The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 1 Review: Can't Hit The Broad Side Of A Barn

"The Walking Dead" is back with a new 100th episode entitled "Mercy". At the end of season 7, all the communities (Hilltop, Alexandria and the Kingdom) unite to attack the Saviors. Rick, Maggie and Ezekiel give rousing speeches. Rick declares "this ends today". Uh, nope. Nope it doesnt.

All that really happened is the good guys drive their reinforced cars over to Negan's and waste a WHOLE LOTTA ammo shooting up the place. Correct me but ammo used to be scarce on this show. Remember all the ruckus about Eugene knowing how to make bullets? I guess the writers forgot.

And even after all that shooting practically no one is killed (or at least no one important). These guys are either the worse marksman E-V-E-R or they werent trying very hard. Why didnt anyone take a shot at Negan given he was just standing out in the open? Come on "TWD"! Can ya try to be a little more realistic?

Daryl also gets to look cool while riding his bike around and blowing stuff up. Dwight assists from the inside by feeding intel to TeamRick. Nearby Carol, Tara and Morgan lead a large herd of walkers in the Saviors direction.

Both Michonne and Rosita are sidelines due to injuries. Across town Carl leaves canned food for some guy named Siddiq.

I know Gabriel a man of the cloth and all but he should have let that weasel Gregory suffer his fate. Instead he tried to save him and is repaid by Gregory driving away in his car. Gabriel retreated into a trailer which was surrounded by hundreds of walkers. He hears a voice say "I hope you've got your shitting pants on". Uh oh, Negan is trapped with him. This is going to end very, very badly.

Thus begins the long wait for the "actual" Negan battle. Hopefully it will be over by the end of season 8. I'm not sure what the flashforward (if that's what it was) of a grayer Rick with Michonne, Carl and a maybe six year old Judth means. He had a cane beside him. Does Rick eventually win the war and live happily ever after? I'm betting no.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). "Mercy" was an adrenaline filled season premiere that didnt go much of anywhere. I would give it a 3 1/2 due to the preposterous plot but the cool zombies pushed it up to a 4. The good news is there was more action than the especially sluggish season 7. Let's hope there's some better writing to go along with it.