The give away for me was that they had barely any special effects, they had limited extras, limited VFX, no main cast (not even Carol spoke!). It screams money savings. And the trick they did pull of is obviously making viewers think it was shot in a hospital or there was a huge cost involved.

He's a doctor.

You are right.

Yeah, I'm def not trying to argue that I know it is a bottle episode, just smelled like one to me!

I agree, it's all plausible. And if you are seriously a doctor then you kinda win by default.

Definitely. What I was thinking is that the savings they are getting from the entire cast missing this episode outweighs the costs they get in hiring a one off (or two or three) in this episode.

Ha ha, In fairness if the show jumps the shark it will only liven the comments to the burns I loved so much during season 2!

The winner is the person who resorts to using "butthurt" when a heated discussion takes place. Also known as the kid too cool to debate.

That has nothing to do with an actors quote. The cast of this season is getting PAID, a former Oscar nominee may as well be getting a minimum contract in exchange for appearing in the highest rated show on cable.

Cast contracts go by fractions of total episodes. Rarely to contracts get 10/10 (or 22/22 depending on the amount of episodes.) It's a SAG rule. The studio brokers a minimum for featured actors and insures a bottle episode. The reason you think the main actor is always in a bottle episode is either they have to…

Not to nerd out but I do this for a living, paying actors. Their contracts are structured on appearance, not a signing fee like athletes. For a massive show like this the actors are by far the biggest cost, next to special effects makeup. Not featuring any speaking lines is a MASSIVE savings. On shows like…

I think the narrative that we had this new writing staff that was going to more or less redefine the quality of writing is what bugs me about this episode. I remember this show as being the laughing stock on AV Club (the cut downs being why I fell in love with this site). I only bring up it being a bottle is how bad…

Bottle episode because the momentus to writing the story is based on not showing the main cast (not paying them). It showed here, poorly.

Well we can discuss here. That was a genuinely great hour of television. And even to intersect with TWD it showed what bothers me about the idea that all strangers are evil or potential enemies is folly. In a real apocalypse there would be far more of us trying to do right and help each other than rape, pillage,…

Last season they seemed to to do it with more finesse.

It's a bottle episode meant to trick audiences into thinking it's a "break" from the main action. Breaking Bad episode in the lab showed how to do it. No excuses with this highly paid writing staff. F+!!

Yes, when cast are not featured they are not paid. The studio knows this and cuts out the main cast each season as much as possible over at least one or two episodes. Far more savings than building a few hospital sets. Also minimal SPX MU.

This show has more viewers and makes Game Of Thrones money. For the writing to be this base is embarrassing. Previous seasons get my wrath as well.

Accepted and value your opinion. This was also the same feeling I got from people pushing the rationale to Prometheus. Just not feeling it.

yes, I was embarrassed to watch this one. Only the Iran Parts Unknown episode redeemed my night.