S01.E03: Dee

[raven]

Quote

A mother evolves after she and her daughter escape violence and take refuge on a vintage steamboat; the peaceful ambiance deteriorates when a coup attempt forces the mother to revisit her violent past in order to protect her child.

Streaming on AMC+. As always, proceed at your risk for spoilers before the airdate.

Airdate 22.08.28

[Fellaway]

Let's have an origin story for Alpha! Said no one, ever.

Well, I dunno, maybe someone did but 'twas not I. I think we already knew everything we needed to know about Alpha from TWD. I'd have been more interested in an origin story for Beta. Or just following Brooke and the people on the boat. I'd like to see Brooke pop up somewhere else in the universe, see how she was faring on land post-Dee.

If for nothing else, I'll give SM props for letting this franchise make her look like absolute crap at every turn. I'd say she's got guts on that score, but, y'know, that'd be a really bad pun.

The Lydia here was really annoying. She came across as truly brainless, but I think part of the problem was the actress looked older than the little kid they were making her out to be.

That was a really graceless ending. It looked like something cut off before it was over.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I liked it. So far the best of the 3, and I give credit to Samantha Morton, who has had some real crap writing to work with. 

7 hours ago, Fellaway said:

I'd have been more interested in an origin story for Beta.

That could be really interesting. 

Interesting to see how badly they would screw it up!! 

[diebartdie]

So, did anyone notice this story does not at all match up with the Alpha origin story we got on TWD?

[Mr. Sparkle]

15 minutes ago, diebartdie said:

So, did anyone notice this story does not at all match up with the Alpha origin story we got on TWD?

Yup. 

[Fellaway]

50 minutes ago, diebartdie said:

So, did anyone notice this story does not at all match up with the Alpha origin story we got on TWD?

Oh, now that you mention it, yeah. Hunh. In light of that, I double-down on my thought that an origin story for Beta would've been better. Or the story of Brooke coming to the growing realization that a little island Xanadu in the zombie apocalypse is impossible. Or, what happened to the old guy, a Murder Mystery in the ZA. Instead, we got a retread and an outright contradiction of established canon for Alpha's backstory. If the writers really wanted to do more Alpha, they couldn't come up with something that at least didn't do the latter?

[Mr. Sparkle]

Honestly, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I wouldn't mind a 6 story Alpha/Whisperers mini-series. It could be very interesting, as both Alpha and Beta are portrayed by talented actors. I'm sure it would be terrible, but still. 

[iMonrey]

Yuck. The last thing in the world I wanted was more Alpha, the dumbest cartoon villain ever. I literally flinched when I heard that voice in the opening scene. Samantha Morton sounds like she's in a bad road company production of A Streetcar Named Desire. And yeah, this doesn't match up with the origin story they gave her on TWD. Who writes this crap?

This would have been a fine story in its own right without bringing in past characters. I don't know how I even made it all the way through this episode, or why.

[Nashville]

6 hours ago, Superclam said:

I liked it. So far the best of the 3, and I give credit to Samantha Morton, who has had some real crap writing to work with. 

Hey, a paycheck’s a paycheck.

[diebartdie]

OK I read a fan theory that attempts to explain the plot hole. I think this still fails but at least someone has an idea why: the first origin story we get about Alpha was from young, traumatized Lydia. This second one is from Alpha herself. It still doesnt work though, does it. Lydia's story is 100% different from Dee's, it should be much more similar.

ANYWAY, I liked this one better than the previous 2 but not by much. It felt much more like a TWD story and that's entirely because SM played Alpha in so many episodes, she understands the universe.

[rmontro]

7 hours ago, diebartdie said:

So, did anyone notice this story does not at all match up with the Alpha origin story we got on TWD?

Between that and the time loop we had last week, this is like an alternate universe.

[seacliffsal]

If they want to do an origin story for a villain we already know, I would be way more interested in the Governor or Terminus.  Those would really interest me as they actually created something that worked for the residents albeit short-lived.

[rmontro]

Got to be honest, I would probably eject at this point, but next week's show actually looks half interesting.

[Starchild]

On 8/29/2022 at 10:41 AM, Superclam said:

Honestly, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I wouldn't mind a 6 story Alpha/Whisperers mini-series. It could be very interesting, as both Alpha and Beta are portrayed by talented actors. I'm sure it would be terrible, but still. 

Totally NOT interested in that, but I would watch some more with Brooke. She looks like a lightweight at first, but as we go along she shows she can make hard but fair decisions. Then she reveals a core of steel in that last scene with Dee. Might be cool to see more of her journey. Maybe she'll end up being at PADRE, with that big-ass scar across her face. Did Morgan leave before the Whisperer arc? I get mixed up with all this content where characters go from a show with a time jump to a different show without one (or less of one anyway).

On 8/29/2022 at 3:50 PM, diebartdie said:

OK I read a fan theory that attempts to explain the plot hole. I think this still fails but at least someone has an idea why: the first origin story we get about Alpha was from young, traumatized Lydia. This second one is from Alpha herself. It still doesnt work though, does it. Lydia's story is 100% different from Dee's, it should be much more similar.

I don't really remember Lydia's story, what are the differences in the two versions of the backstory?

[Mr. Sparkle]

5 hours ago, Starchild said:

Totally NOT interested in that, but I would watch some more with Brooke. She looks like a lightweight at first, but as we go along she shows she can make hard but fair decisions. Then she reveals a core of steel in that last scene with Dee. Might be cool to see more of her journey. Maybe she'll end up being at PADRE, with that big-ass scar across her face.

Brooke reminds me of every yoga mom I know, and I know a lot. While it COULD be cool to see her evolve into something, I have zero faith in TPTB and writers being able to do that. 

6 hours ago, Starchild said:

Did Morgan leave before the Whisperer arc?

Yeah, he never saw them if I remember correctly. 

6 hours ago, Starchild said:

I don't really remember Lydia's story, what are the differences in the two versions of the backstory?

Lydia and Dee ran into Beta before he became Beta, and they formed the Whisperers together. Totally different than the Whisperers finding Dee and then Dee presumably taking over and becoming Alpha. (Someone check me on that if I'm wrong, it's been a while.) 

[Fellaway]

11 hours ago, Superclam said:

Brooke reminds me of every yoga mom I know, and I know a lot. While it COULD be cool to see her evolve into something, I have zero faith in TPTB and writers being able to do that. 

Yeah, he never saw them if I remember correctly. 

Lydia and Dee ran into Beta before he became Beta, and they formed the Whisperers together. Totally different than the Whisperers finding Dee and then Dee presumably taking over and becoming Alpha. (Someone check me on that if I'm wrong, it's been a while.) 

That's the way I remember Alpha's original backstory, too.

I would've preferred this ep focus on Brooke - Had way more than enough of Alpha already. - seeing her transform from the woman tsking over her old dress at the beginning of the ep to the woman at the end, after losing everyone. I'd even like to see her pop up somewhere else in the universe, preferably on TWD, though, because I don't watch FtWD. Sure won't be watching the Maggie-and-Negan-ride-off-into-the-sunset-together newbie.