Ann_SS

Wow, The Walking Dead is a monster, holding its own against the Oscars. The 18 to 49 demo was slightly up from last week, 5.7, making it the highest scripted tv show last week, beating The Big Bang Theory. Overall, it had 11.01 million viewers.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/02/26/sunday-cable-ratings-walking-dead-wins-night-live-from-the-red-carpet-ax-men-bar-rescue-shameless-more/170856/#comments

Good point. I think that Kirkman uses characters, mostly women, to create drama which out much thought to how the viewers might react to them. He did it with Lori who just did incomprehensible things to help build the Rick/Shane tension. The same is happening now with Andrea. She is doing nonsensical things to add to the tension between Rick and Phillip. I am looking forward to Rick and Phillip finally meeting. Rick has already decided that he is a dead man. I fervently hope that Phillip gets a long painful death, but a hatchet in the head will do just as well.

Well, Kirkman does say that Andrea knows that Phillip is a bad guy so that gives her some credit in my eyes.

I cannot imagine Merle making it to next season. I see him redeeming himself by having a noble death that saves others in the group.

I am enjoying the strife and angst that has changed the group dynamic. It feels real. They live in a nebulous terrifying world, lurching from one crisis to another. I always remember that one day in the prison where Glenn looks a walker and says something to the effect of "can't we even have one good day" and the answer is clearly, "no."

I don't want Milton with the group. I am not sure that I even want Andrea with the group any more although I am positive that will happen.

Yeh, but Tyreese and his group and direct Phillip to the entry point that they used to to get into the prison. I hope that Rick has had sealed up that area of the prison. The good thing is that there are quite a few walkers roaming around there so it would be difficult for Phillip and his people to get in.

Good points, Chit. I liked that Rick made it clear that Daryl was responsible for Merle.

I was also glad Rick stepped up at the end and did step aside as Carl suggested. Rick has got to realize that without him leading, they are lost. I hope that he, Michonne, and Carl find gun and food stores somewhere.

I was sorry that Tyreese and Sacha hooked up with Phillip, but I think as the fight progresses, they will see his ruthlessness and change sides to help Rick's group.

I was really pissed off at Andrea last night, but I am calmer and am trying to be more understanding this morning. It is very true that she has not seen Phillip at his worse. From her perspective, he is a little wacky and trigger happy, but fundamentally a good man trying to protect the citizens of Woodbury. However, how can she really take his word over Rick and the others in that group? How come Michonne could instantly sense Phillip's cray cray and Andrea has not? Andrea acts unphased by heads in a water tank, yet says that Rick has become "cold" and "unsteady." Is she for real? I always say that people remain who they were before during the zombie apocalypse and this goes for Andrea. She is the kind of woman who is attracted to powerful dangerous men (e.g., Shane and Phillip) and she does not look to closely at them so she does not have deal with the fall out of their actions. Until he does something where she cannot deny it, she will stick by him.

I am excited to see who the surprise cast member is.

It's Beth! Emily Kinney.

How old is Beth?

The actress looks mid-20s, but the character might be 18 years old.

Carl is no longer a kid.

Yeah, that is true.

Any chance they riddle Andrea with bullets? I would not complain.

I think that Rick is back. Carl is a scary kid. I think that Rick should hook up with Beth.

Andrea is so weak. She cannot even do what needs to be done. Not that it would matter. He would have killed her first.

You think Tyreese is setting up The Gov?

Nah, I think that he and his group are desperate for somewhere safe. They don't have a clue what they are getting themselves into.

Damn Carol! Who knew she had that in her? Cold, calculating, but it is too late for Andrea to act. Sacha will be warming Phillip's bed from now on.

Rick is such a good man. He gives her a gun and ammo despite everything.

"I did not realize the Messiah complex was contagious." Bwah! Michonne rules!

Damn, Tyrese! Phillip eyeing Sacha. Andrea is about to be kicked out of his bed.

Shut the f' up, Andrea! Maggie needs to tell her what "Phillip" did to her. That SOB.

I am rooting for the walkers to eat Andrea at this point.

LOL! She is ridiculous.

Ugh, that eye!

I have tried to understand her perspective, but Andrea really is an idiot.

Tyrese! I hope he and his people make it back to the prison soon.

So Andrea is finally buying a clue.

LOL! I am counting down the minutes to 9:00 p.m.

I saw this. It is pretty funny. Michelle Obama looked like she was having tons of fun.

Tyrion is not really the star of the books. He's hugely popular among the book and show fans though. I have to admit I absolutely love him and can never get enough.

Same here. Tyrion/Peter Dinklage rocks!

Another awesome trailer! I cannot wait. I am so glad that I will have another Sunday night thrilling show to watch after The Walking Dead has ended. I honestly don't know which one of these I love the most. Both shows give me an adrelin high.

I have come to like Sharon, but only because Sharon Case has grown as an actress. She has turned in some strong performances over the years. Josh Morrow is as wooden as he was his first day. He use to be a stud so at least he was good to look at, but I don't find him as attractive these days.

The pairing of Brit and Bobby was for what exactly? That was ridiculous. Chemistryfree and pointless. An affair? Perhaps but to have them married and have a baby? Good lord!

LOL! That was my thought at the time. I could see Bobby lusting after Brittany, but no way was it believable that she would fall in love in him. I thought that Brittany worked with Raul and that was it. Initially, I figured that she would have a short fling with Bobby and go back to Raul, but it never happened. I still don't understand why Smith went in that direction. And after all of that manufactured story, Lauren left anyway.

Next up, J.T. falling in love with Brittany and then Mac. RME. Please. It was these manufactured romances that ruined J.T. for me. When he was with Colleen, he loved her and was different when he was with her, but he was still apologetically snarky obnoxious with everyone else. Suddenly, he starts falling in love with every woman who passes his way and transforms into this boring good guy who everyone thinks is so great. It was like David Shaughnessy and Trent Jones left and Smith and Alden lost their minds, destroying the best parts of the show.

Blah, again I say to Clementine Ford. I cannot believe that J.T. ended up stuck with Mac. Ugh.

That the redemption of Kevin story that was the last straw for me with Y&R. It completely undermined the great story of Kevin preying on Lily and trying to kill Colleen. It made me roll my eyes and change the channel. Since then I have watched sporadically, but was never devoted as I was in previous years.

They tried, kind of. They recast Billy with Ryan Brown and he flopped, as did Scott Seymour. They seem to have found a keeper with Billy Miller. None of the Mackenzie recasts were well received by fans (though I personally loved Rachel Kimsey). Colleen had two reasonably well received (yet horribly written) recasts before MAB, in her infinite wisdom, decided to kill her off.

I meant recasting the roles, in 2004 under Smith and Alden before things went wonky.

The problems began at the end of 03.

Jack Smith chose Morrow & Case to fill Heather Tom shoes which was a really bad choice (though both were solid actors) which ultimately led to Cassie's death.

He also tried making Brittany into a central heroine which really didn't work (especially once AshBash returned) by dumping a popular pairing (Raul & Brittany) to put her in a rushed love triangle with one of Y&R's most promising new actors (John Enos) who had way more chemistry with several other actresses & an actor who was already half of a very popular pairing (Thad Luckinbill).

Ryan Brown didn't flop (although Scott Seymour was Charity Rhamer bad).

I will never understand Smith's thinking. He created this great young couple in J.T. and Collen and proceeded to throw them away. He could have simply recast the role of Colleen not long after he decided not to be flexible with Lyndsy. J.T. and Colleen were the backbone of that younger group and they had potential of giving years of romantic story much like Nick and Sharon. J.T. floundered as a character with Colleen which give LML the opportunity to ruin them and MAB to kill her off and write him out.

I thought Ryan Brown was fine as Billy. I don't think that he got a real shot at making the role his own as they quickly wrote him out.

I did not mind the second temp Mac. Rachel Kimsey's Mac, I simply did not like. Clementine Ford was atrocious as Mac.

I also thought it was a huge mistake not to recast Raul if they were letting David Lago go. He was the only long term Latino character on Y&R. The show has not had one since.

What was the story with Heather Tom? Didn't she want to come back, but they refused because there was bad blood when she left? At time, I remember thinking that it was ridiculous and that they should just have her back. She ended up on OLTL instead. Boy, has Y&R paid a huge price for that bad decision.

I had issues with her, too. LOL The Brittany hour in 2004/2005 was REALLY annyoing.

You are not alone. In 2004, Brittany got way too much airtime and inappropriate story. I don't blame EB for balking at Brittany and Bobby moving into the Newman Ranch. It was ridiculous and made absolutely no sense. She belonged in that younger group and should have stayed there. Even more incredulous, in a short period of time, Raul, J.T., and Bobby were all in love with her of all people when she was barely likable on one of her good days as if giving her a scar could magically change her personality. It was part of the problems that escalated by the end of 2004. Y&R started taking shortcuts to tell stories and lost track developing characters. I don't understand why they did not just recast Colleen, Raul, Billy, and Mac to keep that younger set intact and in perspective to the rest of the show.