“The writers took the day off”: All the best (and worst) reactions to The Walking Dead season 8, episode 2

The Walking Dead season 8 got off to a promising start with its premiere and then… episode 2 happened. The show has been an easy punching bag for a few seasons now, case in point: that CGI deer, but this feels like a watershed moment. People are abandoning the undead ship – and not without a just cause. See all the reactions below but, be warned, there are spoilers ahead.

You’d think an episode with a giant shootout, a tiger mauling someone and a shocking return would be a lot of fun. But this is The Walking Dead we’re talking about; a show that seems to shamble along season-upon-season.

The return of wait, who?

You hear that? That's the sound of everyone googling who the hell Morales was. #twd #thewalkingdead30 October 2017

every member of twd fandom when morales showed up #thewalkingdead pic.twitter.com/rN1HlS8c6E30 October 2017

Some returns are signposted way in advance. Morales – from way back in season 1 – showing his face and revealing he’s now part of the Saviors, had people scratching their heads.

Tiger, tiger burning bright

Everyone just watching Shiva eat that dude’s face like #TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/WJS9ULpG7c30 October 2017

How does Shiva know good guys from bad ones? Do you practice with her using flash cards or something? #thewalkingdead #TWD @kharypayton30 October 2017

Shiva popping in like. #TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/X1uMIvn1OG30 October 2017

One of the more positive moments in the episode was Shiva going to town on some guy’s face. Hey, don’t let it be said that The Walking Dead still can’t be a lot of fun.

Pew-pew...eww

Gunfights are a blast in The Walking Dead… sometimes. This one was just a barrage of bullets pinging about and narrowly missing characters that no one really cares about or has any connection to.

S8 E2 of #TheWalkingDead just couldn’t hold my attention. The writers took the day off for 60 mins of mindless action. Bang Bang Boring.30 October 2017

TWD Writers: "What should this episode be about?" "I don't know, lets just have everyone shoot guns for an hour." #TheWalkingDead30 October 2017

Morgan and Jesus

@paulhood9 They better not be making Jesus the new Season 6 Morgan :/ #TheWalkingDead30 October 2017

Morgan is a killing machine! #thewalkingdead30 October 2017

The few characters in the episode that you’ll actually want to survive – Morgan and Jesus – have undergone dramatic shifts recently. Jesus is now trying to save everyone, even those who literally tried to murder him seconds earlier, and Morgan has ditched the stick to become a member of a spec-ops unit, eliminating people on a whim.

Time to give up?

I had no idea what was going on half the time, and what was worse, I didn't careTerrible direction#TheWalkingDead30 October 2017

It's a strange feeling to give up on a show. But I am. Sorry #TheWalkingDead , it was fun for a while.30 October 2017

I'm not sure who the hell directed this episode of #TheWalkingDead , but they somehow managed to make an episode full of gunfights boring as hell.30 October 2017

I’m not saying you should definitely give up on The Walking Dead (though I’m certainly hate-watching at this point), it’s just a tough task to gee yourself up every week for a thoroughly disappointing show.

Then again, there’s always the Carl memes.

Image: AMC.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.