AMC The Walking Dead Spinoff Gets Pilot, Probably Zombies

[RossaLincoln]

AMC The Walking Dead Spinoff Gets Pilot, Probably Zombies

Looks like Bradbury was right! TELEVISION IS GOING TO EAT YOUR BRAIN!

The dangers of Zombies overrunning the pop culture landscape will continue, it seems: Deadline is reporting that AMC has approved the filming of a pilot for the planned spinoff of its megapopular The Walking Dead.

First <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127833-AMC-Greenlights-The-Walking-Dead-TV-Spinoff-For-2015>announced last fall, the spinoff series will differ sharply from its parent show by featuring wholly new stories not based on any of the existing comic storylines. Similar to Telltale Games's Walking Dead narrative video games, the new show will feature new characters and supposedly take place concurrent with the main series.

The reason this is news is because the series is not being given a straight-to-series order but instead has to impress with the pilot before AMC will approve a full run. (Both The Walking Dead and the upcoming Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul got immediate series orders.) However, given the monstrous ratings of TWD - the most recent season averaged 13.30 million viewers - it's probable that AMC will jump at another taste of the golden goose.

Personally, I'm all for another show if - and this is a big if - it finally does something that so far, no filmed zombie production has managed to do: actually give us a plausible explanation for how shambling, Romero-style zombies managed to cause a total societal collapse in such a short period of time (approximately 2 or three months going by the pilot of TWD).

Don't get me wrong, I understand they're undead, that people would freak out and get themselves killed (and turned) before we got a handle on it. But these works tend to take place in the developed world, not Thunderdome, and zombies move slowly enough that they're really only a mega-serious problem when they're swarming up on you. Even if more than one city became uninhabitable, we're talking about a country that has numerous redundant and complementary protocols for dealing with everything from nuclear war to disease pandemic. Where did the government go? What happened to communications? Why did local Army bases suddenly get isolated and surviving soldiers picked off? Hell, how did zombies get into that tank in downtown Atlanta?

Seriously, please, just once, give me the ability to suspend my disbelief enough to buy a total zombie apocalypse that doesn't involve running zombies.

In fact, readers: what are your theories for how that happened?

Source: Deadline.

[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/comics-and-cosplay/]

Permalink

 

[COMaestro]

Well, one reason this spread so badly is likely due to the fact that you don't need to be bitten or anything in order to turn into a walker. You just have to die and suddenly you are one of them. How many people die every day from natural causes and accidents? Add that many to the walker side of the equation. There were likely thousands of walkers scattered across numerous cities before word really got out that they existed, probably discounted as stupid rumors, hoaxes or fairy tales by most when word did start spreading. Many people, even when at risk, wouldn't want to believe such things could happen, and as such would refuse to believe and would endanger themselves, possibly being turned because of it. Really, I don't find it that farfetched that society would collapse if such a disease were to exist.

The real question, of course, is how did the disease that causes people to turn once they die spread out so far and so quickly?

 

[Aeryn Seoung]

If the soldiers (inside the tank) weren't bitten, they could have died from a gun wound... or anything else really - and still turn into a zombie. Did you forget the bit where everyone is infected and you don't need to be bitten to die? If you remember that one thing, there are a ton of ways you can guess as to how it happened in a plausible way.

As for the other ones - the same thing. If we remember that people simply turn into zombies for dying of natural causes, the outbreak could have happened simultaneously in different places across the country, instead of spreading from one place. Everything basically went to shit and no-one could really do anything about it.

Personally, I'd rather know what and how of the infection.

 

[Tarkand]

It's missing the point to ask those questions.

Walking Dead isn't really about zombies, it's about survivors and how people would react if you took away civilization. It's a study of the human condition.

Focusing on the 'why?' of the zombie apocalypse is not really where the story is at. That's pretty much why the story is the way it is too... Rick goes in a coma for a few months, he comes out and the apocalypse has already happened.

What you want is World War Z, not the Walking Dead .

 

[KaZuYa]

You do realise that the zombies are just a means to an end, even the shows title has nothing to do with them.

 

[RossaLincoln]

You do realise that the zombies are just a means to an end, even the shows title has nothing to do with them.

Of course! Even so I HAZ WANT TO KNOW.

EDIT: I realize it's about Humans are bastards, but even in the real world, the time between [disaster] and [everyone is Thunderdome] is longer than 3 months.

 

[Grimh]

Isn't that just redundant? Isn't that just more of the same?

Well I'm not one to judge as I haven't even watched the original series yet. Maybe there's potential for more there.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

I got into maybe season 3 or so and then I stopped.

But I think the Walking Dead falls in the same universe of 'No one ever heard of a zombie until now'.

If I remember correctly, the black guy that helped Rick in the first episode had to tell them how to put them down. If you never heard of a zombie, would you instinctively know how to put it down? Hell, you'd probably just be shocked to hell that something that isn't supposed to be is barreling down on you.

 

[Tamayo]

Actually, a zombie outbreak would almost certainly end in apocalypse. Here's why.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Zombies again? Nah man, do something bold. Change the mold! Don't just use more zombies. We have plenty of zombies. Throw us a curve-ball!
Like...Puppies!
Yeah, that's a show worth making.
The Walking Dead: Puppygeddon!

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Well, one reason this spread so badly is likely due to the fact that you don't need to be bitten or anything in order to turn into a walker. You just have to die and suddenly you are one of them. How many people die every day from natural causes and accidents? Add that many to the walker side of the equation. There were likely thousands of walkers scattered across numerous cities before word really got out that they existed, probably discounted as stupid rumors, hoaxes or fairy tales by most when word did start spreading. Many people, even when at risk, wouldn't want to believe such things could happen, and as such would refuse to believe and would endanger themselves, possibly being turned because of it. Really, I don't find it that farfetched that society would collapse if such a disease were to exist.

The real question, of course, is how did the disease that causes people to turn once they die spread out so far and so quickly?

I believe in the comics (which I admit I haven't read) the reason that biting turns you is not because of the bite "spreads the infection." Biting just screws you up because half decayed rotting corpses, without the body's immunity system or other natural defenses, is filled to the brim with all kinds of diseases. You die of an infection of everything BUT the zombie virus (which also can explain why cutting off a bitten limb has saved some characters when done immediately, but will not work if take to much time, such as with poor Lee).

As for the explanation of "how it spread everywhere so quickly," I haven't the faintest clue. Maybe somebody played Plague Inc. one to many times and decided to try it "for real."

 

[BayouStalker]

It spread so quickly because the plot demanded it. Lets face it, most zombies are ineffective villains unless you are cornered or exhausted. The Walking Dead has always been a drama under the guise of a zombie apocalypse. It never did well with me too much, as most zombie related things tend to do the exact same thing every time as zombies tend to be only the moderate threat in them (With a few exceptions.) I'll be honest, and with how many different zombie things that have oozed out over the past few years, I kinda hope that the spin off tanks and TWD starts to collapse so we can move to another thing to beat into a pulp like the proverbial dead horse.

 

[Aeryn Seoung]

It spread so quickly because everyone is infected. Thousands of people die everyday - since everyone is infected, they would turn and bite the nearest living thing. Which brings up the question of what exactly infected the entire population without anyone noticing - since you don't even know anything is wrong until a person has turned.

 

[Vigormortis]

Seriously, please, just once, give me the ability to suspend my disbelief enough to buy a total zombie apocalypse that doesn't involve running zombies.

Unfortunately, without delving into mysticism or pseudo-science, no one can help you with that. And even when delving into mysticism and pseudo-science, it's still very hard to suspend one's disbelief.

Thing is, the "classic Romero" style of zombie apocalypse just isn't feasible; on any level. Logistically or even practically it just wouldn't pan out in the way most undead, slow zombie mythos present it. At worst, we'd likely end up with a world similar to that shown at the end of Shaun of the Dead. That is: The notion of the dead rising would become just another quirk of our everyday lives.[footnote]I can't be the only one who'd love to see a zombie game show.[/footnote]

Besides, even if the world did come to an end via the 'slow zombie horde', the 'apocalypse' would only last a couple of months at the most.

I mean, when you think about it, reanimated corpses wouldn't last very long being exposed to the elements, let alone the usual forces that play into dessication. Without any natural defenses, such as an immune system, the bodies would break down in record time. In the very least, they'd be completely immobile after a few weeks.

So really, if someone wanted to present a 'realistic' zombie apocalypse scenario, they should just present a world that's littered with millions of zombie heads, all strewn about.

You could call it: The Minefields of the Dead

 

[KaZuYa]

It spread so quickly because everyone is infected. Thousands of people die everyday - since everyone is infected, they would turn and bite the nearest living thing. Which brings up the question of what exactly infected the entire population without anyone noticing - since you don't even know anything is wrong until a person has turned.

quite easily, If you have an airborne and waterborne pathogen which has an incubation period of say 18 months you could make the entire population carriers before symptoms became apparent.

 

[Drake Barrow]

Well, one reason this spread so badly is likely due to the fact that you don't need to be bitten or anything in order to turn into a walker. You just have to die and suddenly you are one of them. How many people die every day from natural causes and accidents? Add that many to the walker side of the equation. There were likely thousands of walkers scattered across numerous cities before word really got out that they existed, probably discounted as stupid rumors, hoaxes or fairy tales by most when word did start spreading. Many people, even when at risk, wouldn't want to believe such things could happen, and as such would refuse to believe and would endanger themselves, possibly being turned because of it. Really, I don't find it that farfetched that society would collapse if such a disease were to exist.

The real question, of course, is how did the disease that causes people to turn once they die spread out so far and so quickly?

I believe in the comics (which I admit I haven't read) the reason that biting turns you is not because of the bite "spreads the infection." Biting just screws you up because half decayed rotting corpses, without the body's immunity system or other natural defenses, is filled to the brim with all kinds of diseases. You die of an infection of everything BUT the zombie virus (which also can explain why cutting off a bitten limb has saved some characters when done immediately, but will not work if take to much time, such as with poor Lee).

As for the explanation of "how it spread everywhere so quickly," I haven't the faintest clue. Maybe somebody played Plague Inc. one to many times and decided to try it "for real."

It was one of the few things I liked about the comic. The Komodo Dragon principle of zombie bite actually has logic behind it, and it also backs up the notion that prompt medical care with a full facility could save a bite victim. Considering that proper hospital facilities, or even good military triage, are sorely lacking in that world, it explains why bites are usually regarded as a death sentence.
The treatment scenario above actually happened in one of the Walking Dead webisodes, "The Oath". At least, assuming that the male lead was actually bitten, and was lying about being injured via another method.

As far as spread goes, you would just need two things: a simple vector (airborne if you're being cheap), and a infectious agent that was hard to detect. Considering that the virus/prion/whatever is effectively harmless until the host dies, you'd need to know exactly what you were looking for to catch it ahead of time.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Another series? Are they running out of characters to kill off in the original then?

 

[Soviet Heavy]

What you want is World War Z, not the Walking Dead .

Well, actually World War Z was written as interviews of the survivors, so yeah, it was character driven as well. And I'm still waiting for a World War Z film.

 

[Mister Fox]

The reason why walkers are all over the place is that whoever dies, comes back as one without needing to be bitten by one. From what I can tell, the outbreak didn't start in one area, it was happening all over the world at once. In their universe, they don't have any knowledge of zombies because there isn't any folklore about them. That's why people call them "walkers" or other variety of names instead of zombies. Since no one knows anything about walkers, police and soldiers didn't know to aim for the head because they don't have the knowledge that we have about zombies. After some time, they realized the only way to kill them is to shoot the head, but they where too late as the walker population grow out of control.

 

[Scorpid]

As much as I love the rural south (I live there) and even more so central Georgia I think the new series should try taking place somewhere else. Like I've always wondered how a mega city like Hong Kong or Tokyo or New York would fair in a zombo outbreak. Would skyscrapers become forts or prisons? How would hazards of a unattended infrastructure affect those stuck in such cities. Zombies would be a constant threat since there are no real open fields to lose them in or see them for miles around but supplies would be plentiful.