It’s been a while since I’ve written anything about movies and television, so here it goes.

The Walking Dead is probably one of my all-time favorite soap-not-soap operas.
Since it’s been around for nine seasons, I’m going to avoid the backstory as much as possible.  And, yes, I know it came out over a year ago but I just got around to watching it over the past week while, of course, I was at the gym.

Anyways, one of the best things about the Walking Dead are the characters.   I totally identify with Carol, the previously abused wife.  I was thrilled that she let her hair grow out, marry the King and set those rogue Sanctuary people on fire for funsies.

She gave them what they wanted, even her wedding ring, and left with her and Henry’s life.   But… nah.   They had to be torched.

In the beginning, I liked Michonne’s character but she seems to have become very anxty two dimensional.  The mother/Alexandra vs. the badass sword-wielding warrior.  Outside of a couple of times when she sneaks out for practice, there really wasn’t anything that warrior about her or her attitude – especially after Rick vanished.

She just settled into an exceedingly protective mother hen despite after seasons 1 to 8 travels and tribulations with the rest of the group.    It’s kind of a big FU.

Jerry…  Jerry is still awesome.
I appreciate the actor and how he’s the straight man to the King’s flights of fancy.    I like the King too, don’t get me wrong, but I like Jerry better. It was great to see that his life was moving along to with children and being married.

Personally, I was thrilled to see Brett Butler.   She was the title character of a basically long-forgotten show, Grace Under Fire.  It took me a minute to recognize her, but I was unexpectedly happy when I did.

Story –

The somewhat-redemption of Negan.
I so predicted that.  Since Maggie couldn’t kill him and gave the lame speech… ‘you’re already dead…’ that has been done a million times before, Negan’s connection to the children and saving Judith was rather booo–ring.

I did appreciate the irony that was the point of the bridge.
People put a lot of work into it but couldn’t finish because of reasons.  Eugene didn’t think it would hold because it wasn’t complete.   Negan made a convincing argument that humanity is fairly doomed and the bridge would fail.

But, brass tacks, the bridge held up and the symbol of unity and togetherness went up in a blast littering the innocent drinking water below with undead body parts.

So, when you think something wouldn’t hold, it worked, but we had to blow it up anyway.    How’s that for a metaphor for society?

The whole Whisper group seemed to represent environmentalists.    The Alpha kept going on and on about how the zombies are a part of nature.   Wearing their flesh was a-okay and civilization would crumble.    But, it’s kind of ironic since they skin and control walkers.   That’s not really letting the environment take its course.   That’s a form of domination instead of the live-and-let undead.

If the walkers are a symbol of nature, their manipulation is akin to someone chopping down a tree.  Except, the walkers are limited in quantity.  Another tree could grow but, eventually, the zombies won’t be able to reproduce.  Eventually, they’ll become an endangered species.

This would hardly be a review if episode 15 wasn’t mentioned.
I’m referring to the congo line of heads on sticks.
I would like to know how Alpha got all of those people out, especially the high profile ones like Henry and Tara, without anyone knowing.    Those are leaders… at a fair… with various fractions who probably don’t like each other a whole lot…    The King was walking around playing nice.   Setting people at ease.  He even walked with Alpha for a bit.

So, how did she lure all of these other people out and how many Whisperers was with her?   It shows that she penetrated the fair by herself, but there could easily be others who wore a fresh skullcap.  I’m just having trouble connecting the dots since I’m usually pretty good about those types of things.

I’m also really not sure what happened between the King and Carol.  Yes, I know that Henry died.  —  I have a whole issue with Henry and his temperament, but….  it doesn’t really seem to make sense that she wants to split, especially since Daryll is more of a friend than a love interest.

I guess there doesn’t really have to be reasons.  They all have PTSD but she was previously in an abusive relationship.  The King professes to love her and doesn’t push.   He doesn’t mansplain and relies heavily on her counsel.  I don’t quite get why she pushed him away.

Two biggest disappointments –
Henry and Judith.

Henry, because he simply lacks resolve.
He wants to make his home better.   That’s really important to him… but he doesn’t last more than a few days under apprenticeship.  He must not have really wanted to learn that badly.
The kid has zero discipline when it comes to some things.  That’s a shame.

(How could everyone know how to build a bridge, but not have any idea how to replace the Kingdom’s pipes?   I don’t think it would have been difficult to have picked up some spare plumbing parts on their runs.   Hell, they even went to a DC museum.    I’m pretty sure they didn’t need water pipes.)

I really, really, really wanted to like Judith.
Since Carl was nabbed, she provided a potentially fresh perspective for the writers — a child growing up in a world where she has only known zombies.  I was even willing to overlook how she handled the kickback from her dad’s Colt Python.
I’m not an expert, but Judith is skinny minny and that gun looks like it would take a bit to handle, but yet she’s an expert shot.

But no…
Instead, she becomes everyone’s moral compass.   I associated her spouts of wisdom with how Wesley Crusher saved the Enterprise in every other episode.
—  It’s just ANNOYING.
Once.  Sure.  Maybe.  Twice.   eehhh… but all the time?
Huge huge huge meh.

Thoughts?