The Walking Dead on AMC

[Random Axe]

That was some terrible hack writing. Let me list the flaws:

1. Not a single hint about Beth. Nothing. A smart writer would at least drop a bread crumb to lead into another season. She barely even got a Darryl mention.

2. No real clues about cannibalism and they don't fit the profile. There had to be two dozen people in Terminus including the snipers and gunmen. That's a lot of mouths to feed. A true group of people eaters would be small amd very mistrusting of eachother. How could anyone go to sleep at night not thinking they are going to be breakfast in the morning?

3. If they are going with the cannibal angle, did they have to have an entire room full of cultish candles and camp mottos scrawled on the walls? Total cliche.

4. Why have them drop their weapons to be searched and then give them back only to take them again a few minutes later? "Drop your primary weapons on the ground so we can check you for secondary weapons. It's cool to have a shotgun, but we want to make sure you don't have a knife. Ok cool, here you can have your primary weapons back. Now lets go on a tour."

5. We saw how the prison fences barely held against walkers, yet Terminus seems completely unharmed and immune to them. Even Woodbury had evidence of the outside world at their gates.

6. The name Terminus. How could anyone with a grasp of the English language think that sounds like a nice place to go?

7. All of the teaser/promo posters for the finale with the tagline "Who will survive?"

8. All of the hype and buildup for pretty much nothing. That seemed like a standard mid-season episode. Kirkman said it was going to be a game changer and intense. It was neither.

I am a fan of this show and I realize all of the potential with this, but season 4 has not even come close. That is why I am so harsh on this episode. We got some good characterizations in the last half season but far too many plotholes to accompany them. What are the odds of EVERYONE meeting up there and being held prisonser in the same train car? The writers went for shock value with Carol's "look at the flowers" and hit us with total apathy tonight. This Terminus episode shoud have been one and done and the group on it's way to DC for next season. I'm just major league disappointed if you can't tell and probably way too picky.

[johnnystorm]

Too much time wasted on the flashback scenes to the most boring part of the season. And too much time wasted on whatever Carl is feeling(which SHOULD be relief that his Dad saved his butt -literally). I think they just had too many storylines going to try and wrap up in one final episode... Why they never do an extra length finale I just don't understand. We're left with Carol, Tyrese, & Beth unaccounted for and no real explanation for Terminus.
But did you notice the big pile of bloody bones & skulls they ran past? Probably good Ol' Terminus Mary didn't get a chance to " fix them a plate". Anyway, long time until October.

[m0redaniel]

Could've been a lot better. Too Far Gone was much better.

[Iron Mego]

I saw plenty of hints of cannibalism at Terminus. Whether they're red herrings or not no one can say just yet. And I don't think there's anyway to profile a group of cannibals in the zombie apocalypse. Takes a lot less effort to have people come to you, than to go out and hunt. However, there's no guarantee anyone will show up, so it might not be the best of plans.

I thought it was a decent episode, and wasn't bothered by what was left out. It was not as intense as we were lead to believe it would be, but I am kinda glad no one major died.

[m0redaniel]

Pretty cool thing I was reading about. The Terminus guards weren't trying to kill Rick and his group. They were pushing them to boxcar "A" The parts they ran through were also already riddled with bullets, like they've done this before.

[johnmiic]

OK so some nagging plot-holes. They were supposed tho watch Terminus to see what it was all about-but only did so for like 1/2 hour? Then they all sneak in and reveal themselves right away? Why not hide and watch what's going on? Or leave 2 people behind just in case things get dicey? Then you have a ready made rescue plan.

Rick ends the season with an ominous tag-line. They're hinting he has something up his sleeve? He going to have to come up with something as ingenius as MacGuyver when Season 5 opens.

Also the military guy-he and his group got suckered into this? He's military. He does't have any ideas how to get out of this?

I caught the picked-clean skeletons. I thought it was a suggestion of cannibalism.

[Splitty]

.....I caught the picked-clean skeletons. I thought it was a suggestion of cannibalism.

That, and the many huge plump juicy sausages they were fryin' up with no livestock or recent killed game in sight.

(spoilers below, obviously)
When people die, you usually either burn em' or bury them. The ONLY reason I can think of picking bones clean is, well, you know. And by the reddish pink tint to the remaining clinging flesh on the bones, they look like fresh kills.

When it's in the apocalypse era, and you see plump sausages (by nature a 'mystery' meat), no animals, and picked clean human bones, it's time to clear out QUICK.

That creepy candle room makes total sense to me. A large part of the time, cannibalism is associated with spiritual tendencies. Whether lone or a group, there always seems to be spiritual thoughts when eating human flesh, like absorbing the spirit or strength. Even when it's just for survival, I think it's only human to attach a spiritualness to it.

And what I gathered from that room with the names on the floor and writing on the wall, that they weren't just eating humans to physically nourish, but with the 'never trust again' (I misquote things really badly because my quote memory sucks), it appears a mistrust of 'other' people based on past events going horribly awry. The names on the floor I'm guessing are their former fallen group mates who they're trying to revere and a reminder why they must eat new people.
As far at the mistrust of other cannibals thing, if they're all part of the same original group or tribe, they wouldn't have any problem mistrusting each other any more than Rick's original group does when they're alone together. The Termites (Rick called them that on Talking Dead ) said they'd been there from near the beginning, so it seems like it'd be another tight knit group.
Actually, after woodbury, a group of people they barely knew attacking the prison, and now terminus, Rick's group isn't going to be far behind mistrusting new people (just not eating them probably).

Also, I bet they get PLENTY of people trickling in to feed their group. When Rick's group was running past a bunch of other containers, they heard mysterious pounding and screaming for help. With the train tracks going in many different directions into the far off distance, and the radio calling for people to come, they're just like a big huge spider web. Just following our few groups on the tracks from one direction, they came across multiple people being munched on by zombies that didn't quite make it, so I suspect they get plenty of stragglers.

And as for the container they were put in just 'happening' to have their friends, I believe that was no accident. Rick specifically asked where his group was, and they were just directing them to the container with them, answering his question, albeit quite rudely.

Although Rick totally did f*ck up by not watching the place for a day or two (although they probably would have been spotted peeking through the bushes by sentries eventually). But if they saw people being herded into cargo holds they probably would have just moved on, never finding Maggie & Glen's group. Hmmmm, I saw alot of containers inside the compound. I wonder how far down on the eatin' que they are?

Also, making them put the weapons down to pat them, then give them back read as a psychological move to me, making them seem more trustworthy after a little scaring tickle. Stupid though, because they could have just marched them to a container at gunpoint and avoided all the drama. But the finale would have been much less dramatic.

I was also quite surprised there was no breadcrumbs with Beth and the car. Depending on who took her it may have been best, because if they both had stumbled across that 'claim' group, absolutely horrible things would have happened to her and Daryl wouldn't have been able to stop it. I wonder next season if she'll show up as a jaded badass because of bad things happening to her, or if she was protected by a benevolent yet misguided captor? Maybe she'll bring help next season too.
I kinda think it was a glaring omission to not have loitering zombies around the facility though. EVERY place has loitering zombies. Ah well.

BTW, the 'claimed' leader sure turned pretty damn quick on Daryl. One minute they were brother bonding, the next he was ordering him to be beat to death just for saying Rick was good. Meh, psycopaths are so fickle.

I'm totally okay with the calmer vibe of the last episode. I mean, are we so blood lust and shock jaded that we have to have some horrible death of a beloved 'family' member to be satisfied? I'm still mourning Hershell, and the girls deaths gave me all the loss I care to suffer from this season, so I'm actually glad no one else was lost. To me this show isn't just about visceral shock and adrenaline heartache, it's also about the human journey, repair and hope too. No wait, it's mostly just 'life sucks'.

Each season has usually been building to a confrontational finale, but this season we've been following separate groups just wanting them to find each other, and I personally have been lamenting about poor old Rick becoming such a wuss.
So I'm okay with the finale bringing closure to those two threads, with most of the group being reunited and Rick healing his brain and returning to being a badass (in a most glorious manner). Also, with Carol and Tyrese out there, they may get some outside help next season! It also set up and made me really excited for a tantalizing next season, with the group's impending doom and my devilish joy of waiting to see how new improved Rick is going to kick their ***. I've missed badass Rick.
Hey look! The filters let you say *** as long as it's in the word badass.

[Byrnes]

Well, I think I'm done with this show. Yup. there's going to be a ton of angry fans.

Yeah, I hate to say it but I saw this coming a all season. The show has gotten really bad, really quickly. I have no desire to watch this anymore. I'll just stop with that episode.

[Sideshow Spock]

6. The name Terminus. How could anyone with a grasp of the English language think that sounds like a nice place to go?

Terminus was one of the original names the settlers of Atlanta used, so Georgians/southerners probably wouldn't think twice about it.

I thought the finale was a lot like the rest of the second half of this season, uneven and lazy. Still, I guess I prefer this type of finale over a bloodbath where we lose more characters.

[megojim]

I'm totally okay with the calmer vibe of the last episode. I mean, are we so blood lust and shock jaded that we have to have some horrible death of a beloved 'family' member to be satisfied? I'm still mourning Hershell, and the girls deaths gave me all the loss I care to suffer from this season, so I'm actually glad no one else was lost. To me this show isn't just about visceral shock and adrenaline heartache, it's also about the human journey, repair and hope too. No wait, it's mostly just 'life sucks'.

Each season has usually been building to a confrontational finale, but this season we've been following separate groups just wanting them to find each other, and I personally have been lamenting about poor old Rick becoming such a wuss.
So I'm okay with the finale bringing closure to those two threads, with most of the group being reunited and Rick healing his brain and returning to being a badass (in a most glorious manner). Also, with Carol and Tyrese out there, they may get some outside help next season! It also set up and made me really excited for a tantalizing next season, with the group's impending doom and my devilish joy of waiting to see how new improved Rick is going to kick their ***. I've missed badass Rick.
Hey look! The filters let you say *** as long as it's in the word badass.

This has ALWAYS what the show has been about. The human element dealing with adversity of the apolyptic nature. What will today bring and how will that change the people and their plans. The walkers are the ever present catalyst but for unexpected encounters and heards they can handle the walkers, so much that know they can just walk away from one or two. Rick and Carl came full circle this season . . . . Daryl became a little more human . . . . Michone decide she had something to live for . . . . Beth came into her own, if she's not tomorrow's blueplate special at Terminus . . . . This season was different but that's not a bad thing . . . . Looking forward to see how Rick and Abrham interact to get the group out of this new mess.

[sprytel]

I don't begrudge anyone their opinion. But I am surprised by the negativity.

I thought the confrontation with the Claimed gang was such a powerful television moment. My stomach was in knots the entire time. For a show with so much violence every week, and often played for thrills, that scene was just brutal and disturbing on so many levels. I was relieved that Rick and crew survive, but also kind of horrified. Such a stark illustration of what it took to be a "good man" in the prison vs. what it takes to be a "good man" out on the road.

[drquest]

I don't begrudge anyone their opinion. But I am surprised by the negativity.

I thought the confrontation with the Claimed gang was such a powerful television moment. My stomach was in knots the entire time. For a show with so much violence every week, and often played for thrills, that scene was just brutal and disturbing on so many levels. I was relieved that Rick and crew survive, but also kind of horrified. Such a stark illustration of what it took to be a "good man" in the prison vs. what it takes to be a "good man" out on the road.

The claimed gang scene was tough to watch. I liked it, except, how did they jump them so quickly without them noticing? I know Rick thought he heard something, but the guy was on top of him immediately with the gun to his head. Michonne would have noticed that I think. Beyond that, pretty intense...

I don't understand why they don't do a 2 hour season finale... 1 hour just isn't enough, and so much seems way to rushed. I enjoyed the flashbacks, and there's a lot of character interactions we aren't getting to see happen because of the 1 hour show. It deserves more!

Regarding this episode, I didn't mind not seeing Beth or Tyreese or Carol. I did find it rather silly that Rick takes the time to bury the rest of their weapons they had, but then decides it best that all of them jump the fence together? Why not just two of them go? Why not stay the night and case it out more before assuming it's all good.

The Terminus is as mentioned above, was the name of Atlanta before Atlanta was named and is a common term for "end of the line" in railroad terms, so all of that adds up, and does add a more sinister sound to it. The Terminus group appears to be large, well organized, well equipped and by all appearances a cult of some sort that eats people.

It's interesting that the rest of the group in the rail car didn't appear to put up much of a fight before they were captured. They didn't seem to be injured, or hurt in anyway, seems Abraham would have had something to say about them getting shoved into a rail car.

I enjoyed the episode and if you didn't watch Talking Dead after the show, try to catch it. Andrew Lincoln was pretty good on there. My daughter and I enjoyed his stories about the show and his wit.

[hedrap]

I mentioned last week about the different meanings to Terminus...

http://megomuseum.com/community/showthread.php?49612-The-Walking-Dead-on-AMC&p=1117895#post1117895

Now, Terminus was also a Roman god of demarcations, boundaries, perimeters, etc... and he required a human sacrifice. If 'Dead's terminus is roping people in, taking what they have, and then euthanizing/sacrificing certain people, (the sick, the old, etc...), that I could see. Like a variation on Wicker Man.

Kirkman says in an interview about the ep, that once a consensus opinion forms, it's usually wrong. So all the implications of cannibalism, are just that because they know the audience is expecting it.

But we get the alter room, the names, the totems, etc...and they're certainly a cult. I think they have sacrificial victims, but they make new community members eat or kill them. Sort of like a hazing. It appears Kirkman realized that the logic of the comic's cannibals doesn't work off the page, so they're trying to create a new set of rules, again, like Wicker Man.

Another outside factor I hadn't considered - can you show Cannibalism on TV? Zombie attacks are categorized under horror-fantasy, like vampires and werewolves. I can't think of an instance where cannibalism has played out on a show. The closest, is maybe an X-Files or Millennium episode, but those were still mutated people. Have they shown it on Hannibal? I'm now wondering if the changeup is because of FCC law. It does fall under their indecency umbrella.

[m0redaniel]

Very interesting theory. I guess what we do know is they're not as one dimensional as they were in the comics and they will become part of a bigger story in season 5. Kind of like the Marauders in the comics vs the show, completely different but they also take their origins from the comics and grew into more interesting characters.

[Iron Mego]

Trust me, they've shown cannibalism a-plenty on Hannibal.