The mid season finale was exactly what I expected it to be-Rick deciding to fight back and a triumphant 'return to form' for the group.
I am so done with Carol. Just kill her already. Shes just become annoying and I want Negan to drive a steamroller over her.
I could also do without Sasha. Seems like a completely pointless and superfluous character now.
So many of these characters need to die so that the episodes stop feeling like filler.
This is all the show needs:
Rick
Carl
Michonne
Maggie
Dwight (YES, Dwight the burned dude)
Negan
The priest character is starting to be kinda cool again, too. I guess we can keep him. Don't remember his name though.
All the rest are what I call 'bridge crew'. They're not quite red shirts, but beyond serving a function in a specific episode, there is no reason to tell stories with these characters. I see Rosita (hot as she is) and to me, she is no more important than the person keeping inventry of the food or the town doctor or whatever.
In Star Trek, I'd say I like Sulu and Chekov in their roles but I really don't need to see episodes about them. It's a waste of time that could be better used t enhance the stories of the more important characters like Kirk, Spock and McCoy. That's why I call those other characters 'bridge crew'. Rick needs a thing done, theres Rosita or some of the others. But after that, get off the screen and leave the drama to the characters that matter.
Darryl's in this sort of 'limbo' for me. I like the character just fine, but it's painfully obvious that the writers do not have any idea what to do with him. He's a wildcard that changes nothing on the show anymore. Sure it was an opportunity to show what life is like at the Saviors' base, but the episode with Carl did the exact same thing and was vastly more effective because Carl is an essential part of the show. It's just so clear to me that Darryl is being clumsily tacked on to the blueprint. Either find things for him to do like they did earlier in the series or just kill him, already.