If They do not end The Walking Dead in Season 9 or 10 after Rick Grims and Maggie leaves, here are some thoughts on what could happen.
So in the season 8 finale we find Negan laid up in bed recovering from a slit to his throat from Rick only to have Rick save him. Rick and Michonne then tell him how it's gonna be when he gets better.
Now if Negan somehow escapes and kills Rick, I am sure somehow he will die, Someone will kill him, I am sure of it. But what if he is truly rehabilitated and Dwight kills Rick and Negan Kills Dwight and gains the groups support and they rebuild Alexandria until the next disaster unfolds.
what if Negan dies, Daryl and Maggie take over they leave Alexandria for whatever is next but Michonne makes her exit? I don't see Michonne staying on much longer because Danai Gurira is getting bigger roles in Hollywood and is now a part of the Marvel universe, so who knows what is next for her. And with Rick Gone, her story is over
But wait! Maggie can not be a part of any take over because she is leaving soon. Is it possible that in a crazy plot twist that she would kill Negan after he would kill Rick? Or What if she kills Rick and Negan Kills her then him and Daryl would fight it out to takeover the group.
Because of all these possibilities, I just don't see the show lasting with out Rick Grimes and Maggie Green. While Daryl Dixon is a strong part of the show, I just don't see him as a leader. He is too rebellious. However what if Carol Peletier took over? She could fill all the gaps and after all, she can make decisions that Rick never could. Carol knows how to feed kids cookies and make them look at the flowers. And if a deadly virus breaks out, she will get rid of the sick and burn the bodies
I am not saying it's impossible for the show to go on, but it's going to take real creative story writing to keep it going.
In Season 8 we said good bye to Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs), well now comes word from several reliable sources that Andrew Lincoln will only be in 6 episodes next season before he makes his exit from the popular show. For me and other die hard fans this is devastating. I am sure that fans want the producers and writers to find away to keep the show on for a few more seasons, but why?
In my opinion the show should call it a day and go out on top. Why wait till the ratings drop and risk getting canceled with out a farewell show. As much as I like Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, I don't want them to see them change his character to make him a leader. Now he is a leader but not a Rick Grimes leader. How would the fans like it if Negan some how became the leader?
If they do not end the show in season 9, then they should have a 6 episode final season 10. I am sad about saying this, but I do not see a true happy ending for our favorite heroes. They could have some great tribute shows in the final season. and then have the best ending they can have for the remanding cast members.
I don't want them to keep the show going just to keep the show going. Creativity and creative writing will die and show runners might also say good bye.
I want to see this show end and end strong with Greg Nicotero and company.
It was good to see Ricks group finally fight back. However they suffered heavy loses. King Ezekiel lost his pet tiger Shiva. I felt so bad for him. It seemed to impact him the rest of the season, he was different.
Negan was Negan but I believe he lost his leadership ability over his group. he was still a jerk but he could not use his style of intimidation to lead and each episode he lost a little more, but I was still on guard for him to strike back hard. it never happened.
They fight went on and on and I am still not sure about the story of Jadis. I believe Jadis was about Jadis and keeping her group safe but Eugene fixed that and I was upset with myself that I felt bad for her which means there has to be more to her.
But in episode 8 "How it's Gotta Be" all of our hearts where ripped out when Carl got bit. We all hoped this was not the end, but in episode 9 "Honor" Carl died. I cried like a baby when Rick put his head on Carl shoulder and broke down at the end of epd 8. Carl wrote letters to everyone including Negan, but the one that impacted the season final was the one he wrote to his Dad, the one that made Rick decide to save Negan. I wanted to reach into the screen and beat Rick with Negan's bat myself.
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But I have to question myself, was rick wrong to save Negan. Maggie seems to think so and it seems she will team up with Daryl to take down Rick. Is Maggie wrong or right? Am I team Rick or Maggie? Will season 9 be the last season for Rick or Maggie or both?
Carl's Death has impacted the future of the story more so then Negan Killing Glenn or Did Negan's action lead to Carl's Death? I have heard it said that season 8 will change the whole series and I believe that. I am curious to see whats next and how many more seasons the show will continue.
With the fast approaching Walking Dead Season 7 Finale, I thought why not a recap of Seasons 1-6 of how our the group got to this point, So while looking at YouTube to put together this Blog Post I found this great site called Skybound created by Robert Kirkman. It's amazing what treasures you find when your doing a little research to put together a blog post. Here is link to this great site
As write this, it is now two Sundays away from the finale of Season 7. For me this has been one long and crushing season. It was hard for me to watch, but it was a strong part of the whole story of The Walking Dead. We have seen this group overcome hell over the past 6 seasons that when we experienced Season 7 it was a the punch to the gut that would not get better. It was the everlasting common cold. It started with the deaths of Glen and Abraham, Daryl was captured and did not escaped until episode 8. The first half of the season was depressing and hopeless. Rick Grimes was beaten down so bad it was as if he was dealing with depression. The saviors just kept coming and taking the guns and the beds just to burn the mattresses in the middle of the road. It is hard enough to have something stolen from you and watch someone enjoy it, but just to steal it and have it destroyed was more painful.
But at the end of episode 8 we saw a glance of hope and Rick seemed to come back to himself and the birth of a plan to fight back after Daryl escapes Negan's prison. I am still wondering how King Ezekiel will play in all of this and will Sara give up the group she encountered in episode 6 called Swear and if they will play a part in the end? If so, how? Do not forget Carol, because she does what needs to be done. If you see her getting some gas her target may want to find flowers to look at. And I am more then positive that Jadis from episode 10 called New Best Friends will play a big part in the season finale. I have read that Negan will be back in Season 8. But how many episodes I do not know. I don't think he will be killed off at the end of season 7
Even if team Rick wins the war , there will be a heavy cost. It is almost certain that Sasha will die because of what has been reported on the verified news sites, but still can not say for sure. Who else might perish in the war.
Who is Negan? Where did he come from? Why is he so evil and mean? We know he will not last on The Walking Dead to much longer, however he is going to be back on season 8, but we don't know how many episodes. The Governor was kind of explained along the way in seasons 3 and 4.
But I want a in depth look at Negan. He is as cool as he is mean. I almost think of him as a mafia leader at the top of his game before the Zombie Apocalypse happened. How did he turn so dark?
Did he have Mommy issues like Darth Vader did in Star Wars? Negan is just pure hate as if he enjoys it. Is he a cleaned up thug from the streets? Is he someone that gave up on the world before it all went wrong and just decided to take advantage of the situation when he could?. Was he a politician with dark plans?
I just don't think he was ever a good guy. I don't think there is anyway they could ever convince me that he is evil because of something in his past. However, the writers take joy in proving fans wrong. If they do a back story, I hope it is not a season premier episode, but in the middle of season A or B eight. I just want to know who Negan is.
Fear the Walking Dead reminds me of the recent Zombie Apocalypse 2015 movie "Maggie" Staring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a Dad trying to save his daughter from turning after she is bitten by a Zombie. Yes the show is slower but much deeper in thinking then "The Walking Dead". It's a whole different look. To me this takes me back when we where actually afraid of Zombies. The Walking Dead does not scare me that much but I love the story. Fear gives me that fear back and I will continue to watch as long as it is on.
I think the audience is to entrenched into the thinking about hordes of zombies and you have to run and shoot. But when your watching a zombie movie, do you ever ask yourself what is the story of that family that is running and trying to survive? Like Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead does that but goes deeper. I am not sure how many seasons they can keep this going, but I like watching civilization self destruct and fall apart step by step.
The only fault I have with the show is I think the contagion is moving a bit slow, but what do I know maybe that is what happened before mutation of the virus. I just wish critics would step back and think about the bigger picture and think like adults instead of saying it's to slow.
The other day I was watching a repeat of "The Walking Dead" and thought to myself are horror fans desensitized to zombies or are we suspicious of everything? Have horror TV programs and movies made us ready for anything because of the fictional reality and believable situations they feed our mind? There was something about the old black and white shows that came out in the fifties that would just freak you out. I remember the first time I saw the 1960 Classic "Little Shops of Horrors" and that little ugly potted plant said feed me. I ran to the corner of my bed room and hid. it scared the living snot out of me.
I was freaked out at just the thought of something like could happen. When the movie ended I carefully turned the TV off and went and got myself a glass of milk. We had potted plants in the house and I swear they looked at me from that point on. The 1986 remake staring Rick Moranis entertained me, but did not have the same effect. It did not challenge my imagination.
The first time I saw a zombie movie was "Night of the Living Dead" from 1968. I was addicted to zombies from that day on. But as movie quality got better, I was less scared, It was like I was ready for the undead , Or was I? I still have nightmares about a Zombie Apocalypse. Walking Dead still gives me a chill, but I am more into the drama. If a favorite character gets killed by one, I get tense. But it depends on how it happens. When Dale got killed in "The Walking Dead" Episode "Better Angles" That got to me, that was a creepy episode. It's when the Walker comes out of no where and grabs you. Same with horror movie or shows, it's when the horror hit's you before you know you have been hit.
I think movies like the remake of the 1982 Poltergeist this year, The Paranormal Activity series that started in 2007 and 2010 Insidious movies, 2013 Conjuring series including 2014 Annabelle they are working on the surprise factor again. Alfred Hitchcock once talked about this in a interview. It is to make the audience forget about the danger in the room because of the drama of the people. Sound familiar? The Walking Dead famous line "Kill The Dead, Fear The Living". Think about it. The Walking Dead has more drama and problems with the living then the Dead. If it was not for the Governor Rick and his gang would have kept the prison. But that would have killed the show and then it would be boring. And what about Carl killing his mom before she turned.
How do we define what is scary and what is boring? What scares you may make someone else laugh. Clowns scare me to death, they make children laugh.
Do you remember the 1978 movie Phantasm? I was more afraid of the funeral home then the silver ball, and that big tall guy just freaked me out and I still don't know what the movie was about.
I don't know, it's just not a horror movie unless I am traumatized and have to think about changing my underwear.
There are those moments in TV that burn in our minds that we can never forget. For some reason they stir up emotions that we never knew we had. It is the big visual aide to life like we never thought about or it just made you laugh. For what ever reason it's a classic moment in your TV history, these are mine.
1) Look at the Flowers
This disturbed child was being lead to her execution. I was thinking about Carol and Sophia and the way that ended when Sophia came out of Hershel's barn in season 2 as a walker after they had been searching for her for so long. I have no words for Lizzie. She was a messed up innocent kid that saw the Zombie Apocalypse as a rebirth for everyone. Did this represent a child's way of dealing with the horror of what happened. This happened in the episode called "The Grove" Season 4 episode 14. Carols heart breaking execution, escorting Lizzie to her death gave me chills and broke my heart for the child and made me forget how disturbed Lizzie was. I wanted to rescue Lizzie but knew it was wrong.
2) The Death of Beth Green
Beth Green was the youngest and most innocent of Hershel Green's Daughters, She was not one of the big time favorite characters but she was sweet and very kind.
I wrote this in a earlier blog post
Beth was a very lovable character, she started out in a very dark place
in her life when we first saw her in the second episode of Season Two
episode called "Bloodletting". She was not a secure person and had major
emotional issues dealing with the new world. But she became stronger as
the series went on. She became the bright spot of the group when
everything was doom and gloom. It seemed she loved and trusted everyone
she was around. She never said no when she was directed to do a task.
Click Here for the full blog post
Beth Green Death scene took place in Episode 8 of Season 5 titled "Coda"
3) Emily Kinney's interview on the Talking Dead
It is apparent that the cast and crew of the Walking Dead are like a close net family. In a interview with her on the Talking Dead Emily becomes emotional when talking about the day when the episode was filmed.
4) King Joffrey Dies
I don't know any character that was ever more hated then King Joffery from "The Game of Thrones" in the Purple Wedding. I hated him every time I saw his face on the screen. While I enjoyed watching him die, I wanted a more traumatic and dramatic death scene, but it would not go with the story line that was written.
5) The Mountain Kills The Red Viper
I was sure that the Red Viper was going to win, I just felt that some way he would win. No Matter how many times the writers had surprised me in other episodes. But again I was stunned when the Mountain squeezed his head until his eyes popped out. Game of Thrones never disappoints even when your jaw hits the floor in surprise of a event
6) Avery and Juliett get Married on Nashville
This is kind of sappy I know, but to me this is saying no matter how bad the storm is there is always hope for a better tomorrow. Ok so this marriage may end in sorrow as most TV marriages do.
But for one moment in time, things where good and sunshine found it's way past the storm clouds.
7) NCIS: I Love You Dad
In the Christmas episode, 10th of Season 12, McGee is writing a letter to his Dad. What you do not know is his father has passed away. McGee's letter is what I think what sons often see in there Father. Father and Sons often have this distant but close relationship. Things they don't understand get in the way of love. Anyway it was a very special episode.
8) Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings fight for the family in the Americans on FX
Everything is ok and fine with Mother Russia until they try to pull the family in. This is with any parent. No matter how big the enemy is, leave our family out of it.
9) Hannibal Display of Beverly Katz
One of the most disturbing corpse scenes I have ever viewed was on NBC Hannibal.
No explanation needed just watch.
10) The Death of Elam Ferguson
There is nothing worse then killing your best friend, This episode reminded me of when Obi Wan Kenobi fought Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode III. This was was much more painful, but a great episode.
The events that transpired on AMC's The Walking Dead episode Coda shocked me and many more TV viewers then any other tragic event in any TV Show I have ever watched. The tragic death of Beth Green was devastating and very sad and a lot has been written about the episode. here is a collection of articles from across the web about the episode.
We often read in the headlines of a tragedy of a person getting killed by a single gun shot, and we hear of the anguish painful heart ache of the family. Like a mother that lost her son in war and she did not get to kiss him good bye.The father who had that distant relationship with his child and then finds out they are dead. We see crime dramatized on TV, but while it seems sad, we can not say that it was in your face. It did not fully pull at our heart strings. For me that all changed last night with the fatal shot that killed Beth Green on The Walking Dead.
Beth was a very lovable character, she started out in a very dark place in her life when we first saw her in the second episode of Season Two episode called "Bloodletting". She was not a secure person and had major emotional issues dealing with the new world. But she became stronger as the series went on. She became the bright spot of the group when everything was doom and gloom. It seemed she loved and trusted everyone she was around. She never said no when she was directed to do a task.
I always felt her character gained strength when her and Maggie sang "The Parting Glass" in the first episode of the third season called "Seed". It was in the prison yard with the group around a camp fire. From that point Beth began to accept her role in the group in my opinion. Or at least I started to noticed her more as being a central part of the group.
There is much debate in some social network circles to what her contribution was to the group. It has been said she was not a fan favorite and if true that made her death that much more painful. Because of her innocence and child like qualities. She was the girl next door or maybe reminded you of your daughter. You loved Beth. Because she was not one of the stronger group members you wanted her to be OK. I really thought her and Daryl was going to hook up when they drank moonshine and burned the house down. When she was kidnapped I was worried for her and felt it was the end for her.
At the moment of the shot and you seen the blood come out of her head I felt like a loved one died. when you saw her head fall back you knew it was over. For just a second I saw my daughter who looks nothing like Beth in her place and tears started to flow down my face. My heart sank and it was like getting that phone call in the middle of the night that someone you love has died, this hurt the same way because you witnessed the death yourself. This was unlike any character death in any TV series ever. It was even predicted that she would be killed off But your still not ready for it. I think this was even worse then Hershel's death, even though that was very dramatic and sad, Beth represented the death of innocence more some how.I just can' explain it.
Beth Green was that sunshine on the cloudiest of days. She was that smile when you needed it most. She made you laugh when you was sad. She always had a hug where there was none. She was the last of her family for her sister. She was the path back to the light when the group went down a dark path.
Beth Green Will be Missed
Emily Kinney: I Wish You The Best Where Ever You Go
At the end of the 3rd episode of season five of "The Walking Dead" "Four Walls and a Roof", we find Daryl Dixon popping out of the bushes telling some one to come out. But who is it? We may not know till we see the 7th episode called "Crossed" scheduled for 11/23.
The 4th episode called "Slabtown" showed us where Beth was in the hospital surviving another group with hostile leaders, and at the end we see Carol on a stretcher. That means that she was separated from Daryl. I guess that means it's not Carol or Beth behind Daryl in the bushes. Or does it? Could it be Noah that tried to help Beth escape is now with Daryl? I saw a question on Facebook fan page, could Morgan be Noah's uncle?
Next week we find the group that left on the bus at the end of episode 3 lead by Ford, with Maggie and Glen runs into trouble. So I imagine they will not dwell on Beth or the rest of the group. I am guessing that episode 6 "Heart Drift" that is scheduled to air 11/16 will take us back to the Hospital with Beth and Carol. A big question is was Carol faking it on the stretcher or did she let herself be caught. I do kinda find it hard to believe that Carol made a mistake and got captured. I would not be surprised if she did not plan this and is getting ready to blow the Hospital up like she did Terminus. If that is the case it could be possible that Carol and Beth is in the bushes, but that seems to easy, I am leaning towards Noah.
However, consider this. There is only 5 more episodes left till mid-season. Could they stretch the answer till the the show returns in 2/15? I don't think so, but I still think it's possible. It also seems that we are learning more about whats going on in others parts of the country. For example Noah said he was from Richmond Virginia. I guess we can assume that most of eastern coast is gone for sure. It is still not clear whats going on in other parts of the country in the west, however Ford was certain that Washington D.C. was a safe zone. Richmond, Va is not the far from DC. So if DC is a safe zone, how many miles does that cover?
I really think we will know a lot more after the end of season 5 finale in 2015. But with the knowledge we get this season, rest assured there will always be more questions.
The Governor, there are as many questions as there is answers about him. But as evil as he was I liked him as a villain. Andrea loved him until it was too late and got bitten by Milton and not by love. But I am thinking and wondering if it's not possible that he had connections with Gareth at Termius. I did not see any evidence in anything that was said by him or Gareth, but with all the different methods of transportation we see and don't see, I believe there was connections. The Governor was obviously deeply in some type of post traumatic stress over losing his family in the Zombie Apocalypse. He kept his walker daughter in a closet trying to somehow reform or heal her. In her zombie like state he was still trying to figure out if there was something left of her.
Then there was that aquarium showcase of walker heads. What was the importance of that case? Where they trophies? Did he rotate them out for kills of the week? One thing is for sure is he wanted to be in charge of who he valued as important, because if he did not like you, you died! But here is why I am asking if he knew about the group at Terminus . Lets just say he killed someone and wanted to make sure there body was never found. The Governor was not just a leader he was a business man and until Rick's small group came along, he was well in control of the region. How big was the region? Could he have sold dead fresh bodies to Termius to have peace between the two groups? When the group got to Terminus there was no shortage of food. I assume they had a freezer. I just have a feeling that Gareth knew more about Ricks group and Woodbury then what was said in the show.
In episode 6 of Season 4 "Live Bait" I felt that the Governor was attempting to change his ways because of his bonding with the family and changing his name to Brian Heriot , . And when he saved Meghan Chambler's life and promised to always protect her, that never works in any series and almost a death warrant for the person getting the promise, which it was for Meghan and soon after It was over for the Governor. And when he ran into his old buddy from Woodbury and then killed him that sealed the deal, he was going back to his old ways.
The Governor could have been a Bible salesmen, in the way he convinced his new found group to attack the prison. He almost preached salvation in the way he told them how evil Rick's group was. One big question I had is in the Governor's mind, did he really want to be the leader for his new group or did he want revenge, was he just using his new group as a army. He took a tank to blow up the prison. it seems to me that he would want to kill with minimum damage and not blow the place up. But he kept on blasting the prison over and over again. Why did the group stand by him? Did they really think he was that great of a leader? Your going to get the group a new home but your going to have to blow it up first? I sometimes think he did not care if he lived or died after Meghan's Mom came to the camp with her dead body and he put a bullet in her head. He beat Rick savagely with a raw unrelenting vengeance. There was nothing strategic in his beating. He just wanted to kill, and he would have if Michonne had not put a blade in the Governor's back coming out his chest.
I am not really clear on what the Governor wanted, But in season 3 episode 3 "Walk With Me" he made it clear that nothing would get in his way when he killed the military group. That episode raised other questions.
Whats going on in other parts of the world? I guess the new companion series coming soon will answer those questions.
I was taking inventory of the TV programs I watch, and even though I say I am going to cut back, I am still at 100 plus shows I keep up with through out the year. No matter how much I stop watching this or that program, I am still watching many TV shows. You know what I am not doing? I am not reading, which I think is sad because reading requires discipline and TV requires nothing but for you to sit on your favorite chair or couch and eat drink and watch TV and go to the bath room during commercial breaks. If your watching TV with Netflix then you may need to push the stop button to go to the bathroom.
On my twitter feed I have been posting a lot about pre-production of countless shows and TV projects coming to our TV screen soon, and they all sound great, but how would I even think about putting some of them on my watch list? My DVR is already over loaded with shows the family watches, and then the other two DVR's are getting full. I get upset when one of my favorites gets canceled. I should be grateful so that I can fit another one on my rotation. But no I join a fan protest on Twitter.
That's not the worst of it!
Many times you will find actors doing guest spots on different shows and their acting roles are very different and instead of just enjoying the story I become a over critical critic. I find my self of thinking about each role they play and forget about the story I am watching. I mean I am watching the TV story because of the story right?
Then there is the ratings, different networks have different standards. Numbers that are great for one network are a nightmare for another. AMC's The Walking Dead is the most popular show on TV with 17 Million + viewers per episode, if that program dropped to 10 million, I don't think they would cancel the show, but would they panic and start making stupid changes? How many people have to watch a TV show to make a TV executive happy with all the competition now on TV? In 2013 TNT's Dallas season ratings where 4 million 2014 it dropped to 2 million but did not include delayed viewing and TNT canceled the show.
So if they are not considering delayed viewing, Are networks more worried about the sponsor then the viewer? Viewers do not like commercials.
Bottom line is viewers will not watch TV when TV networks and sponsors want them to and not every great TV show is going to get high ratings, but that does not mean they are bad.
Sometimes I join a TV fan page of one of my favorite TV shows. I am overwhelmed and amazed how every part of a show can be analyzed. I was on a Walking Dead fan page and the discussion was about how Daryl Dixon hugged Carol Peletier after they had been apart for a while. Was it friendship, sexual or parenteral? I never thought of it that deep myself. My thought was they where close friends and where glad to see each other.
I also remember LOST from ABC, That show has been gone for 4 years and people are still asking questions of how it ended and what it meant. it's as if the island is real and something was left behind. I read some of what fans are asking and thinking and I have to ask myself, is the island real? It's like fairy tales for adults. Speaking of fairy tales for adults, what about Once on ABC, has that just not screwed up our child hood dreams? I guess there was never no happy ever after.
But in the real world we live in, I am glad that people can let their imagination go and leave behind this world and go to their happy place no matter if it is a place of horror or fairy tails gone wrong. And it does not have to be horror syfy or fantasy, it can be a serious drama like a detective show. If the writers are creative enough we can always search for answers that we may never get answered.
I thinks it great when the writers can always keep us guessing as if we live with our favorite characters and know them personally. Because our real problems will always be waiting for us. The only thing that gets to me is when the fan is stuck their in the show and won't come back to reality and take it so personally. I mean this is for fun right? Sometimes I think that the writers and producers that came up with their productions have killed the daytime soap opera. Compare the daytime soap opera writing with the shows we now watch. Even the SyFy drama seems more realistic then what happens in a daytime soap, and that is what gets our imagination. We talk more about our TV shows then our own family. I hear people talk more about prime times shows then soap operas.
But no matter, we love good TV even more then we ever did and we are involved, we are there when are favorite character dies, we cry and mourn their loss. And when that final episode of the series happens we leave them behind but go back with our DVD collections and Netflix, I see no problem in letting go and visiting another reality. Just make sure you come back.
Well there is a new Zombie series on SyFy Cable network called Z Nation, and while it may have a few short comings it's not that bad of a show. No it's not the same as The Walking Dead. However there is a very vocal debate on the social media outlets calling it blasphemy to watch Z Nation if your a Walking Dead fan. OH PLEASE! I am a fan of TV shows and what I chose to watch is my business. If the quality of Z Nation was anything close to what The Walking has given us, people would be swearing they copied the show. It is still a free country and we are free to watch and like what we want till they cancel the show.
For those of us that have forgotten, not everyone's imagination is not the same as mine or yours. I welcome new story ideals and shows. Look how many popular detective shows are out there, and fantasy/horror is finally getting a hold on main stream TV. OK, some may be not so well written, I get that. I lose interest myself in some shows, but I don't lose interest in a detective show because I am a fan of the popular CBS franchise C.S.I
Lets not forget that the 1966 soap opera Dark Shadows on ABC is the one that started the ball rolling on Fantasy/horror TV series. Networks have been competing with networks for decades. Networks have tried and failed to copy a genre over and over again. Look at the ABC Network 2004 series LOST, how many times have other networks tried to copy that ideal of you never really know whats going on in the show?
You always knew where a network got the inspiration for a series, but really never cared. I always give a new show a chance. If I liked it I watched it, if I did not I changed the channel. But TV is not religion.I don't stop watching a cop show on NBC because they have a cop show on CBS, so I will not stop watching a Zombie show on SyFy because I like the one on AMC more. I have never heard such backlash on a TV series since 1981, when ABC premiered night time series Dynasty to compete with CBS 1978 series Dallas, and that was before the internet and social media.
What we could do with out is all this reality TV programming like Honey Boo Boo, Jersey Shore and Keeping up with the Kardashians. However they do have a audience, but I chose not to watch. But that is my choice. I just don't want that to be the only choices on TV.
The first time we see Shane Walsh was in the first episode "Days Gone Bye" where in a conversation with Rick Grimes he ask how are things with Lori, Rick's wife. It is obvious that Rick and Lori's marriage is on the rocks and may be past the point of no return. Question: Was Shane and Lori having sex before Rick got shot? In a the second episode of the second season, Lorie has a flash back when she was at the school talking to other mothers and she talks about the fight she had with Rick. I am thinking she has already given up on Rick and is having sex with Shane.
Shane seems like a great leader of the group and Lori and him are at that point of being a family with Carl, but in the episode "Tell it to the Frogs" Shane's world is shattered when Rick is reunited with Lorie and Carl. When you see his reaction it's heartbreaking as it is bitter. Shane fights his demons but over time he becomes even more bitter as Rick slowly becomes a leader of the group. Shane fights with Rick on every decision he makes. However, was Shane always wrong to challenge Rick? I don't think that in the first season that any of the group had come to reality of the new world they where now living in except Shane.
I often wonder if Rick and Shane could have come to a understanding and Shane was the leader what shape would the group be in? Maybe they would have taken Woodbury and over powered the Governor and fortified the prison and held their ground and maybe even got the tank and maybe more weapons.
While I like Rick, Shane had no problem being tough when he needed to be. Rick seemed to want to make everyone happy because of Carl. He wanted his son to see him as a true leader.
To Shane's defense, he was being ignored and Lori just dumped him as if they nothing happen and moved back to Rick's arms. Or so it seemed. I mean face it how would you feel if you was in Shane's place? The world has just ended, you find happiness and move on, but the old world including your best friend that you thought was dead comes back from the dead as if you have done nothing right and takes over. That my friend is a big pill to swallow.
Shane felt that Rick could not keep the Lori and Carl and the group safe. What was he calling safe? was he wrong? In the episode "Pretty Much Dead Already" Shane was right in killing the Walkers in Hershel's Barn. Hershel had some how convinced Rick to help him retreat two lost walkers from the creek down below his farm. Shane was pissed off and mad. In the world of the Zombie Apocalypse what is the correct way of communicating or educating people about the world around you?
But like greed, Shane had already lost control of his anger when he killed Otis in the episode "Save the Last One". But even I wonder if Carl would have survived if Shane had not of killed Otis. In war there is a term called collateral damage. Innocent had to die to save others. If they could have put Shane on trail, would collateral damage been a strong enough defense for a not guilty verdict? I think it was Shane's guilt of killing Otis that made him just not care and want Rick dead. In the episode called "Secrets" Shane makes it clear he wants Rick dead when he aims his shotgun at him while Rick is in the distance and unaware, but Dale confronts him. Shane denies what Dale thinks, but makes it clear to Dale he would have no problem killing him also. It was a back handed threat. At that point Shane was going to do whatever he had to do to get Lori and the leadership of the group.
However in the episode "Save the Last One" When Otis and Shane where at the school getting supplies, I do believe that Shane intended to get Otis out of the school and return him to the farm. But there was a boy dying and that was Shane's first priority, so he shot Otis and sacrificed him for Carl. You could very well debate and say that Shane had other motives, and that is a fare argument. Shane returns to the farm as the hero,and that's when things being to unravel for him when they have a memorial for Otis. They ask him to say some words about Otis because he was the one that was there in his final hours. This is where Shane's guilt starts to eat at him, and I am not talking appetizer, but big chunks like a walker chowing down on new meat. This is where the battle for Lorie and leader of the group really starts or at least the way I see it. He does not have a plan at that point, but he knows what he wants.
After the memorial, and the rest of the season Shane takes on Rick. You could say they are no longer best friends. In the episode "18 Miles Out" Rick and Shane fight it out for the first time in trying to come to terms with Lori and the baby that is on it's way. Rick makes it clear that even if the baby belongs to Shane, it will know Rick as the father. That was another notch in a mind that is already ready to lose it. They make it back to the farm with nothing settled. Then Shane takes Rick on a walk in a episode called "Better Angles" The title of that episode says it all. With what happen to Dale getting bit and Carl knowing it was his fault, and then Rick kills Shane just to have Carl shoot Shane after he turns. It makes you wonder about Shane. Maybe he was a angel, but he was not the best. Carl was Ricks Angel shooting Shane the Walker, but Carl was no Angel to Dale.Come to think of it. Was Dale the better angel? He always watched out for everyone. But that is another part of the series.
This post will have to be edited later on when Netflix adds the 4th Season of "The Walking Dead" to it's service. I have not connected some events to the series time line and episodes. But do to the fact that I am the type of person if I don't do it now it will not get done I wanted to make sure I continue the series. This is going to be a on going project till I get each part right. There will be a day when I get this and all parts of the series done. But its like every time you watch a episode you see something new.
Rick makes it to Atlanta and after he is overwhelmed by Walkers he is in a Tank and just before he commits suicide, he hears a voice on the radio. This is Glenn Rhee, he is like the gopher of the group. He is like the experiment before the group commits on pushing forward. He is awkward as he is smart. He is not good at keeping a secret. But he is committed and may be one of the most trusted people in the group to make the right decision. Glenn's awkwardness is very noticeable when he is in the drug store getting a pregnancy test for Lori and Maggie finds Glenn. Glenn puts the Pregnancy test in his back pack and grabs a box of condoms and does not know what to say. Maggie shuts him up and tells him she will have sex with him.
Glenn broke the news to the group that there was walkers in Hershel's barn. It was Glenn that broke the news that Lori is pregnant. But the thing about Glenn is that I think he is the one person of the group that really cares about everyone. It is very clear that he wants to make a stand in the episode "Home". Glenn wants to make his stand at the prison. He is angry and wants revenge. "Home" was the episode after Glenn and Maggie was taken hostage at Woodbury. Merle Dixon beats and tortures Glenn.
However what really brings a spark to Glenn is the unyielding love he has for Maggie Green. Maggie as you might remember was introduced to the group in the episode "Blood Letting" where Glenn sees her for the first time riding a horse like a hero. I think they fell in love at that moment, however Maggie thought the whole group was crazy when they lowered Glenn down in the well to pull the "Well Walker" out. This is before she becomes a ass kicking walker killer herself, you will have to watch the episode "Cherokee Rose" to see Maggie make that statement.
In some of these pics from youtube ,Maggie looks kind of crazy her self after the reality of the Zombie Apocalypse hits you.
Glenn and Maggie are obsessed with each other, and while they are still committed to the group they are evermore committed to each other. This was never more apparent then through the second half of the forth season after the fight with the governor at the prison, and Maggie lost her sister Beth and Glenn. She was more obsessed with finding Glenn because I think she thought Beth was safe with Daryl Dixon and Judith. I am not really clear on that. I will have to re watch season 4 when it become available on Netflix. What worries me about Glenn and Maggie's future is at the end of last season in the episode "us" They are reunited, and Maggie tells Glenn that he will never need a picture of her. To me that was a ominous warning that someone is about to die. But who, Maggie or Glenn? I guess we will find out in season five.
lets TRY not think about who the actors are, who wrote the episode, what network it is on. Lets just pretend for a moment that the Zombie Apocalypse is very real and out there is a group of people lead by Rick Grimes. I will refer to episode names and insert a few Youtube Videos here and there, but for the most part I want to keep this as real as possible. There will be a lot that is not explained, but as I was watching the series I just took a bunch of notes and now I am trying to put them in order for this Blog Series, however I will skip back and forth in the time line of the TV series
PART I
At the start of the series we find in the episode "Days Gone By" that Rick has problems with his marriage to Lori. Shane Walsh is Ricks best friend and they are both officers for the sheriff. Shane is very interested in how the marriage is holding together. Why is that? Is he truly worried about his best friends marriage? Is he waiting in the wings if things fall apart? He seemed very concerned about his friend Rick that was laying in the hospital from a gun shot wound he got from a stand off gone wrong when Rick and other officers stopped a group of outlaws at a road block .
Shane went to Rick's bed side several times before the start of the Zombie Apocalypse, when it appeared that he could do no more he blocked the door from walkers and soldiers getting into Ricks room and then told Lori and Rick's son Carl that Rick was dead. Could have Shane done more? How much time had passed since the last time Shane was at the hospital and when Rick was reunited with Lori and Carl.
Rick wakes up in a different world. He wakes up thinking no time has passed since Shane's last visit because at the moment he woke up, he made fun of the vase that Shane brought him with flowers from the Sheriffs office staff
Rick wakes up, stumbles through the blood cover hospital halls, Bodies laying everywhere. He comes to the Cafeteria that warns not to open there is dead inside
He keeps walking on, bodies of the dead are everywhere. As I am watching this I am thinking what would I do if this was me? What would be going through my mind. Rick goes home and hits himself and tells himself this is a dream , but he does not wake up, He tries several times to wake himself up, trying to convince himself that the Zombie Apocalypse is a nightmare gone wrong, but he does not wake up and must face the reality of the new world that now surrounds him. After getting cleaned up and dressed, he starts the journey into hell and there is no return trip back to the world he once knew. It starts when he sees a little girl. He is looking at her feet from underneath a car and notices she bends down to pick up a teddy bear. So this girl must be ok. He then approaches her and speaks to her and she turns around and she is a walker. What kind of horror is going through anyone's mind when you would see a child holding a teddy bear that has become a monster.
Rick keeps walking, and later finds a crawler with only the upper torso and uses it arms to crawl on the ground like a insect. This walker has a back story before Rick ends its un-dead life it never asked for. This is what she use to be. You can Find other parts of the story on Youtube or the AMC Web site
Before Rick kills the crawler in the park and starts his horse ride to Atlanta, he meets Morgan Jones after getting his head bashed in by Duane Jones who is Morgan's son. Rick wakes up recovering from the blow to the head. He is tied to the bed just to be safe because Morgan does not know who Rick is. Morgan pretty much gives Rick a crash course on how to handle a walker. But Morgan has a debate of the heart that comes up so many times in the story. There is a walker that use to be his wife and mother to his child. He knows what these walkers are but when he gets her in his sites from the upstairs window in his house he can not shoot her.
This is what amazes me with the whole Zombie Apocalypse experience. It is like when we see a loved one in the hospital on deaths door step. Very sick and we want the suffering to end, but when the loved one does die, the overwhelming grief hits us. I think that is the feeling the writers try to explain with Zombie stories. They are sick and not themselves but we still love them. The people around are yelling you need to shoot them in the head, but that person still sees something that that crudely intimates life. Much like the love a mother has for a child or the spouse that loves a abusive mate that suffers from alcoholism. You can't see the monster for love you have for the human it use to be.
Rick leaves behind his hometown on horse back for Atlanta, he is overwhelmed by a massive heard of walkers when he gets there, he escapes to a tank. At that moment he gives up and loses all hope and ask Lori and Carl to forgive him in a prayer and Puts the gun to his head and just as he is ready to pull the trigger, he hears a voice on the radio. He has got a new dose of hope and pulls the gun away from his head.
I can not in my wildest dreams imagine what it would take that would make me want to commit suicide, But it happens over and over again in Zombie stories. it is as if the ZA is the final push over the edge that will make people give up on life. The shock of waking up to a new world is a punch to the gut and your soul. What we have today we may not have it tomorrow, How would we deal with losing our cell phones, internet and TV. No more doughnut shops to go to meet our friends. The game of the week is finding food. The banks are gone, hospitals are closed and our doctors could be dead. Maybe you don't have a gun but the police are gone, your house is on fire but 911 is not working. How can it get any worse? You are about to find out.
Over the next few days/weeks I am going to be writing a series of Blog post about the popular AMC Series "The Walking Dead" It is not going to be a review, but my look at the show as if it is a true and real story. I want to look at each character and main events in the show. I have re-watched the entire series and I am sure you could watch each episode several times and come up with different thoughts and questions. In this series I may have random thoughts with out any connections. I am sure I will have many unanswered questions, and my views will be different then yours, or we may agree.
The Zombie Apocalypse has generated a huge following ever since 9/11. When the government asked for the worse case possible disaster to prepare for , the answer that came back was a contagion virus that would end life and cause civil unrest and end civilization as we know it, something that Police and civil authorities would be helpless to defend against, and those left behind would have to defend for themselves. It would be all out survival. So they asked Hollywood how would you best describe this to the population, the answer was the Zombie Apocalypse.
I wrote about this subject two years ago on my Wordpress Blog page, Here is a link.
