The Walking Dead | Season 7 | Episode 3 | The Cell [AMC] [SPOILERS]

NUTZZ

The Walking Dead - Season 7

Episode 3 - "The Cell"

Airdate - November 6th on AMC at 9/8c | November 7th on FOX UK at 9PM

A new group of survivors seem to have it all in their impressive community; however, there is a price.

Promo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP5N9KFGnes

Sneak Peek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGpuoMp9FPQ

mrkiscool2

8

Awesome episode, will post more when I wake up, brilliant episode!

NMB

that song ! I'm singing it all day !!!!

Washout

8

Good epsidode.

A Lesson in how to break a man 101

Liamalone

6

Washout wrote: »

Good epsidode.

A Lesson in how to break a man 101

Errrrrmmm, who broke?

Shane St.

Washout wrote: »

Good epsidode.

A Lesson in how to break a man 101

did u not watch the last scene?

Monife

4

I understand we need these types of episodes for context but I'm getting bored and I'm an avid fan. I really want to see the aftermath of episode 1 and the longer it drags out, the more annoyed I'm getting. Also not enough gore or action for my liking. Gave it a 5 because I love Daryl and Negan.

The Talking Bread

8

Shane St. wrote: »

did u not watch the last scene?

I wouldn't say it broke him. Doubt it at all. Yes he cried, but that wasn't him "breaking" in the sense Neagan wants him to. The whole breaking him, in this sense, means getting him to accept Neagan as his leader. (ie the whole, Who are you "I am Daryl" (instead of the answer Neagan wants to hear "I am Neagan")
If anything, it will probably make him more likely to rebel against Neagan and want to escape.

The whole (not exact words) "I get it, you are what you are because you wanted to save someone" spiel to Dwight and his follow up "I can't be who you are precisely because of that" (ie because Neagan killed Abraham and Glenn, he refuses to bow down to him)

There is logic as to why Dwight went back and bowed to Neagan's demands (to save his "super hot" ex wife) but Daryl's predicament is quiet the opposite in that sense.

There is a martyrism involved also but it is consistent with Daryl's character and it was a superb portrayal of one of the most consistently depicted protagonists on the show.



Not a great fan of how Neagan is being portrayed,. I expected a certain cartoonist approach to him but it is verging on more unrealistic than Ezekiel and the Kingdom in a way.


Dwight owned that show last night as much as Daryl, even moreso tbh.

The fact they can garner sympathy in the space of 40 minutes for a character who left Daryl for dead in his first episode, was party to Abraham and Glenn's demise, killed Denise, is Neagan's main henchman, has given up his wife to a psychpath, watches prisoners being tortured by walkers in the yard all day with a manky looking sandwhich, abuses the lower level subjects in The Sanctuary,shot his friend, watches crap tv , let alone is torturing the show's most popular character is magnificent!!

Liamalone

6

Shane St. wrote: »

did u not watch the last scene?

The last scene I saw was Darryl and BurnyFace, Darryl didn't break then nor in the scene with Negan - quite the opposite, He stood strong. Darryl did not break.

Decent episode despite the focus being on one strand of the story, don't like the way they do that.

The Talking Bread

8

Monife wrote: »

I understand we need these types of episodes for context but I'm getting bored and I'm an avid fan. I really want to see the aftermath of episode 1 and the longer it drags out, the more annoyed I'm getting. Also not enough gore or action for my liking. Gave it a 5 because I love Daryl and Negan.

I a pretty sure last night is one of the most significant aftermath events of first episode!
I would prefer to watch this than a predictable episode with Neagan coming to visit Alexandria and picking up supplies whilst Rick puts on a broken down face, Michonne gives us a lesson in gurning, Eugene just sulks in silence, Rosita stands around looking "super hot" and Carl acts all brave and hormonal!

(For what its worth I want to see all that also, but I think last night was just as, if not more important to set this season (13 episodes left, remember) in motion.

Kirby

We're on easy street......
And it feels so sweet.....
ta da da da da.....



I dont know the song or who sings it but something tells me that it will be on the top ten ironic itunes downloads this week. :P

Kirby

Let the torture begin! :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoQ4GidQP-k

"I'm Negan! I'm Negan! Jesus Christ, I'm Negan!!!"

Puibo

Another filler episode......how many more are we going to have to sit through before something happens.

Wasn't impressed.

The Talking Bread

8

Puibo wrote: »

Another filler episode......how many more are we going to have to sit through before something happens.

Wasn't impressed.

How was it a filler episode

Mr.Nice Guy

2

Grim viewing. Tough when a guy is subjected to such harrowing torture. Daryl? Nah: me watching the acting of that bargain basement Robert Downey Junior wannabe, aka Negan aka Austin Tatious.

I actually watched a Youtube clip someone put up of the comic book version of the character. It must be said the comic book version is way more believable than this insufferable, Russell Brand-esque irritant.

As regards the episode in general I felt it was trying to be too clever by half with the use of the music, and annoying strange cuts from the camera angles. This was like the opening montage to a poor MTV video from 1991, or a scene from an obscure Australian romantic comedy you might catch late one night on the MGM channel. Terrible. And we were subjected to the song over and over.

Surely if they really wanted to torture Daryl they could just play a clip featuring a speech from King Ezekiel or Aslan or whatever his name his, and his CGI pet, Richard Parker. I’d rather listen to that song blaring for 60 mins than ten minutes of that awful trash from last week.

As the episode wore on it became apparent why the music was used: filler purposes. Why use dialogue when you can just regurgitate the same scene over and over again? I tried to guess how long this episode would be if it were just pure dialogue. I reckon maybe seven minutes.

Then again silence is preferable to the faux acting of Austin Tatious, who caused this episode to be a fail for me. I hope for a flashback episode where we see him in his previous life, working amateur dramatics on weekends before heading out at night to front his Queen tribute act. Someone stick a big leotard on him quick.

I liked the scene when Daryl attempted to escape and he swaggered on in, pointing his bat at people and asking them 'who are you?' 'Negan', they replied. 'An OTT cheesy, pretentious actor,' I shouted.

We had cliche 1002 on this episode where now we gotta get sympathy for the bad guy from last season. Obviously that made sense on the writers' coffee break as they did their usual show research - thumbing through their DVD collection for ideas to mimic. I will say though that the scene where Dwight confronted the guy at the end of his tether I did enjoy. Maybe because I could relate to him since I’ve only been subjected to less than 2 hours of Austin Tatious and already I've had enough. The guy asked the question I posed last week: why would anyone put up with him? (and I don't just mean the bad acting)

We had more drawn out pauses - gotta milk this show for all it's worth, eh? Then back to the too-clever-by-half song. Then back to Austin Tatious and cliche 1003 where our villain airs all his dirty linen in public and reveals his motivations to the hero.

It boggles my mind that people think a) this guy can act b) that he acts well and c) that he exudes any genuine air of menace. I think those bikers Daryl ran into were way more intimidating than this guy; and I think this lad would be a flunkey in that group. The Governor was way better too. But it's unfair of me to compare him to those villains of previous seasons - after all, they were played by blokes who could act.

On a brighter note, by the end of the episode I did find I had more interest in the character of Dwight than I had at the start of the episode; but I can't overlook the shocking flaws of the episode - namely, our main villain - and for that, the episode is a fail.

I'm feeling a 3. This show needs to pick up the pace big time.

tvnutz

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Grim viewing. Tough when a guy is subjected to such harrowing torture. Daryl? Nah: me watching the acting of that bargain basement Robert Downey Junior wannabe, aka Negan aka Austin Tatious.

I actually watched a Youtube clip someone put up of the comic book version of the character. It must be said the comic book version is way more believable than this insufferable, Russell Brand-esque irritant.

As regards the episode in general I felt it was trying to be too clever by half with the use of the music, and annoying strange cuts from the camera angles. This was like the opening montage to a poor MTV video from 1991, or a scene from an obscure Australian romantic comedy you might catch late one night on the MGM channel. Terrible. And we were subjected to the song over and over.

Surely if they really wanted to torture Daryl they could just play a clip featuring a speech from King Ezekiel or Aslan or whatever his name his, and his CGI pet, Richard Parker. I’d rather listen to that song blaring for 60 mins than ten minutes of that awful trash from last week.

As the episode wore on it became apparent why the music was used: filler purposes. Why use dialogue when you can just regurgitate the same scene over and over again? I tried to guess how long this episode would be if it were just pure dialogue. I reckon maybe seven minutes.

Then again silence is preferable to the faux acting of Austin Tatious, who caused this episode to be a fail for me. I hope for a flashback episode where we see him in his previous life, working amateur dramatics on weekends before heading out at night to front his Queen tribute act. Someone stick a big leotard on him quick.

I liked the scene when Daryl attempted to escape and he swaggered on in, pointing his bat at people and asking them 'who are you?' 'Negan', they replied. 'An OTT cheesy, pretentious actor,' I shouted.

We had cliche 1002 on this episode where now we gotta get sympathy for the bad guy from last season. Obviously that made sense on the writers' coffee break as they did their usual show research - thumbing through their DVD collection for ideas to mimic. I will say though that the scene where Dwight confronted the guy at the end of his tether I did enjoy. Maybe because I could relate to him since I’ve only been subjected to less than 2 hours of Austin Tatious and already I've had enough. The guy asked the question I posed last week: why would anyone put up with him? (and I don't just mean the bad acting)

We had more drawn out pauses - gotta milk this show for all it's worth, eh? Then back to the too-clever-by-half song. Then back to Austin Tatious and cliche 1003 where our villain airs all his dirty linen in public and reveals his motivations to the hero.

It boggles my mind that people think a) this guy can act b) that he acts well and c) that he exudes any genuine air of menace. I think those bikers Daryl ran into were way more intimidating than this guy; and I think this lad would be a flunkey in that group. The Governor was way better too. But it's unfair of me to compare him to those villains of previous seasons - after all, they were played by blokes who could act.

On a brighter note, by the end of the episode I did find I had more interest in the character of Dwight than I had at the start of the episode; but I can't overlook the shocking flaws of the episode - namely, our main villain - and for that, the episode is a fail.

I'm feeling a 3. This show needs to pick up the pace big time.

I've watched this show from the start and I agree with a lot of people's main criticisms of the show, I think it can have one or two great episodes and have half a dozen nothing episodes in a row before some kind of big event. I also agree with what someone said last week about the staggered episodes, in that it is episode 3 and we have not seen the main group that was left behind yet. They have done this though out the history of the show and I don't think it works. They would be just two of a fair few things that would annoy me and would, for me, put this show as always just a good show, not a fantastic show. It will never be in my top 10 or even 20 but overall I do enjoy it for what it is.

But mate, your reviews have just become a parody of themselves at this point. As an episode, this was a very good episode and was done really well.

The Talking Bread

8

tvnutz wrote: »

I've watched this show from the start and I agree with a lot of people's main criticisms of the show, I think it can have one or two great episodes and have half a dozen nothing episodes in a row before some kind of big event. I also agree with what someone said last week about the staggered episodes, in that it is episode 3 and we have not seen the main group that was left behind yet. They have done this though out the history of the show and I don't think it works. They would be just two of a fair few things that would annoy me and would, for me, put this show as always just a good show, not a fantastic show. It will never be in my top 10 or even 20 but overall I do enjoy it for what it is.

But mate, your reviews have just become a parody of themselves at this point. As an episode, this was a very good episode and was done really well.

Every single episode for the last few series! I was waiting for today's one again! Usually contains the phrase "thats it I' m done with the show" or something to that effect so there is an aura of positivity emanting from today's rant!!

Pete Moss

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Grim viewing. Tough when a guy is subjected to such harrowing torture. Daryl? Nah: me watching the acting of that bargain basement Robert Downey Junior wannabe, aka Negan aka Austin Tatious.

I actually watched a Youtube clip someone put up of the comic book version of the character. It must be said the comic book version is way more believable than this insufferable, Russell Brand-esque irritant.

As regards the episode in general I felt it was trying to be too clever by half with the use of the music, and annoying strange cuts from the camera angles. This was like the opening montage to a poor MTV video from 1991, or a scene from an obscure Australian romantic comedy you might catch late one night on the MGM channel. Terrible. And we were subjected to the song over and over.

Surely if they really wanted to torture Daryl they could just play a clip featuring a speech from King Ezekiel or Aslan or whatever his name his, and his CGI pet, Richard Parker. I’d rather listen to that song blaring for 60 mins than ten minutes of that awful trash from last week.

As the episode wore on it became apparent why the music was used: filler purposes. Why use dialogue when you can just regurgitate the same scene over and over again? I tried to guess how long this episode would be if it were just pure dialogue. I reckon maybe seven minutes.

Then again silence is preferable to the faux acting of Austin Tatious, who caused this episode to be a fail for me. I hope for a flashback episode where we see him in his previous life, working amateur dramatics on weekends before heading out at night to front his Queen tribute act. Someone stick a big leotard on him quick.

I liked the scene when Daryl attempted to escape and he swaggered on in, pointing his bat at people and asking them 'who are you?' 'Negan', they replied. 'An OTT cheesy, pretentious actor,' I shouted.

We had cliche 1002 on this episode where now we gotta get sympathy for the bad guy from last season. Obviously that made sense on the writers' coffee break as they did their usual show research - thumbing through their DVD collection for ideas to mimic. I will say though that the scene where Dwight confronted the guy at the end of his tether I did enjoy. Maybe because I could relate to him since I’ve only been subjected to less than 2 hours of Austin Tatious and already I've had enough. The guy asked the question I posed last week: why would anyone put up with him? (and I don't just mean the bad acting)

We had more drawn out pauses - gotta milk this show for all it's worth, eh? Then back to the too-clever-by-half song. Then back to Austin Tatious and cliche 1003 where our villain airs all his dirty linen in public and reveals his motivations to the hero.

It boggles my mind that people think a) this guy can act b) that he acts well and c) that he exudes any genuine air of menace. I think those bikers Daryl ran into were way more intimidating than this guy; and I think this lad would be a flunkey in that group. The Governor was way better too. But it's unfair of me to compare him to those villains of previous seasons - after all, they were played by blokes who could act.

On a brighter note, by the end of the episode I did find I had more interest in the character of Dwight than I had at the start of the episode; but I can't overlook the shocking flaws of the episode - namely, our main villain - and for that, the episode is a fail.

I'm feeling a 3. This show needs to pick up the pace big time.

If I could thank this post twice, I would.

Mr.Nice Guy

2

tvnutz wrote: »

I've watched this show from the start and I agree with a lot of people's main criticisms of the show, I think it can have one or two great episodes and have half a dozen nothing episodes in a row before some kind of big event. I also agree with what someone said last week about the staggered episodes, in that it is episode 3 and we have not seen the main group that was left behind yet. They have done this though out the history of the show and I don't think it works. They would be just two of a fair few things that would annoy me and would, for me, put this show as always just a good show, not a fantastic show. It will never be in my top 10 or even 20 but overall I do enjoy it for what it is.

But mate, your reviews have just become a parody of themselves at this point. As an episode, this was a very good episode and was done really well.

With all due respect, have a read back of your own post and how you are defending this show's mediocrity.

We are living in an age where there is great television on offer. I watched a fantasy drama last night on Channel 4 - Humans - which did not feel like it was being dragged out for as much money as possible but actually moved at a great pace. It was great entertainment imo. I did not feel insulted like I did with this show.

There are posters on this forum who will defend this show's tragic decline no matter what. I saw the same thing on the Lost forum (RIP) where you had people that were invested too deep and too far to be able to acknowledge that by the end, it had become tripe. It had eaten itself - and this show is going the same way.

I have praised this show's early seasons but there has been a steady decline the last 18 months in my view. If you disagree, fair enough. But at the end of the day we all have our opinions.

keano25

I dunno about ye, but the last two episodes have been ****e. Boring is an understatement.

tvnutz

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

With all due respect, have a read back of your own post and how you are defending this show's mediocrity.

We are living in an age where there is great television on offer. I watched a fantasy drama last night on Channel 4 - Humans - which did not feel like it was being dragged out for as much money as possible but actually moved at a great pace. It was great entertainment imo. I did not feel insulted like I did with this show.

There are posters on this forum who will defend this show's tragic decline no matter what. I saw the same thing on the Lost forum (RIP) where you had people that were invested too deep and too far to be able to acknowledge that by the end, it had become tripe. It had eaten itself - and this show is going the same way.

I have praised this show's early seasons but there has been a steady decline the last 18 months in my view. If you disagree, fair enough. But at the end of the day we all have our opinions.

I'm not defending it, I'm saying it is what it is, I enjoy it as a watch overall as I do many shows that aren't stellar tv but they are a bit of craic. Personally I would and have stopped watching shows that annoy me that much and I think are that bad.

mzungu

The Talking Bread wrote: »

The fact they can garner sympathy in the space of 40 minutes for a character who left Daryl for dead in his first episode, was party to Abraham and Glenn's demise, killed Denise, is Neagan's main henchman, has given up his wife to a psychpath, watches prisoners being tortured by walkers in the yard all day with a manky looking sandwhich, abuses the lower level subjects in The Sanctuary,shot his friend, watches crap tv , let alone is torturing the show's most popular character is magnificent!!

Ahhh come off it now, Whos The Boss is a stone cold classic.

mzungu

Great episode, really enjoyed that one. It was good that we got a bit of backstory to Dwayne. I have a lot more sympathy for him now than I did last week.

Obviously all is not rosy in the Neagan household, a few less than happy minions like your man who Dwayne shot might make for useful allies for Rick later on.

The Daryl scenes were done quite well. Every time the music came on for him in the cell it reminded me a bit of the "Bird is the Word" episode of Family guy. It worked though. Glad to see he didn't cave in, stayed true to his character. I wonder would Rick cave in? I reckon he would. Especially to save another of the group meeting Lucille.

Neagan is a great bad guy and Lucille ain't far behind. I enjoy all his scenes.

Roll on next week.

siblers

My problem with The Walking Dead is that there are so many charachters constantly been introduced and it's just hard to give a **** about the majority of them, to be fair to Dwayne he is a bit more interesting than others who were recently introduced but having so much of a single episode dedicated just to him, just feels like it is been done over and over. In episode 1 of this season, there were 3 or 4 characters there who added absolutey nothing to show (so far) and seem to have no purpose, yet they still remain and are most likely going to take up valuable screen time.

Also, why the hell can't they focus on different story strands at different locations? The pacing of the show is awful.

StringerBell

When you guys are saying Dwayne, I am assuming you are talking about Dwight.....right?

mzungu

StringerBell wrote: »

When you guys are saying Dwayne, I am assuming you are talking about Dwight.....right?

Indeed. Dwight...Dwayne...crikey, I need sleep!

12gauge dave

5

The zombies arent even a problem anymore its lost its way in my opinion it might have to follow comics or whatever but it hasnt gine in the direction i feel it could of and should of but thats my opinion

MadYaker

Neagan is a nothing villian imo. I neither hate nor love him, he just a bit meh. The way he refers to his baseball bat as a person is cringeworthy. I found the episode dull enough to be honest. Daryl's "torture" isn't half as bad as what I was expecting and if neagan expected Daryl to break and submit after just that then his judgement is seriously flawed which makes you wonder how on earth he got to the position he is in.

Flippyfloppy

I think Negan is flawed in that he leaves Dwight doing all his running, going after runaways , taking care of an outsider. How can he trust him with these responsibilities, he married his wife, burnt his face off for gods sake. After a season premiere when the outlook seemed bleak for Rick etc, now that Dwight is being redeemed slightly it's not hard to see where this is going!

As episode i found it enjoyable. I almost believed Negan was going to go for it with Lucille on Daryl, as we were lead to believe he's completely ruthless, but he backed out surprisingly!

mzungu

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

I think Negan is flawed in that he leaves Dwight doing all his running, going after runaways , taking care of an outsider. How can he trust him with these responsibilities, he married his wife, burnt his face off for gods sake. After a season premiere when the outlook seemed bleak for Rick etc, now that Dwight is being redeemed slightly it's not hard to see where this is going!

As episode i found it enjoyable. I almost believed Negan was going to go for it with Lucille on Daryl, as we were lead to believe he's completely ruthless, but he backed out surprisingly!

Dwight knows if he pulled any stunts like that, Neagan would punish his wife. Dwight is obviously still in love with her, so he won't do anything that would put her in harms way. Plus, I doubt he wants to get an iron to the other side of his face either.

CPSW

7

Anyone else thinks Dwight looks a bit like Christian Bale (bar the hair colour obviously)!

mzungu

CPSW wrote: »

Anyone else thinks Dwight looks a bit like Christian Bale (bar the hair colour obviously)!

I think he looks like the blond lad from The Office (UK Version).

StringerBell

12gauge dave wrote: »

The zombies arent even a problem anymore its lost its way in my opinion it might have to follow comics or whatever but it hasnt gine in the direction i feel it could of and should of but thats my opinion

That's kind of the point of it though, the dead are not the big danger in this, the living are. It has always been what the show was about once you got past the initial breakdown of society.

How people interact with each other etc has been the focus.

Its a tv show, its not going to please everyone no matter what and though it has had its lulls I am still pretty happy with how it is going and excited for this season.

I find the interactions with other survivors to be the most interesting aspect of the show and always have, the walkers are a background threat. Always there but they are not sentient, treacherous, driven by anything other then a desire to feed. There isn't even any conscious malice in them, like there is in humans.

How it has changed the likes of Rick even has been a fascinating character study to me, it would have got old a long time ago if it was just see zombie, kill zombie with nothing else going on. The walkers have no room for growth, development or anything. They just are.

The Talking Bread

8

I'm shocked people are highlighting this as a bad episode. I thought that was one of the best episodes in last 2 or even 3 episodes. I think people just seem to dislike character driven episodes.

It's realistic that survival against unintelligent beings will become easier over time and ithe is fair to assume, as humans we are inherently evil in the sense we lose our morals and empathy in a situation when it is impossible to live in a normal society and where it's survive at all costs. Ino a way it's more unrealistic that the likes of our focus group would retain the empathy they have towards each other in an apocalyptic environment when there is unlikely to be much hope of a good future.


Saying that, as good as Neagan is in the comics so far I can see him developing into some camp Bond villain type. His scenes last episode were the least interesting parts of the episode.

The Talking Bread

8

*last 2 or 3 seasons (not episodes)

charkee

4

Don't find Freddie Mecury Negan nasty enough.

Gunslinger92

CPSW wrote: »

Anyone else thinks Dwight looks a bit like Christian Bale (bar the hair colour obviously)!

He is the image of rickety cricket from always sunny in philadelphia :pac:

Enjoyed that episode, need to watch the repeat on Sunday night though cause my friend came over so I was distracted, missed the bit where Dwight was on the ground and walkers were falling on him, for instance..

Pete Moss

charkee wrote: »

Don't find Freddie Mecury Negan nasty enough.

I'd be interested in the TV series showing pre-apocalypse Negan, or how he came to power/retains the power.

In the books, Negan looks like a guy who's intimidating in stature, but I don't think JDM has the same physical presence, Lucille excluded. He's a big bloke, don't get me wrong, but comic-book Negan looked bulkier. He looked as though he could beat-up any of the Saviours at any time to maintain order/fend off challengers, again without using Lucille.

I know it must be very intimidating being surrounded by a large group and having the head of member of your own unit smashed in and most likely, this act keeps Negan's crew in line, but last night's episode showed that not all in rosey in the Saviour's Sanctuary. Maybe, if the series showed him coming to power in a ruthless, cunning manner, then it'd be easier to take JDM serious as the leader of such an aggressive troop.

CaptainR

Pete Moss wrote: »

I'd be interested in the TV series showing pre-apocalypse Negan, or how he came to power/retains the power.

In the books, Negan looks like a guy who's intimidating in stature, but I don't think JDM has the same physical presence, Lucille excluded. He's a big bloke, don't get me wrong, but comic-book Negan looked bulkier. He looked as though he could beat-up any of the Saviours at any time to maintain order/fend off challengers, again without using Lucille.

I know it must be very intimidating being surrounded by a large group and having the head of member of your own unit smashed in and most likely, this act keeps Negan's crew in line, but last night's episode showed that not all in rosey in the Saviour's Sanctuary. Maybe, if the series showed him coming to power in a ruthless, cunning manner, then it'd be easier to take JDM serious as the leader of such an aggressive troop.

I seen on reddit that Jeffrey Dean Morgans last role was as someone with tuberculosis and he starved himself for the role and didn't have time to bulk back up properly afterwards. He was huge in Watchmen compared to TWD.

Chip Whitley

I love both the actor and character, but for me there was too much Negan last night. He needs to be like the shark in Jaws... seen in glimpses, always keeping that air of dread around him, so when you do see him you know something is going to go down. I don't want them to 'humanise' him just yet, for me it will lessen the impacts of episode one.

BetsyEllen

6

I didn't really enjoy the episode - it was good to catch up with Daryl but I'm getting bored of Negan's character already.

We're seeing that Negan is trying to break Daryl but to be fair, what has he really done to him?

Put him in a cell with no clothes on (which were given to him after a short amount of time anyway).
Given him dog food sandwiches.
Played silly music.
And then let him get 'beaten up' by his men in the yard, although considering how many men were on him, Daryl hardly looked in a bad way after it did he?

Seeing as this is the guy that beat 2 people to death with a barbed wire baseball bat and burned off Dwight's face with an iron, his treatment of Daryl has been extremely mild so far.

Flippyfloppy

I really REALLY enjoyed the little story about how Dwight got his sandwich ingredients. For those scenes alone I think I might give this episode a 10!

12gauge dave

5

StringerBell wrote: »

That's kind of the point of it though, the dead are not the big danger in this, the living are. It has always been what the show was about once you got past the initial breakdown of society.

How people interact with each other etc has been the focus.

Its a tv show, its not going to please everyone no matter what and though it has had its lulls I am still pretty happy with how it is going and excited for this season.

I find the interactions with other survivors to be the most interesting aspect of the show and always have, the walkers are a background threat. Always there but they are not sentient, treacherous, driven by anything other then a desire to feed. There isn't even any conscious malice in them, like there is in humans.

How it has changed the likes of Rick even has been a fascinating character study to me, it would have got old a long time ago if it was just see zombie, kill zombie with nothing else going on. The walkers have no room for growth, development or anything. They just are.

I agree with you, the show had to concentrate on the human v himan interactuons for it to progress as we are what 7 years in to this show now is it? In the earlier seasons i was so excited to see would there he a cure? Would society make a comeback in the way as we know it? All that wonder is now gone i know that we are just going to he pinballed from bad small settlement to the next. I will still watch on as it has been a massive journey we have all heen

Jimmy Bottlehead

6

Pretty good episode. I agree that Negan should be used more sparingly for now - we fear few things more than the unknown, and familiarity will dilute the threat.
Norman Reedus did a good job - I really thought he'd break in the second "Who are you?" scene, and his tearful breakdown was tough to watch.
I've a terrible memory so recalling Dwight's character history was an issue - I'd forgotten his wife, her sister, him shooting Denise. But the character development was good and I'm interested to see how his part plays out.

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Grim viewing. Tough when a guy is subjected to such harrowing torture. Daryl? Nah: me watching the acting of that bargain basement Robert Downey Junior wannabe, aka Negan aka Austin Tatious.

I actually watched a Youtube clip someone put up of the comic book version of the character. It must be said the comic book version is way more believable than this insufferable, Russell Brand-esque irritant.

As regards the episode in general I felt it was trying to be too clever by half with the use of the music, and annoying strange cuts from the camera angles. This was like the opening montage to a poor MTV video from 1991, or a scene from an obscure Australian romantic comedy you might catch late one night on the MGM channel. Terrible. And we were subjected to the song over and over.

Surely if they really wanted to torture Daryl they could just play a clip featuring a speech from King Ezekiel or Aslan or whatever his name his, and his CGI pet, Richard Parker. I’d rather listen to that song blaring for 60 mins than ten minutes of that awful trash from last week.

As the episode wore on it became apparent why the music was used: filler purposes. Why use dialogue when you can just regurgitate the same scene over and over again? I tried to guess how long this episode would be if it were just pure dialogue. I reckon maybe seven minutes.

Then again silence is preferable to the faux acting of Austin Tatious, who caused this episode to be a fail for me. I hope for a flashback episode where we see him in his previous life, working amateur dramatics on weekends before heading out at night to front his Queen tribute act. Someone stick a big leotard on him quick.

I liked the scene when Daryl attempted to escape and he swaggered on in, pointing his bat at people and asking them 'who are you?' 'Negan', they replied. 'An OTT cheesy, pretentious actor,' I shouted.

We had cliche 1002 on this episode where now we gotta get sympathy for the bad guy from last season. Obviously that made sense on the writers' coffee break as they did their usual show research - thumbing through their DVD collection for ideas to mimic. I will say though that the scene where Dwight confronted the guy at the end of his tether I did enjoy. Maybe because I could relate to him since I’ve only been subjected to less than 2 hours of Austin Tatious and already I've had enough. The guy asked the question I posed last week: why would anyone put up with him? (and I don't just mean the bad acting)

We had more drawn out pauses - gotta milk this show for all it's worth, eh? Then back to the too-clever-by-half song. Then back to Austin Tatious and cliche 1003 where our villain airs all his dirty linen in public and reveals his motivations to the hero.

It boggles my mind that people think a) this guy can act b) that he acts well and c) that he exudes any genuine air of menace. I think those bikers Daryl ran into were way more intimidating than this guy; and I think this lad would be a flunkey in that group. The Governor was way better too. But it's unfair of me to compare him to those villains of previous seasons - after all, they were played by blokes who could act.

On a brighter note, by the end of the episode I did find I had more interest in the character of Dwight than I had at the start of the episode; but I can't overlook the shocking flaws of the episode - namely, our main villain - and for that, the episode is a fail.

I'm feeling a 3. This show needs to pick up the pace big time.

I'd give this post a 2/10. No originality, bad pacing and just uninteresting. It's only saving grace is spelling and grammar.

thegreengoblin

StringerBell wrote: »

That's kind of the point of it though, the dead are not the big danger in this, the living are. It has always been what the show was about once you got past the initial breakdown of society.

How people interact with each other etc has been the focus.

Its a tv show, its not going to please everyone no matter what and though it has had its lulls I am still pretty happy with how it is going and excited for this season.

I find the interactions with other survivors to be the most interesting aspect of the show and always have, the walkers are a background threat. Always there but they are not sentient, treacherous, driven by anything other then a desire to feed. There isn't even any conscious malice in them, like there is in humans.

How it has changed the likes of Rick even has been a fascinating character study to me, it would have got old a long time ago if it was just see zombie, kill zombie with nothing else going on. The walkers have no room for growth, development or anything. They just are.

If someone hasn't got this point by this stage, the start of season 7, then they never will! It's always been the Walking Dead's big advantage that it's not simply a zombie gorefest. That's been done countless times. The very worst things that have happened to the group have been because of other humans.

It hasn't always worked, I've found some things to be ridiculous or annoying but on the whole I think the show has done a fine job in getting to this stage.

As for the latest episode, I enjoyed it. Clearly Dwight is going to be a major player down the line, and having someone so conflicted and damaged will give us some good storylines in the future so it was good to get a lot of his backstory out of the way. They may have overdone the Easy Street stuff but I thought A Town Called Malice playing over the intro scenes of Negan's compound was a nice touch of dark humour!

white apples

6

From Daryl's character point of view - it would make much more sense for him to 'break' so that he can start regaining some freedom. We know he'll never forget but will have a better chance of getting revenge if he's out and moving around than stuck in a cell. It doesn't make sense that the character wouldn't want revenge, and want to do everything he can to get it. I have trouble understanding his motivations at this point, to just stay locked in a cell.

Overall I enjoyed the episode, although not a fan of the flip-flopping and would like concurrent storylines across all characters in each episode rather than concentrating on one bunch each time.

GavRedKing

7

The song is still in my bloody head.

At this stage I'd take a whack of Lucille to extract it.

Scraggs

Didn't enjoy this at all. I assume we're now in the 3/4 sh1te episodes streak before the mid season finale. I can't get behind Dwight or feel sympathy for him like others have suggested. I was just so bored watching this episode and it's been a while since that happened.

Jayop

white apples wrote: »

From Daryl's character point of view - it would make much more sense for him to 'break' so that he can start regaining some freedom. We know he'll never forget but will have a better chance of getting revenge if he's out and moving around than stuck in a cell. It doesn't make sense that the character wouldn't want revenge, and want to do everything he can to get it. I have trouble understanding his motivations at this point, to just stay locked in a cell.

Overall I enjoyed the episode, although not a fan of the flip-flopping and would like concurrent storylines across all characters in each episode rather than concentrating on one bunch each time.

Daryl breaks and the first thing he's going to make him do is kill/beat up one of the Rick gang to prove his loyalty. Can't see that happening.

Okon

7

I enjoyed this episode and gave it an 8; a different tone from the season opener all right, but that doesn't make it bad.

Easy Street was a bit annoying though. It would have broken me! But whoever wrote/sung it will be doing okay from now on I'd say. (Nice to hear some Jam at the start too!)

DoozerT6

I thought they were actually going to *torture* Daryl as opposed to make him listen to crap music and feed him dog food - like properly string him up, beat or injure him, maybe give him The Iron....or maybe that is yet to come in future episodes.

As for Dwight - I'm enjoying seeing the conflict within him, who knows maybe he'll be the one to betray Negan to Rick and co and fight on their side. Maybe Daryl will win HIM round to the Good Side - once he's given him a severe hiding for taking his crossbow, bike, and jacket that is : D

As for Negan's group, I've thought ever since we first saw them roadblocking Rick and co last season, and especially after the S7 premiere, that there MUST be several among his group who are just 'going along with things', pretending to be as savage as the rest of them while being secretly horrified (and terrified)at Negan's behaviour. I guess in a zombie apocalypse, protection and safety in a group outranks personal feelings and decency. I just can't believe that there wasn't at least one or two among the Saviours in the clearing who didn't think Negan was absolutely badsh!t insane when he Lucilled our two regulars. It seems like Dwights buddy in the blue shirt (although for the purpose of the episode, they really should have made him wear a red shirt ) personified this. I would assume that some of the others feel the same (Dwights wife, for instance) and this could be a catalyst for the mother of all showdowns between Negan and the Ricktator, once he finds his balls again.