Halloween '17: Walking Dead S6 Part 1 Marathon

Much I did while anticipating Halloween last year, I binge-watched a season of The Walking Dead. Okay, unlike last year, I did not engage in a marathon viewing of an entire season such as I did with Season 5. Started much too late to repeat my performance with Season 6; and there's still plenty of other shows, movies, and comics I want to experience this Halloween season. So I stopped with Episode 8 since that's around the time the show underwent hiatus. Also, I didn't record these episodes like I did Season 5. Instead, I watched Season 6 (what I will dub Part One) via Netflix. Since Netflix doesn't have commercials, my stream-of-conscious thoughts per episode will be from recall.


First Time Again

• The black & white flashbacks were kind of neat from an experimental point of view. However, I would have preferred to see some of the scenes via color such as the grand shot of the walker herd pinned behind the two trailers.

JSS

• Last year, I theorized that Ennid (or however you spell her name) was the daughter of the leader of the Whisperers based on some stuff I gleaned from the comics. Yeah, about that... I was wrong. Unless the flashbacks are misleading, Ennid most definitely isn't one of them.
• So how'd the raw turtle she ate not sicken her?
• Have to say the 'I won't kill anyone and all life is precious' Morgan is the perfect counter-balance to the 'the world is death, savagery, and no place for the civilized' of the Wolves.
• Carol is badass.

Thank You

• Michonne and Glen's interactions with the new Alexandrians was kind of neat.
• Nothing ever goes smooth in Walking Dead-land.
• Rick is a badass and how's he getting out of this one!
• Similarly, how is Glen...

Here's Not Here

• How Morgan transitioned from out-of-his-mind *ahem* clearer to the tranquil staff-wielding badass.
• Eastman was pretty cool.
• Of the eight episodes I marathoned over the last several days, I enjoyed this one the most.

Now

• Hmm, I must've missed the part when Michonne and crew returned...
• Clearly, Rick out-racing the walker herd from the RV won't be shown...
• Talked about decomposed walkers! Wonder why no one noticed they were gone...

Always Accountable

• Could the group of men be connected to Negan and the Saviors?
• Tarp covered zombies.... Missed out those two were connected to the two girls.
• Being dependent on insulin shots during a post-zombie apocalypse is not a good thing.
• Talk about scorched earth!
• Probably the best Abraham moment during the entire series! Wonder what he'll do with the rocket-propelled grenade!
• Love recurring motifs such as oil & gas company.

Heads Up

• Spencer is quite the loose cannon although him attempting to shimmy along the line was cool until the hook came loose.
• Glenn surviving by crawling out from Nicholaus's corpse under the dumpster was kind of neat. Although I found it curious the walkers lost interest in him. Could it be too many dead walkers masked him?
• One of these times the Glenn won't escape certain death. Like when Negan appears such as in the comic...
• Yep, my Ennid theory is definitely wrong. Sigh.
• That tower doesn't look too healthy... Speaking of which I didn't put two-and-two together that Spencer shot the driver and that's why the truck ran into the tower and not the wall.
• And down it goes!

Start to Finish

• Here's the zombie carnage we've been anticipating!
• Not surprised Morgan defeated Carol as he's had training.
• Hey, Eugene was useful! Lockpicking for the win.
• Love the return of the zombie guts camouflage!
• Negan is coming!

And thus ends my Halloween Walking Dead marathon. Since I have Netflix I am pretty sure I will watch the remainder of the season (already skimmed through Episode 9 *cough* *cough*) and Season 7 by next Halloween. Or who knows maybe I'll wait until next Halloween season to watch them. I certainly will blog about it though!


Only 4 more days until Halloween!


Next time.

Interesting News: March 2017

Back during January, I did an installment of 'interesting news', which was a collection of links I found of interest. Never did do a part two although my Rebirth entry included some of what I would have included. As March comes to close, I figured I'd do a March installment. While much of it will be from March, I may include links to comics, role-playing, games, and wrestling news stories as far back as January. Or until I get tired as I am blogging stream-of-conscious and all...


Classic D&D modules return! - Tales of the Yawning Portal whetting your appetite for classic Dungeons & Dragons modules? The classic modules not enough but want 5E stats as well? Well, if you checked out the link, Goodman and WotC are collaborating to do exactly that in glorious hardcover editions. Really hope these are available at FLGCS everywhere because I want 'em!


Marvel's Generations - Okay, the concept of Marvel's Generations has me intrigued - 10 rookie heroes partnered (somehow) with the hero that inspired them has the potential to be a groundbreaking work. Would be cool if Alex Ross provided the art but don't think that will happen. Don't think any resurrections (Logan, Bruce, Mar-Vell) will occur or last but I may be wrong. As Secret Empire will be raging, I may wait for the trade instead. Although, my attitude toward the series may change by then...


Shutter lens Spidey-eyes! - There will be limited number of emotive shutter lenses for a Spider-Man mask for any cosplay based on the CA: Civil War movie costume! Pretty cool to see them work. Would be cool if more were made in the future.


On the chances of MCU crossovers - Alas, it took the actor of the Falcon to point out explicitly why we haven't seen crossovers between the Marvel television series and films: they are different divisions. Rather sad that none of the heads of both departments could not be a frank with fans. Maybe we'll get an Agents of SHIELD/Inhumans/Defenders crossover someday?


Deadpool 2 Teaser - Did you see the movie Logan? Remember the Deadpool 2 teaser? Thought that it was just for fun and whet one's appetite? Well, you're correct.


100 episodes of The Walking Dead! - When The Walking Dead premiered, I didn't think the show would reach 100 episodes. As I am a couple seasons behind, I didn't know the series will soon reach such a milestone! Like the article writer suggests I bet the next arc is "All Out War!" Would be cool if the show ran another 100 episodes though.


Disney Afternoon 8-bit games return! - I grew up watching the Disney Afternoon block. The NES game DuckTales is one of those games I always wanted to play but never played enough of. As such I eagerly anticipate having the chance to play the DuckTales, Chip 'N' Dale's Rescue Rangers, and Talespin 8-bit games on my PC!


Christian-Angle-Dory Funk Jr-Jeff Hardy - Here's a nice little picture of wrestling history showing Kurt Angle, Christian, and Jeff Hardy being trained by the legendary Dory Funk Jr.


Frank Oz on ABC Muppets Failure - I stopped watching the latest iteration of The Muppets because it felt... off.  The mockumentary format just didn't click for me. In that, I agree with Frank Oz. As for "purity", I had no problem with the adult tones. The muppets weren't very likeable though.


Warpath or Thunderbird on X-men the show? - Well, it seems either John or James Proudstar (aka Thunderbird and Warpath) may be in the upcoming X-men television show. That would be cool although I am concerned about the use of the name 'Sam'. I suppose I would also prefer James (aka Thunderbird II/Warpath) to be the Proudstar in question as I can more easily see him leading such an underground group. Plus think of the eventual comic book tie-ins...


Jean Grey Deleted Scene - There will apparently be a deleted scene in the Logan blu-ray referencing Jean Grey.


Hugh Jackman and Wolverine Mask - Haha! Here's a humorous picture of Hugh Jackman holding a Wolverine mask.


Christopher Daniels Interview - a nice brief interview with the new Ring of Honor World Champion Christopher Daniels. Forgot about his comics collaboration!


Bully Ray on his RoH appearance - I was pleasantly surprised to find out that wrestler Bully Ray appeared in Ring of Honor. Here's the man's words on what he thinks of the RoH product and what he hopes to bring to it. Think he'll bring much to the RoH product


Logan movie influences? - Here's a list of 15 movies that may very well have served as influences for the movie Logan.


Till next time.

Halloween '16: My Walking Dead S5 Marathon

Last Sunday, while other people were watching the premiere of the seventh season of The Walking Dead, I began my marathon viewing of the fifth season. Yes, I hadn't yet seen the fifth season. Don't ask me when I'll catch the sixth and seventh season, I couldn't tell you. Okay, okay, okay. I did see a couple episodes of fifth season prior. So not the entire season but I did binge watch fifteen episodes. So continuing my (hopefully) daily Halloween blog entry here are my thoughts on those 15 episodes of Season 5. For the sake of brevity, I'm only going to list between one to five things that I felt were cool or noteworthy.




Spoilers






Strangers

• Rick and Carol finally coming to terms over him casting her out.
• Father Gabriel's first appearance!
• Alas poor Bob, he's experienced Dale's comic book fate as the Terminus cannibals have started eating him.

Four Walls and a Roof

• Father Gabriel is haunted by the fact that he kept his parishioners locked out as walkers attacked them.
• Baby Judith alerting the Terminus cannibals where people are hiding.
• Rick and Co ambushing the Terminus cannibals whom everyone thought were sneak attacking those in church.
• Tyrese once again finishing of the dying - Alas, poor Bob, I didn't know him well.

Slabtown

• Turns out those who nabbed Beth were a group of cops and they operate out of a hospital.
• Don't improve, you die!
• Walkers are referred to as robbers.
• Seeing Beth's transformation from weak link to bad ass as she helps Noah escape - killing several walkers in the process.

Self Help

• Wait? Eugene says the Human Genome Project may have the cure for zombies?! Clearly none of the rest of the cast were science geeks...
• Abraham beating a person or walker to death with a can of beans.
• Survival 101!
• Using the fire hose atop a fire engine to destroy zombies!
• Yep, Eugene's lying about a cure. So Abraham KO's him after three hits.

Consumed

• I've been wondering if everyone who dies becomes a walker, why are there dead that are inanimate? Shouldn't every encounter with corpse be dangerous?
• Walkers trapped within camping gear.
• Walkers knocking over a van then splattering to their doom following.
• Never really realized that walkers are attracted to fire before...

Crossed

• Father Gabriel's church torn up in order to construct defense.
• Walker utility workers trapped under a utility pole. Walkers that blasted by an aerial bombardment.
• Oh wait, the walkers were referred to as rotters? My bad.

Coda

• 'You've been out here too long.'
• Father Gabriel killing Walkers under his church with a machete is rather cool.
• Alas, I bet they felt the rescue was pointless as poor Beth dies stabbing with head cop with smuggled scissors. But they get Noah...
• Morgan!

What Happened and What's Going On

• I'm familiar with the comic so Glenn holding a bat is some pretty nasty foreshadowing...
• After being bit, Tyrese sacrificing his bit arm to a different walker before bashing its head in! Awesome!
• Seems someone knocked down the wall of the gated community...
• De-limbed walkers with a 'W' on the forehead...
• Alas, poor Tyrese, we knew him well - although probably not as well as we could have like in the comic. I'm starting to suspect that characters that live longer than they did in the comic are on borrowed time. Yes, I spoiled myself about the deaths during the Season 7 premiere...

Them

• Dispatching walkers by knocking them down a hill is an ingenious method.
• Feral dogs would be pretty nasty during a zombie apocalypse...
• Storm knocking down trees dispatching walkers.

The Distance

• This guy Aaron shows the group pictures of a gated community. Seems very calm and friendly.
• He calls walkers roamers.
• A car cutting through swaths of zombies as it plows through!
• Glenn demonstrates his camper know-how that he learned from Dale.

Remember

• Check your guns in!
• 'I like this place but they're weak and I don't want us to become weak.'
• 'Amazing how people from different backgrounds can become a family. Everyone has a job. Guess, the communists won after all.'
• 'We were almost out there too long.'
• 'If they can't make it, we'll take this place.'

Forget

• Another zombie with a 'W' on forehead.
• Poor horse.

Spend

• Rather like how the architect that designed the walls gave Noah his journal so he can jot down notes and record the beginnings of Alexandria.
• A grenade carried on a vest worn by a walker is shot and blows up!
• Oh... about the journal and the building of a great new society... yeah don't think that's happening now. Another one bites the dust.

Try

• A Nine Inch Nails song!
• The girl who came from outside is like a ninja.
• 'It is their world. We are just living in it.'
• Sasha seems to have inherited Andrea's marksmanship from the comics.
• More walkers with 'W' on forehead plus a gutted out woman tied a tree with the same 'W'.

Conquer

• Guess, there are living people with 'W' on foreheads calling themselves wolves. While I am not an avid reader of the comic, I don't recall them...
• Morgan calmly dispatching both wolves with a bo staff. Big change from his last appearance...
• Trailers full of walkers with 'W' on forehead!
• Morgan saves Aaron and Daryl.
• Wolves corralling walkers into semi trailers. Hmm I think these might be the people crashing down gated/walled communities...

Have to say, I liked Season 5 and had no problem with the pacing. I think the Wolves are neat addition to the Walking Dead mythos.


Till next time.