I know I’ve said previously that there are too many zombie related things in popular culture but I’m still partial to some undead cannibalistic corpses from time to time. So that’s why I started watching the TV show ‘The Walking Dead’.
However tonight I realised something as I sat watching the most recent episode of the 4th season of the show – The Walking Dead is really crap. And not in a poor quality, cheap, badly acted way. No I mean it’s crap in a ‘nothing ever f**king happens’ way. Tonight’s episode featured all of the thrills of watching some people we’ve never seen on the show die slowly from the flu.
So when did it start becoming bad? The sad truth is that it’s been rubbish for years and I’ve kept watching it hoping the next episode will be better. The reason I have this hope is because of the concept of The Walking Dead – a TV series set in a zombie ravages world where we follow a group of survivors trying to make a life.
This is surely an open goal excitement wise, in fact it would take more effort to make the show boring than to produce something gripping. Somehow though the producers have managed this. Which brings us to what’s so bad about it.
The characters are dull, annoying, depressing two dimensional puppets who do the stupidest things imaginable. You spend most of your time shouting at the screen as the survivors behave in the most unrealistic manner. Nothing ever happens apart from short bursts at the beginning and the end of a season tricking you into believing that this time will be different. And when it does descend into incessant talking the script is lousy. It lacks any kind of humour or pathos leaving you not caring about any of the bland characters.
This has turned into a rant and you’re probably wondering why I’ve kept watching it. The reason I have is also the reason I’m so pissed off – it’s because it has the potential to be excellent. Instead the producers slap the audience in the face with this shit. They seem to believe that people will keep watching without the makers putting any effort into making it good. This might work for awhile but inevitably viewers will grow impatient and turn off in droves.
My message to the producers is – shake up the show, make it exciting, actually spend some money on it, and show us some zombies. Oh and please make the characters leave that f**king prison!
Can you relate to my righteous anger? Maybe you don’t agree with me and have a different view. Let me know in the comments below. You can also follow me on Twitter as @metalmike25
Screenkicker! 
Long long looooong stretches of boredom punctuated by episodes that really jump out and grab the viewer. That episode from last season where Merle and the Governor came to blows, and when the Governor was chasing Andrea… holy shit man, those were some exciting times!! I just wish the writers wouldn’t keep slow-burning us up to those great moments. It’s the zombie apocalypse, every frigging episode should packed with action, thrills, and fucked up characters doing fucked up shit to other survivors.
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Exactly! The Governor is the only character I’ve been able to like and thats because he’s smarter, more believable, and more likeable than any other character. Most of the episodes this season seem like pure filler!
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Yeah, it is. Really crappy filler. That one random guy and his alcoholism… like wtf? Who cares?? We don’t even know that guy! He just got here and I literally only know that he likes booze.
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Haha, they should just let the man have a drink! It’s the end of the world, let him have some fun! That storyline is like something from a teen drama
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True… Better the first couple seasons. It started out so strong! I hope it gets better again…
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Its not difficult to make it good, it seems like laziness and/or lack of budget. If you can’t keep the quality up for a whole season then make shorter seasons
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The comics are much better and much more depressing. 🙂 Still very talky though because it’s meant to be about the “walking dead” (the living people) and not the zombies. I dunno, I’m not a huge fan of how they deviated from the comics though.
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I really like the comics, they move really quickly and loads of things happen. In the comics they weren’t stuck in that prisoner for about 10 years! I don’t mind talky shows but they need to have interesting things to talk about
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Hahaha @ they weren’t stuck in that prison for about 10 years!
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Felt like 10 years 🙂
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I’ve only seen season one. I’m curious about the following seasons, but now I wonder if it’d keep my interest…Eh. I’ll just keep tearing through season one of Arrow. A little cheesy, but a lot fantastic. 🙂
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It drags on so much! But I’m gonna keep watching it and thats what annoys me. I thought about watching Arrow, its on Netflix, think I’ll give it a go 🙂
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Spoiler alert: think they are about to shake things up a bit now with the Governor appearing last night!
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What have I told you about running your mouth off Rara? 🙂
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awesome, Mikey!!! good to have you with us on the opposition of TWD!!!!! I thought I was going crazy. 😀
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I didn’t realise there was a club for us haters! I’m still gonna watch it though in case it becomes amazing! Hope the producers read this 🙂
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You sound like my OH! I have to convince him to watch episodes these days. He cares not for “character development” or anything “boring” like raising piggies. I’ll say to him, “Stuff happens in this episode.” And then he’ll watch it. He likes it when people in TWD die.
It started out so strong, and with so much potential. I have to admit this latest season has been more enjoyable for me than the last two, but it’s not without its problems.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not adverse to talky stuff. I’m a big fan of character development but I don’t seen any of this happening in the show. No one has anything interesting to say. Maybe the apocalypse makes you into a really dull person? And there’s literally no humour in the show. The thing I like about people is that they can find humour in any situation no matter how dire.
I suppose my point is that I’d rather throw myself to the zombies than be stuck in a prison with those dour bastard!
I’m in agreement with your man, I like it when someone gets munched 🙂
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I laugh at TWD, although usually I’m laughing at people doing stupid things or at a particularly darkly humourous death. 😀
Perhaps there needs to be more munching and less moaning in TWD.
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Oh no I don’t want Hershel to be munched!
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I hate Hershel!
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You just like baddies!
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What was the crack with the new girl and her foot in the blood at the end of the last episode? Weirdo child!
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Don’t remember that, I was probably asleep by then!
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You love it really!
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I agree – it was so much better last season. Hope things heat up and the story develops, it’s so boring right now…great post 🙂
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Thanks Sherri! I think they should put me in charge of the show, I would make it amazing!
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I agree 🙂
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Ahah, well I never watch the show but I hear ya about wanting more from a show you like. It sucks when a show lacks a sense of a humor though, that’s like the worst.
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It’s actually got a bit better the last couple of episodes but I’ve been tricked before. Still waiting for its first joke in four seasons!
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I’m so relieved they’re going to leave the prison. I really hope that now they don’t just find another location and start the process again. Let’s change this to make the characters fend for themselves in all types of new locations! AMC is making a killing on this show. They should be able to afford more than a few places! I say this, yet I still keep watching it. But that won’t last forever.
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Thanks for the great comment Dan. I agree, they need to mix up the locations. They were in that farm for ages and then the prison forever! I think it would be better if they just kept travelling south or something instead of staying in Georgia. The last episode there was amazing so they’ve probably tricked me into watching again!
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They tend to do that to me too. I was close to bailing at the end of season two, then the prison was really interesting at first. It’s the same cycle each time.
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Thanks for this great analysis!! We’ve just watched all of season 1 and 1.5 episodes of season two and have just decided not to bother any more. Boring plot,too many over emotional speeches, unrealistic responses to situations etc. Going to watch 28 days later instead!!
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Thanks for the kind words Kate! For some reason I’m still watching it. You’ve dodged a bullet by quitting now, season 2, 3, and 4 are awful!
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