Thursday 23 June 2022
The Walking Dead ( spoiler alert)
Okay so I know I'm like 10 years late to this show but I have good reasons for not watching it when it first came out- firstly it was just me being really stubborn, I don't watch a show just because everyone is talking about it, I watch a show if I find the characters and the story to be compelling. Which to my surprise when I started to watch it a few months ago... it really was! And secondly I am more drawn to a show if I know that the actors are good and they were. Admittedly I watched this show because Jon Bernthal A.K.A The Punisher was in it but he was only in it for 2 seasons and I've watched all 11!
The fact that we are currently in a pandemic and the show is also dealing with the zombie apocalypse was also another pulling factor for me. The show did a very good job at portraying human behaviours and showed what people were willing to do in order to survive, it showed how some people were willing to risk their own life in order to save a stranger like in season 1 when Glenn helped Rick when he was trapped in the tank and also how people will exploit and rule over people less fortunate than the like Negan in season 6. But it also shows how people can be redeemed because even after his terrorising reign, Negan showed his softer side and learnt that there was more to life than scaring the shit out of people! And his interactions with Judith were frankly adorable.
The show has the ability to challenge stereotypes like they did with Daryl. In season one you were given the impression that he was just a simple red neck/ racist hick especially after seeing his brother Merle, but he has proven to be a integral part of the group not only because of his hunting and tracking skills but because he has shown that he really does care about what happens to people and we see that in season 2 when Sophia goes missing in the woods and he risks serious injury to try and find her . Another reason his character is one of my favourites is his friendship with Carol which really started in season 2. I find it rather refreshing to see a pure friendship and not having to have this romantic BS that many other shows go down . They have a great bond and I think Carol has made him a better person and Daryl has really grown and it is because they are not afraid to be vulnerable which I think is really sweet. I will be frankly disappointed if the writers decide to go down the romantic route.
After being so reluctant to watch this show now I feel sad to say goodbye after getting to know all these wonderful and compelling characters.. when we get the final 8 episode of season 11 here in the UK it will truly be bittersweet and I hope some of the storyline that the writers left open will be resolved like what happened to Rick and who are his rescuers??