The Walking Dead: Season One
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After waking from a coma in an abandoned hospital, police officer Rick Grimes finds the world he knew gone – ravaged by a zombie epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. Nearby, on the outskirts of Atlanta, a small encampment struggles to survive as ‘the dead’ stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another? AMC’s The Walking De
The Walking Dead: Season One
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Too scary to watch, and too good not to!,
I would not describe myself as a zombie fan. That doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally get lured over to that territory through popular culture or a particularly irresistible bit of story-telling. I have no cable television in my home, but even I’d heard enough buzz on The Walking Dead to be intrigued. After all, it’s the same network that brought us Mad Men, and I’ve been hooked on those DVDs for years. Still, as scary as 60′s-era advertising execs are, I wasn’t sure I was prepared for zombies. I called my buddy Jimbo and asked, “Will The Walking Dead be too scary for me?” His answer: “Yes. But you have to watch it anyway for the story-telling.” As usual, Jimbo was right on both counts.
In the extended pilot episode, a Georgia sheriff’s deputy is shot in the line of duty. He eventually awakens, scruffily bearded, in the hospital after an unknown period of time. He is still weak, bandaged, and disoriented. Is he really awake at all? Because he’s awoken alone in a nightmare world. The hospital is deserted, and there are terrifying signs of violence everywhere. The morgue has been locked down tight, but there are… things behind the door. Outside, he finds dozens of decaying bodies lined up like logs. So begins Rick Grimes’ odyssey in a wholly changed world. Eventually he meets other survivors who explain that the dead have risen and who give Rick the basic info on this brave new world. His only immediate goal is to survive and find his wife and son.
Enough can not be said about the quality of this television series. From performances, design, special effects and makeup, writing, and direction, this series on the small screen rivals anything you’d see on the big screen. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the horror genre treated with such respect and intelligence. The Walking Dead won’t appeal to a universal audience, but there is simply no denying how good it is.
The first season DVDs contain a mere six episodes, but they include a nice variety of DVD extras ranging from several making of-style documentaries to a how to achieve zombie makeup tutorial for Halloween. I was disappointed by the lack of commentary tracks, but hopefully they’ll be included next season.
Yes, Jimbo was right. This show is way too scary for me. I watched these episodes one at a time, with the lights on, and not before bed. They truly scared me to the point that I could barely continue watching them. I was cursing Jimbo the whole time and swore that I would not be watching season two. But by the time episodes five and six were viewed, I knew it was hopeless. I’m hooked. I need to know what’s going to happen next, but I dread finding out!
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|Zombie Mayhem Takes A Back Seat To Searing Human Drama In This Near Perfect Adaptation Of An Undead Classic,
When I heard that AMC was going to produce a television series based on the zombie epic “The Walking Dead,” I was both concerned and delighted. A bona fide classic in undead lore, Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead” graphic novels are brutal and surprising–not really what I would picture for a basic cable TV show (the first season is only 6 episodes, we’ll see where it goes from there). But AMC has produced terrific and prestigious shows like “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” so I was pretty stoked to see what they do with this. Add Frank Darabont of “Shawshank Redemption” fame as the creative force behind the show, and I’m pleased to report that we’ve got a winner!
For years, I’ve maintained that the principle themes of Kirkman’s vision have little to do with actual monsters. This is a story of human survival, of morality, of loyalty, of sacrifice–of doing anything necessary to carry on without losing the basics of what makes life worth living. The fact that this is occurring within the midst of a zombie apocalypse is just a bonus! Darabont and team are fully on board with the notion that it is humanity, not the undead, driving this epic struggle. So while “The Walking Dead” expertly crafts its horrors, the real emotional weight is conveyed through its characters and the decisions they face on a daily basis.
The story in these six episodes, for the most part, adheres to the first few individual comics or the collected “Volume One: Days Gone By.” This is the series’ jumping off point–and, in truth, sets things up in a fairly typical way. After being involved in a shoot-out, cop Rick awakes from a coma isolated, but not alone, in a local hospital. Apparently, in the time he was out, something has shifted in the world and now the dead walk. The program introduces Rick and many other principles as he tries to figure out what is happening while he crosses the state to locate his family. On the outskirts of Atlanta, Rick is reunited with his wife Lori, son Carl, and police partner Shane with a group of other survivors. I was afraid, with so much story to draw from, Darabont might rush things. Instead, “The Walking Dead” takes its time setting up the premise, introducing the cast, and establishing a bleak new world. It is a tremendous accomplishment that really allows the viewer to identify with the action, to become emotionally connected with the horror.
There are a few diversions from Kirkman’s text, but they actually enhance the drama. I particularly enjoyed the possible introduction of one of the series’ greatest villains at a much earlier point–rounding off his back story for a reemeergence in the future. With such a large cast, the standouts in the beginning have got to be the leads–Andrew Lincoln as Rick and Jon Bernthal as Shane. Hopefully, should there be a second season, more of the supporting cast will get to shine–but their early contributions are uniformly fine. Lincoln displays an intriguing balance of strength and vulnerability, but it’s Bernthal who is the break-out star for me! The gore and effects are absolutely top notch and should be appreciated by horror aficionados. Those that love zombie mayhem should have more than enough to whet their appetite. But, and this I stress, “The Walking Dead” is sophisticated, adult entertainment that should appeal to viewers who might not ordinarily target this genre as well. This is just great TV, plain and simple, and something unexpected fresh (if you can call rotting flesh fresh) on the TV landscape. KGHarris, 11/10.
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|A Zombie Epic Takes a Double Dip–Great For Newbies, But Probably An Essential Upgrade Only For Fervent Fans,
So now that all The Walking Dead TV fans have purchased Season One, here comes the inevitable double dip for the 3-Disc Special edition. I always find this a dubious way to reward fans, by making them regret buying your initial product. It does, however, seem to be a commercial reality that continues to disappoint and exploit consumers. Whether or not you will indulge in the new version will depend on how appealing its additional material strikes you. Here is a run down of the new features with the old features (also included) to help you decide.
5 Stars for the show itself, 1 Star for the repeated practice of double dipping.
NEW Material for this re-issue:
Pilot Episode: The B&W Version
Audio Commentaries On All 6 episodes
We Are The Walking Dead
Bring Out The Dead: KNB And The Art of Making Zombies
Digital Decay: The VFX of The Walking Dead
No More Room in Hell: The Walking Dead Phenomenon
Adapting The Dead
Killer Conversations: Frank Darabont & Greg Nicotero
ALL Previous Bonus Material Also Included:
The Making of The Walking Dead
Inside The Walking Dead: Episodes 1 – 6
A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman
Behind The Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips
Convention Panel with the Producers
The Walking Dead Trailer
Extra Footage (Zombie School, Bicycle Girl, On the Set with Robert Kirkman, Hanging with Steven Yeun, Inside Dale’s RV, and On Set With Andrew Lincoln)
Original Review:
When I heard that AMC was going to produce a television series based on the zombie epic “The Walking Dead,” I was both concerned and delighted. A bona fide classic in undead lore, Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead” graphic novels are brutal and surprising–not really what I would picture for a basic cable TV show (the first season is only 6 episodes, we’ll see where it goes from there). But AMC has produced terrific and prestigious shows like “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” so I was pretty stoked to see what they do with this. Add Frank Darabont of “Shawshank Redemption” fame as the creative force behind the show, and I’m pleased to report that we’ve got a winner!
For years, I’ve maintained that the principle themes of Kirkman’s vision have little to do with actual monsters. This is a story of human survival, of morality, of loyalty, of sacrifice–of doing anything necessary to carry on without losing the basics of what makes life worth living. The fact that this is occurring within the midst of a zombie apocalypse is just a bonus! Darabont and team are fully on board with the notion that it is humanity, not the undead, driving this epic struggle. So while “The Walking Dead” expertly crafts its horrors, the real emotional weight is conveyed through its characters and the decisions they face on a daily basis.
The story in these six episodes, for the most part, adheres to the first few individual comics or the collected “Volume One: Days Gone By.” This is the series’ jumping off point–and, in truth, sets things up in a fairly typical way. After being involved in a shoot-out, cop Rick awakes from a coma isolated, but not alone, in a local hospital. Apparently, in the time he was out, something has shifted in the world and now the dead walk. The program introduces Rick and many other principles as he tries to figure out what is happening while he crosses the state to locate his family. On the outskirts of Atlanta, Rick is reunited with his wife Lori, son Carl, and police partner Shane with a group of other survivors. I was afraid, with so much story to draw from, Darabont might rush things. Instead, “The Walking Dead” takes its time setting up the premise, introducing the cast, and establishing a bleak new world. It is a tremendous accomplishment that really allows the viewer to identify with the action, to become emotionally connected with the horror.
There are a few diversions from Kirkman’s text, but they actually enhance the drama. I particularly enjoyed the possible introduction of one of the series’ greatest villains at a much earlier point–rounding off his back story for a reemeergence in the future. With such a large cast, the standouts in the beginning have got to be the leads–Andrew Lincoln as Rick and Jon Bernthal as Shane. Hopefully, should there be a second season, more of the supporting cast will get to shine–but their early contributions are uniformly fine. Lincoln displays an intriguing balance of strength and vulnerability, but it’s Bernthal who is the break-out star for me! The gore and effects are absolutely top notch and should be appreciated by horror aficionados. Those that love zombie mayhem should have more than enough to whet their appetite. But, and this I stress, “The Walking Dead” is sophisticated, adult entertainment that should appeal to viewers who might not ordinarily target this genre as well. This is…
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