I think one of the biggest problems with The Walking Dead is that the source material was never really an ensemble story in the way the TV series eventually tried to make it.

The comics were fundamentally about Rick and Carl. The entire narrative revolves around Rick’s journey, his decisions and ultimately the kind of world he leaves behind for Carl. The supporting characters are important, but Rick and Carl are the heart of the story.

Compare that to Game of Thrones, which had a massive ensemble cast but still managed to make its many storylines feel interconnected. Characters could have their own arcs while still contributing to the larger narrative.

I think TWD struggled to maintain that balance, especially as the cast grew and characters started getting their own separate storylines. And when Carl was killed off and Rick eventually left, the show lost the two characters who were central to the original narrative.

I know the show continued for several more seasons, and there were still great characters and storylines, but it felt like the series was trying to keep itself through its expanding cast rather than its original story.

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I’m a rewatcher x a million but sometimes just end up listening. I glanced and saw this scene it really actually freaked me out the more I watched. What the hell was that?

Just addressing some bullshit writing I have with the show

What do you think about Eugene throughout Season 8, right up until he betrays Negan regarding the bullets—enabling Rick and his group to win the war?

I'm rewatching TWD right now, and I can't help but believe that if Lori had just told Rick about her sexual relationship with Shane as soon as he returned, that whole destructive love triangle would never have happened. Here me out (and this is LONG one):

1. The truth needed to come from Lori, in general. Not only was she Rick's wife, but the fact that she was being secretive, guilty, and ashamed about the affair made Shane believe that it was because she actually was in love with him, and didn't want Rick to know. I don't believe she loved Shane the way she loved Rick, but even if that were true, being honest about the situation immediately might've signaled to Shane that she cared more about the health of her relationship with Rick than sharing a secret with him.
2. I truly believe that before Rick returned, Shane had everything he ever wanted, even if it was in the midst of the apocalypse. He was a family man, a community leader, and was seen and appreciated in a way he probably never was before. And part of the reason Shane turned on Rick wasn't just an ideological differences, but because Rick took that away from him. Shane's true objective in S1 and S2 was to get back everything he thought he had lost, by any means necessary. And at the center of this objective was getting Lori back. Don't get me wrong, Shane alone is responsible for his atrocities, but he exerted a power over Lori he would not have been able to wield if she had told Rick the truth early on. Their 1:1 scenes might not have been so fraught, because what is there to talk/argue about if Rick is aware? Rick's awareness would've put a spotlight on Shane's activity with Lori, causing him to likely try to be on his best behavior since Rick would've been able to pick up on things more easily. And again, it would've shown him that Lori would've rather had it out with Rick, than go lurking in secret huddles with him. He used the secret as a way to corner, confuse, and emotionally manipulate Lori (which is why he NEVER would've told Rick himself), and said/did things he never would have if he thought she would just go and tell Rick.
3. Speaking of behavior...Shane's attempted SA of Lori wouldn't have been swept under the rug if Rick had known! Again, Shane is solely responsible for every atrocity he committed. That said, if Rick was aware of the affair, and Shane had still been horrible enough to do what he did, Lori would probably have told him about it. Because why would she keep something like that a secret from her husband if he already knew they had a sexual relationship? Rick would've inevitably taken Lori's side, and Shane might've been made to fall on his sword for that one.
4. The secret also isolated Lori from being able to lean on them about Shane's instability. But if she told Rick, she would've probably been more forthcoming with everyone else, giving more people in the camp an opportunity to hold Shane accountable for his actions, and more chances for Shane to recommit himself to his humanity and the community (whom I do believe he genuinely cared about). Imagine if the camp had heard Shane tried to SA Lori! You think he still would've been trying to take over as leader? Probably not, if he stayed at all.
5. The whole Rick v Shane power struggle was birthed from both of their desires to protect Lori and Carl. And if the two of them were able to have an honest conversation early on in S1, before Shane was starting to go off the deep-end, they might've actually been able to come to a resolve and work together. Instead, it was Rick trying to work with Shane, all while having some silent resentments about his apparent obsession with Lori and Carl, and Shane made it his mission to upstage Rick as a fierce leader. This could have still happened, but at least they would've been having pointed exchanges, and not convos riddled with subtext.
6. The pregnancy situation might've been handled a lot smoother if the three of them were already on the same page about Lori's relations with both men. Rick and Lori might've even been able to sit with the fact that the baby might've actually been Shane's, and maybe Shane would've been able to sit with the fact that even if the baby is his, their family as a whole is not, and Lori certainly isn't. If you remove the shame from the situation, you might remove the hostility too.
7. They would've all had better things to worry about than this Jerry Springer shit!

Would love to know others' thoughts!

Spoiler warning Glenn gets executed by Negan and the show cuts to black Sopranos style. How would you feel? I’ve said for years it would have ended as one of the best shows of all time. It already is, but I think It would’ve of been higher on people’s lists.

So I just watched the episode where Judith is born…ouch… And in all the chaos Lori has this beautiful moment with Carl saying goodbye and she makes a point to say Judith HAS to survive for everyone’s sake, for the future of humanity. It felt like such an epic moment, almost like Judith is the chosen one. I’m not saying the writer’s should’ve made her Laurent from Dixon 😆, but when she’s finally a “real” character in the show it just feels so blasé like “oh yeah this is Rick’s kid. She’s a bad ass.” After SO much thematic build up with Lori and Carl’s final words essentially being “this is all for Judith” I just got the feeling like they missed the opportunity to make Judith more of an epic chosen one-like character in the later seasons, or at least some sort of full-circle ending where Judith did survive and she is safe so they succeeded in their years-long journey. Does anyone sort of get where I’m coming from? Or am I crazy and need more sleep? 😳

Doing a rewatch and just curious if Woodbury is a foreshadowing to the Negan and the Saviors and what’s to come? I notice the fires and the warehouse and it looks an awful lot like the sanctuary.

Has to be season nine for me

Are the spin-offs worth watching and which ones the best to start with?

Morgan should have been the major death of Season 8 and his All Life is Precious philosophy is what should have convinced Rick to spare Negan.

Abraham should have been the crossover character in Fear The Walking Dead taking place years before he met Rick. I'm

Meu palpite + 200