under the cut for spoilers

It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged about a TWD episode, but after tonight I felt the need to.

It’s amazing how this show can go from one really amazing episode, like last week’s “Same Boat”, to the pile of crap that we were given this evening.

I saw the spoilers several days in advance about Denise’s demise, but I was really hoping they would prove false. Another lesbian character killed for the sake of ~*~*drama*~*~. I suppose it was too much to hope that Merrit Weaver was going to be around for a long time on the show; maybe that was “hint” enough that Denise wasn’t going to make it because MW is one of the bigger name guest stars, and someone of her caliber should be promoted to regular cast if she were going to be sticking around…but even so, I hated the fact that she died, I hated the way in which she died, and perhaps most of all, I hated that we never saw Tara’s reaction. 

I think that pissed me off more than anything else about this episode–oh sure, let’s focus on Abraham “wooing” Sasha, because we apparently NEED to see that scene, but not show Tara learning the news? Or show anyone comforting her for losing another girlfriend? I love Carol and Daryl, I ship Caryl, but I honestly would have traded one of their scenes this evening if it meant we could see Tara mourning for Denise.  At the very least, show Daryl (since apparently it’s all about his pain) going to Tara and telling her the bad news, or maybe the two of them burying Denise together?  Yeah, I know the actress who plays Tara had just had a baby and this was probably filmed while she was on maternity leave, but still…

And I’m still shaking my head over that ending.  WTF???  Carol has…left?

Now personally, I like that Carol is having “second thoughts” about killing, I feel this is her finally coming to terms and dealing with her grief and frustration, and while I know there are lots of Carol fans and Caryl lovers who would hate hearing someone suggest this, but I would be fine seeing Carol go to Morgan, just to talk and vent about her dislike of killing (just talking, mind you)–but…leaving?  As I said, I know she’s dealing with a lot of crap (has been dealing with a lot of crap) but her just leaving like that out of the blue (or so it feels) just feels really…out of character.

Quoting that Rick banished her, then she came back, and saying she shouldn’t have…what???  I just don’t really understand where this sudden need to leave comes from, and I hate the feeling that again, this is just a poorly written excuse to put Carol in danger with Negan, and therefore bring Daryl and the rest into said danger.

And I hate that people who already don’t like Carol, or who are on the fence with her character, will immediately blame her should any harm come to someone in the group (especially Daryl) and the same people screaming for her blood, her head, wishing Negan had killed her instead of whoever he does kill.

Because I honestly don’t think Carol is the one who is going to get the ax in the season finale. I know there are some people worrying that she’s going to die because she’s getting lots of screen time suddenly, but no, I really don’t think it’s going to be her.  However, I wouldn’t put it past TWD to *use* her for the purpose of getting another character killed, which leads to my biggest worry about…

I am really starting to fear that Daryl is going to be killed by the end of the season.  I know there are lots of people who are already worrying about this, and I honestly admit that what sealed for me that worry was on Talking Dead tonight, Chris Hardwick said that in the finale, Norman would be there, along with Kirkman and Gimble, and while I know we’re always being reminded “not to read too much into it” when someone is announced to be joining the TD guest couch, but still…I can’t stop shaking this horrible feeling.

I don’t know if that means the show would kill off Daryl *before* anything happened between him and Carol, or not. I keep holding onto the faith that something will happen between those two at some point, especially now in this season of Baby Gleggie and Richonne, but maybe not? Ugh, the whole thing disgusts me.

I was on such a high after last week’s episode and now I’m at the bottom of the pit.