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'The Walking Dead’ – Season 9 - Sundays on AMC
- Thread starter RatskyWatsky
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Their society is steadily transitioning into one that's pre-industrial. That may be the logical inevitability of a world like this, but I don't know that Amish vs. zombies is necessarily going to attract the audience they want.
Yeah, it was so obvious what was going to happen too. I was annoyed by it so I fast forwarded to when someone fell through. I'm basically just watching this until Rick is gone.
One of the only things I wanted to see was what happened in DC (I'm sure there have to be a lot of govt resources) and they basically completed ignored it. It would have been cool if they actually explored some of the govt facilities to see how things broke down to get to that point. Getting the seeds make sense, but I'd really like to get more that we got. That plot has completely ignored after the CDC. Understand that's how the comic is, but seems so unrealistic for them to be in DC and not explore more.
Weren't they originally supposed to go to DC a few seasons ago? After Eugene's cover was blown he said something like "I wanted to check out DC since that was the place most likely to have survived" and they agreed to keep going there but once they got to Alexandria they forgot all about it...until this episode I guess.
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I know the headlines are meant to be as sensational as possible "TWD loses almost half its audience!", but the premiere was only down a bit from where the audience was at throughout most of the back half of last season:
(all L+SD ofc)
Season 8:
Episode 10: 6.8 million 2.9 A18-49
Episode 11: 6.6 million 2.8 A18-49
Episode 12: 6.7 million 2.8 A1849
Episode 13: 6.8 million 3.0 A18-49
Episode 14: 6.3 million 2.6 A18-49
Episode 15: 6.7 million 2.8 A18-49
Episode 16: 7.9 million 3.4 A18-49
Season 9:
Episode 1: 6.1 million 2.5 A18-49
It's still a drop, but it's not as drastic as most are making it out to be.
In total viewers (ratings are for the season averages, outside of S9 because it obviously just premiered)
1 -> 2.A: +23.0%
2.A -> 2.B: +15.6%
2.B -> 3.A: +35.1%
3.A -> 3.B: +13.0%
3.B -> 4.A: +14.1%
4.A -> 4.B: +5.4%
4.B -> 5.A: +6.6%
5.A -> 5.B: -2.7%
5.B -> 6.A: -29.0%
6.A -> 6.B: -1.5%
6.B -> 7.A: -9.2%
7.A -> 7.B: -8.4%
7.B -> 8.A: -14.8%
8.A -> 8.B: -18.6%
8.B -> 9.A: -12.8%
In the demo
1 -> 2.A: +27.5%
2.A -> 2.B: +15.3%
2.B -> 3.A: +36.1%
3.A -> 3.B: +8.4%
3.B -> 4.A: +14.7%
4.A -> 4.B: +4.6%
4.B -> 5.A: +7.9%
5.A -> 5.B: -2.8%
5.B -> 6.A: -7.9%
6.A -> 6.B: -5.9%
6.B -> 7.A: -8.9%
7.A -> 7.B: -11.3%
7.B -> 8.A: -25.0%
8.A -> 8.B: -21.5%
8.B -> 9.A: -16.4%
This isn't too surprising given the way things are trending - I wouldn't expect a ratings bump for Rick's exit until the actual episode of.
(all L+SD ofc)
Season 8:
Episode 10: 6.8 million 2.9 A18-49
Episode 11: 6.6 million 2.8 A18-49
Episode 12: 6.7 million 2.8 A1849
Episode 13: 6.8 million 3.0 A18-49
Episode 14: 6.3 million 2.6 A18-49
Episode 15: 6.7 million 2.8 A18-49
Episode 16: 7.9 million 3.4 A18-49
Season 9:
Episode 1: 6.1 million 2.5 A18-49
It's still a drop, but it's not as drastic as most are making it out to be.
In total viewers (ratings are for the season averages, outside of S9 because it obviously just premiered)
1 -> 2.A: +23.0%
2.A -> 2.B: +15.6%
2.B -> 3.A: +35.1%
3.A -> 3.B: +13.0%
3.B -> 4.A: +14.1%
4.A -> 4.B: +5.4%
4.B -> 5.A: +6.6%
5.A -> 5.B: -2.7%
5.B -> 6.A: -29.0%
6.A -> 6.B: -1.5%
6.B -> 7.A: -9.2%
7.A -> 7.B: -8.4%
7.B -> 8.A: -14.8%
8.A -> 8.B: -18.6%
8.B -> 9.A: -12.8%
In the demo
1 -> 2.A: +27.5%
2.A -> 2.B: +15.3%
2.B -> 3.A: +36.1%
3.A -> 3.B: +8.4%
3.B -> 4.A: +14.7%
4.A -> 4.B: +4.6%
4.B -> 5.A: +7.9%
5.A -> 5.B: -2.8%
5.B -> 6.A: -7.9%
6.A -> 6.B: -5.9%
6.B -> 7.A: -8.9%
7.A -> 7.B: -11.3%
7.B -> 8.A: -25.0%
8.A -> 8.B: -21.5%
8.B -> 9.A: -16.4%
This isn't too surprising given the way things are trending - I wouldn't expect a ratings bump for Rick's exit until the actual episode of.
Can see the audience being disappointed that there were not clear indications on how/why Rick is going to die, or at the very least, substantial changes on their situation:
I mean, we still have the 3 communities up and functioning, there were no hints of new characters, nor any "impending" external danger.
And we didn't get to see DC at all. This was particularly egregious, because there is no way they would have reached that museum without facing either a massive amount of zombies, or finding signals of other survivors or something equally interesting. Not even some quick shots of how the city is doing.
Also, at the end of season 8, we saw Maggie plotting with both Jesus and Daryl against Rick. 1.5 years sure seems a little bit too much to "bide their time".
But even with all of that, it was a solid episode.
I mean, we still have the 3 communities up and functioning, there were no hints of new characters, nor any "impending" external danger.
And we didn't get to see DC at all. This was particularly egregious, because there is no way they would have reached that museum without facing either a massive amount of zombies, or finding signals of other survivors or something equally interesting. Not even some quick shots of how the city is doing.
Also, at the end of season 8, we saw Maggie plotting with both Jesus and Daryl against Rick. 1.5 years sure seems a little bit too much to "bide their time".
But even with all of that, it was a solid episode.
Wait, has it been confirmed that Rick is going to die? Or is it possible they just have him exit in a way similar to Morgan to leave the door open for a possible future appearance?
Oh yeah, right. I remember her getting hit and getting a bloody head injury, which is why I didn't make the connection because it does feel weird going from a head injury to a wheelchair.
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The dialogue and character interactions feel much improved in this first episode. Daryl had more lines in this premiere than probably the entire last season, not just caveman grunts anymore. Characters behaved in a more natural and believable way, less cringe dialogue and melodramatic speeches, no corny mustache twirling cartoonish villain in Negan (though I'm sure that's coming). No goofy scenes of dozens of people shooting at each other and missing a lot. I like what Angela Kang has done on this front.
But the rest felt like really familiar Walking Dead stuff with contrived scenarios, artificial drama, crucial events happening because of characters behaving stupidly, and really predictable events. I had hoped the new showrunner, lengthy time jump, and cast departures would be reason to shake up the formula a lot more, but it feels like more of the same just with tighter writing.
Nothing in this premiere episode made me think the show could survive without Rick and Maggie. In fact literally the best parts of this premiere were Rick / Maggie scenes, and they're both gonna be gone in like 4 or 5 episodes.
But the rest felt like really familiar Walking Dead stuff with contrived scenarios, artificial drama, crucial events happening because of characters behaving stupidly, and really predictable events. I had hoped the new showrunner, lengthy time jump, and cast departures would be reason to shake up the formula a lot more, but it feels like more of the same just with tighter writing.
Nothing in this premiere episode made me think the show could survive without Rick and Maggie. In fact literally the best parts of this premiere were Rick / Maggie scenes, and they're both gonna be gone in like 4 or 5 episodes.
I feel they'll probably do a thing like
there's a big herd coming, and Rick "sacrifices" himself to lead the herd away from everyone else, where it isn't explicitly shown that he has died but it's strongly implied, with the out that if they/he wanted to, they could write in a plot about how he was rescued by someone and taken far away and hasn't been able to make it back to his family.
That route wasn't satisfying on Fear, and it's hard to believe that it would be here.
Did we ever learn why Andrew wanted to leave? I can only assume that it was in solidarity to Maggie and Coral's situations.
Supposedly he wanted to leave before Carl's situation was known, but he wasn't quite ready to go.
But yeah, we're already experiencing that on Fear, and people would never let it go :lol:
I think it's pretty natural to be curious how the lead for the last 7 years is going to depart a show that is known for violent cast deaths.
Interesting. It certainly makes sense, because it was a good point to pass the flag to Carl (so to speak), and for him to try other options as actor. Hope he at some point spill the beans, though.
To me, it does. It bring memories of telenovelas and zany tv dramas of yore. Or even trash bin Glenn all over again. It also would be hard to not make the situation and explanation contrived: Did he fell into a car, and was unknowingly transported to a different state (like Morgan)? Was he rescued and could not return because amnesia/sickness? Or was he jailed in a prison because previous offenses, or because was considered too dangerous (like Negan)? Then why not kill him, instead?
If he wants out, it should be in a brutal, memorable and non comprised way. But not sure if they have the guts to follow trough.
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There's nothing to spill. His family is in England and he wanted to be closer to them.
You know what no one wants in a suspense/horror show? Politics and elections.
Especially now a days when people like me watch these shows to escape politics.
There's no more suspense. We know all we'll ever know about the walkers. There's zero big picture aspect of the outbreak and dead/virus.
There's no horror. There must be more people dying of old age than by walkers by now.
Honestly not sure what genre this show is now.
Especially now a days when people like me watch these shows to escape politics.
There's no more suspense. We know all we'll ever know about the walkers. There's zero big picture aspect of the outbreak and dead/virus.
There's no horror. There must be more people dying of old age than by walkers by now.
Honestly not sure what genre this show is now.
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I think that someone is Rick and he dies from the injury of trying to bring the communities together or something like that. There was an article on Forbes that hinted that Rick dies way before the mid-season finale.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/insert...-about-to-get-a-whole-lot-worse/#2c239b3bc704
https://www.forbes.com/sites/insert...-about-to-get-a-whole-lot-worse/#2c239b3bc704
Just caught up, watched the premiere.
Honestly after seeing the raving reviews and "TWD returns to form", I'm.. disappointed. It wasn't nearly as bad as most of the episodes from last season, but not good by any means either. Just.. passable really.. but ultimately flat.
Still not feeling any emotional punch from any of these characters or events; that's the one thing I really wanted from a new showrunner. The politics are kind of a drag and not very interesting (though I get the comic does drag in some of these areas as well). Zombies still don't really feel threatening, despite somebody dying from a bite, though there were some decent sequences. They just don't really feel menacing like they used to or scary. I miss episodes like the one in S2 with Shane and Otis, where they make a run for meds for Carl and get cornered/trapped and have to run for their lives/figure out strats to escape. When they actually felt like they were in trouble, like flesh hungry monsters were ready to rip them apart. I don't remember the last episode where zombies actually felt like that sort of a threat.
I like that some of the mains got more screen time, but.. again, most of these scenes just fell flat for me and didn't really resonate in any meaningful way. It just seems like the show has really lost its ability to pack an emotional gut punch.
Decent/good:
So if this is the best the show can muster for a premiere.. I don't have a whole lot of hope for the rest of the season. Would love to be wrong about my pessimism though.
Honestly after seeing the raving reviews and "TWD returns to form", I'm.. disappointed. It wasn't nearly as bad as most of the episodes from last season, but not good by any means either. Just.. passable really.. but ultimately flat.
Still not feeling any emotional punch from any of these characters or events; that's the one thing I really wanted from a new showrunner. The politics are kind of a drag and not very interesting (though I get the comic does drag in some of these areas as well). Zombies still don't really feel threatening, despite somebody dying from a bite, though there were some decent sequences. They just don't really feel menacing like they used to or scary. I miss episodes like the one in S2 with Shane and Otis, where they make a run for meds for Carl and get cornered/trapped and have to run for their lives/figure out strats to escape. When they actually felt like they were in trouble, like flesh hungry monsters were ready to rip them apart. I don't remember the last episode where zombies actually felt like that sort of a threat.
I like that some of the mains got more screen time, but.. again, most of these scenes just fell flat for me and didn't really resonate in any meaningful way. It just seems like the show has really lost its ability to pack an emotional gut punch.
Decent/good:
- More focus on main characters and their interactions
- Plot is moving at a brisk pace, pretty nicely balanced in terms of progression/action sequences
- New locations instead of just forest/inside of community walls, rinse and repeat
- No more shitty side characters with terrible acting, some were actually decent
- Maggie laying the law
- Dialogue has improved a little
- No emotional resonance, scenes just feel kind of lifeless and flat
- Core group drama still not really compelling
- Political structure not engaging/interesting (somewhat of an issue in comics too)
- Some awful CGI.. I don't understand why they don't just get some alternate ideas with practical effects.
- Some characters just seem to be sitting around and checking boxes.. Daryl has felt this way for some time, despite getting decent screen time this episode
- Still feels kinda pointless in terms of purpose for the season and episode, no clear goals of objectives, little character development/insignificant involvement
- Dude going from "I'm no man at all" in regard to not fighting for justice for his son and doing a shadowy murderer turn was comical
So if this is the best the show can muster for a premiere.. I don't have a whole lot of hope for the rest of the season. Would love to be wrong about my pessimism though.
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Yeah, it seems like a great jumping off point, honestly. I may be gone after Rick is gone myself. I'm just watching it at this point because of the time invested in it. I mean, not all of it is bad, but it's been very middling these past few seasons.
I'm sure Aaron will understand. Everyone knows about the crappy quality of those radios anyway.
It really is Rick Appreciation Season...even losing a limb can't stop them from singing Rick's praises.
Haha yeah that was weird.
I'm liking these first two episodes so far. It's a slow burn because you know everything is gonna go to shit soon and it's gonna be interesting who is going to die aside from Rick.
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