dsheinem wrote:Just finished the newest episode (and know nothing of the books). Damn.
To answer your question, Gamerforlife, I get invested in the show BECAUSE it avoids the formulaic and predictable, sentimental stuff that permeates far too much of TV and far too much of this genre in particular. It plays the "game" of leading you on by hinting towards those conventions and then kicking you in the balls very, very well for buying in to them. And these kicks come at PERFECT and (importantly) rare moments, where you start to fall most comfortably into those well-worn habits of expecting and enjoying a narrative that seems to have a ring of familiarity.
I respect that. Walking Dead does the very formulaic things you said, rather than following the edgier, bolder, and less predictable comic book story. However, I wonder if the show isn't falling into the trap of creating it's own predictable formula. It seems like bad things always happen to everyone on this show. I had a foreboding feeling throughout the whole episode. Part of me knew what was going to happen, because I've seen what has happened to Tyrion last season. I've seen Jaimie get his hand cut off. I've seen Theon get his dick cut off. I've seen Ros get murdered. I've seen so many horrible things happen on this show that it's starting to feel like we're tuning in for our weekly dose of human torture
Don't get me wrong, I'm not swearing off the show or anything. It's still compelling TV with great acting, cinematography, direction, etc., but it's also very depressing. This is the bleakest show I've seen in a long time and it's not like I haven't watched some pretty dark TV shows. Three seasons and we've still not seen a major villain get his comeuppance. Instead we get introduced to
more horrible people.
All that said, I'm still tuning in next week
It's compelling TV
