It was honestly very poorly done. It was done in the same way in the comics but Negan had a lot more development (post AOW) in the comics than he did in the show so when it happened in the comic it didn't feel like it was coming out of nowhere.

Not sure why the show is holding on to Negan the way they are. He is a big reason why a lot of people lost interest in the show as quickly as they did. Really would have fit the show story better just to kill him off.

 

same here. I expected he was pretending and as soon as the key turns he would push the door hard and knock Maggie over then Michonne standing outside would suddenly hear the familiar Negan whistle.

 

Was expecting Maggie to get smashed. The break down was too out of nowhere if you aren't a comic reader.. And the scene itself, for all its emotion you were supposed to feel , was too fast.

 

I think we all were expecting a wry smile from him at scene’s end when he was facing away from Maggie. But it didn’t happen. He’s lost Lucille twice now. First his wife then his batwife. And had a long time to fester with his thoughts in that cell. His madness is not completely incredible.

 

Agree, and... I couldn’t help but laugh at “his batwife”.

 

I honestly thought that he played Maggie like a fiddle.

 

I expected a menacingly smile and laughter from him once she left to show he hasn't changed and still biding his time.

 

So..... is Negan still in the show after the time jump?

 

If he really wanted Maggie to kill him ,he could have just attacked her forcing her to defend herself. Get killed or escape.

 

Their obviously trying to sway the audience into accepting negan as a good guy. Maybe not a true "good guy" but not pure evil. Eventually their going to let him out of that cell and their just trying to soften the audience up. They've been slowly turning him into a sympathetic figure and tonight was the big "heel" flip

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The time jump is several years and so when we see Negan again, he is already out probably.

 

Yeah coming attractions showed Negan still in the jail cell 6 years later.

 

It wasn't just a few weeks, Maggie officially stated the time jump of "it's been a year and a half". Which was alluded to at the beginning of the season but made official tonight. Like in the comics. Negan's been locked up in what's essentially solitary confinement for a year and a half.

Yes. Talking Dead did a "the next 3 episodes" quick little preview that was a mash-up of random scenes and one of them looked like Negan STILL in prison (would now be 5-6 years later, so way longer than in the comics) talking to who I think was Judith. Who may now be taking Carl's arc from the Negan-in-prison arc of the comics.

 

I get that. I'm just saying that Maggie told Michonne "it's been a year and a half" when she was arguing to be let into Negan's cell, is all.

 

The scenes with Maggie & Michonne, and Negan & Maggie were among my favorite scenes of the entire season so far. Maggie's pain really came out when she was talking to Michonne...and then at the end when she held Michonne back as Rick "died" just as Michonne did when Negan was being spared. Man...that's when my tears started. Somehow i had been able to contain them until that point.

 

I dont think the scene it self was poorly done, but like you said there was not enough development prior to make it have the impact it could have.
The first time we see Negan post war was conversing with Rick in the cell and he still came off pretty smug and defiant. Last week ended with him banging his head after trying to manipulate Michonne. Still comes off as smug and cant really discern if the headbanging is frustration and fit of rage, or him losing it mentally. They could have given us a few other scenes that showed us the depth of his descent in to despair and utter defeat so it didnt feel like it came out of nowhere.

 

I was so sure he was going to smirk/smile/laugh when Maggie left the cell to show us the viewers he was playing her to keep himself alive. This was probably my only disappointment in the whole episode overall.

 

This is one of my favorite parts of keeping Negan around...he seems so genuine...but IS he?