I'm not going to do a full-fledged review here because it would be impossible to do so without killing you guys with spoilers, but let's just say that this premiere really tied off a lot of plot lines that were set in motion last year. Not only that, but the payoffs were delivered in style. We saw things looking as bad as they possibly could, then we saw a lot of ass-kicking, and finally things got nice and tender in a conclusion that probably had most everyone who follows the show reaching for their Kleenex. And it was all good. Sometimes the show falls flat when it's time to deliver a killer action scene, sometimes the gore has looked a bit cheesy in recent seasons, and they've frequently bungled emotional payoffs, but that was never the case with "No Sanctuary." The tension was incredible, the action was well-choreographed and sufficiently bloody, the gore was impressive, and the heartstring-plucking we were served up this time out was probably the best hearstring-plucking we've seen on the show.
Honestly, I think I'm in love again. I thought the first two seasons of the show really elevated the material. I was seriously stoked when they moved toward the prison storyline, which is my favorite arc from the comics to date, and unfortunately seasons three and four left me feeling a little empty deep down inside. With the onset of season five, AMC has once again elevated the source material, and for the first time since Rick killed his best friend (who was probably the best thing about the show in some strange, twisted way), I am once again fully invested in the television show. So, yeah, "No Sanctuary" was everything we were hoping for. If you're a fan and you haven't seen it yet, avoid shit like this. I'm probably the only person who is going to say much about that premiere without spoiling the whole thing. I've probably said too much, but it was so awesome that I know many reviewers are going to lay all the cards on the table, face-up, and I assure you that you would rather see it for yourself.
It was grand, it was epic--it was one hell of a premiere. The Walking Dead is back in a big way, and I'm hoping they can keep things rolling.
Showing posts with label Terminus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terminus. Show all posts
Monday, October 13, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
The Walking Dead - My Take on the Season Finale (Hell, Let's Call it My Take on the Whole Damn Series)
Yes, I've been too damn busy to keep the blog up and running, and yes, The Walking Dead was a big part of my blog, and the fact that I fell out of love with the show probably played into my silence here as well. Fortunately, I'm back in action, and like many of you I watched last night's big season finale. So, let's talk about the show.
First off, this season was better than last season. In my humble opinion, last season was a miserable waste of some truly epic material, so that's not exactly lofty praise. In truth, the finale was a perfect way to punctuate Season 4. Why? Because like the season it closed out, there were moments when it was absolutely perfect, and there were also lots of moments where it was clumsy as hell.
Yes, AMC nearly redeemed itself for bungling the prison storyline last year by closing that portion of the show out in style in the mid-season finale. Once our cast of characters was split up, I was actually looking forward to seeing how the show handled their efforts to survive and find one another. And there were times when that really paid off, particularly when the focus was on Rick and Carl. And there were times when it was nothing short of awful. That episode with Daryl and Elizabeth where he couldn't hold his liquor was terrible, maybe the worst episode of this show we've seen, and it was better than a lot of the Glenn and Maggie stuff that followed. There were moments taken straight from the comics (well, for the most part--generally anything that is plucked straight from the source material has to be watered-down sufficiently before it can be aired on television) and (as always) there were moments that had fans of the comic scratching their heads. Sometimes I think they do silly little tweaks just to piss people off.
In the end, this season was solid television, though the show will probably never reach the heights it soared to in the first two seasons again. It was a hell of a lot better than last season, and it ends at a point that could result in a very satisfying fifth season. Of course, the first time I saw the prison, I thought the show was about to pull out all the stops and become an instant classic, and they pissed all over that opportunity. Regardless, Andrew Lincoln is superb, and it has been a long time since Rick got his Rick on, but the conclusion of last night's season finale has me hopeful that the show will allow him to return to form as the show continues.
I try to divorce myself from the comics when I watch the program, and I can't do that, and it certainly has an impact on my ability to enjoy the show. Calling the television series inferior to the comic series is kind of like saying the new Conan the Barbarian movie wasn't quite as good as the old one. It's not even close, and it never will be, unless maybe AMC sells the rights to HBO at some point, but that ain't happening, folks. Additionally, I try to distance myself from those first two seasons when the show was white-hot. They obviously had a bigger budget to work with in those days, and the show hasn't been able to elevate any of the characters they have introduced since in the same way they were able to elevate Shane.
So, in the end, we've had two amazing seasons, one truly disappointing season, and one mixed bag where there were incredible moments partnered with a lot of drivel. I realize the show needs the Glenn and Maggie soap opera, but they handle it so poorly, and the further they stray from suspense and terror, the worse the end result typically winds up being. AMC is adept at generating tension and providing their audience with a rich atmosphere. The cast for this show is amazing, and the effects team is great at what they do. Unfortunately, the action is frequently mishandled and the soap opera elements are poorly executed and often feel totally out of place. The potential is still there, and unlike the conclusion of Season 4, when I truly felt like I was watching this show get flushed down the toilet, I'm actually somewhat excited for Season 5.
It will never be the comics, and it will never be what it was once, but The Walking Dead is the best thing going on television so far as the horror genre is concerned. I'm ready for more and the wait for Season 5 will be a long one.
First off, this season was better than last season. In my humble opinion, last season was a miserable waste of some truly epic material, so that's not exactly lofty praise. In truth, the finale was a perfect way to punctuate Season 4. Why? Because like the season it closed out, there were moments when it was absolutely perfect, and there were also lots of moments where it was clumsy as hell.
Yes, AMC nearly redeemed itself for bungling the prison storyline last year by closing that portion of the show out in style in the mid-season finale. Once our cast of characters was split up, I was actually looking forward to seeing how the show handled their efforts to survive and find one another. And there were times when that really paid off, particularly when the focus was on Rick and Carl. And there were times when it was nothing short of awful. That episode with Daryl and Elizabeth where he couldn't hold his liquor was terrible, maybe the worst episode of this show we've seen, and it was better than a lot of the Glenn and Maggie stuff that followed. There were moments taken straight from the comics (well, for the most part--generally anything that is plucked straight from the source material has to be watered-down sufficiently before it can be aired on television) and (as always) there were moments that had fans of the comic scratching their heads. Sometimes I think they do silly little tweaks just to piss people off.
In the end, this season was solid television, though the show will probably never reach the heights it soared to in the first two seasons again. It was a hell of a lot better than last season, and it ends at a point that could result in a very satisfying fifth season. Of course, the first time I saw the prison, I thought the show was about to pull out all the stops and become an instant classic, and they pissed all over that opportunity. Regardless, Andrew Lincoln is superb, and it has been a long time since Rick got his Rick on, but the conclusion of last night's season finale has me hopeful that the show will allow him to return to form as the show continues.
I try to divorce myself from the comics when I watch the program, and I can't do that, and it certainly has an impact on my ability to enjoy the show. Calling the television series inferior to the comic series is kind of like saying the new Conan the Barbarian movie wasn't quite as good as the old one. It's not even close, and it never will be, unless maybe AMC sells the rights to HBO at some point, but that ain't happening, folks. Additionally, I try to distance myself from those first two seasons when the show was white-hot. They obviously had a bigger budget to work with in those days, and the show hasn't been able to elevate any of the characters they have introduced since in the same way they were able to elevate Shane.
So, in the end, we've had two amazing seasons, one truly disappointing season, and one mixed bag where there were incredible moments partnered with a lot of drivel. I realize the show needs the Glenn and Maggie soap opera, but they handle it so poorly, and the further they stray from suspense and terror, the worse the end result typically winds up being. AMC is adept at generating tension and providing their audience with a rich atmosphere. The cast for this show is amazing, and the effects team is great at what they do. Unfortunately, the action is frequently mishandled and the soap opera elements are poorly executed and often feel totally out of place. The potential is still there, and unlike the conclusion of Season 4, when I truly felt like I was watching this show get flushed down the toilet, I'm actually somewhat excited for Season 5.
It will never be the comics, and it will never be what it was once, but The Walking Dead is the best thing going on television so far as the horror genre is concerned. I'm ready for more and the wait for Season 5 will be a long one.
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