thewalkingdead
Damn I’m sorry
I like Beth she was a great actress in the walking dead. I don’t know why and I even feel bad for doing it. When she has her little moments when she starts singing I have to fast forward or move to the next episode. It like cringes me out I don’t know why. Am I alone?
Discussion
Was Beth’s singing really that out of place?
Look, I get it, nothing says 'zombie apocalypse' like a teenager belting out Tom Waits around a campfire . But let’s be real: Emily Kinney’s musical moments were basically AMC’s way of giving her a two-for-one deal, surviving walkers and launching her indie-folk side hustle. (Spoiler: She’s since released like five albums, so mission accomplished?) .
Was it forced? Maybe. But between Hershel’s dad-energy nudges and the writers suddenly remembering Beth had vocal cords, I choose to believe the real cringe was the show pretending a post-apocalyptic teen would casually know 19th-century Scottish folk songs . At least her band’s music is less ‘Grady Memorial hostage lullaby’ and more ‘Brooklyn breakup bops’ .
It's quite popular with Irish and Scottish people. Her ancestors were Irish and she grew up on a farm?
I dunno it seemed plausible to me 😂
I was only two years older than Beth when those episodes aired and knew a fair number of old Scottish/Irish folk songs. Not just The Parting Glass, but also The Ballad of Molly Malone, The Wild Rover, and Danny Boy. So its not completely unheard of, especially if you have older parents like Hershel was.
i don't know why they had her frequently singing, as she was the only one in the history of the show to really do that. i kind of assumed it was tying emily kinney to the role more, as she is the lead singer of a band. like how shane has jon bernthal's "lemme tell you sumthin", and norman's angry arm swing that daryl does, and andrew's head tilt that rick does.
andrew's head tilt that rick does.
You know it's going to be memorable when Rick does it.
I read an interview (a million years ago) that it was already written in as a singing role. And she auditioned with singing. So it wasn’t an afterthought to involve her more
Your unintended implication that Rick is simply doing an impression is humorous (Eugene voice)
I think the singing was meant to be a way to bring life and a sense of comfort in a post-apocalyptic world. If only she could’ve brought that positivity to Alexandria
I like her singing but I agree it was a bit odd, it didn’t feel like it matched the mood of the show.. (I did enjoy her singing tho I think she has a beautiful voice)
I really liked her there was never another character like her and I was so broken up when she died. Not even Glen made me as sad.
My girlfriend and I skip her singing parts too.
I think her singing was definitely to show that in times of darkness, they can bring some light. The old world doesn't have to completely disappear and so she wanted to bring some normalcy to their current life. Plus music just soothes the soul. So I think it worked beautifully into the story. However I do have to say, I really never like her character in thr show.
I do the same, her voice is so annoying to me. I didn’t really like her character either, not because of the actress, but because of how the character was written.
I understood her not wanting to live in that kind of world after realizing those people weren’t “sick.” After that, they made her character whiny and dependent. She never stood up for herself, could never protect herself, someone always had to protect her.
She finally gains some confidence and 🔪Dawn in the shoulder with a tiny pair of scissors. Like really? They killed her off when she FINALLY learned to take care of herself.
Sorry for the rant, I said all that to say, I don’t like her singing voice either. 🤣
You can't convince me that she really thought the tiniest scissors in the world would actually kill that lady. I get that she was innocent, but at that point in the zombie apocalypse, she had seen plenty of people get killed and zombies too.
I loved her singing.
For one thing, she’s a hell of a singer. The acoustics in the prison were amazing. But as a character, she no doubt sang in her church choir. Her singing was a moment of escape for everyone. I could listen to that song in the prison daily.
nope. Same. But I also don’t like musicals. I just hate a good movie and then bam folks break out in song.
This didn’t happen in TWD but I hated when she was singing…yuck…
Ya, I didn't know what songs she was singing first off so it's a little odd. I kinda toon out when she starts singing too tbh..
Yeah, it's just not what I watch the show for. She's a cool character and a good singer, I'm just never in the mood for those slow, super drawn out, boring moments when she sings.
I enjoyed it...the first time I watched. After that, it just got on my nerves. On some YT videos, like TVSins and some reactors, they jokingly say she was trying to get a record deal. Fair enough...but I don't have to listen to it. Beth was cool, but really all she did was babysit, sing, get kidnapped, then get herself killed. I'm grateful for the skip option, something I didn't get when I watched as it aired every Sunday night.
Nothing really against Emily Kinney, but Beth was the worst. Just always seemed like such a liability.
it makes me cringe too lol. I think they just made her sing because the actor likes singing
was Beth singing written in the comics?
I still hate Beth useless character that was a burden on her family. Andrea was the only one who saw her for what she was an attention whore who needed to find out if she was willing to survive.
For the streets!
I just finished season 5. I also thought her singing seemed kinda strange/out of place— I even brought it up to my partner. She’s the only one who (thus far, that I’ve seen) is ever shown singing. I figured her actress must be known for singing so they wanted to use it in the show. I really liked her character tho! Wish she would’ve been around longer
Alden sings too
I don’t think I’m to that point in the show yet, that name doesn’t sound familiar
That's because he isn't introduced for another 2 seasons from where you are now. He also only sings for like 1-2 episodes after another character who is a former music teacher is also introduced 2 more seasons later. There are reasons that the music teacher convinces Alden to sing that I won't spoil for you, but it really is a one-time thing for him.
Beth was definitely a special case in her spontaneous performances, so you're right. They are a bit out of place. Apparently, the real-world reason is that the actress was launching her music career. I always figured the in-show reason was Beth trying to maintain an interest in her passions to drive away her depression and suicidal thoughts. It was a bonus that she was bringing back a sense of whimsy and calm that the group had mostly lost. She was kind of like the quartet in Titanic that just keeps playing while the ship floods around them, lol
She was annoying the hell out of me when it was just her and Darryl 😩😩
I feel like the times she sang was canonically cringey to the characters too
No Daryl’s with you too
Yes. I always FFW that :p
I liked the vibe when she started singing. It brought back a feeling of normality in a completely unnatural situation. An angelic voice echoing through a prison where some of the hardest criminals were kept.
I also think Beth represented innocence, and when she died, so did any lingering innocence in the group.
This is a great take! I actually really liked how they sort of packaged together her death and Tyrese's. It really was a pivotal moment for the group, knowing what they would have to face and become. Very much a loss of innocence.
The fact Tyreese basically got almost an entire episode just about his death is crazy, it's one of the most beautifully haunting episodes they've made.
The one with Beth, Tyreese, and when they meet Aaron are like… the best 3 episodes the show has to offer.
so agree with you
This episode and the ones that followed were set up like dominoes. After Beth, Tyreese followed - who was the in between of Beth and where the group stood. After Tyreese, you meet Aaron and get to see how far the group has come. Without Beth and Tyreese, the group is now willing to kill ANYONE and no longer just the people that actively pose a threat. This is illustrated by their hunt for the group that they are convinced Aaron is with.
I absolutely love these 3 episodes. Best the show has, in my opinion.
Tyrese’s death still hits me hard. They did an excellent job with it but I wish they hadn’t killed him off. I cry like a baby every time I watch.