Squawking Dead

As Hank MacLean stomps across The Wasteland into New Vegas, Lucy MacLean is figuring out what bringing him to justice looks like and The Ghoul/Cooper Howard seems more like a father figure than Hank ever was. Stephanie Harper giving anyone else a Fear Boner? And Norm Maclean is really embracing Fallout Main Character vibes.

Would you, like Charlotte Hanlon, return to Derry?! Like our queen, we, too, would succumb to Pennywise's Flatulence of Forgetfulness. This finale artfully sets up future seasons while backfilling and even improving Stephen King's original lore. And even though earlier earlier generations of The Losers Club never vanquished Pennywise The Clown, they might not have all been wiped out, either (maybe even beat him, too)! But what do you think?

While Manousos Oviedo ultimately fails to close the gap between he and Carol Sturka, she fails to widen it between herself and the Hive Mind. The Collective Consciousness merely allowed them get in their own way. Though He and She are so alike, this episode showcases their stark differences.

Wow, was this a difficult episode to get through for a variety of reasons. Was this your favorite episode of Welcome To Derry? We learn a lot more about IT / Pennywise / Bob Gray than we bargained for, including some absolutely insane and unexpected twists at the end of the episode.

Koumba Diabaté is Locutus of Borg? The extent of Carol Sturka and Manousos' loneliness/ostracization. Oh, we see you, the individual formerly known as John Cena. Things are about to get real crazy, real fast, as at least Koumba & Carol are on the assimilation countdown.

Pumpkin. It's me, Papa. Oh, How I've missed you all these years. No, No... Don't be scared. I can explain everything. Just open the door and let me in.

Hello, Carol. This is a recording. At the tone, you can leave a message to request anything you might need. We'll do our best to provide it. Our feelings for you haven't changed, Carol; but, after everything that's happened, we just need a little space. beep

Although we never see him again, we're introduced to an even more extreme, Paraguayan version of Carol Sturka in the form of Manousos. And - Please, Carol - why is it so hard to root for you, sometimes? We endeavor to answer that question throughout our discussion.

We finally get an eyeful of Pennywise The Dancing Clown, but we find ourselves wanting more of Dick Hallorann and how he becomes the Richard Hallorann from The Shining. And though we know this Losers Club doesn't succeed in defeating Pennywise, that doesn't mean crazy stuff ain't coming our way!

Some shows keep a tight lid on their mysteries. Not this one. Their thought process must be, "Let's flood them with so many answers, it'll only inspire far more questions." We see what The Shining looks like with Dick Hallorann. We have a better understanding of Pennywise's reach and limitations. And we may have even discovered some major easter eggs!

Our conversation delves into the concept of the hive mind and its implications, particularly in relation to extraterrestrial beings and their potential desires for earthly resources like gold. Questions are raised about the future of human labor in resource extraction and the broader impact of collective intelligence.

The proto Losers Club sees "IT", but is it as scary as it has been? Regardless, now they also "see" the proof they need to vindicate Lilly Bainbridge and Hank Grogan (for now). Dick Hallorann also stumbles into (peeling back) Pennywise's lair(/layers).

We unravel the delicious (shared) universe Vince Gilligan has created with Apple TV's PLUR1BUS! Rhea Seehorn kills it, yet again, as one of Gilligan's classic antagonizing protagonists, Carol Sturka. The show's collective is Invasion Of The Body Snatchers meets The Walking Dead meets Star Trek's The Borg, only resistance actually hurts them, nobody was viciously torn apart, and their consciousness isn't replaced but shared by the world's population.

We've coined a term for what General Shaw is trying to get Leroy Hanlon to do: #WeaponizePennywise. Speak of the devil: it's crazy how Pennywise managed to orchestrate the worst possible outcome for Lilly Bainbridge and Ronnie Grogan's father, Hank Grogan. With every episode a bigger blockbuster than the last, what will we see next...?

Like a Mandala, IT: Welcome To Derry beautifully constructs its characters only to unapologetically wipe them away. Like The Titanic, we know how the story ends, but what about it's murky beginnings? Are Derry's denizens the egg and is Pennywise the (dancing) chicken? Or vice versa?

As we put to a close The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon's penultimate season, one must muse on the depth The Walking Dead Universe has given our title character(s). Where once one would argue that Daryl was a black box (he was what you needed him to be), this spin-off has put flesh on his character's bones. What's even more amazing is how the series was able to do the very same thing for Carol Peletier. As filming for Season 4 is already well underway, we're pretty psyched to see how they plan on concluding this incredible series and what other shenanigans they may be staging in its wake.

Antonio is the MVP of this episode, occupying most of the limelight. From getting caught in the shower by creepy Carol Peletier, to the found-footage flashbacks of he, little Roberto, and pre-walker wife, Maria, all the way to both the kiss and sacrifice he makes so that Carol can smuggle contraband Roberto out of Solaz Del Mar. For a penultimate episode of the season, it's anyone's guess who this will wrap up!

We're aggregating recent developments from the shows you love that have emerged from this week's New York Comic Con panels. Of course, we're talking about The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon's future and Game of Thrones' new spin-off (based on Dunk and Egg) called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but also Welcome to Derry, The Running Man, and much more. If we missed anything, tell us in your review!

Daryl Dixon, having confronted Los Limbos, has emerged from his own purgatory. Carol Peletier is living in the moment, like Daryl was in the 1st season. As we inch ever closer to the finale, will Daryl finally reveal the truth behind the obviously messed up Ofrenda?

Have you ever known Daryl Dixon to run away from a fight? Maybe it's because, before this mess, it's what he did all the time. And he wants to go back to the only real home he's ever known. Poor timing since Carol Peletier seems to be growing roots. Will these two ever find a happy ending?