LydiaMoon1

No offense to older Judith, but young Judith just got old enough to display an actual personality and that personality was adorable! She'd finally gotten to the point where she could be a real character on the show instead of just a lump that everybody carried around. Now she's been replaced. Shame.

Regardless of whatever spin AMC/TWD wants to put on it, I will always believe that AL's decision to leave the show is tied their decision to kill Carl.

IA, especially about Nicotero. His zombies are awesome, but his directing sucks.

Yeah. Me too.

Yeah, what could have been. If they'd allowed TWD to have a beginning, a middle, and a real end, they could have gone down in the annals of great TV like Breaking Bad. Instead, they're going to beat this dead horse into the ground until they lose all credibility and respectability. Andy is smart to get out while he can. I pray Danai's exit is close behind.

It would be best for the audience if they'd just let Rick live or die without uncertainty, but I'm another one who doesn't believe it will be written that way. Why? Because everything that has been written on TWD since the end of season 6, at least, has been written to advance AMC's business model of instead of for the purpose of writing a good story or making a good TV show. Rather than blame Gimple entirely for killing Carl, I will always believe that AMC refused to pay CR a salary comparable to the other show leads, thus Gimple was ordered to kill him off. Rather than allow Maggie to be mad at Daryl for even a minute for contributing to Glenn's death with his impulsive actions, she had to forgive him because the Daryl character is AMC's merchandising cash cow. No one can get mad at Daryl. Even after he completely screwed the plan for AOW and rammed a garbage truck into the Sanctuary unnecessarily, nobody got mad at him. And Negan? Lordt! AMC wants to shift the focus of the show to Negan and keep this show going long, long, looong after its expiration date because.......greed. That's why nothing can penetrate his plot armor and the show has been willing to sacrifice both Carl and Rick to further their pipe dreams of Walker spinoffs, and Walker movies, and a Walker TV shows that last 20 years (yeah, good luck with that!). That's why they continue to spin madly that "Rick and Negan are the same" and "Simon bad; Negan good", and "Negan only murdered and terrorized because the Sanctuary couldn't grow crops". UGH! I said all of that to say that I believe Rick's departure will be open-ended because they will need to use the Rick Grimes character as the pad to launch these zombie movie classics they dream of making.

I knew this show was going to phuck up Rick's departure.

I agreed with this whole post, but the highlighted is especially true. In fact, I'll say that more than half the cast don't feel like real people to me. As the cast has gotten bigger and bigger and AMC has gotten greedier and cheaper, TWD has populated this show with more and more questionable actors that, half the time, make the show feel closer to a high school production than a quality television show. In fact, I'll throw some of the crew in this stew as well. Michonne's been on the show since season 3. She's been Rick's love interest since season 6. Why haven't they figured out how to light her yet? Or how to light her and Rick together? Actually, I haven't even been able to see a great many scenes for the last two seasons because they were too dark. The background music is cheap and cheesy. I still laugh at that Star Trek TNG-sounding music they used during Rick and Michonne's "good luck" kiss. I was like, "Really show?" I wasn't sure if Rick was leaving on foot or if he was beaming up! And why didn't they (allegedly) have a proper setup and safety equipment for that poor stuntman who died on set? I was noticing these deficiencies even with awesome actors like Andy and Danai and cool, new zombies to distract me. How is TWD going to fare when these welcome distractions are no longer onscreen?

Don't worry. I still DGAF......along with a majority of the audience apparently.

I wouldn't be surprised.

Exactly. While I think Rick's decision to spare Negan was dumb, at least I think Rick is trying to make things work for everybody. This 'Rick has forgotten his brother Daryl' nonsense is baffling to me too. So Rick is to blame that Daryl has, once again, decided to go rogue? Like the time Daryl got Glenn killed or when he got impatient (on like Day 2 of the war) and crashed a garbage truck into the Sanctuary, allowing Negan and his goons to escape and destroy Alexandria? So now, Daryl and Maggie have been pouting and plotting against Rick for the last 18 months because they're mad that Rick let Negan live? Yeah, they're anger is justified, but you mean to tell me that in 18 whole months neither one found the time or the balls to sit down with Rick and Michonne and air their grievances? Rick and Michonne are just supposed to deduce their level of dissatisfaction by...what?...osmosis? They can't open their mouths? In fact, can none of these disgruntled people open their mouths and air their grievances and pursue an agreeable compromise and resolution? Are they all toddlers? Is acting out like bratty children behind Rick and Michonne's backs their only recourse? Ummm. Okay. <insert Viola Davis eyeroll>

Negan specifically stated Simon conducted the Oceanside massacre before Negan took over the Sanctuary operation - so much as I heartily detest Negan, that’un can’t be laid at his feet. IDGAF. Negan picked Simon to be his top henchman and made him his right hand man for...what reason exactly? Because he had nice eyes? His jovial personality? NO. You hire a hit man because you want him to make a hit, not because you want him to give somebody a stern talking to. The writers might want me to believe that Negan kept a psycho around just to serve hot meals and babysit the kiddies, but logic tells me that Negan picked Simon because of his demonstrated ability to kill and terrorize. Having Simon as his lieutenant was like having a rabid pit bull on a flimsy leash. It made subjugating people easier because it amped the intimidation factor up to the moon. So, yeah. The show can peddle this 'Simon was the bad one and Negan's really a great guy' BS all they want. I ain't buying it. I ain't never buying it!

IDK why they hired ZM either, but it doesn't surprise me that they've already gotten rid of him. TWD/AMC wouldn't even pay CR. You know they're not going to cough up the money to pay "name" actors, except for short runs. I'm sure Jed, or Mud, or whatever he's called came cheap. In fact, as the ratings and ad revenue go down you can expect a lot more B-list (C or D-list) actors and short, but heavily promoted, runs by actors that are more known.

Looks like Maggie and Daryl found the tractor fuel. Now, to be honest, it's been a minute since I lived on a farm. We left the farm when I was still a little girl. Still, I've got to wonder. Is that all the ethanol the Sanctuary made? Those cans don't look like they hold enough fuel to cut a good-sized yard, much less plow the Hilltop's back field. It must be a small field. Otherwise, somebody better plow mighty fast.

Oh, Lawd! So Maggie has ushered in the "Eye for an Eye" era in the ZA post-war era? I'm starting to see why Rick gets killed and Maggie goes away.

Regarding the Maggie/Negan intense confrontation. The "intense" confrontation will be Maggie sputtering while Negan stares soulfully and woefully into her eyes. He'll be so moved by her loss that he'll whisper a tearful "I'm sorry", which will cause Maggie to melt and forgive Negan for all of his transgressions. Hell, they'll probably even have her tongue-kiss him in the end for good measure...to...you know.... leave no doubt in the audience's mind that all is forgiven and that Negan is (and has always been) a really great guy. Remember, this is the show that has already sacrificed Carl and Rick on the alter of Negan. I fully expect them to do Maggie the same way.

Danai has the most magnetic eyes. They are striking.

For real. For real. Say it louder for the people in the back.

I don't like what they've done to Rick either. The show bastardized both Carl and Rick in order to save Negan. I find it insufferable. Daryl and Maggie taking care of business though? Eh. If they really wanted to take care of business, they'd march their petulant and passive-aggressive azzes right on over to that jail cell and take care of Negan once and for all. I'm already tired of seeing them pouting about him. Then again, I guess the show is bastardizing them on the alter of Negan as well. *sigh*

Why are they doing my Rick this way? Suddenly he's a crack shot again? NOW he can shoot so well he can sever a rope across the way that's holding logs together, but in Season 8 he couldn't put nary a bullet in Negan or any of his lieutenants when they were lined up on that Sanctuary balcony like ducks in a row? I mean....DAYUM!!!! Now my head hurts.

Because Negan and the Saviors were too busy extorting goods and services from innocent people to dedicate themselves to becoming useful and productive people. That's why I have absolutely no sympathy for them now. Even after 18 months, these idiots are still useless. The show can go somewhere with their 'Negan Terrorized the Countryside Because They Couldn't Grow Crops At the Sanctuary' BS. As if there were no actions in-between 'The Sanctuary Can't Grow Crops' and 'Let's Maim, Steal, and Kill Everyone We Meet and Take Their Sh*t' Because We're Too Dumb and Lazy to Take Car of Ourselves'. UGH!

Daryl hasn't been interesting to me since Merle died. Merle was the interesting one. Daryl simply benefited from his proximity.

I'm sorry, but I kind of chuckle every time I see a writer claim that ALL of S9 will be good after only viewing 3 episodes of the show. I have no problem believing that the first 3-5 episodes are very good because the concentration will be on the core cast. I even believe that the first couple of episodes after Rick dies or disappears will be good too, as I suspect they will probably still be centered on characters like Michonne, and Daryl, and Carol. It's when the show begins to expand outside of familiar characters that I expect the show to dive off a cliff. Of course fans will enjoy watching characters we already love, but can the writers make the GA care about Henry and Lydia, random Saviors and Earl's wife, Tammy? That's the real question.

Oh, Jack. AMC/TWD is no longer interested in telling you good stories. That was soooo seasons 1-5. Now, they're only interested in selling very expensive commercial time to their advertisers. Those very special 90 minute episodes are only special to them because it gives them more time to sell ads. They're interested in giving you just enough story to keep you watching. Audience satisfaction is optional.

I agree with all of the above. I like Ryan Hurst too. He's got some talent, but he can't elevate bad material. So the question is? How well is the show going to develop his character and how well will they translate the Whisperer storyline to the small screen? I'm not hopeful. With all of these new cast announcements adding to an already bloated cast, I kinda fell like TPTB are throwing a bunch of bodies (sometimes big bodies in the case of Ryan Hurst) at a wall and hoping someone sticks.