The Walking Dead Season One

I know this site typically features “sexy” creatures with blood lust and zombies are typically anything but sexy BUT I just have to write about AMC’s The Walking Dead. This show is freakin awesome!!!

I started watching late one night (recently) via Netflix streaming. I watched the first 3 episodes that night and became hooked. Finished season one the next evening. Basically it revolves around the story of  a Sheriff’s Deputy named Rick Grimes and his band of misfits trying to stay to stay alive in a world overrun by zombies. It begins with Rick getting shot during the apprehension of two yahoos with guns. When he wakes up in the hospital, he is alone, his wound is rancid, and there are half eaten bodies all over the place. A large room is chained off and a written warning is there not to open “Dead Inside”. Through cracks in the doors he sees pasty whites fingers trying to claw their way out and he knows something is terribly wrong here.

He leaves the hospital and goes home to find his house empty and is almost killed by a man and his young son who think him a zombie but instead they nurse him back to health and enlighten him about the world as it exists now… zombie territory. Word is that the CDC has a refugee camp in Atlanta though so that is where Rick heads, hoping to find his wife and son.

His journey from there is tense and terrifying (watching at night may not be advised). He makes an alarming discovery in Atlanta and barely makes it out alive but he does manage to hook up with a group of survivors there to scavenge. He ends up becoming a leader for them as they try to find any safe place that they can reside.

It was really, really scary IMO and the effects and makeup were amazing. These zombies are totally grotesque!

The story is good as well. You become emotionally invested in the characters and you get frustrated when personal BS manages to sneak in and put people in danger during the fight of their lives. One scene I found particularly interesting was when one survivor was contemplating turning on another and shooting him under the guise of hunting zombies. It was a perfect example of how a once good man can change when the world around him goes to pot and an anything goes, every man for himself attitude prevails. The writing is wonderful and it really makes you feel as though you are living the zombie apocalypse.

Criticism: One episode in particular felt like it was ripped right out of Resident Evil… down to the female computer persona controlling the government building and threatening to kill everyone inside. Yeah… seen that before. It also ended way to soon! Waaaah! Season one only had 6 episodes.. good as they were I wanted more.

Can’t wait to catch up with season two!