The Walking Dead is getting far too violent and disturbing. No question. The Season 7 premiere was cringeworthy, barbaric, grotesque and gutwrenchingly forlorn.
To kill a mindless, fictional zombie character in such a horrible way is horrible enough. But to portray not one, but two terrifying, bludgeoning executions of two beloved characters while their friends are forced to watch in horror is certifiably extreme. “What, are you still there?,” said Negan. “I just popped your skull so hard your eyeball just popped out!”
The latest antagonist, Negan, is the most sadistic character I can recall in my many years of film, TV and literary experiences. Who gives the name “Lucille” to their barbed-wire covered baseball bat? Between the “eeny-meeny-miny-mo”, “try to reach the axe” and “go out and find my axe”, this is all a messed-up game for this homicidal character.
To top this all off, while fans are still reeling from the miserable events taking place, we are just about to see, potentially, the worse dismemberment scene in television history. Thankfully, our hero doesn’t have to go through with cutting his own son’s left arm off. (I can’t believe I just wrote that last sentence!) But as an audience, we can’t turn away no matter how sick it makes us feel. It really was sickening.
I now understand the critics (and my Momma-in-law) who say that TV has gone too far. Indeed, this is far too violent and disturbing for populous consumption. I truly hope that parents are keeping tabs on what their young children are watching and that they aren’t watching TWD.
Which raises the question: who in their right mind can be entertained by such a gruesome and macabre story and imagery?
I can’t wait until next week!
