Roundtable Discussion on The Walking Dead Finale “Last Day on Earth”
After The Walking Dead season 6 finale aired on Sunday, the internet pretty much blew up. We here at Talk Nerdy With Us have some thoughts of our own we’d like to share. Participating in this roundtable include Allison Schonter, Jackie Bojarski, Talya, Terri Clark, and Allison Warner.
The Morgan & Carol Relationship:
Jackie: I’m going to be honest: this was the weakest part of the episode for me. Even though I love Melissa McBride, I hate what they’ve done with her character. Mostly because I feel like her “crisis of conscience” was too rushed and came out of left field. Moreover, I loath that the writers took one of the shows only badass female characters and diminished her so that she could serve a purpose in Morgan’s story.
Starting with the last episode, the writers were setting it up so that Carol would put herself into a dangerous situation and need to be rescued by Morgan. What’s worse is that they did this in eyebrow-raising ways. Like most fans, I didn’t understand the reasoning behind Carol leaving, especially since it led her to massacre another group of Saviors that she wouldn’t have massacred if she had just stayed in Alexandria. Now that the finale has aired, however, I see that the reason for her hasty exit was purely plot-service. She needed to be the impetus for Morgan’s character shift, and what better way to accomplish this than to make her act completely out of character, reckless and weak?
Sorry, I’m really bitter about the direction they’ve taken Carol over the last few episodes and that they used her to prop up a male character’s story. Carol deserves better than that–and so do her fans.
Now, let’s talk about Morgan. Morgan has been irritating all season for me, which sucked because I genuinely liked him as a character before. On this note, I was partially glad that Morgan broke from his “thou shalt not kill” principles to take down the Savior attempting to torture and kill Carol. But I wish it had been accomplished in a different way. Going into next season, I’m curious as to how this breach of his ethics will affect his character, but I’m more hopeful that the writers will return Carol to the badass character that she is.
Talya: I feel Morgan and Carol are different sides of the same coin. They’re coming from a place of wanting the violence to end but from very different places.
Morgan had his zen master. Unfortunately, in this world Morgan is being extremely naive. You can’t live in this world and not expect to kill. Even humans. Everyone is out for themselves and will kill you to protect what they have and who they love. Which is something hippy dippy Morgan hasn’t been getting lately. However, I think he’s headed back on a path of realizing this isn’t exactly a smart path to go down. I hope they bring bad ass Morgan back. He might have been coo coo for cocoa puffs but at least there was an intelligence in how to survive in this new world.
Now onto Carol. I understand why they have taken her down this path but I still don’t like it. Everyone has their breaking point and Carol has definitely gone beyond hers. I honestly feel she wanted to die and felt if the Savior didn’t kill her she would survive somehow and she really didn’t want it. Carol has definitely had the biggest character arc in the entire story. She went from meek, abused housewife to a total bad ass willing to do anything to protect the ones she loves.
What happened with the Saviors really broke her. When she first started showing signs of having a panic attack I honestly thought she was faking it for them. By the end of that episode and into the next one I realized it wasn’t a fake out but a woman pushed beyond what she was capable of handling. My hope for her is that someone helps her get back to the Carol we all know and love.
Allison S: I’m loving the interaction of these two characters. At first, they completely juxtaposed each other. Carol was willing to kill; she thought that it was the only way. Morgan refused to kill. And now neither of them wants to kill. While I do think that Carol’s sudden change of heart came out of left field this season, her transformation has been heartbreaking to watch.
Terri: Jackie and I are totally in sync here. I detest what they’ve done to Carol and frankly, I blame Morgan (and the writers) for breaking her. Melissa McBride is a goddess in my eyes. Her acting blows my mind every time I see her and awards should be showered upon her. I get that she’s having a crisis of conscience, I even understand how that could happen, but to my mind there were other times (Don’t look at the flowers) where that kind of struggle would’ve made much more sense. And she’s not just fighting her guilt and shame; she’s decimated by it in a way that’s out of character for her. Hopefully Morgan killing that Savior will make them both realize that they will have to kill to survive, but they don’t have to do it blindly or indiscriminately as Negan does and as Rick began to do. They can maintain their humanity. And contrary to what Carol thinks, they do so by caring for and protecting the ones they love. If anything, they may have to be the leaders after Negan kills one of their own. Carol and Morgan weren’t there, didn’t witness it. The fall-out is going to be immense and I think these two may be the ones who have to prod their “family” out of the darkness and into the light. But first, Carol needs to find her bad ass self again.
Allison W: I have been a fan of Carol since the very beginning. I think she’s made the best story arc on television. I also have enjoyed the way the writers have brought Morgan in and out of the story throughout the seasons. Since Morgan’s return I’ve been uneasy. I was just waiting for Morgan and Carol to have a clash of morals. After the whole Wolf nonsense, Carol was changed. She was not the Carol we all know and love anymore. I understand why the writers wanted Carol to have a crisis of conscience, but by the finale I was over it. Yes, questioning what is right and wrong is a big theme in this show, but Carol needs to move on already. I love Melissa McBride, I think her acting is amazing, but Carol either needs to end her own life or accept that killing is part of the deal.
Since Morgan’s return I’ve been pissed at him. I mean seriously, all life is not precious in this world anymore. Not everyone is worth the effort to keep alive. I do like that it is Morgan going after Carol, because I hope they can fix each other. I cheered when Morgan shot that Savior. Finally. Finally! Now it’s time to get Carol out of her daze and back into the badass, chameleon, wonder woman she is.
Introduction of Negan:
Jackie: Negan was one of the only bright spots in this episode–which is ironic since he also happens to be the show’s darkest villain to date. All season, the writers have been building up to Negan’s introduction and I have to say that Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s debut as the character was worth the wait. He captured Negan’s psychotic charisma perfectly, and although the monologue dragged on for a while, he managed to maintain this air of ruthless joviality throughout it. In that scene, he stole the show and was mesmerizing. I can’t wait to see more of him in season 7.
Talya: JDM is the BOSS! His very understated performance as Negan was just a pure work of art. Going into this I expected Negan to be an over the top character. I’d heard the spoilers of what a horrible human being he was and what he did to “redacted”. So I was expecting a very different character. I’m loving that it went in a very different way.
With the way it was performed you can see why Negan has such a following. His strength is much more of a quiet strength. Which, at least to me, is a MUCH scarier type of strength. These people seem almost sane… Until they’re not. Which is very frightening if you think about it. You never really know when the “Lucile” is going to fall but when it does it’s never a good thing. I am very much looking forward to next season and seeing where this character goes.
Allison S: I already love to hate him. He’s only had 10 minutes of screen time, and he is already an amazing character and perhaps the scariest villain that has ever graced TWD. I mean, he has a bat wrapped in barbwire that he uses to beat people to death.
Terri: My love affair with JDM began when he played John Winchester on Supernatural. The man is crazy sexy, charismatic as hell and don’t even get me started on his husky voice. I was thrilled when he was cast as Negan, but also terrified. I didn’t want anything to ruin my adoration of him. I should’ve known better. Even as a reprehensible cult leader with blood lust in his eyes he was mesmerizing. He owned that F’ing scene from the moment he exited the trailer with Lucille. I found myself actually having a legit panic attack as he delivered that delish monologue. He is going to send a jolt of rejuvenating energy into the series. This season was probably my fave, after season 1, and it was all leading to JDM. I can’t wait to see more of him, even if he makes me hit Pee Pee Pants City.
Allison W: Let’s be honest, I was almost in Pee Pee Pants City when Negan stepped out of that trailer. I have been a fan of Jeffrey Dean Morgan for a long time. He can do romance, action, superhero, drama and horror. I haven’t read the comics, but I knew the hype that just the name Negan brought to Walking Dead fans everywhere. And JDM was a perfect casting. Just the 10 ish minutes that he was on-screen was enough for me to see how perfect he is.
Negan is one scary man. With his calm and cool attitude and his bat wrapped in chicken wire. I do look forward to seeing more of JDM’s Negan on-screen and terrible as ever.
Maggie’s Condition:
Jackie: Maggie was in a bad state in this episode and I’m very afraid that she will lose her baby. The stress of that final scene had to have done a toll on her. I highly doubt that she was the one who got Lucilled, but I think that whoever it is will have a profound impact on her.
Talya: Someone brought up a good question on Twitter. If Maggie’s baby does indeed die while it’s inside of her will it turn into a Zombie? Then try to eat its way out of her? Honestly I don’t think this is possible. First off babies are not born with teeth. Second newborns don’t actually move that much. They’re basically pooping and crying machines.
That being said I think Maggie is in trouble but I don’t feel this is going to kill her. After the Alexandrians are released from Negan’s grasp I have a feeling they’ll rush Maggie to Hilltop and get her sorted out.
Allison S: Protect Maggie Greene at all costs. She is the last Greene standing, and she better stay standing. How much more can the poor girl honestly go through? First she loses her father, then her sister, and now possibly her unborn child. It’s like the writers can never just give her a break.
Terri: I think they played this scene well, in that I was truly scared for her life, especially when they were stopped from getting help at every turn. But I wish they’d hinted more to what was happening. Was she miscarrying or carrying a zombie baby? Yes, that occurred to me.
Allison W: I love Maggie. She is the character I feel most connected to in the series. She’s lost a lot, but she keeps fighting and trying to look to the future. Having a baby has to be one of the scariest things to undertake in an apocalypse. Especially after experiencing first hand what happened to Lori. But that didn’t stop her.
Was it just me or were they taking FOR-EV-ER getting everyone into the RV to leave? Of course, once the episode ended it didn’t really matter, but still. She’s in pain. Let’s get a move on.
The Father & Son Bonding:
Jackie: From the beginning of the season, I knew that Rick’s overconfidence was ultimately going to get him and those surrounding him into a situation that he wasn’t prepared to handle. And that’s exactly what happened: blinded by hubris, he underestimated the Saviors every step of the way and took his group along for the ride. In many ways, that finale scene is about humbling Rick and shattering his confidence as a leader. However, I also think that it serves another purpose.
On several occasions, Rick has had the opportunity to act differently than Negan and has chosen instead to follow his example. For instance, he endeavored to prove his might through brute force and violence by massacring Negan’s men while they slept. In addition, he viewed the Hilltop community not as an ally but as an asset to exploit. He agreed to help them with Negan under the condition that he would essentially take Negan’s place, siphoning off half of their supplies for his group. It’s almost as if he heard what the Saviors were doing and thought “Yep, that right there is the way that we’re going to survive.”
Taking all of these things into account, I genuinely believe that Rick coming face-to-face with Negan was like Rick meeting his future self. As this season has shown, Rick’s sense of right and wrong has become seriously askew–one could even argue that his character development mirrors that of Walter White in “Breaking Bad”–so I think that this devastating scene with Negan will be the shock that will make him see the light, so to speak.
As for Carl, I found his sudden desire to avenge Denise puzzling. It felt like a flimsy excuse to get him to go along with the mission and end up in that clearing so that fans could wonder if he died.
Talya: I’m actually quite pissed at Rick for bringing Carl on the never-ending magical bus adventure. Rick is being extremely arrogant and nieve in brining Carl. He knows for a fact that there is a big bad out there and that they are probably hell-bent on killing the Alexandrians. So why is he purposefully putting Carl in harm’s way?
I understand why he took everyone else. They’re all adults and proven they are perfectly capable of protecting themselves. (Yes, even Eugene. He’s been stepping up.) I just wish he’d have left Carl back in Alexandria where he was a bit safer. Also, Carl is a little stinker for locking Enid in the closet. I understand he was trying his best to protect her but that wasn’t very smart of him. I hope she rips into him when, or if, he returns.
Allison S: Rick this season has become completely hardened. He has, ultimately, become a killer, whether he wants to admit it or not. He is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his family safe, even if that means killing someone just because they may potentially be a risk later on. I feel as if this has made him overconfident. They have been able to get out of dire situations over and over again; they always win. And that is why he feels that the Saviors aren’t truly a threat to them. He thinks that no matter what they encounter, they will be able to deal with it. Having to watch as someone that he considers to be family die right in front of him in such a gruesome way will leave a lasting effect on him. He’s going to realize that he isn’t invincible; that he isn’t always capable of beating whatever threat is before him.
Carl this episode is very much mirroring his father. He is determined to keep his family safe. He wants to get Maggie to the Hilltop. But he also wants to run into the Saviors. He wants to stop the threat before it reaches Alexandria.
Terri: Aside from Negan the most impactful part of the finale for me was seeing the fall of Rick. As the camera panned back and forth over their faces, Rick’s shock, nay, annihilation clawed at my gut. Andrew Lincoln was masterful in portraying his devastated stupor. Rick had believed himself to be invincible and Negan took that arrogance and forever smashed it with Lucille. Regardless of who the victim is, Rick, his group, life, The Walking Dead, will never be the same and I can’t wait to see how the story evolves. As for Carl, he was just kind of there…I think he was there as further leverage on Rick and nothing more. I don’t see the murder having as great an impact on him as others. Not unless it was Rick or Michonne, which it won’t be.
Allison W: It is becoming more and more apparent that Carl is turning into his father. I understand he’s growing up and wants to be where the action is, but why is he on this mission? They had more than enough people in that RV. Rick has made Carl stay in Alexandria before. Also, Carl taking the time to repeat what Rick had said back to him about protecting their family and how they can do whatever it takes, kind of struck me as eerie. I know Carl has tried to be like his dad in previous seasons, but this was something else. This was more like Carl had become his dad and hints that he is capable of going beyond what Rick has ever done.
The Kingdom Introduction:
Jackie: I’m really excited to see what this new group will add to the world of “The Walking Dead” and hope that it contains many colorful characters that I will grow to love. I find the idea of a “medieval” settlement intriguing and can’t wait to see how the show brings it to life. Let’s just pray that the turn out to be good, though, ok?
Talya: Confession time. I’ve been a fan of the show since ep 1 first aired but I’ve never read the comic book. So I have no idea what The Kingdom is.
Allison S: The world that the characters live in is getting bigger, and it’s exciting! The introduction of all of these new communities isn’t something that we’ve really seen before on The Walking Dead, and it offers something new. Not only will the characters have to learn to live and protect their own communities, but now they also have to learn to live among other communities. The introduction of The Kingdom means a larger trading network, which is desperately needed.
On a side note, if you read the comics, I’m assuming that you’re just as excited as me to see some of the characters that call The Kingdom home.
Terri: I’m intrigued by these fellas and hope they’re as chivalrous as they looked. I haven’t read the graphic novels, but after Negan’s arrival I plan to jump into Book 10 before October gets here.
Allison W: Men on horses with something like armor on? Sign me up! Just the aesthetic of the two members of The Kingdom that we saw was enough for me to like them. And if they provide a safe place for Carol to get help and recover? I like them even more.
Abraham & Eugene Kiss and Make Up:
Jackie: Although I’ve never been a big fan of Abraham or Eugene as characters (Abraham should be dead already, and Eugene is kind of like the show’s comic relief, but I don’t see him serving any other kind of purpose), I did enjoy their brief scene together before Eugene embarked on his fruitless attempt to lead the Saviors astray. I was glad that Abraham told Eugene that he’s a survivor and that he always has been. Eugene needed to hear that. The hug the two of them shared and the way the music swelled in that instance, however, leads me to believe that perhaps Eugene’s survival streak would be coming to an end. Or it could be Abraham…after all, he was supposed to die earlier in the season and it seemed to me that Negan paid extra attention to him after he refused to cower in front of him. We’ll have to wait and see!
Talya: Abraham’s 1 liners kill me every time. I like that for the first time it seems Abraham has actual hope for the future and it’s not just a “mission”. He and Rosita were kind of thrown together and it’s understandable why they got together. When you don’t have many options you pick the one that’s right in front of you. This time he’s choosing to love someone and it’s bringing a different side of him out. A side that wants a future.
Eugene has finally grown himself a nice set of “redacted”. Nice big brass ones. It’s about bloody time because I didn’t think he was going to last long the way he was headed.
Allison S: I’m not exactly the biggest fan of these two, but I have to admit, I love Eugene purely for his language. Sometimes I feel like I need somebody to translate what he says into simpler English for me. I think that the journey that these two characters have been on together, though it has been bumpy and anything but easy, has inevitably brought them closer together. Eugene told a huge lie just to gain Abraham’s protection and when that lie was revealed, any kind feelings that Abraham may have held for Eugene vanished. But with Eugene’s determination to prove that he is strong and that he is a survivor, he has regained Abraham’s trust and respect.
Terri: I like both these characters. They both showed good character growth this season. I like Eugene as the comic relief, although he isn’t half as funny as his portrayer Josh McDermitt. It’s been great to see him come into his own and achieve what he always wanted: to be useful to the group. His little smile as he drove off in the trailer was precious. Abraham asking Sasha to have a baby someday really showed that he’s finally looking at life as worth living and not just surviving. The moment he lifted his head and looked Negan in the eye…for me that was totally in character and, I think, very telling.
Allison W: My admiration for Abraham and Eugene could be solely based on my love for Micheal Cudlitz and Josh McDermitt, but I do enjoy their characters. Most of the time. I know I’m easily amused, so everything unexpected out of these two makes me laugh. Abraham and his fantastical one liners, and Eugene with his somehow informative mumble. Before Eugene let the truth out, I thought they had a very dependent relationship. Eugene was counting on Abraham to keep him safe, and Abraham needed Eugene to keep him busy. Once all hell broke loose, they were both able to change into who they needed to be to survive. Abraham dealt with his emotions, coming out the other side to find love again. Eugene found the courage to fight and finally be useful to the group. I wanted to hug them both when they finally mended their relationship and could hug it out.
Cliffhanger:
Jackie: For the record, I don’t hate cliffhangers. Sometimes, they are exactly what the show and the fans need to stay engaged with the show. In this case, however, I think the cliffhanger was misused. Here is why: That final scene, in which Negan kills a major character, is not only supposed to be a turning point for the plot but it’s also supposed to be the biggest emotional shock of the show. It’s supposed to rip our hearts out, leave us speechless and prove that there are no safe characters in this universe. In hiding the identity of the person that Negan killed, the writers deprived us of that moment of horror and disbelief. For me, it actually diminished the emotional weight of the scene.
Now, it could be that the writers will choose to reenact the scene in the season 7 premiere and show who Negan’s victim is, but I doubt it. At best, they will show a scene of the direct aftermath and maybe the victim’s body but then it will probably jump forward to months after the fact. Either way, the initial shock of that scene and its significance will be compromised.
I also have the fear that the writers are going to choose to waste this scene on a non-pivotal character, one whose death won’t make that big of an impact on the fans–for example, Aaron, who was conveniently reintroduced in this episode to accompany Rick on this doomed mission. In my opinion, the only way that this scene will carry the weight that it’s supposed to is if a core group member–Rick, Carl, Daryl, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne–is taken out. If it turns out to be Abraham, Eugene, Sasha, Rosita or Aaron, it won’t affect the fanbase in the same way as losing a character like Glenn, who is a fixture of the group.
Talya: This was such a B.S. cop-out. I’ve heard SO many rumors as to why they actually did it. I’ve heard everything from they wanted to shock the audience to they had no idea who they wanted to kill so they wussed out and killed no one. I also heard two contracts were up and they were going to kill the person who didn’t sign a new one. Who knows why they did it. I’m just tired of them pulling this crap on us. Especially since everyone will know in a month or two who died. Nothing on that set stays quiet. Months before the season opener begins most people already know half the plot of the front half of the season. This is going to be the worst kept secret in Hollywood.
Personally, I’m happy as a pig in poo that this is all backfiring on them. Maybe they’ll treat their audiences better in the future.
Allison S: Nope. Not a fan. It is almost cruel, honestly. After so much buildup and anticipation for this scene, they didn’t deliver. It fell flat. And all of the comic book readers out there who had been waiting for this, they were cheated out of it. To make matters worse, spoilers run rampant with TWD, so how in the world are they not going to have this get leaked during filming?
Terri: I write fiction and as an author I know you must always hook your reader at the end of a scene, at the end of a chapter, into turning pages. Never give them a reason to quit the story. I get why the writers ended things the way they did. It sucks, for sure. But I’ll be back. And in the meantime I’m reading others speculations, the world is talking about #whoisit and people will turn into that premiere. Sure, some fans have said they’ll quit. But you know they’re going to peek. And if they do lose a few viewers, they’ll pick up a few more because of JDM. The showrunners have said they’ll pick up immediately where they left off. That means we’ll be back in that field, sweating, crying, and basking in the incredible tension they built and then we’ll get to see the cataclysmic aftermath. I hate that I have to wait for October, but for now my imagination is giving me some good ideas and it’s fun to share those with others. That’s what the cliffhanger gave us.
Allison W: For some reason I am content with the cliffhanger. Of course, I want to know who got killed and all that jazz, but Negan. Negan has been the word on everyone’s lips almost since season 6 started. Having the season end the way it did left us with Negan on the brain. Just like everyone in the group. I am content with the cliffhanger because it highlighted JDM’s performance. If we did see who died, everyone would be talking about their death and not the amazing acting by JDM.
Predictions of Who Got Lucilled:
Jackie: My gut feeling is that it’s Aaron because it can’t be a coincidence that, after so many episodes of being absent, he was brought back into play in this one. My other guesses: Abraham (I think Abraham’s refusal to cower in front of Negan rubbed him the wrong way); Eugene (because calling him a survivor and then killing him in the same episode who be quite ironic); and Glenn (because fans aren’t expecting the show to follow the comics). I feel horrible saying this but I hope it’s Glenn because that character death will mean so much more to fans and to the characters.
Talya: I read a quote from Andy that stated he didn’t want to go into work the day they were filming the death scene and that he was very sad to see this person go. He even said he was late to work that day. Which, to me, means we’re going to get an original cast member death. I honestly believe it’s between two characters. They can either go in the direction the comic book went or they’ll kill off Daryl and watch the world burn.
Allison S: I’ve been thinking about this one for a while now, before the season finale ever aired. On the one hand, I want to say Glenn, simply because his death in the comics is so iconic. But at the same time, I feel like it can’t be him after they gave him the fake-out death earlier in the season. My next guess? Abraham, maybe. Out of everyone, I feel like he would be the one to “take it like a champ.” But I honestly don’t know. They made that final scene so ambiguous that it is nearly impossible to speculate who got Lucilled.
Terri: I’m predicting Abraham. Negan wants people who will be submissive and serve his needs. Abe will never be anyone’s bitch. Rick would’ve been the same way, but his confidence has been flayed and he’ll likely look a lot like Carol does for a while. Abraham already demonstrated a challenge by looking Negan in the eye like “I got this.” After the first strike Negan says “Taking it like a champ” because the victim raises their head and looks him in the eye again. That’s in keeping with both Daryl and Abraham’s personality, but Daryl couldn’t even hold himself upright because of his gunshot wound. I also believe the victim was on the left side because when Negan tells the Saviors to feed Carl’s other eye to his dad if he motions to Carl on the right with his bat. Finally, Abraham was supposed to die with an arrow to the eye, but they delivered that to Denise. By realizing that life was more than just surviving, by proposing a future with Sasha, Abraham’s character arc has come to a natural conclusion. While he’s not one of the original five he’s still a fan fave—you should have seen his never-ending lines at Walker Stalker Denver—and his death would be impactful.
Allison W: I am torn between Glenn and Abraham. I feel like they could very well stick to the comics and kill Glenn. And that would give them the shock value the writers seem to crave. I am a big fan of Steven Yeun, a fellow Michigander, so Glenn dying would kill me. I am just trying to ignore that as a possibility right now. But Abraham. Abraham has come through the madness, found love, talked about the future. These things usually add up to ‘he’s a goner’, but I guess we’ll see.
Final Thoughts:
Jackie: As a whole, I thought the finale dragged a little. They could’ve easily cut it down to an hour by eliminating some of the superfluous scenes. The majority of the action was contained in the last half hour, although I enjoyed the build up of anticipation to get to that scene. Watching Rick slowly lose confidence as they kept hitting more and more elaborate obstacles was truly a sight to behold. It made his breakdown in front of Negan that much more convincing–and kudos to Andrew Lincoln for his exceptional portrayal of Rick crumbling under the realization of helplessness and failure. While I wish the writers hadn’t diminished that last scene with a gimmick, I do have faith that they will redeem themselves next season. October can’t come soon enough, in my opinion!
Talya: I think we might have a winner for worst season since it took eight episodes to find Sophia. I know the producers have loved screwing with the audience since season 2 but this season they took it to a whole new level. They’re treating their audience horribly pulling stupid tricks like making it seem as if Glenn was eaten by walkers to hyping up Negan all season long and waiting until the last 10 minutes to actually show him to that non reveal of who died. I’ll still watch this show but quite frankly I’m not enjoying it anywhere near as much as I used to. Guess I’m just tired of the b.s. games the producers are playing with the audience.
Allison S: Overall, I am not too fond of this episode as a season finale. There were some great points, such as the build-up to the introduction of Negan and the actual introduction of Negan. But for a 90-minute episode that ended on a cliffhanger like that, it just didn’t feel right. The first hour and fifteen minutes of the episode is basically the same thing over and over again: the RV driving down a road only to discover that the Saviors have it blocked.
Terri: I’m excited for October to get here, but have one concern. Rick’s troop will be, for all intents and purposes, prisoners in season 7. I fear a depressive season. It was bad enough to see Carol like a whipped dog, to see our entire troop like that would be a gloom I couldn’t take. It’s my hope that they’ll jump back in exactly where we left off and then do some kind of time jump perhaps where they start to regain their fight. I definitely expect to see the aftereffects, and I want to, but I can’t hack an endless cycle of dejection with our survivors. This season was so stellar and I want to see the writers maintain the emotional and physical intensity we saw. Here’s to hoping!
Allison W: Like I said before I am content with the episode. I am not overly angry about it, but I’m not happy about it either. In the season it’s nice to have some slower parts to even out the face paced episodes. The season 6 premiere was so action packed, I felt like I was missing things left and right. And maybe this season finale was meant to balance that somehow. But it came out feeling slow and contrived. With all the hype around this episode, it feel short. I will, of course, be waiting very impatiently for season 7. I just hope the season 7 premiere lives up to what we usually can expect from the Walking Dead.