After 12 years on the air, The Walking Dead is finally ending its historic run with the series finale, "Rest in Peace," airing Nov. 20, 2022. However, the storyline will continue with the many spinoffs in progress and upcoming.
Though there is plenty of watching material within the world of The Walking Dead franchise, many fans like to go back to the original season and rewatch. However, not all of these fans watch every single episode and scene throughout the seasons. These Redditors shared which parts of the show they choose to skip during their rewatch.
Rick On The Phone In The Prison
One of the major events that changed Rick Grimes was the death of his wife Lori. Following her death, Rick became mentally unstable and began seeing and hearing things. One notable instance was when he was answering phone calls from people he thought were part of another group, but were actually his dead friends who he was imagining talking to.
Reddit user StrangeBiird mentioned this episode, saying, "I hate episodes in any show that take place only in the mind. Soooo filler. It does nothing for the plot or for me." Many fans thought Rick's break from reality was out of place in these episodes, though this did play a part in Rick's character development over the years.
The Woodbury Scenes
Woodbury was one of the first communities the main group encountered in which they had an established set of rules, stable defenses, and a division of labor. This offered a different alternative to the ragtag groups of struggling survivors.
However, some fans thought Woodbury didn't add anything to do the series. Reddit user benjiscotford said, " The Governor is a good villain and it’s not badly written, but I’m much more interested in Ricks group at the prison, and it feels annoying to me when they cut to some boring storyline in Woodbury." Not caring about the Woodbury characters, most of which weren't fleshed out, makes some viewers skip those scenes in the show.
The Hospital Episodes
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After the prison was destroyed and the group was separated, Beth ends up getting kidnaped and held captive in a community at a hospital run by former police officers. These episodes added some tension and developed Beth's character shortly before her death.
However, some fans couldn't stand this aspect. Reddit user ZucchiniUsual7370 said, "The entire Beth in the hospital bit. Couldn't stand the characters in that segment." Many viewers choose to skip over this plotline because the characters annoyed them, or they were even annoyed those characters got to continue running their community after Beth's death.
"Here's Not Here"
This episode was all about Morgan Jones and his journey of self-discovery with his friend and mentor Eastman. This plotline was essential to see how Morgan found his way and came back from his obsessive and unhinged behavior.
However, many fans admit they skip over this episode because they find it boring or they believe it adds little to the overall story. Reddit user cellar_door_444 said, "I just skip that whole episode. I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t like Morgan." Though this episode is important to Morgan's characterization, it's a bore for those that don't care for his character.
Season Seven Opening
There's no doubt that Negan was one of the best villains in the entire season. The end of season six and the beginning of seven were high-suspense scenes that kept the audience on the edge of their seats, waiting to see which characters would meet their end at the hands of Negan's bat Lucille.
However, this episode was too much for some viewers. Reddit user sweetlyswanky admitted, "The violence and the sadness are unbearable. Amazing acting by Andrew Lincoln but I hate seeing Rick like that." While some scenes and episodes are just boring, some fans skip this episode on rewatch because it's too emotional to revisit.
Lydia's Flashbacks
Alpha was another villain that captured the audience and left them in suspense. Many fans even believe this villain deserved a redemption arc, like Negan, and didn't appreciate how she met her end.
Some fans, on the other hand, didn't like Alpha's inclusion and therefore weren't interested in her backstory. Reddit user JiffyNUFC mentioned how "the one with all of Lydia’s flashbacks" was an episode they skip and added, "...I really just didn’t care about Alpha." Though Lydia is still a character in the series, many viewers didn't care about her mother's evil origins and don't feel the need to rewatch these flashbacks.
Everything After Season 4
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There are many things in the earlier seasons of The Walking Dead that are unrecognizable now. This makes sense given how many characters have come and gone and the fact that the apocalypse began many years before.
Some fans enjoyed watching the evolution of the survivors over the years, but many found the story more compelling in earlier seasons. Reddit user darevoyance said, "I rewatch S1-S4 often, and skip the rest. The show is still quality for another 1-2 seasons, but the rewatchability beyond mid-S5 is just low in my opinion." These viewers prefer the suspense in the earlier years and skip the other seasons upon rewatching.
"Diverged" In Season 11
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This episode of the current season focused on Carol and Daryl. Their friendship has reached peak tensions at this point, and this episode focuses on them going there separate ways and struggling with individual obstacles.
This episode allowed the viewers to see how the Alexandria settlement was struggling and how the circumstances are affecting the main characters. However, as Reddit user Angel-McLeod pointed out, "If you never saw the episode and never knew it existed, it wouldn’t make the slightest bit of difference to your viewing experience of the show." Many fans skip this episode because it doesn't play a major role in the continuation of the main plot.
The Reapers Episodes
The Reaper group destroyed many settlements, including the one Maggie was with before returning to Alexandria. However, much of the damage they caused was off-screen, and they only make a significant impact on Maggie and the new people she returns with.
Reddit user UnusualAsparagus5096 said, "All of the reaper stuff got skipped when I watched season 11 again. The episode with Daryl and the reaper when pope sets the fire on him and his girlfriend might be the worst from the whole series." Though the Reapers allowed for more action and a motivation for Maggie's character change, these fans didn't think the plot was entertaining or offered anything to the story.
Everything After Season One
A lot has changed over the course of the series, and much of the characters, plots, and fears from the original series is largely irrelevant in the current season. Many fans think the changes throughout the years was a necessary way to keep the plot intriguing and fresh.
However, some fans consider the first season the peek of the series and prefer to rewatch that over anything else. Reddit user genericnomen said, "Only ever rewatched series 1. It has more tension and thrill than the rest. I always felt that I had held my breath for the whole episode." These viewers think rewatching the first season feels like a whole difference experience than the episodes that follow.
Source:gamerant.com