# The Walking Dead; 8.08 "How It's Gotta Be" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163 "2017-12-11T01:32:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/1 "2017-12-11T01:32:36Z")
> [@AMC](#): > > Every story and battle from the first half of the season comes together. It’s a 90 minute episode tonight; Scott M. Gimple, Khary Payton (Ezekiel) and _Yvette Nicole Brown_ are on **Talking Dead** tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/2 "2017-12-11T02:08:46Z")
Crap I am scared. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/3 "2017-12-11T02:51:34Z")
Omg, I am suffocating. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/4 "2017-12-11T03:29:18Z")
Not Carl, nooooooo! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/5 "2017-12-11T04:07:51Z")
Don’t you ever shut up?! NOPE! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/6 "2017-12-11T05:53:29Z")
OMG. I’ve been struggling this half season with impatience, but tonight was awesome. It was so quiet (except for the explosions and fires of course). So quiet. So much went on, and the music was EXQUISITE. OMG. The ending. I am devastated. F-word. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/7 "2017-12-11T11:42:27Z")
More stupidity. Rick sees Alexandria literally on fire and he decides to walk into his house through the front door? And Negan decides to go one-on-one with Rick when he’s got an entire army with him. The Saviors escape their lair and immediately have superhuman capabilities again to track people and set traps for them. I was disappointed, but not surprised. Pretty much in keeping with the season so far. All that artsy stuff was just to much. And at this point, I say good riddance to Carl. He hasn’t been much of a presence lately anyway. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/8 "2017-12-11T14:31:03Z")
I’m a little disappointed about the plot, i.e. how the Saviors got out from the Sanctuary. The only explanation I heard was “it was Eugene” but they never fully explained what he did or how he did it. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/9 "2017-12-11T14:32:39Z")
I detest the “artsy schmartsky” stuff, as well. Yuck! I was actually wondering if both Carl and Michonne were going to kick the bucket tonight. It will be sad to see Rick’s undisputed progeny go, but I suppose they had to take out a major character. Gotta have significant casualties in war, and all that. Frustrating! Chandler Riggs is a terrific actor, and will be missed. I had a problem with my TV’s contrast, and most of the scenes in this “night-time” were practically inaccessible to me. Couldn’t see Rick’s altercation with big bad Negan. Sad! Another thing – so now, Gabriel is healthy enough to escape with the doctor? I thought that they were implying that he was at death’s door… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/10 "2017-12-11T14:56:47Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > More stupidity. Rick sees Alexandria literally on fire and he decides to walk into his house through the front door? And Negan decides to go one-on-one with Rick when he’s got an entire army with him. The Saviors escape their lair and immediately have superhuman capabilities again to track people and set traps for them. I have to agree. Somehow they slip out of the Sanctuary with no one noticing, manage to assemble convoys of trucks and coordinate simultaneous attacks against three different communities? And none of the communities have the least bit of a defensive posture, even though they are at war? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/11 "2017-12-11T15:16:40Z")
So Carl was already bit the entire time right? from the stupid fight him and his new recruit got into? ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/12 "2017-12-11T16:02:03Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > So Carl was already bit the entire time right? from the stupid fight him and his new recruit got into? I went back and watched the Carl scenes and, in hindsight, it was obvious. From his letter to Rick to his exchange with Negan: “Do you want to die?” 'No, I don’t. But I’m going to." It makes sense that they would go ahead and kill off Carl. He has the Walt from Lost problem. The last three seasons have covered only a few months and Chandler is just too old now to be playing a 14-15 year old. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/13 "2017-12-11T16:03:41Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > So Carl was already bit the entire time right? from the stupid fight him and his new recruit got into? Yes, I think that is what we are to suppose. He knew he was dead when he was calling out Negan. Did the saviors kill someone in Maggie’s group? I watched that part 3 times, but it was so dark and so fast I couldn’t tell. If so, who was it? And how stupid was it of the Saviors to let her group go back, unescorted, to Hilltop where… they have guns!! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/14 "2017-12-11T16:06:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Did the saviors kill someone in Maggie’s group? I watched that part 3 times, but it was so dark and so fast I couldn’t tell. If so, who was it? It was some random background dude who I assume has been around but had no lines until tonight. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/15 "2017-12-11T16:16:58Z")
It’s official: I’m just hate-watching now. At this point, it’s obvious they’re just catering to the fan boys and girls who will take whatever heaping helping of lazy writing they shove at them and squee for more. I’m baffled, truly baffled, by the TrueFan™. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/16 "2017-12-11T17:44:40Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It was some random background dude who I assume has been around but had no lines until tonight. Yup. The second random bearded guy in the backseat started talking I knew he’d be dead in minutes. Let’s see, three named characters plus one we’ve never seen before who suddenly has lines. Gee I wonder how this will play out. :rolleyes: This episode had no business being 90 minutes, I swear 20 minutes of that were people moving around in slow motion and “artsy” CU montages of faces. That shit is so bad it’s like a parody by this point. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/17 "2017-12-11T18:02:46Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It was some random background dude who I assume has been around but had no lines until tonight. As soon as I saw him I thought, ‘Redshirt.’ For me, that was confirmed when he spoke. i just wish he’d actually been wearing a red shirt. ETA: > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I swear 20 minutes of that were people moving around in slow motion and “artsy” CU montages of faces. Yeah, more fartsy and less artsy. . ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/18 "2017-12-11T18:17:35Z")
I’ve been pretty critical of this season for sure. Regardless of that criticism I thought this mid-season finale was quite good. I assumed Carl’s talk with Negan was simply to delay and allow the others a chance to get away. When he offered himself in exchange, it felt very sincere and I was wondering what direction the scene/story was going. That segment was excellent. The final scene though just delivered on the earlier exchange and left me with that gut-punch feeling the show has delivered in years past. I did miss the exchange with Maggie. What did she say about Alexandria and The Kingdom? I think it was right before she took the guy out of the pen. MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/19 "2017-12-11T18:23:19Z")
Well, y’all sure took the wind from my sails. Yea. I am that stupid fan girl. I am invested in these characters. Come on peeps, alittle sadness for Rick, he’s gonna go full-tilt bat shit crazy. They didnt answer the ??? about the heliocopter. Or Morgan, what the shit is he up to? Omg, I gotta wait til Feb. Has anyone heard when ’ Fear the walking dead’ will come back? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163/20 "2017-12-11T18:26:06Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > I’ve been pretty critical of this season for sure. Regardless of that criticism I thought this mid-season finale was quite good. I assumed Carl’s talk with Negan was simply to delay and allow the others a chance to get away. When he offered himself in exchange, it felt very sincere and I was wondering what direction the scene/story was going. That segment was excellent. The final scene though just delivered on the earlier exchange and left me with that gut-punch feeling the show has delivered in years past. > > I did miss the exchange with Maggie. What did she say about Alexandria and The Kingdom? I think it was right before she took the guy out of the pen. > MeanJoe She said to Jesus “is he the one who nearly killed you?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-8-08-how-its-gotta-be-open-spoilers/804163.md?page=2)