S06.E15: East

[kelslamu]

So the people Rick saw in the woods as they were driving were who?  I would have thought they would have shot the car or something.  Someone must kill the blond idiot now, please.  

[Mattipoo]

I hate Dwight and hope he dies in the finale. That is all.

[Boofish]

 

I also like the fact Dwight is a talented team leader. We keep talking about the mistakes made by Rick's group, when it's also true that Negan's people are quite capable themselves and obviously better organized. Rick group is good, but so far they were a big fish in a small pond, in the real world there is always someone as good as you if not better.

Yet every time Rick's group has outsmarted them one way or another and they end up dead. They may be organized and I'm guessing they will get the upper hand eventually but so far the score is 100 to 1. The only person they have managed to kill was Denise. Based on intelligence gathered just up until the last episode if we are kick ball captains I'm snatching up as much CDB members as I can. You can have Eugene and Morgan and I will take Judith if they are the last picks LOL :)

Edited March 30, 2016 by Boofish

[SimoneS]

Yet every time Rick's group has outsmarted them one way or another and they end up dead. They may be organized and I'm guessing they will get the upper hand eventually but so far the score is 100 to 1. The only person they have managed to kill was Denise. 

 

It is unbelievable that Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, and Rosita, four of the most competent people in Rick's group, would be so distracted and incompetent that they would get captured in those woods. Gimple had to dumb them down for it to happen.

 

The only real advantage that I see Negan's people having so far is that there is more of them so even those Rick's people keep killing them, they keep coming. Having more people and being wiling to sacrifice them is a substantial advantage over Rick who has fewer people and will go the distance to save his people.

Edited March 30, 2016 by SimoneS

[AngelaHunter]

It is unbelievable that Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, and Rosita, four of the most competent people in Rick's group, would be so distracted and incompetent that they would get captured in those woods.

 

What I also found unbelievable is that sensible, pragmatic Rosita  would choose to trail after Daryl. I can't recall ever seeing them within shouting distance of each other, never mind having a conversation about anything.

[Boofish]

I think anger, sadness and rage is clouding their better judgement. I like that flaws are showing - I can relate to that. They are feeling brave and invisible with good reason. Almost always the brave make the worst decisions which is how the villain is able to preserver even if it is temporary. The wake up call t is coming and I have a feeling those left standing will know better next time. 

[SimoneS]

What I also found unbelievable is that sensible, pragmatic Rosita  would choose to trail after Daryl. I can't recall ever seeing them within shouting distance of each other, never mind having a conversation about anything.

 

I can buy Rosita sharing Daryl's anger and guilt over Denise being killed right in front of them causing her to after him. Now I think about it, Glenn did dumbly chase after Nicholas without telling anyone he was leaving Alexandria so maybe going after Daryl isn't such a stretch. Michonne though, she has pretty much chained to Rick and Carl since leaving the prison. I find it impossible to believe that she would go after Daryl without telling Rick.

[catcory]

I rewatched the episode last night and of course caught things I missed the first time.  When Rick finds out that Glenn, Michonne and Rosita have gone after Daryl he throws his hands up in the air, like WTH, so I was surprised that Maggie did not let him know since she was there when they left.  That is when he says, "no one else is leaving". Then of course him and Morgan left and I screamed at the TV, "hey Rick, I thought you said no one else is leaving", haha!!

 

Glenn looked so sad the entire episode and his monologue just before him and Michonne got caught was so even sadder and he looked so dejected.

 

I love Morgan but his trying to justify that all life is precious with saving that Wolf, no, just no.  And I want to know who would be telling Morgan all this stuff about Carol.  But I did laugh about the protein bar.

 

I was not happy about the way Abraham treated Rosita so I was not thrilled when his focus turned to Sasha, but I did soften just a bit when he told her that 30 years would not be enough time together.  But I really gave him a second look when Rick was with him at the gate and he understood what Rick was feeling at that moment, not knowing if the woman he loves is OK.  And Rick my heart broke for him to be so worried about Michonne.

Edited March 30, 2016 by catcory

[Raven1707]

I haven't had a chance to catch up to the thread, but the Sunday Cable Ratings are in for Episode 615, “East”:

 

 

The Easter lows that afflicted broadcast shows on Sunday carried over to cable in some cases as well. “The Walking Dead” led the day with a 5.8 rating in adults 18-49, but that was down 0.2 from the previous week and a season low for the show. [12.384 million viewers]

 

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/03/29/sunday-cable-ratings-march-27-2016/

 

Here are the Live +SD Ratings for Season 6 so far:

 

10-11-15 "First Time Again" 14.633 million viewers
10-18-15 "JSS" 12.183 million viewers
10-25-15 "Thank You" 13.143 million viewers
11-01-15 "Here's Not Here" 13.339 million viewers
11-08-15 "Now" 12.440 million viewers
11-15-15 "Always Accountable" 12.871 million viewers
11-22-15 "Heads Up" 13.224 million viewers
11-29-15 "Start to Finish" 13.981 million viewers

 

02-14-16 "No Way Out" 13.742 million viewers
02-21-16 "The Next World" 13.483 million viewers
02-28-16 "Knots Untie" 12.794 million viewers
03-06-16 "Not Tomorrow Yet" 12.816 million viewers
03-13-16 "The Same Boat" 12.350 million viewers
03-20-16 "Twice As Far" 12.696 million viewers
03-27-16 "East"12.384 million viewers

[AngelaHunter]

I was not happy about the way Abraham treated Rosita so I was not thrilled when his focus turned to Sasha, but I did soften just a bit when he told her that 30 years would not be enough time together.

 

I had no problem with him leaving Rosita. After all, we can't help who we fall in love with. It was the way he did it, crudely dismissing her as though she were some hooker he'd picked up a few days ago. Not a single shit was given to her feelings. I know the pickings are slim in AZ, but Sasha?  Abraham? Really?

 

I can buy Rosita sharing Daryl's anger and guilt over Denise being killed right in front of them causing her to after him.

 

Yeah, maybe. And maybe her anger over being dumped by the likes of Abe is clouding her judgement.

[rab01]

AngelaHunter - I think that's exactly right; Rosita might not have gone if Abe hadn't volunteered. Abe was a shit in every aspect of his dealings with Rosita. But, in Sasha's defense, she didn't see the conversation so all she knows is that Abe broke it off completely.

 

As an aside, I wonder whether Abe can function without a woman "to fight for." As soon as his wife died, he was ready to eat a bullet. When he fell out of love with Rosita, he was screaming at walkers from 6 inches away. He doesn't value his own life enough to protect it; he needs a "mission" or a "damsel in distress."  (Hell, he might not have fallen in love with Sasha if she weren't near suicidal last season.)

 

One thing I liked about the plot of this episode (and yeah, it's slim pickings) is that the show made it clear that Alexandria is preparing for all out war and defense in depth and that Maggie is leading the planning for it. Rick's pretty good under fire but planning beforehand has never been his strong suit. I like that the show spent some time and bits of dialogue to prep us for them possibly having a few tricks up their sleeves when shit goes down.

Edited March 30, 2016 by rab01

[ShadowSixx]

I think it's a combination of the group feeling over confident and the characters allowing themselves to feel again since they are not under extreme survival mood anymore. They all misjudged Negan and his group. They all allowed some carelessness to enter their life since they were feeling optimistic. While some charterers found time for love, some characters like Carol and Daryl got emotionally worse since they were not stable to begin with.

 

I never understood the old criticism about the show saying that Daryl was portrayed as a perfect superman or even as iconic as Michonne. A consistent through the show has been that he is not the best when it comes to hand combat. He can be an asshole and irrational. I think the blind spot for the group right now, is that Rick is not there to balance him.

 

Watching Daryl over the six seasons I still don't have an attachment to the character like I don't care whether he's killed or not and not part of the "If Daryl dies we riot" because the character really isn't essential to any plot or anything like that. His progression is so slow because he's still this lone wolf type of character and the only thing he's added to his character is stinkiness from not showering. Maybe the writers made a mistake in killing off all characters that Daryl grow close too so that there can be some growth and development to him, also could have had Daryl and Carol have more scenes together as well. Also could have had Daryl and Aaron have more scenes together as well but then that probably would have spelled DOOM for Aaron which I don't want Aaron to die.

 

Daryl hasn't progressed much IMO like Rick, Carl, Michonne, & Maggie. Carl started off as an annoying asshat that couldn't get killed off fast enough for me but he's developed and growed, Michonne started off quiet and standoffish to now being an essential part of the group and learning of her backstory and what all she lost, and Maggie suffering the most onscreen is more brave and helps ASZ stay organized. Plus these characters interacted with other characters to help flesh them out. Daryl's interactions are always most of the time minimum cause he goes back to his lone wolf thing.

 

If Daryl was going to jet off like that looking for Dwight he should have at least came up with a cover story like going out on runs. Michonne did it when she was out searching for the Governor, she would say she's out on runs looking for supplies when in reality she was out searching for the Governor but she came back with things like comic books and chocolate bars for Carl. She also did it by herself and when she said she was out on runs nobody in the group worried or went after her because they know she can take care of herself. Daryl jetting off in front of basically everyone he had to know that it would cause for concern and that people will go searching for him to make sure he's okay. 

 

What also makes Michonne a key figure is that she has great instincts, she felt uncomfortable around Woodbury and didn't feel it was right and she was correct. When they arrived in ASZ Rick wasn't so sure about it but Michonne felt good about the place and she was once again correct in her instincts. Daryl is just too irrational and ready to just dive head first into things which has gotten him in trouble on more than one occasion which you think he would learn from this behavior.

 

Before Carol left I wish she would have told Daryl that she'll leave the group if Daryl doesn't get his ass in the shower.

[ghoulina]

If you're referring to the "zombie awakening" images which were flickering around between Shane's death and his re-animation:

I've always had the extremely strong impression that before he left, Darabont was setting up the show to explore the possibility of the zombies incorporating some sort of hive-mind intelligence - as greater numbers of them bunched together, the whole herd could collectively become more intelligent.  (Did FD ever confirm this?)
I think the show may have still been running off the last of Frank Darabont's notes to finish out Season 2 - so they may have added in some FD-noted "zombie awakening" elements without really focusing on their significance, other than some cool not-quite-subliminal imagery.

 

I don't recall Darabont ever mentioning that, but I was getting a similar vibe as well. There seemed to be some interesting stuff being set up in the first 2 seasons, with the herds and the way they would travel. But not much really ever came of it. Well, other than, big fucking pack of zombies, RUN! I get sad when I think about what the show might be like if Darabont was still running things. 

[catcory]

I just can't see any way that they will ever get Daryl in the shower.

 

One of my favorite scenes is the one of Michonne riding the horse up to the prison, she looked magnificent.  I just loved how she rode up and both Carl and Rick saw her and opened the gate for her and she brought presents for both of them.  I saw an interview that Danei, Andy and the rest of the gang did with Katie Couric and they discussed that scene and she mentioned how she thought it was be fine because she had been on a horse as a child at a children's party.  But when she saw the horse she was terrified.  But Andy assured the audience that she was amazing on the horse.

Edited March 30, 2016 by catcory

[peach]

I'm no doctor, but to me she seems, and has seemed for awhile, to be mentally ill/severely depressed - the kind of depression that requires hospitalization. I think Rick is disturbed too, just not to the same degree.

 

I agree.  Think back to her conversation with Daryl in Consumed, when she talked about her self burning away.  And the next self burns away...  I wish there was more interaction between them this season.

 

Carol is so much different from the others because she never had a normal life before the ZA.  She was a beaten down SAHM, who certainly didn't have a normal social life.  Then she got thrown into this nightmare, lost her daughter, and then became a killer.  So now she's supposed to play house with Tobin and have a "normal" life?  I can see how she would be at the end of her rope. She was struggling so much before this point, like when she was going to take off the last time, after Terminus.  Daryl is the only one who can understand.  But even he doesn't know about Lizzie.

[AngelaHunter]

But, in Sasha's defense, she didn't see the conversation so all she knows is that Abe broke it off completely.

 

No, she didn't, but still, her choosing Hellboy messes up my brain. I wonder if she knows that one of her duties to her new lover-boy involves razors and dolphin smoothness. Oh god, I just grossed myself out.

 

Carol is so much different from the others because she never had a normal life before the ZA.

 

This is true. She doesn't have any happy, normal memories to summon when things get bad.

[ShadowSixx]

I wanna take Sasha's gun from her and smack her with it. I rather she tried hooking up with Father Gabriel than Abe, I rather she be a lesbian and hook up with Tara before Abe, I rather she hold her nose and sleep with Daryl before getting with Abe, I rather she sneak off to hilltop and get some Jesus, I rather she be a homewrecker and try to get with Rick or Glenn before Abe, y'all get my point now lol. Hell Sasha follow this motto, "When you ain't gotta man, you gotta hand". 

I just can't see any way that they will ever get Daryl in the shower.

 

One of my favorite scenes is the one of Michonne riding the horse up to the prison, she looked magnificent.  I just loved how she rode up and both Carl and Rick saw her and opened the gate for her and she brought presents for both of them.  I saw an interview that Danei, Andy and the rest of the gang did with Katie Couric and they discussed that scene and she mentioned how she thought it was be fine because she had been on a horse as a child at a children's party.  But when she saw the horse she was terrified.  But Andy assured the audience that she was amazing on the horse

 

You know what I would do if I live in ASZ. If any of y'all are familiar with that film "The People Under the Stairs" by Wes Craven. That scene where that mother forced her daughter in a hot bathtub and scrubbed her down, that's what I would be doing to Daryl lol.

[catcory]

Oh hell to the no, if Sasha was to even come near Rick, Michonne would whip out her katana and put the fear of God into her, no one is going to be messing around with Michonne's man.

[NoWillToResist]

also, Carol righteously takes down that group all by herself, but then doesn't make sure they're all dead? Okay, sure.  Not to mention she clearly is fine killing others to defend herself. She's not willing to just give up and die. So why couldn't she do it IN the group? I don't have any problem buying that she's going through some kind of crisis. But this just doesn't feel authentic or consistent.

 

Maybe I'm just naive, but I believed Carol's tears with the redheaded chick on the kill Floor and her tears here with Negan's crew. I don't think she's faking that she doesn't want to kill anymore. In BOTH cases, she fucking BEGGED the aggressors to simply leave. And I genuinely believe that if they'd done so, she would have left them alone.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that Carol murdered at the Kill Floor when the woman threatened Maggie's baby and murdered Negan's crew when they said they were going to pay Alexandria a visit. Despite her earlier assertions, she DOES love enough to kill. And I think that’s why she left. Because she doesn’t want to kill anymore but, despite that preference, she will put a fucker down if her family is threatened. I don’t think she killed to save herself. IIRC, she started crying when they talked about visiting Alexandria. She’s not dumb; she knows what that means. She killed for those she left at ASZ.

 

I will be beyond pissed and call shenanigans if she’s not on her way back to Alexandria right now to warn her family that Negan’s crew know about Alexandria and will be visiting imminently. I guess both cars were fucked by the gunfire and that’s why she didn’t take one of the cars?

 

Everything else in this episode was criminally stupid and/or boring. No fewer than THREE strong fighters went after Daryl’s petulant ass despite being on high alert for Negan’s crew? Fuck off. No seriously, just fuck off. Daryl is actually going to be responsible for the death of someone who came after him, isn’t he? And that will just add more joy to the wallowing vat of suck he’s become. Ugh. I absolutely hate it when characters act OOC and stupid to facilitate a plot point

.

At least Carol had the decency to ask people to leave her alone and respect her decision to leave. Daryl just got on his noise-maker and huffed off in self-righteous indignation and contrived guilt without even TRYING to get people to leave him to his stupid choices

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

So, let me see if I can sum up this episode as quickly as possible......

 

-  Carol leaves after some thought, then kept going after she fought.

-  Rick got busy, then left in a tizzy.

-  Daryl thinks about memories, stopping he can not... then he went got his dumb ass shot.

-  Glenn & Michonne ran after Daryl from their spots, that resulted in getting them left tied up in knots.

-  Rosita couldn't handle Abe moving on, so she went trailing after a moron.

-  Morgan is looking for Carol not too far ahead, but if he finds her he might find himself dead.

-  Maggie got a new haircut, and then experienced massive pains in her gut.

-  Enid is doing her part for less than nickles, but damn she still got pickles.

[Andromeda]

If only we could be that fortunate.

 

The moral to this episode is if you run off like a damn fool in the zombie apocalypse, nobody should go hunting for you.

SO MUCH THIS. Can't these people talk to each other instead? Or, if you can't bring yourself to actually talk to someone else, because every conversation ends up in baring your soul with these people, how about a sign-out board, at the very least, so they know who is outside and why? This is not the regular world, people! You can't just run off whenever. Idiots (including Carol, who KNEW they'd come after her. Why not explain in person?!)

 

I was pretty bored... WAY too much contemplative talking. The deep emotion-revealing conversations they keep having... Slow, slow, slow... No one talks like that -- hardly ever, and certainly not all the time.

 

Some idiot actually managed to sneak up on Daryl in the woods? Since when?

Edited March 30, 2016 by Andromeda

[AngelaHunter]

I wanna take Sasha's gun from her and smack her with it. I rather she tried hooking up with Father Gabriel than Abe, I rather she be a lesbian and hook up with Tara before Abe, I rather she hold her nose and sleep with Daryl before getting with Abe, I rather she sneak off to hilltop and get some Jesus, I rather she be a homewrecker and try to get with Rick or Glenn before Abe, y'all get my point now lol. Hell Sasha follow this motto, "When you ain't gotta man, you gotta hand".

 

I had to quote the whole thing, because hell, yes, to all of it. Here's a man whose wife apparently felt that offing herself was a better option than spending the rest of her life isolated with him yet now he can can get not one, but two attractive, smart, capable women who want him. The ZA certainly has been advantageous to some. Sasha, dear - if you're that desperate I'm pretty sure there's a few untouched, grotty sex stores where you could pick up a deluxe vibrator that would be more fun and more gratifying (at least it's not going to yak about turds and Bisquick after it's done its job) than Yosemite Sam. I have a feeling he's not all that good in that department anyway.

[Andromeda]

If Maggie is indeed in early stages of losing the baby there is very little than can be done at this point in her pregnancy, even if she had access to a hospital and the best OB--GYN around. 

 

I keep reminding myself that none of the captured people know that Carol is even missing. And seriously, Daryl? Never mind the fact you didn't hear people sneaking up behind you...Glenn was practically strangling himself on his gag and shaking his head NO at you. *sighs*

I know I'm more worried that no doctor will be around to make sure she's fully cleaned out after the miscarriage. If not, there could be infection and other problems developing.

 

I agree, it was weird that Daryl didn't even look behind him. That was intended to make it a surprise for us, but it took Daryl out of character to do it.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Andromeda

[kia112]

Abe did much to redeem himself (in my eyes) when he attempted to talk Rick down from his quiet panic over Michonne's absence at the end. He was so perceptive and kind; light years away from how he ended things with Rosita.

[jsbt]

A few things:

 

The Johnny Cash(?) montage with Alexandria and the various couples was very well done, as these sort of things often are on the show. The shower scene with Glenn and Maggie is also one of very few times I can remember seeing an Asian-American male in as explicitly hot a scene as that on mainstream TV. Richonne in bed, well, hot as always.

 

The whole Let's Get Daryl knockaround caper was one of the first times on this show, believe it or not, where I couldn't at least somewhat relate to and sympathize with the gang's actions and was like, 'come fucking on.' I couldn't believe Rosita enabled that and I couldn't believe they let Daryl walk away. None of them have time to be fucking around (Daryl included) given the current state of things. They know better.

 

Then there is Rosita. I've come to like Rosita quite a bit, though I think they need to develop her more. I wouldn't be angry if she cacked it next week but I would think it's a shame they didn't do more. Part of the issue is that there is a constant drive on the part of the show and I expect a push from AMC/Robert Kirkman to keep introducing more and more new characters from the source material. I find that the show tends to remix those various comic storylines and characters pretty well, but there's still a burnout rate for a lot of people who could do more, be more - Beth died right when I felt she was coming into her own but we got other characters, Denise will inevitably give way to someone new, Tyreese was out of place. Gabriel and Rosita are coming into their own, but when are they next? I could use a few more surprises. So I'd keep her around a while to grow into a bigger character, as Tara, Sasha, Eugene, etc. have done. I think the show does the best with the constant demand and expectation that they can.

 

I have grown to like Abraham quite a bit, despite the comic book musclemale vernacular they (again) seem to be forced to write him with. (Eugene's grown on me the same way, in large part due to his relationships with the women.) It's come to work as Abe's own language for me for the most part excepting when he's still obnoxious - I softened on him a lot in 6A during his solo episode with Sasha, when he declared himself to her in a fairly humble way. Michael Cudlitz is such a great actor that he sells whatever Abraham does, and he was great with Rick.

 

Re: the Saviors and where this is all going. I do think the show needs to stop retreading certain beats - kill or don't kill, the ethics therein - but I think Carol's conflict is important because it's portrayed as an internal thing, whereas Morgan's just feels tired and often sanctimonious. If they treated in a different way, more internal, more unconventional as opposed to him speechifying on the corner I'd be more open to it. I also think the show is always trying to evolve and often does so, but it still is expected to bring in Storyline A or Character B within that trajectory. And sometimes those characters rehash material they don't have to. I liked Morgan's final scene with Rick and I thought the character had dignity, and I'm intrigued by him having more with Carol. But I also think he has to find a better medium than the current gridlocked state of affairs. Otherwise it's just retreading.

 

The other issue is that we've also had a series of crazy life-threatening lunatic hordes turn up over the last two years - Terminus, the Wolves (who I originally thought were Negan's crew because they seemed so similar), now the Saviors. Except for Negan and the cannibals none of them can really be differentiated. Unless they go for the truly bizarre villains of Kirkman's later arc I can't see what the next play is - I think they have to do more than just go for another round of "Battle with the Even More Awful People XVII". And I think the show wants to do more, and is always trying to innovate within its various demands and preconditions. I'm just not sure what that is. To me it's more worldbuilding, more community, more looking to a larger future, even if that is (God forbid) a why behind the plague, coupled with different kinds of villains. But there also will always have to be action and more flesh for the meat grinder; that's the nature of the program. I think the show can go on for a long time, but it has to not keep circling the same character or moral dilemmas which (to me) made the comic so tiresome so quickly. I don't think it's nearly as nihilistic or juvenile as the source material; I think it believes in a future and I think it succeeds in whatever it attempts far more often than it fails. I just think it still has room for improvement while also being, for my money, better than it has any right to be.

Edited March 31, 2016 by jsbt

[AnnaMayWong]

Abe+Sasha=okay

 I believe that Sasha is being sidelined and diminished by both viewers and Show Staff.

Sasha has been through shit and other vile, tenterhook situations with CDB for a lengthy time, yet she's being routinely dismissed IMO. For instance, recently, upon listing 'important' second-tiered(Rick, Carl, Michonne, and one or two others) Group members, Sasha is routinely omitted, but Rosita is listed(?).

Apparently, and, to me, unfortunately, quite a bit of this...is seemingly due to Rosita Fascination by...*

...despite Rosita being most definitely no more competent (*and no more attractive* ) than Sasha.

[Anela]

I wondered if Carol was afraid that she would freeze, and be unable to kill for someone (again) due to her state of mind. She's managed to kill again so far, but I think it would really end her if someone else died because she was suddenly unable to protect them (like the baby). 

 

Just because she's managing it right now, that doesn't mean that she'll be able to keep it up. 

Edited March 31, 2016 by Anela

[AngelaHunter]

I believe that Sasha is being sidelined and diminished by both viewers and Show Staff.

 

But Sasha was given much more range, evolution and story than Rosita has had. She fell in love, endured traumas, losses, breakdown (quite a bit of time was spent on that) and lately her rejoining the world of the living (and the dead). We know nothing about Rosita and up until now she's been pretty one-dimensional, limited to mostly being badass and not much else. She's never even showed emotion, as far as I remember.  For quite a few episodes, Rosita appeared very cartoonish, to me at least, in a silly (and revealing) "urban guerilla fantasy" costume. As for who is more attractive - as a woman, their looks and anatomies do nothing for me so my observations are apart from that.

[AnnaMayWong]

...perhaps, the term 'good-looking' is more appropriate than 'attractive' as women (and men) often use that description and other similar vocabulary upon describing other women whenever whoever deems it apt since the determining basis on looks is more subjective than objective. And, also the use of 'good-looking' doesn't necessarily imply that physical looks, charisma,...has to ' 'do something for someone' sexually or otherwise.

I do gree that Rosita's outfits use to be very deliberately cartoonishly 'revealing' adhering to the Graphic Novel portrayal just as Abe's look is based on that same cartoonish matrix.

In addition, I do understand that some desire a Rosita Backstory Telling and a Rosita Character Expansion.

_____

ETA: (...however, the prime focus of my ABOVE⬆ posting is my view about Sasha.)

...

Edited March 31, 2016 by BookElitist

[jsbt]

I don't think Sasha's been shortchanged so much as she's taking her turn out of the spotlight. She got a lot of time and development over the last couple years (and some in 6A as well) and now they seem to be exploring Abraham's perspective of that story. I think it's a natural rotation given the massive size of the cast, but that doesn't mean I don't always want more of her. I frankly didn't think she'd last beyond Season 3, I thought she would fill the role of Comic Tyreese's daughter(?) and be offed to amp up his drama.

Edited March 31, 2016 by jsbt

[AnnaMayWong]

I understand your perspective and point.

[AngelaHunter]

And, also the use of 'good-looking' doesn't necessarily imply that physical looks, charisma,...has to ' 'do something for someone' sexually or otherwise.

 

I agree. I was just addressing your mention of their "attractiveness."

 

I think it's a natural rotation given the massive size of the cast

 

Exactly. Only so much time can be spent on one person's tribulations and back stories. It seems to me that Sasha's arc has pretty much been played out satisfactorily.

[Nashville]

So, let me see if I can sum up this episode as quickly as possible......

 

-  Carol leaves after some thought, then kept going after she fought.

-  Rick got busy, then left in a tizzy.

-  Daryl thinks about memories, stopping he can not... then he went got his dumb ass shot.

-  Glenn & Michonne ran after Daryl from their spots, that resulted in getting them left tied up in knots.

-  Rosita couldn't handle Abe moving on, so she went trailing after a moron.

-  Morgan is looking for Carol not too far ahead, but if he finds her he might find himself dead.

-  Maggie got a new haircut, and then experienced massive pains in her gut.

-  Enid is doing her part for less than nickles, but damn she still got pickles.

Quoted because one Like just ain't enough.

[ShadowSixx]

I had to quote the whole thing, because hell, yes, to all of it. Here's a man whose wife apparently felt that offing herself was a better option than spending the rest of her life isolated with him yet now he can can get not one, but two attractive, smart, capable women who want him. The ZA certainly has been advantageous to some. Sasha, dear - if you're that desperate I'm pretty sure there's a few untouched, grotty sex stores where you could pick up a deluxe vibrator that would be more fun and more gratifying (at least it's not going to yak about turds and Bisquick after it's done its job) than Yosemite Sam. I have a feeling he's not all that good in that department anyway.

 

I would have to agree about Abe not being that great in bed. Earlier season when they showed Rosita and Abe having sex, they were having a conversation and it wasn't even dirty talk. They were talking, I'm sorry but when you normally having sex, it's not accompanied by "Are you going to the grocery store tomorrow?" Sex can't be that great if you're carrying on a conversation or if you sound monotone lol.

[RedheadZombie]

Whatever happened to the Imgur photo recaps?

 

 

 

1. It was kind of glossed over, but I'm pretty certain on their initial trip to Hilltop Jesus told them their destination was over 50 miles away to the west, and the drive would take over an hour

 

I swear Jesus said Hilltop was a "day's drive" away, and it's why I never understand the comments about Hilltop's doctor taking over for Denise.  Did I completely make that up?

 

I think it's a combination of the group feeling over confident and the characters allowing themselves to feel again since they are not under extreme survival mood anymore. They all misjudged Negan and his group. They all allowed some carelessness to enter their life since they were feeling optimistic. While some charterers found time for love, some characters like Carol and Daryl got emotionally worse since they were not stable to begin with.

 

I never understood the old criticism about the show saying that Daryl was portrayed as a perfect superman or even as iconic as Michonne. A consistent through the show has been that he is not the best when it comes to hand combat. He can be an asshole and irrational. I think the blind spot for the group right now, is that Rick is not there to balance him.

 

Over confidence is a killer.  The first time I went to NYC, my cousin and I carefully studied the subway maps.  After two days of zipping up and down Manhattan, we got a little cocky.  We found ourselves in Brooklyn, hopped another train and found ourselves in Queens, and missed the first half hour of the opening night of The Nutcracker.  It was stupidity, but no one's life was at stake.  The ZA is an extremely dangerous place, and I don't understand why CDB can't be placed in perilous situations that weren't created by their own stupidity.  The last time I remember a non-stupid perilous moment, is back when they were scavenging at the store when the roof of walkers caved in.

 

Regarding Daryl, I found him perilously close to being a Mary Sue in seasons three and four.  He risked his life for baby formula (as did Maggie, but she's never gotten credit), then mixed it like a pro before snatching Judith out of her new brother's arms, and feeding her her first bottle.  When he abandoned CDB to be with his brother Merle, it was Daryl swooping in to save the day as Rick was about to be chomped.  Then season four opened with the old Woodbury crew treating Daryl like a super hero, and lauding him with high fives.  At some point he saved Carol - can't remember which season.  Then when all hell broke loose d/t the flu, Daryl swooped in, snatched a child from the jaw's of death, and almost single-handedly saved everyone.  I think he also managed to miraculously toss someone a gun while he was saving the child.  It was so over the top, that I was frankly shocked that Tyreese got to save the three girls.  I thought surely that was a Daryl task.  And I loved how rattled and scared Tyreese was while doing it.  I remember thinking that Daryl would have simply held one girl in his spare arm, had another strapped to his back, and balanced Judith on his head whilst ensuring their safety.  He's no longer the Mary Sue, but his miraculous feats have been continued by Rick and sometimes Glenn.

 

1. I do have to make one observation, however: about the only times Daryl leaves himself so vulnerable is when he has other CDB/Alexandria people around distracting him.  The only time Daryl ever got tagged solo (apart from Andrea shooting him) was with the Claimers, and that wasn't Daryl hunting - that was Daryl running flat-out down the road in pursuit of the Grady RapeMobile which had just taken Beth.

 

Didn't Daryl impale himself on his own bolt?  Surely that's up there with Lori having a car accident on a car-less road.  I don't like a character doing something stupid simply for plot purposes (unless it's been established that person is stupid).  Like when Daryl answered the door like he thought it was a pizza delivery, and found an entire herd of loudly moaning walkers waiting to be invited in.

 

As an aside, I wonder whether Abe can function without a woman "to fight for." As soon as his wife died, he was ready to eat a bullet. When he fell out of love with Rosita, he was screaming at walkers from 6 inches away. He doesn't value his own life enough to protect it; he needs a "mission" or a "damsel in distress."  (Hell, he might not have fallen in love with Sasha if she weren't near suicidal last season.)

 

You're on to something here, but I would argue that Abe needs someone to fight for, not simply a woman.  After all, it wasn't a woman screaming for help that made Abe take his gun out of his mouth. 

[AngelaHunter]

I'm sorry but when you normally having sex, it's not accompanied by "Are you going to the grocery store tomorrow?"

 

Seriously. I mean, I might have mundane thoughts like that but would never say them out loud - unless I were with Abe, when things like, "Are you done?" and "Can we eat now?" might pop out of my mouth.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Seriously. I mean, I might have mundane thoughts like that but would never say them out loud - unless I were with Abe, when things like, "Are you done?" and "Can we eat now?" might pop out of my mouth.

 

Oh come on, everyone knows Abe gets tail by the boatload when he leads with "hey, how 'bout a bisquickie?" with a gruff leer.  And if that doesn't do it for a woman, he quips (dolphin) smoothly "why don't you come on over here and I'll scratch that itchy loose-ended ass a'yours".

[SharonH58]

'Cause I got one hand in my pocket and the other one is a deadly ma'cine gun!

You choose!

[EllenC]

I kept forgetting to post that last week's Rick-Morgan car ride was intentionally a callback to Rick and Shane in the car taking Randall away to leave him, a plan which of course went awry, per Talking Dead (which you shouldn't have to watch to understand -- but I actually had wondered that during the show and was surprised to be right). With Rick in Shane's seat now, read into that all that you will (a never-ending theme of what they're willing to do and can come back from, etc.).

 

I'm so confused about Morgan at this point though -- demonstrated by the fact that I like posts that say really contradictory things about him, I think-- and sad about that fact. 

 

Like so many others, I think his story has fallen shorter than it should have. Partly because of the number of characters and, thus, the disjointed storytelling. Partly because, I think, he has remained such a loner. He really hasn't interacted a lot with anyone other than Rick or Carol. Morgan should have been talking more to Carl, Aaron and Daryl that he rescued, someone? Glenn? Or even a few more casual interactions with various characters. Since he hasn't, that makes him seem more preachy and less real.

[wrlord]

So the people Rick saw in the woods as they were driving were who?  I would have thought they would have shot the car or something.  Someone must kill the blond idiot now, please.  

I don't think zombies are able to fire automatic weapons.