First my vacation interrupted RuPaul’s Drag Race and now it’s getting in the way of The Walking Dead Season 8 mid-season premiere. The beach is great and all but this is getting ridiculous! I’ve been waiting 11 long weeks for tonight and here I am, hamstrung. So, instead of my usual detailed analysis, the best I can offer are some personal thoughts on what is sure to go down in TWD history as a must-watch episode.
Carl
Carl, Carl, Carl. In the mid-season finale we learned Carl was bit saving Siddiq. He didn’t die but it was clear that’s where he was headed. Tonight, we watched him say goodbye. To his sister. To his friends. To sunshine and the future. Most deaths on this show are fast and brutal. Only now do I realize that that might be a blessing for the viewers. An hour and twenty-four minutes of heartbreak is rough.
My biggest ugly cries came when Carl:
- gave his sister his hat
- told Michonne she was his best friend
- thanked his father changing the course of his life by becoming Farmer Rick
- killed himself so Rick and Michonne wouldn’t have to do it (the most Carl-y thing he could do)
We also learned that all of those old-man Rick flash forwards are actually Carl’s wish for the future. I got a little excited when I saw Eugene back in the fold. Negan picking tomatoes was a step too far.
Morgan
Tonight, Morgan was the anti-Carl. From gutting a Savior to stalking Gavin like he’s Jason Voorhees, Morgan was scary. Carol and King Ezekiel did their best to bring him back but nothing penetrated. Hopefully watching Henry kill Gavin did the trick. I see three options for him: death, another long time-out in the woods, or changing the course of Henry’s life by becoming Farmer Morgan.
The Final Five Seconds
Rick. Bloody Hands. Stained Glass. What was that?
Next week: I’ll be back with a full recap when groups converge on the Hilltop, Aaron and Enid search for allies, and Simon takes matters into his own hands.
I figure we are going to see how Morgan goes rogue and ends up with the Fear The Walking Dead folks. He gets bitter and ventures away from the group; one ripped out guts to another.
Tonight was sad. Negan in the crops made me LOL.
I cried watching Rick cry, but I just had had enough of Carl’s peacemaking nonsense. I get it, ideally, it would be nice if everyone could kumbaya live in harmony but that is bs. Time and time again we see what happens when you let Saviors live, they come back to KILL you and someone you love pays. No. They need to be eradicated.
There can be “something after”, something devoid of saviors and everyone left can live peacefully. I just could not get on board with Carl’s mission here. It was nice of him to go back for Siddiq, and it may have worked out in the end as he’s a doctor, but trying to make peace with someone like Negan? Appealing to him, are you insane?
No thanks, too risky. You need to kill them all lol
Dang, Morgan!
I watched it twice. I thought the episode was weirdly slow and methodical, but still wonderful. The Talking Dead episode was great after.
I’ve been watching since season 1 but for some reason I just didn’t care when Carl died. I think I’ve been getting quite annoyed by him for a couple seasons, making stupid decisions. So now, I just can’t bring myself to care.
Because he’s such a terrible actor! If the series creators knew the walking dead was going to be on for so long, they would have hired someone with talent. He just never got better. At the end, him being so ridiculously zen was stupid. I cried for Rick and Michonne because of what they are going through, not because Carl is dead
This made me cry. The selfie with Judith and the handprints on the porch teared me up. The hat made me boo hoo. Morgan has gone over the edge so what is next? I still love love this show.
I was so ready for the episode to be over. It dragged on way too long. Never liked Carl and though sad for his family, wont miss that the character is gone. Sucked we only got 20 seconds of Negan on screen.
I thought the writers would ise Carl in Sasha mode to get Negan. Lost opportunity.
Is this the longest sendoff anyone has gotten on this show? Sure felt like it.
Morgan and Carol rick the casbah.
*rock.
For some reason the flash with Eugene back in the group made me feel like he’s getting the ax. For some reason I still have a soft spot for Eugene and wanted him to go back with Rick and the gang. But sadly I think he will die this season maybe through Negan…
And seeing Carl’s hope for the future made me cry. He wasn’t my favorite character but I thought he would definitely make it farther.