Bishop

I agree that season two is better. It has a darker tone, which makes the storytelling more dramatic and believable rather than whimsical. I like the darker tone they are taking with Jace and how Valentine is trying desperately to manipulate him. I have to say I feel bad for the guy because his parents are the WORST. His mother is trying to kill him; his father is torturing him to get him to join his killer force of Shadowhunters, and his adopted mother is writing him off. The only people on Jace's side is Alec and Izzy (and of course, Clary). I'm not so sure I'd be thrilled to rejoin the Shadowhunters after all this. Now Jace is going to be accused of killing that werewolf woman when he didn't kill her. I still find Clary a bit of a bore, but she is much better this year than last. I also hope the writers break out Alec more than just a brooding guy who is mad at the world. Overall, I am really enjoying this new season.

I was hoping Kevin wasn't going to die. Now I hope Yellow Jacket gets his at some point. I enjoyed how Willa was trying to get Holden to remember, and I found it interesting that Holden's body temperature drops drastically when she drugged him to get him to remember. When I first watched, I thought she was trying to cool him down by putting him in the tub, but it was the opposite. She was trying to warm him up. I am intrigued by the Realm and what happened to Holden there during his 12 years. Who was hunting him? I get they were hunting him because he didn't belong, but to have to go through that for 12 years would make anyone afraid to go back. So his "I never want to go through that again" response was realistic and understandable. I like Willa, and I like her with Holden. I liked Holden's snark when she mentioned that she could inject him with a combination of drugs to get him to go into a deep sleep and remember his time in the Realm, and Holden's response was "Funny, I thought I heard you say "inject me" . . . " Just the way he said it made me laugh.

What I like about the Roman/Jane relationship is that it contrasts the two characters, showing how they are similar and how they are different. Jane is actually the one who is the more deadly. I've read the writers/producers say that Roman is SO dangerous and deadly and kills easily, and that there is the whole nurture/nature thing, but Jane is actually the character that is prone to killing. I feel like the writers forget what they write sometimes. In the "rabbit storyline" that Roman and Jane discussed, Jane had zero problem snapping her rabbit's neck. It was Roman that couldn't do it. So that tells me that HE is the one that is less prone to killing, and that Jane is more of a natural. Jane was also fine with zipping her memory and sacrificing her relationship with Roman for the cause while Roman was the one that was unhappy about the decision. If you really contrast the two siblings, Jane is the true terrorist and seems to be able to adapt to that lifestyle much more readily than Roman. It's why Shephard favors her as an asset and was so hard on Roman. Now all that being said, Shepard brainwashed and abused both her adopted children to turn them into terrorists. For Jane, it was an easier fit while Roman struggled. In the end, both siblings joined Sandstorm and became lethal assets. However, once their memories were wiped, including their horrific abuse at the orphanage, you get to see that they are scared and horrified at their actions - once they were confronted with that reality. I don't get why the FBI treats Jane like a lesser terrorist than her brother. Yes, we know he killed several police officers when we first met him, but I'm pretty sure that Jane's past is equally as violent. We just never saw it. I find the above discussions and conflicts about Roman and Jane very intriguing, and it helps me to get to know Jane more as a result. I need that backstory, and Roman provides it. I also like that Jane isn't perfect and good either. She's a dangerous woman capable of horrible things. We just haven't been show it by the writers, at least not the way they showed it about Roman. Remember when Roman just shot that guy in the woods when he was testing Jane about killing him? I have ZERO doubt that Jane would have killed that guy in a nanosecond had she still had her memory. Yet she was horrified when Roman did it. My point is that she doesn't remember what she did as a Sandstorm terrorist, but that doesn't mean she wasn't an effective one. That's why Jane chose to erase Roman's memory (and I happen to love the zipping of Roman's memory). She knows she became a better person with her memory zipped, and she wants the same for Roman. She knows her brother is a good person, but he has too much baggage. Either way, though, I don't see how Jane gets a pass for her past actions by the FBI, but Roman is somehow punished. That's a double-standard. I'm still okay with it, however, because it's great drama.

I thought the first season was very good. The first two episodes or so were a bit slow, but once Kevin was killed and Holden met up with Charlie, events really took off. I think the character of Holden was well done. I agree with those that said his character was a bit immature in the first few episodes, and I was wondering if he was going to remain that way throughout the season, but he didn't. It makes sense to me that he would be immature and confused and even a bit awed at how much had changed since he was in his coma, but the minute Kevin died, and he started to hook up with Jeff and Charlie, his demeanor changed. He was being forced to grow up quickly, being pursued by killers and crazy people. By the end of the season, in the last few episodes, Holden was clearly taking charge and protecting his younger brother, Luke. The roles had completely reversed by the end - which is what I wanted to see. I thought his scenes with Frost in the last two episode was good, and I liked that he wasn't manipulated into helping Frost who tried to use "What about all the people I promised could see their loved ones?" argument. "That's your problem" was a great response. Essentially, Frost became obsessed with his dead wife, completely renouncing his own daughter in the process and wanting to use Holden as a means of transporting to the Realm to see those that have departed. The black woman (sorry, can't remember her name) is solely in it for the profits. I'm not sure she even believes Holden's abilities, but she sees the money they can make by getting others to believe it. I thought that final scene with Holden, Jeff, Willa, and Luke escaping the compound and with Frost's men chasing them in SUVs was great. Holden's confidence in his abilities had really grown by that point, and he told Jeff to just keep speeding towards the oncoming SUV, and Jeff put his faith in Holden's abilities as well. The stunt work for that car just flipping over their pickup truck was great. Holden didn't even break a sweat. I like Beyond because I have to say that I like every character. That's highly unusual. I really don't have a dislike for any character. Even the two women vying for Holden - Willa and Charlie - are equally likable. Writers tend to like to write catty fights between women. I love the addition of Jeff, and I like that Luke isn't written as a jealous, whiny little brother. Yellow Jacket is creepy enough to be the villain, and even Holden's parents work for me. So kudos all the way around. I just heard Beyond got picked up for a Season Two. So that's great news because I have a bunch of questions: Is the threat against Holden gone now that Frost is in a coma? What were those Beings in the Realm that was crossing over the bridge and did any of them cross over into our world? Is Frost stuck in the Realm? What was the younger Holden talking about regarding the destruction of "this world?" when older Holden was in the Realm? Does Holden have to change the future in the Realm or protect his own world from a similar destruction? Are we going to see how Holden survived 12 years in the Realm? (I may want to see more of that) What does Yellow Jacket have on Charlie? Is he still a threat to Holden? Will that woman in cahoots with Frost be the new big bad in town? The Department of Justice was getting involved in the death of Kevin following a visit from Holden's parents. So will government agents become part of the story too? Will the parents ever find out about Holden?

Thanks That's it! Max Evans. I couldn't remember. I think they are actually very similar, and I think Holden matured alot towards the end of the season as would be expected.

I agree that Jane isn't the focal point in season two, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I think there is a danger of making the show all about one person while the rest of the characters remain in the background. I've seen shows suffer from too much of one character. I think the addition of Roman has been very good for the character of Jane because with him around, we CAN see Jane's pov, and she actually has someone who can empathize with her situation. The rest of the FBI team can't begin to imagine what Jane has been through, but Roman can. It creates a conflict of loyalty between her love for her brother and her love for the FBI team, and I think you need that in this type of show. I think Jane is a fantastic character, but I also like Roman and Patterson. So for me, the more I see of the three of them, the better. The bigger issue, I think, is that the writers don't know what to do with Zapata, Read, and Nas. So for them, they are creating melodrama that is completely unnecessary. THAT is what is hurting that aspect of the show. I also would like to see them focus Weller back on Jane and get rid of Nas and his baby mama. Can anyone explain to me the reason the baby mama (sorry, can't remember her name) even exists on the show? What is her purpose? What is the purpose of her even being pregnant with Weller's child? It makes Weller seem all over the place - too many women. All the show has to do is focus on Jane and her relationships to Roman and Weller and them to her. Put Patterson in as well (I still think she and Roman would be good together eventually), and then put the supporting cast in supporting roles and drop the melodrama. I think that would be a good start. Overall, however, I am not unhappy with the show as of late.

I actually think Holden was played well. I agree that when we first meet him, he's technically still 14 years old emotionally. I mean think about it. The last thing he remembers was riding his motorbike. He has never dated, never been with a girl, never held a job, never driven a car. He wakes up in an adult body but with the emotions of a 14 year old. Watching him with his younger brother, Luke, you instantly see that young Luke is "older" than Holden, emotionally. He's confident, worldly, etc. Holden is struggling. He has no idea how to approach a girl, how to drive, and then when you throw in his nightmares, he has no way to process what is happening. Then when he goes to see his friend Kevin, the guy is married with a baby on the way! The last time Holden and Kevin saw each other, they were in the 7th grade sneaking beers talking about how they were even going to just approach a girl. Yet in the later episodes, you can clearly see Holden asserting himself and taking charge, and by the end, Holden is clearly the older brother with Luke the younger. So I think it was all done pretty well. If anyone remembers the tv show Roswell, I swear the actor playing Holden could be a double for the actor who played Max. Correct me if I'm wrong for those who watched it, but wasn't his name on that show Max Holden? So far, I'm really enjoying Beyond, and I like all the characters, which is not always the case with shows. There should be a thread for those of us who binge-watched this show. So we can discuss all the episodes.

Okay, it's official. Roman is my favorite male character on Blindspot (sorry Weller) while Jane/Patterson are my favorite female characters. It's amazing how Roman has just come in the back door to become the most dynamic male character on the show. He, Jane, and Patterson are the best parts of Blindspot. I'll start with the stuff I liked least: What is with all the melodrama with Weller, Nas, Reade, and Zapata? I feel bad for Sullivan that Weller has become a character more defined by the women and relationships he is involved with right now then the work he does. He's having a baby with one woman, sleeping with another, and in love with the last (at least I think so). Two of those three women are boring as all hell, and the one that IS dynamic and interesting is the one they least have Weller spend time with. Nas is a boring character. I understand the actress is popular (I believe), but the writers are giving her screentime and storylines with Weller that are NOT working - for either of them. The part that does intrigue me is why Shepard wants and needs him. Reade and Zapata? Is it just me or was Zapata leading Reade on in this episode? She acted all upset when he kissed her, but she was giving him more signals than an Air Traffic Controller. She refuses to give up on him, hiding evidence, won't leave his side when he's in the hospital, takes him home, tends to him, sits close to him . . . what is the guy suppose to think? I have NO problem with them remaining platonic friends, but Reade was not in the wrong, imo, for thinking there was something going on with them. I thought so too. That being said, it doesn't interest me. Okay, now the good stuff: Roman. Man, I am liking this guy more and more, and kudos to Luke Mitchell for really running the gamut of emotions in the mid-season premiere. At first, Roman is confused and suspicious of Jane when he comes to in her car realizing he's been shot. He then fights with her and jumps out of a moving car and then fights with her some more. Later on when he finally answers his phone, he's funny about where he is and trying to explain it to her. He's hungry and that's all that matters. When he is in the diner and interacting with that little girl, I was nervous. I wasn't sure what he was going to do, especially when he tensed up on the fork, but he got his emotions under control and started to talk with her. When his Jason Borne spidey senses kicked in with the arrival of about half a dozen terrorists, he instructs the waitress to get her child and get out. That is a clear signal to me that Roman's instincts are not to get innocent people killed - which is what terrorists tend to do. I don't think he's instinctively a bad guy without a memory. Anyway, he kicked ass even with a gunshot wound and having jumped out of a moving car (contrast that with Weller getting beaten by the team psychiatrist - like I said, I feel bad for Sullivan). Roman was great in that fight scene and surrendered to Jane and Weller, but he was soon in handcuffs. The scene where that CIA guy is showing him all the dead FBI agents was really well done. Mitchell was really good in showing Roman's confusion and then his devastation of what he is with that tear rolling down his cheek (Dean Winchester would be proud). The episode ended with Roman huddled in a ball in his cell having horrific flashbacks to an abusive childhood, and all I felt like doing was holding him. So from badass fighter, to confused sibling, to angry captive, to broken child - it was a great showing of Roman's layers and complexity as a character. More please. Patterson, God love her. I wasn't surprised she was shot, but I'm surprised that they had her be brought to Shepard. I just feel that's a big move, but then again, Shepherd wanted to know what the FBI had learned from Roman, if anything. I thought Patterson played it well. She was defiant but clearly frightened, and Borden clearly cares about her. He was upset when he saw she was shot, and he refused to kill her in the end. That being said, he's not a good guy. He allowed the torture - but then again, the FBI is more than fine with turning over someone to the CIA to be tortured as well. So there are plenty of gray areas on both sides. I like that. I feel bad for Patterson when you think about what she's been through, and I'm hoping she has some happiness in future episodes, but I'm glad she's alive. I still feel that - way down the road - that Roman and her would make a good pairing. I just hope the show is picked up for another season, and if they focus on Roman, Jane, Patterson, and get rid of the other two useless women in Weller's life and refocus the character of Weller back to season one norms, the show will be in good shape. I enjoyed the show last night. It had much more good stuff than bad for me.

My favorite as well. I don't agree about Nadine as the breakout character of the show. I like her, but she doesn't draw me into the story the way the husband/wife team of the Swaggers do. I like that the wife is as savy as the husband. Heck, even the daughter is smart.

I really liked this episode. William Fichtner was great, and frankly, I would love to see his character pop up again. I liked the episode for the fact that two guys were able to take out ten mercs and leave that smug CIA guy worried as hell.

The ending was incredibly satisfying. I did not hate on this season the way many did, although I agree some episodes dragged and the writers seemed to be repeating the same things over and over again. We know that Morgan and Carol are now pacifists, and so we don't need to devote tremendous amounts of time to hearing them repeat that fact. We know Negan is an ass and a bully, and so we don't need to keep seeing that over and over again. That all being said, I think it was important to show all the characters in ONE episode to gear up for the next half of the season. I don't get the hate for Spencer. He was not an evil guy. Like it or not, his entire family was alive before Rick showed up, and then were all dead once he arrived. I can understand his anger. Also, I don't think Spencer ever wanted Rick dead. He just wanted Rick to not be the leader, and yes, Spencer was trying to ingratiate himself to Negan. How is that different than what our politicians do? And his mother WAS a politician. So I get what he was trying to do. Was he a momma's boy? Yeah, pretty much, but I don't feel he deserved to die. The truth is that Spencer was sheltered a lot from what was going on. Maybe if he had seen how Negan murdered Glen and Abraham and had been through what Rick and the others had been through, he would understand better. I mean Father Gabriel was an ass too, remember? Time and experience changed him. Now I love him. I'm just saying. I read that some felt that Spencer and Olivia's deaths finally got Rick to act against the Saviors and why didn't he feel that way when Abe and Glen died? I didn't see it that way at all. Rick and Team Grimes were emotionally eviscerated when Abe and Glen were murdered, and when Daryl tried to protect Rosalita and saw Glen killed for it, they were afraid (and outnumbered) to make Negan angry. They had too much family to lose. So Rick succumbed to Negan's wishes in the hopes that if he did what Negan asked in terms of scavenging for him, Negan would leave his people alone. Yeah, he would humiliate Rick often, but Rick could handle that if his people were safe. However, in last night's episode, Rick realized that Negan was going to show up whenever he wanted, kill whenever he wanted, and be his usual terrorizing self when he saw fit. Watching the joy on the Savior's faces as they nearly beat Aaron to death while Rick was forced to watch helplessly, and then seeing the deaths of Spencer and Olivia, along with the growing desire of the people he loved to want to seek revenge got Rick to realize that nothing was going to really appease Negan and his Saviors. There was no truce, no peace between their communities, and Negan and his Saviors were going to keep coming and killing and beating whenever they felt like it. It was a cumulative effect for Rick. So by the time Michonne came to him to try once more to get him to fight, he had seen enough. He was ready. That was a great scene between those two, and you could see the joy on Michonne's face when Rick told her he was with her - that they had to fight. Daryl's escape from the Sanctuary was a long time coming, but I appreciate that the writers had him there the first half of the season because it made his escape more rewarding. I believe the room he went into for clothes and peanut butter was actually Dwight's room. I say this because when Daryl saw those carved figurines on the table, I think he realized it was Dwight's room. That's why he tossed the table in anger. Dwight had carved figures with him when Daryl and him first crossed paths. I have to say I was surprised to see how brutal Daryl was with Fat Joey, but I can't say I blame him. Fat Joey had no problem keeping Daryl (and I'm sure many others) hostage, torturing them, and he had no problem luring Daryl out of his cell to elicit a beatdown on him with Negan smiling. Throw in that Fat Joey was also a part of Glen and Abraham's executions, and Daryl wasn't going to let that slide. Daryl has been unable to fight back since he was kidnapped and tortured and made to be a slave for Negan, and so all that rage, anger, pain, and grief had to go somewhere. Sorry Fat Joey. The reunion scene at the Hilltop was the elixir I needed. It had everything I wanted in the finale. Seeing Maggie react with joy at whoever was at the gate had me going, but when those doors opened, and you can see Rick, Michonne, Carl, and Sasha standing there, I was thrilled. Rick and Maggie embraced with Rick admitting that it was time to fight, but of course the cherry on the top was seeing Daryl there. I loved that Rick ran over to him, and both of them paused, but when Daryl started to break at FINALLY being reunited with his family again, Rick broke too. I forget that Daryl hasn't been with this family for eight episodes. He saw Rick and them at Alexandria but couldn't speak or interact with them. The last time Daryl was with Team Grimes was the moment Glen and Abraham were murdered. So for him, this was huge. I loved the hug and the bromance with Daryl and Rick, and of course, Daryl handing Rick back the Python. That moment seemed to be the final charge for Rick, like being knighted. My only regret in the final scenes was that we never got to see Maggie's initial reaction to seeing Daryl. I know Daryl blames himself, but clearly Maggie does not. She was smiling when Rick saw Daryl. I just wish the audience had been allowed to witness that first meeting. I can't wait for February. Game on.

I saw that. GG and JMB were great. Emily's smackdown of the DAR was great - and a long-time coming. FYI - Diane's, Carolyn Hennessy, was also on Gilmore Girls in that scene.

Yes he was. Michael and Carly were not forgiving towards Sonny when they thought he ordered the bomb that killed Morgan. There was no point when Michael showed up and said "Oh, it's okay." Same with Carly. Their feelings towards him changed when they found out that Sonny had nothing to do with what happened with Morgan and that he actually had called off the hit - finally hearing Carly. All that being said, the writers won't allow any of these characters to really be angry with Sonny for any period of time beyond a few days/weeks. I don't know why, but there it is. Michael should still be cold towards him after the AJ shooting, but whatever. At t his point, I would just be happy to see Michael have a storyline that doesn't involve either of his parents. These writers . . . (sigh).

I think it has more to do with the fact that many of them were there and witnessed his violence and him terrorizing them AND the person he killed was someone they all loved. Sonny was vilified by Michael and Carly when they thought he was responsible for Morgan's death. Valentin also went after Spencer, and they (including Nina) know it. So I can see why they consider Valentin a dangerous threat. To my knowledge, Sonny has never targeted a child for kidnapping and execution (although the latter is assumption on my part). I think Jason and Sam are boring. They have the SAME freakin dialogue every damn day, and in the case of Sam, she has the same dialogue with him and then has the same dialogue with her mother. Alexis is boring the hell out of me with her self-righteousness in ever scene, as if Julian held a gun to her head and demanded that she compromised her ethics and Alexis was helpless and forced to relent. Uh . . . yeah, that never happened, but the way ALexis spins it? She was helpless and defenseless and mean old Julian made her do everything. Don't get me wrong, Julian is a killer and a bad guy, but Alexis blaming all her actions on him and then getting all sanctimonious about it? Ugh! I LOVED Michael with Abby. I thought it was by far his best pairing because the writers did a great job of taking their time with the story and Chad and Andrea had great chemistry. Unfortunately, the writers have not written Michael a love story since. Starr? Please. Kiki and the instalove connection? Ugh. As for Sabrina, she was just shoehorned into Michael's story because after Patrick left, they didn't know what to do with her. Michael has not had a love story since Abby, which imo, is beyond criminal. Meanwhile, what number is Sonny up to in sleeping with women? It's insane how much the writers are wasting Chad and the younger set in favor of redoing the same stories (Sonny, Jason and Sam, Dante and Lulu, Alexis and Julian, etc).

I have to say that the brother/sister component of Jane/Roman is making this show for me. I do still like Weller, but he has suddenly taken a backseat to Roman, who is simply more interesting and compelling to me. He is such a damaged guy in that he longs for a family. That's my opinion anyway. He wants to do right by his "mother" and sister, but when push comes to shove, his loyalty is to Jane. I thought Luke did a great job of showing the conflict of not wanting to shoot his sister but also NOT wanting to shoot Shephard either. As for the fight, I didn't realize that Roman had actually been shot when he tackled Shephard to prevent her from shooting Jane. That's partly why Jane was desperate to free herself - great chair-smashing-roll-over the table move there, Jane. It's interesting how quickly Shephard became terrified of Roman killing her. For a badass, she seems afraid to die. I don't get that vibe from either Jane or Roman. Regarding the mindwipe, I was happy simply because it means that maybe Roman will stick around for a while, and not as the bad guy. It will be interesting to see what type of man he is without a memory. I have to say, I am very curious. I agree that Jane had no right to do that to her brother. She did what she wanted in order to get her brother back. I have to believe that Roman would be better off not remembering his horrible childhood, but that wasn't Jane's call. I'm still happy. Patterson is the other bright spot on this show. I hate that she had to have her heart ripped out AGAIN. Geez show. At the same time, Borden did not come off as evil as the spoilers were alluding. At least it was his intense love for his wife that sent him over the edge, and I never got the impression that Borden wanted to kill Patterson at the end. If so, he could have just shot her when her back was to him. I'm wondering if there is a Roman/Patterson hook-up in the future - and I mean in the VERY distant future, but I can see it. Reade/Zapata - I like both these characters a lot, but their whole detour into a murder cover-up side story is boring.. It's much better than the Weller/Nas/baby crap, but it's distracting. I do like the relationship between Reade and Zapata. As for Weller? I don't hate on him the way many do, but the writers are not doing him any favors. If someone can explain to me why the writers feel the need to 1) Have Weller attracted and protective of Jane; and 2) sleeping with Nas; and 3) having a baby with ANOTHER woman - I'm all ears. Who is writing his scenes? It's as if they only care if he's in a romance with someone, anyone. I much preferred Weller's relationship with his sister than I do with Nas or his baby mama. Please get rid of both. I don't see the purpose of either on the show. Overall, I thought it was a decent fall finale for the most part. I'm excited to see what happens next, especially with Jane, Roman, and Patterson.

Michael's stories tend to get whitewashed more than any other character. RC tried whitewashing the rape when he introduced RH as Franco. Then when AJ was killed, the writers never allowed Michel to even mention AJ's existence or that Sonny killed him. I was shocked that Michael had a sentence the other day acknowledging that Sonny killed AJ, but it was quickly glossed over again. Now they are doing it with Sabrina. The writers are acting like she never existed. When the characters discuss what Michael is going through, it's only about Morgan, never about the fact that he lost Morgan AND Sabrina within a week of each other. It's amazing. I actually won't mind if the writers pair Michael with Nelle as long as Nelle turns out to be scheming and dangerous rather than syrupy sweet. I want to see Michael's darker, edgier side, which CD can play well, when he finds out that Nelle is not who she pretends to be. Right now, he's too vulnerable (so is Carly) to see Nelle the way Bobbie sees her. I'm just hoping the writers aren't going to write Michael as a dupe because he's usually pretty savvy when it comes to reading people.

Yeah, but imo, Dwight can be swayed. I think if he had an opportunity to get out and even help overthrow Negan, he would take it. Yes, he's an ass, but he wasn't always that way, and I get the impression, he wants to be seen as the ass in front of Negan and his men. When he's alone or one-on-one with someone (like Daryl or Sherry), he shows a different side. I think he doesn't want to give the impression to anyone that he can be swayed for fear it might get back to Negan. Sherry is clearly conflicted and is being forced to submit to protect herself and Dwight. So based on this, I don't see them as evil.

So you would prefer her to just be an all out bad character who wants to hurt Michael or Carly or Sonny? Meh. Then what? We have enough bad characters on GH that I wouldn't mind a fairly decent character that is being abused by a father to do bad things and wants a way out. If Michael is the person who gets her out - instead of, say Sonny or Jason (who always have to save everyone), then I'm okay with it. Also, I'm really tired of Michael having conflict with his family. He needs a storyline that does not involve Sonny or Carly at this point, and they need to stay out of his business for once. THAT would be a nice change for me.

I thought this was a good episode. I didn't find it boring either. I don't need action every millisecond to make the episode awesome. It was important, imo, to see what day-to-day life was like in Negan's world rather than just having him pop up to make a threat. This episode, imo, was to show how prisoners are taken and broken into becoming Negan's henchmen. Sometimes it's done through threatening family members, as in the case of Dwight, or sometimes through torture, as with Daryl - although it didn't work. Negan and Dwight's mistake with Daryl is they don't know that he had a very abusive childhood. So beating him or threatening him or making him eat dog food (he's probably eaten a dog) is not going to break him. Losing Glenn? That would do it, but it also made Daryl stronger. It's why Daryl would not say Negan's name at the end. To bow down to Negan would be to betray everything Glenn stood for and to dishonor his life. It's why Daryl won't break. I loved watching that smug smile on Negan's face disappear when Daryl said his own name. I thought NR did a great job in the episode considering he had to convey Daryl's thoughts and feelings with barely any dialogue. The Negan smugness, especially against Rick is becoming unbearable. I can't wait for Rick to kick his ass. The other storyline in this episode that was good and relevant was Dwight and Sherry. These are not evil people. They have been abused too by Negan by forcing them to do things they don't want to do. Dwight, Tina, and Sherry tried to escape, but they couldn't get away. Tina died, Sherry sold herself to Negan to save her husband, and Dwight got a hot iron to the face. Now they are just trying to survive in Negan's world, although I think Dwight and Sherry would take a way out if they were given one. That being said, I can't see Dwight ever being part of Rick's group considering he was a part of Glenn and Abraham's executions.

Good point. I have a feeling that Nelle is being forced to maybe steal from the Corinthos clan because she is being blackmailed or coerced by her father to do so, but is becoming genuinely attracted to the Corinthos family and Michael in particular? That's my guess anyway.

I REALLY wish the writes would focus more on their story than on the Evil Queen. Sorry folks, but I am over the Evil Queen and her revenge plots. I feel like the EQ and Mr. Gold stories have all been there and one that. I feel equally bored with Zelena too. They are just too one-note for me. I loved the montage of Charming and Snow in the beginning, and I wish the show gave more screen time to them, and in particular to Charming who seems to take a backseat to his wife and daugher - and Regina and the EQ. I would like to see more of his past explored and the return of his evil step-father. That was fun to watch. I also wish the writers had devoted some time to seeing how Hook and Emma co-habitat. I just feel like they are skipping over the important dramatic beats of their storyline now. We know they love each other and will fight for each other, but it would be nice to just have some extended conversations. Also, I could have sworn that the EQ, when talking to Gold at his shop, said "the pirate and his son" when describing Hook and Henry. Did I hear that wrong?

Have you noticed that the writers don't even mention Sabrina anymore? No one has mentioned to Michael that he has lost TWO people in his life that he loved; it's only ever Morgan they mention. I swear, the way these writers just erase storylines and characters where Michael is concerned is astonishing. They did it with AJ and now they are doing it with Sabrina. They are so anxious to rush into the next romance that they ignore what happened before. I have said it for a while now, but Michael should actually be an aloof, emotionallly distant guy when you consider the people he has lost and the rest who have betrayed him. His forgiving attitude is so opposite of what a person would actually be like if they went through half of what he has been through in his life. My guess is that the writers know that Nelle has no foundation on the show (hello Kiki, Nina, Nathan, etc.) unless they tie her to a vet character. Also, Michael wasn't the one making eyes at Nelle. She is the one that made the first move by putting her hands on his, complimenting him incessantly, and then pulling away as if he did something. He seemed to be genuinely surprised that she implied any kind of romantic pairing between them. I can't figure out if she's trying to play him or if she is genuinely attracted to him, although I'm leaning towards the latter.

For me, a large part of the problem is that they are newbies because why are the writers so determined to write for these new characters to the detriment of the vets? It's one thing if I saw equal screen time, but I'm not. Too much of the airwaves is taken up with stories completely devoted to new characters with the vets playing to support the newbie. Maxie isn't driving the Nathan/Claudette storyline. Anna isn't driving the Griffin/Charlotte storyline. Franco is the center of the Elizabeth story where she spends most of her time trying to reassure him. Nina? I have no idea what the hell her purpose is but I see her more than I see any of the Quartermaines. Nelle? I see her more than Michael in scenes with both Carly and Sonny. Kiki gets more screen time than Dillon or Michael. WTF? Dante? Laura? Kevin? They get seen once in a while while Finn and Hayden get storytime with Tracy playing second fiddle. It's a problem. I don't think the storylines are terrible. I think the storylines are boring because I am not invested in these new characters the way I am invested in the vets and so to allow the newbies to carry the main stories with the vets walking two paces behind makes the episode lackluster. Do I care what happens to Nina, Jordan, Andre, Kiki, Franco, etc? I do like Hayden, Finn, Curtis, and Griffin, but I don't get why the vets are treated so poorly. THEN when I do get the vets, I get the SAME vets over and over again for weeks: Sonny, Carly, Sam, Elizabeth and Alexis. Now I love these characters, but spread the wealth. I hope the writers fix this problem soon. Vets need to drive story with new characters mixed in SUPPORTING the vet story, not the other way around, and give Sonny, Carly, Sam/Jason, Elizabeth and Alexis some time off.

I'm amazed at how much the writers try to construct stories for newbies while completely ignoring the vets. Nina is STILL trying to have a freakin kid. That's been her story since she arrived. Franco has become a whiny, clingy, jealous pain in the ass. Valerie and Jordan? Ugh. Kiki gets more screen time than any of the vet characters her age too. Griffin has a front burner storyline and so does Hayden and Finn. I don't get this. It's why I become so resentful of the new characters. It's not that I don't like some of them, but the writers are crafting stories for THEM, not the vets. I'm sorry, but I don't care about most of these new characters with the exception of a few. I'd rather see much more of Kevin and Laura, Tracy, Monica, Scotty, Kristina, Mac, Felicia, Maxi, Bobbie, and of course Michael. Instead, Nelle, Valerie, Curtis, Jordan, Nina, Kiki, Hayden, Finn, Franco, Griffin, Nathan, and even Dr. O get more face time. When we do get vets, it's the SAME vets over and over: Sonny, Jason, Sam, Carly, and Alexis. Hey, I like my vets, but spread the wealth.

CD/Michael is looking really good. Hot damn, and of course, instead, I have to watch days on end of every other newbie character that I don't care about with front burner storylines. That is all.