The Walking Dead Season 8 Discussion

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The trailer is here! 

Edit: It's come to my attention that everyone is freaking out about the end of the trailer. No Rick hasn't been in a coma and all of it isn't a dream. As a comic reader, I know what it is, I just can't tell you.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Awesome. This season should be great and finish up the Negan arc. At the end of the trailer I'm assuming a time skip takes place. I don't see how these people can keep coming across endless enemies without eventually getting into a period of stability that could last for years. If he had a Rumpelstiltskin moment and everything was a dream it'd be the worst ending for the series. If it is a time skip, at least Carl will be re-cast if he's still alive and I wont have to look at that horrible hair anymore.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

If it's a time skip they won't recast carl. He's already old enough to play the timeskip part.. he hit puberty and should only be maybe a year or two older from when the show started, when he's 8 years older. They may change his hair though. 

This last season did a lot of foreshadowing for comic readers, and every time they throw us a bone, like the end of this trailer, it gets blown out of proportion with dumb fan theories by those that just follow the show. The whole dream thing gets brought up in every show these days... I remember when everyone thought Jack was dreaming the whole series of LOST. 

You can come back to this post and see how similar it is to the comic when the season is over with.

Spoiler

In the end of the comic arc, The 3 communities make a final stand and defeat Negan. Dwight takes over as leader of the Savoirs and becomes the 4th community in a trade deal... but with the show having the garbage people which are not in the comics, it could be 5 communities. Rick and Negan have their finale 1v1 where Negan breaks Rick's leg leaving him crippled for the foreseeable future.... I haven't gotten much past the next villain yet in the comic. Even then, Rick spares Negan and keeps him locked up in a cell.

 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I'm tempted to read that spoiler now, but I'll wait.

3 minutes ago, DeathscytheX said:

I remember when everyone thought Jack was dreaming the whole series of LOST.

That would have been the best ending for that show.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Amongst my friends we all joked it was the dog dreaming.... he'd just wake up, scratch his ear and walk off.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

4 episodes in and this season is constant action. Theres been some great battles so far and the initial plan of getting all the bulk of the saviors trapped in their base by walkers was great. Although I still don't understand why Rick didn't just instant shoot Negan on the spot when he walked out the door in that first episode. He was a sitting duck.  Carol is like Rambo now.  So many people from the kingdom got mowed down. That must have been a 50 calibur machine gun. Those rounds were exploding them with the shear size of the rounds. x_x

I've read some theories that people think Rick will die in this season and the flashforwards of him being old was him dreaming of what could have been instead of foreshadowing of what is to be. I think the show would survive without Rick, but I think they'd have to kill off Daryl first or people would expect the show to focus on him or Carol next since they've been there since the beginning too. Screw Carl. Nobody would want to watch the show focus on him.  

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Good riddance Carl. I'm glad I won't have to see your hair anymore except in one more episode. I feel horrible for Michonne tho. She loved that boy.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I figured they'd kill him off eventually. He was outgrowing the part being a year older every season. He was probably going to be taller than Rick soon. Plus he's going to college. Now we know what the scene was in the first ep when Rick was so distraught. Its when Carl finally dies/turns, and has to be put down. The dream sequence that accompanied it makes less sense now since Carl was alive in it.

Now the question is will there be another time jump after All Out War in which Judith is Carl's age at the beginning of the series? Michonne and Judith are pretty safe at this point for a long while. You can't keep piling on the trauma to one character. I think Jerry or Ezekiel dies by season end along with another major character. Rick, Carol, Morgan, and Daryl are the last of the original cast remaining.

From the preview of the second half of the season, It looked like Dwight went back to the sanctuary. I think he goes back and pins Regina as the traitor by playing off his gunshot wound as if she left him for dead after killing everyone. Eugene will keep his mouth shut because he is terrified of Dwight, doesn't really get along with Regina, and has done his own traitorous act in letting the Doc and Gabrielle go.  Regina is killed off, and Dwight keeps the info flowing. They've done a lot of departure from the comic at this point now that Carl is dead. It will be interesting to see how things play out.

[Pchan 5,162]

I stopped watching 2 years ago when Neegan did the eeni meeni miney mooo thing. But reading Carl is dead, I might watch it again. Good riddance. 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

 I'm so glad Carl is dead. now I don't have to see that horrible hair anymore. it was such an emotional scene and I feel horrible for Michonne, but when I heard that gun shot I was happy. I'm a horrible person.

Rick vs Negan in this last episode was pretty good. I'm surprised Maggie didn't warn that new woman about the saviors. 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I was sorta pissed the first episode and a half still dealt with him. I almost wish he didn't die so I wouldn't have had to watch 90 minutes of grieving over him. They ruined his character from the comic, but I get that on a different medium people just can't deal with a more ruthless and darker character. Eh. The way you felt was the way I felt when they got rid of Andrea. I was so happy she died, worst character ever on the show.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I was expecting a war and a bunch of characters to get killed off... and instead we got some exploding bullets and an ass ton of commercials to extend out the episode.  I wanted to see Negan die even if he did live in the comics. I hate that Carl was referenced so often and that his words were what made Rick keep him alive. I hope next season they never mention Carl again.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

They spent more time duping the comic readers this season than anything. The whole dream sequence with old rick and his cane was a play on the comic. At the end of All out War, Negan breaks Rick's leg in the fight causing permanent damage, he has that exact hairstyle and beard. They also made it looks like Negan was dead for a good 30 seconds for dramatic effect. It would have made sense now that Carl is dead though. The whole plot device to having Negan in a cell was because Carl would often come and talk to him as if Negan was his mentor. I'm surprised they'll pay JDM just to rot in a cell outside of some forced scenes. I know he does some other stuff later in the comic, but I haven't gotten that far as I'm waiting for Compendium 4 to come out before I start reading. Also Eugene escaped from the Saviors fairly quickly and went back to making bullets for Alexandria. The whole off site facility was never a thing as him and Abraham brought the machinery back to Alexandra when they found it. The way Denise died was how Abraham died in the comics, and Dwight became the leader of the Saviors post Negan. Oceanside wasn't a thing, and was so lame on the TV series... all they did was throw Molotovs at some randos.   WTF they wasted all that scene time trying discovering them, escaping, and then going back to convince them to join the fight for such a small impact.

It sounds like Maggie is going to get into an arms race with everyone else or something. This next season or two will probably be filler arcs. The whole animosity between Maggy and Rick never happens in the comics. I honestly don't know how Jesus could go along with an underhanded plan. The lady in the van is also a character that happens much later in the comics... I don't know much about her either but I know she showed up recently... that's a long game cameo they pulled for some reason.

Negan is still the biggest baddest villain TWD ever has had, and I doubt they'll ever top it. I think the show has peaked at this point, I'd be surprised if it lasted another 3 seasons unless they can somehow pull a Vikings and revitalize the story. They need to move on past Carl, he was getting too old for the part, and I called his death like 2 seasons ago. If Rick died, the show would be over. Its not like Rangar's many sons, there is pretty much no one else that can lead this show forward other than Andrew Lincoln. As much as I like Maggie, she's no Lagertha, not even close. The cast is way too bloated still. I was hoping Tara died because shes a huge annoyance and not a very good actor IMO, Henry should have died, Gregory will eventually die, Daryl can die too for all I care. Hes just become an emo always pissed off pointless character. They pretty much ruined him after he got caught and listened to Easy Street a million times. I have my suspensions that not many will die until the next villain, and if that is the case, it better happen by next season finale otherwise this show will get super stale.   

With that being said..

 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Andrew Lincoln (Rick) and Lauren Cohan (Maggie) will both be leaving TWD next season.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/walking-dead-andrew-lincoln-exit-norman-reedus-eyes-20m-payday-1115515

http://bloody-disgusting.com/tv/3502081/lauren-cohan-confirmed-also-exiting-walking-dead-season-9/

Daryl will become the new main protagonist.. I wonder how much of the comic the show will be able to follow with major characters leaving like this.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

This show will be dead soon after. Daryl isn't fit to be the lead without an unbelievably dramatic change of character. I figured Negan would eventually become a leader again with a change of heart on how to do things while still keeping his brutal edge against foes. With Maggie leaving too, it just damages the show too much. There are zero strong female leads left, and Tara is unbearable.. I would have rather had her die off over Sasha. Rosita would have to be developed more. Michonne is bad ass but to me she isn't leader material either. Its a shame that Rick and Maggie will die off but that stupid baby lived all this time. Apparently there is rumors that Glenn had a twin brother and they could bring Steven Yuen back to play him. It would be interesting, but depending on how it was handled it could go terribly wrong.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

I bet Lauren Cohan got a taste of that sweet big screen payday and decided screw TWD since they aren't paying her as much as Lincoln anyways. 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I wouldn't blame anyone for leaving a show after being on it for over 5 years. They should have either paid her substantially more or maybe she wanted out regardless just to spread her wings. Besides TWD the only other show I've seen her in was supernatural in multiple episodes and that was years ago. She's a great actress and I doubt she'd ever be typecast as Maggie for life. The  filming schedule for twd must have been pretty restrictive since most of the actors are never in anything else.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I don't blame her either. I hope she goes on to be in a lot of movies. She is a great actor. Honestly cable networks need to get a grip on the schedules. If they'd allow actors more freedom to work on multiple projects, they probably wouldn't have such an issue with keeping cast... remember back in the 90s when they'd just get a completely different actor and pretended like nothing happened?

For the longest time you were either considered a TV actor or a movie actor. TV was your stepping stone a lot of the times, but with the movie business not being what it use to be, and streaming services upping the ante on quality programming, I think that line has become blurred significantly. There is no reason someone can't do movies while on a show. I get the whole exclusivity to a single show while its running, but I think you could keep actors more content if they were allowed to obtain multiple income sources from extra projects. I bet it would severely cut down on contract disputes when performers aren't limited to one pipeline of bread and butter, and on the flip side it might save some smaller studios money. Bigger actors may be more inclined to take a role with lesser knowns giving those companies a boost perhaps? Pure speculation as I'm not very knowledgeable about the acting industry.  But with all the petty actor and writer guild strikes over the years, they all seem to take place while the industry is at a high point with several successful properties running.

As for TWD actors not being in anything else, some find other work or will.. maybe not in the most notable ways.

Lennie James does voice work for Destiny, he was in the last Blade Runner film, but before that he was briefly in the terrible 1998 Lost in Space movie.

Norman Reedus was undoubtedly the most established actor when the series started having been in Blade II, Boondock Saints, and Pandorum. He'll have no problem finding work after, and hes already in Death Stranding as the main character.

Laruen Cohen was practically unknown, only doing soap opera cameos, and TV show guest appearances. Oddly enough she was the Stranger in Destiny 1. Now I want to meet her at a Con and ask her about all the lines she had that never made it in to the game.

We'll probably won't see Andrew Lincoln for years if ever. I think he's made his money and wants to spend the rest of the time with the family. He'll probably do commercials and con appearances.

Melissa McBride is another great actor, I think she might pick up a role or two, but shes def one of the older actors. Her first work was Matlock and Heat of the Night. She did some Walker Texas Ranger, and I'm going to have to find that TNT movie Pirates of Silicon Valley.. I loved that film, and didn't know she was in it.

Danai Gurira already has a spot in the MCU, I know she'll find work, shes done very little before TWD, but I think she's got a bright future and this will be looked back on as her breakout role.

Steven Yeun probably won't go on to do anything big in psychical acting, but he is well established in voice work. He's done American Dad, Trollhunters, and Voltron.

Seth Gilliam previously did work on The Wire, Oz, Starship Troopers, and The Cosby show, He has 3 projects listed on IMDB already. He'll always be a side character, but will always probably have work because he is good at what he does.

Josh McDermitt and Christian Serratos will probably wont be in much else outside of cameos.

JDM obviously will always have work and is the most established to come on the show since Norman Reedus. Hes just a solid actor and has the look of a big star. He was in Ramapge

Steven Ogg will always be typecast as a perpetual shitbag, because damn, he is good at it. His work as Simon was excellent, he's also a host in Westworld and was Trevor in GTA V. 

Obviously Jon Bernthol found his role as the Punisher. I can see him picking up a few more lead roles here and there.

David Morrissey is an outstanding actor but will probably always be on British TV only.

Michael Rooker is always going to have work because of his unique voice. Whether it be voice acting, or a villain role. He was great in Guardians of the Galaxy.

But all those other characters like T-Dog, we'll never see them again. Emily Kinney does her music thing, and I wont be sad if we never see Chandler Riggs ever again.