AMC's The Walking Dead Is a Massive Zombie Hit

Tom Goldman

Crying on the inside.
Aug 17, 2009
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AMC's The Walking Dead Is a Massive Zombie Hit



The first major live-action television series to feature the zombie apocalypse will likely be sticking around for a while.

AMC's The Walking Dead, a television show based off of the comic book [http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Dead-Compendium-One/dp/1607060760/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288809934&sr=1-1] of the same name, debuted this past Sunday on Halloween night. The network's effort to create a large-scale television show focused on zombies has paid off, as AMC announced that The Walking Dead debuted with the highest ratings the network has ever seen.

The 90-minute episode was watched by 5.3 million viewers, the largest audience for any original series on the network, whose ranks include the popular Breaking Bad [http://www.amazon.com/Mad-Men-Season-Jon-Hamm/dp/B000YABIQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288811784&sr=8-1]. It was also the highest rated cable series premiere of 2010.

In case you missed it, Walking Dead feels more like a movie than a television show, which makes sense considering it's being handled by Frank Darabont of Green Mile [http://www.amazon.com/Shawshank-Redemption-Blu-ray-Book/dp/B000Q67876/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1288811623&sr=8-2] fame. The goal of the Robert Kirkman-written graphic novel was to tell a zombie story that didn't end after two hours, and the show reflects this basic idea. It follows Rick Grimes as he wakes up to a world where the dead are everywhere, and some of them are still on their feet. It started off a little slow for me, but it picks up later, and gives what I feel is a more personalized view at how people might handle the existence of zombies.

Walking Dead's first season will conclude after 5 more episodes. AMC was rumored to have picked up the show for a second season before it debuted, with future 13-episode seasons planned, but this hasn't yet been confirmed. After the massive premiere, I think AMC has the intelligence of a zombie if it doesn't give us more Walking Dead.

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cobrausn

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Dec 10, 2008
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They maintained the depressing feel of the graphic novel pretty well.

Also, I'm convinced that in all AMC shows, the motto should be 'It gets better, just so it can get that much worse.'
 

Physics Engine

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Aug 18, 2010
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They expanded on the first scenes too much, but otherwise it was quite good. The acting is top notch and the sets are great. I could pick out panels from the comic while watching.

Excellent so far. Can't wait for Sunday!
 

InvisibleMan

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Mar 26, 2009
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The premiere was fantastic, and I can see a great first season coming up...

But more seasons? Where could they go from here? This can only get really, really good or really, really boring in following seasons.
 

Tom Goldman

Crying on the inside.
Aug 17, 2009
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InvisibleMan said:
The premiere was fantastic, and I can see a great first season coming up...

But more seasons? Where could they go from here? This can only get really, really good or really, really boring in following seasons.
Well, the comic book has 78 issues and counting, with the first episode covering issue 1, maybe 2... I haven't read it in a while. It goes to some interesting places.
 

Misho-

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May 20, 2010
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Well I personally hate Zombies for two reasons:

1. All the flabby, repressed nerds think themselves that they are going to be THE survivors blasting away zombies to bits while in reality they are going to end up being the fodder of the Horde... Including me :S

2. They are overused, Zombies are cool but c'mon, they're everywhere... I liked the first episode, it keeps you on your toes and I have to admit I didn't know there was a comic... I just hope that it doesn't have a Smallville effect and make everyone feel ashamed of thinking of the subject matter in the end... Meaning I hope this isn't the nail that will shut that overused coffin forever...
 

Snotnarok

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Nov 17, 2008
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Thank God Fox doesn't own the rights to this or they'd see how successful it was then cancel it after airing the episodes out of order. (Fuck you Fox you know what I'm REALLY talking about!)

OT: The first episode was amazing, I hope to see many more.
 

ReverendJ

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Mar 18, 2009
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Oh,dear lord, I missed it! HOW THE HELL DID I MISS THIS?!?

I'd kill myself in shame if it didn't mean missing more.
 

Ironic Pirate

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May 21, 2009
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That's good. I'm sick of my favorite shows dying off after a season or two, looks like this one will go on for a while...
 

Ekonk

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Apr 21, 2009
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Yeah, motherfuckers! I'm happy with this news. This series should continue.
 

Bretty

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Jul 15, 2008
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Awesome first episode.

Not sure about the 28 days later intro but oh well, have to start somewhere. Oh and 28 Days later took that intro from Day of the Trifids.
 

StarCecil

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Feb 28, 2010
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Bretty said:
Awesome first episode.

Not sure about the 28 days later intro but oh well, have to start somewhere. Oh and 28 Days later took that intro from Day of the Trifids.
The Walking Dead used it before 28 Days Later.