Talking Dead: Where Chris Hardwick Got His Groove Back

[SnoGirl]

I wish Lennie had his accent on the show. Is it hot in here or is it just me?

I was right, that clip during the commericals was for the new show, Fear the Walking Dead. At least the new show will help bridge the huge gap.

[raven]

I wonder if MMB is creeped out by this lady.

[Watcher0363]

Lennie be Buffy Fan, Must be to love the musical episode. Okay I liked it also. Let them dance also.

[SnoGirl]

Oh. Hardwick said he'll see us in the fall. Does that mean no Talking Dead for the new show? Or a different host for that show? My vote is for Yvette if that's the case!!

[Pete Martell]

Maybe they aren't sure they want to do a talk show for that one unless the ratings are strong enough. 

 

I like Chris, but I'm not sad to get a break from him for a while. Between ignoring the very intelligent question the female caller had about Daryl and Aaron/Eric to make a crack about her being naked, to asking Melissa and Norman about "Caryl" when Melissa and Norman have both spoken about their uneasiness with the ship wars, he got on my nerves. 

 

Norman seemed a little distant, as he always does on Talking Dead, but Lennie was wonderful, and Melissa was as intelligent and clear as ever. (and I love her for praising Sonequa Martin Green)

[Pete Martell]

Here's the woman who was dressed as Carol. I've seen a lot of her stuff on tumblr. She seems like a cool lady.

 

http://carol-on.tumblr.com/

[TrininisaScorp]

Lennie is so lovely!  He was trained by a Ninja Turtle and called out the Buffy musical episode?!  Yeah.  Love.

 

Enjoyed seeing Norman and Melissa.  Melissa seems like the thoughtful sort and I enjoyed her contributions and answers.

 

That said, I felt like the panel had a slightly weird feel to it.  I don't know if the questions were contributing to a lack of flow or, what, but everything felt stilted. 

[Anela]

I wish Lennie had his accent on the show. Is it hot in here or is it just me?

I was right, that clip during the commericals was for the new show, Fear the Walking Dead. At least the new show will help bridge the huge gap.

I'm English, and prefer their American accents. :)

 

It is odd, hearing him speak with his own accent, but I end up feeling a bit homesick. 

I wish they'd had Andrew Lincoln there, as well. 

[LexiconDevilOne]

It is odd, hearing him speak with his own accent, but I end up feeling a bit homesick. 

I'd never heard his real accent before tonight. It so odd to me, hearing it. I've only seen him in Jericho (one of my favorite shows), and this one. Although granted, I do watch a lot of TV from the UK. So I could have unknowingly seen him countless times before.

 

I look forward to Morgan, and the gang, next season.

 

 

P/S whom ever up thread said we need a time jump...I, totally, agree. Here's hoping.

Edited March 30, 2015 by LexiconDevilOne

[GreyBunny]

Lennie is so lovely!  He was trained by a Ninja Turtle and called out the Buffy musical episode?!  Yeah.  Love.

 

Enjoyed seeing Norman and Melissa.  Melissa seems like the thoughtful sort and I enjoyed her contributions and answers.

 

That said, I felt like the panel had a slightly weird feel to it.  I don't know if the questions were contributing to a lack of flow or, what, but everything felt stilted. 

 

I can do without the skyped questions.  The hedgehog was cute but those kind of antics ruined the flow of the show and I kept hoping someone would pull the plug on the useless screaming guy. 

[Puffaroo]

I can do without the skyped questions.  The hedgehog was cute but those kind of antics ruined the flow of the show and I kept hoping someone would pull the plug on the useless screaming guy. 

 

IIRC, this used to be a 30-minute show, and when they went to an hour they had to add all this useless crap to keep it from being 60 minutes of talking heads.

[morgankobi]

I feel like Chris didn't talk to Lennie enough. I really wanted to hear more from him. I get the indication that we will be learning about what happened to change Morgan's outlook based on Lennie's answer.

 

Melissa looked fantastic!

[mandolin]

A couple times when stupid stuff was happening, I thought LJ looked like he was thinking, "WHAT am I doing here?"

[callmebetty]

I didn't know much about Lennie James before this, but I think I've fallen in love. From the refined British accent to saying cray-cray to knowing and referencing Buffy and the musical and seeming completely genuine and humble. Who do I have to stand behind in the LJ love line?

[morgankobi]

The lady who was pulled out of the audience because she was dressed as Carol has posted some info on reddit. Apparently it was Melissa who told Chris he should bring her up. 

[weightyghost]

Last night did feel really jilted and off. Maybe it was just bc they had so much to talk about and get through, that it felt so much time was wasted on fan questions and talking about the weird thing the fan did, and the polls and whatever. Like, not talking at all about Sasha and Glenn and even really, Rick. Also, Gabriel. God, what did they talk about?

[Bruinsfan]

Thank goodness, that pretty much removes any cringe factor from her sitting next to the actress she's cosplaying as.

[walnutqueen]

Oddballs. I'm in Wisconsin right now and its been freezing cold here all week, and I'm sort of with Hardwick on this one, was that chick from Hayward not really wearing a shirt in her question? Good lord she must have heat blasting at her house.

 

I don't know about Hayward, but here in SoCal we've just had our second record breaking heat wave for March.  I had to CLOSE all the windows the other day just to keep the cool morning air in my house!  No need for clothes around this Grey Gardens West, fer sure!  :-)

 

Lenny was great, but I think he gave away a little too much about his character - usually people on this show are much more coy about that stuff.  I'll have to rewatch for the specifics, though - I was pretty verklempt while watching last night.

[Anela]

For some reason, I thought they said they would have four guests this week. Did I get that wrong?

[Bruinsfan]

DIdn't Gimple step down so they could concentrate on the three actors?

[morgankobi]

Yes, and also sent that note that Chris read.

Edited March 30, 2015 by morgankobi

[lulee]

It was fine that Gimple didn't appear but the wayS his absence were addressed didn't match. First Hardwick said something like he had another commitment and then later in the show, prior to reading Gimple's message, he said something along the lines of Gimple decided to make room for the actors on the couch. Either way is fine, just odd that they didn't fully align.

Edited March 30, 2015 by lulee

[ghoulina]

I feel like Chris didn't talk to Lennie enough. I really wanted to hear more from him. I get the indication that we will be learning about what happened to change Morgan's outlook based on Lennie's answer.

 

Well, there was one time he questioned him on what was going on, and Lennie basically said he couldn't say too much. In reality, he's been on screen for what? Fifteen minutes this entire season? There wasn't much they could ask him about at this point. I felt having him on was more about a "shocking" fan favorite than being able to get anything out of him. 

 

Last night did feel really jilted and off. Maybe it was just bc they had so much to talk about and get through, that it felt so much time was wasted on fan questions and talking about the weird thing the fan did, and the polls and whatever. Like, not talking at all about Sasha and Glenn and even really, Rick. Also, Gabriel. God, what did they talk about?

 

I felt like the finale had way too much stuff crammed into it anyhow, so I'm not surprised they couldn't cover it all on TD. But yes, if they'd lose half of the ridiculous polls and fan shennanigans, they could have touched on some other things that were passed over.

[Pete Martell]

I think they assume that fans don't want to get too serious, but I do wish there was a balance. I think Hardwick has lost more and more of his ability to actually interview people instead of barraging them. I think the uneasiness when he asked them about "Caryl" (which is not something a host of a show should be asking, especially as there was nothing in this episode about Caryl) just helped keep everyone on the back foot. He also did nothing to ask questions of Carol in that finale that could have brought out more responses from Melissa - did Carol go too far? How far was Carol willing to go? Instead it was just more fanboying about "Scarol" and LEADER CAROL FOR LEADER like he was on a con floor. 

 

And any time fans ask good questions, the response is too often either patronizing them or outright mocking them. 

Edited March 30, 2015 by Pete Martell

[biakbiak]

I love that YNB was just chilling in the audience.

[Pete Martell]

After seeing some of the psycho overinvested personal attacks against Gimple on Twitter and tumblr I almost wonder if he begged off Talking Dead for that reason...

[Bruinsfan]

Were those over Jessie as the new love interest, or fallout from Beth's suicide-by-cop?

[kikismom]

Were those over Jessie as the new love interest, or fallout from Beth's suicide-by-cop?

Both.

 

Was it just me, or did AL seem a little formal when talking about LJ/Morgan? He usually goes way overboard, no matter who he talks about they are "magnificent" but he seemed a little too polite and brittle about the addition of Morgan...perhaps a bit nervous about the big fanlove for LJ.  Or am I imagining this?

[lulee]

Both.

 

Was it just me, or did AL seem a little formal when talking about LJ/Morgan? He usually goes way overboard, no matter who he talks about they are "magnificent" but he seemed a little too polite and brittle about the addition of Morgan...perhaps a bit nervous about the big fanlove for LJ.  Or am I imagining this?

I don't recall him that way (or not being that way), but for what it's worth, I do think he's been effusive with praise and excitement about Lennie/Morgan in the past.

Edited March 31, 2015 by lulee

[Bruinsfan]

Wait, when did they have an interview with Andrew Lincoln? I recall it being mentioned, but never actually saw it during the show.

[weightyghost]

 

I recall it being mentioned, but never actually saw it during the show.

 

It was a short, two sentence clip when they came back from a commercial break. 

 

 

After seeing some of the psycho overinvested personal attacks against Gimple on Twitter and tumblr I almost wonder if he begged off Talking Dead for that reason...

 

That's what ~Team Delusional is claiming - that he realized how much he pissed off the fandom that he ran scared and didn't want to show his face on Talking Dead. Really, as much as I enjoy Gimple, I was fine with him not being there. I was shocked when, after promoting Melissa McBride last week, he then stated another secret guest. I couldn't fathom how they'd manage 4 guests and I assume Gimple was telling the truth when he said as such. He's not an idiot, he knows how many fans the 3 of those actors have. Out of the past show runners, he seems to be the one who knows that it is the actors that draw in the fans for the most part. 

[Pete Martell]

I can't see him caring that much about fan love - Rick's always been polarizing while Daryl has been near-universally adored, and Andrew still loves Norman Reedus. 

 

Maybe it was just how he felt at the time or something. I haven't gotten the impression from recent interviews that he's thrilled with some of the writing in places.

That's what ~Team Delusional is claiming - that he realized how much he pissed off the fandom that he ran scared and didn't want to show his face on Talking Dead. Really, as much as I enjoy Gimple, I was fine with him not being there. I was shocked when, after promoting Melissa McBride last week, he then stated another secret guest. I couldn't fathom how they'd manage 4 guests and I assume Gimple was telling the truth when he said as such. He's not an idiot, he knows how many fans the 3 of those actors have. Out of the past show runners, he seems to be the one who knows that it is the actors that draw in the fans for the most part. 

 

That's what I saw, along with comments about all their "shade" and acting like they'd scored a big win against him on Talking Dead. I doubt he gives much of a shit about them, especially as they still seem fine with following the show and giving it lots of publicity.

 

I've disliked showrunners but I try not to personally attack them, especially to the point of tagging them and sending them hate tweets and so on.

 

I wish they hadn't killed Beth off, but a part of me wishes he'd gone on Talking Dead and laughed at them. 

[Nashville]

It was a short, two sentence clip when they came back from a commercial break. 

 

 

That's what ~Team Delusional is claiming - that he realized how much he pissed off the fandom that he ran scared and didn't want to show his face on Talking Dead.

 

 

That's what I saw, along with comments about all their "shade" and acting like they'd scored a big win against him on Talking Dead. I doubt he gives much of a shit about them, especially as they still seem fine with following the show and giving it lots of publicity.

 

Seriously?

Their inflated sense of self-importance ranks right up there with FPP's.

And he's fucking fictional.

What's their excuse?

[callmebetty]

I've always thought watching this show what are the chances of always running into people who are full on Cray Cray and would beat, rape, kill and even eat you. But with the rise of the internet and message boards and what is truly in a lot of people's hearts and heads I guess in the apocalypse I can see why finding decent groups like CDB and Alexandria would be few and far between. It makes me scared for this world.

[TallulahBelle]

I wish they hadn't killed Beth off, but a part of me wishes he'd gone on Talking Dead and laughed at them. 

I'd have paid him good money to sit there and eat pudding with a spoon and not say a word.  Except then some of the more militant believers would have taken that as gospel proof that Beth will still be back next season.  I believe that he realised there was no time for him, not with MMB, NR and LJ on as well and frankly, he's right as far as I'm concerned.  I'd rather listen to MMB talk about Carol or NR's real voice (which - huzzah - you can actually understand!  Seriously, NR, the Daryl drawl is great, but stop fucking mumbling your god damn lines).  And LJ showing himself to be a massive geek, dropping Buffy into the conversation?? Sign me up for allllll of that, please and thank you.

Edited April 1, 2015 by TallulahBelle

[kj4ever]

Am I the only one who thought MMB was on something?  It was like she couldn't find words and kept tripping over herself in her speech?

[TallulahBelle]

I think she's naturally reticent and quiet - just based on her public appearances at cons and on TTD previously.  She's also been absolutely SLAMMED on twitter and treated appallingly by certain factions of fandom (some HORRIBLE things have been said about her on tumblr as well) in the last year and a bit, so I think she's started pulling back and being overly careful with what she says about anything connected with the show - I certainly saw a bit more hesitance than her last appearance but I don't think she was on anything, no.  I'm an unabashed Carol and MMB fan - I love how thoughtful she is and how much she clearly loves her character and her job - I'm super bummed that some dicks are trying to ruin it for her, so I was really pleased to see her on the show and also that Amelia (cosplay Carol) was there to show her how much she's loved.

[kikismom]

Am I the only one who thought MMB was on something?  It was like she couldn't find words and kept tripping over herself in her speech?

I saw an AL interview where he does the same thing, I think season 5/6 the media and fangirl thing has grown into a Frankenstein monster and you have to edit every thought coming out of your mouth. When you think about the people in the Bed and Breakfast where LJ was staying being made to sign confidentiality agreements, it would make me feel very unable to speak naturally.

Or, she was hopped up on goofballs.

[kj4ever]

I think she's naturally reticent and quiet - just based on her public appearances at cons and on TTD previously.  She's also been absolutely SLAMMED on twitter and treated appallingly by certain factions of fandom (some HORRIBLE things have been said about her on tumblr as well) in the last year and a bit, so I think she's started pulling back and being overly careful with what she says about anything connected with the show - I certainly saw a bit more hesitance than her last appearance but I don't think she was on anything, no.  I'm an unabashed Carol and MMB fan - I love how thoughtful she is and how much she clearly loves her character and her job - I'm super bummed that some dicks are trying to ruin it for her, so I was really pleased to see her on the show and also that Amelia (cosplay Carol) was there to show her how much she's loved.

I'm guessing these people don't pay much attention to social media, or shouldn't.  I'm a big fan too, whether she was tanked up or not :)  Seemed like she was juiced to me.

[kikismom]

I'm not sure if I am allowed to mention TTD here so if I break a forum rule please forgive me. But I was very intrigued by the letter Chris read at the end that indicated that humans will not be the biggest threat next season. Does that mean the Wolves are not that big of a threat? Or are the wolves not viewed as fully human? Or is a mutant zombie coming? Something worse? I'm not making it to next season.

We'll need a new Herschel:

 

"You space bastard, you ate my family! Take that, you mutated son-of-a-bitch"

[English Teacher]

I was intrigued by Gimples letter. If humans won't be the biggest. threat in the new season, does this mean the wolves aren't a big threat? Is he not viewing them as human? Mutant zombies? Another virus? Aliens?

[morgankobi]

I kinda tuned out that bit, to be honest. Can someone tell me what exactly the line said? (I love semantics!)

[kj4ever]

I was intrigued by Gimples letter. If humans won't be the biggest. threat in the new season, does this mean the wolves aren't a big threat? Is he not viewing them as human? Mutant zombies? Another virus? Aliens?

He said something like power and how people handle that power which is really interesting.  We all know that when Carol was handed power before she murdered two people who were sick.  I think it could be interesting to see what her character will do if the group comes out of this in control of the community.

 

I mean she couldn't stand the fact that Olivia would only let her have a 1/4 of a chocolate bar with the rationing system and not only took some herself, but had Sam steal more.  That's just a little rule.  She had this air of she knows better then everyone else, so I'm fascinated what she will do next season if they take over.

[lulee]

Here's what Gimple said,

 

“Season 6 for a good while now, humans have been the bigger threat. At the start of our next season, that will change. I said the show reinvents itself every 8 eps, and we’re doing it again, friendos. Now that these characters know they have what it takes to survive, what are they going to do with that power? How will they choose to live? Beyond answering those questions, we’re currently putting into motion some of our most ambitious stuff yet, and things are going to get very big, loud and scary.”

[English Teacher]

Thank you for the recap of the dialogue! I think in a first-hear (and no read!) I separated our group from the threat because he specified humans. But, yes; the power dynamic will be VERY interesting to see. I think I was hoping for something more aside from that. :-)

[kikismom]

Here's what Gimple said,

He really wrote "friendos"?

[lulee]

Apparently

[ghoulina]

Hmmm, I could take that to mean outside humans, other humans - like maybe the biggest problems next season come from within. Group dynamics and power struggles. 

 

 

Orrrr....maybe the walkers and/virus mutate in some way, making humans much vulnerable to them than they have been. I really liked the flu storyline at the beginning of season 4, because it was something much different from what we'd seen before. 

[Nashville]

Hmmm, I could take that to mean outside humans, other humans - like maybe the biggest problems next season come from within. Group dynamics and power struggles. 

 

Don't think so - Gimple appears to be specifically alluding to an other-than-human threat.

 

Orrrr....maybe the walkers and/virus mutate in some way, making humans much vulnerable to them than they have been. I really liked the flu storyline at the beginning of season 4, because it was something much different from what we'd seen before.

THIS is the path down which my diseased little brain chose to wend. Whether it be through mutation, or accumulation in a host to some "critical mass" or tipping-point level, we've already seen one significant shift in the Zombie Virus since the start of the ZA. If the ZV is that active, perhaps it's overdue for another...?

• ZV1: Virus exists external to host. Only spread through direct exposure (bites/scratches); kills, then activated upon death.
• ZV2: Virus already resident in hosts. Same activation path as ZV1; in addition, host-resident virus activates upon death, even if from natural causes.

So - assuming another mutation, or sufficient ZV virus accumulations in hosts to reach yet another tipping point, what are the possibilities for ZV3?

One really juicy possibility which comes to MY mind is the virus no longer having to wait for death to activate - it could spontaneously go active in a living host, and start changing people to walkers while they're still alive. Perhaps in conjunction with another condition - a cold, flu, or other illness/infection which weakens the host's immune system. Which opens up even MORE possibilities; would the person have to be deathly ill, or could they turn from a hangnail?

Thoughts?

[morgankobi]

My thoughts are you are fucked in the head because if dying and coming back to life wasn't scary enough, for both the person dying and the people around them, imagine how terrifying zombies randomly popping up with no warning would be.

 

i think I love you.

 

I ship you guys now.

 

A new mutation is a great idea. There seems to be no indication that there will be a power struggle in ASZ, as I think that was over the moment Deanna said, "Do it!"

 

What if those Unfair Wolves have figured out even more ways to use and control zombies? That could be a game-changer, but just until they are defeated. I like Nashville's ideas because that would be a constant issue that they couldn't defeat, it would require re-learning how to live in their world.

 

ETA: this is good stuff; is there an easy way to copy it all into the spec. thread?

Edited April 2, 2015 by morgankobi