In Response to those "Done" with the Walking Dead...

Many critics and "fans" have decided to quit the show. 

Following the Walking Dead's seventh season premiere, a slew of reviews, articles and audience reactions appeared online following one central idea; that episode was the most horrible, awful thing the show has ever done, and they are done watching the show. Many reviews were negative. The AV club comments section was full of users proudly declaring how awful they find the show. The Verge's Walking Dead Quitters Club found their reason to quit.

This, from my point of view, is ridiculous. 

The Walking Dead is, without a doubt, a very flawed show. It definitely has a struggle related to seasonal and episode structure, not quite sure how best to balance character appearances and genuinely powerful cliffhangers. If there is one statement common to many of these of articles that I agree with, it is that, at times, the Walking Dead has been very manipulative with its viewers. I doubt that I will ever forgive my frustration with that stupid bullshit that made up Dumpstergate, and even seeing clips of the Season 6's finales final minute leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It was thusly unwise and rather cheap to leave the reveal of Glenn and Abraham's deaths until twenty-plus minutes into "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be". 

Torture porn, however, this ain't.

I honestly find it baffling the amount of negativity in response to Negan's executions. Firstly, it was certainly not the most horrible thing we've ever seen on the show (Noah and the revolving door, anyone?), but even then, what were people expecting? Negan had a barbed wire baseball bat named Lucille. He said he was going to kill someone with it, which sounds mighty unpleasant. Then it happened, and it was. Even then, though, much of the carnage, outside of Glenn's unfortunate eye, was kept off-screen, with only sound effects and the aftermath being particularly indicative of the brutality. What did these people want? To see nothing at all, or just have one instant death crack and leave it at that? The point was to show how this fucks Rick up. I don't think something so pretty and quick would do that.

Or is the scene with Rick nearly severing Carl's arm, moaning in dismay, the portion they consider gratuitous? I found it intense, yes, and horrifying. I also found it to be a nod towards comic fans hoping Rick would finally lose his hand. But they don't go through with it. No appendages were removed. That doesn't seem like too much to me. They cite the episode as nihilistic and the world of the show as without progress and hope, saying it follows the predictable cycle endlessly. All of that is said with seeming ignorance of the fact the group went from barely surviving on the road to actually forming a new community that continues to stand tall, and even beginning a trade network in a larger world. But nah, someone died horrifically, so none of that matters. 

For examples of what I consider to be gratuitous torture and violence, let's look at the much beloved sixth season of Game of Thrones that aired earlier this year. Ramsay Bolton did lots of horrible stuff for the sake of doing it. He murdered his father, fed his step-mom and half-brother to dogs, and murdered a teenage boy with arrows before his brother. Much of this was unnecessarily drawn out, and felt pointless and honestly, obsessed with just witnessing it. Yet people defend that season of the fantasy drama to the death, many citing it as the "show's best ever". Hell, even the choice to depict Cersei torturing Septa Unella rather than, you know, reacting to her son's death, was genuine gratuitous torture. But it's Game of Thrones, so who cares and shut up.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to there being two types of major fans of the show; those who don't like or want to like the comics, and those who love the comics or would love them if they gave them a read. Many of the negative reviewers I've seen, such as Zack Handlen and Alan Sepinwall, say they gave the comics a try, but found the story about a zombie apocalypse far too dark and depressing following Issue 48 (where Lori is shot and crushes baby Judith). To be fair, however, neither of them are quitters. Hell, there are users commenting on the AV club review of "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" to proudly announce the fact that they never watched the show, or quit after the first season. Congrats, guys, I'm really glad you came to a review of the show's 84th episode to let us know that for some reason.

Meanwhile, comic book websites have regularly given the Season 7 premiere amazing scores. 

My favourite part of these "quitting the Walking Dead" articles, however, has to be the inflated degree of self-importance many of these critics are have. It is to an extent similar to the string of 2014 "Gamers are Dead" articles released by gaming publications, which people promptly ridiculed and ignored. Many of these reviews finish off their outrage by saying things that either imply or outright state the show will be over soon, as viewership will soon tank. This all of course, is connected to the fact they don't want to watch the show anymore. Because they don't like it, no one else will and the show should end just like they want it to.

That is hilarious.

To those "done" with the Walking Dead; adieu, and good riddance.