To quit, or not to quit, the Walking Dead

The Walking Dead finale for season 6 has come and gone. All we’re left with is the sounds, and effects of innuendo and promises.

Someone is dead.

All the dreary, depressing, horrifying content that smacks you in the head with blood splatters all over the camera has been exhausting this season. I’m left with this ongoing question:

Should I quit watching?

Seems I can’t quit. Not really…

I mean, I did quit. I quit watching it live a few episodes back. Somewhere along the fun introduction of Jesus.

But I have not quit completely. The show is intoxicating enough for me to purposely not watch it live, but longing to know what happened while ignoring it playing live. I want to know, but I want to not see it as it happens.

So the night after a new episode airs, and I purposely did not watch it, I wake up stressed out about what I may have missed. I drag my dreary self into the kitchen to make much needed coffee so I can plug into my various social media feeds to find out what I missed.

I tune into Vulture and WaPo, NYTimes blog and sometimes Forbes…

There are others. There’s always a lot of opinions…

While processing the written words, and pouring a second cup, I then move on to the video clips. I see some snippets, and worry about my state of mind and sanity.

I say to myself: “It’s television. Get a grip. Appreciate the special effects.”

Yet I can’t bring myself to watch the new episodes live. I will watch them the following week, after I’ve already discovered what will transpire.

I spoil myself. I cheat, so I can prepare for the already known and processed outcome.

I still cringe at all the drama.

Knowing what will be is no comfort at all, with this show.

But I want to see. I want to see Carol, or Morgan. I want to see Rick and Darryl. I want to see Jesus again…I want to see them all.

But just not live.

Strange, this world of the apocalypse. Even stranger that the dead aren’t even particularly worry-some anymore. Lucille seems to be the more prevalent threat, of late…

For the next six months or so, we loyal followers (or semi-followers) are left to contemplate season 7. Who will live, who died? Who will die? The season finale hit hard last night, I read, but despite knowing what happened, I’m not ready to watch it.

Not yet.

Maybe in the summer, when they’re doing a marathon…

I’m exhausted by the sheer mental commitment this show has had on me. But by next October, I’ll be tuning in again. Perhaps not live, but sooner or later, I’ll be watching again.

I always do. Quitting completely is simply not an option.