Okay, I've had a night to reflect and gather my thoughts. Time for a rant! These are some of the things I had issues with. The things I can remember, mind you...
- The trash people. Always with the trash people. What a surprise that nothing came of that, just as nothing has ever really come from the story lines involving the trash people. After this half season it's fairly obvious they were just thrown in as filler. That was a problem with this stretch of eight episodes - they really only had story enough for around four.
- Carol and Jerry save the day! How fortuitous! What the hell were they doing there, sans explanation?
- The great unexplained Saviour escape. We might find out more about this, granted. It might just be that Eugene made a crap ton of bullets. Who knows! But then they're immediately able to not only mobilise but mobilise in number, plus be able to set up a road block and appear from behind the Hilltop forces. With a coffin! These are some omniscient evil bastards.
- That is, until they're not. The Saviours at the Kingdom, meanwhile, hear an explosion and pretty much all run off, allowing a mass escape.
- Also related - questionable geography. It sometimes seems like these places exist outside of regular time and space. Sometimes it's a brisk walk between colonies. Sometimes it's a day-long car trip. Which is it?
- The Saviours are all about killing Rick, the King and the Widow ... and then just let the Widow go back home without even going and taking the rest of their weapons.
- Aaron and Enid's Adventure to Oceanside. I'm sure that they mention that they're not expecting a warm welcome, and then Enid goes and shoots first. Right. Smart. Also as if that well-signed winery still had wine at this point in the apocalypse...
- Why were houses in Alexandria exploding before the Saviours broke in? Was that supposed to be from the grenade launchers? The damage was too great for that. Also who were shadowy figures running in behind Carl when he was talking to Negan? I don't recall that being explained.
- How did Rick even get in unnoticed? And then he has the drop on Negan, standing over him, Lucille to hand, and somehow doesn't manage to kill or even maim him. Again with the missed opportunities.
- Where did these extensive sewers come from? Last time we saw them wasn't it just more or less a short, straight stretch of storm-water drain?
- How much time has passed this season? All these time jumps and flashbacks have made it super confusing. How long ago did Carl get bit? I don't mind death by zombie as an exit for Carl, to be honest, but to have gotten it not fighting for his or someone else's life but rather actually purposefully attacking zombies takes something away from it for me.
I'm sure there was more but I'm not about to watch it again to find out.
To be fair, I thought there were a couple of good parts. The first was when Carl asked Negan if this was who he'd wanted to be, and Negan's reaction to that question.
The second was when Rick asked if Negan ever shut up. Amen, brother.