We've become the walking dead for this show. Where to begin? Well, I haven't done a review in years, but seeing all the ten star reviews left me with a funny feeling. THE SHOW IS NOT AS GOOD AS IT USED TO BE. And that's a vast understatement.
I'll try to be as spoiler free as possible.
Let's set this straight; Season 1 until - Season 5 episode 8 was amazing (Yes that specific, from episode nine on-wards the show became the boring dead); I would even say it's up there with the game of thrones, breaking bad and Lost's of this world, though it's in a horror/action category in comparable to the previous titles. However, Season 5 episode 8 until - Season 8 episode 8 (Current episode of the time of this review) is perhaps the greatest decline in the quality of a television series we have ever witnessed! The narrative has not only gone astray, but lacks any motivation to keep there millions of viewers engaged; but yet we are, week in week out, every year for every season since it's downfall a few years ago, why you ask? why do we continue to watch the show if it's gone more rotten then an egg? Because we are too invested in the show! Seven years and eight seasons is to much of a commitment to give up, but I'm getting closer to the edge with each pathetic episode.
I will skip to the current season of this year; 2017; Season 8
Perhaps the main cause to the downfall of the show was the change of setting; something the show does often throughout the seasons, however, Alexandria is by far the blandest setting the show has to offer, especially when you compare it to the previous settings used. Currently in Season 8, This setting has caused the show to suffer tremendously, losing the sense of adventure the show once gave. Alexandria has seen it all. from zombie invasion to wild tribe people invading since Season 5 when the 'haven' was founded by the characters. Instead of showing another 'haven' being quickly overrun, and the majoirty of the episodes consisting of 'keeping the zombies/bad guys out everyday', the fundamentals of Alexandria and the other founding 'havens' like the kingdom, has introduced many new faces to the show; so many, that almost every episode from seasons 5 onwards are fillers and boy are they overkill for the viewers! The setting is not so much to blame as is the terrible narrative that makes the setting feel incredibly bland; to much time is spent on the lives of these inhabitants of such havens, many whom are side characters, a haven on a show like the walking dead shouldn't be a suburbia fairytale one day and literal hell the next day, time and time again. Far to much screentime, and entire episodes have been wasted on meaningless characters, who NOBODY CARES FOR, especially since the show decides to usher in a background character to fill three quarters of the run time, because 'it's there time to die'. Remember when the show Killed of characters, (even main ones) surprisingly? Remember when those background characters who give the occasional line would get eaten by a zombie, or killed in the line of fire and the show moved forward WITHOUT SPENDING THE NEXT TWO EPISODES from a character death showing other characters sobbing. Speaking of sobbing, the walking dead has officially turned into forty minute clips of the average teenage girl on her period; expect A LOT of close up's of (your most hated) characters crying, thinking about life, all the decisions they made, there past lovers, oh look a zombie, let me stab him, oh no, let me think about my past actions again, the director keeps telling me to do so.
I mean what is the point?
It seems like the writers are completely falling flat; and are so hung on this NEEGAN that they use the majority of the season to fill in episodes of pure garbage, horrible drama of the same recycled nonsense, shifting form character to character; it's like the writers suddenly realized; "wait this show is too bad ass, we're showing to much zombie killing, to many humans getting there throats bitten off, to much of humans slashing up other humans, I know! let's turn this action into a drama; All of our characters who've been killing mindlessly (for the purpose of my point) should now spend entire episodes contemplating morality in a 'sex in the city' kind of manner;" yes, I said it. It's obvious for the characters to doubt there moral's every step of the way, given the world of the un dead, but the show executed that brilliantly, through the dimensions and range of the characters (like the twin blond sisters, the junk yard people) in the past, now the show is adamant on spending it's budget on prolonged emotion reaction, mostly spent on characters we don't care for, and the action is now firmly on the back burner, and is boiling, because it's been burning back there for years!
Speaking of action; even that has declined. It's not easy keeping a protagonist alive for eight years in a show where the pursuit is survival; there's only so many 'impossible' situations a guy can get out of, every time. But now the show is really reaching and losing it's credibility on the realism part. I'll explain. The new Villian/s, NEEGAN, has been sticking around for some time over the past few seasons, and because of the obvious love the writers have for this character (considering the majority of season 6 entails the build up to reveal this 'man-god') the likelihood of a character like Neegan,(whom should've been used in the narrative better) Clashing with our protagonist Rick Grimes is stretching out 'the war' for three seasons and going, is not believable. Despite this being done with 'the governor', who was too a bit of an overkill character who should've been swept from the show a long time ago,However, THE SHOW WAS ACTUALLY ENTERTAINING ENOUGH TO BARE SUCH A VILLAIN. The setting of the prison, the constant heart pumping action of every episode, and even the threat of scary zombies (remember them?) held up well. even if the 'battle' was a bit overdue. Can't say the same for the recent recycled, similar, but way more dramatic, neegan villain narrative.
The narrative needs to change immediately for the show to survive another two seasons. The writers have lost all sense of creativity, there is just so many places you can push the narrative towards in this world of constant change. Yet, they are stretching out the same tireless narrative and are failing to deliver entertaining action; which is what the fan's tune in for.
For all new comers thinking of watching the show because everyone talks about, talked rather. I say go for it, you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. It has it's moments where you think the show may return to it's best, but just when you get an episode that's gut enchantingly awesome, the next six will be 'filler episodes' consisting of nothing that advances the plot. to be fair at this point of the show, only Neegan is the only character that can deliver a decently entertaining dialogue scene, Seeing some of our favorite characters (who been on the show for years) pushed aside, due to there constant 'emotional detachment', or there 'sudden revelation not to kill' so the show can save them for the important episodes whilst we get a load of nonsense from villagers, old ladies and crying priests. Don't even get me started on Eugene!
You'll see perhaps the best action show on television turn into an episode of Eastenders; From a plot that drew you in, ever since rick opened those gorgeous eyes in that hospital bed, to the zombie slaying, survival bad-ass-ery. To a weak plot that's barely carrying the show, and the viewers who are slowing down every week to get to there device and watch the new episode of there favorite show;
THIS SHOW IS WALKING DEAD INTO FAILURE.
Congratulations writers, you've pulled off the impossible, you've turned a zombie series into sleeping beauty,
I give a 2/10 for the show it ONCE WAS.
KD