Warning: This story contains spoilers from the season six finale of AMC's The Walking Dead, "Last Day on Earth," and the comic book.
That and we talk about the shitty things producers did to the fans.
- - -
After a huge amount of anticipation for the appearance of Negan on The Walking Dead, people came away pissed and disappointed by the cliff hanger they were left with. Sure, the episode had a ton of entertaining tension. And sure, things weren't going anyone's way. But crap, to pull the rug out from under us and not deliver left a foul smell in the room!
-
Almost all of this last season, fans were on the edge of their seats waiting for the season finale of The Walking Dead, for when Negan, played perfectly by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, would make his initial appearance.
That appearance, as many anticipated, heralded the death of a primary group member, since Negan showed up to make a point.
In the comics, he made his death-blow point by killing Glenn.
But as the AMC show has proven, they aren't sticking religiously to the outline of the comic, so with Negan showing up, no one was sure who he would kill to make his point.
But he did make it, but with one huge exception or omission by the producers.
That omission being who it was that Negan killed.
- - -
Throughout all of the latter half of this season, the steam has been building with fans about who Negan kills. They even drilled it home with fans by having various press release statements about how hard-core this finale was, and what not.
The production staff then let us believe what we wanted to believe, which was that we will see who gets killed in the final moments of the finale.
They kept mum while pumping out some "feeder" press to make the fans frenzy about the finale build even more.
It did not help that there were stupid (or are they?) rumors floating around during the season that Daryl was getting killed off.
And yet, in the finale, the fans do not get to see who is leaving our party of weary travelers.
But the finale has sparked a few online conversations. One being headline link bait, asking which character just died, not telling you we weren't told. Another being who was it that got killed off and starting polls on the matter and the other final angle on this event was more publicity from the production staff.
The publicity from the producers is now capitalizing on the cliff hanger, telling fans that this character's death will start the new season off, being the basis of the next season.
Meaning, tune in fans so you can see who did die.
The dual-edged problem here is that fans that might be on the bubble about the show will be pissed and bail. But too many of us are invested in the story line and want to see just who bit it.
If this was a mediocre rated show, I think people would toss their hands up in the air and walk.
But it's not.
-
SHITTY THINGS
The other aspect or online conversation that is not getting started is who was it that got killed?
This conversation will be the one that keeps the buzz going about the show and lead us straight into the seventh season premiere where we assume or hope, we will be treated to who got killed.
But how will the production staff handle it?
When it looked like Glenn died earlier this season, they played with fans and kept him out of the story for a few episodes.
So that was the first shitty thing producers did to fans. Maybe it was a market test to see how we would react. Maybe not.
Either way, this week, the second shitty thing was letting us buzz up about who was getting killed, and keeping it out of the limelight of the episode.
Instead, they are telling fans that the death scene hasn't been filmed yet and that this death will be the chrysalis of the story for next season.
Duh.
But this will keep fans buzzing, wondering who and there are a lot of theories going on.
One is that we hear Glenn calling out Maggie's name, but it gets cut off in mid-name/sentence.
This would fulfill the comic lineage of plot.
MY HOPEFUL idea is that it is Abraham.
NO, I do not want to see Abraham die, but Denise (Arrow in the Eye girl) died a few episodes ago, in place of where Abraham died in the comics. This would preserve the order of demise to some degree, if they saved Abraham for Negan.
My other inclination is this: What if what we saw was the character's actual view while being pummeled? Adding up that it was Abraham, on his knees, puffing his chest out to Negan in defiance, was a daring moment. And I have to wonder who would have had the balls or fortitude to keep staring straight at Negan for as long as they did, while getting their brains bashed in.
To me, that would be Abraham. In my mind everyone else in the group isn't physically strong enough to stand up to that kind of punishment.
-
The quirk of this entire setting also lends itself to remaining a mystery until we actually are told in the story in season seven, who died.
Since they "haven't filmed the death scene yet," that means hovering snoops can't say, oh, look, the dead character is not on set this season! Or what not. (AKA, the debacle of Kit Harington's character on Game of Thrones.)
The only problem production has, will be hiding who does film the scene getting their head bashed around with a bat. Since they have plans, supposedly, to film everyone getting killed, to keep lurking fans off balance, well, we'll see if that happens or not.
If the studio has lurkers in the production staff who don't keep their lips sealed, then we'll find out long before the next season premiere.Or if they have hired honorable staff, then we won't find out until we're supposed to.
- - -
Gads, I hate this. But I also love hating this. That is the earmark of a good show.
- - - - - - - -
That and we talk about the shitty things producers did to the fans.
- - -
After a huge amount of anticipation for the appearance of Negan on The Walking Dead, people came away pissed and disappointed by the cliff hanger they were left with. Sure, the episode had a ton of entertaining tension. And sure, things weren't going anyone's way. But crap, to pull the rug out from under us and not deliver left a foul smell in the room!
-
Almost all of this last season, fans were on the edge of their seats waiting for the season finale of The Walking Dead, for when Negan, played perfectly by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, would make his initial appearance.
That appearance, as many anticipated, heralded the death of a primary group member, since Negan showed up to make a point.
In the comics, he made his death-blow point by killing Glenn.
But as the AMC show has proven, they aren't sticking religiously to the outline of the comic, so with Negan showing up, no one was sure who he would kill to make his point.
But he did make it, but with one huge exception or omission by the producers.
That omission being who it was that Negan killed.
- - -
Throughout all of the latter half of this season, the steam has been building with fans about who Negan kills. They even drilled it home with fans by having various press release statements about how hard-core this finale was, and what not.
The production staff then let us believe what we wanted to believe, which was that we will see who gets killed in the final moments of the finale.
They kept mum while pumping out some "feeder" press to make the fans frenzy about the finale build even more.
It did not help that there were stupid (or are they?) rumors floating around during the season that Daryl was getting killed off.
And yet, in the finale, the fans do not get to see who is leaving our party of weary travelers.
But the finale has sparked a few online conversations. One being headline link bait, asking which character just died, not telling you we weren't told. Another being who was it that got killed off and starting polls on the matter and the other final angle on this event was more publicity from the production staff.
The publicity from the producers is now capitalizing on the cliff hanger, telling fans that this character's death will start the new season off, being the basis of the next season.
Meaning, tune in fans so you can see who did die.
The dual-edged problem here is that fans that might be on the bubble about the show will be pissed and bail. But too many of us are invested in the story line and want to see just who bit it.
If this was a mediocre rated show, I think people would toss their hands up in the air and walk.
But it's not.
-
SHITTY THINGS
The other aspect or online conversation that is not getting started is who was it that got killed?
This conversation will be the one that keeps the buzz going about the show and lead us straight into the seventh season premiere where we assume or hope, we will be treated to who got killed.
But how will the production staff handle it?
When it looked like Glenn died earlier this season, they played with fans and kept him out of the story for a few episodes.
So that was the first shitty thing producers did to fans. Maybe it was a market test to see how we would react. Maybe not.
Either way, this week, the second shitty thing was letting us buzz up about who was getting killed, and keeping it out of the limelight of the episode.
Instead, they are telling fans that the death scene hasn't been filmed yet and that this death will be the chrysalis of the story for next season.
Duh.
But this will keep fans buzzing, wondering who and there are a lot of theories going on.
One is that we hear Glenn calling out Maggie's name, but it gets cut off in mid-name/sentence.
This would fulfill the comic lineage of plot.
MY HOPEFUL idea is that it is Abraham.
NO, I do not want to see Abraham die, but Denise (Arrow in the Eye girl) died a few episodes ago, in place of where Abraham died in the comics. This would preserve the order of demise to some degree, if they saved Abraham for Negan.
My other inclination is this: What if what we saw was the character's actual view while being pummeled? Adding up that it was Abraham, on his knees, puffing his chest out to Negan in defiance, was a daring moment. And I have to wonder who would have had the balls or fortitude to keep staring straight at Negan for as long as they did, while getting their brains bashed in.
To me, that would be Abraham. In my mind everyone else in the group isn't physically strong enough to stand up to that kind of punishment.
-
The quirk of this entire setting also lends itself to remaining a mystery until we actually are told in the story in season seven, who died.
Since they "haven't filmed the death scene yet," that means hovering snoops can't say, oh, look, the dead character is not on set this season! Or what not. (AKA, the debacle of Kit Harington's character on Game of Thrones.)
The only problem production has, will be hiding who does film the scene getting their head bashed around with a bat. Since they have plans, supposedly, to film everyone getting killed, to keep lurking fans off balance, well, we'll see if that happens or not.
If the studio has lurkers in the production staff who don't keep their lips sealed, then we'll find out long before the next season premiere.Or if they have hired honorable staff, then we won't find out until we're supposed to.
- - -
Gads, I hate this. But I also love hating this. That is the earmark of a good show.
- - - - - - - -
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Follow Cinema Static on: 
Comments
Post a Comment
Apologies for the moderation mode. I presume you understand...