There were a lot of things that worked in last night’s The Walking Dead season finale, “Last Day on Earth.” Jeffrey Dean Morgan lived up to the hype as the baseball bat-wielding Negan; he’s terrifyingly fun, and it’s easy to understand why the Saviors would follow and fear him. Also, Bear McCreary’s score was more chilling than usual, and um, Morgan riding a horse looked cool.
But, as Dustin Rowles pointed out, just as much didn’t work.
Carol’s turn from badass assassin to cowering exile didn’t make a lick of sense, even though Melissa McBride is giving a never-better, Emmy-worthy performance. The extra-long running time killed the tension. And worst of all, for about the ninth time in two seasons (including just last week), The Walking Dead trolled its viewers, just as predicted. Cliffhangers can be an effective gimmick, and fans will spend months trying to figure out whose head Negan smashed in, which is what The Walking Dead intended (it’s Jon Snow all over again, except Game of Thrones at least showed who was getting stabbed). But like Dustin wrote, “It simply doesn’t seem necessary to drag the question of who dies out for another six months. It’s going to frustrate viewers more than it’s going to please them… This may actually provoke a backlash.”
It already has.
https://twitter.com/mollyjessica_/status/716942063951077377
It was obvious from the camera angle it was AMC killing it's viewers. #TWDfinale
— Daveed Silva Ossa.co (@dvidsilva) April 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/TWD_Tweets_/status/716896307424661504
The Walking Dead had the opportunity to have a Game of Thrones-like moment last night, and they blew it. That cliffhanger not fair to fans.
— Robbie Cooper (@itsrobbiecooper) April 4, 2016
From now on, anytime a show has an evil cliffhanger, some1 will say it 'pulled a Walking Dead' #TWDFinale
— Sam Schill (@samschillwrites) April 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/sofitizzle/status/716900152091549696
https://twitter.com/carolynreedtn/status/716953993478541312
As much I love the tension #TWDFinale created, very disappointed with how it ended.
— Gizzy (old account) (@GizzyGazza14) April 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/wxtrackercody/status/716833012625879040
@WalkingDead_AMC so sick of this cliffhanger crap..you just lost a viewer
— Chad McMillan (@chad_mcmillan) April 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/eightyowls/status/716939948805464064
https://twitter.com/LStichbury/status/716953095691902977
https://twitter.com/MurrellDan/status/716892796771172356
#TWDFinale literally every the walking dead fan after the cliffhanger on the season finale. pic.twitter.com/aSQOsej6US
— Jordan (@Jordan98009516) April 4, 2016
When a Walking Dead writer suggests writing something that isn't a cliffhanger and everyone looks at him #TWDFinale pic.twitter.com/xLbieNmiS7
— Mahmoud Jaber (@MahmuudJaber) April 4, 2016
@WalkingDead_AMC this season, fake a death, tease a death for episodes on end… Then don't even give fans satisfaction of knowing. Thanks
— Daniel (@bdanielcole) April 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/ChandraMJordan/status/716939488669208576
https://twitter.com/CarltonFisk4/status/716837859852959744
https://twitter.com/georgieirwin_/status/716953563608576002
Fucks sake that scene was ruined by making it a fucking cliffhanger @WalkingDead_AMC
— Tim Morris (@timdjm) April 4, 2016
Wtf @WalkingDead_AMC you just ruined your most iconic scene from the comics by turning it into a bs cliffhanger
— Jack Keating 🐀 (@ChickenHamK) April 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/ChaseMit/status/716834230181998592
Walking Dead production people, please consult with Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould about how to write a proper cliffhanger #TWDFinale
— Josh Valdez (@Joshua_Valdez) April 4, 2016
This was a good, occasionally great, season. It’s a shame it ended this way.
