*Originally written June 30th, 2017*
"Let it die"
The Walking Dead used to be a show that I really liked, a show that, I admit, had its highs and lows. It clearly peaked with Season 1, but my fucking god, this show has gone so far down hill that it's embarrassing. Season 7 has got to be the most frustrating, drawn out, self-indulgent piece of television I've seen for a long time.
I tend to think the best shows last around 7 season max, but The Walking Dead shows no signs of an end game, and that's a problem. We have been through everything we could possibly see the group go through at this point and aside from a few moments of sadistic violence, Season 7 brought nothing interesting or new to the table.
I remember I had high hopes for Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan. His scene in the insulting Season 6 finale had real sinister intent and gravitas to it, but they sadly over use him to the point his appearances become annoying. He spends the whole season coming in and doing the same boring speeches about how "This is humanity now" and it become quickly tiresome. Less is more and Negan lost all of his effect. His baseball bat 'Lucille' became a joke quickly and also lost all its impact.
The opening episode was a big talking point due to the deaths of two main characters, who are beaten to a pulp in the most gruesome and nihlistic episodes of TV I have ever seen, and it set the tone for the rest on the season. The episode itself wasted its deaths by drawing out so long after the insulting Season 6 cliffhanger. Then these huge characters deaths lacked any sort of impact on the series in the long run. Showing them die in the Season 6 finale would have left a much better and impactful effect.
The first half of the season showed Rick in an almost catatonic state, to the point of frustration. He's also barely in it. Which was weird, but gave the show a chance to explore some of the other characters. It's just a shame that they went nowhere with these characters. A whole episode was devoted to Daryl being tortured. It was just so relentless in its own depravity that it got boring. The whole of the season went round in circles despite the promise of this "All Out War" in the advertisment. When in reality, this was the last 20 minutes of the season finale.
Extending the seasons to 16 episodes and making them longer than 40 minutes has been a problem with me for a long time with this show. Season 7 pushed that to breaking point. The extended episodes of nothing happening were painful to watch. You honestly could have condensed this whole season into a lean 6 episodes with the lack of goings on here.
There are some bright spots scattered throughout. I loved the tiger, he actually looked good, compared to the usual CGI garbage in this show (That deer. Jesus Christ). Despite its huge popularity, The Walking Dead casually insults its fans with awful CGI blood and gore, which looks even worse next the excellent practical work they usually do. This show is popular enough to have the budget of good CGI, it's insulting how lazy and cheap they are with their content.
Urm, back to the good. There are some nice moments of levity here and there among the bombardment of grimness. An episode where Rick and Michonne go to the fair is a highlight. I also liked the introduction of a couple of new factions like the "Garbage People", who make Rick fight in some gladiator style trash pile. More creative stuff like that.
The Walking Dead: Season 7 is pure trash. The worst the show has ever got, to the point I even wonder why I watch anymore, and I think it's only because I'm seven seasons in now, so I'm gonna see this show through to the end, for better, or worse. I do have some real hope they'll improve things for Season 8, but if it's anything like this season, then fuck my life.
2/10 Dans
The Walking Dead: Season 7 will be released on Blu-ray and DVD sometime later in the year in the UK
Watch the trailer below:
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