UPDATED: All Six Episodes In...
It's been a long time since the Walking Dead franchise produced compelling episodes on any series. Since the third, maybe even the fourth, season of the original TWD the various series have turned into meandering, slow and dreary affairs that only occasionally generated something interesting.
The departure of many stars sapped it of its glory, and the carousel of show runners created other issues. The character of Darryl was one of the last originals, and one of the few individuals that continued to have interesting storylines. Without Carol, his plot line muse, this new series has the potential to create something new, yet familiar.
There are too many negatives in all of the other shows to dwell on. But Darryl provides a spiritual connection to Rick, Glen and the other characters we all miss.
So the change of scenery, new loner dynamic (which of course changed quickly) and a return to the original premise might be good. Too soon to tell for sure. Carol shows up in the very last episode (don't hold your breath, it's a bit of a cheat), and the shepherding of a boy possessing a potential cure certainly sounds like another show in a different zombie plagued universe, but it made me want to check in each week.
Unfortunately some familiar tropes popped up: a bad guy is bent on revenge because Darryl killed his brother and he turned into a zombie and the aggrieved brother had to kill his own brother. Hmmm didn't all that happen to Darryl? Exactly?
Trope #2: Darryl finds a hidden utopia that includes vegetable gardens and a preschool. But then bad guys show up after Darryl essentially leads them to it, and they trash it. Gee whiz, where have we seen that before? Does Alexandria ring a bell?
Trope #3(x2) naïve and misguided people decide to hang on to zombies because they represent something special (remember the Governor and his zombie-fied daughter?) despite the fact that the caged or tethered zombies are flipping dangerous. Michonne, do you have a few words to share about this? So we get a grotesque zombie orchestra (that means absolutely nothing) and a bunch of nuns hanging on to a zombie priest. Uh, no. Thankfully Darryl agreed and killed the zombie priest and bailed on the orchestra leader.
Trope #4: Someone who gets saved betrays our hero, and young people that are part of the caravan/group do stupid stuff that endangers everyone. Ho hum. Gosh, never seen that before. We still miss you though Carl.
Trope #5: a bad guy (in this case a woman) thinks that zombies can be tinkered with and healed/improved for nefarious purposes. Ummm that never turns out well.
In the last episode Darryl manages to reach the threshold of freedom...only to be literally called back to save his new friends. And the lame cameo of Carol, very far away and not connected to Darryl, felt like a cheap gimmick to get us to tune in next season to see if they can miraculously reunite. Hoping for some better (fresh) writing to go with the new society, surroundings and storyline.
I've reviewed the first five episodes separately. Some very good, with a couple of clunkers. Check 'em out.
The departure of many stars sapped it of its glory, and the carousel of show runners created other issues. The character of Darryl was one of the last originals, and one of the few individuals that continued to have interesting storylines. Without Carol, his plot line muse, this new series has the potential to create something new, yet familiar.
There are too many negatives in all of the other shows to dwell on. But Darryl provides a spiritual connection to Rick, Glen and the other characters we all miss.
So the change of scenery, new loner dynamic (which of course changed quickly) and a return to the original premise might be good. Too soon to tell for sure. Carol shows up in the very last episode (don't hold your breath, it's a bit of a cheat), and the shepherding of a boy possessing a potential cure certainly sounds like another show in a different zombie plagued universe, but it made me want to check in each week.
Unfortunately some familiar tropes popped up: a bad guy is bent on revenge because Darryl killed his brother and he turned into a zombie and the aggrieved brother had to kill his own brother. Hmmm didn't all that happen to Darryl? Exactly?
Trope #2: Darryl finds a hidden utopia that includes vegetable gardens and a preschool. But then bad guys show up after Darryl essentially leads them to it, and they trash it. Gee whiz, where have we seen that before? Does Alexandria ring a bell?
Trope #3(x2) naïve and misguided people decide to hang on to zombies because they represent something special (remember the Governor and his zombie-fied daughter?) despite the fact that the caged or tethered zombies are flipping dangerous. Michonne, do you have a few words to share about this? So we get a grotesque zombie orchestra (that means absolutely nothing) and a bunch of nuns hanging on to a zombie priest. Uh, no. Thankfully Darryl agreed and killed the zombie priest and bailed on the orchestra leader.
Trope #4: Someone who gets saved betrays our hero, and young people that are part of the caravan/group do stupid stuff that endangers everyone. Ho hum. Gosh, never seen that before. We still miss you though Carl.
Trope #5: a bad guy (in this case a woman) thinks that zombies can be tinkered with and healed/improved for nefarious purposes. Ummm that never turns out well.
In the last episode Darryl manages to reach the threshold of freedom...only to be literally called back to save his new friends. And the lame cameo of Carol, very far away and not connected to Darryl, felt like a cheap gimmick to get us to tune in next season to see if they can miraculously reunite. Hoping for some better (fresh) writing to go with the new society, surroundings and storyline.
I've reviewed the first five episodes separately. Some very good, with a couple of clunkers. Check 'em out.