A lot of people are telling me that episode 9 of The Walking Dead aired Monday in the UK (Sunday in the US) was the best for a long time. Does this point to it being a good episode or have we been on a downwards curve for a while?
I have had a few gripes with The Walking Dead recently but I can't stop watching because I was a massive fan of the earlier seasons. I don't know if I'm looking at it through rose tinted glasses but I think that something is missing now. I think this is a villain. Some of my favourite episodes involved Rick tussling with either Shane or The Governor. Rick being pushed to the edge, seeing how he would cope.
But more than just that, the underlying tension between Shane and Rick worked so well because there was character development. I can not remember the last time a character truly went on an arc and changed other than to serve a 2-3 episode story. A recent example of these short stories is *SPOILER* the Wolves prisoner, he changed too quickly to saving Denise then dying. Then cropping up in a deus ex machina moment later in the episode. It was just too easy to have that and let me ask you something, is anyone going to be changed by the events?
Compare that to Shane growing frustrated with Rick's leadership, each week questioning him little by little. This worked because Shane was a rounded, believable character. He was so adamant he was doing the right thing and this is why Rick put up with him. This was compelling watching. Who has that kind of relationship now? Who even has a relationship besides philosophical conversations now?
I will always keep watching as I love some of the characters (Rich and Carol mostly) but I feel like there needs to be something more.
Bring on Negan.
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