Chewing the Fat with Jeff Fisher - S11 E1 | Talking Walking Dead | The Final Season

Episode Date: August 24, 2021

Season Eleven Episode One TITLED: Acheron Part 1 WELCOME TO IT… With myself Jeff Fisher, Jason Buttrill & Maximus Fisher EPISODE DESCRIPTION ON IMDB Returning to Alexandria from a critical food mission, the group realizes it isn't enough. As nerves fray and suspicions increase, chaos ensues. Meanwhile, those captured by the strange soldiers are relocated to another undisclosed location. Join us each week as we discuss the latest happenings and what the future may hold for The Walking Dead Universe… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 11, episode one. The beginning of the end, the final season titled Atgeron Part 1, or is it a share on? I'm not really sure. But it was the start of the final season, and it was pretty darn good. That makes this talking walking dead. Welcome to it. Myself, Jeff Fisher, and Jason Butchell and Maximus Fisher. I got to say, I enjoyed it.

I enjoyed the heck out of it. Jason? I enjoyed the heck out of it. I did. It sounded like they, or it looked like they took our recommendations. All my fears out the window. I was ridiculously impressed, actually. This was a hell of an episode.

This was really good. Yeah, I really enjoyed it. Now, we can talk a little bit about how they, you know, they were returned to Alexandria, and we got no food, and that was what they were after, and they're going on missions, and we went back and forth between the Alexandria crowd and the crowd that's with in the Commonwealth care, so to say. But the beginning was pretty good. Storming that military base.

Yeah, storming the military base was a fun watch. And no dialogue. No dialogue at the very beginning. To the open of the show, to the literally open of the show. to the literally open on the show, no dialogue. It was pretty good. Yeah, I'm sure Max knows, or could answer this,

but I don't know if they've ever done Sleeping Walkers, have they? I don't remember. They kind of have done it previously, but they actually said this on the show that comes on after, and hey, it actually came on after that comic readers got a treat out of it because in

the comics, they mentioned there are two types of walkers, rovers, which we always see, and then lurkers, where if there isn't anything around, they just shrivel up basically until like something's around. And we've seen those before. We've seen plenty of those where you know they just kind of they're out in the middle of the woods with no no stimulus and they're just there. Yeah. And I don't know that we actually have seen

you know where they have a they've got you know a hundred walkers that they're dropping into. I mean really what could go wrong. Yeah. And that was a lot that was a pretty big risk dropping in amongst all those walkers for marees those are not good they are would you don't have anything yeah i guess i've had morees i know you have i've had a couple they're they're yeah yeah i've i had some for like six months straight and uh they back you up a little bit they don't do you well so uh i could feel their pain as that was you know assuming that that's all they're going to be eating for the

foreseeable future. I mean, look, they're on the hunt for food, man. They've got to eat, right? That's the number one thing. You need water. You need food. You got to survive. That was a really interesting twist, too, where the thing breaks with the duffel bag, and everybody thinks, oh, okay, now we're going to

have the duffel bag hit a walker and everything stops. Daryl grabs it, but the rope cuts him, and then that's what wakes the walkers up. Yeah, it was good. Yeah, it was good. You knew the production, I mean, the production value of that entire scene was just amazing. You knew you were in something pretty

special that even that opening scene on Daryl's back. It was just, oh, that shot was great. So great. Yes, absolutely. What's crazy is how proficient our group has gotten. I'm talking about in the marksmanship, you know,

proficiency. Because they don't miss ever. It don't matter if it's bow and arrows from an elevated position down at an angle, or if you're throwing freaking knives, like, like all the way across a warehouse. He was, Darrell was throwing knives down from the top,

through a hole in the ceiling, into a warehouse. I don't know how far that was. And never missed a shot. Never missed a shot. It was awesome. It was almost like it's not real. It's almost like that, though.

It's not. I love one look that, I don't know if a lot of people noticed this, but during that warehouse shootout, where they pick up like the AKs and they start firing. Everybody like kind of has this worried look on their face and then it pans to Carol and she just has this calm look on her face. Like she doesn't care.

I'm going to relish this moment because Max often corrects us. Those are not AKs. Oh. Those were M4s. I apologize. Yes. You dumb. I just want to point.

I got one. I don't know how to point about it. I apologize. I got one. I will completely admit when I am wrong. I apologize. Yeah. Will you completely admit it?

Yes. And then we got, well, then we, of course, go to the, the Commonwealth crowd. And that was a fun ride,

actually, the Commonwealth, especially in the beginning when they're questioning them all, and they do the roundabout through all the questions. That was fun. Yeah.

I was waiting for the king to snap. I know. And sure enough, he's the first one. I didn't, I was like, it's either going to be the king or the princess. I'm not sure.

but Princess is probably too freaked out and right on cue and I thought that was like a really cool scene he's just like I did too where he just lashes out on Mercer yeah yeah um is there is that like a legit comic character as well

Mercer is the head of security at the Commonwealth and is he a pretty big douche yes he gets he gets a little bit of he's Negan-ish in the douchey but nice guy sense but not the Negan

sarcastically thing That's all, Negan. Interesting. I thought that they really nailed just the creepiness of the whole thing. You know, like the reprocessing, whatever the heck that means. Right. I don't know. It definitely seems freaky.

Right. And it was fun to have them all answer, you know, the different questions and where they're from and their education and what they did before. That was fun. It was fun to see that. I would have liked to have seen actually all of them go through that a little bit more. I like the What zip code did you live at? And she's like, who the heck could I remember that?

And it's flashed right to Eugene Where he's like, well, on 1978. Yep. And one of them was actually here in D.F.W. Was it? Yeah, the 766244, bro. He didn't say that, though. Yeah, he did.

He did? I didn't catch that. We talked about it. Dude. Okay, well, I guess. Oh, that must have been about the same time you were, you know, admiring the AKs. Ha, ha, ha.

So that was fun there. And it was also once they were, we had the group in with the Commonwealth, it was really good to see how, you know, like you said, the king went off because you knew it was going to be him or princess, but how princess is so on top of who everybody is and what they do and their schedules.

And she, you know, it's like she's not paying attention. but she sees it all. Really good. Really good. This episode made you even a bigger fan of Princess. It did. I'd love to see her with Negan.

Yeah, I did like how they kind of showed that. She almost has like a superpower, you know, of perception. That's what's her superpower. Stay alive, man. Pretty cool. Yeah, I like that, too.

That's dope. And then when we get to, then we go back to, you know, Negan and Maggie and Daryl and the crowd. as they are making their way through, you know, a hurricane and have to end up into the subway tunnels. It was really strange how they didn't show all who was going to go until they hit the road. And so it was weird that they're treating Negan like crap.

I really kind of ticked me off. Yeah. Yeah. Can I back up for just one second on? So when they were deciding on if they were going to do that off, even so off. it's like so Maggie completely is doing it's you gotta you gotta give it to her because it's very a dual purpose what she wants and everyone knows it they know that uh-huh you know they need the food which they do but they also know that maggie wants revenge

badly and they're kind of boxed into a corner that i think it was interesting how the group split because you had um rosita honey like saying nine going and what's his name one arm guy what's his name. Aaron. Yeah. That dude. They know. They're like, oh, yeah, yes, we have to do this, but we know what you're doing, Maggie. You're doing this as a big revenge thing.

So I just thought it was interesting. They're stepping off, you know, doing this, knowing full well. Them saying in Alexandria and then when they were in the storm, no one was listening to him. Like, hey, we need to hunker down. And then yeah, you know, so yes, I agree with

you, both of you and Jeffrey, your point is valid that, like, Like, why are you going out of your way to be a douche to Negan? Right. I mean, you have him come along. You know the deal. You know why Maggie's got him along there. We all know.

Other than the map thing. Well, yeah, I mean, you know, Maggie's just fooling herself if she doesn't, you know, if she's not doing it. Well, I mean, the rest of them are fooling themselves. Negan isn't fooled. And really, Darrell isn't either. I mean, he's, you know, he's just being a douche. Oh, we're all of a sudden friends. No, we're just trying to save each other's life.

Yeah. It's like every time he had just a comment, he was like, oh, you're trying to run stuff. I'm like, he's just a comment. He's not ordering anyone to do anything. And honestly, he was right a lot of the time. Like every time that I was in charge, douche. Yeah. So that was my, okay, so that was my biggest, like, thing that irritated me about the episode is how they were treating him. I'm not saying he deserves to be treated awesome. It just didn't seem natural. I was like, I think. Because Daryl kind of was leaning up on Negan a little bit, like loosening up on him after the Whisperer War. Then Maggie came back. Right. And then Carol wanted to get him out of there because she figured out what was going to happen. Remember in the Here's Negan episode.

Right. So, yeah, I get that they're kind of torn. I found it interesting, too, that the episode, you know, that they air, before they always air the previous episode before the new episode each week on AMC and the episode that they aired was not the Here's Negan

episode. They aired the final episode of the regular season, not the extra six. That was interesting because it took our group getting arrested at the Commonwealth was the final, was the ending of the actual season.

Right. Which I was actually fine with because it's not those extra bonus episodes are kind of stupid anyway. Yeah. I know. They should have all been just going back to Negan's life actually would have been a lot better. Yeah. But they, you know, I missed the call so they went ahead and did what they wanted to do fine without being asked. That's what it's okay.

Then there was the scene specifically where he's where they're in the metro station and then they see the tracks and they're like, okay, Negan, what's down this way? And then because he knows the DC. area. That's where he lived. And he was just like, I don't think it's a good idea to go down there. Then Maggie's just like, well, you don't want to go down there? No, I don't. See, I don't like how they're doing this, that, that. I can't really complain because

it was a good episode. But if my hopes as a fan was that they would recognize Negan as like this total badass. So they kind of come do like a, I don't know, an uneasy truth or treaty. Yes. That's what I thought was going to happen. And you'd take him out when you need to unleash some badassery. That's what happened. So I wanted to see him just going cough, going crazy, you know, just kicking some total

tail. He doesn't have to be leading anything. They don't have to be overly douchy towards him. Just recognize that that's his value. You know what I mean? That's his role. And if someone else comes up, you just kind of everybody just eyeballs sneaking and he goes, I got it.

Right. Exactly. I got it. Yeah. But they're totally setting it up to get rid of him, it seems like. and, oh, it sucks. I know. The thing is, too, like, when we're down

there, we see that mass grave, and then the kid almost died, he saved the kid, and then the kid's just like, he's a dick, but he has a point. Yeah. Yeah, then they disappear. As long as we're down in the, down in the tunnels, and we have the mass grave, and we know it's trouble, right?

I mean, that's just, it was just really kind of dumb to continue on. You know, that was Maggie being dumb. Yeah. Going against her brain. really. Which is it was the typical horror movie like yeah. Except you know syndrome. We're like what are why are you walking into that dark room alone? No, don't do that.

That noise is God telling us oh go there. We're going to die. That was a good line from Gabriel going I think he would have passed it by me first. That was good. And we also I will say that I'm a little hurt. I'm a little hurt that it took this long to finally get But Walker, it seemed to be along the lines of myself. I thought you just didn't tell us. And I was waiting for a text like, yep, that was me. And he was formidable too, man. He didn't go down very easily.

Come to think of it, it was me. And I'm probably don't want to say anything until now. I'm breaking the news right now. I'll get the IMDP page ready. I just realized, no, it couldn't have been dad, only because all these walkers, they had their throat slit, they didn't make noise. Even if he was part of that masquerade, his would be the only one that still made noise. And I will say it's interesting.

You know, I got a, I talked a little bit about this on my daily podcast, June and the fact about the email that I got from a lady who was an extra on some of these, Walking Dead shows. And she talked about being there and being tested for COVID, you know, as they were working. and she was saying that she was going to get her COVID test and she thought Rick was there because his stand-in was there getting a COVID test with the rest of the actors they have to be tested whenever you have to travel or go anywhere on these sets.

We're all aware of the way that is in today's world. But she thought it was Rick at first and then realized it was the stand-in. And he said that he'd been working on all the shows. on all the shows, on Walking Dead, on World Beyond, and on fear. So, you know, the original thought is that they're bringing him back, right? I mean, we have talked a lot about that on this show, that that needs to happen, right? I mean, the audience needs to remember Rick and needs to remember what this group was and what they're fighting for to, for anything less than to just set up the movies, if they're still going to do them, which I think.

beginning to question. But I know they said they're working on the script. And it's just they haven't started filming yet. And I feel like those movies are getting farther and farther away from actually happening. But it got me thinking also that if he is Rick's stand-in, that means that he's a regular worker on dead. Right. So when they have shows that have massive amounts of walkers and all those walkers that got killed last night, if one of those was a Rick stand-in, we wouldn't know it.

You know, you don't read the guy with the neck cut and the eyeballs out that we stick a knife in his head. That could have been the Rick stand-in, too. We just don't know it. Yeah. Right. I mean, it does give us at least a little bit of hope. It does. It makes total sense.

Like, why would you not go out with a bang like that for the final season? I know. And bring continuity to the other show. shows as well. I mean, if he did like, even if he just did two or three episodes, small time, you know, and walking. And then same in fear and same in the spinoff that shall not be named. Yeah. Yeah. No, we named it already. No, it's world beyond. Anyway, that's right. It makes, it does make a lot of sense. It would work great for the shows. So then we get to the closing couple of scenes. of the show, which were awesome. And I think, you know, of course, as they are running from the walkers in the tunnel, trying to get away.

And, you know, really smart move on Darrell's part is he's chasing after dog. Yeah, let's do that. Well, that dog, what are we talking about? That dog does mean a lot to it. I know, but we're going to chase after him when we're being chased by walkers. I don't know. That just didn't seem right. But, okay.

So Darrell chases the dog, and the rest of the crowd finds a cable car, a train car to go climb up and hide in. And it's at the very end where Maggie is looking like she's going to fall down and she's looking for Negan for help. Now, if you're like me and me, you figured Negan was going to help her. I figured he was. You just think, oh, okay, he's going to stand there and then this will. kind of lead her to being a little more forgiving of him. And maybe he still does. Maybe, you know, the ending was, you know, him looking at her and her looking at him.

And then he goes away, he turns away, right? Like he's not going to help her. And maybe the beginning of next week's episode, he comes back and helps her. But I don't think so. Didn't they show in like a preview that he said she was right behind me or something like that? Yeah, that's what I mean. I don't think so. And when you look at, and I don't know that she makes it.

You think they'll kill off Maggie. I don't know. Look, all I know is she's on Talking Walking Dead, the show that follows the show next week. Okay, that usually does, you know, sometimes means death. And the description for next week's episode is Maggie's mission team. Maggie's mission takes the team through a subway tunnel. So it doesn't say Maggie. It's worded Maggie's mission.

Hmm. I don't know. I mean, look, I'll be honest with you. Boy, I would be really bummed if she were to go away. That would be sad. Really? I don't know. I don't like having more of the chord group there.

Yeah, I do too. And it was actually interesting. We actually got a Glenn mention. We haven't had that in a while. That was awesome, too. Negan slapped her on the face with that, man. Yeah. That was great.

Yeah, I don't, you know, I don't think she's dead. I think what I'm guessing is Daryl probably, since we don't really know how far he got, somehow comes to save the day. I don't know. But I was just kind of pissed that they had Negan do that. I just, I don't know. So was he. He was, when they asked him about it, he was, he said that he called.

He said, well, that was one of my phone calls to Angela when I was reading the script. I wouldn't do that, right? We're trying to turn that around. Good. And then he said, then he read the rest of the script and agreed with Negan. That's what he said. He said he called her, and then he read the rest of the script and agreed. Right.

And, of course, well, obviously, that's because that's the way they did it, right? Whether he agreed or not, that's what they did in the show. So, you know, he has to live with it. But so what happens then? So if she lives, we don't kill her off, if she lives, and they finally catch up with the team, she knows that he let her hang out to dry. Right? So, I mean, that's, if she's still alive, that's pretty bad. Yeah.

And I can't see Daryl forgiving that. no way and maggie's guy that's eight feet tall isn't going to forgive him yeah you know the big brother isn't going to forgive him i don't know man i don't like i don't like with this conversation's head i know i know i needan is technically on borrowed time now because jeffrey d morgan even said he thought at this point nigan wouldn't be in the show he didn't he thought they would go the comic route and just nigan walks off and you never see him again yeah i just don't think they can because there's just not that many interesting characters left. Right.

Right. There's not at all. I mean, the show needs Deegan. No question. Because we're still worried about, I mean, Maggie is fine.

Okay, fine, whatever. But Carol and Daryl are, and they're not leaders. I was thinking about this, they're not really leaders. You know,

Rick was a leader. That's what made us like Negan, that he's a leader. You know, even all the evil people that were, you know, against our group were, they're still leaders. They're strong characters, man.

They know that's why they got to where they were. So to lose that, that's a force to be reckoned with. And that hurts the show a lot. For sure. And so then we had the Dingleberries back at the Commonwealth with the Wall of Picks as Yumiko and the rest of them sneak out as they taking each other to the reprocessing as they sneak out of the out of the commonwealth

and then as they finally make it and then they see the wall of pictures and they're going to decide not to go. Come on now. That is a comic line through where they were I believe they were actually trying to get out because they didn't know what the heck's was going on

and then Michone was looking at the wall of missing people and see her daughter. So they're using that line That storyline with Umiko seeing her brother. Well, stay for that. You can change the plot up that much, but you can't write Negan into a better role.

Come on. Come on. Right. King. What are you doing over there? Well, at least he's here instead of hanging out in a cabin by himself where we never see him again. Yeah.

It has to be. But then our worry is they're pushing him into that cabin in the next few episodes. That's my worry. And by the way, when Nigan was in the cabin, Rick was still alive. Rick was still around in the comic books. If we want to get down, if we're picking breath, text, Rick was still around. So we didn't need that strong character because we had another one.

So anyway, we'll see. It would be interesting to see. I'm excited to see. We got the Acheron, too. And we'll see what happens to our crowd. We'll see if Maggie kicks it or if they if she lives maybe they maybe her and Daryl break off and they don't realize exactly what happened. We saw the preview where Negan says she was right behind me.

Maybe they all think she's dead and they go on and they meet up later. And by that time, Negan has saved the day with the rest of the crowd. So it doesn't matter what Maggie thinks. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I don't know. My interest has peaked because especially hearing Jeffrey D. Morgan's response on that was, you know, he agreed with what, you know, leaving her out to dry after reading the rest of the script. It makes me think that since we already know Maggie is doing this at least for half selfish reasons, maybe it's even more selfish than we think.

And there's something else going on. Oh, right. That would be that. That would be interesting. Yeah. Well, now we can only hope. So we have, you know, it's good to be back. It's good to be back.

It's good to have Walking Dead back, no question. And for sure, at least with this episode and the next episode, it appears that they are doing right by the show. And that makes me happy. Yeah, same here. It makes me happy. So thanks for listening. Anything else? Are we good to go?

Oh, yeah. The dog was in the intro and where the Pikes were. were in the intro, they replaced them with Commonwealth soldiers. Oh, yeah. So that is interesting. And the Commonwealth soldiers, I love how really, when you hear, what's your face? You know, what's her, princess? When you hear princess talk about the differences in them, you really can see the differences

in the soldiers. You know, I know they're wearing the same uniforms and everything, but, you know, you realize that they do look a little bit different in their soldiers, in their uniforms. forms and how they act in them. So it's nice to be able to, you know, have her point them out. So we'll be looking at it's more to more to look at the next time we head to the Commonwealth crowd anyway. So we'll see you next week. Thanks for listening to Talking Walking Dead, Jason Buttrue, Maximus Fisher, and myself, Jeff Fisher. Be sure to subscribe to chewing the fats so you know when this show uploads. And if you're listening to this without being a subscriber, what are you

doing with your life? Thanks for listening to Talking Walking Dead. Thank you.