Some quick thoughts on the first season of AMC's The Walking Dead
If you don't like reading, check out my Video Review (Above)
If you've been reading my blog for a while then you know that The Walking Dead is just about my favorite Graphic Novel at the moment. It's not just a zombie comic, it is a zombie epic, a character driven story that is powerful in its delivery and broad in scope. A while back I mentioned how excited I was for the television adaptaion of said work. Well, the TV series came and went... on cable. Unfortunately I do not have cable so I had to look for alternative means to watch The Walking Dead. Luckily I stumbled across Amazons new On Demand feature and got the entire first season plus a pre-pilot sneak preview for $5.
So what did I think? Well much like the graphic novel it's a mixed bag (a bag filled with diamonds and severed hands).
The series as an adaption is incredibly faithful to the spirit of the books. I say spirit because this is not a direct translation. The characters are the same, and they are put in similar situations, but this is not a blow by blow of the graphic novel. New characters, relationships and scenarios all come into play within the first episode. Most notably the addition of two "redneck" brothers and a different relationship between Shane (Ricks best friend) and Lori (Ricks wife). If you want a recap of how the relationship between Shane and Lori went in the book click here for my review of Walking Dead Volume One. In the show Shane not only makes it past the first episode but he is still alive even at the end of the season. Though his killy rapey self is becoming more apparent.
The characters from the book; Rick, Shane, Lori, Carl, Dale, Glen and the like are all perfect. They do a great job capturing each person. Shane is great at crazy eyes. Dale is old, wise and friendly, and Glen is upbeat and emotional. As for the new characters... I like them. I think the Dickson brothers are a fun addition, racism and all, and setting up Merle as a future villain is an interesting place to take the series. I like that he didn't show up again in this season. Though I must admit I find his escape rather taxing on the imagination. The other new characters are basically there to be eaten by zombies. Jim's death plays out much the same way as in the book (gets bitten, slowly turns) but I wish they would have added the bit from the comic about his family...
The gore in Walking Dead is lite. I can see some zombie buffs not quite buying into because it is more about the characters. There are some episodes, the season finale stands out, where there are hardly any zombies at all. Just keep in mind that this show is not about how many zombies can be killed in 45 minutes, it is about people surviving in an incredibly dangerous world.
Speaking of the season finale, it was incredibly weak. Six episodes clearly weren't enough for where the creators of the show wanted to go (luckily a 2nd season has already been ordered). The 6th episode just feels like a self contained story, there is no real cliff hanger, nothing to draw you back (unless you just love zombies/ the show). There was also one scene, in which the group all gets a hot shower for the first time in ages, that plays out almost like a parody. The one thing they did try to bait us with was that a secret is passed to Rick near the end of the episode. I have some theories on what that might be, but I'll get into that down below***
In the end I have to reccomend this series. It was well made and executed with near perfection. This will hopefully be a long running series like the graphic novel. I would love to see where these surivors end up several years down the road. If you like zombies you owe it to yourself to watch this show.
Now lets get into some SPOILERS
*** At the end of episode six, in which the group makes it to the Center for Disease Control, they find the one remaining scientist Dr. Jenner. He reluctantly lets them into the CDC underground, makes them all take blood tests, and tells them all he knows about the virus and the world at large. At one point Rick goes to thank Jenner (Rick being slightly drunk) and asks about the blood tests. Jenner responds with a non descript "No suprises". Later the CDC runs out of backup power so it beings a facility wide decontamination. Jenner traps the survivors in but eventually lets them go, but before Rick runs out he whispers something into his ear and Rick is clearly disturbed by what he says. Here are my theories as to what he whispered:
1. That his wife Lori is pregnant. This happens in the graphic novel and is quite a tense situation because by that point Rick knows the baby might not be his, and could be Shane's (who is dead). Also they don't know how the virus, which they all technically have, could affect the baby.
2. At one point Shane gets drunk and almost sexually assaults Lori. Jenner has cameras all over the building, there is a good chance he saw what went down in the wreck room and told Rick his "Friend" might be a bit unstable (perhaps it's 1 and 2)
3. That they all have the virus. At this point in the book, and the series it would seem, the characters all think the only way you become a zombie is if you are bitten or scratched. However, it is discovered by the deaths of the two idiots in the books that everyone will come back eventually. Knowing that no matter what, you have the virus in you and will turn even if not bitten would be quite disheartening to hear.
4. This one is a bit of a lame duck but... Andrea is infected... At one point Andrea throws up form what we are left to assume is grief/alcohol. I'd be incredibly disappointed if this were the case. Also, this one makes the least sense.
So those are my theories, they are all fairly in line with the comic. That said, Kirkman has stated before that the series will deviate from the books to keep the fans of the comics guessing.
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