IвЂ™ve always felt that the show should be sparse with a character as harsh as the leader of the Saviors. Gone are the days of the extended Negan episodes of season seven. That said, one thing thatвЂ™s been alright in my book is the total lack of Negan. ThereвЂ™s been a lot wrong with season eight thus far, including the boring action sequences and how painfully slow Rick and DarylвЂ™s plan is unfolding (weвЂ™ll get to this in a minute). No, I wouldnвЂ™t say Negan earned any kind of sympathy tonight, but at least we finally get a look under the hood. HeвЂ™s not so much painting by the numbers here as introducing hints of humanity to Negan, what little might be left inside his rotten body. Morgan, who I think is capable of bringing some nuance to the character, has been stuck with that portrayal since walking out of that trailer at the end of season six.Д«ut вЂњThe Big Scary UвЂќ shows what Morgan can do with the character if given some space to work beyond the comics. The ever-faithful Gimple is not that kind of showrunner though, and so his era brings with it all of NeganвЂ™s most cartoonish antics and dialogue that have worked on the page but absolutely DO NOT work on the small screen. The Governor existed in a very different era of this show, one ushered in by a different showrunner (Glen Mazzara) who wasnвЂ™t afraid to stray from the source material (not always for the best, mind you). He doesnвЂ™t own Negan on television in the same way the absolutely WONDERFUL David Morrissey owned the Governor, a comic book villain who felt unique to the television version. Because showrunner Scott Gimple and the writers have followed Robert KirkmanвЂ™s comics so closely since NeganвЂ™s introduction, Morgan has never really had a chance to make the character his own.

But one thing the character has not been since he was introduced at the very end of season six is earnest. I actually think heвЂ™s the right guy for the job вЂ“ charismatic, foul-mouthed, and intimidating (at least in his first appearances as the villain). Mind you, I donвЂ™t think the fault really lies with Jeffrey Dean Morgan, an actor IвЂ™ve really enjoyed in the past and whoвЂ™s a HELL of a lot of fun to interview. No, I donвЂ™t mean вЂњworstвЂќ as in вЂњheвЂ™s the most evil.вЂќ I mean that every time Negan shows up in an episode, I want to turn off the television. If youвЂ™ve been reading my TWDreviews for a while, then you wonвЂ™t be surprised to know that I think Negan is one of the worst villains this show has ever had. So why doesnвЂ™t he go for SimonвЂ™s nuclear option? Would it be easier for him to just kill everyone who opposes his rule and fill those settlements with his own people? Probably. Negan is not so quick to lay down the hammer here. Gregory offers to expel anyone at the Hilltop who doesnвЂ™t side with the Saviors, while Negan rages when Simon suggests that they exterminate everyone at the settlement in order to get things back on track. I suspect the opening is trying to do something else: show the difference between the two leaders. But perhaps thereвЂ™s more to this redundant scene than whatвЂ™s on the surface. Negan, who at least the show tells us is supposed to be intelligent, can smell GregoryвЂ™s deception from a mile away, but yet chooses to do nothing. We know Gregory is a coward, we know he turns on a dime depending on what will secure his continued survival, and we know heвЂ™s a terrible liar.

I just donвЂ™t get why any of this is necessary. Holy moley, what a gigantic waste of time to open the episode with GregoryвЂ™s meeting with Negan and the Saviors before the attack on the Sanctuary.

This Walking Dead review contains spoilers.

Walking dead season 8 episode 1 online