This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/23/arts/television/the-walking-dead-season-7-premiere-negan.html

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7 Premiere: Negan’s Victim Is Revealed ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7 Premiere: Negan’s Victim Is Revealed
(35 minutes later)
So now we know: Jeffrey Dean Morgan should make a terrific Negan.So now we know: Jeffrey Dean Morgan should make a terrific Negan.
In his first extended action on “The Walking Dead,” Mr. Morgan shifted seamlessly between malevolence and mercurial charm, reveling in the character’s overblown mannerisms while keeping him grounded in a calculating intelligence. He is arguably the most electric presence the show has ever seen. In his first extended action on “The Walking Dead,” Mr. Morgan shifted seamlessly between malevolence and mercurial charm, reveling in the character’s overblown mannerisms while keeping him grounded in a calculating intelligence. He is arguably the most electric presence the show has ever had.
Six seasons in, “The Walking Dead” had become repetitive in its cycles: this place looks safe… but wait! Rick is a hero! Rick is crazy! And so on. Mr. Morgan’s Negan has the potential to rejuvenate it. As the man himself noted: “It’s a brand new day, Rick.” Six seasons in, “The Walking Dead” had become repetitive in its cycles: This place looks safe… but wait! Rick is a hero! No, Rick is crazy! And so on. Mr. Morgan’s Negan has the potential to rejuvenate it. As the man himself noted: “It’s a brand new day, Rick.”
Also, he killed Glenn and Abraham.Also, he killed Glenn and Abraham.
As promised, the Season 7 premiere of “The Walking Dead” picked up where it left off in April, with Negan bashing an unfortunate member of Rick’s band of survivors. You’ll recall that a suspenseful eeny-meeny routine preceded the execution, which was shown from the victim’s perspective as VFX blood “dripped” down the screen. (In case you didn’t recall it, Sunday’s season premiere spent the first 20 minutes or so rehashing it from different angles, the better to cram in a dozen or so ads before the reveal.) As promised, the Season 7 premiere of “The Walking Dead” picked up where it left off in April, with Negan bashing an unfortunate member of Rick’s band of survivors. You’ll recall that a suspenseful eeny-meeny routine preceded the execution, which was shown from the victim’s perspective as VFX blood “dripped” down the screen. (In case you didn’t recall it, the season premiere spent the first 20 minutes rehashing it from different angles, the better to cram in a dozen or so ads before the reveal.)
The creators, including Robert Kirkman, the “Walking Dead” mastermind, and Scott M. Gimple, the showrunner, have spent the past few months insisting the cliffhanger move was absolutely not a cheesy bit of audience manipulation and instead served as crucial demarcation between two phases of the story.The creators, including Robert Kirkman, the “Walking Dead” mastermind, and Scott M. Gimple, the showrunner, have spent the past few months insisting the cliffhanger move was absolutely not a cheesy bit of audience manipulation and instead served as crucial demarcation between two phases of the story.
Whatever. As Sunday’s episode revealed, any number of moments immediately following the bludgeoning would have allowed last season to end on a chilling, suspenseful note after also providing the payoff that had been teased for months. (One idea: Rick says “I’m gonna kill you,” Negan yanks him into the R.V., door slams, roll credits.) In the final analysis, the story of Season 6 seems to be the show fell a little too in love with gimmickry — see also Glenn’s Dumpster dive, of course, and the Daryl shooting — and viewers got fed up. Hopefully lessons were learned.Whatever. As Sunday’s episode revealed, any number of moments immediately following the bludgeoning would have allowed last season to end on a chilling, suspenseful note after also providing the payoff that had been teased for months. (One idea: Rick says “I’m gonna kill you,” Negan yanks him into the R.V., door slams, roll credits.) In the final analysis, the story of Season 6 seems to be the show fell a little too in love with gimmickry — see also Glenn’s Dumpster dive, of course, and the Daryl shooting — and viewers got fed up. Hopefully lessons were learned.
But that’s all in the past now. We now know the VFX blood belonged to Abraham, who spent much of the back half of Season 6 seemingly preparing to die, cutting ties with Rosita and imparting a few last lessons to Eugene. He managed to fire off one last one-liner before Negan turned his skull into Jell-O salad. But that’s all in the past. We now know the VFX blood belonged to Abraham, who spent much of the back half of Season 6 seemingly preparing to die, cutting ties with Rosita and imparting a few final lessons to Eugene. He managed to fire off one last one-liner before Negan turned his skull into Jell-O salad.
Glenn’s death was designed to be the shocker, and the writers deserve credit for somehow infusing some surprise into a death that was one of the signature events of the comics. Even those who weren’t caught off guard, because they read the comic or internet rumors or were just ready to see him go after all the Dumpster chicanery last year, had to have been moved to revulsion, at least, by Glenn’s bulging eyeball as he groaned last words to Maggie. (“I’ll find you,” I think it was.) Glenn’s death was intended to be the shocker, and the writers deserve credit for somehow infusing some surprise into a death that was one of the well-known signature events of the comics. Even those who weren’t caught off guard, because they read the comic or internet rumors or were just ready to see him go after all the Dumpster chicanery last year, had to have been moved to revulsion, at least, by Glenn’s bulging eyeball as he groaned his last words to Maggie. (“I’ll find you,” I think it was.)
By the end, after all the flashbacks and walker slashing and a nervy stretch when Rick thought he might have to cut off Carl’s arm, Rick was seemingly broken, his crew was down two and to make things even worse, he’d inherited yet another junker R.V. By the end of the episode, after all the flashbacks and walker slashing and a nervy stretch when Rick thought he might have to cut off Carl’s arm, Rick was seemingly broken and his crew was down two — three if you count the now detained Daryl. Even worse: They’d inherited yet another junker R.V.
But despite the TV trauma of losing two beloved characters, what was bad news for Rick and friends was good news for the rest of us. There’s a new sheriff in town. But despite the TV trauma of losing two beloved characters, what was bad news for Rick and friends was good news for the rest of us. “The Walking Dead” has been lacking in the verve department and in Negan it seems to have found some. Here’s hoping the show figures out how to put it to good use.
Please check back for a more in-depth version of this recap.Please check back for a more in-depth version of this recap.