The walking dead amc #2

[declansdad]

Show could have left off last season after Abe's death and Rick getting dragged off...then this opener could have showed Glenn's death (or here's a thought, let Glenn be dead with the dumpster fall). And a psycho wouldn't blabber on the way Negan does. He'd be like the Governor...that guy was scary. JDM can go back to Grey's, he fits there. Also, not looking forward to Rick in despair all season. And I want Negan dead but we won't see that as he's still alive in the last comics...so many many seasons of Negan and his dialoging...blech.

Negan is a much scarier character than the Governor was.

According those on the Talking Dead, this episode was done in this manner to show the breaking of Rick and to reboot the show.

 

[RedSox68]

I'm kinda surprised by some of the backlash. We watched Ricks group murder what could be innocent people in their sleep to achieve their goal, we've watch the show tease in lame ways character deaths and they finally gave us some real deaths. I found the build up necessary. If the show just started in on the bashing it would have been unsuspenseful. As I said before it was very graphic, but we have witnessed rick and his group do some very sadistic things in past seasons without the same outcry, why? I think because people viewed them as good, but are they? No, they are doing what needs to be done to survive and keep safe those they deem important. Rick left someone to die out on the road rather than help him. Why? He could have helped.

Shane was viewed as somewhat of a villian when he in essence is a waterdowned version of who rick is now. To me thats whats good about the show. The evolution of what you will do/become to survive and protect those you love. Let's face it there are despicable human beings who act this way now IRL and many just waiting for an opportunity to show their true colors. I don't find it unrealistic that in an end of days situation there are a lot of bad guys ruling groups of people. I think we will begin to see rick and his group realize they were getting close to being Negan's themselves and see some of their humanity come back....of course Negan will eventually get his own day of reckoning via rick and his group, but in some ways I think this may be the wakeup call that once you start doing really awful things and telling yourself it is for the greater good, that it is easy to slip down that rabbit hole and they kinda have done that.

I agree with most of what you say -- I think from my personal viewpoint is that while Rick has done some judgment calls about taking lives for "the good of others", including Shane's -- the deaths that the group has taken were not graphic unnecessary close-up violence. It seems when there is a baddie in the pic, they have to go out of their way to use as many special effect/make-up resources as they can. And I personally find that we can get the gist of what is happening without a camera sitting on the scene and searing the image into our memory! JMO

 

[nugov2]

He was a bigger guy on Grey's. He reminds me of the brother on Everybody Loves Raymond...so I just don't see evil Joker type character.

It's funny to see how differently a character can be viewed. He reminds me of robin williams. He could do a good guy so well, but was so creepy as a bad guy....thats JDM to me. I do read some spoilers but don't know the fate of Negan in the comics or who he really is, but I have a feeling he has some good qualities too and will be much more than just a sadistic killer. I think it will be interesting to get more of his backstory. I actually found the govenor more awful. He was a wolf in sheeps clothing where Negan lays it all out there. He isn't pretending to be a good guy. The governor got off on torture too and was a boderline rapist. (I believe in the comics he did actually rape a character, but the show didn't go that far). He was more mentally abusive where Nrgan is violent. I think he is an egomaniac and why he gets off on hearing himself give the witty monologues and why for me it all works.

 

[anniemae]

I think the writers and producers of the show were in a pickle of sorts. The fans were demanding big deaths, calling them out on lame minor-character deaths made out to be big deaths.

I think the Negan scene was so iconic in the comics that they HAD to deliver on this premier. If they had made it less violent, people would be calling them wimpy for ruining the scene. I think the point was to make the viewer feel they were in that semi-circle with the group. The only way to achieve that was to show the gore. I will admit the most disturbing part for me was when he first bashed Abe's head and Abe was still alive and talking. I could only imagine how awful it would be to have been Abe at that moment, or someone kneeling next to Abe.

 

[nugov2]

I agree with most of what you say -- I think from my personal viewpoint is that while Rick has done some judgment calls about taking lives for "the good of others", including Shane's -- the deaths that the group has taken were not graphic unnecessary close-up violence. It seems when there is a baddie in the pic, they have to go out of their way to use as many special effect/make-up resources as they can. And I personally find that we can get the gist of what is happening without a camera sitting on the scene and searing the image into our memory! JMO

I agree 100%. I wished there would have been more implied violence than them actually showing it, but I think the Glen violence was a nod to the comics and those fans. I definitely didn't like that or find it necessary, but it wasn't a deal breaker for me. I found the first couple of seasons horribly graphic and found this to be on par with that. I think we are going to see a big shift in the characters and I am looking forward to it. I just hope we don't see the return of spineless rick the farmer.

 

[RedSox68]

I agree 100%. I wished there would have been more implied violence than them actually showing it, but I think the Glen violence was a nod to the comics and those fans. I definitely didn't like that or find it necessary, but it wasn't a deal breaker for me. I found the first couple of seasons horribly graphic and found this to be on par with that. I think we are going to see a big shift in the characters and I am looking forward to it. I just hope we don't see the return of spineless rick the farmer.

Me neither! That got so tiresome. I'll still be watching, but my least favorite season was the one with the governor -- and the fact they carried it over to the next season. I don't know how Negan's storyline goes -- but I hope we don't have to suffer him more than a full season!

 

[mousefanmichelle]

I really, really enjoyed last night's episode. I liked watching Rick kind of break and beg a bit. I found JDM's dialouge witty and interesting. I like how he was funny and I think he brought something to the show for sure. It was gory but that is what I have come to expect from this show and I was getting tired of the same ole, same ole last season so I feel renewed energy for this season after watching last night. Who are the bad guys????? Ricks group has crossed a line and I feel they did lose their humanity and now...maybe they will get some of it back. Can't wait to keep watching this season!!!!

 

[Heidict]

Yeah, that was pretty brutal last night. I was ready for the blood and gore, but still found myself looking away a couple of times. The part where he was going to have Rick chop off Carl's arm. That really got me. I can't imagine being in that predicament and having to make that decision. How horrible for him.

Should be interesting to see how things shape up from here. I haven't read the comics so have no idea of what could be coming next.

 

[yoopermom]

I adore JDM, from Gray's to Good Wife to now, he is just so....charming, in both bad and good ways. I don't quite know why they slimmed him down so much, though, since he really is a pretty big guy in real life (6'2" and normally over 200 lbs). This is really a terribly difficult character to inhabit, and yet somehow he's done it.

I honestly closed my eyes through much of the first half hour, but wished I had plugged my ears, too, when Glen is moaning his last words to Maggie, that was truly heartrending. I can't believe she's not totally and completely insane from it.

DH always says that people have a romanticized view of what life would be like after an event like this. I'm afraid he's right, after last night's episode.....

Terri

 

[RedSox68]

I adore JDM, from Gray's to Good Wife to now, he is just so....charming, in both bad and good ways. I don't quite know why they slimmed him down so much, though, since he really is a pretty big guy in real life (6'2" and normally over 200 lbs). This is really a terribly difficult character to inhabit, and yet somehow he's done it.

I honestly closed my eyes through much of the first half hour, but wished I had plugged my ears, too, when Glen is moaning his last words to Maggie, that was truly heartrending. I can't believe she's not totally and completely insane from it.

DH always says that people have a romanticized view of what life would be like after an event like this. I'm afraid he's right, after last night's episode.....

Terri

If you ever get a chance to see "Magic City" -- it was a series about the mob in Miami in the 1950's, but only lasted two seasons. He was amazing in that series and it's one of my favorite roles of his. Wish it had lasted longer. You are right though, he seems "smaller" in mass, but his scary persona makes up for it

 

[nugov2]

Maybe the size of JDM is the way he should be. Maybe that is why Negan is a man of action and not just talk. A big burly guy would be able to rely more on threats where a smaller one needs to rely on his actions to intimidate.

 

[lovin'fl]

I read the JDM lost 40 pounds to play a guy with TB in another role. I noticed he was tall on talking dead when he came out and greeted Abraham. He just seems like a slight guy on TWD. The dimpled smirk. I don't know, he's just not scary to me. Scary in the things he does but not in persona. And too much bloviating. I still love the show. I want to see what Maggie becomes (I know she's got a big role coming up) and am dying to meet Izekial and Shiva and see what Carol does. And of course, I can't wait for Negan's comeuppance. It may be a long long while but I will be waiting for it. So I guess JDM didn't do all that bad a job if I am longing for his death.

 

[jetskigrl]

Yes - brutal is exactly the word that I would use to describe it. Wow...just wow. Although I was pretty sure those were the two that would get, I was still hoping that they would surprise me and not have it be Glenn I am going to miss Abraham and his witty comments too.

 

[Heidict]

I honestly closed my eyes through much of the first half hour, but wished I had plugged my ears, too, when Glen is moaning his last words to Maggie, that was truly heartrending. I can't believe she's not totally and completely insane from it.

DH always says that people have a romanticized view of what life would be like after an event like this. I'm afraid he's right, after last night's episode.....

Terri

He said "I will find you", right? What does that mean? In spirit? I just didn't understand that at all.

 

[DisneyLover1217]

Yes, Negan is slight, but we are in an apocalypse so would make sense no one would really be that big. I actually miss Abraham more than Glenn. I loved Glenn, but when they faked us out the first time, it just felt anti-climatic this time when it actually happened. Abraham brought a lighter feel to the show, it was nice to have some comedy in an otherwise dark show. Plus it was sweet when he told Sasha he wanted to have kids, it looked like he was finally starting to see maybe a light at the end of the tunnel and didn't want to be afraid of loving again. The season should be interesting. One of the producers who was on Talking Dead said this next episode would be funny, not sure if he was seriously or sarcastic though lol.

 

[macraven]

He said "I will find you", right? What does that mean? In spirit? I just didn't understand that at all.

My guess is through the baby when born
( through spirit)

 

[Disneyluvr]

He said "I will find you", right? What does that mean? In spirit? I just didn't understand that at all.

Just a nod to their relationship and all the times they got separated and found their way back to each other and how they always told each other they would always find each other. He is basically saying I will always love you and we will find each other in the afterlife.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

He said "I will find you", right? What does that mean? In spirit? I just didn't understand that at all.

He said it to her in a previous episode when the had to separate. The prison maybe?

 

[Marchand63]

If you don't if you don't like the violence then never read the books

In the books Laurie gets shot while she's holding Judith and there is no baby in The Walking Dead

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I watched last night with my co-workers. I want to watch it with my 20 yo son, but I honestly don't think I can endure watching that episode again. I was physically shaking and wanted to throw up last night. Not from the violence/gore, but from the suspense. It was CRAZY