you propped the ratings up your clever distraction, but unfortunately the curtain has begun to sag. Gah, so much wasted opportunity. At this point in the comics I was absolutely on edge, total hooked, not knowing what was coming next… but the show at this point is like some sad pathetic parody.