Showing posts with label Andrew Lincoln. Show all posts

THE WALKING DEAD
Rest in Peace - Series Finale
Season 11, Episode 24 Preview

Norman Reedus and Cailey Fleming | © AMC


"You may not think this place is worth saving, but it’s worth it to me.”
—Ezekiel, "Rest in Peace" (s11e24)

So, this is the end. Where do I even begin? I never wanted this show to end…but also I wanted desperately to know how it ends, who survives, who is memorialized, and what the world looks like after. I’ve wanted to know the end for 12 years now, but I patiently waited year after year as this show gave me thrill after thrill and tear after tear. I’ll take whatever it gives even if it closely resembles the comic ending, a major part of which was spoiled for me soon after it happened when I glanced at a comment below an episode recap.

THE WALKING DEAD
The Journey So Far
Season 11, Part 3 Trailers

   Andrew Lincoln | © AMC


“As long as it’s all of us, we can do anything.”
—Rick Grimes

They start tonight. The final episodes of The Walking Dead. Twelve years, eleven seasons. How has it been so long when it seems like it just began? And though the time flew by sometimes, so much has happened, so much more than in any ordinary series. This extraordinary series gave us all the blood, sweat and tears any of us could have asked for and a deluge more. So much has happened in this one show alone to fill a multitude of others; such pain and heartache, and example after example of extraordinary acting. Saying that I will miss TWD is an understatement.

THE WALKING DEAD
Finish the Fight Together
Season 11, Part 3 SDCC 2022 Trailer

   Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Ross Marquand | © AMC


“No matter how bleak things look, this is not the end.”
—Eugene

Well, it is the end and it isn’t. I’m glad I’ll have more chances to write with all these spin-offs in the works for after The Walking Dead original series comes to a close, which is somehow very soon. I haven’t written anything about TWD in so long, or anything about anything really. I’ve been taking care of my chronically ill Mom, who has MS, and now Dad’s gone through a double bypass and will be healing for at least 10 weeks. My business was nearly destroyed by the pandemic and I’ve been trying to save it for the last two years. I’ve also been getting back into being creative via various art and design techniques and attempting to transition that from a fledgling hobby into a business, so I haven’t had time for much else.

I never even had the time before season 9 to put up that “Goodbye Andrew Lincoln” post that I furiously wrote all day and night long when it leaked that he was leaving the series that he had helped make so great with his raw, passionate performances. I crafted this raft of emotional prose, wailing like a banshee over my iPad’s Notes page, hoping his ending would be perfect, knowing the writers wouldn’t let us down when it came to Rick, that maybe he would survive and come back in the end to find his family. This was all way before I had any idea they were planning on doing just that, just not necessarily in the main show itself but rather movies that are now instead a new spin-off.

THE WALKING DEAD
Fleece Blankets and Hopes for Rick
Season 9 Preview


You're not saving the world.
You're just getting it ready for me.
—Negan to Rick

It has been a terribly long time since I posted anything on this site. I haven't even watched the Comic-Con panel for The Walking Dead this year, let alone have a chance to talk about it. Things weren't meant to be this way. Life got insanely busy and frustrating, with work piled on top of work; and this summer I was laid up every single day of July, August, and September with a super annoying health problem out of nowhere that just now, knock on wood, may be clearing up in October.

Even though I'm still down for the count, I'm feeling somewhat better (knock on wood), possibly well enough to get back to resuscitating my small business. If you'd like to help with that, you can treat yourself to something nice with these Walking Dead fleece throws I have for sale from Regal Comfort. Perfect for this time of year, though not quite in time for the premiere tonight.

Michonne: These super soft, warm, queen size blankets (96" x79") depicting TWD's kick-ass katana-wielding warrior are stored at various Amazon warehouses, so they're eligible for and will be shipped via Amazon Prime. Cuddle up under these during every episode and be comforted while the show plays with/completely destroys your emotions.

Rick, Daryl, and Negan: All these wonderful guys are not yet available from me via Amazon Prime, since I haven't had a chance to send them into a warehouse. They will be available at some point, but for now they're waiting for me to pack them off to new, loving homes. Until then, you can buy them from other sellers.

By the way, when I put Negan in the same sentence as the word "wonderful," I'm actually talking about Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who brings Negan to brutal, egomaniacal life. That's the power of the writing and acting on this series, giving us a glimpse into the emotions and thoughts and rationalizations of even someone so monstrous. I'll never forget what he did, but he's mesmerizing and terrifying, even behind bars.

Speaking of mesmerizing performers, I don't know how I'll cope with Rick's death. And let's be honest here, I know there's no way they'd let him go without killing him off. Death is the only option 99.9% of the time. This is too big a loss, and Rick would never just leave the group. He stuck it out through everything, survived it all. Even after Carl died, he picked up the pieces and carried on with his vengeance, even while his grief was consuming him and he probably wished it would finish the job. That his vengeance in the end turned softer as the last words of a fine young man who understood that the fighting had to stop solidified his determination to bring his group into the future rather than to give up and strike out on his own.

After Negan's defeat, we finally saw Rick start to heal, and we see him moving forward with Michonne and Judith in the previews. As the beating heart of the series from the first moment, I have always wished and hoped that Rick whould have an ending that suits him that also leaves room for his return; not as a ghost or only a director, but on screen as a living, breathing character. Now I'm just wishing and hoping that Rick gets an ending like Madison Clark from Fear the Walking Dead had, something so brave and necessary and that doesn't feel like it could have gone any other way. They would want to give him something as definitive and final. Madison's exit felt like the first line in the saddest parallel, a prequel and companion to the pain of another fierce, inspirational leader's end.

THE WALKING DEAD
The Day Will Come When You Won't Be
Season 7, Episode 1 Tweetcap

Steven Yeun, Michael Cudlitz, et al | Image copyright AMC

"Bet you thought you were all gonna grow old together, sittin' around the table at Sunday dinner, and the happily ever after."
—Negan to Rick

I know how much everyone loves doing this work and how they give their all to make the best show they can, to bring humanity to such a harrowing story... I was able to keep going for the superb acting. Andrew Lincoln had me absolutely mesmerized. He was nothing short of masterful throughout. And Lauren Cohan was at her best, faultless in her depiction of agony.

THE WALKING DEAD
Thank You to the Fans
100th Episode Pre-Season Video


“This has been beyond anyone's wildest dreams, what happened with the show... Never thought that eight years in, when I woke up from that hospital bed, that I'd still be here. So, yeah, it's an incredible ride, and I wanna thank you all for being part of it.”
—Andrew Lincoln

How the heck did I ever forget to post this? It came out a week ago and everyone must have seen it by now, but I had to put it here because this video is wonderful. I adore these people. I love this show to death.