With the second episode of the eighth season of ‘The Walking Dead’ in the books, the concept, and direction of ‘All Out War’ takes shape.
Rick and his crew continue to take the battle to the Saviors, but the physical and mental casualties of war begin to stack up. This is a good thing for the show because war is not black and white, so to create a dialogue between characters adds another level of anxiety to the episode.
‘The Damned’ bookended the episode with close-ups on the faces of major characters and this made for a more intimate narrative as the viewer gets sucked into the trenches of battle. The episode showcases the emotional spectrum of war with Jesus, Morgan, Tara, and Ezekiel. Khary Payton handles the character of Ezekiel very well, and it’s a great interpretation of the character, but I can see where the more grounded viewer could be put off by the over-the-top nature of Ezekiel.
The way the episode was filmed complemented the story very well. Lots of tight shots added to the intensity of the action with a layer of claustrophobia. The special effects used for Shiva did not distract. When the script calls for a giant tiger, you need to make it work, and they did.
There will be spoilers after the break.
Rick’s moral compass is wrecked this episode, and Andrew Lincoln is hitting a new level when called upon to display emotional turmoil. There are deaths in ‘The Damned’ and they are handled how they would be in battle. There is no time to mourn when the guns are blazing, and sometimes when you give the viewer a quick gut punch, the death has more weight because the viewer is robbed as well.
Overall, ‘The Damned’ is a fast-paced episode that keeps your heart pumping from start to finish, and you want episode three immediately.
What did you think of the episode? Sound off in the comment section below.
Stranger Things 2 is a great example of a safe sequel. It’s good, and whenever Sean Astin is on screen it flirts with being great.
But it’s good without trying anything new. It wears a mask of novelty that hides how utterly derivative it is. Being derivative isn’t inherently a bad thing, but unlike the first season, which paid tribute to a bevy of 80’s properties, the second season references the first. Again. And again. And again. Never to the point that it feels boring, but enough that it feels safe. Too safe. And that’s never more apparent than with the nerd analogy.
We’re getting into spoilers from here on, so finish the season before you continue.
Stranger Things season 1 relied on the tried and true method of bookend storytelling to create a cohesive theme. It opens and ends with Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will playing through a session of Dungeons & Dragons. This also establishes their nerd analogy for the season: D&D, and RPGs in general.
The group of kids attempt to understand the traumatic and dangerous situations that unfold in Season 1 by creating an analogy to the pastime they engage in. They even classify themselves this way: Eleven is referenced several times as “the mage.” They understand the Upside Down as a fantasy plane within their game. And most famously, the name the creature that has terrorized the town after their D&D boss monster, the demogorgon.
This analogy served a greater purpose than comedic effect. It allows the audience to understand the boy’s actions and motivations. It draws a connective line between the audience and the protagonists, and the consistency helps keep everything straight.
At first, Season 2 seems to do the same thing. Dustin frantically searches for quarters as the kids run to the arcade, another staple of ’80s “nerd” culture. Dig Dug, Centipede, and Dragon’s Lair are all mentioned by name and seen. Episode 5 is even called “Dig Dug.”
And that’s it. That is the last time those things are used to any explicit degree. They are referenced in subtle ways: the demodogs become many from one like in Centipede, the kids literally go underground to defeat the monsters like in Dig Dug, and Dustin is unable to woo Max, i.e. “win” the “princess,” like in Dragon’s Lair.
But the arcade thematic, the idea of players, points, reaction speeds, or supporting the current player (as opposed to a group effort) are not used. The group doesn’t use this connective idea to understand the unfolding plot, and therefore provide a unifying idea for the audience.
And that could have been OK. The kids are older now, and they’ve been through the stress of the previous year. It makes sense that they wouldn’t rely on a “childish” analogy to understand things.
Except the kids did still need one. And they did still reference it. It became very important later on, to provide an analogy for the viral nature of the creature. And that analogy was Dungeons & Dragons.
Again.
While thoroughly entertaining to hear Dustin explain mind-flayers to the older kids and adults (it’s worth the watch to hear Sheriff Hopper suggest throwing fireballs), this analogy was already used. We’ve been through this before. It’s fun, but not new. And had they decided to continue using D&D as the connector, essentially paralleling the plot to a new campaign every season, that might have been OK.
But they didn’t. Instead, they push Ghostbusters, and the in-fighting between the group as they argue over which character they are. Dustin builds a trap, they talk about streams, etc. Then there’s Mad Max, the newest member of their group. Again, a chance for them to use an existing fiction to make metatextual commentary. A chance that, by the end, is lost.
Instead, Season 2 ends with the Snowball Dance, a reference to the first season, and Mike’s desire to take Eleven, and show her at least one normal day. But the dance has no significance to Season 2. It comes out of nowhere, and creates some cute character development between Dustin and Nancy, Mike and Eleven, and Lucas and Max.
As cute as it may be, it creates no sense of continuity of theme. Season 1 used this continuity to great effect, and while that doesn’t need to be replicated part for part, it should have been replaced with something something. Instead, we were given piecemeal of old and new ideas.
To keep things fresh for Season 3, Stranger Things would be served to continue using this connective idea. But they need something new, something different. They need to take a risk. There’s no end to the ’80s properties that could be used: TV/toy series like Transformers, G.I. Joe, Voltron, movies like Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, or the ’80s horror flicks, or even music, as the kids tastes grow and change.
In any case, the show needs to be willing to take risks. They’ve proved themselves to audiences; we’re not going anywhere. So be willing to try something new, and keep us surprised.
Now that ‘The Walking Dead’ is back for its eighth season, it’d be nice to check in with some old friends. This show is a different animal regarding television deaths. Some are cast and given names merely to die on the show. Ever wonder what some of these folks are up to? Sure, you can IMDB them, but allow this post to serve as the official one-stop shop for what they’re up to these days.
There have been 156 named deaths heading into season 8 (including some flashback characters and animals that weren’t included in this list), however there has been a grand total of 253 character deaths on the show, including those to have turned. There are also numerous named, uncredited actors to have appeared on the show that weren’t listed. If you were lucky enough to have a name on the show, you should be listed below. If we missed someone prominent, tell us in the comments section below and we’ll add them. While you’re there, tell us which character(s) you miss the most on the show.
Season 1
Ed (Adam Minarovich) – Since his final appearance on the show, he has served in a few guest spots on TV shows and shorts, including two episodes on One Tree Hill. In all, he has made appearances on six TV shows, two shorts, two movies and is set to appear in nother movie in 2018 called, Submission.
Jacqui (Jeryl Prescott) – Since opting to blow up with the CDC rather than live in a world overrun with walkers, this actress has taken on over 27 roles, including stints on Ray Donovan and NCIS: Los Angeles, as well as a spot in The Birth of a Nation. She is also due to be featured in two movies next year and is currently filming a role on Memphis Fire.
Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) – The good doctor has taken on 13 roles since dying on the show which includes a five-issue run on Backwash and a regular spot (65 episodes) on The Americans.
Season 2
Sophia (Madison Lintz) – Carol’s daughter has five acting credits to her belt since her run on TWD. She appeared on Nashville and is currently a regular on the Amazon Original series, Bosch.
Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince) – He was one of the first of the bigger-named actors to have made a cameo-type run on TWD. He lasted just three episodes. Since then, he has tallied 20 more acting credits including regular TV roles on True Blood, The Mentalist and Heroes Reborn. He also has two projects dropping later in 2017, including a spot in the movie, Gotti, starring John Travolta.
Dave (Michael Raymond-James) – After a two-episode stay on TWD, he turned in 11 appearances to add to his repertoire, including a regular role on the TV shows, Once Upon a Time (34 episodes), Game of Silence (10 eps) and was Paul Revere on the Sons of Liberty miniseries (3 eps). He also appeared in Jack Reacher (2012) with Tom Cruise.
Tony (Aaron Munoz) – He has 13 appearances over various movies, TV shows and shorts since his death on the show. Seven of those roles are in shorts, while three of his projects, Cecil, All Light Will End and The Friend Zone, are all currently in post-production.
Sean (Keedar Whittle) – This upcoming actor only currently has 17 credits to his resume, but 11 since leaving TWD. He has mostly appeared in various shows and shorts, but does have two movie appearances to credit with Hollywood Chaos (2013) and Life After Beth (2014).
Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) – It was tough for most losing this fan-favorite character. Since his untimely demise on the show, he has appeared in a number of TV series, most notably 15 episodes on Billions on Showtime. He also has a project due in 2018 called, The Amaranth.
Randal (Michael Zegen) – Yep, the guy responsible for making the entire prison sick. Since dying on the show he has had quite a few gigs, including having turned in three episodes on Girls and Happyish and 11 on Boardwalk Empire. He also has two projects on the way in 2018 in Tyrel and The Seagull.
Shane (Jon Bernthal) – The Boss! We know that nickname is reserved for one Bruce Springsteen, but Shane Walsh was awesome. Bernthal is awesome. His career has really taken off since his shocking death on the show with 22 credits, including movie appearances in The Wolf of Wall Street, Sicario, The Accountant and Baby Driver, just to name a few. We recently learned he was actually in the running to play Rick Grimes on TWD. Wonder if his career would be different had he been cast as that character. He also has seven projects on the way, including four in 2018. He has already debuted as The Punisher on Season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix and is set to premiere in his very own series as the militant antihero on November 17.
Jimmy (James Allen McCune) – This guy has 14 credits on his resume since his death on TWD. His notable roles include an 11-episode stint on Shameless and 15 episodes on Sugar Pine 7. He also starred in 2016’s Blair Witch, the third installment in the series.
Patricia (Jane McNeill) – She actually has a number of roles she has taken on since the show, including three projects in post-production, two for 2017 in Living The Dream and An L.A. Minute and one for 2018 in American Animals. Her run on TWD was her first credited acting job as she has now accumulated 25 credits in her career so far.
Season 3
Big Tiny (Theodus Crane) – He has 31 credits amassed over his career so far, including six on the way, with one in 2018 called Potential. His two-episode appearance on TWD was only his fourth credited acting gig.
Tomas (Nick Gomez) – After dying on the show, he is now set to, by the time 2018 comes around, have amassed 73 acting credits. He has a number of stints on television, including Dexter, The Red Road (8 episodes), Bosch (6 eps) and Snatchers (5 eps). He’s staying busy in 2017 with seven projects en route.
Theodore ‘T-Dog’ Douglas (IronE Singleton) – Another fan-favorite character to have bitten the dust. He has only turned in four acting credits since dying on the show, including a two-episode stint on Franklin & Bash. He is also a consistent attendee at nearly every Walker Stalker Convention, in which he hosts a one-man play. He also wrote a book called, Blindsided by the Walking Dead, where he is quoted as going, “From surviving the streets, to slaying the geeks.”
Andrew (Markice Moore) – An upcoming actor, he only has 13 credits so far, including a handful of episodes on shows like Rectify, Shots Fired and Snowfall. You can catch him in 2018 in a series called, The Paynes.
Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) – She accounted for one of the first real shocking deaths on the show, which sent currents across TWD fanbases. Killing the main character’s wife was a true testament to how confident the creators felt about the life of the show. She has eight credits since meeting her demise on the show, including 23 episodes in Colony and 79 eps in the series revival of Prison Break.
Tim (Lawrence Kao) – Since dying on the show, this actor has accumulated over 30 acting credits. He has five projects incoming over 2018, but has used his time since his death on TWD to appear in eight episodes of JustKiddingFilms, five eps of The Originals and scattered cameos in shows like NCIS: Los Angeles, 2 Broke Girls and Workaholics.
Garguilio (Dave Davis) – He has had a number of appearances since his death on the show, including movies like Ghost Shark and Ozark Sharks, a spot on True Detective and parts in movies like The Big Short, Daddy’s Home and Jeepers Creepers III. He has nine projects in post-production, set to come out over the course of 2017-19. He has 47 credits to his acting resume.
Donna (Cherie Gierhart) – She has been quiet since her episode on TWD. She currently serves as an assistant director on the shows Inhumans and S.W.A.T. and also appeared in an episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She has five credits as an actress.
Oscar (Vincent M. Ward) – With 70 acting credits, this guy has been busy, especially in 2017. He has appeared on episodes in series such as Wilfred, Psych and Atlanta. He is set to take on a role in 86 Zombies in 2018 as well.
Haley (Alexa Nikolas) – She has 33 credits in her career, but has only appeared in a single episode of Mad Men since her time on TWD.
Axel (Lew Temple) – Although having appeared in just a handful of episodes, he was a fan favorite among the base. Since before the time he was sniped in the head by The Governor to now, he has tallied over 110 acting credits. He has been in movies like The Lone Ranger and Lap Dance and shows such as Longmire and Wicked City. He is currently set to take part in 10 projects from 2017-19.
Ben (Tyler Chase) – He has tacked on 14 acting credits since his time on TWD, including four episodes of Six and 20 eps on Freakish on Hulu. He also has two projects coming out later in 2017- early 2018.
Andrea (Laurie Holden) – Her death was definitely one of the more controversial in show history because it doesn’t follow the timeline of that of the comics, in which she is actually still alive and with Rick. She has 43 credits, including seven roles since dying on the show, highlighted by co-starring in Dumb and Dumber To. She has also had stints on shows like Major Crimes, Chicago Fire and The Americans. She currently has three jobs in 2018 and is actively filming Arctic Justice (voice).
Shumpert (Travis Love) – Another fan favorite met his demise after a pretty hefty run. Since TWD, he’s been in eight more projects (9-total), including TV shows like The Haves and the Have Nots (3 episodes), Sky Sharks and was an uncredited Jabari Warrior in the upcoming Marvel movie, Black Panther.
Ryan (Victor McCay) – Since dying on the show, he has added seven projects to his 49 acting credits. Most notably, eight episodes on Drop Dead Diva and a spot in The Accountant, starring Ben Affleck.
Karen (Melissa Ponzio) – She has been a steady contributor to both Teen Wolf, 72 episodes, and Chicago Fire, 25 eps, since dying on TWD. She has 44 credits as an actress.
David (Brandon Carroll) – He has added four credits to his 23 since he last appeared in TWD, with spots on movies like Selma and Cruiser.
Dr. Caleb Subramanian (Sunkrish Bala) – He has added to his 59 credits steadily since falling on the show with appearances in gigs like </Scorpion> and Castle (10 episodes), as well as several voice over projects.
David (Danny Vinson) – He has been in 34 projects since dying on the show, including five projects which are on the way. Some of his notable appearances include having been on The Astronaut Wives Club, The Vampire Diaries and Atlanta. He’s also had more than a handful of movie gigs to add to his 72 credits.
Cesar (Jose Pablo Cantillo) – He was another of the fan-favorite villains to have eventually met his demise by the hands of The Governor. Since his death on the TWD, he’s taken on a number of gigs, including appearances on Constantine, Shooter and Taken. He’s currently filming El Chicano for 2018. He has 57-total credits on his resume.
Hershel (Scott Wilson) – This one stung. He was the fatherly-favorite among TWD fanbase, for sure. Plus, this was one of the real, more graphic deaths we have seen on the show, with The Governor chopping his head off with Michonne’s sword. He has 81 acting credits and has stayed busy as of late with a three-episode run on Bosch, five on Damien and eight on The OA, with a second season incoming.
Mitch (Kirk Acevedo) – He was the other half of The Governor’s right-hand men. He has 52 acting credits and just completed filming the third installment in the Insidious series, The Last Key. Some of his more recent works include 29 episodes on SyFy’s 12 Monkeys and 8 eps on Kingdom.
The Governor (David Morrissey) – The first real villain of the show, he met his maker by way of a tag-team kill by both Michonne, who took his eye, and Rick. He has appeared on a number of TV shows since dying on the show, including Extant (11 episodes), Britannia (10 eps) and The Missing (8 eps).
Lilly (Audrey Marie Anderson) – You know her from a series of different CW DC Comics shows like Arrow and The Flash. She appeared in three episodes of TWD and has 32 credits on her acting resume. She is currently also working on a series called Ice, in which she has done 10 episodes.
Mika (Kyla Kenedy) – She was killed unsuspectedly by her older sister, Lizzie. Since meeting her untimely death on TWD, she has worked steady, including numerous movies and regular roles on shows like Night Shift (8 episodes) and Speechless (28 eps). She now has 22 acting credits and counting!
Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino) – We all remember her. She was on a path to become the next Negan. After killing her sister, Mika, Carol tells her to “Just look at the flowers” and finishes her. She now has 22 acting credits. She had a guest appearance in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and six movie roles, including three on the way, since her death on the show.
Joe (Jeff Kober) – He was another one of those storied actors to have made a quick run on the show. He’s been in numerous projects over the years and has 125 acting credits. You’ll remember him from Sons of Anarchy and as the leader of the group that took in Daryl after the group split following Terminus. He’s taken on a ton of projects since, including Shameless and NCIS: Los Angeles. He has a seven-episode stint coming in 2018 on a show called, Big Dogs.
Dan (Keith Brooks) – He has racked up 32 projects (52 total) since his death on TWD. He has seven projects coming in 2018. He most-recently made an appearance in Stranger Things 2, but also was Beast on Uncanny X-Men and did a show called Bean Dip Explains It All, among others.
Sam (Robin Lord Taylor) – You know him best as The Penguin, aka Oswald Cobblepot, on Gotham. But he also made two appearances on TWD, dying at Terminus. He has taken on six projects since, including three projects in post-production, including The Mandela Effect.
Mary (Denise Crosby) – She has 96 acting credits, including two for 2018. She has made a number of appearances on TV shows since falling in TWD, like The Magicians and Ray Donovan.
Gareth (Andrew J. West) – Another fan-favorite villain to have met his demise at the hands of Rick and Co., he was the leader at Terminus, which consisted of a group of cannibals. He has been in numerous projects since then, including six episodes on Dead of Summer and 24 eps in Once Upon a Time.
Theresa (April Billingsley) – She has 36 acting credits to her resume, including nine projects since falling on the show. She followed up her stint on TWD with six episodes on Resurrection and a guest appearance on Constantine. She was also in American Made and has three projects on the way in 2018.
Martin (Chris Coy) – With 45 credits overall, he’s taken on a number of jobs since TWD. He was in 9 episodes of Banshee and seven eps of The Deuce, among others. He also is currently filming The Front Runner.
Bob (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) – Poor Bob. He basically became dinner for Gareth and Co. as they searched for Rick and the group. He has 66 credits and recently finished two projects. He has been in six episodes of Graceland and 8 eps on The Deuce, since falling in TWD
Officer Lerner (Christine Woods) – Otherwise known as, ‘Dawn’, she was the leader of the hospital that both Beth and Carol end up at in Atlanta. She is killed after an exchange of prisoners goes bad, which included Maggie’s sister, Beth. She has been in a ton of stuff since the show, including appearances in About a Boy and The Odd Couple. She is also set to be in eight more projects in 2017-18, including five movies, like Better Off Zed.
Officer O’Donnell (Ricky Wayne) – Since dying on the show, he’s been on numerous TV shows, such as Bloodline, Rectify and Outsiders. He also has three projects due in 2018, like Anagram. He’s got 63-total credits.
Officer Lamson (Max Hernandez) – With 36 credits, since dying on the show, he has been in the hit-movie Sicario and on shows like Hand of God (15 episodes) and The Last Ship (34 eps).
Beth (Emily Kinney) – Another member of the farm to have passed. She was Maggie’s little sister and was killed by Dawn in the hospital in Atlanta. Her music career is currently at the forefront of her resume, but since meeting her death on the show, she has been in projects like Arrow / The Flash, Masters of Sex, Conviction and Ten Days in the Valley.
Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) – Another fan-favorite character, but even bigger comicbook character, to have died on the show. No one saw this one coming. It was a unique episode in which he is hallucinating throughout most of it before we find out he was bitten. He has 61 credits and, since dying on TWD, has been on shows like Freakish, Arrow, The Orville, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Expanse.
Aiden (Daniel Bonjour) – He’s had guest spots on projects like Teen Wolf, Frequency (9 episodes) and Flaked, among others, to add to his 38 credits, since his death on the show.
Noah (Tyler James Williams) – He saved Beth and joined Rick’s group for a stint. His death is still regarded as one of the most brutal ones on the show, while Glenn had to watch. He has 29 credits and since the show has been in stuff like, Ballers, with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, RePlay (12 episodes) and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (26 eps).
Reg (Steve Coulter) – His death singlehandedly led to Rick and Co. being invited to stay at The Sanctuary. A drunken Pete sliced his neck open in an attempt to kill Rick to no avail. He’s been in stuff like Banshee (10 episodes), The Conjuring 2, Brockmire (5 eps), House of Cards (4 eps) and has six projects en route for 2018, including Hangman.
Pete (Corey Brill) – He has 11 acting credits and has made three appearances on TV shows since his death on the show and episode each on </Scorpion> and Chicago P.D..
Season 6
Carter (Ethan Embry) – He spends so much time out on a run talking trash about Rick and, while not paying attention, meets his maker via a walker. Great way to start a season! He’s been in so much popular movies and shows that us from the 1980s have grown up with. With 95 credits, he’s been a regular on Grace and Frankie (39 episodes) and starred in The Devil’s Candy. He’s working now for two gigs in 2018.
Shelly (Susie Spear Purcell) – She has 29 credits and has done two projects since TWD, including the movie, Christine.
Sturgess (Jon Kleitman) – He has 15 credits overall, including four since his run on the show, with appearances in movies like Cruiser and Catalyst.
Annie (Beth Keener) – With 35 credits, she has landed four gigs since her run on the show. She is also set to host Lights, Camera, Location!, which will highlight locations where movies/shows are made.
Nicholas (Michael Traynor) – We all remember this guy. He tried to kill our beloved Glenn, only to become best pals with him (for a little bit). He gave up when times got tough (yeah, the dumpster scene) and put a bullet in his head. He’s seen work in The Fosters (7 episodes) and was in The Thinning. He’s also got two projects set for release for 2018.
Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) – The former leader of The Sanctuary, she entrusts it to Rick and Co., after going out in a blaze of glory. She has 101 credits and has since worked on stuff like, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (10 episodes), three eps on Salvation and has two projects in the works for 2018, in which she plays a doctor in both.
Sam (Major Dodson) – He couldn’t get over the anxiety attacks that plagued him throughout the season. His freakout inside a horde of walkers ended up killing him, his brother and mother. He has 14 credits and just finished Gwen’s World of Weird, a television movie.
Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) – Rick’s former fling met her match when her son, Sam, couldn’t keep his mouth shut inside a horde of walkers. She was a mother of two and Rick scooped her up after killing her husband. That’s the apocalypse for ya! She’s been a steady contributor on Family Guy, is currently on This Is Us and has two projects in the work for 2018.
Ron (Austin Abrams) – The oldest of Jessie’s sons, he had beef with Carl for occupying the time of Enid. He met his fate inside the horde of walkers as well. With 17 credits, he’s added seven projects to his resume since his run on the show, including three in the works. He’s currently filming Puzzle.
Ethan (Justin Kucsulain) – He has 13 acting credits and, since his stint on TWD, has done two episodes each for both Bloodline and Homeland, among others, and is currently filming Killroy Was Here.
Donnie (Rus Blackwell) – Since he fell on TWD, he has added nine episodes on Six and has added to his 77 credits with two projects on the way, including Florida Bush League Wrestling: The Movie.
Molly (Jill Jane Clements) – She has 46 credits to her resume and has appeared on shows like Bloodline and Outcast since dying on the show. She currently has five projects in the works.
Michelle (Jeananne Goossen) – She’s appeared in a few projects, including Nashville and Criminal Minds and currently has two projects coming in 2018 since her episode on TWD. She has 35 credits overall.
Paula (Alicia Witt) – She spearheaded the group of gals that kidnapped both Carol and Maggie, but in the end, met her fate to the gruesome twosome. She currently has 76 credits and has turned in spots on Nashville and Twin Peaks, among others, while also having three projects incoming for 2018.
‘Dr.’ Denise (Merritt Wever) – Yet another doctor to have met their demise on TWD. She was Maggie’s girlfriend and caught an arrow in the eye via Dwight. She’s added to her 40 credits since then and is currently filming two projects in Godless and The Women of Marwen.
Alpha Wolf (Benedict Samuel) – He was technically nameless, but we’ll throw him in anyways. He was a part of the gang called ‘The Wolves’ and was locked in the cellar/prison of The Sanctuary. With 18 credits, he’s most-recently appeared on Secret City (6 episodes) and Gotham (20 eps).
Season 7
Glenn (Steven Yeun)– We unfortunately saw this one coming. The producers followed his death, in conjunction with the comics, perfectly (and grotesquely). This death broke hearts. He was definitely one of the Top 3 fan-favorite characters, for sure. An upcoming actor with just 32 credits, he did 17 episodes of Trollhunters following his death on the show and 25 eps for Voltron, while also co-starring in the Netflix Original Okja. He is currently filming Burning, which is set for a 2018 release.
Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) – The big guy met his demise by Lucille, Negan’s trusty bat, and parted with probably one of the best line in TWD history. In fact, many of his one-liners have stuck with his fans. He has been relatively quiet since his stint on the show, but he’s currently filming two movies, The Trustee and Driven, and has been linked to possibly make an appearance in Fear The Walking Dead as part of its crossover event in 2018. He has 108 credits on his resume.
Chris (Ricky Russert) – He’s had guest spots on Mr. Mercedes and the TV reboot of MacGyver, among a few other gigs, since dying on TWD. He has 15 credits on his acting resume so far.
Fat Joey (Joshua Hoover) – His name says it all. He was the punching bag of the Saviors. He has 31 credits to his name and, was most-recently in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul and Logan Lucky. He also has two projects on the way in post-production.
Isabelle (Aerli Austen) – She’s been a guest on both Shots Fired and The Gifted since leaving TWD universe, with 23 acting credits on her resume.
Spencer (Austin Nichols) – He suggested taking down Negan’s rival in Rick, so he gutted him in the streets in front of everyone. Since dying on TWD, he’s tacked on six episodes on Bates Motel to his 47 credits and currently has a project due in 2018.
Olivia (Ann Mahoney) – She was in charge of both the pantry and the guns at The Sanctuary before dying. Since then, she’s added to her 32 acting credits with projects like Sun Records (7 episodes) and Logan Lucky, among others. She currently has three projects in post-production for 2018.
Dr. Emmett Carson (Tim Parati) – Dwight accuses him of a crime he didn’t commit and, instead of opting for an iron to the face, he admits to the crime and Negan throws him into the oven, burning him alive. Yikes! Since TWD, he just completed a short called Between Dreams. He’s got 52 credits.
Benjamin (Logan Miller) – If you were lucky enough to see Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse then you know who this guy is. That movie is awesome! He was beloved by King Ezekiel. He’s got 37 credits and, since his time on TWD, has voiced Nova in the Guardians of the Galaxy show and has four projects in the works for 2018, including one that he is currently filming, The Maze.
Richard (Karl Makinen) – He doesn’t get enough credit, but he played a key role in the various communities coming together in hopes of taking down Negan in war, but wanted to sacrifice Carol to achieve it. No go with Daryl. He has 61 credits and has taken on three gigs since the show, including a three-episode arc on the revival of Twin Peaks.
Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) – Another fan-favorite character. She sacrifices herself to become a walker so to try and take out Negan at the end of the season, but is ultimately taken down in the act. She is now the star in the television revival of Star Trek called, Discovery. She has 20 acting credits.
Roy (Brian Stapf) – This guy is the ‘Dark Side’ MVP. He saves Negan from being bit by the zombiefied Sasha at the end of the season and is bitten. He’s made guest spots on shows like Bloodline and Valor since dying on the TWD and has three projects on the way for 2018.
The complete list of The Walking Dead characters, both past and present, can be found HERE.
Poor writing and bad casting decisions ruined the potential of Goodbye Christopher Robin.
Summary
Goodbye Christopher Robin takes place in the early 1940’s just as the world was beginning to brace for a significant conflict. A.A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) is longing to take his writing in a different direction and tackle more prominent social issues. He moves his lovely wife, Daphne (Margot Robbie) and their son Billy Moon (Will Tilston) away from London to the countryside with hopes of overcoming his writer’s block. Weeks go by, and Milne isn’t getting any closer to starting his manuscript. However, through the course of playing with son, he becomes inspired to write about a topic that will change their lives completely.
What Worked
Robbie’s performance as Milne’s wife was understated yet necessary to the story. Daphne represents the transition that Milne goes through during this film. His life was once nothing more than social gatherings and cocktail parties. Now, he’s concerned with ending all war.
What was compelling is the disparity between Daphne and Milne’s societal awareness. Robbie’s character seems to be more interested in where the next glamorous event is. While she hates everything about war, her priority is to be seen and not make a scene. Gleeson’s character is more concerned about the future for his children and others.
Gleeson’s performance was, as usual, strong and certainly stood out when compared to the rest of the cast. His character was extremely conflicted. Milne appears to be a very analytical person who is trying to come to grips with the horrors of war (he served in World War One).
Carter Burwell’s musical score is terrific. Burwell manages to keep it light with the use of harps and a broad scope of string instruments. The music doesn’t come off as grinding or loud, and the use of percussion instruments is minimal.
Ben Smithard’s Cinematography was able to capture the beauty of the English countryside.
What Didn’t Work
Frank Cottrell Boyce and Simon Vaughan constructed a storyline that merely tried to accomplish too much. Half of the film tackles the horrors of PTSD and then immediately pivots towards focusing on the difficulties of being famous. Had Boyce and Vaughan focused more on the elements of the story surrounding PTSD, the movie would have been far more engaging.
The film tends to gloss over the details surrounding how he created the infamous characters who inhabit the Hundred Acre Woods. Why?
Tilston should not have been cast as Milne’s son. His performance was over the top and was from believable.
Overall
While a slew of critics have taken Goodbye Christopher Robin to task, the film isn’t that bad. Simon Curtis’s latest film had the potential to be one of the better releases of 2017, but a narrative that lacked focus and poor casting doomed this film. There are just better options at the theater this weekend and great movies just around the corner.
There is something about the Star Wars Universe when Lucasfilm reveals a new set, even though it’s only a glimpse of First Jedi Temple in the new TV spot goosebumps were had.
Star Wars News Net believes the image above is part of the Force Tree.
Watch the new TV spot below:
Do you like the look of the temple? Sound off in the comment section below.
About ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
The Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi,’ which is written and directed by Rian Johnson and continues the storylines introduced in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ hits theaters on December 15.
Since 2013, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples‘ comic series Sagahas racked up multiple awards. From Eisner’s to Harvey’s and more. But this week the famed space-opera also garnered another. Its own line of Funko brand figures.
Starting in January, fans can line their shelves and desks with Pop vinyl versions of Alana, Prince Robot IV, Marko, and others. While you can pre-order these figures now, there are a couple of characters who are store exclusives. Hot Topic will be receiving Isabel, while Barnes and Noble will be getting a pink version of Lying Cat. But major retailers are not the only ones relishing in exclusive merchandise glory.
As Diamond Comics will provide local comic shops with a bloody Lying Cat exclusive figure. With the initial nine figures being announced, which Saga character would you like to see be immortalized by Funko next? What franchise or series would you like to see get their own line of Funko figures? Comment below!
Emily Kinney, who is most famous for her role as Beth on AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead,’ has been working hard over the past two-plus years since her departure from the series, with appearances on ‘The Flash,’ ‘Arrow,’ ‘Masters of Sex,’ ‘The Knick,’ ‘Conviction,’ and now ABC’s ‘Ten Days in the Valley.’
On the music side of her world, Kinney has also released four albums since 2011. On Thursday, she released a new single and music video ‘Mermaid Song.’
We spoke with Kinney about her musical career and tried to get some ‘Walking Dead’ closure.
MFR: You released a new song and video yesterday, can you tell our listeners about Mermaid Song?
Emily Kinney:Yeah totally. This song is about when you’re in a relationship or in a situation where you don’t feel like you can be yourself and you kind of just want to swim away and do your own thing and be your own person. When I was little I loved swimming, and of course, I loved ‘The Little Mermaid’ and she kind of wanted to leave her family and be part of a different world and all that. So that was all sort of lyrical inspiration. So the song is just kind of about realizing you want to do your own thing and be yourself.
MFR: Listening to your other albums, is Mermaid Song a shift in style?
Emily Kinney:I would say so, after releasing ‘This Is War’ I definitely was spending a lot of time in the studio trying to figure out a different instrumentation and figuring out ways to give my songs a little bit more, I want to say like ‘weight.’ I feel like the songs still come from a similar place where I’m usually analyzing and reflecting on relationships or questions that I have about life. In the past, I think I’ve always wanted to lighten them up if they were sad breakup songs. And this time I wanted the words to have a bit more weight so that’s where you hear kind of the synths and the Moog and in particular with this song, we wanted something that would feel like waves, you know like an ocean. So it’s definitely a new sound for me.
MFR: The background music in ‘Mermaid Song’ immediately made me immediately think of Mazzy Star.
Emily Kinney:Oh, thank you so much. Yeah, I’m definitely a fan of Mazzy Star, and that has definitely been an inspiration to me. Actually, on a different song I was working on, I was like, “ooh, I kind of want to channel this sort of vibe.’ When I was working on this song ‘Be Good’ we were listening to Mazzy Star a lot. So that’s definitely an inspiration for me. So that’s cool you heard that.
MFR: Nebraska, New York, California – Where are your biggest musical influences coming from now?
Emily Kinney:Now, my favorite band is Frightened Rabbit. I listen to that a lot. I listen to all kinds of music though. I listen to classic rock like what my parents listened to was really inspirational to me and they all sound like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and that kind of stuff.
I mean it depends. Every day is different. I like this girl Courtney Marie Andrews who’s like a country singer-songwriter. I’ve been listening to Broken Social Scene a lot which I didn’t really know that band until recently. And I love that.
MFR: As an actor and a musician, you need to dig deep emotionally. Can you talk about the emotional differences between acting and music?
Emily Kinney:The emotional differences. I guess with acting you’re putting yourself in someone else’s place. So there’s a lot more imagination involved. But I do still feel like I go, ‘OK, where have I been the same as this character?’ And I do try to draw from my personal experience to guess what it would be like to be in those situations. So I do still use my personal experience, and in a similar way with music. Usually, it starts out from something that I experienced. But then once I start writing the song sometimes it does take a life of its own, and you use your imagination to sort of fill it in. You know, to fill in the gaps like it’s not like every song is word for word exactly what has happened in my life. A lot of times there’s an anchor that is like a phrase or a bit of truth and then you sort of build the song around that. So then, your imagination kind of kicks in I’m not actually a mermaid that’s going to swim away. So, they actually do come from a similar place and in a similar way I do find it’s really important when I work on acting to have moments by myself with the lines before I practice with anyone. And then, of course, it’s always really great to practice with someone and get their feedback. Once you’re on set you sort of are feeding off of other people. But I’ve always felt like, ‘oh’ it’s good if I get just a little bit of time by myself to do these lines just in a room by myself’ and then in a similar way I feel the same about music. I feel like I usually have to have at least some time where I was by myself with the words and made sure I got to say something that was for sure what I wanted to say you. And then you might go into a writer’s room, or a session, or whatever, or you might bring it to a producer and then it becomes a collaboration. But I always feel like having some moments to your self without any other voices is important.
MFR: Mermaid Song was released independently; how do measure success?
Emily Kinney:You know that’s a really interesting question because it’s changed at different times. I can remember back when I was first living in New York City and just playing clubs and stuff when my goal was just to release an album. That was the goal and so just to have gotten that was a success to me. I guess for me just having made the stuff there’s a bit of you know, just actually finishing. Starting a project, coming up with a song, and then following it through, and then actually putting out into the world. I do feel like just that in of itself is a success.
Maybe I have a low bar or something but just getting to that point takes a lot. Especially if you’re an independent musician. I guess I feel like it’s a success if I did what I wanted to do in the beginning and I do feel like the song is a success to me already. I hope that people love it. But you can’t kind of control once it goes out into the world what’s going to happen. I would love for it to reach a bigger audience. I mean I have some really great cool fans right now. But it would be cool if I could reach some new people who maybe didn’t know that I did music with this song. So I would hope to make new fans, and that would be a success to me as well.
MFR: Transitioning over to ‘The Walking Dead.’ Was there a romantic moment shared between Beth and Daryl?
Emily Kinney:You know I can’t actually answer that for you because I didn’t write it. I assumed that there was some chemistry when we were acting the scene. I’ve also heard that ‘oh, that wasn’t what was intended.’ In the script it said something like, ‘they give each other a long look, and they’re interrupted by the noise.’ So, I interpreted it as a special moment, connection. Whether that’s romantic or not. I think that it was too soon to tell. If you have these moments in real life, sometimes there’s special moments of connection with someone, and you don’t even know. You’re like, ‘oh, was that romantic or was it just a nice friendship special moment?’ So, I don’t think that it was defined at that point yet. I think it was still a mystery of what that moment meant.
MFR: Interesting. It’s still an open book. I like that though.
Emily Kinney:Yeah and I mean I think that life is like that, you don’t always know where something is going so I don’t know that. I definitely think there was chemistry. I think when I was playing it as an actor but who knows if that would have played out if she had stayed alive or if it would have even gone. In real life, you can have moments where you don’t know. And so I think it was an I don’t know moment.
MFR: Emily, thank you for your time and best of luck with ‘Mermaid Song.’
Emily Kinney:Thank you.
There was a lot of great insight to the songwriting process and a small nugget about ‘The Walking Dead.’ What was your favorite part of the interview? Sound off in the comments below.
“Honored and greatly humbled to be a part of the #dcuniverseby bringing the original Captain Marvel to life. I am beside myself with gratitude, not only for this opportunity, but also the incredible outpouring of love and support from so many of you out there in the world. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be in the gym for the rest of forever.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BazHTU9jBqT/
The film will begin production in February 2018, with a release date set for April 5, 2019.
How do you feel about this casting, along with the actor’s comments? Sound off in the comments below!
The Shannara Chroniclescontinues it’s vastly upgraded run on Spike this week with the episode that finally brings together our heroes. However, the reunion does not take place surrounded by hors-d’oeuvres and a mediocre DJ. Eretria (Ivana Baquero) and Wil (Austin Butler) reunite with Allanon (Manu Bennet), but some reunions are happier than others.
The first episode helped viewers catch up to the future-fantasy show and all the players in this world. But episode two laid the groundwork for the rest of the season. Now, episode three shifts to a higher gear, infusing the narrative with deeper dilemmas for the heroes to face. The journey is moving ahead, and Wil is growing more confident with every new action.
The introduction of badass, weapon master and bounty hunter Garet Jax (Gentry White) made the dynamic of this RPG party much more interesting. Jax is now the classic anti-hero and serves to shift allegiances that are developing with each new scene.
In episode two, King of the Elves, Ander Elessedil (Aaron Jakubenko) is courted by the Queen Tamlin (Caroline Chikezie) and set to marry her daughter, Eretria’s ex, Lyria (Vanessa Morgan). The dynamic between Ander and Lyria continues to grow, affecting the future of the world and its people. It’s an interesting subplot that makes the overall narrative feel a lot more developed and bigger than the character story at the heart of it.
Super-Druid Allanon is captured by the leader of The Crimson, General Riga (Desmond Chiam) at the end of episode two. Riga’s mastery of subduing magic makes Allanon an easy prisoner to deal with. Riga’s agenda to silence magic seems misguided, and it would not be surprising if Riga turns to the good side of things by the end of the season. We also move a step closer to learning if illusionist Mareth Ravenlock (Malese Jow) is truly Allanon’s daughter.
One of the great things about Shannara is how it balances all the different plots. Sure, they’re each straightforward but woven into each other neatly which is not easy to do. In the mix is Bandon (Marcus Vanco), the elven seer and Shannara’s version of Anakin Skywalker, is getting closer to completing his quest of resurrecting the Warlock Lord. Bandon is ripe to become the character with the most interesting story arcs. A tormented soul who is overcome by his powers and lost between truth and desire.
Episode three continues to the beautiful new direction that the production of the show is taking. With each new episode, the visual and oral narrative of the show develops further.
What’s in store for the future of The Shannara Chronicles
and the fate of the Four Lands?
