The Walking Dead: Discussion Thread

[Vee]

There are always going to be stupid fans of everything, and stupid articles. I just tune it out and focus on the show. I mean, how can you take anything like Tara being in love with Glenn seriously?

[DRW50]

I don't. It's just part of a collective irritation with the ignorance of many people and this show. I know not to expect much with fans, most of whom just watch to see Daryl push his hair out of his eyes, but I was reading the AV Club recap and the guy didn't even know Tara was gay. Someone who is paid to follow the show each week. It just makes me shake my head, because it's like people need Tara to scissor Rosita in order for them to remember she's a lesbian.

[DRW50]

I'll always want Rick and Michonne to be a couple, but if that won't happen (and I doubt it ever will), I'm glad that we are seeing her own individual strength and how he supports that strength, instead of just needing her to be a sitter for his kids. I like seeing Michonne as a central force in the group, especially since she's been down so low and brought herself back thanks to bonds and friendships. I hope, even if Rick does get a love interest, they don't ignore or forget Michonne and her role in the group.

[Vee]

I think it would be a copout if they didn't get together at this point, honestly. But we'll see.

One key thing I think the prominence and massive success of shows and ensembles like Empire, HTGAWM, etc. will do is keep bringing down more pressure on other shows to face up to more and more diverse story and character integration. TWD has, fortunately, become a very multicultural show both in front of and behind the camera (half the cast and crew of The Wire are now employed here on a regular basis). But when you hear about a bunch of pilots for the new season being specifically retooled to add more characters of color in the leading roles and so on, in the wake of Empire or HTGAWM, or Sleepy Hollow

- while that's a superficial solution, it is a good start. I can easily see the brain trust execs at AMC jumping to, "well, hey, we can do that too - let's have Rick and Michonne do it after all!" And for once they would not be wrong.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Vee

[DRW50]

AMC seems to mostly only have white characters on their shows, outside of TWD, which for some reason only gets notice when it's time for criticism (Tyreese's death being the latest). With the ratings slipping I also wonder if this type of story would be a scapegoat. I do wish it would happen. Andrew and Danai are great together and the show has managed to write the characters as equals without demeaning either of them or pushing overly cliched, melodramatic material on either of them.

They've done a much better job over the years with Michonne than I think they get credit for...

[Vee]

I really don't think they'd have any room, in 2015, to call an interracial romance a problem. They'd never get away with it. If they were on daytime, sadly, it would still be a different story. I think if anything someone might blame any ratings trouble (which they will not have) on them settling down in the new community, but I really don't think anything will deter what they choose to do at this point. The show is a ratings juggernaut and its creative team has finally settled.

[marceline]

I think we actually had a gay couple on TWD at the prison. I remember a scene of two guys in a cell when the plague was making it's way through. One was bathing the brow of the other with a washcloth and when Guy #2 died Guy #1 didn't tell anybody so they weren't able to brain him before he turned. Obviously that's not the same as a named character like Tara or these two but I think TWD has subtly dealt with this before.

As for Rick/Michonne, I just have trouble seeing them as a couple. But with the exception of Glenn/Maggie, romance on this show is always played almost as subtext. Carol/Daryl, Bob/Sasha, etc... as long as everything doesn't become focused on them as a couple I guess it could work. It would be interesting given how Michonne has pretty much become a surrogate mother to Carl and Judith. If they are a couple, it's a matter of time before they disagree on something with the kids and somebody pulls the "you're not their mother" card. I have to admit that I would love to how Lincoln and Gurira play that.

[Juliajms]

Not true. AMC had plenty of Latinos and Better Call Saul does as well.

[Antoyne]

I forget Tara is even on this show. Never cared for her, probably never will.

[marceline]

I have no feeling about Tara. I think it's good to have characters who simmer on the backburner so that they can be ready when it comes time to kill off a few more folks.

[Vee]

First David and Angie, now Rick and Michonne. Stop hating, marceline!

[marceline]

Now that's just wrong. You know I loved David and Angie (and drunk Jesse) more than anything.

I could get into Rick/Michonne as long as the pairing doesn't eat the show. I just got so sick of last season's "Glenn and Maggie put everyone else at risk to find each other" that I shudder to think what could happen with these two.

[Vee]

There's no buzz you won't harsh! And it's almost Empire Wednesday!

[DRW50]

Ratings were up from last week, and also up from the equivalent episode last season (which was a stronger Oscars, and that was also the Beth/Daryl standalone episode that polarized fans).

http://headlineplanet.com/home/2015/02/24/ratings-amcs-the-walking-dead-bounces-back-against-oscars/

[DRW50]

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http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/13/meet-aaron-new-walking-dead-cast-member-ross-marquand-speaks

http://blogs.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/2015/02/the-walking-dead-qa-lauren-cohan-maggie-greene/

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/22/the-walking-dead-s-big-gay-love-story-ross-marquand-on-aaron-s-coming-out-party.html

For some reason they no longer have the Walking Dead inside and making of videos on the Youtube channel, but they're still on the site.

http://www.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/videos/spoilers-inside-episode-511-the-walking-dead-the-distance

Christian Serratos is in the March issue of Playboy.

Edited February 25, 2015 by DRW50