The Walking Dead Universe 2023/2024 - END IN SIGHT?

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Mon Nov 29, 2021 7:04 pm

I gave up trying to navigate the different TWD threads and decided to create a new one. I don't know how much interest there still is in this show/universe, but I figure with recent events and what's coming up, it might pick up again...

TWD - the core show broke up it's "final" season into 3 8-episode blocks. The first one ended already and was really pretty good. I suspect with the show ending the quality should continue to stay strong until the end. But it remains to be seen if they can/will go with a "comic book" type of ending and/or give us the Rick/Michonne/Judith reunion we deserve. After all the BS they put us through that's the least they could do lol. But it may not work well given the timelines they have floating around.

FEAR - this show maintains it's horribleness with ever more horribleness. I won't comment on next week's episode, which I had high hopes for. It was the best episode this season but the writing still made me want to stick a fork in my head. I don't know what they have planned for FTWD, as far as I know it wasn't cancelled so it may become the "main" show? Supposedly the events in the show are the furthest in the timeline, which makes even World Beyond's storyline obsolete? It's plausible they cross some of the cast from TWB over, and continue their plotlines. I have no idea what to make of it at this point. The Fallout nuclear wasteland kind of makes a mess of the entire universe IMHO. Yes it made for some cool looking irradiated zombies but was it really worth f-ing up the entire universe for? Like where are Carol and Daryl going to drive since half the US is radiated, maybe Canada? I guess time will tell what the fallout will be. Pun intended.

The World Beyond (TWB) - I watched the series finale (early) and it was about as good as I could have hoped for with relatively low expectations. They concluded their main storyline, and most of the character arcs got a good stopping place, but they definitely left the story open-ended as well. The post credits scene, though, could hypothetically upend the entire universe. In many ways I wish they would delete Fear out of the TWDU canon and just stick with what they have going on in TWB.

Rick Grime movies. What happened to these? Seems like they just keep getting delayed. First for Covid, but then later for the "script"? Sounds like problems to me. Jadis gives you some teases on Rick in TWB but nothing of much relevance. Since the movie (at least the first) seems to fall in the timeline after TWD and either before or around TWB, I don't really know what to make of it. It just seems kind of irrelevant given what's happened to the universe in TWB and Fear. There's still a lot of potential but I am leery that they've kind of made a mess of everything.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Nov 29, 2021 7:36 pm

Kinda sad to hear its almost over even though I quit watching after the church stuff and the train yard folk. My wife continued to watch. Im not sure but think she gave up too i na few more seasons. Not sure though.

Sad as it was a part of our life at that time. The life thats gone. Just another little piece. But like I said I dont watch anyways. My favorite characters are all gone. it became such a slow moving soap opera to me. I missed zombies and actions when it turned into human problems. If I want that Id actually watch soap operas. Ya I hear it said thats all it ever was. nah it was fun in the beginning. Its also so damn silly that there is STILL rotted corpses walking around with muscles to move and bite with lol. Im not even sure they ever explained how it started. I dont like the 'it just happened' explanations for these things. I want to know why and I want an end. Oh well.

First few seasons were like 9 out of 10 to me.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Nov 29, 2021 11:00 pm

With its frequent breaks, I can't follow TWD's many threads anymore. I'll watch it until the end, of course, but I've stopped caring.

I kind of like FTWD's Fallout vibe, although not the central "Strand's Oasis" story. Every 3-4 weeks I binge the backlogged shows, more from duty or habit than any enthusiasm.

Never watched TWB. Probably never will.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:02 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 7:36 pm Im not even sure they ever explained how it started. I dont like the 'it just happened' explanations for these things. I want to know why and I want an end. Oh well.

Interesting that you mentioned that...

This is a BIG spoiler below - but it's for the post-ending of TWB. Unfortunately if you never watch TWB you won't see it. I really wanted to discuss it here but I also didn't want to spoil it. Note it doesn't directly have anything to do with TWB, but it does relate to the overall universe.

Spoiler:

TWB was an odd creature. Season 1 was slow but picked up a bit toward the end. Season 2 ramped up quickly and the second half was really good. They knew they only had 20 episodes to work with so I'm not sure why they didn't spread it out a little more evenly as the ending felt rushed. Still it was better than anything Fear has done the past few seasons. They created some genuinely likable characters, which hopefully will get brought back in some form eventually.

I really hope there's someone in charge keeping the bigger picture all together, because even after all these years, there's still a lot of potential.

EvilHomer3k · Post by **EvilHomer3k** » Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:44 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 11:00 pm With its frequent breaks, I can't follow TWD's many threads anymore. I'll watch it until the end, of course, but I've stopped caring.

I kind of like FTWD's Fallout vibe, although not the central "Strand's Oasis" story. Every 3-4 weeks I binge the backlogged shows, more from duty or habit than any enthusiasm.

Never watched TWB. Probably never will.

I agree on the frequent breaks. It feels like AMC has divided up all their time and money that used to be going to one show and put that into three shows. Rather than one good show we get 3 mediocre ones.

I don't care for the nuclear fallout wasteland thing at all. It's not done well and they really only pay lip service to the fact that the entire western half of the US is an irradiated wasteland. I'm really, really tired of the Strand character. He's not interesting. I don't hate him I just wish he'd go away. Honestly, they killed off all of the interesting characters or pushed them to the side. FTWD is just kind of there now. Some episodes (such as the wrestling one) are now off into Z-Nation territory mixing in some form of 'humor' in. I really hope they kill off strand at the end of the season (actually, I think they should end the entire series but I doubt that happens).

Honestly, it feels like AMC had one fantastic season of a show that they milked for over a decade.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:57 pm

I finally gave up on TWD. I watched the first few episodes of Season 10, but most of it didn't hook me and I deleted them all from my DVR.

I think made it through the end of the 5th season of FTWD, but gave up on it after that and deleted all the other eps from my DVR.

Never watched TWB.

I'm kind of curious how the main TWD will end, but I don't feel like I'm missing anything like I did when the show was at its best.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Nov 30, 2021 5:33 pm

EvilHomer3k wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:44 pm
I agree on the frequent breaks. It feels like AMC has divided up all their time and money that used to be going to one show and put that into three shows. Rather than one good show we get 3 mediocre ones.

Yeah, and then they interleave them so that I forget which characters belong to which universe (it doesn't help that some crossed over), much less what story arc they belong to, because each show likes to split its party for side quests. Between the pandemic production delays and the half-season breaks and all the various meandering plotlines you get badly fractured storytelling.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Tue Nov 30, 2021 6:50 pm

...and what makes it worse are the timelines and time jumping that happen in each show, it's almost impossible to know when in the universe anything is happening. This helps but does anyone really want to have to figure all that out to get better context?

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a382 ... cal-order/

Like I just noticed S11 of TWD is chronologically after TWB ends, which could be significant... or not lol.

That said, I'm in it until the bitter end. I almost gave up on Fear this season but I decided to stick it out. I just have a weird need to know what happens to the characters, even the ones I hate.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Wed Dec 15, 2021 1:44 pm

Nice Hail Mary for FTWD, can it save the show?

https://www.tvinsider.com/1024895/where ... king-dead/

EvilHomer3k · Post by **EvilHomer3k** » Wed Dec 15, 2021 9:52 pm

rittchard wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 1:44 pm Nice Hail Mary for FTWD, can it save the show?

https://www.tvinsider.com/1024895/where ... king-dead/

At this point, does anyone who's left the show really care? I still watch it and I don't. No one on that show is likable at this point. Make an altzeimer's ridden Rueben Blades the focus and maybe, maybe it would matter. I'm really just holding on for the end because I've invested so much (same goes for TWD to a lesser degree).

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Mon Feb 14, 2022 8:21 pm

OK let's go with this thread since I made it!!

Just a reminder the big main series is BACK (technically next week) for part 2 of 3 of its final season. Is that confusing enough for ya????

I am again renewed on AMC+ so I will see the episodes a week early. Unless I absolutely have to get something off my chest, though, I'll try to refrain from talking about the episode until it airs.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:57 pm

The way they chopped up and interleaved their series' seasons has totally lost my interest. I can scarcely remember which characters belong to which show, much less what their stories are. I'll watch purely out of habit, but it feels more like an obligation than a treat. Stop stretching it out and just end it already.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:19 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:57 pm The way they chopped up and interleaved their series' seasons has totally lost my interest. I can scarcely remember which characters belong to which show, much less what their stories are. I'll watch purely out of habit, but it feels more like an obligation than a treat. Stop stretching it out and just end it already.

Well in fairness they have already said they are ending the main show and explained exactly how they are doing it, with 3 blocks of 8 episodes each. It's kind of weird I agree but at least they ended the uncertainty of when or how many more eps a while ago. That said, having yet ANOTHER time jump felt a bit egregious. At least it was only 6 months.

Onward! I really enjoyed the premiere, it was very action packed and I was glad to see our core characters are finally making better (bitter?) decisions on how to handle bad guys. Of course it still goes to how you define who is truly "good" and "bad" but that gets back to some of the core concepts the show began with.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:32 pm

rittchard wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 8:21 pm OK let's go with this thread since I made it!!

Just a reminder the big main series is BACK (technically next week) for part 2 of 3 of its final season. Is that confusing enough for ya????

I am again renewed on AMC+ so I will see the episodes a week early. Unless I absolutely have to get something off my chest, though, I'll try to refrain from talking about the episode until it airs.

I was pleasantly surprised with the Walking Dead mid season premiere. It wasn't great, but it kept my interest and had some nice character development for Gabriel.

However, I forced myself to watch the final two episodes of Fear the Walking Dead and was immediately reminded just how goddamn awful that show is.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:25 pm

Haha yeah Hep, I think I have to block Fear out of my memory... agree on the Gabriel, I think they FINALLY sold me because I kept feeling like they were trying too hard with him. Of course that might mean it's time for him to die.

I'm really curious to see what people think of this Sunday's episode, it has a pretty different vibe.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 5:05 pm

I would rather see Gabriel take over the role Morgan has taken on. I can’t believe how annoyed I was with him the entire time I was watching FtWD…and I LIKE that actor.

The only reason I’ll watch it next season is because they’ve already said

Spoiler:

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:16 pm

Here’s some big and kind of whack news for the universe:

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-lauren-c ... -spin-off/

I think the biggest interest will be how they are going to lump the two of them together again.

So any thoughts on the main show now that they’ve started the Commonwealth storyline? It’s kind of a nice change of pace, but it kind of feels like a totally different show now.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Mar 07, 2022 9:52 pm

What they need to do is spin off a series from a zombie’s point of view. It could be like a road runner/wile e coyote style show.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Tue Mar 08, 2022 9:11 am

Sometimes I wonder if these new show announcements are a misdirection...

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Tue Mar 08, 2022 6:21 pm

Lassr wrote: ↑Tue Mar 08, 2022 9:11 am Sometimes I wonder if these new show announcements are a misdirection...

I kind of wonder if the whole movie thing is going to get cancelled, it just seems really weird they haven’t made much forward progress and there’s very little info about it. The Negan/Maggie news sounds like a done deal, it’s so specific (6 episodes, story already planned, etc).

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 8:35 am

I kept thinking the actor who was playing the cult leader looked vaguely familiar...it was Michael Biehn. I still picture him as the young marine in Aliens.

This mid season has been interesting and trying to figure out if they are going to end the series like the comics. Hard to tell. I do know I am ready for it to end though. I still enjoy it but I lost that "Can't wait until the next episode" feeling several years ago.

Scraper · Post by **Scraper** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 10:20 am

Lassr wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 8:35 am I kept thinking the actor who was playing the cult leader looked vaguely familiar...it was Michael Biehn. I still picture him as the young marine in Aliens.

This mid season has been interesting and trying to figure out if they are going to end the series like the comics. Hard to tell. I do know I am ready for it to end though. I still enjoy it but I lost that "Can't wait until the next episode" feeling several years ago.

This show has really jumped the shark for me. I think it really happened when Rick left, but this mid season series of episodes have been even harder for me to watch. They no longer feel like The Walking Dead did in seasons 1-8 and for me it feels more like a generic TV drama, it could literally be any show at this point.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:14 pm

If this thread is multi-show, can we please put show-specific spoilers in tags?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:21 pm

Something like [Shitshow 2] or [Shitshow 7]?

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Mon Mar 28, 2022 6:41 pm

Scraper wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 10:20 am
Lassr wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 8:35 am I kept thinking the actor who was playing the cult leader looked vaguely familiar...it was Michael Biehn. I still picture him as the young marine in Aliens.

This mid season has been interesting and trying to figure out if they are going to end the series like the comics. Hard to tell. I do know I am ready for it to end though. I still enjoy it but I lost that "Can't wait until the next episode" feeling several years ago.
This show has really jumped the shark for me. I think it really happened when Rick left, but this mid season series of episodes have been even harder for me to watch. They no longer feel like The Walking Dead did in seasons 1-8 and for me it feels more like a generic TV drama, it could literally be any show at this point.

I wouldn’t say it could be “any” show because they do still have ZOMBIES lol, but I think I know what you mean. Last night as I was watching, I felt this odd sense of comfort and I realized I felt more like I was watching a familiar soap opera than an edgy horror show. Nothing wrong with that, I really enjoy these actors and characters and it’s comforting to see them in their new shenanigans every week. I just don’t really care about them the way I used to, there’s only a few now I’d actually care if they killed off. Part of the problem is we all know the show is ending so even if someone died now it would have little impact. The other problem is now there’re at least FOUR main characters who are untouchable since they have announced follow-up series.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Mon Mar 28, 2022 6:44 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:14 pm If this thread is multi-show, can we please put show-specific spoilers in tags?

Sorry Blackhawk, is there a specific show (or seasons) you don’t want to get spoiled about?

I’m trying to be generic and non-spoilerific as much as possible but I think I may inadvertently refer to something if it involves something that happened in some of the earlier seasons.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Mar 28, 2022 6:57 pm

Well, I am watching both of the main series (FTWD and TWD.) I've read the comics, but I know that the series diverts significantly (I watched the first four or five seasons of TWD as it was released, then got distracted.) I avoid the threads about those specific shows for obvious reasons. This seemingly being a broader discussion of the franchise, I didn't expect show-specific spoilers in here, as it would mean that nobody who wasn't caught up on every single one could ever be in here.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Mon Apr 04, 2022 1:50 pm

Comments on Mid-Season Finale (airing 4/10/22) and entire part 2 of season 11:

Spoiler:

As I mentioned earlier, I enjoy seeing these characters for their familiarity but the quality of the plotting and directing just seems to be all over the place. I don’t have high hopes for the final 8 episodes any more, particularly with the radio silence on the Rick movies as well as the announcement of the two continuing series. (I originally thought/hoped they may bring Rick and Michonne back for a reunion with Judith and Jr for the finale). But now it looks like there’s no way they are going to tie things up much. I think at best we can hope for a resolution of the Commonwealth storyline, with someone “good” taking over leaving a nice place for all the excess cast members to stay, so that the real stars can go off and do their spinoffs.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Apr 27, 2022 7:51 pm

The Walking Dead's Daryl-Carol Spinoff Loses Carol

Melissa McBride won’t be playing Carol Peletier after all in the planned Walking Dead spin-off featuring Norman Reedus , TVLine reports. Instead, what was once a Carol-Daryl spin-off will simply be a Daryl spin-off.

Universal released the following statement in response to McBride’s departure.

"Melissa McBride has given life to one of the most interesting, real, human and popular characters in ‘The Walking Dead’ Universe. Unfortunately, she is no longer able to participate in the previously announced spin-off focused on the Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier characters, which will be set and filmed in Europe this summer and premiere next year. Relocating to Europe became logistically untenable for Melissa at this time. We know fans will be disappointed by this news, but ‘The Walking Dead’ Universe continues to grow and expand in interesting ways and we very much hope to see Carol again in the near future."

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:38 pm

Just recast Carol. I could see the actress that plays Madea in all those Tyler Perry comedies taking over the role.

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:06 pm

I know interest in TWD has really waned on these forums, but I’m curious if the recent SDCC announcement was of interest.

Pretty big news for fans: Rick and Michonne spinoff series (whoa) and cancelling of the movies (not a big surprise). I think my biggest surprise was that Danai was willing to come back, I hope she’s getting paid at least as much as Andrew Lincoln if not more.

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-walkin ... d-for-2023

I think this is a good idea all in all, and I hope they give the characters a good send off and some sort of reunion or closure with their kids. Because both of them dumping their children and never getting to see them again just seems like a crap way to end all of those characters’ story arcs.

The “Tales of WD” series looks kind of ho hum (obviously Alpha is the most interesting character) to me, but the final eps of the main series look like they have potential.

All in all I can’t help but feel like the TWD “universe” is something of a clusterf- that could have been managed much better. I suppose Covid probably threw plans off but I think also someone needed to exert a stronger/better creative control over the entire thing before it got totally out of hand. And understand that it may not have been quite as popular as they thought (i.e. I don’t think the movies would ever have been successful).

rittchard · Post by **rittchard** » Tue Oct 04, 2022 1:04 pm

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread or just continue one, but I ended up with this one.

So begins the back half of the FINAL season of the original TWD!!!!

I'm not going to talk much about the episode, mainly because I ended up watching the second episode (which I guess will air next Sunday) first by mistake and I don't recall which details were in which. After feeling like an idiot, I went back and watched this week's episode and I was like ohhhhhh.... But that goes to show you how far my overall interest level has dropped over the years. There was a time when I'd rewatch a ton of episodes to prepare for the new one and dissected every detail, etc etc. Now I couldn't even tell I had missed an entire episode LOL. How the mighty have fallen.

Is anyone else going on this final journey with me???

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Tue Oct 04, 2022 1:08 pm

I'm going to let a few episodes build up on my dvr and then I'll do a mini binge watch.
My enthusiasm is pretty low for the end of this ride.

EvilHomer3k · Post by **EvilHomer3k** » Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:20 pm

rittchard wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 1:04 pm I'm not going to talk much about the episode, mainly because I ended up watching the second episode (which I guess will air next Sunday) first by mistake and I don't recall which details were in which. After feeling like an idiot, I went back and watched this week's episode and I was like ohhhhhh.... But that goes to show you how far my overall interest level has dropped over the years. There was a time when I'd rewatch a ton of episodes to prepare for the new one and dissected every detail, etc etc. Now I couldn't even tell I had missed an entire episode LOL. How the mighty have fallen.

Is anyone else going on this final journey with me???

Half the episodes I watch any more I end up stopping, going back to the previous episode, and then finding out that I did watch the correct one but there's some sort of time jump/flash back/completely unrelated into at the beginning. The writing on this show has gotten so incoherent you can't tell if you are watching the right episode or not half the time. I'll be finishing this one but I'm not sure I'll be in for the others. They can't do justice to the two shows they have so I don't think they'll improve with 3-4 all running at the same time.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:01 pm

stimpy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 1:08 pm I'm going to let a few episodes build up on my dvr and then I'll do a mini binge watch.
My enthusiasm is pretty low for the end of this ride.

+1. I feel like I should watch it eventually, but it feels like a chore.

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:45 pm

I'll be watching just because I need to see how they wrap it up after so many seasons, but I'm not expecting a satisfying conclusion. My TV time is limited lately though, so I'll be going the DVR route and watching when it's convenient.

Scraper · Post by **Scraper** » Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:33 am

I honestly can't remember if I watched all of the episodes from the prior half of the season. I know I started it, but can't remember where they left off. Shows you what kind of interest I have in it. They should have ended this show when Rick left, that seems to be when it jumped the shark the most (even more than Glen under the dumpster).

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Oct 05, 2022 10:17 am

Scraper wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:33 am They should have ended this show when Rick left

Having not watched for years I was kind of wondering if it would end the same way as the comics, but I guess that makes it a no.

Scraper · Post by **Scraper** » Wed Oct 05, 2022 10:50 am

coopasonic wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 10:17 am
Scraper wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:33 am They should have ended this show when Rick left
Having not watched for years I was kind of wondering if it would end the same way as the comics, but I guess that makes it a no.

Um yeah I guess I could have spoilered that but he's been gone for several seasons now, so I didn't think to.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Oct 05, 2022 11:02 am

Scraper wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 10:50 am
coopasonic wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 10:17 am
Scraper wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:33 am They should have ended this show when Rick left
Having not watched for years I was kind of wondering if it would end the same way as the comics, but I guess that makes it a no.
Um yeah I guess I could have spoilered that but he's been gone for several seasons now, so I didn't think to.

No worries. I wouldn't be looking at this thread if I was worried about spoilers of things from previous seasons. I don't think I'll ever finish up the show. The comic has me satisfied.