The Big Scary U

After really disliking the first three episodes of Season 8 (especially "Monsters"), "Some Guy" turned out to be a big improvement and shed some hope. Didn't care for Season 8 as an overall whole, but it was not devoid of good episodes. Expectations were a bit mixed on first watch, despite being pleasantly surprised by "Some Guy" that "The Big Scary U" was going to focus on two characters that have not been that interesting in a long time concerned me a bit.

"The Big Scary U" was another Season 8 episode that was better than expected. It is not one of the best episodes of 'The Walking Dead', Season 6's "Not Tomorrow Yet" was the last "great" instalment of 'The Walking Dead', but its handling of the two characters that are not favourites of mine by any stretch was surprisingly well done. Flaws and all, "The Big Scary U" definitely to me is one of the better episodes of Season 8 and in the small group of instalments that weren't disappointing.

Sure, "The Big Scary U" could have been better. Again the action is somewhat messy and more silly than thrilling, especially in the final third. The ending felt a bit abrupt.

Felt too that some of the dialogue did ramble, especially some of Negan's. Which was not surprising, as long-winded dialogue is a common problem with Negan's character. Also Eugene is annoying and he is another character who has never been a favourite of mine.

However, "The Big Scary U" does very well with the development of Father Gabriel and Negan, both characters progressing and given more nuance than usual. It was great to see a more conflicted (without it wallowing into excessive self-pity or anything) and humanised Father Gabriel and Negan has more menace than he has done in some time while having more nuance to usual. Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Seth Gilliam do fine jobs in their roles, Morgan particularly.

It never bothered me that "The Big Scary U" was a slower paced episode and not the taut action-packed sort of episode of 'The Walking Dead'. It is more character driven than plot driven, it succeeds on that front because the characterisation is interesting and illuminating in the case of Negan. While the story isn't perfectly executed, it still compels and not only does it feel like things are progressing it also does a great job with filling in the gaps the previous episodes had. Particularly in regard to the backstory of Negan.

Photography isn't disorganised or self-indulgant in the way that it was in the first three episodes of Season 8. The lighting has a foreboding atmosphere to it. The music similarly is suitably ominous and while the script is not perfect either it provokes thought.

On the whole, not great but by Season 8 standards it was good. 7/10.

You've got to admire Negan. He is the perfect example of the the successful psychopath leader. They represent him as many true leaders actually are, dictators who killed millions of people for a specific purpose. It's all utilitarian with him. I am glad they didn't just get an average criminal role and the actor plays it perfectly well.

A "Glenn" is where a cliffhanger finally continues after 2 (or more) full episodes not covering the topic, in this case Father Gabriel and Negan. I find this form of storytelling very hackneyed and cliché.

We backtrack to a big meeting with Savior leadership before Rick and posse arrives (3 episodes ago) for a verbal duel and assault on the compound. Afterwards, we cut back and forth between the trailer, the Savior top captains, and the dynamic duo of Rick and Daryl. I get why Negal feels what he does is for the best, however he is a bad guy. As we know, killing select "good guys" as a lesson to everyone empowers the "bad guys". People are a resource, true, yet you destroy in a world without real production (burn mattresses) and enslave.

Frankly, I'm weary of his banter. Don't get me wrong, I get pretty vulgar, but one big attraction to the series initially was how crude language wasn't necessary to get the desperate survival theme across. It is commonplace now among all the characters and cheapens the show.

The only semi-dramatic engaging moment was when Father Gabriel and Negan confessed some of their past with one another, otherwise I wasn't fully captivated by the story-line. Oh look, issue resolved, truck with big weapons blows up. Stupid plot devices.

I think the series has become a parody of itself, amazing to think the plot quality has dropped in efforts to get "ratings" when the same efforts are losing the same people which gave them the awesome ratings. Half the household no longer watches it for these reasons, and now I'm near finding other things I'd rather do than continue following the mess.

Thank you.

It's great to see Negan again after such a long absence in the series. Well, it certainly seemed that way! It's great to learn more about such an important character. I love how Gabriel says at the beginning that maybe he was sent to redeem Negan. It's not just them as we get some great scenes from Daryl and Rick as well. There's even a lot of talking scenes with many of the minor characters. I admit that this episode didn't have as much action as most, but it didn't matter because it was still awesome! It was quite easy to follow.

We just get more insight onto the characters. This series always was in fact about the psychological implications of a zombie apocalypse. Or should I say walker apocalypse. I'm glad to have been familiar with the comic books even though I haven't read them in a long time. We're getting more built up to how the good guys are going to handle the saviors. I feel bad for that really hated review below me. For once, I won't have the most hated review of an episode! I think that 16 minute opening is the longest in the show's run. ****

Season 8 wasn't the best season but it has had some memorable moments which makes this episode stand out

this episode also showed that it doesn't need action to be entertaining and mostly focused on Negans point of view

definitely worth watching