Vee

Tamara Braun was originally a temp, but I'm sure that's been mentioned.

I also have to say, I disagree with a number of you on Andrea, etc. I had a feeling going into this that she was done. It was the poetic, tragic ending; she's finally reunited with everyone but she's dead, in the pursuit of her ideals - she got what she wanted for those people, finally, but died in the process. She martyred herself for that. I saw it coming a week or two ago. And I was fine with it. I'm not sure how much farther the TV version of Andrea could have gone; they plumbed her depths and evolution so much in the first three seasons, from rebel to nihilist to contrarian to fighter, to martyr. What would be next? Andrea is a steady rock and hangs around? They have enough of those on the show already, most of them with less airtime and dimension than Andrea got. There are other people who need the time. I think her story was told. I didn't think the Governor's was yet, actually - they'd only begun to get into his real descent. I think they made the right choice.

I did read the articles; I also think they were right to reshoot her death. The original scene just sounds sadistic and unnecessary, although she shouldn't've kept [!@#$%^&*] stopping.

I am so glad Sonequa Martin-Green is a regular. I really, really like her, almost as much as Danai. And honestly, I think Rick embracing humanity and building a community is a very hopeful ending. I didn't expect it of Kirkman; I hope he doesn't ruin it.

I didn't get any suggestion that Karen was for Rick. I am still shipping Rick/Michonne, personally.

I thought that was actually a lovely ending. It reminded me of something Carl and I occasionally have talked about - the old BBC series Survivors, from the '70s, about a man-made biological holocaust which wipes out most of the population, but focuses on the survivors trying to build a community and a new world. Of course, that's also why I liked Season 2 of TWD, so.

I thought it was lovely that they took them in, that they weren't all wiped out. I thought it was right. I hope Kirkman and co. don't undo it all out of comic book fetishism.

I loved the Governor staggering off into the tall weeds. That's all he is now.

Laurie Holden did wonderfully. But Jesus, I couldn't believe Andrea took so long with those pliers, taking fuckin' coffee breaks to chat with Milton. That was the first time, ever, in TWD history honestly, where I'd been like, "you stupid bitch."

Oh, and I was with Carl on that kid. That dude was going for it, I could see it in his eyes and his body language. I expected him to blow Carl or all of them away.

I always thought it was a terrible mistake to replace Scott Holroyd, who was perfect as Paul and did some incredible, searing work when his Paul turned on Barbara. But CBS and ATWT were blinded by the idea of a big get in Roger, and basically blatantly turned the character into Paul Manning overnight. Hallucinations, weird affectations, demon daddy issues - it was all Todd, all right away and it just didn't work. It was a complete sea change and ATWT fans called it what it was, which was bullshit. It was, I think, the beginning of the end of the Sheffer/Goutman marquee soap star reinvention process, which had (IMO) gone so well with actors like Cady McClain and Hunt Block.

It was a shame, too, because I actually thought Roger (as well as Scott Holroyd) had incredible, unexpected chemistry with Martha Byrne's Rose, and Cady McClain. But when they finally got around to pairing Roger and Cady it was basically a vanilla smoothie, story-wise - like Ryan and Greenlee on AMC, before their time. And neither actor was any good at that kind of stuff; at least, Cady wasn't as Rosanna. It also sacrificed the Craig/Rosanna romance, which I loved and which was never the same again.

In the end, though, I think Roger Howarth was just happy to be playing something other than a rapist, and that's why he stayed at ATWT so long. The money was good and he was able to be just another leading man, another contract player without all the sturm und drang of Todd, as after this early stuff his Paul became much more generic and commonplace. His hardcore fans from OLTL cried and called it boring, a waste, but what I don't think they understood is that at ATWT he could be just another part of an ensemble and just have a good time with talented actors. That's why I think he stayed despite all the indignities they put that character through, because it was good for him as a person after the years as polarizing, dark antihero Todd. And that's why I think he came back to ABC a lot more chilled out, happy and willing to play and do good work again. But that's just my totally uninformed take, I don't have a real insight into the man or his mind. That's just how it came off to me.

I love Robert and Anna, but I wasn't really around for anything else back then.

Afraid I'm not gonna be live. Too exhausted from the past several days. I'll catch up in a few hours when I'm more rested.

I think I'll watch live. Somehow the GH marathon (which I still have about 20-something episodes of which to watch - I dismissed everything after 2000) did not break my DVR.

I thought the best scene Rooker had last week was either the stuff in the car with Michonne or him in the cells with Rick before he left. "I don't know why I do the things I do. I'm a damned mystery to me." I've always liked Michael Rooker since he was a jobbing character actor in stuff like Cliffhanger - he's always had that intensity, but also something very frail beneath, I think.

I am glad they have let Michonne open up as a character, not a cartoon like she is in the comic book, where she's the Angry Black Woman. She has a lot more facets here.

I don't think they're leaving. I think they were packing to hit Woodbury.

Scott Gimple wrote tonight, not Kirkman. I was comparing this script to Kirkman's comic work.

This speech is a lot better than anything Kirkman ever did that I can recall.

I thought it was a silly turn of events, but I'm glad they ended it fast and didn't play it out. And the scenes with Gurira and Rooker were great, so that was fine.

This is Merle's redemption arc. Daryl dies, Merle must atone.

Operation Dumbass continues.

Uh-oh, Scott Wilson just had a poem flashed on the screen. Not Herschel!

Yep, and now that he's said that he is gonna die.

Merle knows the Governor better than any of them. They'd all know he has no intention of honoring his promise, but Merle would be positive. The Governor will kill them all because he can.

I don't have nearly as many complaints as most people do about the show - I think it's fairly solid - but this is a lame time-wasting bit of business. The chemistry between Gurira and Rooker is great, though.

Yep, Daryl's gonna die.

See, this is silly. I don't have patience for this.

Poor Herschel.

This hallucination stuff has never really worked for me.

Oh, here we go with some soap opera plotting. Not telling Merle in time.

Man, Carol better not bite it.

Rick cannot be this stupid.

I understand being desperate to avoid more death, but there is no way this dude is on the level.

Great scene with Rooker, though.

Is that..."Clarence" in that promo?!

Ron and Frank don't always do humor right.

But when they do, it sometimes involves amateur porn. (Embedding disabled, sadly.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGQAqieCfU

Ready to commence?

Still one of the funniest moments on OLTL for me. I just can't believe they didn't run Nate off the show on a rail immediately after this. Thankfully Grandpa is gone.

The Marissa character was utterly worthless - and unwatchable - until Sarah Glendening took over. I thought she was a breath of fresh air and had real possibility. I expect Marissa's dead now, sadly. I kind of liked her and Bianca.

Do you know if I can access it?

That depends. Do you have a crowbar?

Yeah, that didn't get any better.