TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

[thrill]

AMC should just create multiple Walking Dead narratives. Show a group of survivors in England on Monday night, Toronto Tuesday night, LA Weds, etc.

[ghostrunner]

I think it's annoying how AMC has succeeded in spite of its terrible mismanagement of the show as evidenced by firing their showrunner every offseason and I'm worried at how that will affect them going forward. They think they're part of why the show has had such huge success when it's essentially all been done on the backs of their make up artists. If they didn't have such a bullteproof product, they'd be where they were before Walking Dead.

Back when they were just trying to break into the original content game, they made shows I loved (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Rubicon) but they weren't ratings juggernauts. Now that they're in the ratings big time with Walking Dead, I wonder if they'll try to make great TV or great rated TV going forward. Unfortunately I'm pretty much positive they're going for the cheap ratings as evidenced by the dumb, faux-reality tv (the taxidermy show, the kevin smith and his dumb friends show, the show about a show - talking dead, etc) they're producing now that pretty much exemplifies the nadir of creative content compared to the aforementioned truly great shows they created before they stepped into the ratings big leagues.

I wonder if too much is made of them interfering though. Darabont's version of things really offered nothing after the pilot. Mazzara seemed to have things on track the first few episodes this season, but the Governor/Woodbury storyline has been lackluster. I also wonder if he wasn't partially sacked for the issues with black characters.

Mostly I think the issue is this show doesn't have a Matt Weiner or a Vince Gilligan, just showrunners for hire. Mazzara hadn't even run a show before, I don't think. That leaves Kirkman as the only "visionary" and from what I've read or heard from him that's not so encouraging. Much of what I hear about the comics sounds lame to me. He's not experienced in TV either. I'm somewhat encouraged by the guy tasked with it next year - he wrote the episode with Morgan, which to me was the best non-action episode all season.

[robbotis]

I think it's annoying how AMC has succeeded in spite of its terrible mismanagement of the show as evidenced by firing their showrunner every offseason and I'm worried at how that will affect them going forward. They think they're part of why the show has had such huge success when it's essentially all been done on the backs of their make up artists. If they didn't have such a bullteproof product, they'd be where they were before Walking Dead.

Back when they were just trying to break into the original content game, they made shows I loved (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Rubicon) but they weren't ratings juggernauts. Now that they're in the ratings big time with Walking Dead, I wonder if they'll try to make great TV or great rated TV going forward. Unfortunately I'm pretty much positive they're going for the cheap ratings as evidenced by the dumb, faux-reality tv (the taxidermy show, the kevin smith and his dumb friends show, the show about a show - talking dead, etc) they're producing now that pretty much exemplifies the nadir of creative content compared to the aforementioned truly great shows they created before they stepped into the ratings big leagues.

I wonder if too much is made of them interfering though. Darabont's version of things really offered nothing after the pilot. Mazzara seemed to have things on track the first few episodes this season, but the Governor/Woodbury storyline has been lackluster. I also wonder if he wasn't partially sacked for the issues with black characters.

Mostly I think the issue is this show doesn't have a Matt Weiner or a Vince Gilligan, just showrunners for hire. Mazzara hadn't even run a show before, I don't think. That leaves Kirkman as the only "visionary" and from what I've read or heard from him that's not so encouraging. Much of what I hear about the comics sounds lame to me. He's not experienced in TV either. I'm somewhat encouraged by the guy tasked with it next year - he wrote the episode with Morgan, which to me was the best non-action episode all season.

I blame AMC. The show has great highs, and good plots, but my main gripe is their stretched out. How many times ave we seen examples where Andrea should've left Woodbury? How many scenes were wasted on Rick being crazy, Rick being smart, Rick seeing his crazy dead wife, and around and around. I fear AMC wants so many episodes, that it's wearing the story too thin.

They better either step up the pace next season, or cut back the episodes. Either one, under the right guidance should work. But keeping a snail's pace, and revisting old themes, just to stretch the plot of a 12 episode season to 15 or more, isn't going to work.

[TimeForGuinness]

I'm a pretty big Walking Dead fan, and it definitely feels like they're stretching it this season...disjointed...zombies are more of a nuisance than anything apocalyptic. Would be interesting if they went back to the "what caused this" storyline, like with the CDC in season 1 & Milton in early season 3, and work in the current tribal warfare...focusing on Andrea has really lost me in some regards.

[SHOW]

The fact that they pulled a "Lori" with Merle sorta pisses me off...let's hate this character then give them a REDEEMING DEATH...whatever. They wasted the Merle storyline...I felt like they could have done more with him as a character. My money is that Andrea gets a similar death...but I hope she just gets beheaded by Michonne. I was really hoping Hershel would have told Glen no last night...Glen is trippin lately. Carl is a beast.

[thrill]

Episode 3 of Top of the Lake on Sundance tonight.

It's like The Killing if it was really good and set in New Zealand. Tons of great scenery shots too. Crazy beautiful place.

[JoeMcKim]

They basically have it set up now that no one is going to get bit unless they're surprised by an attack. The way all the survivors have honed their walker fighting skills is they all can now kill multiple walkers in close quarters without even the slightest threat of getting turned.

[robbotis]

They basically have it set up now that no one is going to get bit unless they're surprised by an attack. The way all the survivors have honed their walker fighting skills is they all can now kill multiple walkers in close quarters without even the slightest threat of getting turned.

Yeah, they're over a year into this all happening. Survival of the fittest.
The only way they'd get bit is getting in a bad spot trapped by a hoard, or getting suprised by one.

And apparently even in a hoard you're not necessarily going to get bit. Didn't the Govenor just kill like 15 in that one room where Andrea released them on him?

[ghostrunner]

Just saw the most recent TWD and really enjoyed it. Same writer as the one with Morgan. I think he may be the only writer they have capable of honest to god characterization. If he can do more of that as show runner next year, I'll be happy.

[robbotis]

Just saw the most recent TWD and really enjoyed it. Same writer as the one with Morgan. I think he may be the only writer they have capable of honest to god characterization. If he can do more of that as show runner next year, I'll be happy.

Generally, I agree. If you take away my entire Rick issue(seeing his dead wife, giving up Michonne, trusting Merle, then changing his mind on Michonne), it was a great one, and I can't wait till the finale on Sunday.

Plus Game of Thrones premieres Sunday. Quite an Easter night of TV!

[JackofDiamonds]

Just saw the most recent TWD and really enjoyed it. Same writer as the one with Morgan. I think he may be the only writer they have capable of honest to god characterization. If he can do more of that as show runner next year, I'll be happy.

Generally, I agree. If you take away my entire Rick issue(seeing his dead wife, giving up Michonne, trusting Merle, then changing his mind on Michonne), it was a great one, and I can't wait till the finale on Sunday.

Plus Game of Thrones premieres Sunday. Quite an Easter night of TV!

Winter is coming and so am I.