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

Nervous Wreck

In the thread for episode 2, I complained that the show moving locations to show us one other storyline, neglecting the main group completely was annoying and unnecessary. Now they've done it again... This episode was fine. Maybe even necessary. But we're now 3 episodes in and working off 3 story threads that haven't progressed more than an episode. What next? Do we do an Alexandria episode next week so we can see how Father Gabriel is getting on? Or do we go back to Rick every 3 episodes?

And now the timeframe is annoying. It was implied in this episode that Daryl was getting a dog food burger a day. We saw him get probably 10 burgers. So if the death scene was on day one, we'll likely pick up with Rick in day 2 or 3. But Daryl's already on day 11ish... are we gonna have to catch up?

Also, as an audience, we've now had 3 weeks to get used to the deaths of these characters. No matter how good our next interaction with the main group is, we're in a completely different emotional place to them. We've moved on from the shock of losing who we lost. Seeing our group in, presumably, quite a fresh aftermath, they'll be completely raw still. When that happens in TV, reviews start to go bad. When the audience is as far past the emotional state of the characters, they begin to perceive the characters as being whiny. They'll tolerate it for one or two episodes but I guarantee if it goes much longer, people will be begging for Maggie to be fed to the zombies.

As I said, a good episode in itself but the season so far is not looking too great for all these isolated episodes.

For reference, my post from last week:

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

The thing is... there's no good reason for episodes like this, or seasons to be laid out this way. I recently rewatched TWD from the start and really it goes wrong in season 3. Although S2 was a slow burner, the writing was still really strong. When watched together, rather than week to week, it's a very strong season. What makes it strong is that there are always multiple threads. While Rick is off doing his thing, Daryl is elsewhere doing something else, etc.

In season 3, they got the governor and someone decided they weren't able to tell a Woodbury story in the same episode as a prison story. That's where I stopped my rewatch. Suddenly you're spending an entire episode away from the main group. When it goes back to the prison, you start where you left off except it feels like all this time has passed and you should be further along. That's fine for a once off or even for once a season. But to constantly flip back and forth leaves every episode feeling stilted. Why couldn't this episode be intercut with our group? It makes no sense and only slows the narrative to do it this way. Again, if this was a one-off, I'd be grand with it. But I know we're going to spend the next few weeks going back and forth and it'll really hold up the actual story progression.

So overall, was this episode good? It was fine. Not amazing, not poor. But was it a good episode for the overall architecture of the season? Absolutely not.

sonofenoch

Good episode....some of these slower episodes don't work then you have little gems this and one with Morgan breaking

That_Guy

4

Thought the premise of the episode was good but the execution was a bit meh.

The thing I hate most about The Walking Dead lately is that the writers don't seem to trust the audience to convey what is going on. It's obvious that Dwight and co aren't fully happy with how Negan is running things but they continue to shovel the bleedin' obvious down our throats.

The editing seemed a bit weird. When Dwight goes out to find your man, he looks like he's in agony when he's pushing the bike along. It looks like a scene was left out whereby he may have fell off the bike along the way.

That whole scene was a complete waste of time too imo. It really didn't add anything.

I enjoyed the treatment of Daryl in the cell but why in the fúck would the writers insist on him defying Negan again given what has just happened with Glenn?
Unless of course, Negan is going to punish the shít out of Alexandria as a reminder to Daryl and his defiance.

I dunno anymore. Again, this was a perfect episode where they could have had two story arcs going on but instead they're straying away from the aftermath we really want to see with Rick and co.

Even if Daryl does say he's Negan, is he going to be trusted?

The pacing of this show still remains a joke. I want to love this show but the way it's going, it doesn't fill me with much hope for the season despite a very strong start.

Mellor

6

I remember when Dwight escape originally, the Saviours who looked for him said something about only wanting ass that's willing. I'll have to go back to last season for context.
But it echoed what Negan said this week to Dwight regarding having his pick.

What was Negan referring to when asking Dwight if his pecker was still working?

That_Guy

4

Mellor wrote: »

What was Negan referring to when asking Dwight if his pecker was still working?

Remember Eugene bit his junk last season?

fish fingers

Mellor wrote: »

I remember when Dwight escape originally, the Saviours who looked for him said something about only wanting ass that's willing. I'll have to go back to last season for context.
But it echoed what Negan said this week to Dwight regarding having his pick.

What was Negan referring to when asking Dwight if his pecker was still working?

Eugene took a bite of Dwights pecker after he shot the Dr one through the eye with the bow

OK episode, good to see Negan again but I'd like to see the pace picked up a bit now.

Mellor

6

That_Guy wrote: »

Remember Eugene bit his junk last season?

fish fingers wrote: »

Eugene took a bite of Dwights pecker after he shot the Dr one through the eye with the bow

I had completely forgot about that.
Even when he said "he really chomped down on it".
That explains that at least, I still think that the allusions to rape will become relevant.

The Talking Bread

8

Mellor wrote: »

I had completely forgot about that.
Even when he said "he really chomped down on it".
That explains that at least, I still think that the allusions to rape will become relevant.

In the comics, the one moral based thing Neagan maintains is that he doesn't condone rape. Anything else goes. I recall there was someone high up in his "army" who raped a woman and he killed him

Liamalone

6

Two days now and that song is still rattling around my head, must watch the episode again to remember what happened apart from hearing that choon

Subacio

7

Warning at the start said "Violence and horror from the outset", and then Tony Danza's face appears. I was not prepared for that much horror.

Looks like VHS players and cassettes survived the apocalypse too.

StringerBell

Why wouldn't they?

Mellor

6

StringerBell wrote: »

Why wouldn't they?

Because it's 2014 by now...
...oh wait

pc7

5

Myself and himself ended up on kinks of laughter when 'crying' was playing cause when it got to the first 'Crying' we both went cwying (a la Only Fools and Horses)
Then we couldn't figure if Daryl was crying or laughing and reckoned it reminded him of that episode too !

MarkR

What's going on with the walkers / jumpsuit guys in the yard. They don't seem to be fighting them or feeding them. Just kind of baiting them?

Green_Martian

pc7 wrote: »

Myself and himself ended up on kinks of laughter when 'crying' was playing cause when it got to the first 'Crying' we both went cwying (a la Only Fools and Horses)
Then we couldn't figure if Daryl was crying or laughing and reckoned it reminded him of that episode too !

same here hahaha

bazz26

Walking Dead sitcom theme song:

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

mzungu

MarkR wrote: »

What's going on with the walkers / jumpsuit guys in the yard. They don't seem to be fighting them or feeding them. Just kind of baiting them?

Wondering this myself.

Kablamo!

I'd imagine they act as kind of a moat around the Sanctuary, a barrier to help protect against enemy attacks.

Stoner

I'm just glad that I didn't have to look at Rick staring off into the distance with his one eyed kid in that stupid hat in the background, staring at him with his mount open.

At some point characters that remain innocent or stagnant for too long become unrealistic and irritating IMO. Like the blonde woman and the heavy lawyer in Daredevil still being devastated when lied to.

I don't read the comics I hear this differs. I can't help wondering if they are setting it up for Rick to be killed. The last person to annoy me as much as he is now was his wife, he's turning into her. I'm not sure there's much room left for Rick's character to develop. I get the feeling we've seen it all now and it will be just rehashed tired material from him now.

They do seem to exhaust some characters before killing them off, Rick's wife, the big guy from The Wire, the big ginger guy from Band of Brothers. I'm terrible with names.
Rick's next I think. Certainly the show could survive him. Female hero this season possibly, the grey haired auld won who isn't really that old and had a redneck husband?

Thought it was a good one this week I found myself getting mad with Negan and wondering if he'd have his nose bitten off by someone, he does get in people's face space a lot. I can't figure Dwight out, that's refreshing and the bits with his sandwich making and shooting his buddy were good .It needs new characters.

I much preferred it to the surreal kingdom last week. I would have liked to have seen some indication that the rashers were having an impact, they've obviously been eating them for a while now, you'd imagine the top guys would be hit hardest and non pork eating religious types along with low ranking dog food eating characters would see the least impact, or did I miss a sign ?

Question where's Rick's daughter?

Why don't people use spikes more? I'd have one strapped to my left forearm 24/7 like that blue guy from he-man with the different arm attachments , it would be the right job easy to make, in and out quick jab no snagging, less infected blood splashing everywhere.

Riskymove

Stoner wrote: »

Question where's Rick's daughter?

Back in Alexandria

Father Gabriel was to look after her

BetsyEllen

6

Stoner wrote: »

I would have liked to have seen some indication that the rashers were having an impact, they've obviously been eating them for a while now, you'd imagine the top guys would be hit hardest and non pork eating religious types along with low ranking dog food eating characters would see the least impact, or did I miss a sign ?

I thought that's where the 'sandwich' scene was going...that he was going to pop a nice, juicy rasher on top of that egg and we'd get to watch him munching away!

Olishi4

MarkR wrote: »

What's going on with the walkers / jumpsuit guys in the yard. They don't seem to be fighting them or feeding them. Just kind of baiting them?

I thought it might be zombies who are kept and were previously part of his group but betrayed him in some way so are there as a warning to the rest of the group? Maybe people within the group are sent there as punishment at times?

Anyway really enjoyed this episode.

Also not done intentionally but the second zombie, the blonde one, that Dwight came across when all the zombies were lying on the ground was very like zombie Hannah from the webisodes or bicycle girl that Rick shoots at the end of the very first episode.

The Talking Bread

8

Episode 4 is 90 minutes (or realistically,as we know, about 55 minutes!)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2140050/walking-dead-fans-in-for-a-treat-with-special-extended-fourth-episode-that-promises-more-gore-zombies-and-negan-at-his-unhinged-best/

white apples

6

Liamalone wrote: »

Two days now and that song is still rattling around my head, must watch the episode again to remember what happened apart from hearing that choon

Noticed today that it's number 1 on spotify's viral playlist. :P

Cartman78

7

white apples wrote: »

Noticed today that it's number 1 on spotify's viral playlist. :P

I'm using this as my alarm the last couple of days....no obvious side-effects yet, although I'll have to change it if I start eating dog food and trying to escape from my own house