Bad Example

A few more observations and questions: Carl going to school? Poor kid. I suppose it has to happen from Rick's POV at least for appearances, but really, we all know that ship has sailed. Carl's done too much to be a kid. If you think kids *now* ask what good algebra is going to do them in the real world, imagine someone trying to teach it to them in the ZA. They're not lucky enough for school to be Carol's Storytime Tea and Ten Ways to Kill. Someone upthread asked this, too, and I didn't see an answer. I also wondered if the scene with Rick and Jessie's husband could be a dream? Maybe the whole scene with Michonne before it, too? It was such a blunt cut to Rick asleep on the front porch (?) afterward that I'm questioning it. Also, Carol as she disarmed. Rick said something to her about "second" that I couldn't make out. Was he asking about a second weapon? Did she get rid of that also? If she was hiding one, it seemed strange for Rick to call that out in front of everyone. I definitely missed something.

Oh, absolutely. Made me wonder if we'd start the next ep seeing exactly what happened in the dumb-son conversation that she tried to make sound like would be a dressing-down. Glenn was spot-on with everything he did this episode. I also loved Daryl's little smile when things got stirred up- "Finally, something I understand!" I'm not familiar with her. She's a tiny little thing, isn't she? Andrew Lincoln is not a large man, and he seemed to tower over her. Clearly the first new law that needs to be enacted is that no matter what job Michonne is doing, it is a crime for her to have to cover those arms. I got a huge Laura "Airlock" Roslin vibe from her when she was talking about the people she exiled. I don't think it's possible for her to be that awesome, though. I wondered where she was, too, and just figured that the baby (babies?) was having a really fussy day and it just wasn't going to work. Took me out of the scene, but whatever. I heard three weeks, too.

Just thinking of "eat sleep mingle" makes me all warm and fuzzy for the old days. And it made me seriously start hating them. The attitudes were so unnecessary. You can dislike something without being a whiny baby about it, and there's no reason to be snippy with your teammate for something so stupid. I agree. Even though if I go through them systematically I can see plenty of differences... when they're on the screen I keep thinking they're teams I've never seen before. Who are they again? Wait, have we seen them before? I was really happy a longterm couple won, too. I loathe stunt casting in general, but I'm not finding it the least bit annoying. You'd never wish an anxiety problem on anyone, but I think in the case of someone like Jonathan, it's kept him from thinking he's some sort of celebrity god. He and his partner both seem like pleasant guys you could stand to be around for more than a few moments. And that "you're a dork" look that Aly gave Steve when he was getting mushy about meeting her in Sochi... well, that just made me love them forever, stunt-cast Olympians or not. As for Jelani and Jenny, they're definitely my favorites. And I can see them being a long-term couple. They seem very in sync and well-matched. Part of that is them being on the same page right now: this is not about romance, this is about winning. I wouldn't be surprised if after this was over they'd be willing to look at each other a little differently. (What can I say? I'm a romantic at heart and they seem like nice people, and I want nice people to fall in love.) CJ and Libby: I can't understand at all why they were cast. I don't think I've ever seen racers so unburdened by any sense of urgency. I found myself wondering how they made it to their casting interviews on time. Did they have a babysitter to get them to the start of the show on the right day? Truck stop guy whose name I can't seem to remember: He seems like a nice guy. I'm less sure how I feel about Rochelle.

I saw that scene as Carol being completely supportive of him and that she thought he'd done the right thing across the board. To me it was mostly, "Just because this is looking like it's actually going to work out and you turned out to be wrong... if we had it to do again you would be right to be over-the-top paranoid in exactly the same way." She doesn't want him to second-guess those protective instincts.

I'm worried about what this environment is going to do to their concept of family. As it is, CDB is obviously a family... but what happens when you're expected to split up into houses? (If they are. That's just my spec from what we saw.) I look at Carol and Daryl, I look at Rick Michonne, & the kids. I see them as bonded family units within the larger group, but when they're suddenly in an environment that resembles what used to be "normal", it's not like they've coupled up and it's an automatic assumption that they'd live together in suburban bliss. Even for Abraham and Rosita--suddenly the pre-ZA norms of "couple" and "living together" have to cast their old implications of what it would mean for them to take a house together. I very much worry about Daryl being alone. And who has to let weird Uncle Eugene stay in the spare bedroom?

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused by that scene. Seemed like it was a very awkward jump with a scene missing. That's one of the mysteries of new characters to me. Noah's introduced, and oh, I like Noah. Abraham & Co are introduced and it's just a big shrug and a hope that they're first in the zombie chow line. And speaking of Noah... YOU DON'T HAVE ELECTIVE SURGERY IN THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Just don't.

The way I see it, Carl and Judith, especially Carl, already have two badass parents. I was bothered that Rick and Michonne were both separated from the kids in the different vehicles! Only this stupid, stupid show would make me get teary-eyed over Glenn knowing an RV has a spare battery. Stupid show. AND YES, Glenn, shut up with that moral compass stuff. It never ends well. Can we all just agree right here and now that when the ZA arrives, we use the Scientologists as bait? Please? And I found that disconcerting as hell. They were cute-coupley the way they would have been pre-ZA, they sounded so normal and as if when Eric's ankle heals they'll celebrate with frozen yogurt. This just isn't the way people relate to each other anymore. How are they so relatively unscathed? And I agree... that whole "no people in the pics" seemed fishy fishy fishy. Hope the applesauce was okay, because that was probably the best thing Judith has eaten... um, ever.

Loved "At Last". Loved Mike Chang. The rest of this was so bad it hurt. GAH. I wish I could look away from the rest of this, but unfortunately I'll hang in to the bitter end. And then take a shower. Many, many showers.

I loved, loved, loved this episode. Stupid Carl made me cry being nice to Maggie with the jewelry box, THAT'S how much this show owns me. The way that Aaron just kept walking toward them and talking after Maggie & Sasha drew on him made me wish they had just immediately taken him out. I agree he's not to be trusted.... but.... if he has a place to get clean and it prompts Rick shave his beard... well... I might warm up to Aaron just a little bit. Rick looks mangier than those dogs did.

At this point, with everything on Glee being barely watchable and not even in the so-bad-it's-good way I often felt about it, I'm apathetic to almost everything. EXCEPT THIS. The whole Bieste transitioning story line makes me so angry for exactly the reasons you state. "All About that Bass" was the episode highlight. I'm known for my terrible taste in music. I'm hope the show ends with Rachel dying and we actually see her flying to heaven and being given a pair of wings by a Finn look-alike. Artie can die with her and walk again, and we'll learn that he'll spend eternity with 72 virgins who look like Kitty. Sue can slip on a banana peel and die. At least I'd laugh.

Totally with you on this. I cannot imagine the nightmare that bride is signing up for. Not only is her fiancee telling her how to dress... he's sent his mother to enforce it? I felt so sad for her mother. I hope she is as nice as she seems, doesn't let her daughter continue to push her away, and then she can be there when this marriage falls apart.

I really do wonder why Carol & Daryl aren't sleeping together. It's not a shipper thing. It's just that they obviously care deeply about each other and the world sucks so much, I feel like they ought to get a moment of feeling good if they can. It's not romance, it's just comfort. (And age appropriate. Ahem.)

I went through the same process. I think it's because as annoying as I can find her, Beth is still "one of us", and I don't want her messed with. Part of why I'm not looking forward to next week... I know I don't think of Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene that way. Noah was nice. I think he and Beth were both just trying to get out of there, and he made it. I don't think he abandoned her- there was really nothing he could do. Also? Facing the prospect of Officer Rapey, I did wonder if one of the times Beth sought out Noah she was going to start in with her "I've never..." game. Better Noah for a first than anyone else there. I'm hoping he's with Daryl and that Carol went in on purpose. With that scenario in mind, I thought it was a shame they weren't faster. Noah could have gotten on the short bus since Richmond's on the way to DC, right? Not that I'd wish Abe & Co on him, but he did want to go home. I was right there with you.

I don't mind the threads being together, but people have GOT to be careful about how they tag spoilers so as not to give anything away. (I'm still really, really angry about that "character fate" spoiler tag.)

I like this idea a lot, tv echo.

So hard to say what my favorite part was... but it might just be the way Carol matter-of-factly (not knowing Tyreese had already taken care of business) turned to the cabin in order to kill the guy who'd threatened Judith. I don't think Carol needs to be redeemed. I can't say why, but I'm good with her. I can ship Carol/Daryl or not, I'm good either way, but I adore their bond. I didn't realize until you smart people pointed it out... I think I was just too excited about the band getting back together.... but I don't know if I can go on without the reunion of Michonne and her Katana.

I am so in love with Phil's Voice of Disappointment and Disdain when teams give up. Phil doesn't like quitters!

I don't find Nadiya hateful, just tone deaf. That said, it was just stupid, stupid Survivor play. "So, Josh, do you want to vote with this group where you're the "odd girl out", so to speak, or do you want to vote with this group where you don't have a reason to believe you're at the bottom of the alliance?" I thought Dale was smart. I don't think he cares about the Twinnies on TAR, he just provided reasons to vote someone out to people who were looking for them. Like Turtle, I've been in Atlanta a long time and was here for Rocker's idiot remarks, but I'm going to give him the opportunity to change my mind about him... although one wrong word and he's dead to me. I was impressed by his "let my team climb me" move.

I could get that she enjoyed the first time because he's sweet and he's hot and being near him was nice, but she definitely didn't...er... ENJOY it, right? <g> And just didn't mention that part. I'm okay with that bit of tact. But when she did have an orgasm and she says it happens with a good lover... Good lover??? He fondled her for about ten seconds and then bounced on top of her for a bit with no particular skill! I'm less bothered than you by the TV, movie, and romance fiction ubiquity of the vaginal orgasm... but calling him a good lover at this point was what crossed into eye-rolling territory for me. All of that hairspray took me out of the scene completely! I was actually analyzing the weather to see if there was a reason for all of that-- everyone else was blowing a little bit, but it didn't look like the helmet head was necessary. Jamie: King of 18th century AquaNet.

I feel defrauded by Jill's bare biceps.

Oh, for the love of Lazaro, Dorothy. She's familiar with every dress in the store, and while I know she wasn't the one shopping, she still could have steered her almost-niece away from That Same Damned Pnina.

It would have been great if Rick had had the time to play it cool and figure out a response after he saw the watch/gear/poncho, and I got the idea that was exactly how he was going to play it. But at the point the food was pressed on them, he didn't have a way out. Once he saw that stuff, he knew that without answers they shouldn't trust and therefore shouldn't eat, but to refuse the Terminus "hospitality" would have alerted the Termites. He had to act immediately.

Oh, Michonne's getting that katana back. And Daryl's getting his crossbow. Glenn's getting that watch. And if the Termites cook Carl, that hat's going in the pot with him. I loved everybody tonight.

There is something seriously wrong when the thing that strikes me the most about an episode is that the kids aren't more attractive, and that Mellie never taught her daughter about the joys of Big Hair. Because the rest of the internal logic is fiiiiine.......