The Walking Dead Season 8: 5 Ups And 3 Downs From 'Some Guy'

Downs...

3. Moments Of Self-Seriousness

The Walking Dead Ezekiel
Gene Page/AMC

This is really a lingering complaint from past episodes, but one that does rear its head again here. At various points this season, like with the close-ups of the faces, the show really does take itself too seriously.

It occurs again here with the flashbacks to Ezekiel at the Kingdom, with the second of these more egregious. It's largely unnecessary and is a blot on an otherwise well-paced episode, but it's also another example of the show's self-seriousness.

That's not to say it shouldn't carry dramatic weight - it can and does do this effectively at times, like with Shiva - but these moments are from the show it sometimes portends to be; when it aims for prestige and misses the mark, and becomes quite jarring instead.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.