7.16: The Walking Dead - The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Lives

[Judderman]

Agree on best episode, yet. I think though, for me at this point it is the end of the road for the Old Walking Dead series. I seem to remember that the producers and the actors were saying that this season was going to be a soft reboot of the show. It is not the same show that I have grown to love...

I think that is not quite what they meant. You are probably thinking of this article or similar. The "reset" was that Rick and his group were no longer in control.

How The Walking Dead Will Be A Big Reset In Season 7, According To Jeffrey Dean Morgan - CINEMABLEND

 

[Gnrevolution]

So this was an OK finale, well at least something actually happened! If you ignore the 'how the hell did everyone get inside ASZ when the only gate was guarded?' bit and the 'why didn't Dwight just cap Negan, he was right behind him?' questions it was entertaining enough. Despite the trash-people turning on Rick, what I particularly liked was that they weren't entirely trusting of Negan either and they actually had a PLAN to get out if things got too hot. I do wonder why they do these flashbacks / characterisation of a character in the episode where they off them, it's become so predictable that you just know what's coming next. I honestly thought they might have offed Michonne but no she just took a beating, I was actually hoping they would because at least it would have been a surprise. Love Jeffrey Dean Morgan and the character of Negan, but I think this plotline is killing the show, people are either horrified or bored with the character, will they try a back story to show where he has come from to maybe give him some empathy, or is he best portrayed as the psycho 'Joker' villain?

 

[Cli-Fi]

So this was an OK finale, well at least something actually happened! If you ignore the 'how the hell did everyone get inside ASZ when the only gate was guarded?' bit and the 'why didn't Dwight just cap Negan, he was right behind him?' questions it was entertaining enough. Despite the trash-people turning on Rick, what I particularly liked was that they weren't entirely trusting of Negan either and they actually had a PLAN to get out if things got too hot. I do wonder why they do these flashbacks / characterisation of a character in the episode where they off them, it's become so predictable that you just know what's coming next. I honestly thought they might have offed Michonne but no she just took a beating, I was actually hoping they would because at least it would have been a surprise. Love Jeffrey Dean Morgan and the character of Negan, but I think this plotline is killing the show, people are either horrified or bored with the character, will they try a back story to show where he has come from to maybe give him some empathy, or is he best portrayed as the psycho 'Joker' villain?

They haven't done an episode like that for a really long time. IDK if Negan deserves a backstory, I think his character is just a bit over the top and that's how it was made to be. The problem is he has very limited dialogue and he is way too trusting with the people he captures.

 

[Gnrevolution]

They haven't done an episode like that for a really long time. IDK if Negan deserves a backstory, I think his character is just a bit over the top and that's how it was made to be. The problem is he has very limited dialogue and he is way too trusting with the people he captures.

Yeah he's almost bipolar in his attitude, he either kills them straight off the bat (*sorry*), or he considers them best buds and lets them pretty much do anything!

 

[Judderman]

Good point about the back stories. There were some good ones. But the story has slowed down a lot so it is hard to see more of those without a complete stall. Negan, Gregory, Ezekiel would all be good possibilities. Or the trash tribe leader.
Maybe a spinoff like "This is your life"!

The show isn't the same as the days when people were trapped with zombies in revolving doors and such horrors. But this happens when people have built defended communities and most of the weaker folks have been weeded out. Though there is still some in each community.

 

[Gnrevolution]

They even mentioned the idea on Talking Dead suggesting Negan's back story could see him as leading a Queen tribute band

Also see this is the way things are going to go with this series ultimately. People are simply going to outlast the zombies, although I feel they kind of goofed by having literally anyone that dies turn, they'll never get away from the odd zombie. Unless like an unrelated book series I read its a case of their having been an event that contaminated those that were alive at that time but newborns would be clean? Remember we haven't seen any undead babies which we have assumed is because that crosses a line they weren't prepared to take, but what if there's a reason we haven't seen any...

 

[nixie]

I vaguely remember reading, watching or dreaming something similar to what @Gnrevolution mentions, pre-adolescents who survived the original outbreak their children were free of contamination.
Both parents had to have been children before the outbreak to ensure the baby was completely free of infection.
Ten years later children were being rounded up and experimented on, locked up in cages, treated like animals as adults looked for a cure.

A young couple who's baby was the first born infection free, were told their baby had dead. They overheard a conversation discovering the truth.
They fled and set up a haven for others, they also had a small commando force to attack and liberate the children from the established settlements.

 

[Dave]

I've still only seen the first half of this episode, but:

If you ignore the 'how the hell did everyone get inside ASZ when the only gate was guarded?' bit and the 'why didn't Dwight just cap Negan, he was right behind him?' questions it was entertaining enough.

1. Wasn't there a "secret" tunnel conveniently mentioned in an earlier episode (I may be completely wrong; it may have been Hilltop.)
2. Dwight is a coward who simply hedges his bets. He wanted Negan to lose, but he wasn't sure that he would. He just wanted to be supporting the winner.

 

[nixie]

I've still only seen the first half of this episode, but:

1. Wasn't there a "secret" tunnel conveniently mentioned in an earlier episode (I may be completely wrong; it may have been Hilltop.)
2. Dwight is a coward who simply hedges his bets. He wanted Negan to lose, but he wasn't sure that he would. He just wanted to be supporting the winner.

Wasn't the secret tunnel mentioned last series? I think Aaron showed it to Maggie when she was going to look for Glenn.

Hilltop also has a secret tunnel.

 

[Gnrevolution]

Wasn't the secret tunnel mentioned last series? I think Aaron showed it to Maggie when she was going to look for Glenn.

Hilltop also has a secret tunnel.

A secret tunnel big enough to get horses and a goddamn tiger through? Wouldn't be very secret. There was the sewer tunnel Maggie used last season, but if they went through that they would all be covered in filth, maybe they could have smelt so bad the Saviours ran away? It matters little, realism is not exactly The Walking Dead's strong point, but then this is the undead apocalypse so we're not exactly grounded in reality anymore!

 

[Gnrevolution]

I vaguely remember reading, watching or dreaming something similar to what @Gnrevolution mentions, pre-adolescents who survived the original outbreak their children were free of contamination.
Both parents had to have been children before the outbreak to ensure the baby was completely free of infection.
Ten years later children were being rounded up and experimented on, locked up in cages, treated like animals as adults looked for a cure.

A young couple who's baby was the first born infection free, were told their baby had dead. They overheard a conversation discovering the truth.
They fled and set up a haven for others, they also had a small commando force to attack and liberate the children from the established settlements.

The series I am thinking of is The Enemy by Charlie Higson, great read about a bunch of children that have survived an apocalypse where all of the adults turned, but no-one under the age of 16ish..

 

[ctg]

A secret tunnel big enough to get horses and a goddamn tiger through? Wouldn't be very secret. There was the sewer tunnel Maggie used last season, but if they went through that they would all be covered in filth, maybe they could have smelt so bad the Saviours ran away?

They have sewer access next to the collapsed wall that Glenn and Enid used last year to reach Alexandria Safe Zone. Thing is they haven't shown us that they moved the wall to give an escape route if the case arrives. In fact, they wasted so much time on all sorts of fiddly things in this season that there was no real growth inside ASZ only at the other communities.

To me, the safest place for non fighters would be at the Oceanside. Rick should have made a better deal with them then just confiscating their armoury. There is and there was so many casualties in the last episode that it's a wonder that Alexandria runs any more. Kingdom and Hilltop are on much better condition.

 

[Gnrevolution]

They have sewer access next to the collapsed wall that Glenn and Enid used last year to reach Alexandria Safe Zone. Thing is they haven't shown us that they moved the wall to give an escape route if the case arrives. In fact, they wasted so much time on all sorts of fiddly things in this season that there was no real growth inside ASZ only at the other communities.

Agreed, they have basically forgotten about Alexandria this season other than as a place to get rolled over by Negan. Even so none off them looked like they had exactly had to exert themselves to arrive at conveniently the same time, the optimistic part of me thought maybe they had all been hiding round the back waiting (i.e. it was all planned) but given no sort of exposition about this you have to assume they just happened to Cavalry up at a most convenient time...

To me, the safest place for non fighters would be at the Oceanside. Rick should have made a better deal with them then just confiscating their armoury. There is and there was so many casualties in the last episode that it's a wonder that Alexandria runs any more. Kingdom and Hilltop are on much better condition.

Yeah I did notice that there must only be something like 3 Alexandrians left after this latest shoot out at their place. Man, those left must be scared witless of the next engagement, they might as well give them the red shirts now

 

[ctg]

but given no sort of exposition about this you have to assume they just happened to Cavalry up at a most convenient time...

It was little over an hour in total length, so I think AMC lied about, because 85 minutes might be with all adverts in the middle. Thing is they could have edited it and shown it from Kingdom or Hilltop's perspective, with them hearing sounds of fighting after that scream. It would have built tension so much more to see it from their POV Negan getting ready to smash Carl next to knelt, weeping Rick while the audience see Trash Yard Lady smirking on Rick's state at the background.

One question I find interesting is how many zombies are going to come in to look what that shooting was all about. There should be at least one horde swarming around the Alexandria at the beginning of next season. If there isn't then maybe DC area is clean from the walking dead.

 

[Judderman]

I suspect there will be some destruction at Alexandria next season and many of the background characters will be lost (on top of the ones who were killed last episode). Maybe the swarm ctg suggests above could turn up.
So the writers decided to concentrate on the characters we know well and a places like the Hilltop and the Kingdom which may still be standing/protected.

 

[Judderman]

Didn't Rick fall from quite high up when he was pushed? It seems he was practically unhurt.

With the length the 85 mins must include adverts.

 

[ctg]

Didn't Rick fall from quite high up when he was pushed? It seems he was practically unhurt.

Three and four meters on grass. Not impossible to survive. Although, it must have hurt like hell with that gunshot wound on his side, with added exhausting from losing all air from his lungs. I have fallen from that hight from couple of trees and survived the concussion.

 

[nixie]

85 minutes, it was 75 minutes in UK ( 21:00- 22:15) take out the adverts I'd say the actual programme would be a little over 60 minutes

 

[svalbard]

It was little over an hour in total length, so I think AMC lied about, because 85 minutes might be with all adverts in the middle. Thing is they could have edited it and shown it from Kingdom or Hilltop's perspective, with them hearing sounds of fighting after that scream. It would have built tension so much more to see it from their POV Negan getting ready to smash Carl next to knelt, weeping Rick while the audience see Trash Yard Lady smirking on Rick's state at the background.

One question I find interesting is how many zombies are going to come in to look what that shooting was all about. There should be at least one horde swarming around the Alexandria at the beginning of next season. If there isn't then maybe DC area is clean from the walking dead.

I read an article today which suggests that there will be a time jump of 2 years at the start of next season.

 

[Judderman]

There can't be a time jump at the start of the season. No more than a couple of days for the fighting to come. During the season maybe. Unless they do some flashback malarkey like in early season 6.