Enjoyed TWD last night - they almost had me feeling something other then disgust for the Gov .... almost! Still enjoyed the show and liked the twist at the end. See where it goes.
"Live Bait" wasn't a particularly exciting episode of "The Walking Dead," nor an especially subtle one in the way it beat us over the head with the parallels between the Governor's dead little girl and the live one standing in front of him. But it may have been a necessary one, depending on what sort of long-term plans Scott Gimple has for the character.
The Governor from the second half of season 3 is not sustainable as an ongoing character on this show. He's just not. He'd become such a cartoon by the end that the show can't even realistically squeeze just one extra season out of him as the big bad before Michonne sticks her katana through his other eye, or Carl shoots him in the face or Carol bursts out of nowhere to stab him 75 times. So unless Gimple intends to bump off the Governor by the end of this half-season, he is in need of some hardcore character rehab, even if the end result of it still puts him in opposition to Rick's group.
TWD: Gimple has done more for this show than even Darabont. GREAT focus on character. They slowed things to a crawl...walked away from the prison...and restored humanity to the one dimensional sketch that was the governor. I actually care. Well done by Morrissey too. I hope it doesn't peter out, this has been the best season by far. Lots of really moving moments. I'm not in a hurry to get back to the prison...yet.
It has been good so far but I am a huge Darabont fan and still love season 1.
So the only thing I will say in Darabont's defense (and believe me I don't think any of us really know what or where he was going with this show as his philosophical differences with AMC got in the way) but I remember the actor who played the tank zombie that Rick off's in the 1st epi saying that Darabont had big plans for a Season 2, epi 1 to concentrate on that character. People want to see the backstory's, ala early Lost episodes, it is why characters get investment from the viewers. I fully think Darabont would've brought this home. Unfortunately I would lay big $$ that Kirkman has too much power in this show from AMC. Granted he is the source material creator and worked a good deal through his agent but I would've really liked to see where it went with Darabont.Don't get me wrong...hard to judge Darabont because you just don't know where he was going with it, but he(and mostly Kirkman) w/Mazzara sharing a lot of the blame are the reason why the show got off the rails. Lack of focus, trying to mirror/not mirror the comics, etc. Gimple(and I am assuming it's him because it is happening on his watch) has done the one thing nobody bothered to do...make you care about the actual people involved in all the mayhem. I like what Seppinwal said about rehabbing the Governor in order for him to be of any use at all. And yeah...the writing was simple, but REALLY effective. I rewatched last weeks episode prior to this weeks and what they did with Hershell was some fine stuff. Making him the pillar of strength the whole episode...then giving him the private moment to just collapse and sob(with some real nice music btw...they are getting better with that too) and then he walks it off and goes outside the gates with Michonne. Subtle. I guess that's it. The show can afford to be quiet and it's not like that 90 minute episode from(last season?) where it was just FFwd time. And yes, they will more than likely screw up all the good will...but maybe, just maybe they can make this show worth all the ratings hype and praise.
Well...that was a step backwards. I think that Gimple has done a good job rehabbing the Governor, but Kirkman's fist shown through last night. And the villain has to play the part. There was very little motivation for the turn that he took. And a lot of the good work was undone. I still hold out hope that they cobble together a good halfway finale next week and last night was the only sour note so far. We should have a better idea of the truth after 54 more minutes. Cross your fingers.
Well...that was a step backwards. I think that Gimple has done a good job rehabbing the Governor, but Kirkman's fist shown through last night. And the villain has to play the part. There was very little motivation for the turn that he took. And a lot of the good work was undone. I still hold out hope that they cobble together a good halfway finale next week and last night was the only sour note so far. We should have a better idea of the truth after 54 more minutes. Cross your fingers.