Small Screen Favorites: The Walking Dead Season Premiere

It's become mostly accepted at this point that The Walking Dead is past its prime. Even the most hardcore of fans could not ignore the unbearably slow pacing and repetitive storylines featured in the show's seventh season, which was already coming on the heels of the extremely poorly-received cliffhanger that ended season six. But in spite of its many flaws, the season did end on a surprisingly upbeat note that promised a more action-packed series of episodes to come. So did this season premiere deliver on that promise? The answer, unfortunately, is that it was the definition of a mixed bag.

The biggest problems in this season premiere all can be traced back to the big baddie, Negan. The character's arrival initially seemed like it would be a breath of fresh air that the show needed, with Jeffrey Dean Morgan delivering an chilling and wildly entertaining performance in his first few appearances. However, the villain quickly wore out his welcome when it became apparent that he was nothing more than an overdone, repetitive monologue-spouter who is only kept alive due to extreme contrivances in the plot. All of those issues are present here; Negan remains just as tiresome with his dramatic pronunciation and constant leaning back. There also some downright infuriating moments where the characters are presented with clear opportunities to kill him but do not take them for inexplicable reasons. This is obviously a character who needs to be presented in small doses to be effective, so when the writers make sure he is on screen 24/7 it is detrimental to the quality of the show.

On the note of action, this episode delivers a decent but not groundbreaking shootout. It is enjoyable to not only see all of the characters in one place (though who knows how long that will last) but also watch them work together on a plan that unfolds throughout the premiere. There are some solid character moments and interactions, with the MVP of the hour most certainly being Rick Grimes. It's great fun to watch a character who was broken for an entire season gain his mojo back, in spite of some frustrating decisions that he makes. Other characters who seem set up for solid arcs are Lennie James's Morgan and Lauren Cohan's Maggie.

This episode was nothing special, and it was bogged down by idiotic character decisions and a villain who has frankly become unbearable. However, it has enough going for it on the levels of excitement and characters that I have a somewhat positive feeling about where this season is going. I would give this episode 3 stars out of 5.