Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2233

Harry Potter’s Sorting Hat Inspires the Name of a New Spider Species

When Harry and Ron listened to Hagrid’s advice to “follow the spiders” in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, they found themselves at the center of an arachnophobic nightmare as the Acromantula Aragog and its brood descended upon the young wizards. As terrifying as that must have been, spiders in the real world are much more interesting and unique than they are dangerous and deadly. Case in point, a new species of spider described by Javed Ahmed, Rajashree Khalap, and Sumukha J. N. dubbed Eriovixia gryffindori after Harry Potter lore due to its resemblance to the famous Sorting Hat.

E. gryffindori doesn’t dwell in the Forbidden Forest; this “new species of cryptic, dry-foliage mimicking araneid” was found in the “unique ‘Kans’ forestlands of central Western Ghats, Karnataka, India,” as the paper published in the Indian Journal of Arachnology describes. Here’s the delightful etymology behind its unique name:

This uniquely shaped spider derives its name from the fabulous, sentient magical artifact, the sorting hat, owned by the (fictitious) medieval wizard Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and stemming from the powerful imagination of Ms. J. K. Rowling, wordsmith extraordinaire, as presented in her beloved series of books, featuring everyone’s favorite boy-wizard, Harry Potter. An ode from the authors, for magic lost, and found, in an effort to draw attention to the fascinating, but oft overlooked world of invertebrates, and their secret lives.

Check out how Ahmed broke the news to author J.K. Rowling over social media:

#FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem : Eriovixia gryffindori. Where does one find it? Western Ghats, India, a global #biodiversity hotspot pic.twitter.com/c3tvXsMibL

— Javed Ahmed (@curiocritters) December 10, 2016

Eriovixia gryffindori; our new species named after the sorting hat from @jk_rowling books Kudos to my brilliant coauthor @INDogProject pic.twitter.com/L8U0aeXdak

— Javed Ahmed (@curiocritters) December 10, 2016

As cool as this critter and its newly given name are, the physical and behavioral traits behind its appearance are even more so. Members of this genus “are characterized by possessing a pilose carapace, sub-triangular abdomen, tapering posteriorly with or without a caudal appendage,” in other words, a nearly triangular shell covered in long, soft hairs that may or may not end in a tail-like structure. These nocturnal spiders “[take] refuge in, and [mimic] dried foliage, during daylight hours,” presumably to hide from predators.

Now that E. gryffindori is sorted, what’s your favorite cinematic spider? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: Javed Ahmed (@curiocritters)

7 Reasons Kirk is the One of the Best GILMORE GIRLS Characters

If the quirky essence of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls could be condensed into a single character, it would be Kirk Gleason. Played by Sean Gunn, Kirk appeared early on in the drama, and quickly became a consistently entertaining staple. He offered moments of hilarity and innocence as he worked about a million different odd jobs over the seven seasons and in the Netflix revival. Stars Hollow wouldn’t be Stars Hollow without Kirk.

Though he had moments of being stubborn—like when he complained about a small price increase at Luke’s—he mostly just wanted to be included and often had good intentions. Here are seven reasons I think Kirk is one of the best characters on Gilmore Girls.

1. He’s an ideas man

When Kirk has a business idea, he goes for it whole hog. Remember when he sold “whimsical” mailboxes? As he pointed out to Lorelai, “Whimsy goes with everything.” Then there was the time he sold the Hay There skincare line. He was always trying new tactics—often to his own detriment. His entrepreneurial spirit hasn’t landed him ahead of the pack yet, but as we saw in the revival with his Oooober business, he hasn’t stopped trying.

2. His work ethic

Kirk wouldn’t be able to pursue so many business opportunities without a strong work ethic. When he put in a bid for the Twickham house, he laid it out for Luke. He said, “Luke. I’ve had fifteen thousand jobs. I’ve saved every dollar I’ve ever made. That and the miracle of compound interest has created a bounty of a quarter of a million dollars.” Before the revival, Kirk was spotted having over 50 different jobs in the series. He sold makeup at the beauty shop, he delivered flowers, he walked dogs, he ran movie night at Black-White-Read Bookstore—you get the idea. He didn’t ask his rich family for loans (though he did live at home); he worked his butt off.

3. His enthusiasm for town events

Kirk has pride for his town, and he’s shown it over the years by devoting time to work with Town Selectman Taylor Doose on Stars Hollow’s myriad festivals. He longed to prove himself to Taylor and went above and beyond. In fact, Kirk was so disappointed in himself when he realized he didn’t make an Easter egg map and practically hospitalized himself trying to rectify his mistake.

4. The way he treats Lulu

It seemed unlikely Kirk would find a girlfriend, but Lulu came along and embraced all of Kirk’s offbeat mannerisms. Once Kirk got accustomed to Lulu sticking around, he was sweet towards her—albeit, in unconventional ways, but still sweet. And he was just so proud when she was selected to be the town harlot in the annual Revolutionary War reenactment.

5. His creative mojo

After all those hours working, you’d think Kirk would be too exhausted to do anything else—nope! He’s managed to release two riveting short films over the years, going so far as to showcase the first one, “A Film by Kirk,” in season two. The town was not (and is still not) ready for his inventive vision—even during A Year in the Life.

6. His thriftiness

I know I called Kirk out for acting cheap when Luke changed the price of toast at his diner, but part of me admires Kirk’s thrift. He could have spent all the cash he earned from his dozens of jobs on gadgets and toys and film equipment but instead, he squirreled it away. He acted in a responsible fashion I aspire to imitate.

7. He looks out for his friends

This one includes spoilers for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, so skip on ahead if you haven’t watched the new episodes.

Kirk has an affection for those in his inner circle. I get the impression once Kirk thinks of you as a friend, he never stops. Luke’s helped him out of multiple pickles, and Kirk paid back any and all favors he may haved owed Luke by decorating the town for Luke and Lorelai’s wedding in the most magical, extraordinary fashion. It’s not the only example of him being selfless, but it’s one of my favorites.

Do you have any excellent Kirk moments you’d add to the list? Share them in the comments or come to Twitter and send me Kirk gifs.

Images: Warner Bros., Netflix, Giphy, Tumblr/But She Didn’t Go Away, Friday Night Dinner, The Dragonfly

An Unfinished and Unreleased AKIRA Game Boy Game Has Surfaced

Akira has gone down as one of the most beloved anime films of all time, but surprisingly, unlike many successful films from that era, it has a shaky history of being adapted to a tie-in video game. A text-heavy “visual novel” game was released in 1998 on the Famicom, Nintendo’s Japanese equivalent of the Nintendo Entertainment System,” and while titles for the SNES, Genesis, Sega CD, Game Gear, and Game Boy were reportedly under development, those never saw the light of day… at least until now, for the latter (via Engadget).

Patrick Scott Patterson, a YouTube user who hunts down obscure unreleased video games for the sake of preservation, recently came across four different copies of an Akira Game Boy cartridge, each in various stages of completion. It has previously been reported that the Game Boy Akira game was going to be an adaptation of an existing game from its developer, meaning that the character sprites and names and other defining elements would be re-skinned from an already-existing title.

Regardless of how this unfinished artifact came to be, even Patterson’s least-finished version of the game is borderline unplayable. It features an opening series of cinematic cut-screens that summarize the movie’s plot, then launches into a side-scrolling biking level that is the only complete-able one on the cart. Beyond that, there are also platforming levels, sewer levels, and other stages that can’t be beaten in their unfinished state.

Patterson also reports that the control scheme seems to be unfinished—for example, the Down button makes the player kick, and the Up button punches—so it doesn’t appear that this game was ever all that close to coming to market, which means the video above is probably the best look we’ll ever get at it. Breathe it in, Akira obsessives.

Image: Toho

We have some questions about the Nintendo Switch.

Home Geekonomics: 11 Stocking Stuffers for the Home Office

Home Geekonomics is a series that features the best in geeky home decor, food, and DIY. Each week will focus on a specific fandom and highlight the best of geek for your home and everyday life.

If you are obsessed with the accessories on your desk or know someone who is, you might have a stationery addiction. Not to worry, there’s hope—in the form of even more cool things for you to make your office space even more awesome. Notebooks, pens, and pencil cases: you can never have too many.

While you may want everything on this list for yourself, think of others (’tis the season!) and buy two of each, because these items are tried and tested as certifiably great holiday stocking stuffers for the nerdy writers/office workers in your life. And don’t worry if you end up with too many things: a cluttered desk is a sign of a genius at work—that’s what I’m telling myself anyway.

Avengers Notebook by Moleskine

If you need to keep track of all of Bucky’s activation words, these handy Avengers notebooks by Moleskine should help you out. Hulk, Thor, Cap, and Iron Man are all represented on hard covers decorated with metallic line drawings of each superhero. You also get a special set of Avengers stickers showcasing additional exclusive artwork. Sidenote for Spidey fans, the Spider-Man notebook is a limited edition. Only 5,000 were created, each hand-stamped with a unique number.

Golden Section Finder by Areaware

Perfect proportions are all around us. The golden section is a number found when calculating the ratio between the dimensions of natural and geometric forms. This fun little finder is easy to carry along with you when you’re on the go. Because hey: you never know when you’ll want to find proportional perfection in your plate of nachos.

Microphone Eraser Toppers by Kikkerland

When you just can’t get that one song out of your head and you feel the need to belt it out to your coworkers, these crazy eraser toppers will give you the spotlight you deserve. Place one on and turn any pencil into a microphone. Did your cubicle neighbor just complain about the temperature? Put on the news mic eraser and give him a forecast. And don’t worry: none of your coworkers will find this annoying! In fact they will love it so, so much!

Feather Pen by Kikkerland

The Fantastic Beasts took us back to the wizarding world and thus reinvigorated our obsession with all things Harry Potter. This feather pen is as good as sending an owl off to your dearest of friends—and honestly just look freakin’ cool. The pens come in either black or white feathers, depending on your chosen form of bird communication.

Dinosaurs With Makeup Pencil Bag by Funhouse Labs

While this bag can be used for makeup, it is also the perfect size for pens and pencils. Say you’re fumbling for a pencil before a big meeting, think of how much joy seeing dinosaurs putting on makeup would bring you. And the fact that they’re wearing hoodies? Nothing cuter in the universe. Clevergirls, these two are (get it, get it?)!

Cat paper clips by Fred and Friends

Cat obsession is a reality: in the future, everything will be measured by (and in service of) cats. So why not use cats to make boring paperwork feel more purrfectly inclined to your daily life? These paper clips are cat shaped but that’s not the best part, they come in a container that looks like a tin of cat food! Am I telling you to buy this just for the adorable can in comes in? Definitely.

Nope Sign from Modcloth

Listen, we’ve all had those days. (For some of us, it’s every day.) This desk plaque lets people know what’s up before they even get to ask their question. In fact, I feel like this should have a chain on it so you can wear it and walk around. Bonus Points: buy this for your boss and watch them cackle with glee as you become their new favorite employee.

Library Checkout Pen Holder by Door Number 9

Nostalgia’s a hell of a drug, ain’t it? Who knew we’d look back on the systems of old and find a fondness for them, eh? For those old enough to remember the golden age of libraries—when books were checked out you had to sign your name and then it was date stamped—this dual-purposed pen holder is for you. Sure, the days of checking to see who read before you are long gone but you can relive them with this creative pen holder to remind you of the simpler time before the digital age.

Handmade Space Invaders Notebook by Kajet Handmade

This geeky notebook is hand embroidered with a cross-stitch of Space Invaders. Need we say more? The colorful threads are sure to brighten up your day as you write down notes and dream of hitting the high score.

Washing Machine Tape Dispenser by AH-YO!

This little tape dispenser looks like a mini washing machine sitting on your desk. The fun starts, however, when you go to get a piece of tape and it spins the man inside around and around. Soon you’ll find yourself wanting to tape everything just to watch it go. Plus, this unique desk accessory insures that when someone asks to borrow your tape, you’ll always be able to find it.

Burrito Pencil Case by Proparmada

The best way to carry anything is in a tortilla. This burrito pencil pouch is great for design tools and accessories. This unique tool holder is so realistic, people will think you brought a burrito to a meeting when you pull it out of your purse. Enjoy your burrito.

 

What are your favorite nerdy desk accessories? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: Moleskine, Areaware, Kikkerland, Funhouse Labs, Fred and Friends, Modcloth, Door Number 9, Kajet Handmade, Proparmada

The ROGUE ONE Cast Describes Their STAR WARS Experience in This Adorable Video

Guys, we’re only four days away from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hitting theaters and furthering our lifelong quest to absorb as many forms of Star Wars-related media as possible. Before that, though, the principal cast sat down with Vanity Fair to film a super endearing video in which they tell us a bit more about the upcoming film from their own perspectives.

In the movie, Jyn Erso is recruited by the Rebel Alliance to steal design schematics for the Death Star from the Galactic Empire, but Felicity Jones describes her character more personally as “a force of nature on a quest to find her father.” Donnie Yen, who plays warrior Chirrut Îmwe, thinks his role is that of a real Renaissance man—”Spiritual… sensitive… bad-ass… blind”—whereas Riz Ahmed and Alan Tudyk, who play Bodhi Rook and K-S20, were more literal with their descriptions: “Bodhi Rook is an Imperial cargo pilot,” and “droid who was formally of the Empire and now he’s on the Rebels’ side,” respectively.

Elsewhere in the clip, the cast simply shows off their fun side. Ahmed took exception with the time-honored and beloved Stormtrooper costume, making what’s honestly a pretty strong case: “The uniforms are completely impractical. They’re all white, and the Stormtroopers look filthy.” The cast also takes time to describe the film’s plot, argue about what the best previous Star Wars film is, and otherwise keep us optimistic about the fun characters we’ll encounter when Rogue One finally hits theaters on the 16th.

What’s your favorite part of the video? Let us know!

Featured image: Vanity Fair

This new Star Wars rumor explains why we’re not getting an Obi-Wan spin-off

Patrick Wilson Cast as AQUAMAN Villain Ocean Master

It already seemed like Aquaman was poised to be the DCEU’s Thor, after the muscular and belocked Jason Momoa was cast as Arthur Curry, but now it looks like Warner Bros. is doubling down by bringing Aquaman’s jilted and jealous half-brother into the mix. Deadline reported on Monday that actor Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring films) has been brought in to play Orm, aka Ocean Master, in James Wan‘s upcoming solo Aquaman film, currently set for release in October of 2018. Wilson is a fixture of Wan’s oeuvre, appearing in four of the director’s last five projects.

Ocean Master has been one of Aquaman’s most persistent adversaries, dating all the way back to Aquaman #29 in September of 1966. His exact backstory has been altered several times, first following the game-changing Crisis on Infinite Earths saga, and again in The New 52 timeline, but in each iteration, Orm is Arthur’s younger half-brother, who is resentful at being the “unloved” son and at being passed over for his chance to rule Atlantis. He takes on the moniker of Ocean Master and sets out to rule the sea (and land, sometimes) after amassing an army to aid him. He’s made several animated appearances, most prominently as the main villain in the 2015 DC Animated feature, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis.

If Wan’s Aquaman movie is going to hew closely to the Throne of Atlantis story arc–written in comics form by none other than DC’s Chief Creative Officer, Geoff Johns–then we are in for a pretty epic and massive underwater war movie. That doesn’t seem especially likely given they’ve already teased Black Manta would be the main antagonist of the movie, but if they’re setting up Ocean Master to be the villain in future movies, then I like the forethought. And Wilson is an excellent–if definitely less beefy–choice to play Aquaman’s angry kin. And, unlike Thor, having Orm around for a movie before making him the all-out baddie seems the right choice to me.

Let us know your thoughts on the casting in the comments below!

Image: DC/Warner Bros Animation

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist and a big ol’ DC Comics fanboy. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

Let’s look at that great Justice League footage again!

8 GameCube Games That We Want to Play on Nintendo Switch

For reasons that haven’t been entirely clear, the vast majority of GameCube games have not been available on Nintendo’s Virtual Console for the Wii U. That’s almost an entire console generation of titles that have been just out of our reach. But that may be about to change, as a new report claims that GameCube games are finally coming to the Nintendo Switch‘s Virtual Console!

The report originated at EuroGamer, and it claims that the first three GameCube titles to make the virtual leap to the Switch will be Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. We can’t argue with any of those choices, as they were already on our wishlist before this news. Nintendo declined to comment on the initial report, but we’re hopeful that it will turn out to be true.

A few of the very best GameCube games are already available in some form, like Metroid Prime Trilogy and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD. However, some of our favorite titles from that generation are still unaccounted for, which is why we’ve assembled this list of the 8 GameCube games that we desperately want to play on the Switch!

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is still one of the best Mario-based RPGs, and one of the few Mario titles to go far beyond the Mushroom Kingdom. Over a decade later, we’re still laughing at Bower’s comedic antics from this story and the fact that Luigi’s party absolutely hated him. But the most important aspect is that it’s just a damn fun game, and who doesn’t love turning Mario into a paper airplane?

F-Zero GX

The F-Zero franchise has been on ice for over ten years and it absolutely deserves a new game in the series. But if we can’t have that, F-Zero GX is easily the best title in the franchise to date, and it will probably still be a great racing experience even when using the Switch as a mobile device. For its time, the visuals were amazing. And it still holds up as one of the most challenging racers that Nintendo has ever released.

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

We haven’t had many chances to play as Solid Snake on the Nintendo consoles, but back in 2004, Silicon Knights and Konami remade the original Metal Gear Solid for the GameCube under the title The Twin Snakes. It incorporated some of the best gameplay aspects and graphics from Metal Gear Solid 2 while bringing back the original voice cast as well. We’re eager to see how it plays on the go as well!

Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem

Silicon Knights was also behind Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, one of the rare survival horror titles on any Nintendo platform. It was an ambitious title that put the player in control of multiple heroes in different time periods while attempting to keep their characters from going insane. If Nintendo had actually followed through on the premise and made additional sequels, Eternal Darkness could have been its answer to Resident Evil. Maybe it still should be, but we’ll settle for a chance to play it again.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II & III

Did you know that Lucasarts had a completed version of the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron Trilogy for the Wii that was never released because of legal issues with the developer? We would absolutely love to see that game, if only to play the lightsaber battles that were created for it. But if we can’t have that, getting both of the GameCube’s Rogue Squadron titles would be a decent consolation prize. They’re both incredibly fun, but Rogue Squadron II is still the best.

Soul Caliber II

Soul Caliber II was already one of our favorites in the series, but we loved the GameCube edition for one very important reason: the ability to play as Link against the other fighters! Watching the hero of The Legend of Zelda series kick so much ass is one of our favorite memories. Sure, Link’s a great fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series, but he’s never been quite as intense as he was in this game.

Star Fox: Assault

While we enjoyed Star Fox Adventures for what it was, Star Fox: Assault was the classic Star Fox that we were waiting to get after Star Fox 64. It was even a little ahead of its time by giving fans the ability to go from an Arwing to a Landmaster at will. We think that this would be a particularly fun title to play on the Switch handheld console, if only because we love the action.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

All of the Mario Kart titles have been terrific, but Mario Kart: Double Dash!! introduced one of our favorite features: the ability to pick two characters for the cart. We’re not sure if the Switch would allow Mario Kart: Double Dash!! let two players to controller the characters on a single cart in the way that the GameCube version did, but that was another innovation that made this title worthy of being rediscovered by a new generation of gamers.

Which GameCube titles do you want to see on the Nintendo Switch Virtual Console? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Nintendo

DOCTOR WHO’s Tom Baker Wishes Fans a “Happy Ever After” for Christmas

Ah, the Fourth Doctor! For many of us, he will always be the definitive Doctor Who. Erudite in speech, stentorian in tone, authoritative in manner, yet able to switch gears from end-of-the-universe drama to lighthearted comedy in a split second. With manic energy to spare, he basically created the template for all the Doctors who’ve followed him. Yet despite his record-setting seven-year reign in the ’70s and ’80s as the the galaxy’s most beloved Time Lord, Baker never had the opportunity to do a Doctor Who Christmas Special. (Compare that to the current Doctor, Peter Capaldi, who, with only two seasons under his belt, we’re about to see in his third Christmas Special!)

Fortunately, Baker’s made up for lost time by presenting special Christmas video greetings to his fans over the years. Starting with a rather randy one he recorded during his tenure as the sword of justice from the planet Gallifrey, way back in 1978, co-starring the late Mary Tamm’s lumious Time Lady Romana and his robot dog K-9…

Now, many years later, on the occasion of his 82nd Christmas, Baker has debuted his latest bit of yuletide magic, which, fittingly, has a slightly dark edge…

We here at Nerdist would, in kind, like to wish Mr. Baker our thanks for all of the legendary work he’s given us, our wishes for the merriest of holiday seasons, and our sincere wish that he enjoys many more Christmases in the years to come.

Are you a Doctor Who fan? Is Tom Baker one of your favorite Doctors? If so, what’s your favorite Fourth Doctor adventure? Let us know below!

Image: Tom Baker/Facebook

THE WALKING DEAD Recap: Rick and Co. Learn There Are “Hearts Still Beating”

Editor’s note: This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of The Walking Dead! Proceed with caution, survivors. For reals, if you haven’t yet watched this week’s episode, “Hearts Still Beating,” we highly suggest you do so before proceeding. Okay? We good? Let’s go.

It’s been a long, rough year for many of us, and that most certainly includes The Walking Dead fans. After the buildup to Negan’s debut and the deaths we knew would come with it last season, we were denied the opportunity to grieve for those deaths until season 7’s extremely polarizing premiere. Ever since then, with the exception of King Ezekiel’s introduction, we’ve been subjected to a non-stop barrage of misery. It’s one thing for the show to abuse its characters; it’s another to abuse viewers. But watching Rick and his friends subjected to a never-ending torrent of physical and mental torture has been brutal with a capital B. In true Walking Dead fashion, however, just when many of us were ready to write the show off entirely, a ray of hope finally shines at the end of this week’s midseason finale. Its brightness might simply be due to the sheer contrast against the darkness that’s preceded it, but it’s a brightness that can’t be denied.

“Hearts Still Beating” begins with Negan still playing house at casa de Grimes, tormenting Olivia and Carl even as he continues presenting himself as a twisted alternative to the latter’s father. (Just in case it wasn’t made clear enough in last week’s episode, the point is rammed home with a scene of Negan teaching the boy to shave.) Meanwhile, Rick and Aaron manage to retrieve the ammo they’d spotted in “Sing Me a Song”; Daryl breaks free of the Sanctuary with the help of Jesus (though not before taking out all of the torment he’d stored up on the least threatening of the Saviors); and Michonne has an epiphany, which, instead of sending on her suicide mission to take out Negan, prompts her to return to Alexandria and convince Rick to join her in fighting him. She arrives just in time, too, because in violating his home and making himself a dad to his kids, Negan’s clearly violated Rick in just about every way a man can be violated. Thankfully, he sees the wisdom in her words and realizes his greatest strength, and the show’s, has always been community.

Yet part of me is disappointed that “Hearts Still Beating” ultimately concerns itself with Rick’s feelings rather than Rosita’s, since so much of this episode focuses on her revenge plan, from her meeting with Father Gabriel to her final flirtation with Spencer to her firing a bullet right into the heart of Lucille. That last action gives us what is by far the best commercial fade-out of the season. We know that actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so we know Negan won’t die. Yet we also know Rosita’s a superb shot. So kudos to whoever came up with the idea of letting Lucille stand between Rosita and her man, even if the science makes no sense whatsoever. (Had she fired an arrow, then sure, Negan could be left holding his baseball bat. But a bullet bat, when she fires at close range?)

As for Spencer’s fate…I knew he’d signed his death warrant as soon as he decided to make friends with the Saviors, but it was still entertaining as all hell to watch the show’s least likable character smugly sipping drinks and shooting pool with Negan, confident that he stood even the slightest chance of usurping Rick’s position at Alexandria. Negan’s response–that Rick’s actually working for him while Spencer’s simply trying to kiss his ass–illustrates the modicum of respect this season’s Big Bad holds for the former lawman. So it’s a gruesomely satisfying kill indeed when Negan shows the pretty boy what guts really look like. Though it might disappoint those who watch The Walking Dead only to satisfy their blood lust that the second Alexandrian to die in this episode, Olivia, is the only other recurring character featured.

In the end, it’s damn near impossible for longtime fans not to choke up just a little at the sight of Rick, Michonne, Daryl, and Maggie reunited at Hilltop, with a battered but not broken Daryl fighting back tears as he hugs Rick and Michonne, before handing Rick his pistol and walking off to formulate a plan. That the preview for the show’s return in February reveals part of this plan involves a visit to the Kingdom is cause enough, even among those who’d all but written the off the show this season, to tune in once more.

Undead Afterthoughts

— Carol doesn’t get much to do this week, but it’s nice to see her enjoying the peaceful life she’d always longed for. If only for a moment.

— Does anyone else think the backstory of Ezekiel’s second-in-command was a little too quickly and conveniently shoved into this episode for the sake of showing how opposed Carol is to fighting?

— “Lucille is hungry. Carl, pass the rolls, please.” Just in case we were worried someone wouldn’t die in the midseason finale.

— “You like watching, haircut?”

— “Maggie for President.” If. Only.

— And the award for Funniest Line of the Season So Far goes to–“Carol, I imagine violence and fighting is something you haven’t been a part of.”

— Almost as funny is just how quickly Spencer’s guts spill out of him.

— “And I fed him spaghetti!”

— “I didn’t want it to be my way. I wanted it to be ours.” Sniff.

What did you think of this week’s episode? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter (@JMaCabre).

Images: AMC

Who’s ready for more Ezekiel?

Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction #171: Round 1 (Lisa Curry, Lillian Devane, Giulia Rozzi, Shane Torres)

Round 1 featuring Lisa Curry, Lillian Devane, Giulia Rozzi, Shane Torres. Recorded December 28, 2015 at Union Hall in Brooklyn.

Follow @bryancooking on Twitter!