Saturday, May 14, 2011

The Walking Dead (Season 1)





4+ STARS
READY FOR SEASON 2!


Finally, a fine horror television series that can only be called groundbreaking.
Finally, a horror television series with real actors that can damn well act and don't all look anorexic.
Finally, a horror television series with real dialogue.
Finally, a horror television series!

This show is developed by Frank Darabont, who works often with adapting Stephen King novels.  Darabont is writer/director of two of the finest movies ever put on film (which also happen to be Stephen King stories), The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. So, it is safe to say this show would have to be superb.

Honestly though, I had my reservations about this show before watching it.  I did not watch the actual season on television.  As with all other shows these days, in the time of everything being on DVD and Netflix, I wait until I can watch the entire season at once.  With what I read about the premise of the show, I thought about how Darabont could pull off an entire series with nothing but zombies.  It sounded a little too 28 Days Later to me.  I can tell you now is, he definitely pulled it off with some very talented writers and actors.

Now, I do not believe in giving too much of a great story away so I will keep the show's events to a minimum as much as possible.  The Walking Dead begins when Rick Grimes (played by British actor Andrew Lincoln), a sheriff's deputy in a small Georgia town, suffers a near fatal shooting and falls into a coma.  When he awakens in the hospital, Grimes finds the world has been turned inside out by a zombie apocalypse.  Grimes finds himself in the company of other survivors and it becomes a constant battle of survival for the group as they try to make their way away from the hordes of undead.

The first season is only six episodes long but, if you are like me and watch it on DVD for the first time, its like a very long movie.  Season two has been picked up by AMC and will begin on, as it did last year, Halloween with thirteen episodes this time and I am very ready.  I strongly urge everyone to watch the featurettes after watching the actual show.  There are some great Making of.... specials for every episode.  The work Darabont and everyone put into this show was nothing short of incredible.  I was in awe of the AMC network with what they let Darbont get away with in this show.  Every episode has what every horror fan loves, suspense, genuine creepiness, blood and gore.  The entire cast (many who appeared in several of Darabont's movies) work their asses off to make this a very character driven piece, whether they are covered in the blood and gore, or in one of the more emotional scenes.  Believe it or not, this show has its tender moments too.  I have yet to meet anyone who has not loved this show.  I think it will appeal to most all, whether you are alive or undead.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

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