#jdm af | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

shimmershae · 2 years

Text

So. I slogged through TWD Episode 17-Lockdown and, you know me, I had some thoughts.

I always have thoughts. They’re not always coherent, but they’re definitely there.

Look behind the cut if you’re interested in skimming through them.

Slogged is definitely the word I meant to use because it took me almost 3 hours to consume this episode--I kept getting up and leaving to do other, more interesting things (blasphemous in the TWD fan days of old, the only way to keep my sanity in these trying times).

But like I said, I slogged through it and all I could think about afterward was thank God I didn’t pay AMC any money for this.

Shae’s stream of consciousness thoughts incoming in 3-2-1.

So finally, finally they are giving us some connection to the past, playing up on our nostalgia with Judith’s voiceover and the flashbacks.

IMHO, they should have included flashbacks of Lori in there since, you know, she’s kind of one of the biggest reasons why Judith is alive at this point and able to hear these stories. Like why is she hearing stories about Shane’s descent into madness and not stories about the mama that sacrificed her life for her? I mean, did I miss it or do they continue to do the most to erase Lori from the fabric of baby girl’s DNA?

That said? Carol and Lydia at the cliff! My forever bruised heart!

Oh lawd, more Daryl and Maggie. I can already tell this episode is going to be lacking because they are BORING AF together. Like there is just ZERO energy between them.

I love how Aaron says “Carol’s there” when Gabe worries about Hornsby going after their people/families. My girl is Team Family’s one woman protection squad.

You know I’m proud AF but also? I cry. Because who’s looking out for her? After the way so many of them seemed to turn on her last season, it doesn’t feel like they have her back back, you know?

Negan and Annie would be kind of sweet if they weren’t basically one of those mug cakes that you throw in a few ingredients and toss in the microwave for 30 seconds. Oh and if there weren’t actual good people still struggling to find their own happiness when this “reformed” murderer is basically getting to play house.

Negan really using that nasty ass Whisperer mask as the centerpiece to his entire wardrobe whenever he has “date night” has me simultaneously cringing and laughing because yuck. And also? Wonder if Annie’s like “Eww, didn’t I throw that out with the trash last week?”

I hate how my Denny Duquette crushing days rear their head at the most inopportune times. Like here I am, fighting against finding any redeeming quality in this butt abscess of a human being and I remember how charming Denny was and I’m like, fuckkkkkk. Let’s not even get into JDM fanning the flames of the hellscape that is fandom since AMC decided to insert its head so far up its ass I can see Scott Gimple’s bolo tie dangling between Chris Hardwick’s teeth whenever he opens his mouth and just glides over the spinoff debacle with 101 questions about Princess and Mercer and Judith’s hairstyle like it’s nothing.

Daryl and Negan tag-teaming it will never not make me go WTF. Like the ways in which TWD has contorted these characters to keep that fucker alive would be impressive in some kind of alternate universe where people weren’t such assholes about a woman mourning her murdered son and seeking vengeance and ultimately the protection of her people in a two birds, one stone kind of way.

Those Walkers ripping out those guts like people down at Disney during free dining (RIP) going ham after buffet snow crab legs.

·AMC lying even in its opening credits because Melissa McBride and Christain Serratos been glorified guest stars this season and they’re 2nd and 4th billed.

Oh look, they decided to put all 99 members of the cast in the opening. Cool, cool. Too bad only about 4 of them have had any appreciable screen time this season.

The comic style opening is cool and all but the original opening hit way harder.

Lance losing his shit in that suit is sending me.

Don’t they know they’re wasting a precious commodity in the ZA—fuel. Jeez.

Wow! Yumiko lives! Magna too.

You know Negan wants to comment on the pumpkin suit. I mean, that twinkle in JDM’s eyes is on point. He’s having to forcibly restrain his lesser angels (actually devils, but eh), lol.

Negan’s in is April? Guess she’s dead so she can’t refute his story. Makes sense. If I hadn’t rewatched the 2 minutes of that episode where Carol and Daryl awkwardly make a date and Carol comes to save her Pookie’s bacon recently I wouldn’t have remembered who TF she was though.

Carol!!! How is it possible she gets ever more beautiful every time we see her on our screens? Granted, AMC is doing the most to see how that absence makes the heart grow fonder thing works out.

Fuck TWD having her play babysitter. I know she’s been working things undercover and I know I’ve been salivating over Aunt Carol/Judith scenes for literal years but damn them for doing it this way.

Seriously. I hate how now they’re doing more than implying Carol has a relationship with these kids. You know, conveniently sidelining her from the action. They’ve been employing this same tactic for years. Remember when they kept her from Negan’s lineup (my only consolation is she was spared that trauma) by shipping her off to the circus that was the Kingdom?

That’s it! Daryl’s solo spinoff is about him going back in time to that silly Ren Faire and showing his girl why she belongs with him and not some man who would self-appoint himself King.

I kid. I think. Let’s move on from that farce, shall we?

I do like, however, that Daryl and Aaron know their kids (because let’s face it, Daryl’s had more time playing daddy to those kids than Rick ever got the chance to) are safest WITH Carol. Takes the wind out of the sails of the old and tired mantra of the haters that Rick never trusted Carol with his kids. Feels kind of like a fuck you, haters to me, lol.

Fake Stephanie and that other person I can’t remember the name of—hmm, guess they weren’t all that memorable. The hell are they doing coming in on Carol’s (Daryl’s?) apartment that way?

You know. I love the implication that Carol has been in that apartment enough that she’s super comfortable and knowledgeable about the whereabouts of everything but like, would it have killed this damn show to actually SHOW us Carol and Daryl slouching on a couch together instead of taking another whack at the dead horse that is Carol’s failed marriage with the petting zoo keeper? Would it have? Really?

Poor babies be pretty skilled at that quiet game. Especially RJ. ; )

“Where is Carol?”

Negan, Man. We been asking that same question the whole damn season.

Carol’s always right, lol. We been knew. Now we just got to convince the haters to accept that IN CAROL? EVERYBODY TRUSTS. Actually, we don’t. Because haters gonna hate. Sure would be nice though.

Carol’s been planning for things to go to hell from word go. Sending the babies to an attic safe space? Stocking it with supplies?

Oh look. They remembered Yumiko and Magna used to know each other.

They should have used Magna more in this class struggle in CW. Given us more scenes showing her struggles instead of Eugene getting his groove on.

Lockdown? Hmm. Oh damn. Just remembered that’s the name of the episode. My bad.

The hell did all those Walkers come from? Thought I was watching a different show for a second. I mean, I know my attention’s wandered quite a bit but still.

So Pamela releases “swarms” of Walkers on her citizens whenever she’s feeling some heat? Sounds like something, eh, nevermind. At least that’s the impression I got.

Negan talking to Carol like they’re friends. Look. I hate the hoops they’ve jumped through to keep him alive and relevant but I love the scenes he shares with Carol, lol. I realize there are some double standards at work here but they fascinate me because he respects the absolute shit out of her (AS HE SHOULD) and MMB/JDM have their own kind of magnetism at play.

Ya’ll already know all these Maggie/Daryl scenes are flatlining my interest levels but can you imagine if Daryl wasn’t there at all with her? Because I think I honestly would end up wearing my thumb out on the FF button. Like no offense to LC at all but she needs somebody dynamic or in direct opposition to her character to come alive because Maggie is too straight line A to B, black and white, what have you. They’ve muddied her up some this season but keep drawing the line at letting her really lean into the shades of gray because they want to keep her “heroine” persona intact. Guess it’s much easier for simple-minded folks to hate on Carol. Besides. MMB is much better at selling her character’s layers.

“I know that Leah meant something to you.” Bitch, please. Not as much as LCol hoped but I guess we’re supposed to at least pretend that whole waste of time Reapers storyline served some kind of purpose or had some miniscule impact.

Daryl looking out for Maggie because of Glenn. Now that actually tracks.

Little dude that plays RJ can’t even sell that he’s terrified for his life. He ain’t even breathing fast. Kid’s stone cold. As in dead and unable to portray human emotion. Flare some nostrils. Something. Damn. His parents putting back the money he’s getting from this show for his college fund though so kudos. Plus, he’s a cute little boo so. He still winning at life.

Oh goodie. Another trip through some sewers. Aren’t they worried the CW is going to smell them coming?

How shitty, literally, would it be to spend your eternity in a shit tunnel?

OFC, Carol sniffed out Sebastian.

“I have seen her pull little bunnies right out of her ass with my very own two eyes.” LOL. But also? Eww. What ya’ll wanna bet Gimple sits at his laptop gleefully rubbing his hands together as he thinks up Negan’s dialogue and it’s always the most cringe ever. Like there’s a distinct difference between the shit that has come out of his mouth this season versus last season. And it’s not like he was weaving sonnets but his words weren’t full body cringe inducing either. Dare I say it, they had more nuance. At any rate, even if Gimple didn’t write it himself, you can still see the faint impression of that damn bolo tie in the stamp on it.

Who is this random dude shouting on the megaphone? I literally don’t know or care anything about any of these people.

I mean, I know I’m supposed to care more about this protest but all I can see are a bunch of redshirts taking up screen time from the characters I’m really interested/invested in. And sadly? Kelly is the only “known” person in that crowd I’d be upset about if something happened to her. I’m just not there with Connie because largely? They’ve failed to put in the work to actually develop her, instead cheapening what she could be? By using her as a tool for shipping wars. If they stopped that bullshit and really and truly committed to fleshing her out more, I get totally get onboard because she has the foundation of a good character. But right now she’s a crepe paper flower whereas Carol’s a whole bouquet of homegrown Cherokee roses.

Rosita telling Mercer her family comes first and him respecting that and offering her help to get out if/when she needs it? One of the few moments of this episode so far besides the Carol moments where I’ve been like, yes. Give me more. I like this dynamic. We could have had so many more quality moments with Rosita had they cut all that Daryl/Maggie fat that’s unneeded. At this point, it isn’t even giving the episode more flavor.

Speaking of flavor--is it just me or are these Walkers especially ravenous this episode?

I love how my girl Carol is always ten steps ahead of every damn body but would it kill this show not to skip every step she takes until the final one?

Lance looks like he might enjoy a little knife play, lol.

The best thing I have to say about this episode insider thing is Angela’s hair looks pretty.

Anyway. I hope you got more enjoyment out of my free-flowing word vomit than I personally got out of the episode. I’ve yet to work up to caring enough to sit down and watch 18 but whenever I finally do, expect to hear all about it here, lol.

#The Walking Dead #The Walking Dead spoilers #Season 11 spoilers #Lockdown #Shae's thinky thoughts #things that make me smile and cry #for reasons

2 notes · View notes