A lot of the dialogue now is playing off what the audience knows about the characters. But it also means there's nothing left to learn about the characters, we just have to play around with what we've got. Rick makes a joke to Daryl about him 'staring meanly' at someone, because that's how we've come to know them and their relationship. It's like watching a later season episode of Married with Children. Where Al comes out, says his line and tucks his hand in his pants. And what was once a meaningful punchline becomes used as a just reminder of that. And it gets half-laugh where you just breathe out your nose because you recognize the joke. You just don't find it funny.
Long running shows often cross a line where they are no longer as relevant or as fresh and engaging as they once were. But they're still enjoyable because we have reached a point where we believe in these characters - where we engage with them like they are real people. So they are like friends. And you often gives friends the benefit of the doubt when they say things, or let them ramble on about their day much longer than you would tolerate it from a stranger. And that's where we are with The Walking Dead.
The audience is invested but no longer engaged. The characters are likable and familiar but no longer interesting. What was once a show for adults that teens watched has morphed more into a kind of teen drama with an adult setting.
The only thing keeping many clinging on is that there are still some characters they once liked. But each time a core cast member is lost that connection to the show is lost. And it's getting harder and harder to care about anyone anymore.
The dip in quality is probably not noticeable to those wrapped up in the show. But the tone and writing of the show has changed so much from where it started.
I'm not saying the show has 'jumped the shark' (even though it probably did when Daryl lit the lake on fire with a bazooka) but the comparison to Happy Days still works - Where as in the early seasons of Happy Days you'll see a lot of effort made to make the characters, the drama and the comedy feel real and authentic. In later seasons it was just made to entertain. Characters came out and 'did their catchphrase' and they got the laugh. That's where The Walking Dead is. It's just out to entertain now. There's no attempt to draw new audience members in. There's no attempt to make meaningful drama. They're happy just to play it out and give the fans what they want.
Good for them I suppose. I watch it amazed at how much my attitude toward this show has changed. I remember a time when I loved it. And while I'll probably keep putting it on to watch in the background, I'll never love this show again. It's certainly well past the point where I could confidently recommend it to someone as worth watching.
Long running shows often cross a line where they are no longer as relevant or as fresh and engaging as they once were. But they're still enjoyable because we have reached a point where we believe in these characters - where we engage with them like they are real people. So they are like friends. And you often gives friends the benefit of the doubt when they say things, or let them ramble on about their day much longer than you would tolerate it from a stranger. And that's where we are with The Walking Dead.
The audience is invested but no longer engaged. The characters are likable and familiar but no longer interesting. What was once a show for adults that teens watched has morphed more into a kind of teen drama with an adult setting.
The only thing keeping many clinging on is that there are still some characters they once liked. But each time a core cast member is lost that connection to the show is lost. And it's getting harder and harder to care about anyone anymore.
The dip in quality is probably not noticeable to those wrapped up in the show. But the tone and writing of the show has changed so much from where it started.
I'm not saying the show has 'jumped the shark' (even though it probably did when Daryl lit the lake on fire with a bazooka) but the comparison to Happy Days still works - Where as in the early seasons of Happy Days you'll see a lot of effort made to make the characters, the drama and the comedy feel real and authentic. In later seasons it was just made to entertain. Characters came out and 'did their catchphrase' and they got the laugh. That's where The Walking Dead is. It's just out to entertain now. There's no attempt to draw new audience members in. There's no attempt to make meaningful drama. They're happy just to play it out and give the fans what they want.
Good for them I suppose. I watch it amazed at how much my attitude toward this show has changed. I remember a time when I loved it. And while I'll probably keep putting it on to watch in the background, I'll never love this show again. It's certainly well past the point where I could confidently recommend it to someone as worth watching.