Spoilers and Speculation

[SnarkyTart]

2 hours ago, AngelaHunter said:

Any credit would be too much credit.

Okay, so who's boycotting this Sunday night? *raises hand* and "I ain't kiddin' neither."

Just think, if everyone refused to tune in how it would knock the smug smiles off all those people congratulating themselves for the genuis they feel they've displayed.  

Sadly, this would only work if the person doing the boycotting was a Nielson household whose viewing habits were being tracked or reported.   If I was a Nielson household, I absolutely would join you in sitting this one out.  As it is, I'll probably record it or watch it just so I know what you all are talking about.  The posts about this show are WAY more entertaining than the show has been since season 4.

[peach]

I'm not really "boycotting" in protest or anything.  I just have zero desire to watch it.  I was already checked out during season 7, and only watching bits and pieces I wanted to see.  Glenn's death further put me off.  I always want to know what happens to Carol, and to Rick, Michonne, and Carl.  Now that's ruined. 
 

8 minutes ago, SnarkyTart said:

 The posts about this show are WAY more entertaining than the show has been since season 4.

This board is the only reason I pay any attention at all!  True entertainment.  lol

[AngelaHunter]

30 minutes ago, peach said:

This board is the only reason I pay any attention at all!  True entertainment.  lol

It's priceless, but even then I can't really pay attention. Not just for entertainment, but I come here to ask who did what to whom, why is anyone doing what they do, who the hell is _______? On top of everything else, I think only cats can watch this lately as all the non-action, fruitless shooting and running in circles takes place in total darkness. I didn't even know why Enid gunned Grandma down. "They shot GRANDMA!"

[Nashville]

1 hour ago, SnarkyTart said:

Sadly, this would only work if the person doing the boycotting was a Nielson household whose viewing habits were being tracked or reported.   If I was a Nielson household, I absolutely would join you in sitting this one out.  

Do they still do the whole “Nielson household” thing?  With all the cable boxes and DVRs scattered around the U. S., I’d be shocked if the cable companies didn’t have them programmed to automatically feed back information on what channels customers are watching, and for how long.  Much more data that way AND more accurate.

Not to mention: reliable +3 and +7 numbers could ONLY come from DVRs, couldn’t they?

Edited February 23, 2018 by Nashville

[SnarkyTart]

56 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Do they still do the whole “Nielson household” thing?  With all the cable boxes and DVRs scattered around the U. S., I’d be shocked if the cable companies didn’t have them programmed to automatically feed back information on what channels customers are watching, and for how long.  Much more data that way AND more accurate.

Not to mention: reliable +3 and +7 numbers could ONLY come from DVRs, couldn’t they?

Nielson's still responsible for those too.  I think it's an outdated and unreliable method, but it's still the way ratings are measured.  I believe there are all kinds of regulations about cable companies spying on their customers' viewing habits without their knowledge or consent.  https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/how-does-live-3-in-television-metrics.htm

[Anela]

11 hours ago, AngelaHunter said:

Any credit would be too much credit.

Okay, so who's boycotting this Sunday night? *raises hand* and "I ain't kiddin' neither."

Just think, if everyone refused to tune in how it would knock the smug smiles off all those people congratulating themselves for the genuis they feel they've displayed.  

Me. I won't be tuning in "live" and I have no interest in watching Coral die. I will also tune in to see Yvette (hopefully) have a go at Gimple. 

I think they keep track of people recording it on DVR, or watching it that way, or watching it on-demand. I've seen that mentioned in articles, they keep track of who's watching on their sites, and through their channels on-demand. So, if I ever choose to watch, I will most likely find it online, where it shouldn't be. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I'm totally going to watch. I'm in this for the long haul, for better or worse. Based on the spoiler, it's going to be worse. I would have stopped watching if they pulled a fake-out with Carl. 

[AngelaHunter]

11 hours ago, peach said:

I would like to see Yvette Nicole Brown whack Gimple over the head with her notebook

A notebook? A machete with a red handle would be better. Okay, that's taking it too far. A hammer will do.

[leto]

21 hours ago, SnarkyTart said:

Sadly, this would only work if the person doing the boycotting was a Nielson household whose viewing habits were being tracked or reported.   If I was a Nielson household, I absolutely would join you in sitting this one out.  As it is, I'll probably record it or watch it just so I know what you all are talking about.  The posts about this show are WAY more entertaining than the show has been since season 4.

The shows ratings have been way down since last season, so I do think many Nielsen households have been/are tuning out. I know I was doing my part. Up until last month, I had been a Nielsen household for the last two years and I think I watched maybe two episodes (both Kingdom/Carol-centric) during that time. My hope was that the shows writing might improve if the show could no longer take its viewers for granted when it’s ratings started to decline. Sadly, because Gimple sucks, it didn’t. It’s only through the hilarity of the posters here that I’ve been able to keep up with the show (apparently I haven’t missed much other than a garbage lady and a bunch of monologues in the last three seasons!) without watching it for so long.

[AngelaHunter]

23 hours ago, leto said:

(apparently I haven’t missed much other than a garbage lady and a bunch of monologues in the last three seasons!) without watching it for so long.

Well, you really need to see Garbage lady stripping Rick to his shorts and taking pics of him, the Garbage kids having their Naked Craft Day, and Rick getting into the Gladiator ring to fight zombies and the GPK in his underdrawers - just for the surreal WTF-ery.

It's a conspiracy. I haven't had AMC since last year and don't want to watch this messed up premiere, but my ISP (which I hate with the fire of a dozens suns) decided today to give me a little present. Gee, thanks a lot.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2018 by AngelaHunter

[nodorothyparker]

Good gods, was showing you those three characters supposed to be any kind of inducement to watch? 

Here, it's two characters who can't shut up and can't speak like grown people.  And Dwight.  Enjoy!

[mightysparrow]

I won't be watching or taping 'live'.  I just can't do anything to help increase the ratings of this episode.  Reading the synopsis made me sick.  To think that Carl dies alone in a burned out building is so awful and insulting to the history of this show.  I'm not a comic-reader but I know that Carl is one of the foundation-characters of TWD.  I find it so hard to believe that Kirkman is on board with this.  I've loathed Gimple for years but now I realize that I never hated him as much as he truly deserved. 

I've watched this show from the very beginning.  The only time I missed episodes was when my mother died in 2015.  The destruction of my favourite character took away most of my enthusiasm for TWD but Carl's death is adding insult to injury and I won't be insulted by these hacks. 

I'm so grateful to the people on this board.  I can give up the show but I can't give this place up.

Edited February 25, 2018 by mightysparrow

[Smad]

32 minutes ago, mightysparrow said:

I've watched this show from the very beginning.  The only time I missed episodes was when my mother died in 2015.  The destruction of my favourite character took away most of my enthusiasm for TWD but Carl's death is adding insult to injury and I won't be insulted by these hacks.

I miss the old Michonne too. I miss Michonne period.

[tv echo]

If anyone still cares (because I'm not sure I do any more)...

All Walking Dead Season 8B Synopses Revealed
Johnny O'Dell  Feb 13, 2018
https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/tv-film/all-walking-dead-season-8b-synopses-revealed/

Quote

Episode 9: Honor
Rick faces new difficulties after a battle; the fight continues in other communities as core members face hard decisions.

Episode 10: The Lost And The Plunderers
Groups unite their forces and converge on the Hilltop; Aaron and Enid search for allies; Simon takes matters into his own hands.

Episode 11
Daryl finds himself in bad company as his group heads to the Hilltop; Maggie makes difficult decisions at the Hilltop; Gabriel’s faith becomes tested.

Episode 12
Hilltop’s leadership faces a difficult dilemma after the arrival of unexpected visitors; Rick comes face to face with an adversary.

Episode 13
Trouble arises when unexpected visitors arrive at the Hilltop and the community is thrust into action; heartbreaking discoveries are made.

Episode 14
A Heaps prisoner makes a discovery; Carol searches for someone in the nearby forest; Rick and Morgan find themselves in the company of strangers.

Episode 15
With the threat of the Saviors still looming, Aaron continues searching for allies; Daryl and Rosita take action and confront an old friend.

Episode 16
The communities join forces in the last stand against the Saviors as all-out war unfolds.

Chandler Riggs Talks Fan Reactions To Carl’s Death On The Walking Dead [VIDEO]
https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/video-gallery/chandler-riggs-talks-fan-reactions-to-carls-death-on-the-walking-dead/

 (KTLA 5)

Edited February 25, 2018 by tv echo

[AngelaHunter]

4 hours ago, nodorothyparker said:

Good gods, was showing you those three characters supposed to be any kind of inducement to watch? 

I know! It's insane. I opened my email and thought, "THIS is what's supposed to entice to sign up for AMC - three frickin' uber-annoying stooges?"

[AngelaHunter]

49 minutes ago, tv echo said:

Episode 16
The communities join forces in the last stand against the Saviors as all-out war unfolds.

What? Again? Actually all those synopsis are giving me a bad case of deja vu. I'm sure we've already seen that stuff, haven't we?

- Daryl finds himself in bad company

- Maggie makes difficult decisions

- Carol searches for someone in the nearby forest

- Gabriel’s faith becomes tested.

- Hilltop’s leadership faces a difficult dilemma after the arrival of unexpected visitors

Are we sure these are new eps?

[tv echo]

The original source for those Season 8B episode synopses is zap2it (go to link and click on "Episode Guide" tab, it also lists air dates)...
http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/overview.html?programSeriesId=SH01324002&aid=gapzap

Edited February 25, 2018 by tv echo

[Anela]

So Gabriel is still alive - I wonder for how long. And what's his name with the haircut. God, my memory is so bad now, at least with this. Eugene. I guess he's the one who is faced by Daryl and Rosita? 

Same here with the deja vu @AngelaHunter I had the same thoughts as I was reading. 

I also saw Chandler playing a game on Twitch, something to do with Xbox, on Friday, for a couple of hours. I didn't stick around to watch, but I guess that was another media thing to generate interest in both the game, and TWD. 

[nodorothyparker]

1 hour ago, tv echo said:

The communities join forces in the last stand against the Saviors as all-out war unfolds.

All out war unfolds in the season finale.  Hasn't that been the tagline for the entire season of this?  So what the hell have we been muddling through then?

[SnarkyTart]

16 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

All out war unfolds in the season finale.  Hasn't that been the tagline for the entire season of this?  So what the hell have we been muddling through then?

It's hard to say what we've been muddling through.  The screen has been so dark that most of the time we can't see it.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the tagline since the beginning of S8 has been "All Out War!"  Gods, this sounds tedious.

[mightysparrow]

2 hours ago, tv echo said:

If anyone still cares (because I'm not sure I do any more)...

All Walking Dead Season 8B Synopses Revealed
Johnny O'Dell  Feb 13, 2018
https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/tv-film/all-walking-dead-season-8b-synopses-revealed/

Chandler Riggs Talks Fan Reactions To Carl’s Death On The Walking Dead [VIDEO]
https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/video-gallery/chandler-riggs-talks-fan-reactions-to-carls-death-on-the-walking-dead/

 (KTLA 5)

I haven't seen that clip in months and it still takes my breath away.  I can't believe that they killed Carl.  Chandler looks so different, so grown-up.  It looks like he's left TWD behind.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I'll be stunned if this season doesn't end on another cliffhanger. 

[AngelaHunter]

1 hour ago, SnarkyTart said:

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the tagline since the beginning of S8 has been "All Out War!"  Gods, this sounds tedious.

Yes, this has been the tagline - an "All Out War" in which only redshirts die. An All Out War in which Rick has his primo enemy at his mercy but rather than kill him, or even inflict an injury that might slow Negan down (Rick decides to hit him with the handle of the bat, even though the barbed wire would rip his hands to ribbons, which - surprise! - it did not,  just to make sure he didn't hurt him too much), decides to drop the bat, jump out a window and run away. This is some pansy-assed war. 

[SnarkyTart]

18 minutes ago, AngelaHunter said:

Yes, this has been the tagline - an "All Out War" in which only redshirts die.

And Coral...because that will make the show so much better, right?  So, if episode 16 of S8 is "The communities join forces in the last stand against the Saviors as all-out war unfolds", maybe S9 will be a re-run of season 8, only with better lighting.

Edited February 25, 2018 by SnarkyTart

[Nashville]

5 hours ago, mightysparrow said:

I won't be watching or taping 'live'.  I just can't do anything to help increase the ratings of this episode.  Reading the synopsis made me sick.  To think that Carl dies alone in a burned out building is so awful and insulting to the history of this show. 

And I can already guess how Production intends to play this out:

1. Lots of tears, hugs, extended blubbery “farewell” scenes, individual instances of emotional closure, etc. - in other words, the standard “Bye Bob” treatment.
2. Carl goes into the burned-out hulk of the church by himself - and shortly afterwards, a lone shot rings out.
3. Everybody is overwhelmed with grief, of course so cue more tears and blubbering for an hour or so.
4. After most of the hyperventilating settles down they go to retrieve Carl’s body, to prepare it for burial - only to find Carl’s body is... gone? <dumm dah DUMMMMM...!!!>

After which, TPTB continue to play mindfuck games with the audience:

• Is Carl really dead, gone, reanimated, and shambling around a back set somewhere?  
• Or was the bite actually from a Whisperer, and Carl (who was actually sick of a “normal” infection from the Whisperer bite) kidnapped and spirited away by the Whisperers to hide their secret - and the pistol shot a ruse, or a single round Carl got off before being overwhelmed?

...the second option giving Production tons of teaser material for a potential Carl return at a later date, of course, without having to put up any solid backing.

1 hour ago, nodorothyparker said:

All out war unfolds in the season finale.  Hasn't that been the tagline for the entire season of this?  So what the hell have we been muddling through then?

Apparently the war was previously only partially unzipped; now, it’s ALL going to be hanging out there.  :P

[nodorothyparker]

Given the odd naked but with conveniently placed aprons garbage sculpting we were subjected to in the first half of the season after naked dog food eating last season, your word choices characterizing this mess as "unzipped" vs. all "hanging out" are hilarious.

[scrb]

All out war was shooting out the windows of the factory.

So what now, they're going to take out the car windows this time?

[Mr. Sparkle]

ALL OUT WAR AGAINST WINDOWS!! 

[peach]

3 hours ago, tv echo said:

If anyone still cares (because I'm not sure I do any more)...

All Walking Dead Season 8B Synopses Revealed
Johnny O'Dell  Feb 13, 2018
https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/tv-film/all-walking-dead-season-8b-synopses-revealed/

Chandler Riggs Talks Fan Reactions To Carl’s Death On The Walking Dead [VIDEO]
 

 (KTLA 5)

Ok, well, it appears that the back half of season 8 is again just stretching out another day/night or two.  A whole season to cover a week.  They've been doing this for two years.  It's horrible.

This video of Chandler makes me happy.  He seems very excited about his new life.  Maybe the silver lining of the show treating him badly is that he gets a big boost for whatever he wants to do next.  And he's not stuck on this moronic show anymore.

56 minutes ago, AngelaHunter said:

 (Rick decides to hit him with the handle of the bat, even though the barbed wire would rip his hands to ribbons, which - surprise! - it did not,  just to make sure he didn't hurt him too much), decides to drop the bat, jump out a window and run away. This is some pansy-assed war. 

After tolerating a mountain of disappointment, this was really the unforgivable moment for me.

[AngelaHunter]

48 minutes ago, scrb said:

So what now, they're going to take out the car windows this time?

Maybe. This All Out War is getting serious now. 

Rick to Negan: "I'm not going to kill you. I know, I know - I said I would umpteen times because y'know, you murdered Glenn and whatsisname and nearly made me chop off Coral's arm, but... see how you like driving in the rain with no WINDOWS in your car! Muahaha! I'll just leave you here - I hope I didn't hurt you too much, did I? I aimed for the thickest part of your jacket to make sure you'd be okay -  with your baseball bat, and see myself out. I'm busy." *crash* Oh, no! Another window bites the dust.

28 minutes ago, peach said:

After tolerating a mountain of disappointment,

A Mt. Everest of stupidity, penned by a legion of no-talent hacks and fanboys.  

[Gobi]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

ALL OUT WAR AGAINST WINDOWS!! 

HE HATES THE WINDOWS! GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS!

[Nashville]

30 minutes ago, Gobi said:

HE HATES THE WINDOWS! GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS!

Channeling your inner Navin R. Johnson?  ;)

[Anela]

5 hours ago, nodorothyparker said:

All out war unfolds in the season finale.  Hasn't that been the tagline for the entire season of this?  So what the hell have we been muddling through then?

I thought this entire season was supposed to be all-out war. 

[raven]

All-out war against the viewers, maybe.

[peach]

4 minutes ago, raven said:

All-out war against the viewers, maybe.

Now it all makes sense.

[Gobi]

32 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Channeling your inner Navin R. Johnson?  ;)

You got it.

[tv echo]

I think that I would take zap2it's synopses for Season 8B episodes with a grain of salt, and wait until the official synopsis for each new episode is released by AMC.

I checked the Season 7 episode synopses to make sure they weren't the same (and they were different), but still I wonder how zap2it would be able to get the rest of this season's synopses already. Still, they might be accurate, which is why I posted them.

Edited February 26, 2018 by tv echo

[Anela]

I'm watching Dexter, and *he* is intimidating, without being showy. Like the guy from Terminus. I remember the jokes about baristas, and that's what made it so chilling, along with seeing things like the pile of children's teddy bears. Negan has nothing on the termites. It would be scary to be surrounded by hundreds of men, in the dark, blocked off from escaping in all directions... but once he starts talking, I picture them just raising their hands, "Ooh, pick me!" I really don't want to be saddled with Negan, anymore. Why couldn't he have been the surprise death? Since they veered from the comics by killing Carl, and made up new characters to waste our time/torture us with. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

So.... I'm sure this old news - if true - but Lennie James (Morgan) is getting shifted over to FtWD?  (was a blurb in a review for 'Honor')  What the flip is that about??

That sucks, if true.  Not quite 'guts ripped out' bad, but I'll miss him [again, if true].

[catrox14]

I think Rick is gonna die this season, too. I think he got bit and that's why he's got the red rimmed eyes and leaning against the tree.  I think it's a flashforward to the end of the season. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I don't think that will happen, honestly, @catrox14, but if they do then they must have been allowed to wander very far off script from the source material because if they kill off the 'first family' (the Grimes) of TWD, then who becomes the central character that everyone follows or looks to?  Daryl?!  That guy can't even look people in the eye because of that greasy mess he calls hair covering his face.  Or maybe Maggie, the pregnant woman who's skinny enough to make many models envious??  Nah, it would have to be Zeke the faker.  Gonna need a new mascot though, what with Shiva having gotten turned into walker kibble.

[catrox14]

1 minute ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

I don't think that will happen, honestly, @catrox14, but if they do then they must have been allowed to wander very far off script from the source material because if they kill off the 'first family' (the Grimes) of TWD, then who becomes the central character that everyone follows or looks to?  Daryl?!  That guy can't even look people in the eye because of that greasy mess he calls hair covering his face.  Or maybe Maggie, the pregnant woman who's skinny enough to make many models envious??  Nah, it would have to be Zeke the faker.  Gonna need a new mascot though, what with Shiva having gotten turned into walker kibble.

I think they are going to give Negan a redemption arc.  I really do. And he'll be the new Rick. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

9 minutes ago, catrox14 said:

I think they are going to give Negan a redemption arc.  I really do. And he'll be the new Rick. 

Wow.  Forget zombies and an apocalyptic world.  THAT is horrifying beyond belief.   I know Gimple and crew are bad, but they're not that stupid.... are they?!

[catrox14]

6 minutes ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

Wow.  Forget zombies and an apocalyptic world.  THAT is horrifying beyond belief.   I know Gimple and crew are bad, but they're not that stupid.... are they?!

Would they really put Negan in Carl's fantasy and have Rick still kill him after Rick promised to make the world what he wanted?  I can't see it. I mean they might go ironic and have Rick kill Negan and then die himself and then end the show. 

[phoenix780]

If they pull off a redemption arc for a character who perpetrated some of the most graphic violence we've seen, against a fan favorite character, they're the best writers in the history of television. I can't even imagine what that would look like (though I'd guess it involves saving Maggie at some point), how they'd do it without heroic self-sacrifice on Negan's part. 

I almost want them to try, to see how well they can do. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Instead of killing Rick, ship him off to Fear with Morgan.  I seriously doubt that would ever happen, but the thought of any iteration of TWD without Rick Grimes is inconceivable to me (at this point in time).

[scrb]

I can see them bring up some new threat, which has the group about the be killed and Negan rescues them and says let's have peace.

But still forgive him for Glen and Abe and others?

TPTB are really kidding themselves if they think people will swallow that bullshit.

[peach]

In the interview clips about this episode, Andy Lincoln implied that Rick is going to lose his shit, like, MORE than the other times he lost his shit.  Like maybe ALL of his shit this time.  Archer rampage, is what it sounded like.  And he ended that quote with kind of sad, defeated half smile.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Whatever they do, I hope they don't fuck him over as bad as everyone else so far.  He's carried this show and made it a smashing success, even it's death throes.  He doesn't deserve a crappy ending.

[peach]

This interview is very confusing to me.  Andy talks about how he was confused by the script at the beginning of season 8, refers to some comics stuff I don't know about, mentions dying under the tree ???, then says some stuff about how the back half of the season is going to be twisty-turny, etc.  Sounds like a mess.
http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/25/walking-dead-andrew-lincoln-chandler-riggs-honor/

[Anela]

13 hours ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

Wow.  Forget zombies and an apocalyptic world.  THAT is horrifying beyond belief.   I know Gimple and crew are bad, but they're not that stupid.... are they?!

They do like their "hold my beer" moments.