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The Walking Dead: Last Day on Earth (2016)
Jumping Ship
The Walking Dead has always felt like near-great television with flashes, and even entire episode stretches, of what it could be. This was not one of those episodes. Frankly, it was the worst episode of the entire show.
There was some good drama this season. The initial structural risk paid off before it began to repeat. Those first two/three episodes were non-stop. But then each episode became pretty predictable about how it was going to go down, and the formula ran it's course before the halfway point.
Then the whole Glen fake-death thing happened. The fact that he lived there destroyed 5 seasons of trust with the show for me. The blatant break of continuity with the kid saying "mom" in the horde didn't help either. i felt manipulated, and the drama had the rug pulled from under it.
i waited for the next "gotcha" moment to happen and struggled to care about characters i'd been following for 6 seasons. characters made illogical decisions that ran against their experiences from seasons past. Take Carol's completely unmotivated arc. It took her 4-5 seasons to go from victim to killer, but the reversion took 4-5 episodes. audiences aren't that stupid. we're willing to be patient for that kind of change to occur.
The first 60 minutes was some of the most boring television i've ever seen. the RV seemed to have healing powers over Mags,, as her symptoms were conveniently reduced from crippling pain to hot flashes. scenes that were supposed to be tense felt convenient (morgan saving carol) and the roadblock obstacles were some of the most basic writing i've ever seen.
Negan's monologue was easily the best part of the entire episode. i've read complaints that it was redundant, but i think it was necessary to drive home the character. that speech built tension wonderfully.
Then they didn't show who he killed. Horrible decision. My condolences to the person(s) in the writers room who fought against that. I assume someone did, because they ended the season on a middle finger to the audience, regardless of whether or not that death had been spoiled.
Josh McDermott threw his script and it made Lauren Cohen ill. i assume it's because they immediately saw what bullshit that ending was.
Taking a wider view of the shows problems, the dialogue scenes have become self- righteously self-indulgent. The zombies no longer feel like a threat. all metaphors and symbolism are painfully obvious. the characters have stalled and make silly choices. the writing feels gimmicky.
before this season began I questioned my viewing. 9/10 people i talk to watch because they're 6 seasons in, and at this point they might as well stick around. I'm not. Best of luck to the cast and crew who devote so much time to this. I really wish them all the best. I no longer believe in the show's creative leadership. See you around.